"traditional" Thanksgiving dinner

Several years ago we were hosts to a visiting Chinese student during
Thanksgiving. She was familiar with the first Thanksgiving in the
colonies. As we were passing food around the Thanksgiving table I
explained the symbolism of each dish until I got to the Green Bean
Casserole. How does one explain how that dish is one of the "must
haves" on most family menus? Since she was a business major she
understood that the dish was promoted by companies that make the
mushroom soup and onion rings. My sons, who would never touch the
casserole, assured her that it was an essential to every holiday meal.

Susan

The gourmets, pretentious and down-right uppity cooks ( and many others, I'm
told ) disdain the green bean casserole. What's wrong, I wonder, with
enjoying and supporting two American companies like French's (?) and
Campbells? How about 'buy American' - with understanding to our across the
pond dear friends who should support their own homeland companies.
One frantic year, I found myself with no green beans. I substituted
English peas and asparagus. Nobody noticed.
I thought.
Next Thanksgiving in Florida, 7 year-old Chad requested Green Bean
Casserole like Aunt Polly makes.
His mom did it wrong.
How was she to know it wasn't supposed to contain green beans?
Twenty-five years later, Chad's mom does green bean casserole without
green beans. We smile. Take some or pass it on. Personally, I have to
have it . .. with whatever's green in the pantry. Polly



"Susan Laity Price" wrote in message
...
Several years ago we were hosts to a visiting Chinese student during
Thanksgiving. She was familiar with the first Thanksgiving in the
colonies. As we were passing food around the Thanksgiving table I
explained the symbolism of each dish until I got to the Green Bean
Casserole. How does one explain how that dish is one of the "must
haves" on most family menus? Since she was a business major she
understood that the dish was promoted by companies that make the
mushroom soup and onion rings. My sons, who would never touch the
casserole, assured her that it was an essential to every holiday meal.

Susan

Bite your tongue! Green been casserole has deep significance. It's
often the only green (ish) thing on the table ;-)
Roberta in D

On Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:04:55 -0600, Susan Laity Price
wrote:

Several years ago we were hosts to a visiting Chinese student during
Thanksgiving. She was familiar with the first Thanksgiving in the
colonies. As we were passing food around the Thanksgiving table I
explained the symbolism of each dish until I got to the Green Bean
Casserole. How does one explain how that dish is one of the "must
haves" on most family menus? Since she was a business major she
understood that the dish was promoted by companies that make the
mushroom soup and onion rings. My sons, who would never touch the
casserole, assured her that it was an essential to every holiday meal.

Susan

As an American alien among all these occasionally pretentious cooks, I
once served GBC at a dinner party. (OK, I used frozen beans, not those
mushy canned objects.) And I put cheese on top instead of the deep
fried whatevers. They all loved it. Some even asked for the recipe. I
just smiled and said it was a family secret.
Roberta in D

On Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:34:49 -0600, "Polly Esther"
wrote:

The gourmets, pretentious and down-right uppity cooks ( and many others, I'm
told ) disdain the green bean casserole. What's wrong, I wonder, with
enjoying and supporting two American companies like French's (?) and
Campbells? How about 'buy American' - with understanding to our across the
pond dear friends who should support their own homeland companies.
One frantic year, I found myself with no green beans. I substituted
English peas and asparagus. Nobody noticed.
I thought.
Next Thanksgiving in Florida, 7 year-old Chad requested Green Bean
Casserole like Aunt Polly makes.
His mom did it wrong.
How was she to know it wasn't supposed to contain green beans?
Twenty-five years later, Chad's mom does green bean casserole without
green beans. We smile. Take some or pass it on. Personally, I have to
have it . .. with whatever's green in the pantry. Polly



"Susan Laity Price" wrote in message
.. .
Several years ago we were hosts to a visiting Chinese student during
Thanksgiving. She was familiar with the first Thanksgiving in the
colonies. As we were passing food around the Thanksgiving table I
explained the symbolism of each dish until I got to the Green Bean
Casserole. How does one explain how that dish is one of the "must
haves" on most family menus? Since she was a business major she
understood that the dish was promoted by companies that make the
mushroom soup and onion rings. My sons, who would never touch the
casserole, assured her that it was an essential to every holiday meal.

