Happy Monday!

Just a little something I ran into on Facebook – need a big sweater?

Just got home from a kinda quick shopping trip to Office Depot (to cash in two merchandise coupons worth $30), JoAnn’s to buy the black yarn for youngest son’s scarf, then to WalMart to do a little grocery shopping. Don’t know about you, but everytime I go to WalMart I end up ‘impulse buying’ which, I’m sure, they COUNT ON! Didn’t really have a clue as to what’s for dinner tonight (hoping oldest son will finally bring over the Thanksgiving leftovers he promised!) – noticed they had the really big Randall’s beans (in a big jar) on sale for something like $3.19 – that sparked the idea for CHILI! Then, while in the lunch meats/hot dogs aisle, saw they had Hillshire Farms bratwurst with cheese on sale so decided that we would have THOSE on buns for dinner (just in case we get the leftovers, we wouldn’t have any leftovers from TONIGHT, just the turkey stuff – hopefully). Chili can wait a day or so; got some marked down donut holes for the guys and then noticed those plastic candy canes filled with M & M’s (or Reece’s peanut butter ones) – grabbed 4 of those for Christmas stockings (might as well do it when I think of it, right?). They had 2-liter bottles of Mountain Dew for $1 a bottle (YAY!) husband loves the stuff, so got 6 bottles (& 1 bottle of Vernors, for me. . . ). Happy I’m home now and comfy at my computer writing to Y’all! While at Office Depot I remembered seeing in their flyer they had those small super bright LED flashlights: grabbed 4 of those; 3 for the boys and one for our gentleman special needs helper/leader – I never know what to get him and thought this might be something he can actually USE! (I have a small one in my purse – they are really great for throwing off a LOT of light!).

Chatting with middle son, we got to talking about Christmas presents; a few days ago he said he would really like it if I could get him the charger cord for his laptop (he lost the last charger – hasn’t had one for a good 2-3 months). I told him No Problem – it came Saturday. Husband asked me if I already GAVE it to him; I replied: “NO! It’s supposed to be for Christmas!” When same son asked me today if I actually ordered it I ‘caved’ and told him it had arrived. He said: “I want to pay you for it – then you can surprise me with some ‘character t-shirts’ for Christmas instead!” (like Spongebob/characters from some of his favorite video games, etc). So much for the element of SURPRISE, eh? Oh well, I guess at 26 you don’t really get that excited for what’s under the tree – right?

=====================

Beef & Potato Scramble
Casserole

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 1/2 lb. potatoes, peeled/diced
8 eggs, lightly beaten
1 onion, chopped
2 C. Cheddar cheese, grated
1 C. milk or heavy cream
3 T. olive oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. chopped parsley (dried)
kosher salt/black pepper, to taste
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Lightly spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish
with nonstick spray. Heat olive oil
in large pan or skillet over medium-
high heat & saute potatoes until
tender, 10-15 minutes then transfer
to a separate bowl. Add ground
beef & onions to skillet & cook until
beef is browned & onions are tender,
season with garlic powder, parsley, salt/
pepper – drain fat. Transfer mixture to
same bowl with potatoes – mix & place
in prepared baking dish. In separate
bowl whisk milk & eggs; stir in Cheddar
cheese & pour over mixture in baking
dish – stir together. Bake 20 minutes
until eggs are cooked & all is warmed
thoroughly. Serve hot. Serves 6-8

(recipe: allfood.recipes)
—————————————

Easy Apple Dumplings

2 (8 oz, ea) tubes refrigerated crescent
roll dough
2 large Granny Smith apples, cored/peeled
1 (4 oz) stick salted butter
1 1/2 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
6 oz. lemon-lime soda (like Sprite
or Mountain Dew)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking pan with nonstick
spray. Slice cored/peeled apples into 8
wedges. Open one tube crescent rolls &
carefully unroll; separate the triangles
from each other. Place 1 apple slice on
wide end of triangle; roll up (see dough
pkg. directions). Tuck ends around apple
slice to completely enclose it then place
in prepared pan, repeating with 7
remaining triangles – repeat same with
second can. Place butter in a microwave-
save measuring cup & microwave until
melted, about 1 minute. Stir in sugar,
vanilla & cinnamon; mix & spread evenly
over dumplings in pan. Pour soda around
edges of pan. Bake 35-40 minutes until
rolls are golden brown on top. Makes 16

(recipe: tiphero.com)
———————————————

Country Fried Steak

3 lb. rib-eye steaks, (each 6 oz &
1/2″ thick)
3/4 C. milk
1 egg, beaten
2-3 C. flour
2 tsp. seasoning salt
canola oil

Gravy:
3 heaping T. flour
2 C. cold milk
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
–
Trim all fat off steaks. Using a
rolling pin, pound out steaks to
1/4″ thick. Mix egg & milk in a
shallow dish. In another shallow
dish place flour, salt/pepper –
mix. Cover bottom of a large
skillet with about 1/2 inch oil; turn
to medium-high heat. Coat steaks
first with egg mixture, then coat
both sides with flour mixture; add
steaks to pan. Cook 2-3 minutes on
each side; continue doing this until
steaks are thoroughly cooked. Mix
gravy ingredients together. Remove
steaks to a platter; add gravy
ingredients to skillet; cook & stir
until warm. Serve steaks with gravy
on top. Serves 8

(recipe: finesoutherndish.com)
—————————————-
Bacon Mozzarella Sticks
(fried)

12 string cheese sticks (mozzarella)
1/2 qt. vegetable oil
1 C. panko breadcrumbs
1 C. bacon bits
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 C. flour
1 C. buttermilk*
1 egg
–
Blend panko breadcrumbs, bacon bits,
salt/pepper in food processor until finely
ground. In small bowl whisk flour,
buttermilk & egg. Cut cheese sticks in
half. Heat oil to 375 degrees F. Use a
thermometer & watch carefully. Dip a
cheese stick half in batter, allowing
excess to drip off. Coat in panko/bacon
mixture. Fry in hot oil several seconds
(about 15-25) until golden brown. Cook
cheese sticks 1-2 at a time ONLY. Drain
on paper towel. Serves 24

*If you don’t have buttermilk:
Using a 2-Cup measuring cup,
pour milk in cup to 1 Cup. Pour
1 T. lemon juice or vinegar into
milk & stir. Let set 5 minutes –
now you have buttermilk.

(recipe:thegunnysack.com)
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“Mexajita” Chicken

3 T. canola oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt/pepper
2 (16 oz, ea) cans pinto beans,
undrained (recommended: Bush’s)
2 (10 oz) cans Mexican diced
tomatoes (Ro*Tel)
1 T. Fajita seasoning mix
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Heat oil in large skillet over
medium-high heat. Season
chicken breasts with salt/pepper.
Place in skillet & sear 2 minutes
per side. Place pinto beans in
bottom of a 9 X 13 baking dish.
In medium bowl stir diced
tomatoes & Fajita seasoning.
Remove chicken from skillet &
place in baking dish on top of
beans. Pour tomato mixture
over chicken. Cover with foil
& bake 25 minutes until
chicken is tender. Serves 4

(recipe: Foodnetwork.com)
——————————-

Caramel-Filled Snickerdoodles

2 3/4 C. flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 C. vegetable shortening
1 3/4 C. sugar (plus more,
if needed)
2 T. cinnamon (plus more if
needed)
2 large eggs
48 soft caramel candies or Rolos-
chocolate-enrobed caramels
unwrapped
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place one oven rack in top third
and one rack in bottom third of
oven. Line baking sheets with
parchment paper.
Sift flour, cream of tartar, baking
soda & salt. Using elec. mixer with
paddle attachment, combine butter,
shortening & 1 1/2 C. sugar; beat on
medium speed until light & fluffy,
about 2 minutes. Add eggs & beat
to combine. Add dry ingredients &
beat to combine.
In small bowl combine remaining 1/4
C. sugar & ground cinnamon-
pour into shallow plate or pie
plate. Using a 1 1/4 oz
(small) ice cream scoop, form dough
into balls. Break balls in two & place
one caramel in center; wrap dough
around caramel to make a ball then
roll in cinnamon sugar. Place balls
about 2 inches apart on prepared
baking sheets. Bake about 10 minutes,
rotating sheets after 5 minutes. Cookies
are done when set in center & begin
to crack on top (they will not brown).
Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool –
about 5 minutes before transferring
cookies to rack (off cooking sheets).
Serve warm. Makes 4 dozen cookies

(recipe: Recipe-Galore)
—————————————-

Crockpot Tasty Dinner

1 bag frozen tortellini
1 small bag fresh spinach
2 cans Italian-style diced
tomatoes
1 box (or 4 C) vegetable broth
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese cut
into chunks
–
Place all ingredients in crockpot &
cook on Low 4 hours.

Note: poster said she also added
grilled shrimp & Parmesan cheese
to mixture after cooking

(recipe:CrockPotMoms)
—————————————

Cheesy Ham Chowder

10 strips bacon, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 C. diced carrots
3 T. flour
3 C. milk
1 1/2 C. water
2 1/2 C. potatoes, cubed
1 (15 1/4oz) can whole kernel
corn, drained
2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
pepper, to taste
3 C. (12 oz) shredded Cheddar
cheese
2 C. cubed, fully cooked ham
–
In Dutch oven cook bacon over
medium heat until crisp. Use a
slotted spoon to remove bacon to
paper towels to drain. Saute onion
& carrots in drippings until tender.
Stir in flour & blend; gradually add
milk & water – bring to boil. Cook &
stir 2 minutes until thickened. Add
potatoes, corn, bouillon & pepper –
reduce heat & simmer, uncovered,
20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
Add cheese & ham, heat until cheese
melts. Stir in bacon & serve.
Serves 10

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————–

Pistachio Pudding Dessert

Crust:
1 stick butter, softened
1 C. flour
1 C. chopped walnuts
–
Layer 1:
1 C. powdered sugar
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 C. Cool Whip, thawed
–
Layer 2:
2 regular sized pkgs. instant
pistachio pudding mix
3 C. milk
–
Topping:
Cool Whip
Chopped walnuts
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Mix butter, flour, nuts & press into 9 X
13″ baking pan. Bake 20 minutes then
cool. Mix powdered sugar, cream cheese
& Cool Whip; spread on cooled crust.
Beat pudding mix & milk until thick;
spread on cream cheese layer & top
with a layer of Cool Whip & chopped
nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

(recipe: Facebook)

============================

The weather is more ‘winter-like’ now: clear,
slightly windy and around 40 degrees F. –
time for the gloves & hat. I’m still happy that
the roads/sidewalks are clear for driving/
walking (with no snow – yet).

Gas prices today: $1.70/9

Hope you’re doing something you
ENJOY doing!

Hugs;

Pammie

Have you ever –

put something away (say, a Christmas or Birthday gift) and then couldn’t remember WHERE you put it? That just happened to me; I have been ordering a few things on Amazon lately for the family – (me & my OCD – I’m very quick to send a comment on how I liked/disliked an item). While I was thinking on what had already arrived (and I hid away) I got to a present for middle son: leather wallet with his favorite video game logo . . . now WHERE did I put that? Looked around, found husband’s book I ordered for him . . kept looking in just about EVERY place I could think of . . . no wallet. Finally I decided to go back on Amazon and see the status of the shipment . . . good thing I did! Turns out it won’t ARRIVE until JANUARY 4TH! Just so happens January 4th is said son’s BIRTHDAY – YAY! (Now the problem arrives: NOW what do I get him? Will have to think on that one; no – the wallet wasn’t the only gift, but it was the first one I came up with & ordered for said son.) While still on Amazon was able to chose some nice kitchen serving utensils for oldest chef son; observed at the dinner that he had to borrow his neighbor’s utensils as he didn’t have enough serving spoons, tongs, etc. (light bulb goes off: Mom will get those for him!). The guys are all grown now which makes buying them gifts much harder; when they were younger I pretty much knew what they would want/like – now it’s all up in the air!

Finished the Cruella de Vil scarf and it’s plenty long for a guy to put over his head and also wrap around his neck.

