Happy
Saint Nicholas Day to one and all! I hope that
Krampus did not abscond with you! As I have a fairly limited readership to begin with and am not entirely certain of the level of your general naughtiness (no offense), this is a serious concern for me every year. Most importantly, however, I hope that you brought your appetite because I made you a Turkey and Artichoke Casserole, which I assume is traditional somewhere.
And a Saint Nicholas Day Nut Cake yes that is the actual name of it to wash it down.
Both of these items are courtesy of the Saint Nicholas Day Brunch section of Cookbook #98:
PILLSBURY HOLIDAY COOKING COLLECTION (1994) (ALLCAPS THEIRS). There are five tiny books in this thing and while
January Erica understandably decided to count them all as one book, I'm pretty sure she didn't count on December Erica cooking something out of every section like a crazy person. Should she have anticipated this seasonal breakdown, having presumably just emerged from one herself? Perhaps. But here we are, Cookbooks #98a, 98b, 98c, 98d, and 98e LET'S DO THIS.
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| It's a lot of this sort of thing. You get the idea. |
The above-pictured brunch is from CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS. Favorite part: inclusion of Curried Rice Pilaf mix among the candies and jellies of the Homemade Food Gifts section.
Next up, Vegetable Chili from FOODS FOR WINTER FUN. Note: cashews are delicious atop chili, now we know.
Favorite part: the proximity of this guy to the words "relax and join."
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| Nope. |
Then we have Ham and Broccoli Brunch Roll-Ups from FESTIVE HOLIDAY FAVORITES. This was a really complicated way to make what is essentially a frittata.
Favorite part: the "MERRY MICROWAVE MENU FOR 4."
Green and White Lasagna is part of the Christmas Carolers' Supper in HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. Just to have all ready, you know, in case 10 to 12 singers show up at your door and want lasagna and also buffet-folded napkins (page 5).
Favorite part slash mild disappointment: that crazy-ass Cookbook #21 did not invent
Russian Tea out of whole cloth.
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| I guess it's a thing, somehow. |
And finally, Skillet au Gratin Casserole from WINTER FOOD FOR FRIENDS. It is made in a skillet, therefore it is not a casserole, I'm just saying.
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| Also it is full of rehydrated potatoes. |
Favorite part: the section on "ENTERTAINING IN THE '90S," obviously.
Verdict: I can't lie, I kind of enjoyed this whole thing. I'm probably just suffering from processed-foods poisoning and/or excessive Saint Nicholas Day cheer.
While I was busy opening packages of frozen vegetables, Ivy decided that my Christmas decor was lacking in blue streamer piles.
Here is my defense on the matter:
1) She was probably right, it's a lot more like wading through snow now when you walk across the living room. I assume. It doesn't snow here. Snow is like streamers, right?
2) I know it seems like I should be able to prevent this sort of thing when watching a two-year-old child is my entire job, but a) you are forgetting that I also have to keep an eye on this one:
b) unless you have ever had one, you have no idea the amount of wreckage a child that age can accomplish in the span of a trip to the bathroom; and c) this was actually a fully sanctioned activity, as it caused her to stop screaming for the first time in about 45 minutes. I held the roll for her while she pulled it.
3) On that last point, aren't I concerned that condoning such behavior will cause her to turn into some sort of over-streamering monster, wantonly draping tissue paper across the homes of the innocent, etc.? No, and here is why. It was sometime around the taking of these pictures of Baby Anna:
that my parents made sure to mention how they tried to prevent me from partaking in that type of destruction as a youth, and
look how that has backfired. Thirty-three years old and still
ripping up magazines.
