Last year was my first time joining the Reynolds family for Thanksgiving. Wanting to impress and make something yummy above and beyond what was requested I searched for a new recipe.
One of my friends from work said she had just the thing. Wild rice and leek casserole. It sounded very exotic and different and I was sure Brad's sisters would be ever so impressed. Feeling quite pleased with my self I headed off to Kroger to find out what the heck a leek was.
It turns out the leek is a rather large ugly plant closely related to the onion. Not sure how many I was actually supposed to get a bought a "mess" of them. Mess is a Southern measurement for just enough to make for supper.
The morning came and Brad and I turned on some music and started prepping our potatoes and our wild rice and leek dish. We had a great time in the kitchen until I realized that the leek casserole was rather aromatic to say the least. Brad being the sweetheart he is told me it would cook down and would be wonderful.
My first clue should have been when we needed gas masks on the drive over. I didn't think anything you were bringing to someone house should make your eyes burn but it was too late to turn back now. My theory that his sisters were going to be ever so impressed now had holes in it the size of Texas.
When we arrived and I opened my casserole carrier they all looked at it like you do an ugly baby. You know it's ugly but you don't know quite what to say about it. As my dish was placed next to all the other traditional goodies I began to wonder where I would spend next Thanksgiving. I was quite certain by the smell of my creation and the look of fear around the table it would not be here.
Dishes were passed and I passed mine right on by. I may be an eternal optimist but I am not idiot and I knew that had E.R. visit written all over it. Brad took some out of obligation and hid it under his mashed potatoes. The things you do for love.
Seated across from me was Brad's sweet and naive nephew Jake. I admit he was in a pickle. Staring in the eyes of the new girl he felt compelled to take a heaping spoonful Unfortunately it was too large to hide under anything so he actually had to eat some of it. When he didn't immediately turn green I thought maybe just maybe I was going to slide by and this would all become a distant memory.
After lunch when Jake disappeared for a very long time I realized why the farmers named them leeks...
I took my creation home and left it in the garage. I didn't want the aroma to give me P.T.S.D. symptoms of my humiliation.
Brad and I returned from shopping later and found that somehow my beagle had gotten locked in the garage. He had chewed through the casserole carrier's insulated plastic and zippered lid as well as the cover of the dish. After all that hard work when he reached the actually food he left it untouched.
It was official. I had taken food to my boyfriend's family that even my dog wouldn't eat.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression or in my case a second casserole. I think this year they want me to bring paper plates.
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