It’s very thick & warm; shades of black/greys & white

For the next few days I will continue working on the other two baby blankets and Monday will go get the yarn for youngest son’s scarf. It certainly is different working on thin baby yarn after working on very thick/fuzzy yarn for so long; glad that one is DONE!

====================

Cheesy Hashbrown Breakfast
Casserole

8 frozen hash brown patties
6 eggs
2 C. milk
1 C. sour cream
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. black pepper
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp &
crumbled
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese,
divided
3 green onions, thinly sliced
–
Preheat oven 450 degrees F.
Place hash brown patties in single
layer in 9 X 13″ baking dish sprayed
with nonstick spray. Bake 20 minutes
until browned, turning after 10
minutes. remove from oven & let
stand 5 minutes. Reduce oven temp.
to 350 degrees F.
Beat eggs in large bowl using wire
whisk. Add milk, sour cream, garlic powder,
mustard & pepper; mix well. Stir in bacon,
1 1/2 C. cheese & onions; pour over hash
browns in pan & sprinkle top with
remaining 1/2 C. cheese. Bake 40-50
minutes until center is set & edges are
golden brown. Serves 12

(recipe: mccormick.com)
—————————————–

Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler

1 C. + 3 T. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 C. pumpkin puree
1/4 C. milk
1/4 C. melted butter (or vegetable
oil)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Topping:
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. chopped pecans
1 1/2 C. very hot water
–
vanilla ice cream
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In medium bowl stir flour, baking
powder, salt, sugar & spices. In
smaller bowl stir pumpkin, milk,
melted butter & vanilla to combine;
pour wet ingredients into dry
ingredients; mix to create a thick
batter. Pour into a 8 X 8″ casserole
dish with high sides. In separate
bowl stir sugar, brown sugar & pecans
– spread over top of batter evenly. Pour
hot water over entire thing (DO NOT
STIR). Bake 40  minutes (or, once
middle is set).
NOTE: Be sure to place on a baking sheet
in case it bubbles over.
Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Serves 8

(recipe: larenslatest.com)
———————————————-

Apple Salad with Maple/Mustard
Vinaigrette

1/4 C. thawed frozen apple juice
concentrate
2 T. cider vinegar
2 T. canola oil
2 T. spicy brown mustard (Dijon)
2 T. maple syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Salad:
9 C. torn mixed salad greens
2 large tart apples, chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 C. chopped walnuts, toasted
–
In small bowl whisk first 7 ingredients.
In large bowl combine salad greens,
apples, onion & walnuts – drizzle with
vinaigrette & toss to coat. Serves 12
(1 cup each)

NOTE: to toast walnuts:
Heat oven 350 degrees F.
Place nuts on a shallow pan & bake
5-10 minutes (OR) cook in a skillet
over Low heat until lightly browned,
stirring occasionally.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————————-
Cheddar-Bacon Dip

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 C. (8 oz) sour cream
5 green onions, thinly sliced
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 (16 oz) jar taco sauce
2 C. (8 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 lb. sliced bacon – cooked/crumbled
–
tortilla or nacho tortilla chips,
for dipping
–
In a bowl beat cream cheese & sour
cream until smooth; spread in an
ungreased 9 X 13 dish or on a 12″
plate. Combine onions, tomatoes &
green peppers; sprinkle over cream
cheese layer. Pour taco sauce over
vegetables & sprinkle top with
Cheddar cheese. Refrigerate. Just
before serving sprinkle top with
bacon. Serve with chips.
Makes 10-12 servings.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————————-

Cauliflower Breadsticks

1 medium head cauliflower (this
will produce 4 C. riced cauliflower)
4 eggs
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 T. dried oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 additional cup shredded
mozzarella cheese (topping)
–
marinara sauce, for dipping
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Line a sheet pan with parchment
paper. Cut cauliflower into florets,
discarding any large stem pieces.
Place florets in bowl of food
processor & pulse until it is
chopped into small pieces that are
about the size of a grain of rice. Place
4 C. riced cauliflower* in a large-sized
microwaveable bowl; cover with
plastic wrap. Microwave 10 minutes
until tender. When done, remove
plastic wrap & let cool. Add eggs,
2 C. mozzarella, oregano, garlic,
salt/pepper – stir to combine. Divide
mixture in half & shape into 2 circles
on prepared sheet. Bake 25 minutes
then remove from oven & top with
remaining cheese – bake another 5
minutes until cheese melts & edges
are brown. Slice into strips & serve
with marinara sauce (if desired).
Serves 8

*reserve any leftovers for another
recipe, such as cauliflower fried
rice)

(recipe: tiphero.com)
—————————-
Crockpot Pork Chops &
Caramelized Apples & Onions

4 pork chops
3 Granny Smith apples, cut into
slices (peeled)
2 yellow onions, sliced into rings
1/3 C. packed brown sugar
kosher salt/black pepper, to taste
–
Spray insides of crockpot with nonstick
spray. Layer onions on bottom, then
apples. Sprinkle brown sugar over top.
Season pork chops with salt/pepper
generously on both sides & place on
top of apples. Cover & cook on Low
4 hours. Serves 4

(recipe: jamiecooksitup.net)
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Tomato/Spinach Pasta Toss

2 C. rotini pasta, uncooked
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1 (6 oz) pkg. baby spinach leaves
1 (14.5 oz) can Italian-style diced
tomatoes, undrained
1 C. mozzarella cheese
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
–
Cook pasta accordg. to pkg. directions,
omitting salt. Cook sausage in deep
large skillet on medium-high heat
10-12 minutes until done, stirring
occasionlly. Drain & return to skillet.
Add spinach & tomatoes; cook 2
minutes until spinach is wilted, stirring
occasionally. Drain pasta & return to
pan. Add sausage mixture & cheeses,
mix lightly. Serves 4

(recipe: Kraft recipes)
———————————–

Kentucky Butter Cake

Cake:
1 C. butter, cubed, room temp.
2 C. sugar
4 eggs
1 T. vanilla
3 C. flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 C. buttermilk
–
Butter Glaze:
1/3 C. butter
3/4 C. sugar
2 T. water
2 tsp. vanilla
–
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Grease 10″ bundt pan with butter
or shortening VERY liberally; dust
pan with flour. Place all cake
ingredients in a bowl of stand
mixer (with paddle attachment).
Mix on Low 30 seconds, increase
speed to medium; mix 3 minutes.
Pour batter into prepared pan; bake
65-75 minutes until toothpick
inserted into center comes out clean.
Prepare glaze:
Combine all glaze ingredients in small
saucepan over medium-low heat. STir
continuously until butter is melted &
sugar is dissolved – do not bring to boil.
Poke holes all over warm cake using a
knife; pour glaze evenly on cake while
still in pan. Allow cake to cool completely
in pan, then invert onto a serving plate.

NOTE: Poster says she makes the cake
a day in advance, finding it to be more
moist & flavorful when it rests overnight.

(recipe: cookiesandcups.com)

—————————————-

Cranberry Corn Salsa

2 C. fresh strawberries, chopped
2 C. grape tomatoes, chopped
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen corn, thawed
2 green onions, chopped
3 T. minced fresh cilantro
1/3 C. olive oil
2 T. raspberry vinager
2 T. lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
–
Baked tortilla chips, for dipping
–
In large bowl combine first 5
ingredients. In small bowl whisk
oil, vinegar, lime juice & salt – drizzle
over strawberry mixture & toss to
coat. Refrigerate 1 hour & serve with
chips. Makes 5 1/2 C.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
========================

That’s about ‘it’ for today – weather is sunny/
clear & 39 degrees F. – great for shopping, if
that’s what you want to do.

Hope you have a GREAT Saturday!

Hugs;

Pammie

Happy “Day After”!

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and guess who forgot to bring her camera to the dinner? Yep – me. We had a wonderful time with oldest son & his girlfriend at his house. This is the ‘chef’ son and he outdid himself (again) with a wonderful meal: turkey (both roasted & smoked – half & half), mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rolls, stuffing, some sort of risotta-something, gravy, lots of relish trays (one was veggies & hummus) – then the two desserts: his homemade pumpkin cheesecake & my apple crisp. His new girlfriend’s Mom brought a HUGE tray of ham roll-ups: some were cream cheese & pickle, cream cheese & green onion & my favorite: cream cheese & jalapeno pepper! (I ended up eating almost 10 of them, just trying to find another pepper one! – she had them all mixed up on the platter). Total of 12 people – great food, great company, lots of laughs. (the apple crisp came out just fine – I was constantly worrying while making it since I don’t use a recipe, just kind of ‘guess’ how much flour/sugar/cinnamon – it was good. Since my son does not have a huge table at his house to accommodate all those people his boss let him borrow 2 big tables, chairs, table clothes/cloth napkins for the event – very nice! He used his table in the living room to hold all the food – it worked out perfectly! Was happy sitting next to my grandson (9) who, every once in awhile, would just lean over and put his head on my shoulder & grin – blessed my heart a LOT! Since there was SO much food, we left ours (serving dishes & all) at his house & he said he’ll stop by with them & some leftovers in the next few days (he has to work). Girlfriend’s parents kept telling me that since I enjoyed the ham roll ups so much, I should take them all home!  Seems funny waking up today with no leftovers – but that’s OK; the only thing in the sink now is the huge pot we used to make the mashed potatoes in!

Oh, that reminds me: on the issue of dirty dishes – Whirlpool company called us today to inform us it will be December 5th when they deliver the NEXT new dishwasher – great. . . I see some hand-washing in my future. (on the phone Wednesday they said THIS Friday or the coming Monday – oh well – sigh).

As you probably expected – here comes the LEFTOVERS recipes! and some extras thrown in. . .

===============

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

4 eggs
2 C. pumpkin puree
1 C. vegetable oil
4 C. sugar
4 1/2 C. flour
2 T. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4 C. fresh cranberries, chopped
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In bowl combine eggs, pumpin
puree & oil. Add dry ingredients
& mix well. Add cranberries & mix
well. Spray 2 large loaf pans and
1 small loaf pan with
nonstick spray & divide dough
into pans. Bake 50 minutes.

(recipe: thesisterscafe.com)

===

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice:

2 T. cinnamon
1 T. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
–
Place all spices in a jar & shake well,
or use a bowl & fork to mix together.

(recipe: thesisterscafe.com)
—————————————-

Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
(using cooked leftovers)

2 T. butter
1 medium onion, chopped small
3 C. leftover cooked turkey, cut
into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 C. leftover carrots, chopped
into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 C. leftover green beans,
cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 C. frozen peas
1 to 1 1/2 C. gravy
2 C. leftover stuffing
4 C. leftover mashed potatoes
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Melt butter in large saucepan over
medium heat. Add onion & cook
3-5 minutes. Stir in turkey, carrots,
beans & peas; cook until heated
through. Stir in gravy; pour turkey
mixture into a 2 qt. casserole dish.
Top with stuffing & smooth even,
then top with mashed potatoes &
smooth evenly. Place dish on a
baking sheet (in case it bubbles
over) – bake 15-20 minutes until
top is browned. Serves 4

(recipe: realhousemoms.com)
——————————

Italian Turkey Skillet

1 (16 oz) pkg. linguine
2 T. canola oil
3/4 C. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
2 C. cubed, cooked turkey
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes,
drained
1 (10 3/4 oz) can tomato soup
1 T. Italian seasoning
1 T. minced fresh parsley
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese,
optional
–
Cook linguine accordg. to pkg.
directions. In large skillet heat oil
over medium-high heat. Add
mushrooms, onion, celery & green
pepper; cook & stir until tender.
Stir in turkey, tomatoes, soup &
seasonings; heat through. Drain
linguine; add to turkey mixture &
toss to combine. (If desired,
sprinkle with cheese & let stand,
covered, until cheese melts.)
Serves 8

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————

Turkey & Wild Rice Casserole

1 lb. cooked turkey, chopped
2 boxes quick-cooking long grain
& wild rice mix (6.2 oz)
1/4 C. butter
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 C. onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 C. sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 C. bread crumbs
1 C. chopped pecans (optional)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 11 X 7″ baking dish with
nonstick spray. Prepare rice accordg.
to pkg. directions. In large skillet
melt butter, add celery & onion;
cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
Stir in turkey, soups, sour cream,
milk & salt. Add in rice & 1 C. cheese.
Carefully stir until mixed then pour
in prepared dish. Bake 35 minutes;
sprinkle top with remaining cheese
(& pecans) bake an additional 5
minutes.  Serves 6

(recipe: lemonsforlulu.com)
—————————————–

Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole

1 (6 oz) pkg. stuffing mix for turkey
4 C. chopped leftover cooked turkey
2 C. frozen mixed vegetables (carrots,
green beans, corn, peas) thawed
3/4 C. mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
3 C. leftover mashed potatoes
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp. paprika
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Prepare stuffing mix per pkg. directions;
spread onto bottom of 9 X 13″ pan
sprayed with nonstick spray. Combine
turkey, mixed vegs & mayo – spoon over
stuffing. Mix potatoes & cheese; spread
over turkey mixture; sprinkle top with
paprika. Bake 30-40 minutes until heated
through.  Serves 8

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
——————————————-

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Crescents

2 (8 oz, ea) cans crescent roll dough
2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Roll out 1 tube crescent rolls into bottom
of 9 X 13 pan sprayed with nonstick spray.
Cream together cream cheese, 1 C. sugar,
1 tsp. vanilla & spread over rolls in pan.
Roll out & lay second tube of rolls on top.
Melt butter, mix in 3/4 C. sugar & cinnamon;
pour over top of rolls in pan. Bake 30-35
minutes.

