Gobble Gobble
Welcome back lovelies and beau’s to the third and final post of the Remember November series. In today’s post, I will share some traditional Thanksgiving dishes and some fun, family-oriented stories. But before we get started, I have a few social media links where you can stay up-to-date. The main one is my Instagram. It is @inspire.those.who.inspire.you . Then, there is also my TikTok page @inspire.those. And finally, you can reach out via email to inspire.those.who.inspire.you@gmail.com or fill out the form below to be on my mailing list.
Growing up and living in the Midwest region of the United States, a common staple or side dish that can be found at Thanksgiving celebrations is the casserole. Per Kate Shungu from the food blog Gift of Hospitality mentions, “Due to chilly temperatures throughout the winter, the Midwest is best known for hearty, stick-to-your ribs comfort food, including casseroles”. She went on to add, “Many of the ingredients and inspirations behind these casseroles came from our European ancestors who settled in the Midwest, such as noodle casserole’s from Germany, potato gratins from France, and shepherd’s pies and pot pies from England”. To learn more on the tradition and delicacy of casserole’s in the Midwest, finish reading The Midwest Is the Home of the Casserole. These Are the Ones to Try by Nickolaus Hines. With that, I will be sharing two family secret casserole dish recipes, including the Corn Bread Casserole and the Broccoli Casserole. I will start with the Corn Bread recipe. From there, I will share the Broccoli Casserole recipe.
Corn Bread Casserole
Ingredients:
1 can of corn (drained)
1 can of creamed corn
1 corn muffin mix
1 can of sour cream
1 stick of butter (melted)
Directions:
To bake, the temperature should be at 375 degrees. It takes between 45 minutes to an hour to cook.
Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients:
2 10oz packages of frozen chopped broccoli
1 can of cream and mushroom soup
1 can of celery soup
1 small can of chopped mushrooms
8oz jar of cheese wiz
2 cans of minute rice (uncooked)
1 small onion diced
Directions:
To cook, sauce the onion in butter, then mix all ingredients together and bake buttered casserole dish at 350 degrees for 45 minutes uncovered.
Besides casseroles, other common dishes at my families Thanksgiving dinner include ham and turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, hot apple cider, Jello, and of course, several different types of pie.
Some of my favorite Thanksgiving memories were at my aunt’s house. It was where my mother’s side of the family would gather. Beginning of the night, it would be a little quiet but throughout the rest of the night it would get progressively louder, in the best way possible. In actuality, it was my cousin’s who would get the party started. They were outgoing and they were able to get everyone’s attention so smoothly. They were and still are some of the most personable people I know. It’s not as easy task but they knew how to get everyone involved in the conversation. Most of all, it was their sense of humor or storytelling that made everyone burst into laughter. My aunt’s house was the reason I enjoyed Thanksgiving! It was always time well spent with the family. Oftentimes, family would travel from near and far just to have the chance to catch up and spend a few hours together before heading back home.
For a couple of years, on-and-off, my mother and I would celebrate together just the two of us. Although it wouldn’t be anywhere near the energy of the family getting together at my aunt’s house, it was always a treat. Often times, it was peaceful and perfect. It was up to us what we ate, what we did, and how the night was spent. If we got tired early on, we could go right to bed or if we wanted to stay up and play a game, we could do that too.
This year’s Thanksgiving was no different. My mother and I spent it together again. This year neither of us could store nor cook a turkey so we attempted to pick up pre-cooked, store bought chicken. Due to a later start that we had, we missed out. However, we were prepared. We had other ideas ready. Instead, we made a spicy, meaty mac and cheese. We refer to it as “My Mac and cheese”. I started making it a couple years ago and we’ve loved it ever since. Here is that recipe:
Spicy, Meaty Mac & Cheese
Ingredients:
1 pound beef
Pasta noodles (we normally use elbows but used Penne this year)
Cheddar or Jalepeno Cheddar depending on your spice level
Tomato juice
A packet of chili seasoning or taco seasoning
Cilantro (dried)
Garlic salt
Basil leaves (dried)
Chili flakes
First, start by boiling a pot of water and cooking meat in a frying pan. Once the water is boiled, add pasta noodles. I typically set a time of 10 minutes to cook pasta noodles to al dente. Then, once the meat is cooked add to pot of cooked noodles. From there, add in a cup or two of tomato juice, the chili/taco seasoning and stir. Then, periodically add some cilantro, basil leaves, garlic salt, and chili flakes while allowing it to simmer. Once it’s almost done cooking, add cheese to stir in, and you’re done. Once there is some on my plate, I also add some additional cheese.
Overall, Thanksgiving can mean different things to a lot of different people. However, I’ve celebrated the holiday by spending that time with family by sharing memories, eating delicious food, and having a good time. I also reach out to those who impacted me on my yearly journey. After all, reflection is key. It provides insight in each of our lives and it allows us to live in gratitude by appreciating the many gifts that surround us each and every day. If there is anything you have gained by reading along today, it is that I am grateful for each and every one of you. May you and your family have a wonderful year full of good health, love, success, happiness, and adventure. Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!
As a signature of this blog, I like to end each post with a suggestion to “Pass on kindness”. There is no such time as the present to “Inspire Those Who Inspire You”. Acts of kindness, no matter how big or small, can have a direct, positive impact on someone else. Go out there today and change someone’s life for the better.
***These are my personal opinions and may not be those of my employer
