Cornucopia O' Plenty

This entry goes out to all of my amazing friends back in Ghana!  While I know that most of you were unable to spend your holiday with family, at least you’re off of site arrest and hopefully you spent time with ex-pats eating American food and drinking good liquor.  Seriously….I prayed to all the powers that be that you all would skip the teshie and spring for something like Johnny Walker Black.  It is Thanksgiving after all.

Just in case, you were stranded at site (Lou and David) with nothing other than Fufu to dine on, the pictures of deliciousness below are for you.  It’s time for you all to begin scheming of ways to get your hands on these delicious and titillating dishes before Christmas or on your next stateside visit.  Shoot, swing by Texas and I’ll make a feast for you.  Oh, and I apologize for the “presentation”; I forgot to give the family a heads up that their dishes would be my next blog entry.

Almost Cobb Salad – yes, I have dubbed my sister’s amazingly beautiful salad the “Almost Cobb Salad”.  This yummy and singular healthy item on our Thanksgiving buffet was built with love using mixed field greens, tomatoes, cashews, avocados, carrots, boiled eggs and balsamic vinaigrette.  This should be quite easy to replicate in Ghana if you can find some greens.

Deviled Eggs – my youngest sister Sarah is not a fan of cooking, but she dared to go out on a limb and make the always judged deviled eggs.  Seriously, I still cannot live down the year that I used horseradish mustard.  I get grief every single year.  The talk this year was that Sarah’s deviled eggs trumped mine (which I can attest to).  This should also be relatively easy in Ghana – eggs, mustard, mayo, dill relish and a dash of paprika (which is honestly always optional).

Cornbread Casserole – honestly, this has never been my favorite dish as I am altogether terrified of corn.  However, it’s a hit every single year.  It’s easy as pie too.  Yep…easy as pie.  All you need is some corn (frozen or canned), cornbread mix, milk and heavy cream---batta bing batta bang – cornbread casserole.  This one is gonna be a bit difficult in Ghana.  Sorry-O!  (maybe, Nicole can pull together the ingredients to make this happen).

Broccoli, Cheese and Rice – this is definitely an all American classic, I think.  And courtesy of the greatest cook I know, my mother.  I know broccoli grows in Ghana – at least down in Cape Coast.  A care package with some Velveeta and you’re on your way.  Usually, this recipe calls for cream of celery or something, but I think you could make do by tossing in some laughing cow

Candied Yams (err…American Sweet Potatoes) – if you’ve left the US, you’ve now seen actually Yams and tasted actual Potatoes that are sweet, and you also know…that we’ve got it all wrong.  Regardless, this is a Thanksgiving staple.  Sadly, sweet potatoes and I never really bonded.  Every year (twice a year), I dare to give them a millionth chance, and every single time, it’s a bust.  Despite our differences, the sweet potatoes seem to get along with everyone else and this year was no different.  This is another item that may have to wait for you to come back stateside. 

Mashed Potatoes – Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ohhhh myyyy gahhhhd!  This can totally be done in Ghana!  I suggest using cocoyams since they have so much more flavor than Ghanaian yams.  Mash them up Fufu style and then throw in some Blue Band, powdered milk, salt, pepper and Velveeta or laughing cow.  It would totally rock! 

The main courses – Ham and Turkey – I’m not a ham fan even though everyone says that it’s way moister than any turkey could ever be.  It’s odd because I love bacon, pancetta, prosciutto and so many forms of pork, just not the ham.  However, this baby just looked juicy and yummy.  By the time I made it through the buffet line, it was gone anyways.  Good thing I don’t like ham.  The turkey…well, I just don’t care if it’s dry or not.  I only get to have it twice a year, and by golly, I’m eating the turkey.  Thank goodness there were a few scraps left. 

Banana Pudding – don’t like bananas and don’t like vanilla pudding.  However, so easy to do in Ghana.  If anyone needs a care package of pudding mixes and vanilla wafers, just let me know.

Preacher’s Pie – my family is quite religious, I think:) I never had the opportunity to try this one, but rumor has it, it was amazing.  I’m pretty sure it was chock full o’ nuts, chocolately and meringued deliciousness.

Slutty Brownies (recipe courtesy of The Londoner) – This can totally be done in Ghana if you head to B/A to visit Betsy (she has an oven, you know).  It’s super super easy.  All you need is a box of cookie mix (any kind), a box of brownie mix, and a package of double stuff Oreos.  Follow the instructions on the mixes, layer it all and bake.  Bam! 

I hope each and every one of my readers had a very wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family.  Remember, if you’re cooking, please don’t forget to invite me over.