Friday, November 16, 2007

Thanksgiving

A Renaissance Man if ever there was one. I love you, Dave...I just wanted to say it... and even John Wayne gazes on in admiration!

My favorite Thanksgiving dish is an Asparagus Casserole' that my Momma used to make.
You take Wheatsworth crackers and crumble them up in the bottom of the biggest baking pan you've got because no matter how big that pan is, there will not be enough. Then you take canned Asparagus and put it on top.
Be generous.
Now you slather a good layer of Cream of Mushroom Soup ( the Duct Tape of the Kitchen) on top of the Asparagus and top all that with grated Cheddar Cheese and Sliced Hard Boiled Eggs. As good as the Asparagus is its really the Eggs that are "where its at".
Now you slide it into the oven...and ...cook ...it ...till its...done.
If you have gotten this far you will know when that is.
The classical Culinary term for a garnish of Bread Crumbs and Hard boiled Eggs is "Mimosa" although "Polonaise" might work as well.

I used to be a Chef, but I could never cook this one.
The one time I tried, I used some kind of fancy-ass Cheese, and made my own Mushroom Soup and used the Fresh Asparagus and some kinda crumbled Brioche for the crust and it was pretty much inedible.
No ma'am just stick to the Housewifey Recipe' and keep it simple.

The X Mrs. Bulletholes provides this dish since Mom is no longer around and the Water Baby may just love this stuff as much as I. The Water Baby can barely make a cup of Ramen Noodles by herself, but she has already mastered this one.

My favorite condiment at Thanksgiving is the Cranberry Relish. I love to mix great gobs of it in with my Dressing and Mashed Potatoes and lace all this with Turkey. I think it is much underutilized throughout the year, and goes very well with Pork and Chicken.
I have a nice variation for Cranberry Relish that is great for Game and Smoked Meats. quite simply, follow the instructions on the package of Fresh cranberries, but throw in a good measure of Chiffonade/Grated Fresh Ginger, and substitute Rice wine Vinegar for Orange Juice.

Now I don't know if Dave Mows Grass is going to making his Really Juicy Turkey/Iron Mountain Bird this year, but in typical Machinist fashion he produces a crust that Joeseph Whitworth could probably make bolts from and you have to have a Jackhammer to get to the meat. but once you do, ddave assures me, it is larrapin' good. (very good)

It was Abraham Lincoln that gave us our Thanksgiving holiday. In the months prior to the 1864 election he said 'I am going to be beaten, and beaten badly."
He was not, and the results of the Election were quite remarkably in his favor despite the fact that he did not even appear on the ballot in several states. Something like that.
I'll have to research and append this post.
At any rate, he had much to be thankful for; the nation , though at War even with itself, did as well; and the same holds true for us today.

From his Thanksgiving Proclamation;

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict ...


Heres to Softened Hearts.... and an end to Military Conflict.

7 comments:

GrizzBabe said...

I LOVE canned asparagus! I know it's weird and not befitting of someone who loves to cook but I love the faint mettalic taste that canned asparagus has as well as the mushy texture. Julia Childs is probably rolling over in her grave as I type this.

GEWELS said...

Nice post Stevie Ray. Great shot of Dave.
I'll have to post some of my Thanksgiving recipes...and you know there won't be a canned asparagus or Cream of Mushroom soup in sight.

Barbara said...

Where's old Abe when we need him? Isn't it interesting that even 40 years ago just about every other recipe had either cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup in it? I can't even imagine how many calories are in a can of that stuff, but they do taste good!

Dave Renfro said...

Hmm... I haven't thought about killing another bird this year. Maybe I will... It would be rude not to!

Cream of mushroom soup is magic stuff but for me, it has to be Campbell's. My beloved Great Value brand from Wal-Mart just doesn't cut it when it comes to cream of mushroom soup, at least not in my schmooey!

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Ohhhhhh ..... i love green bean casserole - that recipe on the back of the french fried onions can .... and my mother's stuffing...and her pumpkin pie and bread ..... and my William's and Sonoma recipe for baking a turkey breast side down in LOTS of butter and white wine ...

and umm.... and ummm .... i am gaining poundage as i type. must eat now. hungry !!

xxx
red

bulletholes said...

Asparagus is the most Sensual of all the vegetables.

Mother of Invention said...

We grow tons of asparagus locally here! Might have to try that one. I love that you called canned mushroom soup the duct tape of the kitchen!

(I thought of you the other day when I heard a waiter use the term, "We were in the weeds", meaning they were so busy with all the tables!!!)