(recipe: Mike Suddaby-Facebook)
——————————-

Bacon-wrapped Sesame Breadsticks

24 sesame breadsticks (4 1/2 inches long)
12 slices bacon, cut in half (making 24
shorter slices)
1 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. garlic salt or w tsp. garlic powder
crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
–
Optional
Mix into cheese-
all or some – your choice:
dry ranch dip mix
chopped chives
brown sugar
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Combine cheese & garlic salt/powder.
Wrap bacon slices in a spiral around
each breadstick. Place breadsticks
on greased or parchment paper
lined pan. Cook 15 minutes until
bacon is browned just a little.
Remove & carefully roll the hot
breadstick in cheese mixture.
Makes 24 breadsticks

(recipe: food.com)
———————————–

Crockpot Ham & Cabbage Soup
(gluten free)

3 medium potatoes, peeled/cut
into small chunks
3 medium carrots, peeled/diced
1 – 1/2 lb. lean cooked ham, cut
into small chunks
1 medium onion, diced
1 small head cabbage, chopped
into small pieces
4 C. chicken broth or 4 C. water
& 4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 T. cornstarch
1/4 C. water
–
Place all ingredients except cornstarch
& 1/4 C. water into crockpot. Cover &
cook on Low 8-9 hours or High 4-5
hours. Just before serving combine
cornstarch & 1/4 C. water, mix until
smooth then stir into soup. Cover &
cook on High 15 minutes until soup
is thickened.

(recipe: crockpotrecipeexchange.com)
————————————-

Crockpot Blueberry Breakfast
Casserole

2 C. blueberries
1 egg
1 C. Cream of WHEAT
1 C. long-cooking oats
1 T. baking powder
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 C. oil
1/4 C. chopped walnuts
3 T. butter
1 C. milk
–
Mix all ingredients (except blueberries
& nuts). Fold in blueberries & nuts.
Pour batter into crockpot, cover &
cook on Low 3 hours or High 1 1/2 – 2
hours, until casserole sets up. Serve
warm. Serves 10

NOTE: This recipes works well in a 5-6
qt. crockpot – watch the cooking time
closely the first time you try it. When
served up it tends to be crumbly if
served warm. If you want it more of
a slice-able/casserole piece, let it
cool first.
Towards end of cooking time you
may want to remove the lid to let
some of the steam out and help the
center finish setting up.

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
===================

Today’s emails (72 to start) were mostly filled
with either Black Friday ads or tons of recipe
sites all pushing leftover recipes – I’ll get to the
recipe sites later, the other were deleted. I’m
NOT a shopper – especially on Black Friday or
even this entire weekend. There was discussion
last night as to who would get up early to
brave the crowds for the discounts – NOT ME!
There isn’t a thing I need that I’d go through
that insanity for.

For those who asked, youngest son’s finger is
doing well. He managed to play a video game
using it (that’s kind of his ‘test’ as to whether
it’s OK). He also got off to work at 8 a.m., so
I’m thinking working with a bandaged index
finger will be the REAL test (although he
finished out his shift the day he injured it).
He just keeps telling me how high his pain
tolerance is – sigh. I live with three ‘guys’ –
I’m more than used to the Male Bravado –
I repeat:  . . . sigh.

We awoke today to 58 degrees F. – all snow is
melted – YAY! Last night driving home around
9:30 p.m. it was 52 degrees F – that’s HIGHLY
unusual for this time of year in Michigan!
Looking at the weather report, it’s saying there’s
100% chance of rain this afternoon & 60%-30%
chance rain/snow likely then chance rain/snow
later with night temps at 32 degrees (for those
of us who live here, anything 32 degrees F and
under is definitely the temps for snow – sigh)
Rest of weekend is clear & sunny but only highs
of 42 – as long as the white stuff stays away,
I don’t mind 42 degrees F!

Hope you are enjoying this holiday time.
Remember to take a little time to relax –
you’ve earned it!

Hugs;

Pammie

 

Ah, the ‘fun’ . . .

Today, bright & early (7:30 a.m.) we got a phone call telling us they would be here to deliver our new dishwasher in 15 minutes – super rush on husband’s & my part to get the area cleared for a swift exchange of old for new. I was totally amazed at just how quickly they got the job done – “Thank you, enjoy your day” and they were gone. I loaded it up with dirty dishes, put in the soap packet then husband rolled it to the sink, plugged in the water hose, turned on the water and I walked in – to a BIG puddle under the dishwasher, on the floor! Husband said he heard a sound when he turned on the water – to make this a short story, called Home Depot and they’re checking it out – we should hear by Friday or Monday. When we purchased it the saleslady made SURE we understood that if anything went wrong we were to contact them within 3 days (she told us the story of a man who bought a big appliance, like an upright freezer; something went wrong and he waited the weekend to contact them . . . a half-day late – they wouldn’t do anything for him – guess he didn’t purchase the warantee; not sure but definitely NOT COOL!). We DID purchase a 2 year warantee – we’ll see where this goes.

After the delivery men left I started feeling warm/dizzy – thought it was just low blood sugar (since I hadn’t eaten anything since around 8 p.m. the night before). As the morning wore on, turns out it was a light batch of food poisoning – sigh. I had warmed up the last of the baked potatoes from the Movie Night a week before (not really even THINKING about how old they were) – ate about half of them and VOILA! Today it was major gas pains and all the other ‘fun’ stuff you get with that (won’t mention here). Spent the morning lying down and attempting to sleep some. The next ‘new adventure’ transpired as written below; good thing I was feeling much better when I got the call!

It’s been a kind of crazy few days – youngest son came home from work last night showing me his bandaged index finger which he’d cut pretty badly at work – he decided to just ‘go with it’ and went to work today. Called me around 2 p.m. telling me someone at work re-bandaged his finger but told him it would need stitches – guess who spent a good 3 hours in Emergency awaiting his finger-fixing (I brought my knitting, so got lots done). We just got home from there – turns out they said they couldn’t DO any stitches because of how/where he injured it, but they did a really good clean up/bandaging so he’s ‘good to go’…sigh.  Never a dull  moment around here, that’s for sure!

Lots of all kinds of recipes for the holidays – will just throw as many as I can at you, in case you can use them!

==================

Creamy/Crispy Stuffed Onions

3 onions, peeled/ cut in half
horizontally
1 T. canola oil
1/4 C. cream cheese
2 T. sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely
chopped
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 T. panko bread crumbs
1 T. margarine, melted
1 tsp. bacon bits
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Place onions, cut side up, in
9 X 13″ baking dish – drizzle
tops with oil. Bake 50 minutes.
Remove from oven & allow to
cool slightly. Carefully remove
the center of the onions –
leaving a shell. In small bowl
combine cream cheese, sour
cream, garlic, rosemary, salt/
pepper – evenly spread filling
on top & into center hole of
onions. In small bowl combine
panko bread crumbs, margarine,
& bacon bits; sprinkle evenly on
top of each onion. Bake 10-15
minutes until golden brown.
Serves 6

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————–

Sausage Stuffing

1 onion, chopped
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, melted/
divided
1 (16 oz) pkg. ground pork sausage
1/4 lb. fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 3/4 C. chicken broth
1 (8 oz) pkg. corn bread stuffing
1/2 C. chopped almonds,
toasted (optional)
1 egg, beaten
–
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Spray 8″ square baking dish with
nonstick spray. In large skillet
over medium-high heat cook
sausage & mushrooms 3-5
minutes until sausage has
browned & mushrooms are tender.
Drain, if necessary. In large bowl
combine chicken broth, stuffing &
almonds; mix well. Add remaining
butter, sausage mixture & egg;
mix well & spoon into prepared
dish. Cover with foil & bake
30 minutes. Uncover & bake 30-35
minutes longer until heated
through & top is golden brown.
Serves 6

Note; can add chopped celery in
place of nuts, if desired.

(recipe: mrfood.com)
———————————

Cheddar Carrot Pudding

1 lb. fresh or frozen carrots,
cooked & mashed
6 T. butter, softened
4 eggs
1 C. cracker meal
3/4 C. (3 oz) shredded Cheddar
cheese
3/4 C. milk
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
–
Spray a microwaveable 8 X 8″
baking dish with nonstick spray.
In large bowl place carrots, butter;
mix well. Add eggs, one-at-a-time,
beating after each addition. Stir
in remaining ingredients, pour into
prepared dish. Microwave at 80%
power 10-12 minutes or until
center is set. Cut into squares &
serve. Serves 6

(recipe: mrfood.com)
—————————————

Creamy Garlic Salsa Dip

1 (1 oz) envelope savory herb
with garlic soup mix (Knorr or Lipton)
1 (16 oz0 tub sour cream
1/2 C. chunky salsa
–
In medium bowl combine all
ingredients. Chill at least 2 hours
before serving with favorite dippers.
Makes 2 1/2 C.

(recipe: food.com)
————————————–

3-ingredient Sausage/Cheese Dip

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes &
green chilies, drained
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
–
Cook & stir sausage until no longer
pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes & cream
cheese; cook & stir until cheese is
melted. Serve warm. Makes 3 C.

(recipe: food.com)
—————————————

Cranberry Quinoa

(quinoa-to serve 6)
2 C. water
1/2 C. dried cranberries
1/2 tsp. salt
3 T. thinly sliced green onions
1 T. vegetable oil
1 T. lemon juice
–
In medium saucepan add water,
cranberries & salt – bring to boil.
Add quinoa; reduce heat to Low.
Cover & cook 15-20 minutes until
water is absorbed. Stir in green
onions, oil & lemon juice. Serves 6

(recipe: readyseteat.com)
—————————————

Oven-roasted Brussels Sprouts with
Tomatoes

1 lb. small fresh Brussels sprouts,
trimmed, cut in half lengthwise
1 (14.5 oz) can (Hunts) fire-roasted
diced tomatoes, drained
2 T. canola oil
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Toss all above ingredients together
in large bowl. Spread mixture in single
layer on large shallow baking pan.
Bake 20 minutes until Brussels
sprouts are tender & browned,
stirring once halfway. Serves 6

(recipe: readyseteat.com)
—————————————–

Pumpkin Magic Cake

1 box yellow cake PLUS
ingredients needed on box
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
1/2 C. evaporated milk
2 C. heavy cream, divided
3 eggs
1 C. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice,
divided
1 T. powdered sugar
1 (4 serving size) box French Vanilla
instant pudding mix
1 C. cold milk
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Prepare cake mix accordg to box
instructions; pour batter into a
lightly greased 9 X 13″ baking pan.
In another bowl whisk pumpkin,
evap. milk, 1/2 C. cream, eggs,
brown sugar & pumpkin pie spice
until smooth. Slowly pour mixture
over cake batter. Bake cake 50-60
minutes until center is no longer
jiggly & a toothpick inserted into
the center comes out clean. Let
cool to room temperature.
Pour rest of heavy cream & powdered
sugar in a bowl. Using an elec.
mixer with whisk attachment, beat
on medium-high until stiff peaks
form. Whisk together pudding mix,
pumpkin pie spice & cold milk –
whisk until pudding begins to
thicken. Gently fold pudding
mixture into whipped cream until
it’s completely combined. Cover &
refrigerate until cake is completely
cooled. Spread mixture on top
of cake.

