fluff

 

 

I'm not a gourmet cook. I just like to pretend I am.  I just like to cook.  I get this from my Grandmother who taught me how to cook. She was the most patient teacher with her excited chef.  She taught me how to fry chicken and make a pie from scratch.

She died when Moira was six months old. On my fourth wedding anniversary. I really wish she would have picked a different day. How selfish of her. Really me. I so miss her to this day. We were like two peas in a pod. We usually had the same reaction to situations and she was my biggest champion.  She quite often got me out of punishments with my mother because I was her favorite. No lie. I told her I was all the time. She never confirmed or denied verbally but she would smile and look me in the eye while telepathically telling "yes, you are my favorite."

How could I not be?

The impending holidays remind me of her because she always hosted Thanksgiving at her house. For years she would tell me to "listen up! You need to know this and remember this," while cooking the meals together. I listened and remembered but would rather HER be the one here and now, telling me what to do for the meal.  

Actually, I have yet to make a formal Thanksgiving meal. I've never baked a turkey other than deep-frying last years bird.  Every year, we go to my mother's for lunch and then to Rich's brother's house for a pot-luck. Truth be told, I'm okay with not stressing and having to call the Butterball hot-line to make sure I'm not going to kill anyone with my poor judgement with time. All of my friends know, I ain't got no sense of time, yo.

Every year I make the time honored tradition of stuffed celery. Cream cheese and chopped green olives mixed together on celery. So freaking simple but my sister-in-laws love it and they fight everyone hovering around the appetizer.

Every year I also try to make something new to add to the traditional fare because I really get bored with stiff level gray casseroles. This year I'm adding these dishes to the round table fare. Only because I used a Teacher's Appreciation luncheon as testing ground. Thankfully, everyone loved the casserole.

Green Bean Casserole.... that is....

courtesy of foodwishes.blogspot.com.

 

 

Ingredients:

For the onions:

2 tbsp butter

2 or 3 yellow onions, sliced

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp sherry vinegar (stirred into the onions after they are caramelized)

For the white sauce:

2 tbsp butter

2 1/2 tbsp flour

2 1/2 cups milk

pinch of nutmeg

cayenne to taste

1/4 tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

For the topping:

2/3 cup panko or other style bread crumbs

2 tbsp melted butter

For the rest:

2 lbs green beans, trimmed, blanched

salt and pepper to taste

4 oz grated Gruyere cheese, divided

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Seriously, ya'll, this shit was damn good! and it didn't taste like the congealed brown mess usually served. I have to now provide this recipe to a dozen or so teachers on Monday. This also means I need to watch this damn video a few more times to remember the steps as I forgot to add the cayenne to this mixture today.  Maybe I'll omit it all together. I don't know.

To add a little white trash to the table because who doesn't love a little WT drama/food (which we usually have) , I also made/am making Orange Fluff.

Courtesy of Six Sisters

Orange Fluff Jello Salad Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 large package Cook and Serve vanilla pudding
1 large package orange jell-o
2 cups water
1 16 oz Cool-Whip (lite or fat-free is fine)
1/2 bag mini marshmallows 

1 can pineapple tidbits (Any size, depending on your preference)

1 can mandarin oranges (Any size, depending on your preference)

2 bananas, sliced (Optional, put in before serving so they don't turn brown in the fridge)

Directions:
Mix together pudding, Jell-o, and water over medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate until mixture has thickened (about an hour). Beat until creamy. Fold in Cool Whip, marshmallows, and fruit. Chill about an hour before serving.

I have to say, this was pretty damned good as well. Well, my seven-year-old loved it and the bowl was pretty much empty after the luncheon was over. I call this a success, no?

Any who, I thought I would share a few of these links because I thought they were worth the mention. Not that you really cared to know....

So, is anyone cooking their first/fifth/20th turkey this year? Are any of you using family as human guinea pigs this Thanksgiving?

 

Comments

[McKenzie]

Green bean casserole is a favorite with people at our table. I think I will change it up with your recipe this year. Thanks!!!

