Thanksgiving Favorites

Thanksgiving is my all time favorite holiday. I LOVE it. And I still can’t understand why the French don’t celebrate it, after all, it’s about FOOD! Something the French do so well. Ah well.

This year we’re celebrating twice on two different days. All the better to eat my favorite foods as often as I can.

I have three favorite recipes that have become part of my Thanksgiving repertoire along with the standard turkey and stuffing: green bean casserole, pineapple cheddar bake and jello fluff. Really, they’re all delicious, and Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without them.

Green bean Casserole

• A whole lot of frozen green beans
• 1 package of bacon, coarsely chopped
• 2 sweet white onions, coarsely chopped

Use a large cast iron dutch oven, with a lid. Grease the bottom with olive oil, then layer half the onions, half the green beans and half the bacon and repeat. no need to defrost the green beans nor to precook the bacon and onions. Cover and bake at 350° for an hour and a half, or until you can no longer stop yourself from tasting. This is also an excellent crock pot recipe, which is good as it frees up valuable oven space.

Pineapple Cheddar Bake

• 1 can diced pineapple, drained
• 4 ozs grated cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons of melted butter
• 1 cup crushed ritz crackers

Mix the pineapple with the cheese in a small baking dish. Then top with the ritz crackers, mixed together with the butter. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350°. This dish is delicious, but only when gooey and piping hot. It does not save well, so only make what quantities you or the hoards are ready to eat immediately.

Jello Fluff

• 1 small box jello 4( servings)
• 4 ozs cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 can crushed pineapple, with the juice reserved
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 2 cups fresh whipped cream

Use the reserved juice from the pineapple for the boiling liquid when preparing the jello, complete with water if necessary. Mix the cream cheese into the hot jello, blend well (I use my wand blender for this step). Then add the mini marshmallows. Let cool to room temperature (about an hour and a half), then add the pineapple and chill until almost set (another few hours). Gently fold the whip cream in and refrigerate until set. Resist testing with your finger ‘just to check.’

What are your familiy’s favorite must have Thanksgiving recipes?