My family likes to eat. We’re a family of eaters. And around the holidays, we like to cook large amounts of food—especially at Thanksgiving. It’s the beginning of The Great Winter Bulk Up, which continues well into Easter.
And when I say we like to cook, I actually mean my mother. The woman can cook for the masses. And at Thanksgiving, she engages in an all-out cooking marathon. She can whip up enough food to feed a small country for a day or two. If there’s less than 12 items on the menu, she feels like a failure. Because God knows you must have at least 12 different casseroles to fill that empty space inside your stomach and ache in your heart.
So about three weeks before Thanksgiving, the menu discussions between my mother and me begin (even though we’ve had the same items on the menu EVERY year since I was two)…
Mom: So, Lulu, what should I cook for Thanksgiving this year?
Me: Mom, let’s just keep it simple this year. How about a turkey, dressing, and maybe just one or two casseroles? (we’re all about the casseroles…)
Mom: Oh, well, you know that Charlie (her husband) can’t eat turkey, so we’ll have to do a ham as well.
Me: Okay. And let’s just do a corn casserole and a broccoli cheese casserole and that’s it. There are only 8 of us for lunch this year.
Mom: Well, I’m also cooking a sweet potato soufflé. And a couple of sweet potato pies. And I need to make a cake. What kind of cake should I make?
Me: Mother, I don’t think that we need sweet potato soufflé and pies. How about one or the other? And why do we need a cake? Aren’t the pies enough?
Mom: Oh, no. I’m making a cake. What kind should I make?
Me: I’m not going to eat any cake, so make whichever kind you like.
Mom: Won’t you just have one piece? How about GR, what kind of cake does he like?
Me: Mom, GR does not eat cake.
Mom: Won’t he just have one piece? Ask him what kind he wants me to make. Oh, I’m also going to make some butter peas. Does GR eat butter peas?
And we will continue to have a repeat of this conversation every other day up until the cooking marathon begins. And just to give you an idea of what I deal with every year, please take note of our dessert table from last year’s Thanksgiving feast…
We had 9 desserts available for 15 people: key lime pie, apple pie, sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie, coconut pie, caramel cake, banana pudding, brownies, and baklava. I don’t know about you, but I think that another pie was in order.
Now this year, my mom and her husband are driving up from Florida to my house for Thanksgiving, so the cooking marathon will take place in my kitchen. So, as a precursor for this epic cooking event, I thought that I would list 13 items from of our larger-than-life Thanksgiving menu for my Thursday Thirteen. No snoring, please.
1. Turkey. Is it just me, or do you ever cook a whole turkey any other time of the year besides Thanksgiving or Christmas? I love turkey, but it’s difficult for me to associate it with anything other than the holidays. Unless it’s deli turkey, which never tastes the same anyway.
2. Ham. My mom’s husband is allergic to poultry, so we must also have a little pig meat at Thanksgiving as well. I personally think it’s a ploy to buy a HoneyBaked Ham…
3. Dressing/Stuffing. GR and I have an ongoing debate about whose mother makes the best dressing. Actually, the debate is more or less in his mind, because he has reiterated to me almost every freaking day for the past 14 years that his mother makes the best dressing ever. Personally, I quit the debate years ago by telling him that I like both dressings equally. However, GR refuses to back down until he drives me completely insane, and I crumble into a heaping ball of weepiness and false admission.
4. Broccoli and Cheese casserole. I will admit that GR’s sister makes the best broccoli and cheese casserole ever. Why can’t he just be satisfied with that?
5. Corn casserole. This is my sister’s specialty dish that she makes for every family dinner. It’s full of fattening buttery goodness! Actually, Pioneer Woman has what looks like an amazing recipe for corn casserole that I’m just itching to try…
6. Deviled eggs. I was told recently that my deviled eggs are heavenly. All it takes is a couple of dashes of Crystal Hot Sauce, y’all, and you’re on your way through the pearly gates…
7. Green Bean casserole. This is not one of my specialties, but GR would pay big money for our SIL, Big H, to cook one for him every day…
8. Macaroni and cheese. My most favorite comfort food. Try adding pimentos to your recipe to add a little extra zing…
9. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Does it seem odd to have mashed potatoes served along with dressing? I’m guessing yes, but it sure doesn’t matter to me…
10. Squash casserole. I actually make a pretty good squash dressing, but I’ll save that one for another time.
11. Sweet potato soufflé. If I could make only one item off of this list for Thanksgiving, this would be it. Many years ago, one of my co-workers gave me a recipe for a soufflé that is out of this world delicious. And although this picture shows a soufflé with marshmallows, I normally top mine with pecans…
12. Pumpkin pie. Topped with a little bit of whipped cream, you can’t beat this traditional pie!
13. Disaronno. And after a long day of cooking and eating, there’s nothing better than a cup of coffee with a bottlebit of Disaronno to settle the freaking nerves.
