Thanksgiving! And, dare I say... A RECIPE!!! :)

Dear Readers,

I'm going to share something with you.  Something very intimate about Miss Mandi J. Crocker.  A peek into my inner workings, if you will... and that is this:


My worst fear is not 2012 or Swine Flu... it's not a California mudslide while driving over Laurel Canyon or hitting a patch of black ice while driving on my way to Chicago... It's not being eaten alive by red ants a la that crap Indiana Jones movie or a tear in my spacesuit like that awesome movie 'Space Camp.'  And finally, it's not even falling down an elevator shaft like in 'The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake" starring --God bless her--Joanna Kerns and  --he's doing God's work-- Ed Bagley Junior... Oh no... it is an even worse fear.  My fear is that...

...SOMEONE'S GOING TO HIT UP A MICKEY D'S 

AFTER ONE OF MY DINNER PARTIES.  

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

*shivers, shivers, "It's so cold here", shivers*

I KNOW!!!  TERRIFYING!!!  :(  What if there isn't enough!?  What if everything is too frou frou & they can't get their 'feed' on!?  What if everything tastes like poodely oodely & my guests are like "Well, that was sweet of her to host but next year we're getting a bucket at the KFC!"  That'd be TERRIBLE!!!  :(

And THAT, ladies and germs is my worst fear.

(And that I won't meet Elijah Wood before I move to Chicago).

Thankfully that didn't happen this year, I don't think.  The amount of food I make, the amount that gets eaten, the amount that is left over = TOO MUCH.  I CAN'T HELP IT!!! I'm my father's daughter. Word.

So here is just a taste of what we had to offer this year at Da Crocker's home kitch.  And for even MORE exciting news... One of these pictures is going to be a recipe I've included at the bottom--- oooooh, exciting!!!  Which one, which one!!!??  :)  :)  :)

Nope.  Not my seester, Dingy Dongy's, amaaaaaaaaaaaazing sweet potato casserole.  I'd can my own yams before she ever let me touch that one!  :)

Or is it the super delicious & moist red velvet bread pudding???

Hmmm... hmmm... interesting... interesting.

D'oh!  What about the pumpkin SPICE bread pudding.... Huh?  Huh?  Yup, that's a possibility.

DANG IT!  Why are you sideways, picture!?  Why!!??? Okay, Glen's pie (aka: Glennard) is not the recipe.  Get it off the Libby's can, Lazies!!!

Oooooh, how about Mom's Mac & Cheese!???  The one I used yellow cheddar for & forgot white cheddar altogether and therefore will be disappointed with myself til kingdom come???  Is it THAT one!?  Nah, it hurts too much.

OR!!!  Did you 'want to partake of my keylime piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiie."
"My keylime piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiie."

(Yes, I know it's PECAN PIE in 'When Harry Met Sally'... so SUE ME.  Sheesh, so fiesty you get sometimes! It's just a silly food blog;  You should try yoga).

Or is it ALL of these recipes!!??? Turnips!  Butternut Squash!  Mac & Chz!  Mashed Topatoes!  Brussel Sprouts!  Three kinds of Green Bean Casserole!  Stuffing!

NOPE.

It's this apple pie!!!!

SUCKER!!!!!!

It's not!  I just totally tricked you-- in your face!!!

Awww, that reminded me of how I used to treat my baby bwudder Twavie.

 Is it THIS entire dessert table!!!  Pumpkin Pie!  Red Velvet Bread Pudding!  Pecan Pie!  Banana Pudding! Red Cups!

WAIT- WHAT!??? What was THAT???  No, not red cups... BEFORE THAT!!???

Did I hear the two blessed magical words 'Banana Pudding???'

THIS 'HONKIN' HUGE MOTHER OF GORGEOUSNESS' BANANA PUDDING!!???  :)  :)  :)

Why, YES, little lambs, you did!!!  You did!!!

Helga from Switzerland writes, "But Mandi, you share this with us really?  Yeah?"

Why yes, Helga!  Yes, I'll share this with you!

"Holy sheet!"

Helga, watch your mouth. My 36 year old cousin Jenny is reading this!  Oh, excuse me...

NEWLY ENGAGED COUSIN JENNY

is reading this!!!

YEE-HAW!!!  RIDE 'EM LITTLE DOGGIES!!!

(Or something... )

BUT YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :)  :)  :)  :)

But I digress, back to the pudding.  Here she is, little lambs.  I got this recipe from Southern Living.  By the way, you ever want to find great recipes?  Screw, MandiCrocker... Southern Living all the way, baby.

BANANA AWESOMENESS PUDDING

Ingredients:

1/3 cup all purpose flour

Dash of salt

2 1/2 cups milk

1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups sliced ripe bananas (about 5 to 6)

45 vanilla wafers

Meringue:

4 egg whites

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 325.

Combine flour and salt in medium saucepan.  Stir in milk, sweetened condensed milk and yolks.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.  CONSTANTLY, mind you, for eight minutes or until thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Arrange 1 cup of banana slices in a 2-quart baking dish.  Spoon 1/3 of the pudding mixture over the bananas.  Cover with 15 vaniller wafers.  Again cover with 1 cup of bananas & 1/3 of the pudding mixture.  Cover with 15 vaniller wafers.

Then pour the last third of the bananas and pudding on top of the wafers but THIS time (don't get scared now!), gently push the last 15 wafters around the edge of the dish all fancy like.  See what we're doing here?

Beat the egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy.  Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved (about 2-4 minutes).  Spread meringue over pudding, sealing to the edge of the dish.  Bake for 25 minutes or until the meringue is golden deliciousness.  Let cool 30 minutes, yodel (that's for you, Helga) and DEVOUR.

I'm not a super crazy pudding girl... but THIS pudding, I can stand behind.  And jump into.  And lather all over my body.  Just sayin'.  :)

ENJOY!  AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

GOBBLE, GOBBLE!!!