(recipe: ebay.com)
————————————-

Mashed Potato Casserole
(overnight recipe)

3/4 C. + 2 T. unsalted butter,
softened & more for pan
6 lb. Yukon gold potatoes,
peeled/cut into chunks
2 T. + 1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 C. sour cream
1 tsp. black pepper
6 T. finely chopped chives
2/3 C. bread crumbs
2/3 C. grated Parmigiano-
Reggiano cheese
–
Lightly grease 9 X 13″ baking dish.
In large pot place 4 qts water,
2 T. salt – bring to boil. Add
potatoes & boil until fork-
tender, about 20 minutes; drain.
Mash potatoes with 10 T. butter,
sour cream, 1 tsp. salt & pepper.
Mash in chives – taste & adjust
seasoning. Spread potatoes into
prepared pan. Cover refrigerate
up to 3 days.

In small bowl combine remaining
4 T. butter, bread crumbs & cheese;
mix until it forms coarse crumbs.
(crumbs can be refrigerated 3
days)
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Remove casserole from fridge;
sprinkle crumbs over top &
bake 30-40 minutes until
golden brown. Serves 12-14

(recipe: cooking.nytimes.com)
————————————

Butternut Squash Cornbread
(crockpot)

1 1/4 C. flour
3/4 C. cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 C. unsalted butter, melted
3 T. honey*
1 large egg, lightly whisked
2/3 C. butternut squash, cooked/
mashed well
3/4 C. + 2 T. buttermilk**
–
Line crockpot with foil; spray foil
with nonstick spray. In medium
bowl whisk flour, cornmeal, baking
powder & salt. In large bowl whisk
melted butter with honey. Beat in
egg until incorporated. Whisk in
squash then buttermilk. Slowly add
dry ingredients to wet; stir until
just combined (do not overmix-
it’s Ok to see small amounts of flour)
Pour batter into foil-lined crockpot –
smooth top with spatula & cover.
Cook on Low 3 1/2 – 4 hours or
High 1 1/2 -2 until edges are
brown & a toothpick inserted
into center comes out clean. Once
cooked, remove entire foil with
cornbread from crockpot & let cool
15 minutes. Cut & serve. Wrap any
leftovers in plastic wrap & place in
airtight container up to 2 days.
Serves 4-5

*If you want bread sweeter, add
more honey or 1/4 C. granulated sugar

**To make buttermilk:
Using a 1 C. measuring cup add 1 T.
lemon juice or vinegar. Pour milk
into cup to reach 3/4 C. measure &
stir. Let mixture set 5 minutes and
you now have buttermilk!

(recipe: lifemakessweeter.com)
———————————————-
Butternut Squash Au Gratin

1 butternut squash
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 T. flour
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 C. chicken broth
1 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese,
divided
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Cut squash lengthwise in half; discard
seeds. Cut each half crosswise into thin
slices; remove peels. Place squash in large
saucepan; add enough water to cover
squash. Bring to boil on high heat; simmer
on medium-low 8-10 minutes until squash
is tender. Cook bacon in skillet until crisp,
stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet
using slotted spoon, reserving 1 T. drippings
in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels. Add
onion to skillet; cook & stir 5 minutes until
crisp-tender. Stir in flour & pepper; cook &
stir 1 minute. Gradually stir in broth; cook
& stir 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove
from heat; stir in 1 C. cheese. Drain squash;
arrange half in 8 or 9″ baking dish. Cover with
half sauce; repeat layers & top with bacon &
remaining cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes until
squash mixture is heated through & cheese
is melted.

(recipe: walmart.com)
—————————————–
Pumpkin Spice Bark Candy

1 (10 oz.) pkg (Nestles Toll House
Pumpkin spice morsels
or Cinnamon morsels-
in bags like chocolate chips
1 (12 oz) bag white chocolate
morsels
1/2 C. finely chopped pecans
(or other nuts)
1/2 C. crushed pretzels
–
Cover a large cookie sheet with foil or
parchment paper. Place pumpkin
morsels in glass bowl; melt in micro-
wave on High 1 minute, remove & stir.
(If not  melted, micro again 10-15 sec.)
Stir chopped nuts into pumpkin morsels.
Place white choc. morsels in glass bowl;
melt in microwave on High 1 minute;
remove & stir (if not melted, do again
10-15 seconds). Stir in pretzel pieces &
spoon both melted mixtures onto cookie
sheet, alternating flavors (swirl a little).
Use a spatula to smooth melted morsels
& push them towards the sides of the
cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer 10
minutes until bark has solidified. Break
into pieces & serve on a plate.

(recipe: premeditatedleftovers.com)
—————————————–
Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes

2 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes or yams,
peeled/cut into bite-sized pieces
6 T. margarine*, melted
1 T. cinnamon
1 T. firmly packed brown sugar
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Toss cut potatoes, 2 T. margarine,
cinnamon & brown sugar in large
bowl. Arrange potatoes on baking
sheet in single layer & roast,
stirring once, 35 minutes until
golden brown. Drizzle with remaining
4 T. margarine. Serves 6

*recipe calls for “Country Crock cinnamon
spread margarine” – I listed (above) a
substitute for that ingredient

(recipe: countrycrock.com)
—————————————–

Pumpkin Torte
(overnight recipe)

1 2/3 C. graham cracker crumbs
1/3 C. sugar
1/2 C. butter, melted

Cream Cheese filling:
2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese,
softened
3/4 C. sugar
2 large eggs

Pumpkin filling:
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 C. cold water
1 (30 oz) can pumpkin pie filling
1 (5.5 oz) can evaporated milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Topping:
1 (12 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In small bowl combine cracker crumbs,
sugar & butter; press onto bottom of
ungreased 9 X 13 baking dish. In large
bowl beat cream cheese & sugar until
smooth. Add eggs & beat on Low speed
using elec. mixer, just until combined –
pour over crust & bake 25-30 minutes
until center is almost set. In small bowl
sprinkle gelatin over cold water & let
stand 1 minute. In large saucepan combine
pie filling & evap. milk – bring to boil. Add
gelatin; stir until dissolved. Whisk a small
amount of hot mixture into eggs & return
all to pan, whisking constantly. Cook &
stir over Low heat until mixture is thickened
& coats the back of a spoon. Cool 10
minutes. Spread over cream cheese layer,
spread Cool Whip over top. Cover &
refrigerate overnight. Serves 15

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————————
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes w/Cream
cheese frosting

3/4 C. butter, softened
2 1/2 C. sugar
3 large eggs
1 (15 oz) can solid-pack pumpkin
2 1/3 C. flour
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 C. buttermilk*

Frosting;
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. butter, softened
4 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl cream butter & sugar
until light & fluffy. Add eggs, one at
a time, beating well after each
addition. Add pumpkin & stir.
Combine flour, pie spice, baking
powder, cinnamon, salt, baking
soda & ginger – add to creamed
mixture alternately with buttermilk,
beating well after each addition.
Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-
fourths full. Bake 20-25 minutes until
a toothpick inserted into center comes
out clean. Cool 10 minutes before
removing from pans to wire racks to
cool completely.

Frosting:
In large bowl beat cream cheese & butter
until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla
& cinnamon – beat until smooth. Frost
cupcakes & refrigerate leftovers. Makes
2 dozen.

*Buttermilk:
If you don’t have buttermilk, pour
1 T. lemon juice or vinegar into a
2-cup measuring cup then fill cup
to 1 Cup mark with milk – stir &
let stand 5 minutes – you now have
buttermilk!

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
=====================

Spending a little time with you before
starting dinner (Pierogies & sausage).
Since I don’t have to cook an entire
meal tomorrow, it will be kind of nice
to enjoy the Thanksgiving parade on TV –
the boys always like watching that (I’m
usually in the kitchen getting the turkey
ready to cook!).

Hoping you have a really nice holiday-

Hugs;

Pammie

Forgot to mention the weather is
behaving – today it was 54 and most
of the snow is melting – YAY! We’re
supposed to get rain for the next few
days, but that’s OK – at least it’s not
the frozen stuff!

Monday – After SNOW!

Woke up this morning to 24 degrees F. (8 a.m.), now it’s 11:42 and the temps are up to 38 degrees! We’re supposed to get up to 50 degrees F. by Wednesday – hopefully all this ‘white stuff’ will be GONE! (one can hope, right?) Was very grateful that all of our family made it home safely last night – and out again today to go to work. Snow is OK – a ‘given’ if you live in Michigan; having it OFF of the driveways, walkways & roads is a blessing!

Still working on the Cruella de Vil scarf – it’s going at medium-speed; being that both yarns are really fuzzy makes for a little more time on each stitch (the yarns tend to weave together and you have to sort of struggle with each stitch, but that’s OK). Tomorrow (if the roads are clear) am planning on going to JoAnn’s for the black yarn for youngest son’s scarf (using same pattern as the last homeless mens gray scarf – yet to photo that one, sorry).

LOTS & LOTS of Thanksgiving/Holiday recipes coming in – almost more than I can keep up with or type! (Yes, I type up each recipe for your enjoyment; discovered that using ‘copy & paste’ just doesn’t work well here) not counting some of the directions are really poorly written. Ran into a recipe today that asked for 16 Tablespoons of butter – why not just say 3/4 C. + 2 T.??? (I re-wrote that part).

======================

Chive & Honey Biscuits

2 C. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 C. chopped fresh chives
1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. honey, warmed 20
seconds in microwave
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
In bowl stir flour, baking powder,
salt & chives together. In another
bowl stir milk, mayo & warm
honey. Mix wet ingredients into
dry until just coming together.
Roll out on floured surface to
3/4 inches thick. Cut into rounds
using biscuit cutter & place on
greased cookie sheet. Bake
10-12 minutes until golden brown.
Makes 12 biscuits.

