Today was Homecoming at Red Branch Baptist Church, near Carthage, NC. Jeff Mitchell has been pastor there for several years. Formerly, he pastored a church down near Lumberton, North Carolina. I saw a sign hanging at the front of the church that said “102” so I am presuming that this was their 102nd Homecoming.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit today. Ray Sharpe, my cousin, had been invited by Jeff to provide the music during church. Ray and his daughter, Elle, performed several songs and the congregation appreciated their music and gave applause after several ditties.
At one point I turned, looking back from my pew, and saw Ann “Gibson Hines” Graham coming toward me, with her husband, Billy Graham (a slightly less famous one) who I had not met before today. We hugged and they sat just behind me. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with both Ann and her husband. Ann was a Gibson, not related to me, and had married E. J. Hines and had a long marriage with him, I guess mostly down in the Holly Ridge, Jacksonville, NC, Onslow County region of eastern NC.
But, I’m not focusing on the people in this article, but on the food. The fried chicken smelled wonderful as I stood in line. *It wasn’t as good as “the best fried chicken I’ve ever had,” which I had a the Seaboard Station Restaurant in Hamlet, NC, but it was good flavored fried chicken. The “best” fried chicken I had was just a couple of years ago, and when you consider that I had it at about age 68, you’ve got to either figure I’ve gone nuts “in my old age,” or it must have been pretty good fried chicken. And, the truth, which is subjective, is that their fried chicken was flavorful, and tender, and moist, and having gone quite a few times to this restaurant, they consistently fix some really good fried chicken. They also fix some good, thin cut, pork chops.
The carrot cake shown above is from Sara Lee, but she makes a good carrot cake. The thin cut pork chop also had good flavor. The steamed cabbage has a sweetness to it. I don’t think they put any seasoning meat, or bacon grease in these.
The other one is a broccoli salad, with mayo, and probably bacon and maybe dried cranberries. But I sat down with my plate of food and my diet drink and at some point put a spoonful of this broccoli casserole in my mouth and what a wonderful surprise. I think what was most surprising was the texture of the casserole. It seemed like it might have been whipped because, and I don’t think I’ve ever described any other casserole as “fluffy.” Sort of a savory type of Heavenly Hash, which is a sweet dessert dish, but this was a savory casserole. *I even went back for the last remaining helping of the broccoli casserole, which I put in a plastic dessert bowl, and then added several other desserts.
I asked who had made this dish and no one seemed to know, or they weren’t “fessing up” if they did know. *I’ve now gone online looking for a recipe which might produce this casserole, and I haven’t found it yet. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the broccoli wasn’t in large, or even small florets, but I wondered if everything had been “blended” in some way. Could it be whipped cream added to the mixture? Would baked whipped cream even keep it’s fluffy texture? I don’t know who, but let me say, to whomever made this dish, YOU DID EXTREMELY GOOD!!! I like food, and I’ve had a bunch of good food in my life, and I’ve even fixed a lot of good food in my life, but this broccoli casserole would be right up there with “the best fried chicken I’ve ever had.” And, to “surprise” an old man. I’m 70 years old. Is rare. But this was a welcome surprise.
This Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe looks similar to what I had at the Homecoming meal.
NOTE [05/21/24]: It was only at the end of my googling that I noted a comment that this casserole wasn’t “low cal.” I hadn’t thought of that at all. I was just focused on how delicious this was. So, this would be something that I shouldn’t fix a lot of, nor eat a lot of. But, it was sooooo good. [end NOTE]
NOTE [05/23/24]: I’m not sure I’ve ever thought to put a little water in the microwave onion cooker when I cook a potato, but I did this time and it turned out great. I cooked a small white potato and it ended up moist, and great for mashing. *I think I’ve always used either margarine or some kind of oil, and maybe chopped onion. I have put cinnamon & margarine on a sweet potato.
I’ve cooked a potato in the microwave and then rolled the outside in a saline solution, then finished it in the oven. This forms a thin, salty, crispy crust.[end NOTE]
Here are links to some broccoli casserole recipes that might be similar to “the best I ever had.”
Bill Gibson, II 