A November Lunch

I had company for lunch last week

The Lunch Bunch came for November lunch

It's November

Thanksgiving month

My "Thanksgiving" dishes are my Spode blue and white

(they are my "good" transferware" but I also use them for Thanksgiving"

Garden mums

picked before we had the killing frost

in a turkey vase that I bought 49 years ago

when Jim and I shared our first November

at a dime store in downtown Kansas City.

Some things are not forever but that turkey has always held my heart.

The matching salt and pepper were bought a few years ago

Found on eBay because I decided that centerpiece turkey needed matching salt and peppers!

The menu:

A simple "old fashioned" (iceberg lettuce)

salad with a local restaurant's blue cheese dressing

A shrimp and grits casserole

Not authentic but definitely tasty!

And quite unexpected for my guests

No yeast dinner rolls

They're everywhere on facebook

And I decided to try them

They are simple, but don't make a lot

(what you see is one recipe)

Mine didn't brown as nicely as the ones on the internet

They're tasty but more of a biscuit than a dinner roll

But they are quick and I will make them again!

Dessert service on the sideboard

A cranberry sauce cake

That was perfect  for a November dessert!

The recipes:

SHRIMP AND GRITS CASSEROLE

1 T. olive oil

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup celery, minced fine

1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped (I used a red one because I had it)

1 3/4 c. milk

1 c. chicken broth

1 c. uncooked quick cooking grits

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. freshly ground pepper

1 container Boursin cheese with garlic and herbs

1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 T. fresh or 1 t. dried parsley

2 T. fresh or 2 t. dried thyme leaves

Heat oven to 375. Spray 11 x 7 inch baking dish with Pam. In a skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Cook vegetables, stirring occasionally until tender.

In a heavy saucepan, heat milk and broth to boiling. Gradually add grits and salt, stirring constantly with whisk. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat.

Stir in pepper and cheese. Stir in vegetable mixture, shrimp, eggs, parsley and thyme. Spoon mixture into baking dish.

Bake uncovered 25 minutes or until set.

NO YEAST DINNER ROLLS

1 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1/2 c. milk

2 T. mayonnaise

Mix dry ingredients.    Add milk and mayo.    Stir into greased muffin tins.     Bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes until golden brown.

CRANBERRY SAUCE CAKE

3 c. flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. mayo (not Miracle Whip)

1 (16 oz) can whole berry cranberry sauce

1/3 c. orange juice

1 T. grated orange peel

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 t. orange extract

1 c. chopped Nuts (recipe called for walnuts but here in Kansas we're partial to pecans)

Icing:

1 c. powdered sugar

1 - 2 T. orange juice (I needed a bit more)

In a mixing bowl, combine cake ingredients except for nuts. Mix well. Fold in nuts. Spray bundt pan with Pam. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 350 for 60 to 70 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack. Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over the warm cake.

I sugared fresh cranberries and slivers of orange peel for decoration.