(recipe: Hellmanns.com)
—————————————

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

1/4 C. butter, softened
4 C. cranberries
3/4 C. sugar
1 (3 oz) pkg. cranberry flavored
gelatin
2 tsp. orange zest
1 (2 layer size) pkg white cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding mix
2 large eggs
1 1/3 C. water
2 T. oil
2 C. Cool Whip, thawed
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Line 9 X 13″ pan with parchment, with
ends of parchment extending over sides.
Spread butter onto parchment on bottom
of pan. Toss cranberries with sugar, dry
gelatin mix & zest; spread onto bottom
of pan. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix,
eggs, water & oil with elec. mixer just
until blended (do not overbeat). Pour
over cranberries. Bake 40-45 minutes
until toothpick inserted into center
comes out clean; cool completely.
Invert cake onto platter; remove pan
& parchment. Serve cake topped with
Cool Whip. Serves 16

(recipe: kraftrecipes.com)
—————————————–

Butternut Squash Salad

1 medium sized butternut
squash
2 T. olive oil
1 T. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
6-8 C. leafy green salad blend
1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese
1/2 C. pomegranate arils (seeds
with flesh)
1/2 purple onion, thinly sliced
1/4 C. dry roasted pumpkin seed
kernels (pepitas)
–
Balsamic viniagrette, creamy
Italian or Ranch dressing
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Peel skin off squash using a
vegetable peeler. Chop off top
stem & bottom stump & discard.
Cut squash in half lengthwise &
use a spoon to remove seeds;
discard seeds. Cube the squash
into bite-sized pieces & place in
a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil ,
Italian seasoning, salt & pepper
on squash; toss to coat. Spread
in even layer on large baking
sheet; roast in oven 20-25 minutes,
stirring halfway until squash is lightly
browned & tender; let cool.
Place leafy green salad blend in a
large bowl; top with cooled squash,
feta cheese, pomegranate, onion
slices & pumpkin seed kernels.
Serve with your choice of salad
dressings.
Serves 10-12

(recipe: iwashyoudry.com)
——————————————-

Buttery Sweet Potato Casserole

2 (15 3/4 oz, ea) cans sweet potatoes,
drained/mashed
1/2 C. sugar
1 egg
1/4 C. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
dash salt
–
Topping:
1 C. coarsely- crushed Ritz (or other
company) butter crackers (about 25)
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1/4 C. butter, melted
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In large bowl combine first 6 ingredients.
Transfer to greased 8 X 8″ baking dish.
Combine topping ingredients & sprinkle
over top. Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes
until a thermometer reads 160 degrees F.
Serves 6-8

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————————–

Curried Pumpkin Soup

1 onion, diced
1 T. coconut oil or clarified butter*
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp. curry powder
3/4 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 medium (2 lb) pumpkin,
cut in half, seeds & pulp removed
3 1/2 C. vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 C. coconut milk**
cayenne pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
1 (7 oz) container Greek plain
yogurt (garnish)
——————-
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Rub pumpkin halves with coconut
oil or butter; place, flesh-side down
on foil-lined cookie sheet. Roast
45 minutes until flesh is tender when
pricked with a fork. Once cool enough
to touch, scoop pumpkin flesh out of
skins. Heat large soup pot over medium-
high heat & melt oil or butter. Add onion-
do not stir. Allow onions to brown on one
side, then flip & do no stir again. Add garlic,
ginger-stir & cook 1-2 minutes until garlic
becomes fragrant & slightly brown. Add
curry powder, coriander, cumin & cloves-
constantly stir until spices become
toasted & fragrant, about 60 seconds.
Add stock, coconut milk & pumpkin –
bring to boil. Turn off heat. In small
batches, place soup in a blender &
blend until smooth. Once soup is
completely smooth, place pot back
on burner on medium-high; bring
soup to a simmer. Serve soup with a
dollop of Greek yogurt.

NOTE: if soup is too thick, add more
stock to thin it.

*To Clarify Butter:
Cube required amount of butter &
place in small saucepan. Have a
small wooden spoon & bowl ready to
remove milk solids once butter
begins to bubble. Melt & cook
butter over Low heat; butter will
begin to bubble & white foam
(milk solids) will rise to the top.
Using wooden spoon, skim surface
of butter, removing white foam only.
Store white foam deposits in small
bowl. Continue cooking butter &
scraping off foam until no white
foam remains, then remove butter
from stove. Strain clarified butter through
a fine mesh sieve or a piece of cheese-
cloth to get rid of any remaining milk
solid bits. Store in airtight container
& refrigerate – will keep in fridge for
3-6 months. Note: clarified butter will
transform to a cloudy, dense paste
when at room temp or refrigerated.

**You can find coconut  milk in the
alcohol/drink mixes aisle at the
grocery

(recipe: popsugar.com)
——————————————–

Stuffing

2 lb. hearty white sandwich bread,
cut into 1/2″ pieces
16 T. unsalted butter, cut into 16
pieces
4 onions, finely chopped
4 celery ribs, finely chopped
4 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
6 C. chicken broth
–
Adjust oven racks to upper-
middle and lower-middle
positions.
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Divide bread between 2 rimmed
baking sheets & bake until golden
brown, 50-55 minutes, stirring
& switching/rotating sheets
halfway through. Cool completely
on sheets, then transfer to large
bowl. Melt butter in 12 inch skillet
over medium-low heat. Cook,
stirring constantly, until butter is
nutty brown, 5-7 minutes. Reserve
3 T. browned butter in small bowl.
Add onions & celery to skillet,
increase heat to medium & cook
until browned, 12-15 minutes. Stir
in poultry seasoning, salt/pepper &
cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add vegetable mixture to bowl
with toasted bread.
Increase oven temp. to 425 degrees F.
Add 2 C. broth to now-empty skillet
& cook over high heat, scraping up
any browned bits, until reduced to
one cup, 6-8 minutes. Combine
remaining four C. broth & reduced
broth with vegetable-bread mixture,
let set 10 minutes, stirring once.
Transfer stuffing to 9 X 13″ baking
dish & bake on upper-middle rack
until golden brown & crisp,
35-45 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes.
Serves 10-12

(recipe: popsugar.com)
————————————

Caramelized Onion/Cranberry Sauce

1 T. vegetable or canola oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into
medium dice
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 (12 oz) bag fresh or thawed
frozen cranberries, rinsed/picked
over (3 1/2 C.)
1 C. granulated sugar
–
In 10″ straight-sided saute pan or
skillet heat oil over medium heat.
Add onions, a pinch of salt & a
grind or 2 of pepper. Reduce heat to
Low, cover & cook, stirring occasionally,
until onions are golden-brown & very
soft, 20-25 minutes. Remove lid,
increase heat to medium-high &
cook onions, stirring often, until deep
caramel-brown color, 2-3 more
minutes. Add cranberries, sugar,
pinch of salt & 1/2 C. water – bring
to simmer over medium-high heat.
Simmer 2-3 minutes then cover,
turn off heat & let cool to room
temperature. Makes 2 1/2 C.

(recipe: popsugar.com)
—————————————–

Pumpkin Spice Rolls

4 tsp. active dry yeast (or approx.
2 envelopes)
1/4 C. milk
5 1/4 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/3 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1/4 C. melted butter
1 3/4 C. pumpkin puree (or a
15 oz. can of pure pumpkin)
egg wash: 1 egg, lightly beaten
with 1 T. water)
–
Heat milk to between 110 & 115
degrees F. (feels slightly warm on
back of your hand) on the stove or
in microwave; pour into bowl of
standard mixer. Stir in dry yeast &
let stand at least 5 minutes. In large
bowl combine first 6 ingredients;
mix well. In separate large bowl
lightly beat two eggs, then stir in
melted butter & pumpkin puree.
After yeast has been activated, add
wet ingredients directly into bowl of
standard mixer; stir to combine. Add
1/2 of dry ingredients (flour & spices)
& stir to mix together. After well
mixed, add remaining 1/2 of dry
ingredients & mix again. Using the
dough hook, allow machine to knead
dough until it is smooth & still some-
what sticky (3-5 minutes). Transfer
dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover &
let rise approx. 1 hour (it will double
in size).
Remove dough from bowl, place on
lightly floured surface. Lightly grease
a cookie sheet or two 8-9″ pans. Working
with half of dough, cut off 9-12 evenly
sized portions (depending on how big
you want them) and roll them into balls
that can fit in the palm of your hand.
Space them on pan so they are barely
touching sides of one another; they will
expand during second rising time & during
baking to completely fill the pan. Makes
18-24 rolls. (see Note)
After dough is shaped, cover it loosely & let
rise another 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
When bread is ready to bake, brush the top
lightly with egg wash. Bake 30-35 minutes
until browned or until an instant read
thermometer inserted into center reads
190 degrees F. Remove from oven & allow to
cool on a rack.

NOTE: If you would prefer, you can make 2
loaves

(recipe: thesisterscafe.com)
————————————————-

Bacon Cheese Spread

1 (12 oz) pkg. bacon strips;
chopped
1/2 C. chopped pecans
4 C. (1 lb) shredded sharp Cheddar
cheese
2 C. mayonnaise
1 small onion, chopped
2 T. finely chopped sweet red
pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne
–
assorted crackers, for dipping
–
Cook bacon until crisp; drain. In large
bowl combine next 6 ingredients; stir
in bacon. Serve with crackers.
Makes 4 cups

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)

——————————————-

Ambrosia in a Cloud

1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
2 (11 oz, ea) cans mandarin
oranges, drained
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple
in juice, drained
3 C. miniature marshmallows
2 C. flake coconut
–
Spread Cool Whip on bottom &
up sides of a 2 1/2 quart serving
bowl. Combine remaining
ingredients & pour into “Cool
Whip” cloud/bowl. Refrigerate
1 hour. Serves 12

(recipe: kraftrecipes)
======================

 Hope you’re having a good day
and are on-time with all of your
holiday preparations.

Hugs;

Pammie

And then there was – SNOW!

View from the window at around 7 a.m.

View from the back yard

Altogether we got about 9 1/2 – 10 inches in ONE day! Our front street, being a major highway, was clear so we ventured to church in 24 degrees F. weather – chilly! Can’t say as there were many in Sunday School and by the time it was time to start church (10:30 a.m.) there still weren’t many. Our choir was so ‘slim on pickin’s’ that we didn’t sing (3 sopranos, 1 alto, 1 bass & 2 tenors – not enough for the song we were supposed to be singing). By the time we got out of church (12:05 approx) the sun was out and the snow was beginning to melt! Temps climbed up to 26 degrees F. – not a big climb but to know that the snow was GOING was a good thing! It’s ‘supposed’ to get up to around 54 by Wednesday (with rain) but if the snow now here on the ground MELTS, we’ll be good!

There’s no evening church tonight due to what they call “Small Groups” (people meet in groups in others homes) so I’ll be staying home (not that I’m not friendly, just that I’ve never gotten into small groups) so I’m making the pizzas I ‘said’ I would make yesterday! The new scarf I’m knitting is coming along OK – I’m calling it the “Cruella de Vil” scarf (ie: bad lady in “1,001 Dalmations”) – her hair was black on one side & white on the other & all over the place:

The yarn I’m using I got at Salvation Army for $1.99 – (it’s made in Turkey and usually runs around $9-10 a skein!) – this color is called “Juniper” – it’s sort of a medium green mixed with shades of gray and it’s thin & REALLY fuzzy. Because it’s thin it needs another yarn with it, so I dug out 3 balls of a really fuzzy white to knit with it; the resulting scarf is thick & fuzzy/soft. I really didn’t like the way the yarns went together (hence my name for it) but everyone who saw it said they liked it, so what do I know??? Have about 3 feet knit on it so far – turn in date (at the latest) is Dec. 16th. Don’t remember if I mentioned before that youngest son, when seeing me knitting this scarf asked: “Do you think you could knit me a black, really tightly woven long scarf?” Now I have my ‘next’ scarf project! Tuesday JoAnn’s has a huge sale on yarns so I’ll get the yarn for that (hoping that the roads are clear by then! . . . . grin)

==================

Coconut/Pecan German
Chocolate Pie

Crust:
1 1/4 C. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
6 T. cold lard
3-4 T. ice water

Filling:
4 oz. German sweet chocolate,
chopped
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate,
chopped
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed
milk
4 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. chopped pecans
–
Topping:
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
1/4 C. butter, cubed
2 egg yolks
1 C. flaked coconut
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 C. chopped pecans
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
In small bowl mix flour & salt;
cut in lard until crumbly. Gradually
add ice water, tossing with a fork
until dough holds together when
pressed. Shape into a disk, wrap in
plastic wrap & refrigerate 30 minutes
or overnight.
–
On lightly floured surface roll
dough to 1/8 inch thick circle;
transfer to a 9″ pie plate; trim
pastry to 1/2 inch below rim of
plate, flute edge. Line unpricked
pastry with a double thickness
of foil & fill pie crust with pie
weights, dried beans or uncooked
rice. Bake 11-13 minutes until
bottom is lightly browned. Remove
foil & weights/beans, etc. Bake 6-8
minutes longer or until light brown.
Cool on a wire rack.
Reduce oven temp. to 350 degrees F.
In a large microwave-safe bowl melt
chocolates; stir until smooth. Cool
slightly then whisk in milk, egg yolks
& vanilla. Stir in pecans & pour into
crust. Bake 16-19 minutes or until
set. Cool 1 hour on a wire rack.
In small heavy saucepan combine
brown sugar, cream & butter; bring
to boil over medium heat, stirring
to dissolve sugar – remove from heat.
In small bowl whisk a small amount
of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all
to pan, whisking constantly. Cook 2-3
minutes until mixture thickens & a
thermometer reads 160 degrees F.,
stirring constantly. Remove from heat
& stir in coconut & vanilla – cool
10 minutes. Pour mixture over filling,
sprinkle with pecans & refrigerate
4 hours or until cold. Serves 8

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————————-

Easy Turkey Gravy

4 C. turkey drippings or
4 C. turkey/chicken stock
1 stick butter
1/2 C. flour
kosher salt/fresh ground
black pepper, to taste
–
If using turkey drippings, pour
cooking liquids from roasting pan
through a strainer & into a
container to cool.
IF you don’t have enough
drippings to make 4 C., add
water or turkey stock.
If you’re NOT using turkey
drippings, just use turkey stock.
Melt 1 stick butter in medium pan
over medium-low heat; season with
salt/pepper. Once melted, add flour
& whisk constantly so it toasts &
combines with the butter. Continue
whisking until you’ve got a smooth
paste-like mixture. Slowly pour the
turkey drippings or stock, stirring
continually. Cook another 10
minutes until thickened. Taste &
adjust seasonings, if necessary.
Serve immediately or keep on very
low heat until ready to serve.
Makes 4 Cups.

