Thanksgiving 2020

I hope each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends as best we can be together during this pandemic.  Here are some pictures of our mealtime, and I'll be posting some individual recipes of a few of the new items we enjoyed this year.  If you would like any recipe for any of the pictures I don't post, send me a message!

As always, my "main dish" of any Thanksgiving meal is Chicken and Dressing!

This year we again cooked the turkey with the "spatchcock" method.  This beautiful 14 lb. turkey was roasted and ready to eat in 2 hours!

Sweet Harold requested field peas, baked mac and cheese, and green bean casserole.  What Sweet Harold requests, he gets!

I was hungry for coleslaw, my daughter prepared a delicious squash casserole, and my 90-year-old mama made a large bowl of potato salad!

I baked a fresh apple cake and fulfilled the granddaughters' request with a chocolate cake with a peanut butter frosting.

My daughter made a sweet potato casserole and pumpkin brownies.  My son-in-law made a decadent pecan caramel cheesecake!

And because EVERYONE loves Sweet Harold's peanut butter balls, he fixed us a huge batch!

Around Lolly's Table: Kids' Table Thanksgiving 2020

 

Sharing photos from the Kids' Thanksgiving Table for this year! I love having fun and bringing smiles to the smaller diners at family meals.

The tablecloth was one of my Great Aunt's.  Those beautiful fall colors with the deep purples, oranges, yellows, greens, and browns are truly representative of the outdoors right now.

I wanted to bring nature indoors, and what better way than to anchor their place settings with these great handmade wooden chargers?  The fun turkey plates are from Better Homes and Garden and were purchased at Wal-Mart. Flatware is from World Market.

The napkins and napkin rings are from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. 

These "mason jar" drinking glasses were a steal at Dollar General.  With the straws attached, they're easy to use for the younger members of your family.

Add a burgundy candle from Hobby Lobby along with orange acorn salt and pepper shakers, and you're ready for the kids!

Around Lolly's Sideboard: Thanksgiving 2020

 

Instead of having a blog post with "Around Lolly's Table," with pictures of my table settings, I've decided to also have some blog posts with "Around Lolly's Sideboard" to show some ideas I'll have with seasonal decorating of the sideboard in my kitchen!

Here are some photos of the Thanksgiving 2020 version. As you can see from the picture above, I'm bringing all the colors of fall indoors!

I had such fun mixing old and new.  The sideboard is next to the "children's table" in the kitchen, so a little whimsy is in order.

I love this antique McCoy 0wl cookie jar nestled in and around ceramic pumpkins and squash purchased at Old Tyme Pottery.

These two small pitchers were purchased at Alewine Pottery in Gatlinburg, TN.

I treasure this pitcher made by the very talented late Jerry Brown of Hamilton, AL.

The bright orange pumpkin plates (purchased at Hobby Lobby) pair perfectly with the striped Fiestaware glasses. The cute boy and girl pilgrims are adorable!

It's always good to be reminded to be thankful for all we have.

The next shelf features these cute turkey plates (Better Homes and Gardens and purchased at Wal-Mart years ago) and Amber Kings Court glasses.  Miniature pilgrims are the finishing touch.

Keeping watch over all the doings in the kitchen is our old friend the scarecrow sitting on his bale of hay with an assortment of pumpkins to keep him company.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dining Out Southeast: The Rail Public House, Gadsden, AL

My hometown of Gadsden is bursting with new restaurants to try!  Today's lunch was courtesy of The Rail Public House located at 538 Broad Street right in the middle of Historic Downtown. The Rail Public House is an Upscale Pub that is family-friendly, serving upscale pub fare such as burgers, sandwiches, salads, soup, and daily specials. From reviewing their Facebook page, the daily dinner specials appear to be very special indeed.

Because I was on my lunch hour, we didn't take time to enjoy appetizers this trip, but I will definitely return when a more leisurely meal can be enjoyed.  Some of the offerings are fried pickle spears, pimento cheese, hot spinach dip, and fried pimento cheese balls served with pepper jelly.

Social distancing was apparent, and the staff wore masks. We're off to a good start!  When Sweet Harold heard the lunch specials, he changed his mind and ordered the Steakhouse Burger, and what a burger it was!

Yes, it was as impressive in person. The Steakhouse Burger was a blackened burger infused with blue cheese, topped with crispy onion straws, thick-cut bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a house-made steak sauce.  It was perfectly cooked to his requested medium doneness.  The bacon was chewy, the lettuce was crisp, and the tomato slice was ripe. The onion straws were well seasoned.  

