The first time I helped my Mom with thanksgiving dinner I was pretty young. I remember putting on her terrycloth white apron with the big yellow pear on it with yellow strings. I always wore that apron when I helped Mom in the kitchen. We cooked corn and stuffing and checked on the turkey as the smells of dinner filled the house. We made a pumpkin pie because my Dad loved pumpkin pie with cool whip. I learned about spices and seasoning and how long to cook the veggies and rolls. Cooking thanksgiving dinner with my Mother is one of the first times I remember really cooking with her. Over the years I took over more and more of the dishes until one year in high school, I offered to make the whole thing. I don't remember if we had Green Bean Casserole before this but I am almost positive that I made that casserole for that meal.
It was stressful trying to juggle all the cooking on my own and trying to make sure everything was done at the same time. I am sure I burned something or had to reheat something else but in the end I did it, I made the whole meal and it was pretty good. The turkey actually came out great I remember. I rubbed the skin with butter and salt and pepper and I stuffed orange slices in several places under the skin and it came out tender and tasting a little like orange and everyone was impressed.
After that I made most of thanksgiving dinner a few more times for my little family of four in our house in the woods off Moore Dr and every time I did, I made my "famous" green bean casserole. Everyone always ate a little bit of every thing and was very kind to let me know how much they enjoyed it.
Over the years my sister and I would miss thanksgiving with our parents now and then to go to dinner with a fiance' or husband's family but I remember enjoying thanksgiving one more time with my Mother before she passed away.
Mom had just started to feel ill in early Oct of 2010. It began with her feeling dizzy and having trouble with her balance. By thanksgiving, she could still walk and use her hands but it was becoming a little more difficult. Although she was worried and frustrated with what was going on with her health (at this time we all still thought she was experiencing an MS flare up) she was is great spirits that Thanksgiving day and was smiling and joking all day long.
After we finished our meal with My Aunt Rita and her family and our good family friends in Centreville, Nick and I made our way back to my parents house for a little visit. We all sat in the living room chatting. We were talking about how great dinner was and how I had offered to bring my Green Bean Casserole the next year. I was boasting about how delicious it was and that I love to add bacon and cheese. My Mom sat there listening to me talk and then just looked at me and said; "No one here likes Green Bean Casserole by the way. Dad, Me, Lindsay...we have never liked it." I thought she was joking and I laughed and then she laughed but stopped laughing. I looked at her kind of confused and then I said; "really?!" She looked at me, dead serious, and said " yes really, we have never liked it and you bring it every year and none of us like it."
I was shocked and a little embarrassed. We all began laughing and it was so awkward and funny. I asked her why she never said anything before and she just shrugged and said I just loved making it so much and no one wanted to say anything. I started thinking back and realizing that there way always a lot of Green Bean Casserole left over for me to take home and it all made sense. I still crack up thinking about how she had waited for years to tell me this secret that her and my Dad and my sister must have been keeping and how I couldn't believe how she finally just blurted it out. My Mom usually didn't hold back when she had something she wanted to tell you so this really did shock me.
I still make Green Bean Casserole every year, mostly for myself but my in-laws love it too thank goodness. If my Mom were still here to share Thanksgiving with us, I would still make it and just keep it all for myself.
Here is my recipe for my "Famous" Green Bean Casserole. This is for a pretty large portion-I'd say it could feed six as a side dish and still have some left over.
4 Cans Green Beans
2 Cans mushroom soup
1 can milk
6 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup onion flakes
1 T minced garlic
1 package of French's Fried Onion
1 T Worcestershire
salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl except hold back two slices of bacon and 1 half of the fried onions.
Feel free to pour a little of that bacon grease in there too if you like. Bake the casserole in a large casserole dish, covered, on 400 for 30-45 mins. Once the casserole is nice and hot and bubbly, take it out of the oven and put the rest of the bacon and fried onion on top. Bake another 5 mins or so until the onions are a little browned. I topped mine with a little more cheddar and some Parmesan this year. Enjoy!
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