Your ThanksGiving Table....

Corn Casserole... 

Wow, Thanksgiving is upon us. I can't believe it's here already. I got out the recipe cards and have already whipped up a pumpkin roll (the first one I've tried on my own). It turned out pretty good for a first attempt. 

I don't know if you're like me, but I like to change it up. Now my family, well that's another story. They are totally traditionalists and don't want one item changed. Knowing that. I have looked and found some very yummy and acceptable ways to prepare their favorite Traditional Thanksgiving dishes.  I'll be posting a few of those recipes here. 

I am just posting a few recipes for side dishes and a dessert. A couple of my favorites are new and I'll just direct you to the website where they were found.  

The first one is for "Cornbread Dressing Easy and Moist" http://www.southernplate.com/2010/11/cornbread-dressing-easy-moist.html   The recipe is from Southern plate and looks delish. I'm trying it for the first time this year. Husband, being a good Southern boy, totally hates white bread dressing (our favorite) I have tried forever to make his "mama's cornbread dressing". it's never quite right. After looking this one over, I am sure it will be much more like his mama's then my previous attempts. I don't think I will ever be able to make mine as good as his mama's, but that's the way it should be. If you are looking for loads of Thanksgiving recipes look here. It's another link to the Southern plate site and contains about 60 Holiday recipes. I highly recommend this site. 

My first recipe is for " Corn Casserole" it's a hit with our family and everyone loves it. It takes you back to grandma's table. You may have heard it referred to as "Corn Pudding" I think the names are interchangeable. This recipe I got from a dear Christian lady. Miss Fannie Shelton. this was one of her "always asked for" recipes. Enjoy....  

Corn Casserole:

preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

3- eggs 

3- Tablespoons of flour

3- Tablespoons White sugar

1/2- teaspoon Salt

1- 15oz can cream style corn

1- can evaporated milk

1/2- stick of butter or margarine

Beat together eggs, milk, sugar, flour, and salt until light and foamy. (you'll need to use a hand mixer or put this in your stand mixer.

Blend in corn. pour into a greased/sprayed casserole dish. 

slice butter into small squares and place on top of the corn mixture. bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or until custard consistency.  serve while hot. 

*I use an old glass Pyrex baking dish that holds about 4 cups or so.  

The next favorite is "Green Bean Casserole" you just can't beat the original recipe found at Frenchs.com or Campbellskitchen.com  we leave out the soy sauce and pepper.. We love it. I've tried to replace the dish with brussel sprouts. (my own families traditional veggie) but that's a giant NO. so green bean casserole it is. 

The next recipe is for a fabulous and yummy Cranberry Sauce. My bunch don't like cranberry sauce. I served this for the first time a couple of years ago and they all loved it. A friend from our Troop Support group shared it with me. I make it throughout the year when something a bit fruity is needed. It's fabulous with pork loin, pork chops etc. I always double this recipe for 20 or more of us. some of the kids take it home.. LOL  

Yummy Cranberry Sauce... 

1- can of cranberry sauce * I use whole berry

1- small box of red jello * I use cranberry but any red jello is fine

1/2- of a 15oz can of crushed pineapple or a full 7oz can

chopped nuts of your choice. * I use walnuts

pour the can of cranberry sauce into a bowl. add the crushed pineapple and the nuts. 

then sprinkle the powdered jello over all and mix well. 

refrigerate. 

this makes about 3 cups of sauce

The last recipe I think is the hands down best Pecan pie recipe I've ever tasted anywhere ever. Our friend Greg aka: Critter, from Ky. makes some of the best pies I've ever tasted. He can make the best meringue I've ever seen. I can't do meringue.. it's crazy. but he makes the best pies. You'll love this one. Now it may be kind of like making granny's pie.. It may not taste exactly the same cause granny threw in a big hunk o love.. I'm really hoping this turns out half as good as Critter's .. if it does, I'll be satisfied. 

Critter's Pecan Pie.. 

pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

1- cup white Karo syrup

1- cup brown sugar

1- stick of butter melted. please use the real stuff

3- eggs beaten

1- teaspoon vanilla

1- teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 cups of Pecans (whole or chopped doesn't matter) 

prepare your crust and get it in your pie pan. 

put your pecans in the bottom of pan on top of the crust.

get your bowl and hand mixer out. beat the eggs, then add the Karo syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, the vanilla, and the salt. And mix. 

