My small group was getting together for dinner and I was preparing my favorite quick and easy vegetable side dish recipe…Far East Celery.  It’s my go-to recipe that everyone always raves about.  And I love that it goes so well with beef, turkey, chicken, and fish dishes and I’m quite certain it will make a sensational side dish for a ham dinner, too.

With Easter dinner quickly approaching, I’m thinking many of you are putting together your menus right now.  Far East Celery would be perfect on the Easter buffet.  So, as I was purchasing my ingredients, I knew I needed to share my recipe with you.

And then, I forgot.  Until this….

I had already melted the butter in the pan and started tossing the bread crumbs and the thinly sliced almonds in butter to toast when I remembered I was planning on sharing this delicious recipe with you.  Oops!

Hmmm.  It’s pretty evident that I am NOT a food blogger.  Yes?

The celery (hence the name Far East Celery) had already been cut up and as you can see it only has about 5 minutes left.  Do you have a steamer?  Our steamer gets used continuously.  It’s no doubt the best $25 investment we have made on a kitchen appliance.

As you can see by the half-empty jar of pimento, the recipe had been in process before I realized I needed to take some photos to show you.  When I make this I always make sure to begin by draining my pimento first.

This is truly a quick and easy vegetable side dish recipe.  Simply toss the ingredients together in a large bowl.  Isn’t it colorful and pretty?

It’s almost finished!  Pour the tossed ingredients into a Baking Dish or Covered Casserole Dish.  I love my Longaberger Pottery because it will stay warm.  How warm?  After removing from the oven I placed the dish wrapped in towels in my Longaberger Cake Basket and then jumped in the car and drove 25 minutes to a friend’s house where we waited for them, then hopped in the car again and 10 minutes later we arrived at the host home, where we waited until everyone arrived.  It was the perfect serving temperature when we finally sat down to eat.  You might say I get a little excited about it.  Um. Yeah.  I do.

Top all that colorful delectableness with a mixture of toasted bread crumbs and sliced almonds.  Are you drooling now?  I am.  Haha!

At this point, you can refrigerate it until it’s close to mealtime.  Since you are merely warming and not cooking this assembly of goodness it can be popped in the oven just 20 or 25 minutes before serving time.  Isn’t that convenient?

Are you going to try it for your Easter Dinner?  I hope so.  The compliments will fly.  I’m pretty certain.

Far East Celery :: Quick and Easy Vegetable Side Dish Recipe

 

Ingredients:

• 5-6 Cups of Celery sliced, steamed, yet crispy
• 1 Can of Cream of Chicken condensed soup
• 1 Can Sliced Water Chestnuts
• 1 Small 2 oz. Jar or 1/2 Large 4 oz. Jar of Sliced Pimento
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 1/2 Cup or Small Package of Sliced Almonds (more if you like)
• 2 Cups Bread Crumbs (or a little less if you prefer)

 

Directions:

• Drain pimento and set aside.
• Slice celery.
• Steam celery until cooked yet crispy.
• While celery is steaming, melt butter in a medium saute pan, add bread crumbs and almonds to melted butter and toss until golden and toasted.
• In a large mixing bowl toss chicken soup and water chestnuts, add in the steamed celery and mix, add pimento and lightly toss until it is distributed attractively.
• Pour into 1 1/2  or 2 quart Baking Dish/Casserole Dish.
• Top with toasted crumbs and almonds.
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until hot.
• Serve and wait for the raves!!

 

If your family is on the unprocessed food journey you can make this same dish with your own cream of chicken soup and steamed red peppers.  I’m not sure how you can get around canned water chestnuts.  If you have suggestions for making this a truly unprocessed food….please let me know.

Far East Celery was always served at our family gatherings.   This was my Aunt Martha’s recipe.  I have no idea where she got it, but it was a family favorite growing up, and today my husband requests it for all our holiday meals, especially Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.   She is the aunt from whom I inherited my red transferware,  my favorite memory-filled dishes.

What recipe in your family is a must to serve for Easter dinner?

Are you making memories to treasure around the table?

Take the time to set a pretty table so that someday your children will want your recipes and your dinnerware to continue those happy memories.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I love it when you join in the conversation by leaving your kind words.

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Happy Spring!

Diane

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