What’s on your menu for Thanksgiving?
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!
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mmmMMMMM….casseroles. Squash and corn…haven’t had either in YEARS. Now that I’m hundreds of miles away from my family and married to a Brit, we just celebrate at a restaurant. The food is great, but not really like the “real thing.” Too refined or something…no homecooking.
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Mmm I love deviled eggs!
Your family sounds like my kind of family! Actually, they sound exactly like my family! My mom is a marathon cooker, too, but we’ve been known to have 27 or 28 people at Thanksgiving. Marrying a man with 7 kids will do that for you!
Madame Queen’s last blog post..Random Blog Bits
Tell Aunt Joan that she can make a Red Velvet cake & I will be over for dessert & have a piece, that way she will feel some satisfaction in making a cake! Or she could always do that wonderful German Chocolate! She is the BEST cook that I know!
I just gained 10 pounds reading your menu! LOL
Nice Thursday post! I hope you are having a good one! Come check out my blog! I just posted my Thursday Thirteen with a few add-ons!
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I am really hungry now!!!
I know you are going to have a great meal!!!
Yummmmy…….
Terrific Thursday Thirteen!
My TT is posted.
Have a wonderful day!
Happy TT’ing!
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Raggedy
Raggedy’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen (25th)
Oh I love having ham for Thanksgiving I am turkeyed out lol your mom is way to funny with all the desserts and everything you guys must have leftover for days but man that drink sure does sound good after a day of nerves I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with all your delicious food Happy TT-http://inraesworld.blogspot.com/
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You made me hungry!!!!
Beautiful list you got here!!!
Mines up too:)
Yen’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen #12
We go somewhere every Thanksgiving but the menu doesn’t vary much from yours. No deviled eggs though, that’s an Easter thing silly. And just to let you know my mom..and mine are THE best deviled eggs EVER.. I’d beat you in a cook off.
If I could take one thing that I can do without it’s the sweet potatos..I ate them once when I was like 8 and puked, I can’t eat them..blah.. Stuffing and Mashed Potatoes and Corn casserole are an abusole must. Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie w/ cool whip for dessert..hmmmm
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Dont’ forget the buscuits! God knows they have to browned to perfection.
Back when I was a meat-eater, I made the most gorgeous, most tender, most delicious turkey breast with apple leek gravy ever. Ask anyone. Now I have tofurky.
I apparently also made the best ever mac & cheese though I despise homemade mac & cheese, but every year everyone begged me to make it. I have conveniently forgotten how to make it now. Honest.
We always have one pumpkin and one apple pie, though I make my apple pie upside down and my mother makes her pies sugar-free because my father is diabetic.
It seems like the tradition is all gone. *sigh*
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I’m having my family in for the festivities, and I’ve already decided that I’ll need a big bottle of something to get through the day! I like #13! :
Christie’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen - Gettin’ It Done Edition
Love it!! Sounds like my family! Well have a great Thanksgiving! Would you like a little whipcream on your Amaretto?
ellen b’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen #9 ~ Libraries
Lulu, my goodness, that IS a lot of food, which I feel qualified to say because my mom makes nearly half of that…but only for 3 adults and 2 children, since my sister and her family live out of state! My mom is a wonderful cook, so you can tell GR that MY MOM makes the best stuffing. Problem solved.
On a related note, I made an upscale version of the green bean casserole 2 years ago using a recipe from Cuisine magazine. (The magazine intimidates non-cooks like me, even when they try to “simplify” things and still end up with 35 ingredients.) The casserole was very good, but as I was making my own onion rings on Thanksgiving morning to put on top of it, I thought “Is this really worth it?” I’m not sure it is/was. Last year I just dumped the canned beans into the dish, mixed it with Campbells and poured the can of onion sticks on top. Voila!
