That woman REALLY chaps my hide. (Annual annoying relative vent and JAWM) Let's not be too philosophical, please.

[MrsMommy]

Ummm...I've lived in the Midwest most of my life (except the year I studied abroad), and I've never encountered noodles at Thanksgiving. Or heard of it until this thread. This is not a Midwest thing.

 

To the OP: annoying relatives are the worst. 

 

Same here (except I never studied abroad, so it truly has been my whole life). Noodles are not even on my radar when it comes to holiday meals. Now I'm wondering if I'm missing out!

[gardenmom5]

:grouphug:

 

I came to hate thanksgiving because of a sil. :banghead:  my stress dropped when dh *finally* acquiesced to my wishes (cough cough) to never. ever. host. ever. again.  (bonus was entertainment factor of sil's woe is me routine. :nopity:)  we also stopped having thanksgiving with dh's family. (dh's decision - when he saw what was really going on!)  we did go over later to see everyone else.

 

I wouldn't care what I was told to bring - I'd bring what I felt good about making that would add to the meal.  if she has a problem with it - c'est la vie.  (it's not like she's going to dislike you more than she already does is it?)

[Hikin' Mama]

Quill, I'm sorry for your frustration, but many of the responses provided me with some much-needed laughter this evening. :)

[TrixieB]

I love green bean casserole.

 

Yeah, with bacon on top!  Mmmmmmm......

 

[KungFuPanda]

I read page one then skipped, but I would either bring a vat of mashed potatoes in the crockpot

 

OR

 

I would make something up . . . some weird, foodie-sounding, pretensious title for a tossed salad. Throw in craisins to make it festive 😈

 

OR

 

Reply all: I'm going to bring cake and crab dip instead of a veggie side. (Make this simple sentence the answer to every follow-up inquiry you get about your rogue plans.)

[Tsuga]

Ah, thanks for the info. I've never heard of that, esp. for T-giving.

 

You know what I like about that? The noodles look like noodles I could actually accomplish.

 

I hate it when they post some ridiculous "no way did someone make that in a regular kitchen on an electric stove" picture for those recipes.

 

OP, I am sorry. I think wearing the Marney shirt would be totally appropriate in this situation.

 

[LucyStoner]

And the winner for worst possible veggie side:

 

The veggie jello mold.

 

To make it even worse, make it in a bundt pan and fill the hole in the middle with a really terrible mayo based veggie dip loaded with capers. Arrange celery to stick straight out of the dip. Add spam slices to the platter for more visual appeal.

[Tsuga]

My cousin's MIL loves this jell-o dish that she invented. It is a foodie's nightmare. But every child in the entire town has had it and loves it. God bless that woman. She keeps us from getting too snobby.

[aggieamy]

I wonder what forums my family members post on because I'm sure somewhere out in cyber space there are emails of me with my list of holiday dish demands.  C'mon people!  Not everyone can bring the bottle of wine.   :lol:

 

Now DH and I now do something different from the big family get togethers and enjoy it so much more.  We like some of our relatives and we make a point of seeing them.  Not necessarily at the holidays though.  

 

It's possible your SIL thinks she's being really helpful and orchestrating the BEST FRIGGIN CHRISTMAS EVER or she's a royal PIA.  Either way ... try to relax.  Enjoy the food.  Enjoy the company.  Pour your SIL a big glass of wine because otherwise it'll be a long meal.  

[Tsuga]

It's true that not everyone can do wine but we just offered to do the "main dishes" (one meat, a potato dish, and a veggie, enough to serve all, with one kind of kids' drink and one alcoholic beverage) and let everyone else sign up with whatever the heck they wanted. It went swimmingly. Everyone seemed very happy and because everyone brought what they wanted, there was really something for everyone. Zero stress because everything we needed to control, was controlled, and everything else everyone else got to control.

 

Easy, zero stress, and everyone was happy to be appreciated.

 

Plus a step-BIL brought a turkey made of Rice Krispy treat stuff with gummy worms coming out of the inside..

 

 

You can't plan that, people. Never in my wildest dreams would I have prescribed this turkey. But my god, it made the children's holiday.

[Seasider]

Someone is going to have to link up a recipe for these famous noodles, preferably one with pictures.

[Twigs]

Someone is going to have to link up a recipe for these famous noodles, preferably one with pictures.

