African American Holiday Traditions

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

You're messing around, right? lol

No. I thought at first maybe you meant guacaMOLE, but that didn't seem right either.

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

No. I thought at first maybe you meant guacaMOLE, but that didn't seem right either.

Weren't my post! I believe this is what the poster was referring to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(sauce)

[Jill1228]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

"Flag on the play! Misuse of Black Card! 40 Acres Penalty!"

~ Black Folks Referee

This thread has made me hungry.

I'd rather be outside in freezing cold than be in a house where chitterlings are being cooked (my grandmother makes them on New Years). I don't go near that stuff

And don't get me started on sweet potato pie--I don't do sweet potatoes
My Caucasian Canadian husband cooks collard greens better than I do

My grandmother told me to hand in my Black Card and give it to my DH

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Jill1228

I'd rather be outside in freezing cold than be in a house where chitterlings are being cooked (my grandmother makes them on New Years). I don't go near that stuff

You are not alone. My nuclear family kicks relatives out for having the nerve to bring uncooked chitterlings. We don't eat chitterlings but we are not opposed to a relative who brings COOKED chitterlings. They will be the only one eating it but at least we don't have to smell it too much.

Originally Posted by Jill1228

And don't get me started on sweet potato pie--I don't do sweet potatoes
My Caucasian Canadian husband cooks collard greens better than I do

My grandmother told me to hand in my Black Card and give it to my DH

LOL. You may lose your Black Card but your healthy card will hopefully be alive and well. Sweet potatoes and chitterlings are not the best for our health.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

Weren't my post! I believe this is what the poster was referring to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(sauce)

I'm glad she was talking about the sauce. LOL.

Moles are one of the most miserable animals in the world so it makes sense their meat is supposedly unpleasant. LOL.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

Weren't my post! I believe this is what the poster was referring to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(sauce)

About 10 minutes ago, I had a lightbulb moment and thought "Isn't there a sauce by that name?" Thanks for the clarification.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Moles are one of the most miserable animals in the world so it makes sense their meat is supposedly unpleasant. LOL.

Then the student in me wondered how you would know that and if anyone's ever done a Beck Depression Inventory on a mole. My shining moment has been snuffed.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

Then the student in me wondered how you would know that and if anyone's ever done a Beck Depression Inventory on a mole. My shining moment has been snuffed.

Wikipedia. The very last sentence at the very bottom of the page.

They look gross. I think most animals that look gross probably taste gross. LOL.

[ElieM]

The collective noun is a 'labour' of moles - enough said. Although I think they are kind of cute

[amIblue?]

Moles are not cute. They are underground rats.

ETA: I love how this thread has gone from being about African American holiday traditions to moles.

[tld221]

We don't have any traditions in our house. Collard greens get made with ham hocks but my mom, keeping my sister (vegetarian) and her partner (diabetic/high pressure) in mind, traded the ham for turkey (and sometimes not at all) and way less sugar.

Otherwise, the usual holiday staples, sans chitterlings. My mom grew up on them and said she'd never subject us to that abuse

[IrishLake]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

Chocolate chess pie

1 1/3 c. sugar
1 sm. can Pet milk
3 tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 stick melted butter

Combine ingredients, pour into pie crust, bake 45 minutes at 350.

What is pet milk? (Imagining milking a cat....) Is it like a can of sweetened condensed milk?

Originally Posted by christiangirl

What is mole? Wait, you mean burrowing-in-the-ground mole?

iDied!

Originally Posted by DrPhil

LOL. You may lose your Black Card but your healthy card will hopefully be alive and well. Sweet potatoes and chitterlings are not the best for our health.

Sweet taters are good for you! You just can't load them up with a pound of butter and brown sugar. I make an awesome sweet potato casserole that is "healthy." I sweeten it with honey (or molasses if I have it) and cinnamon and only use 1/2 stick of butter for the entire casserole. Then instead of topping with mashmallows, I make a meringue instead. Eggs whites with just a little bit of sugar. It's so yummy!