*I haven't made this for a while so I can't recall how thick it is. use the mixer if it's thin enough.. if not mix it well by hand. 

Then pour it over the pecans in the bottom of the crust. 

bake at 350 degrees for 70 minutes. keep an eye on the crust and cover it with strips of foil if it starts to get to brown. 

I am hoping your Thanksgiving is full of good food, good friends, and family. When we think about it our lives are all about relationships. I love to share food that reminds me of those special people and special relationships.

 Remember to be Thankful I know I am. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. 

Today's Recipe Request: French Toast Bake

French Toast Bake

I have only made this recipe a couple of times. It's very good and sweet. It doesn't need to have syrup. I have found that in the 3qt oval corningware casserole dish I make it in, I can add a full loaf of bread. (this makes sure all the egg mixture is absorbed) Then when baking it, watch the sides and bottom. They seem to brown much faster. While the top stays gooey for a long time. You may want to adjust your oven temp. to 350 and cook longer. Remember that This is not done until the top is firm when shaken. Enjoy !!!

Preheat the oven 400... grease a 9 x 13 cake pan or a 3 qt. casserole dish.

12- Slices of day old bread cubed

(this is a great recipe for Texas toast bread or any thick bread, I would fill the pan you are using with bread since all the egg mixture needs to be absorbed)

5- large eggs beaten

2- 1/2 cups milk

1- cup brown sugar divided

1- teaspoon vanilla

1/2- teaspoon nutmeg

1/4- cup butter melted

2- cups blueberries (optional)

1. Cube the bread and place in a greased pan or casserole dish.
2. mix together well the beaten eggs, milk, 3/4- cup brown sugar, vanilla and nutmeg.
3. pour this mixture over the bread. try to cover as much of the bread while pouring as you can.
4. cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. remove from the fridge 30 minutes before baking
6. combine: 1/4 cup of melted butter and 1/4 cup brown sugar
7. drizzle the butter/brown sugar mixture over the top of the bread.

Bake at 400 about 25-35 minutes or until no longer gooey looking.

(MUST BE FIRM WHEN SHAKEN)

May Add the Optional Blueberries now, sprinkle over the top and bake another 10 minutes. A good way to check for doneness is to take a fork and fold back the top, if it's still doughy looking it needs to cook a little longer..

CopyCat Recipe for Wendy's Chili

I got this CopyCat recipe for Wendy's Chili from my BFF Betty.. I tried it and it REALLY does taste like Wendy's Chili..
Try it for yourself...

Wendy's Chili

1- medium onion Chopped/diced... depends on how big you want the chunks
1- Bell pepper chopped/diced
1- 14oz can stewed tomatoes
4- 8oz cans of tomato sauce
1- 14oz can Ranch Style beans
1- can pinto beans
1- can kidney beans
1- 10oz can of Rotel tomatoes (with peppers)
1- 1 1/4oz pkg. McCormick chili seasoning mix
2- lbs of ground chuck.

Brown the meat in a your favorite Chili pot.
drain off fat.
add all the ingredients to the pot.. Stir well
Cook until the peppers and Onions are done...
Enjoy!!!!

Chess Pie recipe from the 1700's..

The first time I ever had Chess Pie was in the early 80's in a little BBQ place in west Ky. It was called Wolf's and it was known throughout the area for BBQ.. Husband's great uncle Dewy took us there for lunch one afternoon.. it was a small place, just an old block building that didn't look like anything much.. inside it was the same.. just a few tables.. most folks bought their BBQ and took it home. home was about an hours drive, so we were dinning in..
The wonderful smell soon dispelled any misgivings I had about the lack of ambiance.. it was a heavenly smell.. pit BBQ.. we sat at one of the tables.. and ordered our plate lunch.. BBQ with sauce, buns, pickles, onions, and sides of potato salad and perhaps baked beans.. I don't remember what now.. and pop.... the smoke from the kitchen was overwhelming and the others headed for the door as soon as their lunches were eaten.. the smiling face lady asked me as only a true Southerner can.. hun, would you like a piece of our chess pie, it's just out of the oven, and cool enough to eat.. ummm warm pie, my favorite.. so of course I said yes.. oh my goodness.. It was the most heavenly pie I had ever eaten.. a little crusty on the top.. and then a thick sweet filling like nothing I'd ever had.. I was hooked..
I never asked for the recipe there.. we ate and were on our way soon after.. up to Evansville to visit a cousin.. But the pie never left my memory.. As I have mentioned before, I collect old cookbooks.. while browsing through one.. I found this recipe.. it was the closest to the one I remember at that little restaurant.. I have made a few changes from the original.. I will write the original recipe. I always half everything (I put my adjusted amounts in the parenthesis) you may want to also.. It is very rich and sweet.. almost to sweet in it's original form..