[a]

Turkey is easy. Butter all over the outside. (I cut thin slices off a stick of butter). Stuffing...or not. Toss it in the oven for several hours covered. Use a meat thermometer. 20 minutes a pound or something. Uncover for the last half hour, while you throw all the other stuff in the oven. Tell people a time for dinner. Serve it half an hour or more later.

We had a turkey breast a couple weeks ago. It was OK. Everyone else seemed to like it. We're having steak for Thanksgiving.

[Lisa]

I love fluff! It is a childhood favorite, although we made it with just the jello mix, not the pudding. But its yummy :-)

[Brenda]

I don't cook at all, but I do a mean "order a gourmet meal"..... : )

I totally want to come to your house for dinner. Thanksgiving doesn't work, cause I'm Canadian so my boss might not be ok with skipping work for food!

They both sound delicious!!!

[Sizzle]

I've hosted a couple of times over the years but this will be the first year in two that we are staying in Seattle for the holiday AND hosting it at our new house. My family all brings something to the table but I'll be doing the turkey, stuffing, and potatoes. It's Darcy's favorite holiday (the food) so hopefully I won't screw it up.

[M]

Turkey? It's easy...just remember to take out the little plastic bag with the neck and giblets before you stick it i the over :)

[elz]

We usually host Thanksgiving and last year was a blow-out- we had SO much delicious food: tamale stuffing, shrimp n grits stuffing, corn souffle, oodles of everything. This year, we are at my brother's and he has nixed tamale stuffing (hard to get good tamales in NC, I guess). Do yourself a favor and add this-SO GOOD. http://elzabelz.blogspot.com/2010/11/best-thanksgiving-recipe-tamale.html

[sara]

Whole turkeys scare me. I'm brave enough to do turkey breast only... I'm def trying your green bean casserole. Looks delish!

[Sandi]

I made the fluff and I LOVED it. So, so good. My bf is type 2 diabetic so I made it with sugar free pudding, jello and coolwhip and left out the marshmallows. It was still fabulous.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!

[Tracy]

I am 35 years old and have never had to cook a turkey.... score! Always went to other people's houses on Turkey Day (thus no Turkey cooking!) and since I got married my hubby is the official Turkey cooker! I am in charge of veggies (mashed potatoes-no prob- I am Irish....peel carrots and boil...open cans of veggies...easy peasy!) and deserts of course-piece of cake! Hubby and I have very different ideas on apps though... his family, scallops wrapped in bacon and stuffed mushrooms. I grew up withpickle and olive trays, cheese,pepperoni and crackers, cream cheese stuffed celery (never done the green olives though..interesting!), bowls of mixed nuts (with the nutcrackers of course!) and banana and date nut bread.
The orange fluff looks pretty delicious by the way! (and the green bean casserole...wish I could get Hubs to try something new!) Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family :)

[Becka]

Sorta embarrassed to ask for the recipe for the stuffed celery. I can screw up a three ingredient recipe. What is the olive to cream cheese ratio?

[DawnA]

We go with family traditional meal and it doesn't change much-things are usually added not subtracted. We do the cream cheese and olive celery FOR SURE. Also, if you like that another super easy yummy appetizer-get danish ham (slices), spread with thin layer of cream cheese, add dill pickle spear, roll up, and cut into bite sized pieces. It is so good! Happy Thanksgiving.

[Kristabella]

We have to have green bean casserole. HAVE TO.

This year I'm cooking everything but the turkey and green bean casserole. I wanted to have new recipes, so I'm doing mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes and corn. Oh and homemade rolls.

And then I get to transport it all to my mom's. Because I'm an idiot! But it will be good!

[Becki]

THE BEST RECIPES ARE WT RECIPES. I think a better name for it is comfort food. Thanks for the orange fluff recipe - been looking for one as it was my husbands fave growing up. I do the standbye pistachio pudding/pineapple bits/ marshmallow/Whip cream etc standard.
We are brining this year for the first time . . . .

[flurrious]

The version of the green bean casserole looks really good. That wasn't something we ever had when I was growing up, but I made the standard cream of mushroom soup and canned onions version a couple of years ago just to see what the fuss was about and I wasn't too thrilled with it. Your recipe might get me to try it again.

[Jones sabo must have been satisfied]

Magnificent goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you're just too wonderful.