(recipe: 12tomatoes.com)
—————————————-

Marinated Dill Green Beans
(overnight recipe)

3 lb fresh, trimmed green beans
1/4 C. coarsely chopped fresh dill
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 1/2 T. salt
1/2 T. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 C. olive oil
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 T. fresh lemon juice
–
Fill large pot with lightly salted
water; bring to boil over high heat.
Add green beans & cook 10
minutes until crisp-tender. Place dill,
garlic, salt & pepper in large heatproof
glass bowl. Drain beans well & add all
beans to dill mixture. Add olive oil &
toss well. Add onion & toss gently.
Cover & refrigerate up to 24 hours.
Remove beans from fridge, let stand,
covered, at room temp. 1 hour. Add
2 T. lemon juice & toss gently. Taste
for seasoning & add remaining lemon
juice to taste. Serves 10

(recipe: theoldtimekitchen.com)
——————————————

Apple-Pecan Holiday Stuffing

1/4 C. margarine
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 C. finely chopped celery
1 Gala or Golden Delicious apple,
chopped
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
3/4 C. apple cider
1 (12 oz) pkg. seasoned or unseasoned
cube stuffing mix
1/4 C. finely chopped pecans
1 T. finely chopped fresh parsley,
optional
–
Melt margarine in 12 inch nonstick
skillet over medium-high heat. Cook
onion & celery, stirring occasionally,
until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in
apple & cook, stirring occasionally,
until apple is tender, about 4 minutes.
Stir in broth & apple cider; bring to
boil over high heat. Remove from heat
& stir in stuffing mix until moistened.
Garnish with pecans & parsley.
Serves 16

(recipe: Meijer.com)
————————————-

Crispy Potato Casserole

1/4 C. butter
4 green onions, chopped
1 C. sour cream
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken
soup
2 C. sharp Cheddar cheese,
shredded
6 C. frozen shredded potatoes*
(26-28 oz. bag)
1/2 C. butter, melted
3 C. lightly crushed corn flakes
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Saute green onions in 1/4 C. butter
3 minutes until soft. Add sour cream
& soup; stir until combined & bubbly.
Stir in cheese until melted; remove
from heat & add shredded potatoes –
stir to coat completely. Pour into a
lightly greased 9 X 13″ baking dish.
Add crushed corn flakes with 1/2 C.
melted butter; stir to coat & spread
on top of potatoes evenly. Bake
40-45 minutes until center is hot &
bubbly. Serves 6-8

*You can use freshly shredded potatoes
in place of frozen – reduce cooking
time to 30 minutes.

You can freeze this casserole – do so
before adding the corn flakes. Before
baking add topping & increase baking
time until center is hot & bubbly.

(recipe: iwashyoudry.com)
—————————————-

Pecan Pie

Crust:
1 pre-baked 9″ pie shell

Filling:
3 eggs
2 1/4 C. pecans
1 2/3 C. dark corn syrup
1 C. brown sugar
1/3 C. honey
6 T. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter,
melted
1 tsp. vanilla
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Position oven rack to middle of
oven. Lightly grease a 9″ pie dish.
Prepare pie shell accordg. to pkg.
directions. Place pecans in food
processor & pulse 5 seconds until
roughly chopped.* In large bowl
whisk eggs, corn syrup, sugar, honey,
butter & vanilla. Fold in pecans &
mix until thoroughly coated; pour
over hot crust. Return to oven &
bake 25-30 minutes until filling
has set. Remove & cool completely
before serving.

*If you don’t have a food processor-
Place nuts in a ziplock bag & use a
rolling pin or other heavy object to
roughly chop/break nuts into smaller
pieces.

(recipe: finesoutherndish.com)
————————————

Cranberry Pecan Sweet
Potato Casserole

1 C. chopped pecans
3/4 C. fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 C. light brown sugar
2 lb. sweet potatoes (about 2-3
large) peeled
4 T. unsalted butter
2 T. maple syrup
3/4 tsp. packed, finely grated
orange zest (from about 1/2 a
large orange)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, to taste
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Grease a 9″ pie or baking dish with
butter. In small bowl mix pecans,
cranberries & brown sugar; toss to
combine. Slice peeled sweet potatoes
evenly into 1/8″ thick rounds – place
in prepared pan. Melt (on stove or
in microwave) butter, maple syrup,
orange zest, salt & cinnamon; pour
over sweet pot. slices – gently toss.
Spread potatoes evenly in pan; top
with brown sugar mixture. Cover
with foil & bake 25 minutes. Remove
foil & bake an additional 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, let stand 5 minutes.

(recipe: 4 bp.blogspot.com)
————————————

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 1/4 C. flour
2 T. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
1 C. milk
1/4 C. + 2 T. canned pumpkin
puree
2 T. melted butter
1 egg
1/4 C. mini chocolate chips
–
maple syrup
whipped cream
–
Place all dry ingredients in bowl &
stir well to combine. MIx wet
ingredients together & add to dry;
stir just until combined, do not over-
mix. Fold in choc. chips & pour
batter 1/4 C. at a time onto hot
griddle; cook until little bubbles
stop popping, about 2 minutes –
flip pancakes & cook about 2 minutes
on other side. Serve with maple syrup
& whipped cream, if desired.
Makes 8-10 pancakes (serves 2-3 people)

(recipe: Martha Stewart- via thesisters
cafe)
—————————————

Cranberry Chili/Cheese Spread

2 (8 oz, ea) pkgs. cream cheese,
softened
1 (14 oz) can whole berry
cranberry sauce
1 (4 oz) can chopped green
chilies, drained
1 green onion, sliced
1 T. lime juice
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. chili powder
–
assorted crackers for dipping
–
Place cream cheese on a serving plate.
In small bowl combine cranberry sauce,
chilies, onion, lime juice & spices –
spoon over cream cheese & serve with
crackers. Makes 14 servings.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)

==========================

Hoping that you are warm & comfy
wherever you are – remember to
smile a little today – it’s good for
your soul!

Hugs;

Pammie

Well, they told us it was coming . . .

S-N-O-W…

Last night we heard 2-4 inches, now they’re saying 5-6 inches – YUCK! It’s been lightly snowing all day (so far); I ended up going out to Gordon Foods first thing this morning to see if they still had the marked down boxes of sugar cookies (Fall – shaped like pumpkins, but if you decorated them differently they’d look like Christmas ornaments! Marked down from $9.99 a box to $4.99). YESTERDAY they had about 5 boxes; I mentioned them to our special needs group leader & she said “YES! Buy them!” so out I went – you guessed it – someone else had that same idea, I guess – no cookies, sigh. I ended up buying the regular cut out Christmas-shaped cookies (72 in a box – $9.99) and a box of already made/cut out gingerbread men and a pre-baked pumpkin pie. Ran into the manager who I saw yesterday and had the “Gee – these could be Christmas ornaments if decorated differently” conversation . . . you guessed it – he said: “See!? I TOLD you to buy them YESTERDAY!” Oh well – win some, lose some right?

Finished the grey men’s scarf (OH Darn! Forgot to photo it!) and it went in the bin. Maybe – IF I’m smart, I could take my camera to church in 2 weeks and photo it then. . . IF I’m smart AND remember – we’ll see (I’ll write myself a note). We had Gym Night last night and had a great turnout – about 30+ kids came. One of our student’s brothers brought him and came in asking me if we ever do a pizza night (instead of just snacks) – I referred him to our head person. Turns out he went to Little Caesar’s and brought in 9 $5.00 pizzas and about 4 bags of breadsticks for the group! He said he’s wanted to do something special for the group for awhile – what a lovely gesture! (Instead of cookies & pop – we pigged out!)

================

Never-Fail Pie Crust

4 C. flour
1 3/4 C. shortening
1 T. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 T. vinegar
1 egg
1/2 C. cold water
–
Using a fork or pastry blender, mix
together first 4 ingredients. In a
separate bowl beat remaining
ingredients; combine both
mixtures together, stirring with
a fork until all ingredients are
moistened. Divide into 5 parts
& shape into balls. Chill balls
15 minutes before rolling out
or wrapping in plastic wrap &
freezing. Makes 5 single pie crusts.

To use: remove from freezer 1 hour
before you want to use them. Can
be used for quiches, dessert pies
or hand pies.

(recipe: Sara Green-Facebook)
——————————————

Garlic-Fried Brussels Sprouts

1 lb. Brussels sprouts
4-6 T. olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
lemon juice
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
bacon bits (optional)
–
Remove brown outer leaves from
sprouts & halve or quarter them
by hand. In sauce pan heat olive
oil on medium heat. Add sprouts
& fry, stirring occasionally, until
almost charred, but not burned.
Last 2 minutes of cooking: add
garlic & bacon; stir to combine.*
Season with salt/pepper & lemon
juice. Serve warm. Serves 4

*Note: watch the garlic-it can
burn quickly – keep an eye on it.

(recipe: theoldtimekitchen.com)
———————————-

Cranberry Walnut Slaw

1/2 C. white wine vinegar
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. celery seed
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/3 C. walnut oil
1 T. minced fresh taragon OR
1 tsp. dried
6 C. shredded cabbage
1 C. shredded carrots
1 C. dried cranberries
1/4 large sweet onion, thinly
sliced
1 C. chopped walnuts, toasted
–
In blender combine first 6 ingredients.
Gradually add  oil in a steady stream
while pulsing. Transfer dressing to a
small bowl; stir in tarragon.
In large bowl combine cabbage, carrots,
cranberries & onion – drizzle with
dressing & toss to coat. Refrigerate
at least 1 hour. Just before serving
sprinkle top with walnuts. Serves 12

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
————————————

Gingersnap Pumpkin PIe
(overnight recipe)

1 1/2 C. finely crushed gingersnaps
(about 32 cookies)
1/4 C. butter, melted
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 C. Cool Whip, thawed
1 C. cold milk
2 (3.4 oz, ea) pkgs. instant
butterscotch pudding mix
1/2 C. canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
–
additional Cool Whip (optional)
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In small bowl combine cookie crumbs
& butter – press onto bottom & up
sides of an ungreased 9 inch pie plate.
Bake 8-10 until crust is lightly browned.
Cool on a wire rack.
Filling:
In small bowl beat cream cheese & sugar
until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip & spread
over crust.
In small bowl beat milk & pudding mixes
1 minute. Stir in pumpkin, pie spice,
vanilla & cinnamon – spread over cream
cheese layer. Cover & refrigerate overnight.
Garnish with additional Cool Whip, if
desired. Serves 8

(recipe:tasteofhome.com)
———————————-

Horseradish Deviled Eggs

6 hard boiled eggs
1/4 C. mayonnaise
1-2 T. prepared horseradish
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/4 tsp. ground mustard
1/8 tsp. salt
dash pepper
dash paprika
–
Cut eggs in half lengthwise-remove
yolks & set yolks aside. In a bowl
mash yolks; add mayonnaise,horse-
radish, dill, mustard, salt/pepper &
mix well. Pipe or spoon mixture into
egg halves & sprinkle tops with paprika.
Refrigerate until serving. Makes 1 dozen

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
———————————-

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. butter, softened
1/4 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C. powdered sugar
2 T. brown sugar
3/4 C. miniature semisweet
chocolate chips
3/4 C. finely chopped pecans
–
graham crackers, for dipping
–
In large bowl beat cream cheese,
butter & vanilla until fluffy. Gradually
add sugar & beat just until combined.
Stir in choc. chips, cover & refrigerate
2 hours. Place cream cheese mixture
on large piece of plastic wrap; shape
into a ball & refrigerate at least
1 hour.
–
Just before serving: roll cheese ball in
chopped pecans & serve with graham
crackers. Makes 1 cheeseball (about 2 C.)