Oh, I want the rice krispie treat turkey!

[Caroline]

I'm in the Midwest. We have chicken and noodles (preferably over mashed potatoes), but we've never had them on a holiday. They're more of a Sunday dinner thing here.

My parents are from Ohio. We always had beef and noodles over mashed potatoes. We didn't have beef and noodles on holidays, but always when my grandmother visited or we were at her house.

[Guest]

Someone is going to have to link up a recipe for these famous noodles, preferably one with pictures.

There is one, upthread. http://www.asimplehomecook.com/homemade-noodles/

 

My MIL has her own way of doing it, but they look like this picture and, really, how many variations can there be on flour, egg, salt and water? Ours is always served with the gravy. There isn't meat in the pot of noodles, but I can see that being a good way to have them. With mashed potatoes is awesome, assuming we don't go into insulin shock from all the carbs.

[Guest]

Is it bad of me that I look forward to Quill's holiday sil posts?

 

:lol:

So happy I could bring the entertainment factor. :D

[Guest]

P.s. It is possible SIL actually got the Marney reference, because this morning she says, "Gotcha. Don't worry about bringing serving spoons; I have some."

[happi duck]

P.s. It is possible SIL actually got the Marney reference, because this morning she says, "Gotcha. Don't worry about bringing serving spoons; I have some."

Lol!!!

[DawnM]

There is one green bean casserole people seem to like that I take, IF you are interested.

 

I double the topping.

 

 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grandmas-Green-Bean-Casserole/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=green%20bean%20casserole&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i1

 

This SIL just burns me up. She is such a control freak. I know she thinks she's demonstrating how Very Organized she is, but it seriously just does not strike me that way. It strikes me as Bossy Control Freak.

In order to really get the full picture, you need to know that my DH sent out the Thanksgiving e-mail, saying, basically, "Let's discuss who can bring what for TGiving, because Mom thinks she can do it all when she clearly cannot. So, she'll make the turkey and our DD will help her make the noodles. We'll bring a dessert and birthday cake for November bdays; let us know what everyone else plans to do and can contribute." So, through e-mails, the other TGiving foods were worked out. I thought it was respectful of what each person felt able to provide. But I know the two SILs who are a thorn in my side always, complained that nobody organized beverages (as in Lemonade and Iced Tea - you know, really complex and difficult to put together the day of), and there were no Saltines and Tabasco for the traditional oysters for the guys' skeet shoot (though, had they asked *me*, I do have Saltines and hot sauce, but they didn't ask me, just fumed that it wasn't "organized" in advance, such that SIL had to go to the store that was open and buy them).

So, anyway, now the SIL who, no doubt, believes she's "properly organizing" Christmas dinner, sends out the e-mail that orders everybody what to bring like so: "Dinner starts at 6:30. Plan to provide for 35. Bob and Betty, bring Ham and Sweet Potatoes. Tom and Jill, bring a vegetable and Dinner Rolls. Quill and Mr. Quill, bring a vegetable side and dessert..." and so on, ordering everyone what their assignment is, with pretty much no regard for what anyone's plans are, or what anyone feels well-equipped to bring. *Side note: I hate bringing a vegetable side. I never know what to bring that is good for make-and-take. I can only come up with the ubiquitous Green Bean Casserole, which I don't like. I can bring it for the benefit of others, but I don't personally like vegetables smothered in goo; I like my vegetables clean and simple, but that doesn't work well for make-and-take. But back to your regularly-scheduled whining.

Anyhow, today she's sending an e-mail again, because she needs to know precisely which vegetable side and dessert we plan to bring, because I guess it would be some sort of tragedy if we had two pumpkin pies and no apple.

Now I remember why I was seriously considering going on a family trip far, far away for Christmas.

 

[catz]

P.s. It is possible SIL actually got the Marney reference, because this morning she says, "Gotcha. Don't worry about bringing serving spoons; I have some."

 

ROFL - just NOOOOO aluminum foil!  :lol:

 

[gardenmom5]

must use green jello with shredded carrots.  oh- and top it off with a dollop of miracle whip.

And the winner for worst possible veggie side:

The veggie jello mold.

To make it even worse, make it in a bundt pan and fill the hole in the middle with a really terrible mayo based veggie dip loaded with capers. Arrange celery to stick straight out of the dip. Add spam slices to the platter for more visual appeal.

