LOUISIANA THANKSGIVING 2018

By

Gypsy Rhapsody

(a 1977 Airstream that doesn't gobble)

Well, there is no photograph of me during the month of November,
because Vannie and Dave have been in Lafayette, LA practically
the entire month of November housesitting.
Don't want anyone to forget what I look like...heaven forbid!!!

Vannie and I have been talking and texting...
just wanted to get everyone up to date on what's been happenin'...


V and D have loved their housesitting job.
This little guy doesn't live here, but he visits everyday.

Grandson, Cooper Harris, played in a band concert
at the Heymann Center for Performing Arts in Lafayette.
It was a superb concert honoring the veterans in the area.
It was truly "A Star Spangled Spectacular"...
featuring
The All-Acadiana Middle School Band
The Skyliners Big Band
The Lafayette Concert Band
The Pride of Acadiana Marching Band 

Cooper and his parents...Ashley and Diane Harris...

After the concert, they headed over to the Harris' household
to celebrate Ashley's birthday.
V and D never want to pass up a piece of birthday cake.

Downtown Lafayette...
A cold and rainy afternoon
Vannie and Dave were headed to a film festival
at Cite des Arts Theater.

5 short films
T-Girl
(A tragedy strikes a Louisiana ranch when a young girl is thrown from her grandfather's best horse.)
Jane
(A mixed race woman rediscovers a childhood diary.)
Le Flottement
(A dementia occupant suddenly disappears from her rest home.)
L.A. Fadeaway
(A young musician in Los Angeles must prove that talent speaks louder than noise.)
Echappe
(In 1970, a Soviet ballerina suspects that her brother is planning to defect.)


Sunday morning
First United Methodist Church
Friend, Lois Mills, was performing in the bell choir...
Vannie and Dave used to be members of this church many years ago.
It was good to be back to see and visit with "old" friends.

More friends...Carla and Dwight Nelson, Beverly Whitaker,
and Cindy and Jennings Hamilton
Lone Star Steak House

...and then they arrived...
The Salvagio's from Austin...
Maddie lost a front tooth right after they arrived...
Tooth Fairy, come on down.!!!

Maddie and Uncle Ashley
waiting for dinner.


Crawfish Etoufee
YUM
Vannie used an old tried and true recipe from her friend, Ann Dalme and Ann's mom, Margery Bell.
(Ann taught with Vannie at Prairie and Broadmoor Elementary)
1 lb. peeled crawfish
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 large bell pepper, chopped
med. onion, chopped
1 stick butter
1/2 can celery soup
crawfish fat...optional

Cook onion, celery, bell pepper in butter until soft.
Add crawfish fat and cook 10 minutes. (skip if not using fat)
Add tails and cook 20 minutes
Add soup and heat...
Season to taste...

Vannie said that the pot was licked clean.


Thanksgiving Day Morning
Beautiful Blue Skies

Maddie and Vincent patiently waiting for the grub...
Did I say patiently????

Daughter, Emilie, got in the swing of things...
No, that is not a REAL baby...It's Maddie's baby doll,
and mom is playing along.

Ashley took over whipping the potatoes,
when Diane's arm gave out.


While cooking was going on in the kitchen,
the Macy's Thanksgiving parade was on the TV in the den.
Everyone was waiting to see the Lafayette High Band.
They were the "Santa Band"...the band that leads in Santa.
Exciting.!!!!  What an Honor!!!


Diane loves to cook and can whip out a meal in a jiffy.

Cooper's hanging around waiting for his turn to serve his plate.

Here they are ...Chowing down...

Drum Roll, Please....
Thanksgiving Dinner Menu...2018

Baked Ham

Baked Turkey
with it's Bacon Blankie...

Betsy's Cranberry Jello Salad
(Betsy taught with Vannie at Broadmoor Elementary)
1 pkg. Knox gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 pkg. raspberry Jello (3 oz)
(Sugar Free works fine)
2 cups boiling water
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chopped celery
1 orange...ground skin and all

Soften the gelatin in 1/4 cup of cold water.  Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the Jello and stir until dissolved.  Add softened gelatin and stir.  Let cool a little.  Add other ingredients...pour into a 2 quart mold.  Chill in frig overnight.

Thanks, Betsy... 

Green Bean Casserole

1 T. butter
1/2 cup mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
1 T. flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 t. salt
black pepper
1/2 cup cheese
16 oz. frozen French cut green beans
13 oz. frozen onion rings

375 degree oven...9x13 pan
Melt butter...Stir in mushrooms and garlic.  Saute 2 mins.
Stir in flour until smooth
Stir in milk...Stir in half and half...
Add salt and pepper...simmer
Stir in cheese...Stir in beans...
Put in baking dish...Add onion rings on top.
Bake 30-40 mins...Press rings about half way down after 15 mins.
Done when hot and bubbly and rings are golden brown.

Tater Tot Dressing
(A favorite)
large onion
1  cup celery
1/2 bunch of green onion
1 stick butter
2 cups chicken stock
2 eggs
1/2 cup potato buds

Saute onion, celery, green onion in butter
Mix in bowl with frozen tots and chopped parsley
In another bowl, mix stock, eggs, potato buds.
Pour in bowl with tots...Mix
Bake 350 degrees until hot and crispy on top...about an hour or so.
You might have to turn on the broiler to crisp up the tots on top.

Dave loved this...even better than cornbread dressing.

Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes
Butter
Milk

Brussel Spouts with dried cranberries
Diane creates this delicious dish.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with toppings
Sweet Potatoes
butter
brown sugar
butter
salt 

Gibbet Gravy

LaLanne's Chocolate Cake
(LaLanne taught with Vannie at Vermilion Elementary)
2 Cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter
1 cup water
4 T. Cocoa
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
1 t. soda
1 t. cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten

Bring to boil water, butter, cocoa...
Pour over flour and sugar
Mix well
Add vanilla, cinnamon, soda, buttermilk, and eggs
Mix well
Bake 45 mins. at 350 degrees

Icing
1 stick butter
3 T. cocoa
5 T. milk
3/4 box powdered sugar
1 cup nuts

Warm oleo, cocoa and milk
Remove from heat and beat in powered sugar
when color turns and add nuts and ice cake hot.

Vannie's Pecan Pies
1 cup Karo Syrup
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 T. butter
1 t. vanilla
1 and 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Mix syrup, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla...
Stir in pecans...
Pour into pie crust
Bake 60 to 70 minutes.
Cool on wire rack for 2 hours.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
1/2 cup sugar
2 env. unflavored gelatin
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. allspice
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. ginger
1/4 t. nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
2 egg yolks
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup whipping cream
2 T. sugar

Stir together...1/2 cup sugar, gelatin, cinnamon, spices...
Stir in milk...cook and stir over med. heat until gelatin dissolves.
In med. bowl...
Beat yolks with a fork.
Stir in half hot milk...Mix into yolks.
Pour yolk mix into hot filling in pan
Stir in pumpkin
Bring to a boil
Reduce heat...Cook and Stir for 2 mins. more
Remove from heat...chill about an hour
Combine whipping cream and sugar
Fold into pumpkin mix...

Vannie served this without a pie crust.
The pie filling was spooned into small clear plastic cups.
Whipped cream
...and topped with a ginger snap...


... and it was a rap...

After Thanksgiving walk...

Cooper playing with Legos 

Vincent and Roy

Emilie working on a puzzle.


Maddie playing outside with Vannie.

From our house to yours...
Happy Thanksgiving

Artwork by Maddie Salvagio

Dave told everyone bye bye
and said...
"one more month and we get to do this all over again."

THANKFUL