Author's Note: Good evening, everyone. I had the day off today due to mutual illness on the [part of myself and my employer. I'm supposed to be getting ready to make an epic family sit down at the table and look at each other dinner for my dad in honor of his first real days off in over 2 weeks (hence the return of the recipes and Nona flashback…) but until my mom shows up in the kitchen, I'm free to my own devices. Hell, I usually am. I might have to double up on the Sunday update for this one because I'm going to the movies to see three films (with very hot men in them…) and I might not be home until past the midnight deadline I established for myself. Or I'll just wake my lazy butt up early and update in the morning. I'm not sure yet. As for today's chapter, it's the recipe and an extended flashback, giving a little more oomph to Emily's teenage backstory we got in Demonology and the frayed relationship she has with her mother. It can be skipped if you wish.
Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"
- Jacqueline Kensington- Prentiss' 'How in the living hell am I gonna feed all of these people?'/ Large Family Gathering Recipes: Meal #8: Turkey Pineapple Spinach Meatloaf, Garlic Mashed Potatoes XXXVIII, and Sweet Potato Pudding VIII-*
~*Materials Needed and Instructions (in order) *~
Turkey Pineapple Spinach Meatloaf
2 tbsps olive oil
1 finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1/4 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
10 ozs spinach (frozen chopped, thawed and well drained)
3/4 cup bread crumbs (seasoned)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 beaten eggs
2 tsps dried basil
2 tsps sage (fresh, minced)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb Italian turkey sausage (removed from casings and crumbled)
3 pineapples (rings)
1/4 cup preserves (pineapple)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Heat olive oil in large skillet and cook onions and garlic until tender. Remove to large bowl.
3) Add pineapples, spinach (squeezed dry), bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, basil, sage and pepper. Mix well.
4) Add turkey and turkey sausage and mix gently.
5) Form into round loaf and place in 2 quart casserole dish.
6) Bake for 40 minutes, top with pineapple rings or mix the preserves and brown sugar spread on loaf, bake 15 more minutes or until internal temperature registers 160 degrees.
7) Let stand, covered, for 15 minutes before slicing.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes XXXVIII
1 pound red potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
5 garlic cloves
3/4 cup nonfat milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1) In a medium saucepan, combine the potatoes and whole garlic; add enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes, and set aside in a warm place.
2) Meanwhile, in the same saucepan, combine milk, butter, and salt; season with pepper. Place over low heat until butter has melted and milk is warm to the touch. Pass potatoes and garlic through a ricer or food mill into saucepan, and stir gently to combine with milk mixture. Serve immediately.
Sweet Potato Pudding VIII
6 sweet potatoes (peeled and quartered)
1/2 cup melted butter
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
4 beaten eggs
2/3 cup orange juice
2 tsps vanilla extract
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 2 1/2 quart baking dish.
2) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and mash.
3) In a large bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, orange juice and vanilla; stir until smooth. Pour into buttered dish.
4) Bake in preheated oven 40 minutes.
"Your mother despises me, Leonardo. She's made no secret of that."
"Mom doesn't despise you, Liz."
"She does and now, you want me to sit through an evening with her. Dinner was bad enough."
"Forgive me for wanting to see my parents after spending 14 months in Italy away from them. They wanted to see Emily, too and it's been good for her. Better than dealing with you right now, anyway."
"Leonardo…" her mother groaned with exasperation.
Said exasperation was met with near monotone venom, stopping all motion at the table and from her mother.
"Our grandchild is dead because our daughter felt too ashamed and fearful to come to us for help when she needed us most. She was too afraid that the scandal of a 15 year old ambassador's daughter becoming pregnant would damage your reputation and career. That, and you would force her to give up her child to keep up appearances."
"She's a 15 year old girl! She had no business having sex with that Matthew person in the first place!"
"Agreed but we are not blameless in the situation either. Emily felt neglected by the both of us due our careers and the fact that the 3 of us barely spare a glance at each other than to ask for the salt. Our neglect made her feel as if she were unloved and unwanted so she sought validation elsewhere, leading to her pregnancy. I plan on changing that. No amount of money or prestige is worth more than family and I forgot that. Never again. And let's be honest, Elizabeth. You and I know damned well that you would have taken the baby from her and paid top dollar to someone to keep it all under wraps. I suppose you're relieved that the…how did you term it in Rome? Problem has resolved itself. You get to keep your precious career on track and all it cost was the happiness of your allegedly wayward daughter and the innocent life of a baby boy. Congratulations."
"You…you…"
"What? Bastard? Asshole? What is it?"
"I cannot deal with you when you're like this, Leonardo!"
"Yes leave, Ambassador Prentiss. Go on into work and I'll make an excuse to mom and dad so that can get what you want once again! After all, that's what is truly important to you!" her father barked, finally losing his patience.
Emily closed her eyes as the sounds of a thrown glass and a hastily slammed front door ended the argument in the living room and continued spooning bites of potatoes into her mouth. Lying in the hospital, she had called her Nona and let it all spill out from A to Z. Instead of the rage she had gotten from her mother or the coddling she got from her father, Nona had provided comfort and rationality.
She told her that it wasn't her fault, which Emily did not believe, told her about the child she had lost when she was 18 (he would've been her Uncle Francis James Kensington), and how the pain would always be with her, a part of her. Eventually, that pain would become a source of strength and would help her emphasize with others on a different level.
Emily had asked to stay with them for the rest of her recovery and perhaps the rest of high school, too. Nono had said that he would swim across the Atlantic if that was what it took to get her to them. Her father had immediately agreed to the arrangement and announced that he was only taking jobs on the Eastern Seaboard now. His international work would be put on hold until she completed high school and the first year of college.
Her mother had said nothing. They hadn't spoken 20 words to each other since she called her baby 'a problem' on the phone with one of her numerous aides and assistants. She had been in the corridor but her father had obviously heard her. When she came back into the room, Emily had thrown a glass at her head and told her to stay the hell away from her so she could mourn her 'problem' in peace.
Her son was entombed in the Prentiss family mausoleum, Oliver Leonardo Prentiss…
"Dolcezza, I'm sorry you had to hear that."
"It's okay, daddy. She's entitled to her opinions and I'm entitled to mine. Have some more meatloaf."
"I'm glad it's still one of your favorites, Little One. Good food always provides comfort." her Nona said while pressing a kiss to her temple.
Small comfort but comfort all the same…