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Moles are one of the most miserable animals in the world so it makes sense their meat is supposedly unpleasant. LOL.

One of my dogs dug up and ate a mole once. She died because the mole ate poison my husband put out for it. No more mole poison for us. Another dog dug up and ate another mole a few years later. He barfed it up in his kennel. I freaked because I thought he was barfing his own blood and tissue... until I found a little ugly mole paw. I knew then what he was puking up. Nastiness.

Originally Posted by amIblue?

Moles are not cute. They are underground rats.

ETA: I love how this thread has gone from being about African American holiday traditions to moles.

Concur, with both!

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by IrishLake

What is pet milk? (Imagining milking a cat....) Is it like a can of sweetened condensed milk?

PET is a brand of milk. LOL. There is canned milk and refrigerated bottle milk.

Originally Posted by IrishLake

Sweet taters are good for you! You just can't load them up with a pound of butter and brown sugar. I make an awesome sweet potato casserole that is "healthy." I sweeten it with honey (or molasses if I have it) and cinnamon and only use 1/2 stick of butter for the entire casserole. Then instead of topping with mashmallows, I make a meringue instead. Eggs whites with just a little bit of sugar. It's so yummy!

Marshmallows do not belong on sweet potatoes, anyway.

I hear ya, I need to better explain my point about sweet potatoes. These dishes can be made healthier but diabetes and high blood pressure are pervasive in the Black community because most people are not making healthier options; and even healthier ways of cooking some of these foods are still not truly healthy in the longrun. Sweet potato is healthiest before people start adding a bunch of stuff to it. It's important for people to remember that because every holiday, someone eats a slice of sweet potato pie and says "sweet potato is good for you." LOL. Your casserole sounds tasty but you are still adding a few things that should be eaten in small portions and in moderation. Some people with diabetes would not be able to eat your casserole.

[IrishLake]

Yes, but if you HAVE to have sweet potato casserole, like my family does, a (much) lower calorie option is ideal. Everyone is always surprised when I say there's no brown sugar and that the meringue is just as good as sticky sweet marshmallows (I pick them off if someone else makes it with them). I'm perfectly happy eating my sweet potatoes with a 1/2 teaspoon of honey when I make them for my own dinner, or even plain if needed. I dont even think I've ever had sweet potato pie, not that I wouldn't try it, but it doesn't scream healthy. Portions are everything!


(Says the pregnant woman who had two large servings of mashed potatoes and noodles on Thanksgiving... lol)

[IrishLake]

Speaking of noodles.... that was something I'd never experienced until meeting my husband and his southern Ohio family. Chicken n noodles or just plain homemade egg noodles on top of mashed potatoes. Is this a common dish anywhere else?

(Sorry, I shouldn't be straying so far off topic!!!!)

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by IrishLake

Yes, but if you HAVE to have sweet potato casserole, like my family does, a (much) lower calorie option is ideal. Everyone is always surprised when I say there's no brown sugar and that the meringue is just as good as sticky sweet marshmallows (I pick them off if someone else makes it with them). I'm perfectly happy eating my sweet potatoes with a 1/2 teaspoon of honey when I make them for my own dinner, or even plain if needed. I dont even think I've ever had sweet potato pie, not that I wouldn't try it, but it doesn't scream healthy. Portions are everything!

Yeah and the average Black holiday gathering will have sweet potato pie (or even cornbread with sliced and seasoned sweet potatoes--my favorite) and not a sweet potato casserole. However, sweet potato casserole will not be scoffed at as long as it clearly has sweet potatoes and is seasoned like a traditional sweet potato dish.

Originally Posted by IrishLake

(Says the pregnant woman who had two large servings of mashed potatoes and noodles on Thanksgiving... lol)

There's nothing wrong with that.

Oh yeah...I rarely eat mashed potatoes at a holiday gathering. That's a last resort side dish for both my and my significant other's families. If someone cooks it, we will eat it only after the other side dishes are devoured. If you give me deviled eggs and potato salad, you can cancel the mashed potatoes.