A Very Chatty Christmas

My good friends Amy and Suzette from my hometown of Albany, Georgia, are in town visiting me for the holidays

I'm so close to these girls, and when they come to my house, it's just like my kids coming

And they brought me an early holiday gift. And I'm glad they're here to help me make some of my favorite holiday dishes, y'all

Like my bacon and mushroom stuffed tenderloin. And the ladies are going to prepare one of my favorites, their granny's dirty rice dressing

And for dessert, we bake my scrumptious fruitcake pudding with a whiskey sauce

I just adore having them in my kitchen. What are y'all doing

We came to see your parents. Oh my God. My best friend for 100 years in Albany, Georgia, was Susan Dupuy

She had two girls. Well, it was like these girls were mine

So they have a heyday when they're at Miss Paula's house. You know what

I got to start locking my doors. You think? We don't want you to hide the key

I know. and a barger earrings. I was gonna say, you have been in my closet already

I got this party I'm going to for Christmas, and I've got to borrow something from you

Listen, you know, you know I'll give y'all anything I got. Ooh, y'all are like butter to my eyeballs

So girls, let's get started on my bacon and mushroom stuffed beef tenderloin

All right, so I got a tenderloin, and I went ahead and asked the butcher to butterfly it

and trim it for me. I say, let's just wing this, girls

All right, let's do it. I've got a quarter of a pound of bacon here, and let's mince up some mushrooms

Okay. All right. That'll be the base of the stuffing. Suzette, if you would mince that up

Yeah, I'd love to put up some of them. You know what? I'm just thinking

What you thinking? What you thinking? You girls come from that rich Cajun blood

What are you doing? What you thinking? You got something special? Uh-uh. Well, I'm cooking some crawfish later on

but what do y'all think about stuffing the crawfish into here? I think it would be fabulous

And you know what? It would go great with the dirty rice, the roast dressing. Now while y'all are doing that

I'm going to just season up our meat. Alright, I'm putting this on

Alright, I'm going to sprinkle this, y'all, with just a little soy

That'll help brown it up. Okay. Going to add a little salt

I just can't believe y'all have surprised me today. I know. Do y'all

know how special my... We wanted Amy to hide and scare you. Remember how I used to hide

in the clothes racks when y'all would go to Kmart? Yes. I hadn't forgotten

little sister. Don't overcook that, baby. I'm not. Because we want some of that baked in

fat. Yeah. We want to save it from here. Take that out. Put the mushrooms

and the shallots in. All right, Suzette, you can chop some parsley and mix in with it

And Amy, you can start chopping the crawfish, baby. Here's the butter

Butter makes it better. Yes. All right. That'll give our bacon a chance to cool

These are already cooked. Okay. Mm. You know what? What? What do y'all think

I can either just put a layer of frosting of this cream cheese

or I can mix it in with it. Frosting for the meat

I love it. That's going to be the new thing. I know. People say, we're going to frost our meat like Paula Deen does

We're going to frost our meat on a fine piece of meat

What do y'all think? So which way? I was kind of thinking mix it all together

Okay. But either way, we're going to cook up the crawfish with the mushrooms, bacon, and shallots for just a few minutes

Then we're going to spread it along the pan and add some cream cheese

How much cream cheese are you going to put in? I think I'm going to use the whole block. Nah. Maybe

Yeah. All right. You ready for it? Yeah. Bring it on. It looks good and festive

It does. Yes. With the red crawfish and the parsley. All right, girls

I don't know if I'm going to be able to get all this in here. Oh, that would be good. But we're going to... Yes

I tell you, one thing I am going to get is all that cream cheese. This might be a new order

Dip, yeah. Be a great dip. Now, I'm just flattening it out, and then I'll tie it together

I feel something. What are you going to do to me? I feel it's got another thing to it

