It's That Time Of Year Again! Who's Cooking And What ?

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Re K and W

That's one of my favorite restaurants...NOT as good as the S and W , but good , We go to the one on Healey Drive which is next door to the K and W offices, so it is their flagship store
 
Hi Frig!

If you get MOVIES! channel Avalon is on again 30 November:

http://www.moviestvnetwork.com/movies/avalon

Highly recommend the film because it truly does touch on not only long lost family values (or at least they seem to be on the way out), but for anyone that is of an immigrant family it shows the dynamics between first, second and third generation.

The whole "you cut the turkey without me" could be any family and as we all know wasn't about the bird being cut. Every family has an "Uncle Gabriel" type who starts WWIII over the slightest perceived slight.

Thanksgiving figures prominently in the film and it should, as it is a holiday that then and now is totally foreign to non-Americans. Recently arrived immigrants in 1914, 1944, 1974, and even 2014 don't "get it" at once. What is the point? Why are we or what are we supposed to be "thankful" for? Most of all why do we have to eat turkey? *LOL*

So many of the scenes are priceless, especially again those coming from an immigrant family where English is not their native tongue.

This gets me every time; mostly because recall being put through the same routine at school.



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099073/
 
I'll have to try and watch Avalon and see how much it reminds me of my family.  We are not Polish Jews but still Polish, and I'm only 3rd generation.  Might bring back some memories of my grandparents.
 
Love it.

I was just telling a friend about the "You cut the Toikey.." scene the other day. As the grandson of immigrants I was really moved by "Avalon"; it reflected my Family's own progress from Ellis Island to the American Dream (automobiles, television sets, appliances and nice single-family homes) at the expense of the family circle. It was also a very positive first impression of Elijah Wood-he did a great job. Joan Plowright was perfectly cast as the granny.
 
We haven't fully decided what the plan is for Thanksgiving.

Mom said she's not making a full meal, just a chicken and sweet potatoes with marshmallows. We were told if we wanted anything else, we'd have to make it and bring. Mom has never liked roasted turkey, so we have never had turkey. She was hinting, however, that I should make breaded deep-fried turkey.

I think I have her convinced to make a vegetable jello salad that she makes.

It is cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers and green onions all julienne cut in a lime jello mayo mix. I have not really seen anything like it anywhere else, and as a kid I hated it. I absolutely love it as an adult. Everyone wrinkles their nose when I try to describe it but it has such a fresh light flavor.

Anyways, since there are references to family meals and movies... A lot of the time ... our family get-togethers usually end up like the meal from August: Osage County mainly because of my sister. So... you can about imagine what trying to plan a meal is like... I get in such a funk around holiday time trying to anticipate what the problems and sob stories will be for the season.

This year, I am hoping I can convince mom to just let me do a bunch of little things that we can munch on all day long and not have to have one big meal. Everyone kinda comes and goes then comes back and we try to play dominoes or cards or something and it all usually ends well.

As far as family etc. I am adopted to my maternal grandparents. I generally spend all of the holidays with mom and dad, because that is just what I do. My paternal family is ... large.. I don't usually go around when they are all together because I speak my mind and I will not back down from something.

Generally, if mom doesn't want to have a big goings on, her, dad and I will just have a nice meal and watch TV most of the night, or all play on our computers. Last year for Christmas, my sister couldn't be bothered to show up for some reason or another. I had anticipated it, so I already had a prime rib and potato casserole in the ovens. Had the entire meal ready to go, packed it up and came to town and had a very quiet and calm Christmas dinner with mom and dad.

I should note here that I am 30 and adopted to my maternal grandparents as mentioned above. My sister is technically my aunt and is 46... Interesting how two siblings can go down totally opposite paths in life.

 
We are having dinner at moms, as usual. Our usual dinner time is 1:00
I'm making a few things to take:
Cabbage Rolls
Mashed Potatoes
Velveeta Ritz broccoli casserole
Dinner rolls
Peach pie.

To me it isn't thanksgiving without cabbage rolls. Growing up before we had everyone at moms for dinner we used to eat at Grandma Rose's where we slwYs had cabbage rolls with mashed potatoes as well as Chicken Paprikash with grated noodles.
Even after mom started having dinner grandma always brought cabbage rolls.

So I'll be making the cabbage rolls in Grandmas Revere Ware pot, and for good measure I'll use grandmas MixMaster Power Plus to whip the potatoes
 
Golumbki have never been a part of any of our holiday meals, more an everyday type meal for years.   My cousin's are getting lazy, we had a party a week or so ago and they bought them from Gordon's.  Made a more traditional sauce, and they were decent.  Others have shifted to golumbki soup - just toss stuff in a crock pot and let it cook - sorry no.  It's not that hard to make them, do it right...
 
Oh cabbage rolls aren't a holiday food here either, I make them
Several times a year, it's just tradition at this point having them
On thanksgiving.

As for grandma serving them it was what grandpap liked, same with the Chicken Paprikash.
Those were things served all year long in her kitchen, as well as she always had beautiful meringue pies and apricot kiffles all year long.
These were also people who at least once a month would buy a honey baked ham, they were big on ham, they even had a wire rack to hold your half ham for carving.
 
Please post that sausage dip recipe!!

 

 

I miss those days when I was younger and ALL of the family (18 of us) would come together at my grand parents house for Thanksgiving.   My oldest uncle would take us kids for rides in what ever European sports car he had that year (usually a Lotus).

