Bread Pudding and Other Abandoned Dishes

We might add something new in occasionally, but rarely does anything LEAVE the list, regardless of how fattening.  After all, we only do this twice a year (Thanksgiving and Christmas).  So, what the heck!

We always have turkey AND a vegetarian type of turkey.  (My DD really likes the Quorn fake turkey roast.  Texture is very good as well as flavor.)  Regular and vegetarian gravy.  Mashed potatoes.  Broccoli casserole.  A slightly modified jello salad.  The original was my DH's mother's recipe while he was a youngster.  (She died before we met.)  The new version uses vegetarian-friendly gelatin in place of the regular kind.  Frozen cranberry salad (one of my favorites).  Pumpkin pie.  Dressing (both veg and regular).  Homemade dinner rolls.  Sometimes we throw in a cranberry apple pie or a pumpkin cake roll or something, but usually that will do us nicely.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh, my goodnes, Gail!  Where do I begin?

I have a grits and corn casserole (I'm a Southern gal remember) that has lots of cheese and peppers in it that is a yummy side with Ham.  I recently found a bread pudding recipe that uses Banana nut muffins as the main base and makes the dessert extra yummy (and praline sauce with pecans!) Oh, wait- you said healthy?

Sorry, can't help you there!  Everything that catches my eye at the holidays always seems to be decadent to the max!  Chocolate pecan pie anyone?

Mmmm, getting hungry now! nom, nom, nom....

Beth C

For years I made my mother's stuffing recipe, and a holiday just wasn't right without it.  It's a base of hamburger, with apples, breadcrumbs, onions and sage added.  And the leftovers cold make an awesome sandwich.  But DH has never really liked it, and so I started making a friend's stuffing with bread cubes, lots of margarine or butter, onions, celery and sage.  But if we're having company and I make a big bird, I make both - stuff one end with one and the other with the other type (not very grammatical, but you get the drift).  Whatever doesn't fit into the bird, I heat up on the side, and then stir into it the stuffing from the bird.  Oh man, I think I've just put on 5 lbs just thinking about it!

We have to have mashed potatoes of course, though I usually do mashed sweet potatoes as well.

My absolute favorite side dish though is Zucchini casserole - sliced zucchini mixed with grated carrots, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and croutons.  I've made it more healthy by using low sodium/fat soup and fat free sour cream, and it doesn't affect the taste.  But DH doesn't eat veggies, and the kids aren't crazy about it, so I only make it when there will be company - even if its just my Mom extra besides us.

This year we were away for Thanksgiving, but even better, spent it with great friends.  Thinking about Christmas already, but am kind of depressed this year.  My sister and Mom are going to Disney world (? the one in Florida ?), so it looks like it will be the 4 of us, and my MIL who eats next to nothing.   DH won't speak to my other sister's husband, and besides she prefers to stay at home.  Used to invite over several of my husbands friends who were bachelors to round out the table, but they've either moved or gotten married. 

The motivation to make a big meal just isn't there this year.  Maybe I'll feel more like it as the season gets closer.

Thanksgiving sounds so wonderful will all that food. Unfortunately, we don't celebrate it here.  Ironically, the book I'm working on right now, has a Thanksgiving theme.  I enjoyed going the research.

wj

I try to avoid discussions about food, but all the dishes do sound wonderful.  What I won't do to be able to eat all that stuff again!  Off too eat some fruit and some sugar free cookies..

wj