Wednesday, July 07, 2010

ALPHABE-THURSDAY...Letter "Y"



Welcome to class and Alphabe-Thursday sponsored by our teacher Mrs. Matlock over at Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent." This week we are studying the letter Y. Head over to Mrs. Matlock's blog for the class roll and links to all the other blogs participating in this weekly event.

I'm kind of excited because I believe I've solved a mystery that has had authorities baffled for years. Yes, a few days ago I found Jimmy Hoffa's body. I haven't exactly seen it, but I've smelled it. It's under the deck in my backyard.

I know it because of the YUCKY smell. At first if wasn't that bad and then it gradually got worse and worse. Then I saw flies hovering over the deck. The cats will no longer go under there. In fact, they won't even get on the deck (and neither will I). My husband refuses to take the deck apart and retrieve the body. Fortunately, the smell is starting to go away. Rest in peace Jimmy Hoffa.



I hate the way the dishwasher gets so dirty and YUCKY looking.

Then I discovered this product.

Pop it in the dishwasher, turn it on, come back in a little while and the YUCK is all gone. It looks brand new again.




Who hasn't had to take YUCKY tasting medicine at one time? Just keep a lollipop/sucker handy to take away that YUCKY taste.




GinnyEllen is back to remind you all that "Boys are YUCKY!"




I have a YUCKY recipe to share with you all, but first the story behind this recipe. When our oldest son was in the sixth grade he used to come to the dinner table, sit down and look at the food, and then mumble the word YUCK. Finally, I was fed up. We never made our kids eat, but I warned all of them that they needed to be polite and not say anything negative about the food or I would make them eat it.

I guess Keith thought he could get away with saying YUCK if he did it before he came to the table. So, the next day he walked over to the stove where I was cooking, lifted the pot cover, and spoke the forbidden word..."YUCK!"

I snapped. I told him when dinner was ready I was going to fix him a plate and he was going to clean it. I didn't care if he sat at the table all night. The plate would be clean before he left.

The entire family was in shock. I slammed Keith's rather full plate down on the table. He tried to eat and started to gag. I warned him that if he got sick I'd clean off the plate and give him more. The other kids quickly ate a little and asked to be excused. Keith remained at the table. My husband sat next to him and tried to give him some moral support. He might not have agreed with my punishment, but he knew better than to try and intervene. He very patiently urged him on. "Come on Keith take another small bite and drink some milk." The two of them sat at that table for hours. Finally the plate was clean.

Keith never said YUCK again.

The name of the recipe is California Casserole and it was in a Military Officers' Wives Cookbook in the late 1960's. A friend recommended it to me. It's actually a very good recipe and great for Pot Luck Suppers. I'm afraid my kids were fussy eaters and not too crazy about casseroles, but most normal people like this recipe. :) In our family we call it California Casserole or YUCK Casserole for obvious reasons.

CALIFORNIA CASSEROLE
¼ c. salad oil
¾ c. onion, chopped
½ - ¾ c. green pepper, chopped (I use ½ c.)
1 lb. ground beef
1 No. 303 can cream style corn (I use a 14 ¾ oz. can)
1 can tomato soup
1 can tomato sauce (I use a 8 oz. can)
1 4 oz. can pimento, diced
1 small can (4.25 oz.) ripe olives, chopped (I use about 1/3 of the can)
1 ½ t. salt (I omit)
1/8 t. pepper
½ t. chili powder
1/8 t. dry mustard
1 8 oz. package egg noodles, cooked
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated

Saute onions and green peppers in salad oil. Add beef and brown. Mix in all remaining ingredients except cheese and noodles. Alternate layers of noodles and meat sauce in a 2 qt. casserole (I use a bigger one and spray it with Pam). Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Yield: 8 servings.


I wish I had a picture, but I don't. Over the years when I've made it for different events people have often asked for the recipe. Everyone likes it except my kids!


Now head on over to Mrs. Matlock's blog and visit some of my classmates.

35 comments:

  1. coming from alphabet y day. love the jimmy hoffa story! (but sorry for the smell)

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  2. What a delightfully "yucky" post! Smiles!

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  3. The recipe sounds wonderful. I would eat it.

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  4. Cute Y post! I love your little nurse dolls. And I discovered Dishwasher Magic awhile ago. Ours was just not rinsing well, and everything had a film. Man, that stuff made our dishwasher like new! I think the casserole sounds delicious, and I would never say yuck! Kat

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  5. Well, it doesn't sound like a Yucky recipe to me. I loved that story! I didn't allow my kids to say negative things about the food either. I also didn't make them eat it but they didn't get to eat junk instead. I only had one picky eater though I had one that had a stomach virus once after eating spaghetti and german sausage....two things the picky eater liked....naturally. He wouldn't eat those for 10 years. When I had those two things, I always made plenty of veggies and bread so that my son would get food without saying Yucky! Same thing with my daughter...the picky eater. I always had something she did like being served. She hated casseroles too. In fact, she still is not crazy about casseroles and she is 32. Well...I am rambling but I enjoyed your post.

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  6. KeitherM8:45 PM

    Y is also for Y aren't there more stories about Keith?