 

[myfunnybunch]

P.s. It is possible SIL actually got the Marney reference, because this morning she says, "Gotcha. Don't worry about bringing serving spoons; I have some."

 

So she might have a teensy bit of a sense of humor. :P

 

Maybe she'll step back, have a bit of a laugh at herself, and stop being an unbearable PITA. (Or not.)

 

Cat

[Guest]

So she might have a teensy bit of a sense of humor. :P

 

Maybe she'll step back, have a bit of a laugh at herself, and stop being an unbearable PITA. (Or not.)

 

Cat

One can hope. I'm kind of envisioning her complaining to another SIL, or maybe her grown dd, "Why did she call me Marney?" And then the conversational counterpart snickering and showing her the Marney letter.

[OnTheBrink]

Traitor. Go hang your head in shame. You probably want marshmallows on the Sweet Potatoes as well.

 

 

I won't eat sweet potatoes any other way! My grampa made them like that and if they were good enough for him, they're good enough for anyone! :p

 

I'd take a salad. It's a veggie. It's a side. It can be done a head of time. BOOM. 

[Matryoshka]

LOL...more like this:

 

http://www.asimplehomecook.com/homemade-noodles/

 

The recipe and the outcome look a lot like Spätzle.  But you should get a Spätzleschwob.  It's like a gigantic garlic press, and you put in the dough, hold it over the boiling water and press, and voilà, noodles!  No rolling or chopping required. :D

 

ETA: Added a link above, so you can have a visual. ;)

 

[Elisabet1]

I want to go on a vacation just to get away from relatives.

[catz]

[Carol in Cal.]

The recipe and the outcome look a lot like Spätzle.  But you should get a Spätzleschwob.  It's like a gigantic garlic press, and you put in the dough, hold it over the boiling water and press, and voilà, noodles!  No rolling or chopping required. :D

 

ETA: Added a link above, so you can have a visual. ;)

 

Actually, I use and prefer the kind where you kind of rub the container of dough back and forth over large grater holes over the boiling water instead of the garlic press kind.  

 

But the absolute best spatzle are the handmade kind.  Takes forever, though.

[Guest]

I have been considering bowing out of the Birthday Dinner thing the in laws do every month. For about ten years now, we have each hosted a dinner once per month to celebrate the birthdays in that month (it's a big family). So each family has two months of the year. I'm really tired of it, though. I don't enjoy it anymore and it just feels like a big chore. But I also know that would be interpreted very poorly...for good reason, really. What sort of nice spin can you really put on, "I don't want to put in effort twice a year to host you people"?

[*Lulu*]

I have been considering bowing out of the Birthday Dinner thing the in laws do every month. For about ten years now, we have each hosted a dinner once per month to celebrate the birthdays in that month (it's a big family). So each family has two months of the year. I'm really tired of it, though. I don't enjoy it anymore and it just feels like a big chore. But I also know that would be interpreted very poorly...for good reason, really. What sort of nice spin can you really put on, "I don't want to put in effort twice a year to host you people"?

We have this issue with my family. My mom looooves to have a family party each month for the birthdays in that month. How do you nicely say "I don't really care to spend that much time with all of you"?

 

I feel your pain.

 

I don't host at my house anymore though. I worked that by letting my mom "help" me the first year I started getting sick. It has happily stayed that way.

[Rosie_0801]

I wouldn't feel right interrupting a family tradition like that, mainly because I remember extended family get togethers for *everyone's* birthday and there were more everyones than months in the year. I would choose to try out all my weirdest recipes and enthusiastically feed them to everyone so they'd feel bad saying anything to ruin my mood and all the obvious hard work I put in.

 

Most people don't cook with lavender, so here's something to get you started:

 

SAVORY RICE PILAF WITH LAVENDER & APRICOT

3 tbsp butter

1 small chopped onion

1 cup thinly sliced celery

1 clove crushed garlic

1 cup rice

2 ½ cups chicken stock

1 tbsp candied ginger

2 tbsp dried lavender (4 tbsp fresh)

1 tsp salt

¼ cup currants

½ cups chopped dried apricots

2 tbsp lemon juice

½ cups toasted almonds or pistachios

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

2 ½ tbsp chopped fresh mint

*1. Melt butter in medium saucepan; gradually add onion& celery 7 cook until wilted add garlic& rice; stir until thoroughly coated with butter. Add stock, ginger, lavender, and salt, bring to boil, reduce heat to low. Cover and cook without stirring until liquid is absorbed. When rice is tender, stir in currants, apricots and lemon juice. Remove from heat and let stand covered to soften fruits. Add nuts and herbs and mix well. Serve immediately.

