Royal Oak — When Barbara Carter interviewed to be a social worker at Lighthouse Sanctuary, a shelter for homeless youth, the interviewer asked her one question that came as a surprise: "Can you cook?"

"Can I cook? Yes I can," Carter told the interviewer.

Carter has cooked ever since she was a little girl, when she watched and helped her mother, who grew up in the South, prepare meals for dozens of people.

At Lighthouse, Carter has become the designated chef. She prides herself on offering the teens in their care a balanced meal. She specializes in sneaking vegetables into the foods kids like to eat.

But on Thanksgiving — that's when Carter goes into overdrive.

For seven years, Carter has cooked a feast fit for royalty, all for a group of kids who would not otherwise have a Thanksgivi

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