With the side of "sidewinder fries, this was a lunch to remember.

My turn!  I wasn't in the mood for a burger, so I opted for the fried chicken sandwich and onion rings. My chicken sandwich was not going to be overshadowed by the Steakhouse Burger!

The breading was light and well-seasoned. Simply dressed with lettuce and pickles, the toasted bun was soft, and mayo was delivered at my request.  

Another picture to give you a perspective on the size of this chicken sandwich.

I'm not gonna lie...I thought about this piece of chicken topped with gravy and served with mashed potatoes......but back to the sandwich...

The onion rings were thick sliced and beer-battered. They had a good flavor and a great crunch. These were perfectly fried.

Service was prompt, and tea was re-filled just as it was needed. I appreciated that we could have this great meal and be back to work within an hour. 

We can't wait to return for a date-night dinner.  

Dining Out Southeast: Downtown Chief, Gadsden, AL

Big Chief Drive-In in nearby Glencoe, Alabama has long been a mainstay for delicious burgers, shakes, and grape ice cream. A "mom and pop" business locally owned and operated has a large following of regulars.

Recently, they opened a second location at the corner of Second and Locust Streets in Downtown Gadsden.

We went for a late lunch today and were promptly seated.  Staci was our server today. She took our drink orders while we looked over the menu. We decided to try the appetizer sampler which included our choice of three. Unfortunately, they were out of the Southwest Eggrolls. We selected the fried green tomatoes which are topped with pimento cheese and green pepper jelly, fried mushrooms served with ranch dressing, and buffalo chicken drip served with tortilla chips.

I'll start with the buffalo chicken dip. It was served warm (not hot) and there wasn't a lot of buffalo chicken heat. I would say it would be safe for children to eat and enjoy. Sweet Harold noted there wasn't the amount of chicken he was expecting.

The mushrooms were served "just out of the fryer" hot which is always a plus. 

Now to the fried green tomatoes.  Y'all know me, if they're on the menu, I must try them. 

The batter on the tomatoes was thick and held up well to the pimento cheese/green pepper jelly topping. The tomatoes were fried to the perfect brown. I had checked out photos on their Facebook page and the FGTs there had a nice drizzle of the jelly on top of the pimento cheese.  As you can see, ours today had a plop of jelly hanging off onto the side.  The taste was great, but the presentation was missing.

Now on to the burgers!  Sweet Harold chose the Hawaiian Burger which includes tangy BBQ sauce, mayo, cheese, lettuce, grilled pineapple, and bacon with fries on the side.

I'm not a fan of pineapple, so I didn't try a bite, but SH reported he enjoyed both the burger and the fries. 

I always try the signature dish if possible, so what better burger to try than the Downtown Burger?  My burger had mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle with homemade sauce, and I added pepper jack cheese.  My burger was cooked perfectly. I appreciate butter lettuce because to me it is easier to layer.  Mine was missing any onion, but that's not a deal-breaker for me. Also, my personal preference is an old fashioned, regular hamburger bun. These buns were a split top butter bun.  Next time I'll ask if there's a choice of buns. EDITED TO ADD:  After this blog post, the owner contacted me to state that they will begin offering a choice of buns!

I chose onion rings as my side.  They were really well done as you can see, but it was a very generous serving.

We were too full today to try the famous soft-serve grape ice cream. The menu includes chicken fingers, wings, salads, and sandwiches. A unique menu item is macaroni and cheese which you can choose toppings such as pulled pork, fried chicken, grilled chicken, or bacon. Cheese selections include cheddar, smoked gouda, or pepper jack.  If that isn't enough, additional toppings are grilled onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, or jalapenos.

A neighboring table ordered the Loaded Trash Can Fries which had french fries, pulled pork, shredded cheese, jalapenos, with tangy BBQ sauce, house-made ranch, and chives. 

We'll return soon to try some of these delicious-sounding offerings.

 

Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup

Some evenings call for a bowl of comforting goodness.  With the time change and darkness appearing at 4:45 p.m., a nice hot bowl of soup is a nice welcome home treat.

This recipe doesn't include any fancy or exotic ingredients. In fact, you probably have most of the ingredients in your well-stocked pantry. It's also very forgiving.  You don't like red kidney beans, double up on the cannellini beans. You want celery?  Add some celery. You love tomatoes? Add another can.

You get the idea!

1 T. olive oil

1 lb. ground mild (or hot) Italian sausage

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. dried Italian seasoning

3 - 4 cups low-sodium beef stock

14.5. oz. can petite diced tomatoes

14.5 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

14.5 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups shredded cabbage

In a 4 - 5 quart Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook 5 - 7 minutes until it is browned. 