Susan

IMHO there is no comparison between frozen and canned green beens. But
mostly I LOVE food that other people cook for me :-)

Hanne in DK

Den 22-11-2011 11:15, Roberta skrev:
As an American alien among all these occasionally pretentious cooks, I
once served GBC at a dinner party. (OK, I used frozen beans, not those
mushy canned objects.) And I put cheese on top instead of the deep
fried whatevers. They all loved it. Some even asked for the recipe. I
just smiled and said it was a family secret.
Roberta in D

On Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:34:49 -0600, "Polly Esther"
wrote:

The gourmets, pretentious and down-right uppity cooks ( and many others, I'm
told ) disdain the green bean casserole. What's wrong, I wonder, with
enjoying and supporting two American companies like French's (?) and
Campbells? How about 'buy American' - with understanding to our across the
pond dear friends who should support their own homeland companies.
One frantic year, I found myself with no green beans. I substituted
English peas and asparagus. Nobody noticed.
I thought.
Next Thanksgiving in Florida, 7 year-old Chad requested Green Bean
Casserole like Aunt Polly makes.
His mom did it wrong.
How was she to know it wasn't supposed to contain green beans?
Twenty-five years later, Chad's mom does green bean casserole without
green beans. We smile. Take some or pass it on. Personally, I have to
have it . .. with whatever's green in the pantry. Polly



"Susan Laity wrote in message
...
Several years ago we were hosts to a visiting Chinese student during
Thanksgiving. She was familiar with the first Thanksgiving in the
colonies. As we were passing food around the Thanksgiving table I
explained the symbolism of each dish until I got to the Green Bean
Casserole. How does one explain how that dish is one of the "must
haves" on most family menus? Since she was a business major she
understood that the dish was promoted by companies that make the
mushroom soup and onion rings. My sons, who would never touch the
casserole, assured her that it was an essential to every holiday meal.

Susan

On 11/21/2011 8:04 PM, Susan Laity Price wrote:
Several years ago we were hosts to a visiting Chinese student during
Thanksgiving. She was familiar with the first Thanksgiving in the
colonies. As we were passing food around the Thanksgiving table I
explained the symbolism of each dish until I got to the Green Bean
Casserole. How does one explain how that dish is one of the "must
haves" on most family menus? Since she was a business major she
understood that the dish was promoted by companies that make the
mushroom soup and onion rings. My sons, who would never touch the
casserole, assured her that it was an essential to every holiday meal.

Susan


We never did have a green bean casserole, for T-day or at any other
time of the year! We would usually have a mixture of peas & carrots or
maybe just green beans but never the "traditional" casserole. When I
started doing the family T-day I always made green beans because DH
liked them but have never made the casserole. I usually add button
mushrooms and pearl onions to mine and call it good enough :-).
CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary /\__/\

In my family, the green bean casserole is known as "Dining Room Beans",
so named by a little niece. Everyday meals at my mom's were in the
kitchen; the dining room was only for holidays or when there were
guests. My mom did day care for my niece and asked her one day if she
wanted green beans for lunch. The niece said yes, but she wanted plain
ones, not dining room beans.

I like to add dried cranberries and slivered almonds to french-cut green
beans. I buy the frozen beans, not the canned ones.

Julia in MN

On 11/21/2011 9:04 PM, Susan Laity Price wrote:
Several years ago we were hosts to a visiting Chinese student during
Thanksgiving. She was familiar with the first Thanksgiving in the
colonies. As we were passing food around the Thanksgiving table I
explained the symbolism of each dish until I got to the Green Bean
Casserole. How does one explain how that dish is one of the "must
haves" on most family menus? Since she was a business major she
understood that the dish was promoted by companies that make the
mushroom soup and onion rings. My sons, who would never touch the
casserole, assured her that it was an essential to every holiday meal.