Oh, yes, I am. Wrap bacon around it? I'm just going to put a little piece on top

No way This is looking delicious

Okay. That's a pretty piece of meat. That is. That's a beautiful piece of meat

Look at it right there. Can y'all see that again? Oh, man. And think about when you slice it, how pretty it's going to look

All right, so in the oven, 400 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes

So y'all don't let me forget about it. No, because we want to go raid your closet for just a minute

I need the closet. We got to have something. And I know you got it. That's the only reason we came

No, I'm just kidding. No, and eat your fine food, and we're going to cook for you

Y'all want to really go in my closet? Yes, you know you got the best closet

I'm up for it. Remember when we were little? You girls always used to love to dress up

So watch out, girls. Into the closet. We got, oh, you know I got stuff

Coming up next, we get started on the girls' dirty rice. And later, I'm taking my fruitcake to another level

Isn't that beautiful? And I get the sweetest gift from the girls

All right, girls, the tenderloin is ready to come out. Y'all get out of the way now

Don't want to burn you. Oh, my word, Paula. Oh, wow. Oh, girl

That is looking good. Look at that bacon. I love those fork earrings, Amy

I know. Aren't they cute? Take them off and take you a bite out of that. Yeah, I don't think I won't do it

Where's the nose coming? That's what you're talking about. When you can wear a utensil in your ear

Look, look. How funny is that? I love it. Ladies, I am so ready for you to show me

how to make your dirty rice dressing. All right, all right, all right. I totally want to get cracked

that lid, girl. Are we gonna ruin those chicken livers? Alright, now I'm gonna kind of

step back and let y'all have that. Okay. We gotta make this

holy trinity right here. This is what the people in the low country call it

Yes, the trinity. Yeah. Alright, Paula, will you dice this up? I like to use the leaves

because it gives a... I do too, honey. I ain't throwing away my leaves. Alright, Cece, you want me to

peel these? Did y'all wash this already? No, ma'am. I haven't washed

it. We gotta get these eggplants on. Yeah, you start doing that. Is the... And I'm

I'm gonna start browning our meat. We've got a pound of ground beef and a pound of breakfast sausage

While I'm getting started on the celery, Suzette, you're peeling the eggplant

and Amy, you got the sausage and meat going, right? I'm just gonna move the tenderloin over here so it'll stop cooking

I'm just gonna tent this so it'll stay warm. We're gonna brown this meat

and when you take it out, you want to leave some of the drippings, the goodness, in it

because we're going to do our vegetables. So I'll add the two tablespoons of chicken bouillon to your water

Your mama used to make a wonderful eggplant casserole. She still does

Paula, why don't you hand me that bell pepper or the onion? Well, I'm going to do that for you

I just had to get my celery. All right, I'm going to go ahead and put these in

All right, that's got to cook for just a minute. about 10 minutes. Okay

All right, you can take that meat out. And then we're going to put the vegetables in there

Okay, so you've got a big spider that you can do that with. I'm just going to use this

Oh, I can't believe that you girls surprised me. This is wonderful

Well, I want to surprise Bobby and Jamie. Well. And I want to see those babies

I know. Grand babies. I can't believe it. All right. You know, I just can't hardly wait

I said I don't want to wish their little lives away. I know. But Jack's five now

Matthew is six months. Henry's three months. But can you imagine my house in like two Christmases from now? No

It's going to be wide open. It's going to be wide open

Like we used to be. Yes. Now, this is the Holy of the Holy Trinity

You know? It is. Yes. I mean, with the bell pepper, onions

Smell it. Yes, I smell it. And you got those chicken livers

Yeah, we're going to put these through the processor. All right, now, am I going to do them to, like, mush? Yes

Can you say it? Almost like a pate. When have you ever heard those words come out of my mouth

The only thing I see missing, girls, is maybe a little butter

Oh, I've got the butter. A little come on. The butter just gives it, that's good

That's my girl. That's good. We didn't have hardly any drippings in here

All right, now, are you ready for me to put this in? Yeah, let's go ahead and put that in. Okay. In goes the livers, a pinch of Cajun seasoning

your ground beef and sausage, some parsley, and finally the eggplant All right Paula we to let this cook down for about an hour and a half and then we going to add our rice to it which I already made the rice

