Too much food...

Ah, the holidays.  The time of year when everybody over eats, but they don't really seem to care about how much weight they gain until after the new year.  I'm pretty sure I ate more food over the course of the past 5 days than I have all year--Thank you Herring Family! Not only did I eat lunch, I had round 2 for dinner and lots of food on Black Friday and a stack of pancakes for lunch on Saturday.  Picture Dawn French in the Vicar of Dibley when she ate Christmas lunch 4 or 5 times except over the course of a few days.   This was also my first holiday away from my family, I went to the Mississippi and ate with the Herrings.  I also threatened Arielle upon pain of death that she would provide me with pictures of her Thanksgiving down by her momma and such for this post.  It worked!  She gave me picks of her yummy food and even a recipe, which I shall graciously share with you dear reader.

Arielle's family feasted upon:

Turkey

Baked ham with pineapples and bourbon soaked cherries

baked mac and cheese

dirty rice

cranberry relish

buttered peas and corn

sweet potato crunch

corn bread

DESSERT:

pecan pie

red velvet cake(SHE NEGLECTED TO GIVE ME PICTURES OF THE DESSERTS!)

Turkey Recipe:

4 sticks of celery

1 apple

1 large red onion

bunch of fresh parsley

1 orange

1 bottle of injectable Tony's Garlic and Herb Marinade

"Stuff all the ingredients above inside the turkey after properly washing; then inject marinate. We're lazy at my house and put the turkey in a giant electric roaster and cook it all night on 250 degrees. You could always bake it the traditional way, but who wants all that hassle."

At Cotton Branch, I had quite a different meal than usual.  There was no cayenne in anything, no oyster dressing, no mirlitons, no dirty rice, and no cheese cake, but that's ok because Mrs. Barbara's cooking is still awesome!  There was:

Smoked Turkey

Traditional Turkey

Dressing

 

Corn and Butter beans

Wild rice and regular rice

Sweet potatoes

Louisiana Yams(I made these, recipe below!)

 (Dirty Coast sticker on my computer...got to be a NOLA girl everywhere...)

 

Frozen salad

cranberry sauce

 (my plate)

(the spread)

DESSERT:

Strawberry Cake, White Chocolate Bread Pudding,  and Chocolate Pie

 

YUM!:)

Sweet Potato Casserole:

3 cup mashed sweet potatoes
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup milk (I used half and half)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butte (melted)
1 tsp. vanilla
mix ingredients for casserole and place in large buttered shallow pan or baking dish.  Spread with topping;

topping:
1 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup softened butter
1 cup chopped pecans
mix sugar and flour, add softened butter, mix well.  Add chopped pecans and mix well.  Place on top of sweet potato mixture.  Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for a bout 25 minutes.

**Somebody's Grandma asked for this recipe, I was so proud of myself! Enjoy!