Susan


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Did you all know that GBC was invented by a real person? That is, it
is not a mists-of-tradition recipe.
Her name was Dorcas Reilly and she was a home economist for
Campbell's.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_bean_casserole

Nann
who does NOT make GBC, mostly because there are so many other tasty
ways to prepare vegetables

On Nov 21, 9:04*pm, Susan Laity Price
wrote:
Several years ago we were hosts to a visiting Chinese student during
Thanksgiving. She was familiar with the first Thanksgiving in the
colonies. As we were passing food around the Thanksgiving table I
explained the symbolism of each dish until I got to the Green Bean
Casserole. How does one explain how that dish is one of the "must
haves" on most family menus? Since she was a business major she
understood that the dish was promoted by companies that make the
mushroom soup and onion rings. My sons, who would never touch the
casserole, assured her that it was an essential to every holiday meal.

Susan

Howdy!

GBC -
Gag-awful stuff, that salty, gray goop: never. Never.
And I mean: Never!

The turkey & dressing never miss it, either. ;-D

Meanwhile, it's time to kick back & quilt while the Macy's parade rolls
and the turkey sizzles.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ragmop/Sandy


On 11/21/11 9:04 PM, in article ,
"Susan Laity Price" wrote:

Several years ago we were hosts to a visiting Chinese student during
Thanksgiving. She was familiar with the first Thanksgiving in the
colonies. As we were passing food around the Thanksgiving table I
explained the symbolism of each dish until I got to the Green Bean
Casserole. How does one explain how that dish is one of the "must
haves" on most family menus? Since she was a business major she
understood that the dish was promoted by companies that make the
mushroom soup and onion rings. My sons, who would never touch the
casserole, assured her that it was an essential to every holiday meal.

Susan

Howdy!

To each, their own....

Not being a "gourmet" or an "uppity cook", just a healthy one,
"that stuff" doesn't darken my kitchen.

GBC: ick. Salty, gray goop. Where's the real food?
Yes, SOME people think it's "traditional".
Thank god, not in my family. ;-P

About a 1000 milligrams of salt per serving in that nasty stuff.

And what's w/ the fixing? Take 3 or 4 cans of "food", and dump into
a dish; dump another load of salted gunk on top and heat it -
this is cooking? S-i-l is so proud of herself; she fixes it,
puts it on our table (it comes in the front door to the dining room,
never into the kitchen), & eats all she wants, takes home her
leftovers, thankyouverymuch. ;-D

We've done the years of over-stuffed, fat-heavy, over-salted,
groaning table. Now we eat what we really like, and enjoy it all the mo
turkey, dressing, a great big green (lettuce) salad, baked sweet potatoes
(butter & pepper, thanks), and pie. Various finger foods & snacks.
And pie. 8-
No one goes hungry, and they all crowd back the next year.

Meanwhile, the quilting continues, the leftovers are lovely, the house is
clean, & Santa Claus is coming to town!

BTW, French's is owned by a British corp.. LOL

Happy Thanksgiving!

R/Sandy - "eat what you like, like what you eat!"


On 11/21/11 9:34 PM, in article , "Polly
Esther" wrote:

The gourmets, pretentious and down-right uppity cooks ( and many others, I'm
told ) disdain the green bean casserole. What's wrong, I wonder, with
enjoying and supporting two American companies like French's (?) and
Campbells? How about 'buy American' - with understanding to our across the
pond dear friends who should support their own homeland companies.
One frantic year, I found myself with no green beans. I substituted
English peas and asparagus. Nobody noticed.
I thought.
Next Thanksgiving in Florida, 7 year-old Chad requested Green Bean
Casserole like Aunt Polly makes.
His mom did it wrong.
How was she to know it wasn't supposed to contain green beans?
Twenty-five years later, Chad's mom does green bean casserole without
green beans. We smile. Take some or pass it on. Personally, I have to
have it . .. with whatever's green in the pantry. Polly



"Susan Laity Price" wrote in message
...
Several years ago we were hosts to a visiting Chinese student during
Thanksgiving. She was familiar with the first Thanksgiving in the
colonies. As we were passing food around the Thanksgiving table I
explained the symbolism of each dish until I got to the Green Bean
Casserole. How does one explain how that dish is one of the "must
haves" on most family menus? Since she was a business major she
understood that the dish was promoted by companies that make the
mushroom soup and onion rings. My sons, who would never touch the
casserole, assured her that it was an essential to every holiday meal.

Susan