Thanksgiving Favorites

This is the recipe I use for the oyster casserole I take to our family dinners every year. It's an old favorite that is simple and easy to prepare. And puffs up like a yorkie pudding:

Oyster Casserole

2 sm jars (tins) of fresh canned oysters, or 1 large
1 bag oyster crackers
butter
pepper
milk

1. Start by buttering the sides and bottom of a casserole dish.
2. Layer crackers, oysters, pats of butter, pepper. Pouring in the oyster juice too as you go. Repeat layers to fill the dish ending with crackers, butter and pepper and the last drops of oyster juice from the jars.
3. Pour in enough whole milk to almost reach the top (crackers will start to float), but about an inch from the edge, maybe a little lower if you like it dry.
4. Cover and bake at 350 (not important if something else is baking too) for an hour so. After it's got a good steam worked up, about halfways thru the baking time, uncover and allow to brown on top and sides of the dish.

In case you're wondering what an oyster cracker is, it's these little puppies that come in a cellopane bag:




And if you have some crackers leftover, or another bag. This is always a tasty nibble:

Party Oyster Crackers

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 (1-ounce) package powdered ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1 (11-ounce) package oyster crackers (about 6 cups)

1. In a large bowl whisk together oil, dressing mix, and lemon pepper seasoning. Add oyster crackers and toss until coated well.
2. Spread oyster crackers on a baking sheet and bake at 350*F (175*C) for about 15 minutes or until golden. Transfer crackers to paper towels to absorb excess oil. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Makes about 6 cups.

source

So, what do they gobble up the most at your house?

I don't have an official recipe for you at the moment, but I wanted to comment
on your recipe.

It sounds delicious. I love oysters..Cooked..not fond of them on the halfshell..

But I think I'm going to try your recipe this year. Thanks!

[edit on 17-11-2006 by spacedoubt]

Alright Spacedoubt, you get back to us ya hear.

Notice I didn't mention adding any extra salt to that recipe. It's on the crackers already.

And you can just crumble up regular saltines to substitute for oyster crackers if you already have those on hand. Not crushed, crumbled loosely.

Maybe I should have said 'dots' instead of 'pats' of butter. Teeny bits is all you need, maybe a tablespoons worth or two.

Spacedoubt gave me an idea for a little dish I might try, something along the order of a quiche and oyster's rockefeller. Adding spinach.

But I think instead of the half shell (which I don't have anyway), I'll make a crust of phillo dough, a center of egg/spinach/spice/herb mixture. Drop in the oysters and garnish with some sort of crumb topping or more phillo?

How, you may ask, can you afford to experiment with the costly oyster?

Well, that brings me to Part II of this post... the rant:

Sending my kid out to get me two small 8-oz jars of oysters, he comes home with FOUR! Oyster po-boys for lunch is what he's after--breaded and pan-fried to make Emeril proud. (he's trying to give me another heart attack?)

But he brought up a point that I can't help to consider, and you should too. I should stop this tradition of making this casserole. What if someone gets sick on a bad oyster? Hasn't happened yet in the years we've had them.

But... There's no being sure that the product you are working with is completely safe. Even pearl divers dining on the by-product of their labors can risk contamination for our ever-polluted seas.

Still have to use them...






[edit on 23-11-2006 by psyopswatcher]

I love stuffing, its like I can never eat enough stuffing