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Dear LuLu,
I remember well “all the deserts” and can taste them now.
And, for everyone, Lulu tells the truth about all the food at Thanksgiving & Xmas, too. My dear sister, Joan & you are both good cooks (take after Nanny) liking to cook.
I personally only like to cook some special items at holidays, and your Uncle CW is my chef/assistant. I was always the “career” type, and not Miss Suzy Homemaker. I have rather be catered to - and/or wined & dined/waited on. But, I always treasure “family” gatherings, especially at holidays.
The kitchen can be a disaster area for me— I burn up the microwave, set the frying pans on fire, scorch boiled eggs, etc, etc, but I do make good deviled eggs & potato salad.
(By the way, you forgot about the potato salad & Nanny’s good green beans & sometimes her chicken & dumplings & her best home-made biscuits in the world)
But, when we had our big home in GA, my speciality at holidays was the decorating & having family over.
I will miss you, Joan & Miss Margarita & grand kids this year, and I don’t guess any of you will miss my “speciality” holiday dish this year. Love to all (& GR & Gus, too)
LuLu —-oops , sorry desserts (not deserts)
P.S. —- Tell Miss Margarita — “Sorry her Mom is not the BEST cook that she knows.
Wow..my mouth is watering..yummy..!!
Wolfie’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen #9
Hi I’m having over thirty at my house on Thanksgiving (First time usually 10) and I could use a few hints on a successful holiday.
Our menu includes:
Turkey, ham, swet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gean bean casserole, sweetpotatoe casserole, stuffing, gravy,mac & cheese, deviled eggs, potatoe and egg salad,apple pie, pumpkin pie, geltain, chocolate and butterscotch pudding pie, cup cakes,cookies
send me an email on your success stories and how I can make mine a success.
Or how not to make it a disaster
ssherrywhyme@yahoo.com
I so want that sweet potato souffle recipe !!!!
BettyBetty’s last blog post..Does This Happen In Your House??
Ha! Love the Disarono addition!
My MIL will be cooking for all FIVE of us this year (it’s typically a small number at her house), and yet she STILL feels the need to cook about as much food as your mother. RIDICULOUS.
My favorite item is something my Mom does, which, consequently, I won’t be getting this year (sob!) as it’s not her turn — her dad’s pork dressing. OH. YUM. It is the BEST with mushroom gravy and cranberry sauce.
How many days ’til Thursday? I’m getting all salivatory.
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LOVE the conversation with your mom! That’s exactly what I do to my husband every year–except this one. He’s been in Iraq for the last 2 weeks, so he’s fortunately missed all the boring menu discussions. He’ll come home to the cooking, frenzy, though!
By the way–I MUST know more about this squash casserole. I’ve never eaten it before. The picture looks delish. Do tell!
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Hi..
I’ve tagged u @ my blog..do take a look to see if u’re interested to join..
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Clear this up for me (if you please, milady): sweet potato casserole is a dessert or a savoury side dish? Or a diabetic coma waiting to happen? I’m leaning to dessert BUT it is a tuber so maybe it is side dish.
AlphaDogDoesn’tLikePieButLovesBaklavaMa’s last blog post..More turkey, Mister Chandler?
Oh my god does that menu sound good. Holy smokes… And that’s saying an awful lot, considering we celebrated Thanksgiving today and I’m supposed to be stuffed!
And you actually have a deviled egg dish so your eggs don’t wobble around the plate. How cute is that.
Hope your holiday was great.
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Dear Lulu,
P.S. I “loved” your Thanksgiving Menu. The pictures look so real and good enough to eat. I can identify with all of them— and know how delicious they are. It makes me feel like I’m there, too.
I really did miss being with all our family this year on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a “special” time to give thanks for your family, and to know how much you love them. It is a blessing to have a wonderful family.
Mrs. W - actually, the picture is just something that I radomly grabbed from the internet. However, I do have an AWESOME squash casserole and squash dressing recipe if you’re interested!!
Alpha - sweet potato casserole can be either of the three. If my mother cooks it, for sure you will go into a diabetic coma. I tend to make mine more as a side dish.
Sorry I haven’t been to visit lately! Been on bit of a blogging break—kind of like the opposite of NaPoBloMo. More like NaNOPoBloMo.