Continuing a long tradition, we did an ‘orphan’s supper’ Christmas, with leftovers last night.
This goes back to my being a young enlisted in the military and being invited over to eat holiday meals with various families over the years. In the early 80s, it kinda morphed into those who weren’t going home for holidays/standing the watches, etc. that didn’t have any plans pooling assets and feeding the crowd.
It has made for some ‘interesting’ combinations of foods over the years, but being back in Texas, we reverted to type… Drug Deal Tamales are always on the table!
Or as Saturday night proved, tables!!!
Ham, turkey, two versions of DDTs, one white boy mild, one ‘spicy’, the usual complement of side dishes…
One aside, I did cornbread dressing, patted down flat and cooked in the oven, then cut/served kinda like a brownie. We never called it ‘stuffing’ growing up, because I don’t ever remember my family actually putting it IN the turkey (worry about it actually getting cooked). Many years later, talking to a retired Navy CS (cook), who had cooked for CNO, she told me that the Navy specified the dressing be separate for the same reason, so those old country folk did know a thing or three…
And this huge platter of mac and cheese! SO GOOD!!! And turkey gravy and mashed taters!
People were grabbing plates and eating before the food was even all on the table!!! I ‘managed’ to restrain myself at least until all the food was out…LOL
It was, as always a team effort, and I’d like to thank those that contributed to the evening!
Last night, the herd of locusts once again descended on the tables, and pretty much decimated the remainder!!! At least this time, they had room for the desserts! About the only ‘baking’ I can do fairly well is pecan pie… sigh
I’ll eat that for breakfast with a cup of coffee!
When I was stationed at ASWOC Keflavik, one thanksgiving all the single people in the barracks got together and did a potluck dinner. There was so much food we couldn’t finish it all. Many of the wives in base housing lent us their kitchens to make this all happen. It was one of the best Thanksgivings I can remember. Several turkeys and all the side dishes you could think of. I can’t remember who organized and ramrodded the event, but they were a genius of organization and deserved a medal.
My family always put it in the bird, and had a pan full besides. None of us ever died from food poisoning so Granny must have done something right. Though, I think it dried out the bird.
Man, ringing in the New Year with tamales is a winner, but Christmas works too ! Mac N Cheese with bacon – wow, never had that one before. Sounds delicious. :^)
Hey Old NFO;
Looks like a heck of a spread and a very good tradition, and I see Lawdogs drug deal tamale’s on a plate and those things have taken a life of their own, LOL
I recall a potluck in a far suburban Lutheran church. Owing to my late bus, we arrived three (3), I say again, THREE minutes after the scheduled start time. We hadda share one dry piece of ham, a small scoop of potatoes au gratin, and a brownie each. We determined that Lutheran and locust start with “L” for a reason.
I still don’t understand the argument that “it might not cook properly”. Half the country or more has been stuffing turkey’s for hundreds of years and they cook just fine. Including my family (granddad was youngest of ten). The biggest objection is that there isn’t enough so you are going to have to make a pan anyway. The stuffing inside is sooo much better though, all soaked in turkey juice.
Nice spread. I’m jealous.
It’s a great to see and hear that everyone has had a bountiful Christmas both this year and years past (Sorry LTCTed, you seem to be the exception.)
It’s kinda’ early, but hopefully everyone will have a happy and prosperous New Year.
NFO? I’m gonna’ continue to tease you like I did my seniors who joined before I was born, and the new kids did to me when my turn came. (There’s nothing like being in a bar and knowing the young recruiter just walked in when you hear “Buy the fossil a beer.”)
“Drug Deal Tamales?” I suspect there is a story there…
My question as well. Do tell, Old NFO.
Hey Mike,that means homemade tamales sold by Abulea and not those made in a health department certified factory.
You kinda’ have to know someone or get them from an illegal roadside stand. (Also see, breakfast tacos.)
AH, I see. We call them homemade tamales here. A local Masonic Lodge even sells them as a fund raiser. You can always tell the real deal when they are in husks. Here, they tie each end with twine.
Yeah, I too wonder about the “DDT’s”.
I learned early on that most of the Posts I was assigned to shut down almost completely from Christmas Eve to 2January, and it seemed silly to me to take leave during that time. The only downside was that I frequently got “SDO”, Staff Duty Officer duty because I was one of the few O3’s remaining on Post. But with almost everyone gone somewhere on leave the duty was normally quiet.
Now diabetic and gone fully “Keto”, all the pictured food makes my mouth water. I envy you.
Ray- Kef was ‘notorious’ for things like that…LOL
Mike/Hereso- I’m finding that lots of folks did it differently.
jrg- You could HEAR your arteries harden by the bite, but Oh so good! Over a pound of bacon in it, and at least four different cheeses!
Bob- LOL, yep place of honor!
Ted- Ouch! And yes, the Lutherans DO eat… a lot!
Jet- LOL, tease away!
Mike/Free/GB- Tomorrow… And yes, watches over the holidays were a ‘thing’, at least on the enlisted side. I usually made equal to my monthly paycheck taking watches over the holidays. Didn’t have anything else to do.
One of the things my mom and dad always made sure to do when on base was to invite people who couldn’t go home for Thanksgiving or Christmas or Easter to the house for said feasts.
From officers on TDY to enlisted he worked with. And my mom always had a small present of homemade goodies for every visitor to take back to their quarters.
Wife and I continued the tradition with people we worked and played with for a long time once we stopped travelling.
Sounds like you had a good dinner.
DDT-I’m waiting for that story too
Great gullets think alike. I had a huge slice of pecan pie with coffee this morning, too. A good way to start the day.
Funny, but it seemed like with out church potlucks the food almost multiplies like the loaves and fishes. Everyone gets stuffed and there is still a lot of food left. But then again, were are Church Of God, not Lutheran. Maybe Lutherans have two hollow legs.
Beans- We did!
Randy- Tomorrow.
CP- That it is!
Feral- LOL, possible!
They only decimated the remainder of the food, OldNFO? So you still have 90% of it left?
TB- ALL gone today! LOL
Delicious! And what a good tradition.