All right. Now tell me what you're doing that for. Yeah, I'm going to put that on our blog, my tip. Yeah. That's a tip right there

Well, I just like to spray all parts of the cast iron because steam is going to collect up there

and I just want to make sure it stays seasoned too. The lid is just as important as the pot

Well, I'll be darned. We got a few minutes if y'all want to go back in the closet

Yeah, we need to look. Just one more time. I want to make sure y'all are satisfied with what you got on

You know I love this coat. I know it is just... It looks fabulous on me

Coming up next, after another wardrobe change, it's time to start putting together our dessert

Our fruitcake pudding. And later, a whiskey sauce to take our pudding over the top

And Amy and Suzette's mom and my dear friend Susan finally makes it for dinner

And I am starving. So girls, it's time to start putting together our dessert

Our fruitcake bread pudding. Y'all. Y'all trying to hold down your excitement now when I say fruitcake

I know. I trust you. Well, we are fruitcakes, but... We're all fruitcakes, aren't we

All right, listen. Eight eggs in here. All right. Suzette. Yes, ma'am

From you... I got all the ingredients. I know. If you'd bring your sugar up here. Okay

Your nuts, your fruitcake pieces. All right, your cherries. You keep on going, Ichi

Okay, so we need a cup and a half of sugar. All right. We need one pound of dried fruit

We've got eight ounces of dried cherries that have been cut in half

Okay. You're adding two cups of walnuts. So I'm going to start measuring us out two cups of heavy cream

The bread pudding sounds divine. Oh, listen, I just love bread pudding

I do, too, and I didn't growing up. All right, I'm going to use some vanilla

A dash. A dash. I'm going to put in one teaspoon of cinnamon

I'm going to put in some nutmeg. And I have just found over the years that you really want to kind of stick with the fresh grated

Well, see, I've never done that. Nutmeg. Well, it's just so much better smelling there

Well, I trust you completely. Smell. That's awesome. I'm getting about a fourth of a teaspoon of nutmeg

Does the nutmeg go a long way? Is it strong? Yes, the flavor of nutmeg goes a long way

All right, so I need for you to get our croissants over there, Suzette

Yum. And we can all pitch in. I knew you weren't going to just use regular old bread

No, honey. It's Christmas time. All right, so we just need to cube up our croissants

All right, and you got all the cherries. Yeah, everything's in there. All right, so I'm just going to stir this in

Suzette, if you could get over there and help you. Sister. Come help me, Fiffer

I'm on my way. So that bread is going to make our bread pudding so rich

Fruit cake. Look at this. Look at this. Oh, gosh. It is pretty

Isn't that pretty? Get out of there. Look, we've got a stuck cherry

There we go. When y'all get the tin croissants, kids, just start pouring them in

Right here. And I'm going to just drown every piece. I'm going to start over here

Of that croissant in our custard. That goodness. Yes, that goodness, and it's going to become like a custard

And we're going to bake this in a 350-degree oven for about an hour, girls

Oh, it takes... Amy, spray our pan, please. Okay, here's some spray

Amy Lee, itch. Just pour that into our dish here. I'll help you

You know I'm real weak. No, I know you're real strong. See, that's a strong one

So just tilt it. That is pretty good. Isn't that beautiful? It really is

Well, we ain't through with it yet, girls. So I'm just going to kind of push that down in that custard

That looks good. Uh-huh. All right, so in the oven, 350 one hour

The big oven, honey. We're going to put it in the big oven. The show-nuff oven

The show-nuff serous oven. So, girls, what's left to do with the dirty rice

All right, good. All right. I've got four cups of cooked rice that we're going to add to the pot

Excuse me. It's going to be real. And we've got to chop up these green onions

Look at that. You think we need some more of the broth? Yeah

Paula, what you think? Come look. A little bit. I think if we're going to eat like right now, I think it's good

