Fried chicken, shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy and hush puppies. We all have our favorite foods from the South. But when it comes to the holidays, Southerners sure love their homegrown family recipes, some handed down through generations -- and they like a lot of it.

When freelance food editor and recipe developer Alison Ashton thinks of holiday dinners from her years living in the South, one word comes to mind: abundance. "In the South, the holidays equal the usual abundance times 10!" Ashton says. "More is definitely more -- richer food and more dishes on the table. There is no such thing as too much. And of course, turkey made in the deep fryer. Or a big ol' glazed ham. Well, probably both a turkey and a ham."

Carla Hall -- fan favorite "Top Chef" and TV chef on ABC's Emmy Award-winning show "The Chew" -- hails from Nashville, and when she thinks of holiday food celebrations from her Southern roots, it conjures up flavorful family memories.

"It takes me back to family gatherings at my Granny's house in Lebanon, Tennessee, with the country ham sitting off to the side while the other dishes are prepared -- mac and cheese, cornbread dressing, greens, yeast rolls and Granny's famous five-flavor pound cake."

Hall's new cookbook, "Carla Hall's Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration," is full of twists on Southern cooking using her favorite Southern ingredients, including sorghum grains, black eyed peas, sweet potatoes, bitter greens, turnips and other root vegetables.

According to Ashton, other ingredients to consider for bringing a Southern flavor to your holiday dinner are pecans ("pecan pie is a Southern specialty, for sure"); sweet potatoes, especially sweet potato pie made with molasses or sorghum; oysters, to make a great oyster stuffing; and bourbon-flavored anything.

At the holidays, Halls says "cornbread dressing, made with cornbread that is not sweet, is at the center of my plate with gravy, not the turkey. And cranberry sauce -- this is the 'sour' that I want on my plate to cut through the richness of some of the other dishes. It's all about balance."

When it comes to greens, Hall favors a blend of collards, mustard, turnips and/or kale -- the bitter component on my plate complete with some kind of pickled thing. Chow-chow (a slightly tangy Southern vegetable relish) would work perfectly -- and yeast rolls, perfect for sopping up all of those juices, and the leftovers make great sandwiches."

One of Ashton's favorite Southern dishes she still makes each year is "a big ol' pot of Hoppin' John on New Year's Day. It's a low country dish enjoyed throughout the South that includes field peas (usually black-eyed peas), rice, bacon and sometimes a ham hock or sausage, too, and typically served with collard greens." And many consider it to be a lucky dish.

"There are lots of variations," Ashton explains, "but it almost always includes those ingredients to ensure luck and prosperity in the New Year. Peas represent coins, greens equate to money and pork represents progress -- because pigs move forward as they forage. It's hearty and delicious, and with the peas and greens, a reasonably healthy start to the new year." Some Southerners even bury coins in the dish and those who get them in their serving will enjoy extra luck in the New Year.

Ashton also loves dishes from the holiday Revellion dinners in New Orleans. The word "revellion" is derived from the French word for "awakening," and a Revellion dinner was one typically made by the entire community and served after midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

"I like the riffs on Creole specialties like etouffee (a spicy Cajun stew made with seafood and vegetables), oyster bisque, bread pudding with whiskey sauce and of course, pecan pie. Very indulgent and festive with unique Creole flavors and style."

If you're new to Southern cooking, Hall suggests the following holiday menu, either in its entirety or introducing a few of the dishes to give your traditional dinner a Southern flair:

--Clove and cider glazed holiday ham.

--Spoonbread dressing.

--Green bean salad with pickled red onions (served warm).

--Sweet potato pudding with clementines.

--Cranberry sauce made with apples, orange zest, cinnamon and ginger.

As for any specific tips when it comes to cooking southern:

"I think the secret is the depth of flavor that is achieved when allowing food to brown or to cook a little longer than you think," says Hall. "For instance, making pot likker (a hearty vitamin-rich broth made with the left over boiling water from cooking greens, often flavored with smoked ham or turkey): Let the onions and garlic soften and develop flavor before adding the next ingredient. Add the spices and then the liquid. Simmer. Don't rush the development of flavor. Let your taste buds decide, not the time on the recipe. Every oven, stove, pot and pan is different."