Put the onions, carrots, garlic, and Italian seasoning in the pot and continue cooking and stirring frequently for another 5 minutes or so. 

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover and let the soup simmer until the vegetables are cooked and tender.  You can add additional beef broth if it's not "soupy" enough for your liking.

Disclaimer:

1.  Terms of Use:  This website provides recipes, food photos, and engaging written content.  I am not a nutritionist and have no expert knowledge on the topic.  Any information provided on or taken from this website is for your enjoyment. 

2.  Copyright policy:  Please feel free to share photos and recipes so long as full credit is given to this blog.  Give me a shout out when you share on your own social media sites, please.

3.  Advertisers, Sponsors, and Affiliate Links:  Occasionally, there may be ads on this site along with sponsorship, affiliate links, and other items that may compensate the owner of this site.  If you click on those ads and links, you will be taken to a separate site.  This website is not responsible for anything found on those websites.  Any dispute arising out of a third-party advertiser or affiliate link must be handled through them.  About those affiliate links:  If you click it and make a purchase, the website owner will get some cash money.  How much?  It varies.  You may see a few sponsored posts on this website.  This website will inform you if a post is sponsored and will give honest reviews.

4.  Comments:  I love hearing from readers and provide a space for comments.  All comments are subject to review before publishing.

5.  Nutritional information:  As mentioned above, I am NOT a nutritionist.  Under no circumstances will fleurdelolly.blogspot.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from your reliance on the nutritional information or lack thereof.

Chocolate Pound Cake

 

Long time readers of the blog know that I absolutely love to bake pound cakes. When I bake the chocolate variety of this cake, it's gone in a flash!

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup butter, softened

3 cups sugar

5 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 cup cocoa

1 1/4 cup milk

1 t. vanilla extract

Beat shortening and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating 5 - 7 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa together.  Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix at low speed after each addition just until blended.  Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 - 15 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

From The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook

Disclaimer:

1.  Terms of Use:  This website provides recipes, food photos, and engaging written content.  I am not a nutritionist and have no expert knowledge on the topic.  Any information provided on or taken from this website is for your enjoyment. 

2.  Copyright policy:  Please feel free to share photos and recipes so long as full credit is given to this blog.  Give me a shout out when you share on your own social media sites, please.

3.  Advertisers, Sponsors, and Affiliate Links:  Occasionally, there may be ads on this site along with sponsorship, affiliate links, and other items that may compensate the owner of this site.  If you click on those ads and links, you will be taken to a separate site.  This website is not responsible for anything found on those websites.  Any dispute arising out of a third-party advertiser or affiliate link must be handled through them.  About those affiliate links:  If you click it and make a purchase, the website owner will get some cash money.  How much?  It varies.  You may see a few sponsored posts on this website.  This website will inform you if a post is sponsored and will give honest reviews.

4.  Comments:  I love hearing from readers and provide a space for comments.  All comments are subject to review before publishing.

5.  Nutritional information:  As mentioned above, I am NOT a nutritionist.  Under no circumstances will fleurdelolly.blogspot.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from your reliance on the nutritional information or lack thereof.

Slow Simmered Sunday Spaghetti

 How did you like the alliteration of that blog title?  I apologize for the picture...I had chopped parsley to garnish the top.  Did I remember to add chopped parsley before I took the picture?  Of course, I didn't!

Normally when I make a pot of spaghetti, I make a POT of spaghetti! But yesterday afternoon, when I decided to make several meals to help with the busy week, I made a normal-sized pot of spaghetti sauce.

1 T. olive oil

1 lb. ground mild Italian sausage

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

2 T. minced garlic

1 t. salt

2 T. dried Italian seasoning

1 T. chopped parsley

1/2 cup sweet red wine

28 oz. can tomato sauce

14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes

6 oz. can tomato paste

3 cups low-sodium beef broth

**parmesan cheese rind

In a medium Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, add olive oil and sausage. Let sausage brown, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. As the sausage browns, add the onions, peppers, and garlic. Sprinkle on the salt and stir to combine.  Stir frequently, allowing the sausage to stick a little on the bottom of the pot. You're building a lot of flavor there.  Add in the Italian seasoning and parsley and cook for another minute or so.

When sausage is cooked through, and vegetables have softened, add in the wine, scraping up those yummy browned bits from the bottom of the pot.  Let the wine reduce by half.

Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste, stirring to combine.  Slowly pour in the beef stock and reduce the heat to the sauce is at a gentle simmer.