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————–

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

2 C. water
1 C. quick-cooking oats
3 T. butter
1 (1/4 oz) pkg. active dry yeast
1/3 C. warm water
1/3 C. packed brown sugar
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 T. salt
4 3/4 to 5 1/4 C. flour
–
In large saucepan bring water to
a boil; add oats & butter. Cook &
stir 1 minute. Remove from heat;
cool to lukewarm. In large bowl
dissolve yeast in warm water. Add
oat mixture, sugars, salt & 4 C.
flour; beat until smooth. Add
enough remaining flour to form a
soft ball. Turn dough onto a floured
surface; knead until smooth &
elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place
dough in a greased bowl, turning
once to grease top. Cover & let
rise in a warm place until doubled,
about 1 hour.
Punch dough down; allow to rest
10 minutes. Shape into 18 balls.
Place balls on two greased 9 inch
round baking pans. Cover & let
rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Bake rolls 20-25 minutes until golden
brown. Remove from pan to wire
racks to cool. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

(recipe: tiphero.com)
—————————————-

A Twist on Party Meatballs
(crockpot)

1 (32 oz) pkg. frozen fully cooked
homestyle meatballs, thawed
1 (14 oz) bottle ketchup
1/4 C. A-1 steak sauce
1 T. minced garlic
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
–
Place meatballs in 3 qt crockpot. In
small bowl combine ketchup, steak
sauce, garlic & mustard – pour over
meatballs. Cover & cook on Low
3-4 hours until meatballs are heated
through. Makes about 5 dozen.

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
—————————————–

Bacon/Mushroom/Swiss Chicken
(crockpot)

3 slices bacon, cooked crisp,
crumbled (drippings reserved)
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup
6 slices Swiss cheese
–
Pour reserved bacon drippings in a
skillet & heat over medium heat. Place
chicken in warmed drippings & cook
3-5 minutes until slightly browned,
turning once. Spray crockpot with
nonstick spray & place chicken in
crockpot. Cover chicken with mushrooms
then pour soup (undiluted) into skillet,
warm through & pour over chicken.
Cover & cook on Low 4-5 hours. Place
a slice of Swiss on top of each breast,
sprinkle with bacon & turn heat to
High. Cover & cook 10-15 minutes more
until cheese melts. Serves 6

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
————————————–

Loaded Cauliflower

1 large head cauliflower cut
into bite-sized pieces (about
6 C.)
6-8 strips bacon cooked/crumbled
6 T. chopped chives
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/2 C. sour cream
2 C. Colby-Jack cheese, shredded
1 (8 oz) container fresh sliced mushrooms
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
In large pot of boiling water cook
cauliflower 8-10 minutes; drain & let
cool. In large bowl combine sour cream,
mayonnaise, 1/2 crumbled bacon, 3 T.
chives, 1 C. cheese, mushrooms &
cauliflower – mix well. Place in a baking
dish & cover top with remaining 1 C.
cheese & rest of bacon crumbles. Bake
15-20 minutes until cheese is melted.
Top with remaining 3 T. chives & serve.

(recipe: a friend)

==============================

Husband just updated me on the weather:
now they’re saying we’ll get 7-9 inches – oh,
lovely. How to go from NO snow to 9 inches –
only in Michigan!

Talked to oldest son about the menu for
Thursday – here’s what’s planned:
===================
-ham roll ups
-turkey
-mashed potatoes  (us)
-sweet potatoes
-dinner rolls
-green bean casserole (us)
-fruit salad
-apple crisp (us – son requested it)
-cheesecake
======================
I’d say that’s quite a feast AND we’re not
going to eat until around 7 p.m. – something
tells me we’ll be almost too stuffed for dessert,
but what do I know? (Says ‘she who usually
has holiday dinners at around 6-7 p.m. and
that’s the ‘norm’ – people are too filled with
great dinner for desserts!)

Not much else new around here – hope you
are able to stay inside and be WARM & cosy!

Enjoy your day (I’m going to try to make the
best of it, even with the snow – gonna knit!)

Hugs;

Pammie

PS: Gas prices are down to $1.94/9 – WOW!

If you think about it –

we are ALL blessed in some way. Today was my 6 month check up visit to my oncologist (cancer doctor) – I got a good bill of health. While I was there waiting to pay my bill there was an older woman sitting in a chair with her head down. Through the door came the Social Worker (I know her) and she stopped to give me a hug. Right after that the ladies in billing said to her: “We’ve been trying to reach you – we want you to meet …(lady in chair)”. When the social worker greeted her she began telling why she was there. Apparently she was given a ‘cancer-free’ a year ago and now the cancers returned very close to where she had it before. The social worker is a lovely lady who began to try to encourage this woman (I just stood and prayed silently for the lady in the chair.) Later on in my shopping trip I was sitting in the ‘waiting’ area at my local pharmacy to get the rest of my prescription (when I was there yesterday they only had 2 tablets and I needed 14, so they told me to return today). While there a younger man came in to the “Drop Off Orders” area and began chatting with the ladies behind the desk. He said he’s in a GREAT mood and his mood is all a state of mind. I know what he means. He began telling them that a little over a year ago there was a hot water heater explosion at his house (2 streets over from me!) and they had to move. They moved to a ‘not so good’ area and 2 months ago a drug/gang leader came to ‘repay’ the drug person they THOUGHT lived there still and fire bombed his house! (the drug guy had moved 2 months earlier!). I can’t imagine going through that kind of thing TWICE in a few months time and yet HE WAS A SUPER CHEERFUL PERSON! That’s what I mean by we are ALL blessed in some way. He could have turned really bitter after that – he chose to make the best of a bad deal. The lady with the returning cancer could do the same – I heard her say “I’m not ready to check-out yet; I’m going to fight this through.” Sometimes it’s “mind over matter”. I praise the Lord that I had a very mild bout with cancer – today my doctor told me I have a 16% chance of another cancer coming back and that I was VERY HEALTHY – made me feel good. I live my life a day at a time – there’s a Bible verse that says: “Sufficient for the day are the evils thereof.” That means: don’t borrow trouble from tomorrow, deal with the trouble today and start over tomorrow. If I have learned anything at all throughout this cancer battle it’s this: The Lord knew all about the fact that I would get cancer, how I would handle it and how I would fare after – He’s carried me through it all and I KNOW He will be there for me EVERY DAY until this life is over. To quote the entire verse from above:

Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it’s own.”

I AM BLESSED!

=================

Pumpkin Bread

2 C. canned pumpkin
3 C. sugar
1 C. vegetable oil
2/3 C. water
4 eggs
3 1/2 C. flour
2 T. baking soda*
1/2 T. salt
1 T. cinnamon
1 T. nutmeg
1/2 T. ginger powder
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Grease & flour two 9 X 5″ or
8 X 4″ loaf pans. Blend first
5 ingredients (pumpkin, sugar,
oil, water, eggs) beat 1 minute
on medium. Add remaining
ingredients (flour, baking soda,
salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger)
blend on Low speed until
moistened. Beat 1 minute on
medium speed. Pour into pans
& bake 60-70  minutes.
Makes 2 loaves.

*Make sure to sprinkle baking soda
evenly when you add it to batter.

(recipe:popsugar.com)
————————————
Bacon Appetizers

1 sleeve club-style crackers
3/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb. thinly sliced bacon
–
Preheat oven 250 degrees F.
Lay crackers face up on a large
rack over a baking sheet or broiler
pan. Scoop about 1 tsp. grated
Parm. onto each cracker. Cut the
package of bacon in half (or cut
bacon pieces individually) &
carefully (so cheese doesn’t fall
off) wrap each cheese-covered
cracker with 1/2 piece of bacon,
completely covering the cracker –
it should fit snugly around cracker
but not be pulled too taut. Place
on rack, place baking sheet in
oven for 2 hours. Serve immediately
or at room temperature.
Makes 36 crackers

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
————————————-
Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake

Cake:
2 C. flour (more for dusting pan)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
8 T. unsalted butter, softened at
room temp
1 1/3 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 large eggs, room temp.
1 C. plain yogurt
1/2 C. fresh cranberries, chopped

Streusel:
1/4 C. packed light brown sugar
2 T. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 T. cold unsalted butter,
cut into 4 pieces
1/4 C. chopped walnuts
1/4 C. fresh cranberries, chopped
–
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Lightly grease & flour a 9″ square
baking pan.
In medium bowl whisk flour, baking
powder, baking soda, nutmeg & salt
until blended. Using elec. mixer,
beat butter, sugar & vanilla on medium
speed until well blended, 3 minutes.
Reduce speed to Medium-low & add
eggs, one at a time, mixing until just
incorporated. Using a wide spatula,
fold flour mixture & yogurt into butter
mixture, beginning & ending with flour
mixture. Add cranberries with last
addition of flour. Scrape batter into
pan & spread evenly. Tap pan gently
on counter to release any air bubbles.
Bake 40 minutes.

Streusel:
Combine brown sugar, flour & cinnamon
in a medium bowl. Add butter & mix, using
a fork, until ingredients are well blended
& form small crumbs. Stir in walnuts &
cranberries. After cake has baked 40
minutes, sprinkle streusel evenly over top
of cake. Continue baking another 10-15
minutes until a toothpick inserted into
the center comes out clean. Cool in pan
on wire rack until warm or room temp.
Cut into squares & serve.

(recipe: ebay.com)
————————————–

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

10 oz. fresh or frozen whole cranberries
(about 2 1/2 C.)
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. orange juice
1/2 C. water
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 C. frozen blueberries
–
In heavy saucepan combine sugars, water,
orange juice, cinnamon & nutmeg; bring to
boil over medium-high heat. Add cranberries
& adjust heat to achieve a low boil. After
several minutes you will start to hear the
cranberries pop – IF they are splattering you,
the heat is too high. Adjust heat to achieve
a gentle but steady boil. After popping
noises stop, set timer for 5 minutes. Mixture
should begin to foam as it bubbles. After
5 minutes add blueberries & cook for
another 5 minutes. Remove from heat –
mixture will thicken as it cools. Once it’s
cooled completely, store, covered, in
refrigerator until ready to serve.