 

[catz]

Oh my gosh, we do monthly birthday too with the ILs.  I consider it a form of torture.  They stick me in a room, make me eat junky, highly processed foods.  And then they either ignore me and sit silently or talk about garage sales.  I cannot tell you how much I do not enjoy these events.  Anytime I can weasel my way out of one of those, I do.  Oh adorable ds, your sparkly unicorn box top club has an event all day that day right?  Right?  Yes, how does one say "No, I cannot do this every month with you people.  You're far too boring and your food palette is far too narrow to justify the 15 to 30 minute journey".  I have mostly weaseled out of hosting the past year.  I volunteer to bring something like a green salad even if  my family the only one who eats it. 

 

So I posted a photo above that did not work.  My brother and his family came for our holiday get together today.  They brought Clos Du Bois Chardonnay.  Which one of you put him up to that!?  :lol:  I have to say, it went well, they were all in a good mood and it's best get together we've had with that family in years, so hooray.  They might get invited again.  Especially if they'll make an appetizer or a dessert or something.

[Guest]

I wouldn't feel right interrupting a family tradition like that, mainly because I remember extended family get togethers for *everyone's* birthday and there were more everyones than months in the year. I would choose to try out all my weirdest recipes and enthusiastically feed them to everyone so they'd feel bad saying anything to ruin my mood and all the obvious hard work I put in.

 

Most people don't cook with lavender, so here's something to get you started:

 

SAVORY RICE PILAF WITH LAVENDER & APRICOT

3 tbsp butter

1 small chopped onion

1 cup thinly sliced celery

1 clove crushed garlic

1 cup rice

2 ½ cups chicken stock

1 tbsp candied ginger

2 tbsp dried lavender (4 tbsp fresh)

1 tsp salt

¼ cup currants

½ cups chopped dried apricots

2 tbsp lemon juice

½ cups toasted almonds or pistachios

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

2 ½ tbsp chopped fresh mint

*1. Melt butter in medium saucepan; gradually add onion& celery 7 cook until wilted add garlic& rice; stir until thoroughly coated with butter. Add stock, ginger, lavender, and salt, bring to boil, reduce heat to low. Cover and cook without stirring until liquid is absorbed. When rice is tender, stir in currants, apricots and lemon juice. Remove from heat and let stand covered to soften fruits. Add nuts and herbs and mix well. Serve immediately.

I should make this in the summer, so I can use my home grown herbs. I'm already the crunchy weirdo, so this would just solidify my oddity.

[myfunnybunch]

 I would choose to try out all my weirdest recipes and enthusiastically feed them to everyone so they'd feel bad saying anything to ruin my mood and all the obvious hard work I put in.

 

Most people don't cook with lavender, so here's something to get you started:

 

SAVORY RICE PILAF WITH LAVENDER & APRICOT

 

That actually sounds really good. :)

[Rosie_0801]

Oh yeah, it is really good. It ought to freak out Quill's relatives though.

 

I only wish I still had that recipe for tomato and onion bread and butter pudding...

[gardenmom5]

could someone take pity, and kindly tell me who is marney?

 

One can hope. I'm kind of envisioning her complaining to another SIL, or maybe her grown dd, "Why did she call me Marney?" And then the conversational counterpart snickering and showing her the Marney letter.

 

[itsheresomewhere]

Oh yeah, it is really good. It ought to freak out Quill's relatives though.

 

I only wish I still had that recipe for tomato and onion bread and butter pudding...

There is a cute little place not to far from me that serves that.  It is so good.   

[idnib]

could someone take pity, and kindly tell me who is marney?

 

 

Marney's email

 

Marney speaks!

[Cinder]

That rice with lavender sounds pretty tame compared to my mother's Tripe Stew. :ack2:  I still shudder from the memories!

[idnib]

That rice with lavender sounds pretty tame compared to my mother's Tripe Stew. :ack2:  I still shudder from the memories!