Chess Pie

1- 9 inch pie shell..

6- eggs (I use 3) beaten..
3- cups of white sugar ( 1-1/2 cups)
1- cup butter ( 1 stick of margarine or butter)
2 and 1/2 - Tablespoons of white vinegar ( 1- 1/4 Tablespoons)
1- Tablespoon vanilla (1- teaspoon)

Preheat oven 425..
Cream butter and sugar until no graininess remains.
In another bowl.. Beat eggs..
then add beaten eggs to the creamed mixture and beat hard.. ( I use my electric hand mixer)
add vinegar and vanilla.. beat again..
put into an unbaked pie shell..
Bake at 425 for 10 minutes..
then reduce heat to 350 ... and bake for 50 minutes.. till firm. the sugar rises to the top and forms a light brown crust.
let cool for about 15-20 minutes.. then eat... still warm.. or wait till cool...

Sweet Kids, Sweet potato Casserole

I found another photo of us kids. This one is is taken after I got my glasses.. 1963.. I just turned 5. Keith is in his little suit coat.. how cute is he??? precious.. and then there is Kay.. Kay came to us as a foster kid.. my parents were considering adopting 2 more kids.. the boy, Kevin, only stayed with us for a couple of weeks.. Kay came and stayed for over a year.. I loved Kay.. we shared a room and toys.. she was so sweet.. I don't know why we didn't get to keep her.. (my 5 yr. old thinking) I have often wondered whatever happened to Kay.. (not her real name, I don't know what it would have been)
Here we are.. us girls in our blue ensembles, white hats and white gloves.. along with our baskets full of eggs and candy..
Three sweet kids..

Now here is a copy cat recipe for Boston market's Sweet potato Casserole.. our family loves it..

Copy Cat Boston Market Sweet Potato Casserole

3- large sweet potatoes, or 3- 15oz cans of sweet potatoes (I buy the canned ones, easier and faster)
1- cup white sugar
2- eggs
1- stick butter or margarine softened
1- teaspoon vanilla

boil the sweet potatoes until tender, remove skins when cool enough to handle. or Just pour the canned sweet potatoes (well drained) in a large bowl.. Whip until fluffy.. add the sugar, eggs, margarine, and vanilla and beat until well incorporated.. pour into a greased casserole dish and top with the Crunch Topping.. (see below)

Crunch Topping:
1/3- cup melted butter
1/3- cup flour
1- cup brown sugar
1- cup chopped pecans

1- tablespoon cinnamon...

mix together and then spread around on top of the casserole...
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes..

Cinnamon apple salad

This is me.. 1961.. what a cutie.. LOL I think this is me with my basket before putting my dress for church on.. I'd have to study the two photos together..

I love those shoes, don't you.. I was 3 yrs old.. this is just before I got my glasses.

one of my favorite places to go and eat was at Grandma's. Grandma was an excellent cook. I guess all grandma's are. I think it's because we've cooked about 234 gazillion meals and we know what we make well and what we don't.

Grandma always wore an apron. you never saw her in the house without one. There were special aprons just for good. They came out after Church on Easter Sunday.. and before we ate dinner. They were pristine.. unlike me.. I can walk through the kitchen and get something that will stain permanently on me..anyway, she always used the good dishes on Sunday.. the table pad would go on along with the pretty tablecloth.. then the fancy glasses, and dishes. there was always a special molded jello salad of some sort.. this is one of those salads.. Grandma always served her Jello salad's on salad plates. the plate always had a pretty piece of bib lettuce on it.. with the jello placed on top.. it was almost to pretty to eat..