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  7. Thanks for the chuckles. Mr. Hoffa has been under a deck of mine in years past, too.

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  8. Thank YOu for the fun!
    yuck is everywhere at times...

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  9. I also have a picky eater...our rule has always been, take what you want, eat what you take. If they don't "take" anything, then go fix your own da&(* dinner. Works for us so far. I'm excited to try that casserole, it sound wonderful. And as always, the doll vignettes are fabulous. Way to go, Betty.

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  10. Hey, I love this post! You write a great story! I am so glad I stopped by. I see you at my blog occasionally. I swore I was following you but I am now!I am praying for Reid! I wish him good health. Blessings to you and your family! Hugs Anne

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  11. I am turning on CNN right now for your interview on how you found Jimmmy Hoffa's body....very cute and fun read...bkm

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  12. so we now know what happened to Hoffa! thanks for the fun and entertaining post ... those dolls are just too cute!

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  13. You might want to notify the FBI about good ol' Jimmy so that they can put that unsolved case to rest. Glad to see the Ginnys at it again and, since the recipe has more than 2 ingredients, I won't be making it. Have a nice weekend.

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  14. Funny stories. Imagine Keith not liking that delicious food! Funny funny Keith :-),

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  15. Good Morning!

    What a yucky story but funny, none the less! Thanks for the recipe. It sounds pretty great to me.

    Thanks for sharing in class with us today. Have a great day.

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  16. Glad you solved the mystery of Jimmy Hoffa...Thanks for the dishwasher magic tip :-)

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  17. Loved this post and the story of YUCK! You taught an important lesson.


    That being said, had I been served that, I would've puked continually until you had no more left to serve. :)

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  18. What a wonderful post for the letter Y..The recipe sounds good, and I like the doll setting too! Just adorable!

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  19. My kids are the same way. No matter what I cook, they don't want it. I think they might be growing due to photosynthesis or something, 'cause they ain't eating.

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  20. Have you let the FBI know about your find? You'd probably get a new deck out of it - they'd dig your old one up and then have to replace it. In all the excitement they might not pay attention to the present deck and you could provide a photo from the internet of a really stunning 'House Beautiful' sort of deck. It's worth a try!

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  21. it cracks me up that he gagged like you were feeding him poison!

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  22. jimmy hoffa = LOL :D

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  23. Way to go mom! I know there are many who think you are being mean but I say you taught your children a lesson they will never forget in good manners and that is a gift that will take them far!

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  24. Too funny! I don't know which "Y" story I liked best! I enjoyed them all!!! :)

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  25. Yucky is oneof my favorite words! I used it in corporate america a ton and my boss became quite fond of finding out what I thought was YUCKY.

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  26. Loved the Hoffa story!

    The recipe is definitely California food. I think I'd like it but I never could stomach cream style corn so I'd be substituting.

    We had to eat everything on our plantes every single meal every single day of our every day miserable little kid lives. Glad you only did that once to your child. We all have food issues. Go figure.

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  27. Betty you always bring a smile to my face!

    I thought Hoffa was under Giants Stadium in NJ, but I guess that rumor was wrong..lol

    I love the "sick room" scene and boys are yucky!

    The casserole sounds very good but I think all kids are suspicius of things that are all mixed up in one. They can't hide the peas under the mashed potatoes that way!

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  28. I'm so glad for you that the smell under your deck is going away. Nothing "yuckier" than having a dead body rotting under your deck!

    I think that casserole sounds wonderful, funny is was such torture for your son.

    Thank you for stopping by!

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  29. You don't suppose the smell under the deck could be decomposing casserole finally surfacing, do you?

    What a fun post!

    I loved my stop here today on my little journey through Alphabe-Thursday's letter "Y".

    That recipe actually sounds yummy. Will your kids eat it now?

    And your vignette was charming this week!

    I just really enjoy your links! You are a neat lady!

    A+

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  30. Great Y post. I wonder what's under the deck lol. Great reference to Jimmy Hoffa. Yucky was really a great word to use. Good job.

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  31. Sounds more like YUM to me! Thanks for sharing. I'll make this for the Bear. He'll love it!

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  32. EW! I am happy that the "Jimmy Hoffa" smell is no longer under your deck! (Your deck looks so pretty! who woulda imagined anything putrid lurking under there? :o)
    Wow! How neat! That product really is Dishwasher Magic! I wonder if they make Toilet bowl Magic?

    I KNOW that I have said this before...but...I LOVE your little vignettes! Do you have a whole dollhouse for these? (I have a dollhouse that we bought for "our girls" when they were little (I really wanted it actually :o) But we never constructed it yet! oh well...maybe for our futures granddaughters...

    I was a very picky eater when I was little! But also had to eat everything clean :o)...our dog was helpful in getting that mission accomplished. hm...now...I LOVE and EAT every.thing!!! (Not the best thing for trying to watch my figure!)

    Blessings & Aloha!
    thank you for stopping by!!! I love to find your comments!

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  33. jimmy hoffa under your deck made me laugh.....my husband had to come read it and he laughed too...I always appreciate a good imagination.....

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