Custom Cookbook and Green Bean Casserole

After Jill and I married in 1987, my mom made us a custom cookbook of my favorite recipes. She typed most if not all of them. Those pages are yellowing now. Over the years, Jill has added some in her own handwriting.

I've been trying to cook more lately and realized that I've forgotten about this cookbook, locating recipes online and saving them in my private storage. Preparing to cook Easter dinner tomorrow, I located this recipe for green bean casserole. It's one of Jill's all-time favorites. So I'm going to give it a go.

And I had the idea of saving these recipes here on the blog so anyone or everyone could enjoy them, especially those who would appreciate seeing my mom's handiwork.

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cans green beans

1 stick margarine

2 onions, chopped

1/3 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 tube Ritz crackers

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Instructions:

Saute onion in margarine until tender. Drain. Save margarin. Cook beans until water is almost gone. Crumble crackers and mix in reserved margarine. (Save a few to sprinkle on top of casserole.) Mix onions, beans, soup, crackers and part of the cheese. Put in a casserole dish and top with remainder of cheese and crackers. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

Credit:

"What's Cooking at Cook" Cookbook, Ruston, La.

My aunt Joanne Taylor must have shared the recipe with my mom. She was a member of Cook Baptist Church. 

UPDATE:

We prepared this for Easter 2018 and it was delicious. We probably cooked the onions just a little too long and they didn't give off much margarine when we drained them. It left the dish oily. But it tasted oh so good.

Thanksgiving, Elvis Style

Hello Memphis. The Brasfield Nation has invaded your city. We have all our kids together including our daughter in law and grandson. We are quite a force.

We drove most all day Wednesday then went out to eat with some of my kin. Asher and Levi asked about a million questions while I played an audio book by Cal Ripkin Jr. It all made the drive easier.

Today is thanksgiving and we went to my moms house. We got to see more family there including one of my brothers from Arkansas. We ate too much, as always. Now the leftovers are on the stove.

I took the youngsters down the street to the school playground and took some pictures. It's great to see little cousins getting acquainted and playing together. When we got back it was time for the annual exchange of Christmas tree ornaments. I got my first Grandpa ornament.

I have so much to be thankful for:

• I am thankful for God's grace and mercy. Grace is getting what I don't deserve. Mercy is not getting what I actually deserve.
• I am thankful for my amazingly talented, uniquely passionate, selflessly compassionate, terrifically beautiful and great smelling wife. Seriously.
• I am thankful for my children and my grandson. They are gifts from God. My quiver is full.
• I am thankful for all my friends and business associates. So many of you have come to my rescue in times of sorrow or need.
• I could go on and on. I am truly blessed.

We will be in Memphis for a few days to enjoy our family. Maybe I'll see some of y'all while we are here. Others I will see back in Knoxville or on the other side.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Dadofmykids