Wednesday, November 24, 2010

My son's breakfast


I took off the day before Thanksgiving to hang out with my son.  We had breakfast at Cafe Brazil.  I love the crapes stuffed with turkey and topped with a cream sauce.  Not the least bit healthy, but delicious.  My son, on the other hand, went straight for the candy covered pancakes.  Funny thing is, he did not like them.  I think, well, I am pretty sure, that I ate more of them than he did. I love spending time with my son and throwing good food in the mix is a plus!

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Sunday, November 21, 2010

Success!!!

I made my first Thanksgiving dinner and it was awesome.  Recap:  my husband's two children are not going to be with us on Thanksgiving as they are going to be with their mom.  My husband and his exwife are by the books...or decree, when it comes to how they share time with their kids.  So we did Thanksgiving dinner yesterday, Saturday.  I was in the kitchen cooking for 5 hours.  I was able to find some really cute green leaf placemats, some white pumpkins, glittery tiny fall leaves, large fall leaves and a foldout turkey that I use to decorate the table.  I put all of those items on a red tablecloth.  I also found some cute simple Thanksgiving napkins.  Once the food was done we walked around the table one dish at a time and served each person what they wanted.  The turkey was so juicy and tender that the bones were falling out.  The stuffing was so good.  I do not normally like stuffing, but this one was so good.  My sweet potatoes taste just like Nanny's.  It was kind of sad when I took a bite, it just reminded me of her.  Every holiday my uncle and I would argue over who Nanny made the potatoes for.  We did it just to make her laugh.  EVERYTHING I cooked yesterday was so yummy.  The kids could not stop telling me how yummy it was.  I love when everyone loves what I make and truly enjoy it.  We had it all again for lunch today after church.  My first Thanksgiving was a success!

Friday, November 19, 2010

The rest of the food

Here is the rest of the food I plan to prepare for tomorrow.  There are a few recipes that I will not use, it is just so hard to chose.  I am so excited to cook this meal.  I think we are each going to spend some time and soul searching and write down what we are really thankful for and read it before our meal.  That might be how we spend our breakfast on Saturday. 


SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE WITH


MARSHMALLOWS

8 average size sweet potatoes

1 tbsp. vanilla

3-5 tbsp. sugar (to taste)

1/2 stick butter

1/4 tsp. cinnamon to taste

1/4 - 1 tsp. nutmeg to taste

1/4 c. orange juice to taste

Marshmallows (lg. or miniature)

Cinnamon sugar (opt.)

Boil (or bake) sweet potatoes until done. Remove peeling from HOT POTATOES and mash well, removing all strings. Add all ingredients but marshmallows and cinnamon sugar; mix well. Spray or grease lightly Pyrex or Corning dish. Put a layer of potatoes, layer of marshmallows until filled. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar for added flavor. Bake about 350 degrees until HOT. Remove from oven and put marshmallows on top. Place again in oven to brown lightly. Serves 10 to 12.

You may add 1 cup scalded homogenized milk to potato mixture.

Orange extract may be used instead of orange juice. It is stronger in taste so add carefully to taste.





APRICOT CRANBERRY STUFFING

1 loaf whole-meal bread

1 large onion finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped peeled apple

3/4 cup dried apricots (chopped)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 large grated zucchini

2 eggs

1/2 cup olive oil

6 sprigs fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste (good when peppery)

Crumble or cube bread. Add all ingredients and mix well. It should be moist and sticking together. Can be baked in pan or stuffed in bird

Stuffing directions: Stuff bird, place 1/2 orange at opening to prevent stuffing from falling out. Keep together with skewers.

Pan directions: put it into a foil loaf pan, cover with silver foil (may refrigerate for up to 8 hours). Bake covered in 325°F oven for 1 hour. If drier stuffing is desired: uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes.

Submitted by: Michelle





CANDIED SWEET POTATOES (YAMS)

6-8 medium-sized sweet potatoes

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 to 3 tsp. ground cinnamon, or to taste

1 cup melted butter, plus 2 tbsp. melted butter

1-1/2 cups mini marshmallows

1/2 cup pecan chips

Slice sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch round slices. Arrange potatoes in a lightly greased baking dish (approx. 13”x9”x2”).

Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans in a bowl. Sprinkle each layer of potatoes with the mixture. Pour 3/4 cup melted butter over potatoes evenly. Cover and back at 375°F for 30 minutes.

Remove, and baste with remaining 1/4 cup butter. Cover and continue baking for 30 minutes. (If transporting dish, stop here and continue last step at remote location – warm 5-10 minutes in oven before adding marshmallows).

Remove, sprinkle marshmallows evenly on top and continue baking without cover for 5 minutes.

Submitted by: Joe Spilatro





Bacon Brussels Sprouts

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2007

Prep Time:

10 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

25 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 to 8 servings



Ingredients

• 12 ounces thickly sliced lean bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips

• 1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced

• 8 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise

• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved, if desired

• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Sugar, optional

Directions

In a large, deep skillet, cook the bacon over moderately-high heat until browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the softened vegetables from the pan and set aside. Add the Brussels sprouts in batches and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown on the outside. Add the reserved bacon and vegetables to the Brussels sprouts in the pan along with salt and pepper, to taste, and a pinch of sugar. Cover skillet with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts are just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.



Bacon Braised Green Beans

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse for Food Network Magazine

Excerpted from Emeril Lagasse's book, Emeril 20-40-60 (HarperStudio)

Prep Time:

15 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

17 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 servings





Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 6 slices bacon, diced

• 1 cup thinly sliced onion

• 2 tablespoons sliced garlic

• 2 pounds green beans, rinsed, ends trimmed

• 1 cup chicken stock, canned low-sodium chicken broth or water

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Set a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is well browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the green beans and toss to combine with the bacon and onions.

Increase the heat to medium high and add the chicken stock. As soon as the stock begins to boil, place the lid on the pan and cook the beans for about 6 minutes. Remove the lid, season the beans with the salt and pepper, and toss well. Replace the lid and cook until the beans are tender, 1 or 2 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat and transfer the beans to a serving dish or small platter.



Sauteed Carrots

Copyright 2002, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, All Rights Reserved

Prep Time:

5 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

10 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 servings



Ingredients

• 2 pounds carrots

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Peel the carrots and cut them diagonally in 1/4-inch slices. You should have about 6 cups of carrots. Place the carrots, 1/3 cup water, the salt, and pepper in a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes, until the carrots are just cooked through. Add the butter and saute for another minute, until the water evaporates and the carrots are coated with butter. Off the heat, toss with the dill or parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.



Pear-Pecan Stuffing

Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine

Prep Time:

10 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

15 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6





Directions

In a large deep skillet, saute 1 each chopped onion and carrot, 2 chopped celery stalks and 1 tablespoon each sage and thyme in 1 stick butter for 5 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and add 2 diced Bosc pears, then saute 2 minutes.

Pour in 1/4 cup bourbon and simmer 2 minutes, then add 2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth. Return to a simmer until step 5.

In a large bowl, mix 2 eggs and 1/4 cup chopped parsley.

Add to the bowl 16 cups toasted white bread cubes, 1 cup toasted pecans and the hot broth mixture.

Gently toss the stuffing, then spread in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Dot the top with butter or turkey pan drippings, cover and bake 30 minutes at 350. Uncover and bake until golden, 20 more minutes.

Photograph by Karl Juengel/Studio D



SO EASY PUMPKIN BREAD

Printed from COOKS.COM

________________________________________

2 c. canned or cooked pumpkin

1 c. oil

3 c. sugar

4 eggs

3 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. salt

Sift dry ingredients together. Mix pumpkin, oil, sugar and beaten eggs. Stir in flour mixture. Bake in 3 loaf pans at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.

Thanksgiving table setting

I searched the web and found the most fabulous Thanksgiving table settings.  I am going after work to pick my pieces.  Ahhh, so much to chose from.





























Saturday, November 13, 2010

Our Saturday before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving

This year our kids are spending Thanksgiving with their other parent.  Therefore, I am making out Thanksgiving dinner next Saturday, the Saturday before Thanksgiving.  It will be the first Thanksgiving meal I have ever prepared.  I am pretty excited.  I was listening to the radio and hear the Dj mentioned a brown paper bag turkey.  I found the recipe below. 