All right. That starchy rice is going to absorb that liquid. Yeah

Hold on Let me taste it With your fork earring Give me the other one Oh that it Give me a little What tears me

Look at there, look at there. Oh my gosh. Not good. Is it good

It might hurt you. I'm serious. Patience and see what you think

It's pretty good like it is. I'm telling you, y'all. may need a little Cajun season

but Mama doesn't like it real hot. Speaking of Mama, when is she gonna be home? She's been shopping all afternoon

I hope she bought us something. She better. Whoa, girls. Isn't that good

Told ya. Wow. Coming up next... That's some vibes, baby. And Amy and Suzette's mom, Susan

finally arrives. And she brought me a very special gift. Thank you for being such an inspiration

We love you. It's great to us. Okay, girls

Let's make now our whiskey sauce for the bread pudding. All right

Two cups of heavy cream. Okay. That is two cups. You don't even have to measure. Okay

Half a cup of sugar. I'm going to make a little slurry of one tablespoon of cornstarch

Here you go, Sissy. And I'm going to measure out a fourth of a cup of whiskey

Now, girls, y'all not listening to me. Yes, ma'am, a fourth of a cup of whiskey. You're going to make a flurry over here

I am multitasking. You have heard every word I've said, you little heffer

Suzette, why don't you get out our bread pudding? Because I think it's been in there long enough

You threw with the sugar. Yes, ma'am. Amy, we got all that out. How does it look

Well. Oh, wow, that is so pretty. Isn't that gorgeous? Mighty fine

Put it right here, Sue. It's a little H-O-T. I tell you what

If you would, speaking of H-O-T, we want to pour on our whiskey sauce

straight out of the oven while it's hot. Okay. Yes, because I love to eat my bread pudding warm

Oh, yeah. All right, now I'm going to go ahead and pour that in

Mm. Mm. Now you want to beat that good, Amy. All right, how's this looking

because my orange is getting tired here. I'll take over. I'll take over

All right, look at that. Look at that. Would you look at that

Oh, my God. That's some good gravy right there. That's some fine gravy

You know, we put gravy on everything. Yes. Hand me a little knife down here

My mouth is just watering. There it is. All right. Oh, and then you're going to make it seep all down in there

Yes. A couple of little slits. All right, let's go to the table

I'm ready to eat. I need some nourishment. Me too. I mean, I'm shaking. I know

I'm starving too. I know I look like I need some nourishment. All right, come on. We've got a trivet over here

Oh, yeah. Oh, my gosh. Look how beautiful everything is. Doesn't it look delicious

Take that lid off that rice while you've got those. Oh, my gosh

All right, now do we have... All right, that's a spoon for the pudding. All right, that thing's hot

I know it. Sit it down. All right, we got a spoon for the..

Got a spoon for the... What do y'all call it? Rice dressing

Rice dressing or dirty rice. Hey girls, I said, as soon as we sit down

she would be walking through that door. She'd be smelling the groceries

And I am starving. So the girl's mom finally gets back. perfect timing as Susan so often has

just in time to pick up her fork and eat. What you got in there

I told you, girls. Oh. Paula. Look at me, Paula

When we left here, I told you I was going to start working on a cookbook. And I say, if Paula can do it, we can do it too

Thank you for being such an inspiration to us. You're like our mother

I'm so proud of you, girl. All right, let's eat. That meat is fine

So tender. But the cream cheese is fabulous. That's good. I love dirty rice

Me too. Mm-mm-mm. All right, I am ready for some of that

Y'all go ahead and kill me today. Sweet and savory. That's good

Whipped cream. Pretty good. There you go, Mom. Thank you. Oh, my gosh

This is delicious. It is. All right, everybody cheers me. Cheers. to a beautiful day with our beautiful other mother and our mother

Cheers. Oh, cheers. Back at y'all. We enjoyed it