As in previous years, I am in Devine to celebrate Thanksgiving with my son, his family, and our extended family, including grandchildren and relatives, who live out of town. Of course, we will miss the family stationed in Hawaii, as well as the one who lives out of state! We always enjoy the company of some of Jim’s church people, as well as any other friends that may have been invited by family members. They have plenty of room for all of us and we always have a wonderful time just being together. With this pandemic mess, there are a couple of grandchildren that I haven’t seen since last Christmas, and it will be such a treat to see them. We usually play a few rounds of table games and the participants usually come and go, this year, I have purchased “Yard Yahtzee” for use outdoors. A local couple (from where I live) using a 4×4 of lumber, cuts out 4-inch pieces and paints them to make dice, then the game is played outside in the yard, keeping score just as you do playing on the table!
For some of you, Thanksgiving is already a fond memory, for many of you who were able to get your paper on Wednesday, you still have to face it! It’s too late to begin thawing your turkey, but here are a few things that can be made at the “last minute”, so to speak.
Spinach Salad
1 package fresh spinach
6 sliced green onions (tops too)
6 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
2 hard cooked eggs, sliced (optional)
Tear spinach into bite-sized pieces, slice onions and add to spinach and toss gently. Top with bacon. (For ease in crumbling bacon, slice crosswise into narrow slices and fry, remove from pan and drain well).
Toss salad with the following dressing:
Dressing
Put the following ingredients into a pint jar:
1 cup cooking oil
½ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dry mustard
6 peeled cloves of garlic
Shake well and allow to set for 3 to 4 hours before using. Remove garlic before using. Pour on salad and toss to coat. Garnish with egg slices, if desired.
Broccoli Rice Casserole
2 or 3 bunches fresh broccoli
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped green pepper
¼ cup butter or margarine
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
2 cups cooked rice
Preheat oven to 350º. Wash broccoli and cut into flowerets, cutting stems into small pieces, place in pot with small amount of water and salt. Parboil 5 to 7 minutes, drain well and rinse with cold water. Drain again and set aside. Sauté onion, celery and pepper until onion is transparent; stir soups together and mix into vegetables, stir in broccoli and rice. Place in 9×12-inch baking dish and bake at 350º for 35 to 40 minutes, top with a small amount of shredded cheese if desired.
Mrs. Haass’ Pink Stuff
1 can (20-oz) cherry pie filling
1 can (20-oz) crushed pineapple in juice
1 can Angel Flake coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 can condensed milk (not evaporated!)
1 carton (8-oz) whipped topping, thawed
Mix all together and chill before serving.
Broccoli Salad
1 bunch broccoli
1/3 cup raisins (I prefer the light ones rather than the dark)
2 tablespoons red onion, diced
(dice this into a small container of water, then drain and use)
6 thin sliced, slices bacon
Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise (not salad dressing)
1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
Slice bacon crosswise into strips, fry until crisp, set aside to drain well, while you wash broccoli, separate it into flowerets and cut into small pieces. Place the broccoli into bowl and add the raisins.
Finely dice onion, add to broccoli/raisin mixture, and stir in the bacon. Mix the ingredients for the dressing and pour over all, stir to mix. Serve at room temperature.
And, believe it or not, you can still make a dessert that my family has enjoyed since the mid ‘80s.
Death by Chocolate
1 box fudgy brownie mix, baked according to package directions and cooled*
1 large box instant chocolate pudding, made according to package directions
1 container (8-oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
6 Skor or Heath bars or bag of Heath bits
Break the candy bars into small pieces by tapping the packages with the handle of a knife, set aside. Into a large serving bowl, break 1/2 of the brownies into small pieces. Cover with 1/2 of the pudding, top with 1/2 of the candy, top with 1/2 of the thawed whipped topping. Repeat a second time. *You can use the individually wrapped brownies if desired. (i.e. Little Debbie Snack Cakes®).