Paper Bag Turkey

1 whole turkey, 23-25 pounds
1 large brown paper bag (grocery bag)
Butter, soft but not melted
Salt or garlic salt and pepper to taste

•Remove neck and giblets from cavities. Rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff, if desired.
•Thoroughly coat the turkey with butter using your fingers or a paper towel. Season generously.
•Place the turkey in the paper bag. Seal the bag with staples, paper clips or a needle and thread. (Use 2 bags if 1 is too small.)

•Place the turkey on a sturdy shallow baking pan. Bake at 325° for about 5 hours. Reduce the cooking time to 4-4 1/2 hours for an unstuffed or smaller turkey.

And no, the paper will not burn, and the turkey will not taste like paper. But you will enjoy all those little gasps of appreciation when you "unwrap" your perfect paper bag turkey.

Leftover Turkey Tip

Here's a tip that will keep you from ever having to hear, Oh no, not turkey again! ever again. Instead of going the week-long 'leftover turkey dinner to turkey sandwiches to turkey casserole to turkey soup' route, start with the soup. Remove all the meat from the carcass right away, saving the bones for soup broth. Refrigerate any turkey meat you may want for the next day or two and freeze the rest. And voila, turkey only when you want it.

I plan to start next Saturday off with pumpkin pancakes.  My son is so cute and wrote down the instructions (well most of them) while he was on the Internet at school.  I found the below recipe online.

If you like pancakes, you'll love pumpkin pancakes. Throw in some chopped apple, or a handful of raisins or even some chopped cranberries if you like. Enjoy with warm maple syrup.


Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutesIngredients:

•1 cup all-purpose flour
•1/4 cup packed brown sugar
•1 1/2 tsp baking powder
•1/4 tsp salt
•1/2 tsp cinnamon
•1/2 tsp ground ginger
•1/4 tsp nutmeg
•1 large egg, lightly beaten
•1 tbsp canola oil
•1 cup nonfat milk
•1/3 cup pure pumpkin

Preparation:

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together in a medium bowl. Combine egg, oil, milk and pumpkin in a small bowl. Stir pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients. Leave to stand for five minutes.

For each pancake, scoop 1/4 cup of batter on to a hot griddle or nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Turn pancakes when bubbles appear and edges are cooked, after about 2 minutes. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes on second side.

Makes 8-10 pancakes.


Now all I need are sides.  I will also need to make some deserts.  I want to plan for each of us to write something that we can stand up and read that memorizes what we are thankful for.  oooh ooohh I want to start a family scrap book starting with this meal.  I hope I cook some things that are so great that they ask for them every year.  Ok, I have a lot of work to do.  I will keep you updated!

My Nan plant


I love this plant. It is the first plant I have ever had (that I kept alive). My friend gave it to me at Nanny's viewing the day before her funeral. I call it the Nan plant.  It is a really pretty green plant that has little white flowers that grow out of it.  The flowers that were originally on the plant have already died and new ones are growing.  I love the plant because it came to me when I was really sad about the loss of my beautiful Nanny.  Now, just like the original flowers have gone, the really sad part of losing Nan is gone.  Now it is time to start to heal and rejoice in the fact that she is in heaven.  Eeekkkk, I love my Nan plant and my Nan.
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What is that?


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I was at my parents house today for a little party where my sister reveled the gender of her baby,  She is having a girl!!  I am so excited for her and my mom.  Ok, so the leaf.  I was outside and I found this ugly leaf.  What are those ugly little spots that are sometime found on leaves.  I need to do a little research and find out.  Yuck Yuck Yuck.  I know, a little out of left field.  I will say I took a pretty cool pic of the leaf with my phone.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Halloween Candy Cake


My son got tons of candy for Halloween. I let him sort through it and separate what he wanted for his private stash, and what he would share with the family. I have to keep it on top of the fridge to make sure and keep my paws out of it. Sunday I rifled through the family stash and found a ton of KitKats, Whoppers and Hershey Bars. I made a simple three pan vanilla cake Saturday night, layered each cake layer with one of the three types of candy mentioned above, and covered it with vanilla icing Sunday. I got the cake mix and icing at Tom Thumb for half price on a table containing their Halloween clearance (I love to give my shout out to a great deal). After I covered it with icing, I got my mini greater and shaved chocolate all over it. Then shaved Whoppers all over it as they make a powder sugar type dust when grated. I also decorated the top of the cake with Whoppers. It was delicious and a big hit with my family!
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