 

What about lavender tripe stew?

[gardenmom5]

a tomato aspic.  my sil (who used to cook - and thinks she still can) made one for thanksgiving once.  I think she was the only one who had any.  I'm sure the recipes are online.

Oh yeah, it is really good. It ought to freak out Quill's relatives though.

 

I only wish I still had that recipe for tomato and onion bread and butter pudding...

 

[gardenmom5]

Marney's email

 

Marney speaks!

 

having a relative who never had her food cooked (let alone ready for the oven/stove-top) when she arrived at my house - and expected my kitchen to be free and available for her to cook her item (whatever gave her the idea while the bulk of main food prep is at my house my kitchen was available?), I can sympathize with marne.  relative also loves to bring items no one else wants to eat.  (dh never cared if her item was cooked - we had dinner when the turkey was ready.  if her item was actually prepared on time, it was considered a bonus.  one year (after I stopped hosting) other sil held dinner for her - and everything else was cold, and the gravy was congealed.  but her Brussels sprouts were cooked.)

 

sil used margarine and other cheap ingredients when making an item (needed multiple people due to group size) we also made (with higher quality ingredients. so it tasted better.) then she'd eat the item with the higher quality ingredients and ignore her own.  of course, I've also seen that woman eat half a pan of dh's rolls in one sitting (she was taking three or four at a time out of the pan). by herself.  a pan is equal to 40 (yes, four tens) rolls.  okay - that was 20 for her, and 20 for the other eleven of us.  (that one just left me stunned and rolling my eyes - she has issues.  my aggravations with her are made of meatier stuff.)

 

(and even though we weren't having thanksgiving dinner with them this year, she actually asked dh to make a couple pans of rolls for her thanksgiving dinner and send them over. . . not. our. problem.  she also asked him to come thanksgiving morning and carve her turkey.  not. our. problem.  what part of "we're not eating with you" did she not understand?)

 

and then the expecting me to have serving dishes and utensils . . .  I finally had to give out the instruction for people to bring. their. own. as even though I'd buy more every year (that I only used one. day. a. year.), it never seemed to be enough.

 

though serving dishes are the only thing we've told people to bring in addition to the item/s they chose/volunteered to bring.

[El...]

Marney's email

 

Marney speaks!

 

That was hilarious!  How have I never seen that!? 

 

I guess if your family was hosting the president or the queen, you might go a little...nuts... getting the utensils in order. 

 

And the rest of that site is pretty funny, too. 

 

[OnTheBrink]

Is it me, or does Marney look a liiiiiiiitle cray cray in that video?

[gardenmom5]

Is it me, or does Marney look a liiiiiiiitle cray cray in that video?

 

I didn't watch the whole video - she seemed defensive.

 

[happi duck]

In her defense, the video has so many cuts I wonder if they did a lot of editing trying to make it more awkward.

 

Btw...I am not Marney.

 

:)

[Carol in Cal.]

 

 

Most people don't cook with lavender, so here's something to get you started:

 

SAVORY RICE PILAF WITH LAVENDER & APRICOT

 

OMGosh, this sounds so good!

I like dried lavender on vanilla bean ice cream with chocolate syrup.

[LucyStoner]

Lavender is a scent for soap and air freshness satchels.

 

I've made the requisite good foodie attempts to cook with lavender. Soap. I refuse to eat soap. So I stopped that!

[Spryte]

She didn't even really answer some of the stuff they asked. A few seconds of body language was the answer to did so and so bring the pies?

 

 

What do you think?  Did so and so bring the pies?  I thought maybe yes, but could be wrong.

 

Watching it was very uncomfortable for me, she seemed defensive and upset about the whole thing.  It looked like she might cry at one point, and ... I just couldn't find it funny.  

 

Reading the letter was hysterical, and I've laughed at it for a few years. Just wish I'd not watched the video.

[Spryte]

Lavender is a scent for soap and air freshness satchels.

 

I've made the requisite good foodie attempts to cook with lavender. Soap. I refuse to eat soap. So I stopped that!

 

Totally agree!  DS made me a lavender cake one year and ... no one ate it.  It was good, it was interesting, but tasted like soap.  :)

 

Quill, I hope you have a fabulous holiday!  You need a Marnie shirt!

[Miss Peregrine]

I love the Marney video but I don't think that's really her.