 

Then after stuffing ourselves on the food grandma spent all day cooking, rather than sitting around watching some game on TV, we'd go walk around 3-4 blocks, then come back and join in any number of games or other family activity.  Shuffleboard in the driveway, a game on the carrom board out back, or any number of tabletop games or wooden puzzles my grandma made in her wood shop out back.  The majority of Thanksgiving day (6+ hours) was spent at "gramma's house".  Unfortunately we all get older and people start to die or move away.  Sorry for the reality check.

 

This year we're going to my cousin's place in Pasadena.  They are asking each of those coming to bring a dish.  I'm going to make roasted garlic mashed potatoes... and maybe that jello salad (sounds SO good!).

[this post was last edited: 11/18/2017-17:18]
 
What Barry Said!

I'd like to see that hot sausage dip recipe too!

 

Also, I need to amend my statement about the cranberry Jell-O mold.  It does call for pineapple.  The difference between it and my mom's lime Jell-O mold is that the lime recipe also calls for canned pears.  The jellied cranberry sauce substitutes for the pears, and the Jell-O is lemon instead of lime.

 

I just had someone request the recipe via washermail, so I'm going ahead and pasting it here.

 

CRANBERRY JELL-O MOLD

2 3 oz. packages of lemon Jell-O
1 Can crushed pineapple (drain and save juice -- the average size can, not sure of weight).
1 Can jellied cranberry sauce
1 Cup ginger ale -- COLD!
1 8 oz tub Cool Whip
1 8 oz brick cream cheese, softened
- Water (see instructions)
1/2 Cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Add water to pineapple juice to make two cups, bring to a boil, take off heat, dissolve Jell-O.
Transfer into a bowl.
Stir in ginger ale and (important) allow to thicken (chill it in the fridge for a bit).
Mix pineapple, cranberry sauce and cream cheese in mixer.
Add Jell-O and nuts, if used, and mix in.
Add Cool Whip and mix on low speed.
Pour into mold or bowl and chill until set.

 

 
 
Sausage Dip Anyone??

OK, this is relatively simple, doubles easily and can be made a few days in advance. This is adapted from the "Hot Sausage Dip" recipe in the book "My Mother's Southern Entertaining" by James Villas and Martha Pearl Villas:

Ingredients:

1 one pound roll bulk breakfast sausage (I use Jimmy Dean Brand - you can use regular, hot or sage)
1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles (I use Ro-Tel brand but you can use whatever brand you can get)
1 8 ounce block Cream Cheese (do not use "light" versions or the softened cream cheese in a tub) at soft room temperature
1 medium onion, diced
Shredded cheddar or jack cheese (or combine half and half) for topping (approx 1 cup or to taste)
Fritos Scoops for serving

Process:

In a large bowl, combine the soft cream cheese with the tomatoes and their juice. Preheat a heavy skillet over med/med high heat and add just enough vegetable oil to coat lightly (spraying is fine also). Cook sausage, breaking it up into little pieces, until well browned and completely cooked. Remove with slotted spoon to drain grease and add to the cream cheese bowl. Saute the onion in the sausage drippings until softened and just beginning to brown. Drain with slotted spoon and add to the other ingredients. Mix well and transfer to a 9 inch round pie plate or 8"x8" square baking dish. Top with shredded cheese and bake in a 350 oven (middle rack) until everything is bubbling, cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Serve with Fritos Scoops since this is a rich, heavy dip and nothing else will hold up. People love this and usually eat more of this than they should...

If making in advance, don't add shredded cheese for topping until sausage mixture has cooled and then wrap securely and refrigerate until the day you want to use it. I have made this as far as four days in advance and notice no difference. Let come to room temp before baking. If doubling, you can use a 13"x9"x2 inch baking dish or just two separate smaller dishes.

You can also tart this up however you like, add some hot sauce, saute some chopped peppers, etc... but that is entirely a matter of choice.

This is very versatile - one of my friends uses it to stuff mushroom caps, and I have on occasion, loosened up the mixture with more diced tomatoes/or tomato sauce and used it as an emergency pasta sauce.
 
We have two options for Thanksgiving.  One is my next door neighbor.  But haven't heard yet.  His wife has had an illness she's been dealing with.  He did ask a couple of weeks ago if we had plans and told him I always have another option if they aren't up to the company.  If we do go next door, it will be  a broccoli rice casserole--this year I'm using real cheddar cheese and not Velveeta.  Or go to a good friend who's like my bear "parent".  I'll take a pumpkin dump cake--like I made for Glenn's wash-in October 2006.  I'm humbled because he owns a wonderful bakery here in town.  It's like I bring that or won't be allowed in the door.  And he's told me it's so simply and has an amazing flavor.  If timing is working well, we could end up going both places. 
 
Kinda similar to the sausage dip...

 

 

One thing I've had at a couple parties that is REALLY difficult to keep away from because it's SO good is:

 

Warm Chili Cheese Dip

 

1 (15 oz) can of good chili w/o beans

1 (8 oz) block of cream cheese, softened

 

*optional variations*

1 Cup shredded cheddar or jack cheese

1 Cup diced onion

1 Jalapeno, diced, seed and veins removed

 

Combine all ingredients and warm on the stove, in the microwave (@ 50% power) or in a crock pot.  Serve warm with tortilla chips or corn chips.

 
 
One correction to the sausage dip recipe. I should have said to use a 10 ounce can of diced tomatoes. If all you can find is a 14 ounce can, it won't make a real difference, but Ro-Tel brand is a 10 ounce can...
 

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