Cinnamon Apple Salad

1- pkg. (small) raspberry jello

1- cup water

1/4- cup cinnamon candies ( cinnamon imperials, or red hots)

1- can (14-16 oz) applesauce..

place water in a sauce pan and heat.. dissolve the jello and candies in the water.. Cool, then add the applesauce.. pour into a jello mold, or a pretty glass bowl.. chill till firm..

this is Delicious..

Easter Sunday at our house, Kidney Bean Salad..

This is a picture of my Brother Keith and I in our Easter finery.

I hated the crinoline slip.. it was cute and made my dresses pooch out.. but it was soooo itchy it drove me nuts.

I think I was 3 in this photo. I may have just turned 4.. Keith was 2..

Easter was big doings at our house. We colored eggs on Saturday night before we went to bed. Then we'd leave some carrots and cabbage out for the Easter bunny.. In the morning we'd run out to the living room to find our baskets full of colored eggs, and chocolate treats of all kinds. We looked at our baskets, then ate breakfast.. then went to our rooms to find our new Easter outfits for Church.. We'd get dressed, go to Church and then would go to one of our relatives houses and eat a huge dinner..

Kidney Bean Salad

3-Cups of dark red Kidney beans drained (3 cans)

1- cup chopped sweet pickles

5- hard boiled eggs sliced.. (use some of the ones your colored)

3/4- cup diced celery

1- cup miracle Whip salad dressing..

toss together and chill..

Let them Eat Cake.... Goofy Cake

This is a picture of my Brother Keith. Isn't he the cutest thing??? LOL guess I'm a little prejudice.. Keith and I got to help mother in the kitchen often. This is Keith's first Goofy cake.
I don't have a picture of my first cake. We got to add the stuff to the bowl and then we got to run the old electric beater. We were allowed to carry our creation to the supper table.
We always ate at the table in the dinning room. The kitchen table was for breakfast and lunch only.. funny, I miss the dinning room table. Husband and I now eat in the living room in front of the TV. The dinning room table holds my computer.. hmmm I would move it if I could..
OK, here is your chance.. grab a kid, any kid.. don't have any kids.. well make this fun cake anyway.. it's easy and yummy. go ahead and make any type of White frosting you like best.. go ahead and cheat if you want to.. get the stuff in the can. No one will know, unless you have a kid help.. they spill their guts to all.. bake the cake, and let the kid carry it to the dinning room.. stand up and cheer.. yep, if you have a dinning room table.. go ahead and use it..

Goofy Cake

preheat oven 375... baking time is about 30 minutes..

Sift (you can do this or not, up to you) together in a bowl the following ingredients:
1 -1/2 cups all purpose flour (if you use self rising flour omit the baking soda and salt)
1- teaspoon baking soda
1/2 -teaspoon salt
1- cup white sugar
3- Tablespoons Cocoa
If you don't sift this you need to mix it together..

In another bowl mix together:
1/3- cup oil
1- Tablespoon white vinegar
1- cup water
1- teaspoon vanilla

combine the liquids with the dry ingredients and beat with a mixer until smooth.
(Lick the beaters)
pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 375 for 30 minutes or till a toothpick comes out clean...
Cool and frost with your favorite frosting.. we usually had cream cheese frosting on this.

French Toast Bake..

French Toast Bake:

This dish is made up the night before and then baked the next morning..
pre-heat your oven to 400.. Baking will take about 35-50 minutes.
you will need a 9 x 13 pan..

12- slices of day old bread, cubed (I like to use the thick Texas Toast bread)
5- eggs beaten..
2- 1/2 Cups milk
1- cup brown sugar divided..
1- teaspoon vanilla
1/2- teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 - cup butter
2- cups blueberries (optional)

Cube the Bread and place in a greased 9 x 13 pan.
In a bowl combine eggs, milk, 3/4 cup of the brown sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg.. mix well and then pour over the bread in the pan.
Cover and refrigerate overnight..

In the Morning, take the pan out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking. pre-heat oven to 400..

Combine 1/4 cup melted butter and 1/4 cup brown sugar.. stir till the sugar is dissolved..
Drizzle over the top of the bread.. Bake at 400 for about 25-35 minutes.. or until it no longer looks gooey on the top.. (it will be firm when shaken)
may sprinkle the blueberries on top and bake another 10 minutes..
bake until firm..
I've taken this to Church brunches and everyone loves it..