**Always remember to save those Parmesan cheese rinds in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. Adding one to the sauce as it simmers adds an enormous depth of flavor and umami to the sauce.

Let the sauce simmer for a few hours, covered, over low heat. If you're making ahead of time, allow the sauce to cool, and refrigerate until ready to reheat while cooking the spaghetti noodles. 

Disclaimer:

1.  Terms of Use:  This website provides recipes, food photos, and engaging written content.  I am not a nutritionist and have no expert knowledge on the topic.  Any information provided on or taken from this website is for your enjoyment. 

2.  Copyright policy:  Please feel free to share photos and recipes so long as full credit is given to this blog.  Give me a shout out when you share on your own social media sites, please.

3.  Advertisers, Sponsors, and Affiliate Links:  Occasionally, there may be ads on this site along with sponsorship, affiliate links, and other items that may compensate the owner of this site.  If you click on those ads and links, you will be taken to a separate site.  This website is not responsible for anything found on those websites.  Any dispute arising out of a third-party advertiser or affiliate link must be handled through them.  About those affiliate links:  If you click it and make a purchase, the website owner will get some cash money.  How much?  It varies.  You may see a few sponsored posts on this website.  This website will inform you if a post is sponsored and will give honest reviews.

4.  Comments:  I love hearing from readers and provide a space for comments.  All comments are subject to review before publishing.

5.  Nutritional information:  As mentioned above, I am NOT a nutritionist.  Under no circumstances will fleurdelolly.blogspot.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from your reliance on the nutritional information or lack thereof.

Sheet Pan Supper: Zatarain's Cajun Smoked Sausage

 

If you're a beginner cook or just someone who appreciates a fast and easy meal, sheet pan suppers are the thing!

Tonight I raided the refrigerator, and 25 minutes later, supper was on the table!  Easy peasy. I had baby carrots and broccoli florets on hand. You can use your favorite veggies such as cubed potatoes, zucchini or yellow squash, or cauliflower.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

I sliced one package of Zatarain's Cajun Smoked Sausage into 1/2 inch slices and placed on a rimmed sheet pan.

I had a 16 oz. package of baby carrots, and the same amount of broccoli florets.

I placed them on the baking sheet and then drizzled everything with olive oil and lightly salted and peppered.

Toss everything together to coat with the olive oil and then spread into a single layer.

Place in the oven for 15 minutes and remove from oven. Using a metal spatula flip the sausage and vegetables over and spread in a single layer again.

Return to oven and let cook for another 10 minutes or so.  Serve immediately!  See?  Easy Peasy!

Don't forget to serve some Zatarain's Creole Mustard on the side for dipping!

Disclaimer:

1.  Terms of Use:  This website provides recipes, food photos, and engaging written content.  I am not a nutritionist and have no expert knowledge on the topic.  Any information provided on or taken from this website is for your enjoyment. 

2.  Copyright policy:  Please feel free to share photos and recipes so long as full credit is given to this blog.  Give me a shout out when you share on your own social media sites, please.

3.  Advertisers, Sponsors, and Affiliate Links:  Occasionally, there may be ads on this site along with sponsorship, affiliate links, and other items that may compensate the owner of this site.  If you click on those ads and links, you will be taken to a separate site.  This website is not responsible for anything found on those websites.  Any dispute arising out of a third-party advertiser or affiliate link must be handled through them.  About those affiliate links:  If you click it and make a purchase, the website owner will get some cash money.  How much?  It varies.  You may see a few sponsored posts on this website.  This website will inform you if a post is sponsored and will give honest reviews.

4.  Comments:  I love hearing from readers and provide a space for comments.  All comments are subject to review before publishing.

5.  Nutritional information:  As mentioned above, I am NOT a nutritionist.  Under no circumstances will fleurdelolly.blogspot.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from your reliance on the nutritional information or lack thereof.

Around Lolly's Table: Pheasant Season

 

I absolutely love this set of Pheasant tableware that I found at Tuesday Morning a few years ago.  With the same set, there are plates, etc. with turkeys, mallards, and stags. These say FALL is here to me.  I have mixed and matched these a few times, but I wanted to showcase the beautiful pheasants for this table.

The chargers are from Hobby Lobby, the tablecloth was a gift from my daughter, and the flatware was an online auction win!

These glasses have a unique story. I came across the highball glasses on a stop on the World's Longest Yard Sale years ago.  A few years later, lo and behold, if I didn't find the old fashion glasses on the World's Longest Yard Sale, but in a completely different state!

These colorful pheasant figurines were all found at estate and yard sales.

All in all, I think this is a perfect Fall table!