You Might Be A Redneck If You Eat Like This

"The Foxworthy Down-Home Cookbook - No Arugula, No Pate ... No Problem" by "Big Jim" Foxworthy and Jeff Foxworthy Longstreet Press 182 pages $20

"Big Jim" is Jeff's Daddy and Jeff's contributions are limited to various comments throughout. Jeff, of course, is the noted comic who built a career on "You might be a redneck if" you do this or that. Personally, I admire rednecks for their gift of making a collection of nothin' much into something usable. Old tire flower beds come to mind.

Sections include: Southern Cooking, Cajun Cooking, Foxworthy Family Cooking , Outdoor Cooking, Company's Coming, and on into desserts and Breakfast In the Country.

Cans of soup, Jell-0 and other kitchen helpers make prominent appearances... EZ Cheese Dip - nuke a box of Velveeta with a can of Ro-Tel tomatoes (not even the tomatoes and chiles one) with a half a cup of sour cream and a shot of Tabasco. I swear I've seen that recipe either on the Ro-Tel can or the cheese box. One or the other...

Mashed Potatoes
6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. cubes
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 T sour cream
1 teas. salt
4 T butter

Cook the potatoes, drain and mash adding all of the above a la les Foxworthys.

My version (for two): peel and cut up one larg-ish potato, cook until done. Mash and serve.

Jennifer's Cranberry Salad
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 cup of ginger ale
1 large or two small packages lemon Jell-O
1 can whole cranberries

Drain pineapple juice into a measuring cup and add enough water to make one cup. Heat pineapple juice to boiling. Add ginger ale and mix in the Jell-O. Add pineapple and cranberries. Stir to mix thoroughly. Pour into a 9 x 13 in. casserole and refrigerate to set.

Topping
1 8-oz. cream cheese
1 8-oz. container Cool Whip
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Beat together and spread over set salad.

I know that I am a fats fanatic, but cream cheese AND Cool Whip? Heavy cream AND sour cream? Damn! I'd like to be a doctor in Foxworthy Country; I'd make a fortune!