(recipe: ebay.com)
————————————-

Thanksgiving Veggie Casserole

1/2 C. margarine, divided
2 C. chopped onions
3/4 C. panko bread crumbs
8 C. cooked mixed vegetables
(broccoli/cauliflower/red pepper/
and, or green beans)
1 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese,
divided
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
Melt 1/4 C. margarine over medium-
high heat in large skillet & cook onion,
stirring occasionally, until golden brown,
about 8 minutes. Stir in bread crumbs &
cook until lightly toasted, stirring
occasionally, about 2 minutes – remove
to bowl. Melt remaining 1/4 C. margarine
in skillet & add vegetables; toss to coat.
Pour half into shallow 2 qt. baking dish.
Sprinkle with half of cheese & half crumb
mixture – repeat with remaining ingredi-
ients. Bake until heated through & cheese
is melted, about 25 minutes. Serves 12

Note; thawed frozen vegetables or canned
vegetables can be used instead of fresh

(recipe: countrycrock.com)
——————————————

Spice-Roasted Sweet Potatoes &
Apples

1/4 C. margarine
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
3 medium Granny Smith apples,
peeled/cored/cut into 1 inch wedges
3 sweet potatoes, peeled/cut into 1
inch wedges
–
Preheat oven 450 degrees F.
Combine margarine, pumpkin pie
spice & pepper in small bowl. Toss
apples with 1 T. marg. mixture in
small bowl. Toss potatoes with
remaining mixture & spread onto
baking sheet in single layer. Bake
10 minutes then stir in apple
mixture & bake, stirring once,
halfway through, an additional
25 minutes until potatoes & apples
are tender. Gently toss before
serving. Serves 6

(recipe: countrycrock.com)
—————————————

Crockpot Honey Glazed Ham

1 (7-10 lb.) fully cooked bone-in
ham
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. honey
1/2 C. Dijon mustard
3/4 C. apple juice
–
Lightly spray insides of crockpot
with nonstick spray. Remove
skin & excess fat from ham. Make
surface cuts in ham about an inch
apart & 1/4 inch deep in a diamond
patter on top of ham; place ham in
crockpot. In a bowl combine brown
sugar, honey, mustard, & apple
juice; whisk until just incorporated
then brush over ham. Cover & cook
on Low 8-10 hours. If ham is too large
& you can’t close with a lid, use foil
to make a tent over ham. Cover with
a kitchen towel & cook. Serves 10-12

(recipe: diethood.com)
——————————————

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

6 baking potatoes
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 C. butter, softened
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese,
divided
1 C. milk, warmed
1/2 C. sour cream
5 green onions, finely chopped/
divided
–
Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
Wash potatoes & pierce skins with
a fork. Bake 1 hour in oven, until
tender. Slice potatoes in half &
scoop out pulp into a bowl. Add
salt, pepper, butter & 1 C. cheese –
mash & beat well. Add milk; beat
until fluffy & cheese is melted. Stir
in sour cream & half of onions. Spoon
mixture into a lightly greased 9″ X 9″
baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining
cheese & onions.
Reduce oven temp. to 375 degrees F.
Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes until
heated through & cheese is melted.
Serves 6-8

(recipe: gooseberrypatch.com)
—————————————

Cranberry-Pecan Brie
(appetizer)

1 (8 oz) tube refrigerated crescent
dinner rolls
1 (8 oz) round Brie cheese
3 T. whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 T. chopped pecans
1 egg, beaten
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray a rimmed baking sheet
with nonstick spray. Unroll dough &
press perforations together to seal.
Slice Brie in half horizontally & place
bottom half in center of dough. Spread
cranberry sauce over cut side, sprinkle
with pecans & replace top of Brie. Bring
dough up over top of Brie, pressing
dough firmly to seal. Place, seam side
down, on baking sheet & brush with
beaten egg. Bake 25-30 minutes until
golden brown. Let cool 5-10 minutes
before serving – serve warm. Serves 6

(recipe: mrfood.com)

=============================

Right now I’m relaxing after a very busy
day earlier. Started out at the doctors at
10 a.m., perused their used book sales
(bought 13 books at .50 cents each!),
stopped at the Salvation Army & bought
about 4 very nice sweater vests (for church),
a skirt, t-shirt for husband, 2 little balls of yarn
for baby hats, 1 really fancy (usually runs about
$7.00 a skein) yarn for .99 cents (score!) – will
use that one along with a plain cream or white
yarn for a scarf, a cute snowman ceramic pin
for my winter church coat AND a little snow-
people plaque. The plaque has 3 little snow-
people on it – I have 3 of the same kind (not
on a plaque) – they are ADORABLE and I’ve
tried to find where to purchase more, but
to no avail. I was given one years ago as
a present, then acquired 2 more at a
garage sale; I tried looking up the information
on the bottom of them, but no luck. I was
super-thrilled to see this little grouping. The
white sticker on the top said: $3.99 BUT on
the bottom, written in ink was $34.99! When
I took it up front & mentioned the difference
in price she said “It’s $3.99!” YAY! I’m guessing
the original price WAS the $34. one. They
are made of resin and each one has a very
unique personality – the one’s I have are
a lady iceskater, a lady dressed up (like for
church) and a man/snowman – these will
make a very nice addition to the grouping!
(Hopefully I’ll remember to take a photo of
the whole group – all 6 of them); they all
go on the windowsill in the kitchen.
Oh – after leaving Salvation Army I went to
get gas ($1.99/9!!!), to the dollar store,
to the grocery store and finally to the
drug store to pick up the 12 pills – LOOONG
morning – SO glad I’m home, rested, filled
with left-over pizza and Greek salad and
sitting here writing you.
OH – almost forgot – I’m on the final run
of finishing the gray men’s scarf for the
homeless – should be done by this
evening and able to drop it off at church
tomorrow night for my special needs
group’s Gym Night – YAY! Sorta/kinda
considering making ONE more scarf –
we’ll see how my energy levels are on
that one.

Hope you are having a GREAT day – able
to take a little break, rest up/ eat or drink
something that relaxes you and are able
to find SOMETHING to be grateful for –
if no more than you are still on ‘this’
side of the grass. Daily we are loaded with
blessings IF WE ONLY LOOK FOR THEM!

Hugs;

Pammie

Everything gets old – eventually

Earlier this month it was our hot water heater – now it’s the dishwasher! I can’t complain too much – this was a Kitchenaid that’s lasted 36 years! We bought it as a portable and then brought it with us when we moved back in 1979 – it’s held up through LOTS of kids (ours and foster kids), so it was well worth the money. Yesterday I ran it, thinking all was good. Went to shut it off and it clicked back into WASH mode and kept going! Husband tried to shut it off – same thing happened; he surmised it must be a stuck button. Today we went to Home Depot and purchased a bright shiny black with wooden cutting board top Whirlpool that will be delivered next Wednesday AND they’ll take away the old one for an additional $15 – not bad! The old one got to where it really wouldn’t DRY the dishes – you’d open it after the entire cycle and there would be water on all the dishes – frustrating. It will be nice to have one that actually WORKS the way it’s supposed to!

Last night was my Knit/Crochet Movie Night – we had 10 attending and GREAT food! As I mentioned before, it was stuffed baked potatoes. Along with those we had a shrimp cocktail and a spinach/strawberry/walnut salad and two desserts – yummy! One of the ladies brought an Oatmeal Cake (I’m waiting for the recipe – when I get it I’ll share it with you) – it had a broiled coconut topping. I’m not one for coconut, but this cake was excellent! The last time we did Movie Night she brought another great dessert, also – think she’ll be the one delegated to JUST bring desserts, as hers are so good!

===================

Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake Squares

Cranberry sauce:
3/4 C. fresh cranberries
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. water
1/2 tsp. fresh orange zest

Crust:
3 oz. gingersnap crumbs (12 gingersnap
cookies, crushed)
1 oz. crushed pecans
1 1/2 T. butter, melted

Cheesecake:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
6 oz. Greek yogurt
2 egg whites
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. flour
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Position oven rack in middle of
oven. Line a 8 X 8″ baking pan
with waxed paper, leaving a
2 inch overhang on all sides.

Cranberry sauce:
Combine cranberries, sugar, water
& orange zest in small saucepan;
cook until cranberries begin to
burst & mixture turns syrupy –
about 6-7 minutes. Remove from
heat, allow to cool.

Crust:
Combine gingersnap crumbs, crushed
pecans & butter in small bowl. Stir
together to moisten crumbs then pour
into prepared pan. Spread into an even
layer, using bottom of a drinking glass
to help ensure crust is even.

Cheesecake:
In medium bowl beat cream cheese, sugar
& vanilla using elec. mixer until smooth.
Add Greek yogurt, egg whites, lemon juice
& flour, mix until just combined then pour
into pan over crust & smooth with a spatula.

Add cooled cranberry mixture to a food
processor & puree until smooth (you could
also use a blender). If mixture is too thick,
add 1/2 T. water. Use a spoon to drop sauce
over cheesecake layer & then swirl sauce
using a butter knife. Bake 25 minutes. Allow
cheesecake to cool to room temp. &
refrigerate several hours. Once chilled, cut
into squares & serve. Serves 9

(recipe: Skinny Taste)
——————————————

Spoonable Corn Bread

1/3 C. margarine, divided
1 small onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 (10 oz) box frozen whole
kernel corn, thawed
1 (8.5 oz) box corn muffin mix
4 egg whites
3/4 C. milk
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Spray 2 qt. shallow baking dish
with nonstick spray. Melt 2
T. margarine in large skillet over
medium-high heat; cook onion &
red pepper in marg., stirring
occasionally until crisp-tender, about
3 minutes. Stir in corn & cook,
stirring occasionally, until golden,
about 4 minutes. Remove from heat &
stir in remaining  margarine until
melted; let cool. Combine muffin mix,
egg whites & milk in large bowl; stir in
cooled corn mixture & turn into
prepared dish. Bake 25 minutes until
golden. Serve warm. Serves 8

(recipe: countrycrock.com)
—————————————–

Baked Spiced Squash

2 T. margarine
2 T. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 medium butternut squash, halved
& seeded
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Lightly grease baking sheet. Combine
all ingredients except squash in small
bowl. Arrange squash, cut side up on
baking sheet & brush with 1/2 of
margarine. Bake 45 minutes until
squash is tender, brushing with
remaining margarine halfway through
cooking. Serves 4

(recipe: countrycrock.com)
—————————————–

Chive & Onion Mashed Potatoes

1 1/2 C. Half & Half
1 (8 oz) spreadable Chive &
Onion cream cheese
2 T. dried minced onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 (20 oz, ea) pkgs. refrigerated
shredded hash brown potatoes
2 C. shredded Swiss cheese
3 T. minced fresh chives, divided
2 T. butter, cubed
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
In Dutch oven combine first 5
ingredients; cook & stir over
medium heat until blended; stir in
potatoes. In greased 9 X 13″ dish
layer a third of hash brown mixture &
2/3 C. Swiss cheese, sprinkle with 1 T.
chives – repeat layers. Top with
remaining hash brown mixture & cheese;
dot with butter. Bake, covered, 35 minutes.
Bake, uncovered, 10-20 minutes longer or
until edges begin to brown & potatoes are
heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before
serving. Sprinkle top with remaining chives.
Serves 12 (3/4 C. each)

(recipe: tasteofhome.com)
——————————————

Creamy Pumpkin/Acorn Squash Soup

3 T. olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground sage
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
4 C. chicken broth*
1 acorn squash
2 (15 oz, ea) cans pumpkin puree
1 C. heavy cream
fresh ground black pepper
–
sour cream – garnish
roasted pumpkin seeds – garnish
–
Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
Cut squash in half, remove seeds. Drizzle
cut side with 1 T. olive oil & season with
salt/pepper. Place, cut side down, on foil-
lined baking sheet – roast 30-40 minutes
until tender. In large pot heat remaining
2 T. olive oil; saute garlic & onion 5 minutes
until fragrant & tender. Stir in salt, sage &
thyme. Add chicken broth, stir & bring to
boil. Reduce heat, cover & simmer 10
minutes. Remove skin from squash &
coarsely chop. Add squash & pumpkin
to soup – stir, cover & simmer on Low
10 minutes. Place small batches of soup
in blender & blend until creamy, return
to pot. Add pepper, to taste. Stir in
heavy cream until evenly combined. Serve
with a dollop of sour cream and/or
roasted pumpkin seeds (kernels).
Serves 8-10

* use more chicken broth to thin soup,
if it’s too thick

(recipe:iwashyoudry.com)
—————————————–

Garlic Buns

1 can premade biscuits (10 in pkg)
4 oz. cubed Cheddar cheese (about
20 cubes)
3 T. butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/3 C. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. dried parsley
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment
paper. Cut each premade biscuit in
half. Slightly roll out dough – place 1
cheese cube in middle of dough & wrap
dough around the cheese, making sure
to seal the edges. Roll it in your hands
to get a ball shape. Melt butter in small
bowl with the garlic.* In another bowl
combine parsley & Parmesan cheese.
Dip the dough/cheese ball in butter &
then into the cheese; place on pan-
repeat with rest of dough/cheese cubes.
Bake 10-12 minutes until just browned.
Makes 10

*You can also microwave them 12
seconds on a microwaveable plate

(recipe: tiphero.com)
——————————————

BBQ Bacon-wrapped Mushrooms
(appetizers)

1 (8 oz) pkg. large button mushrooms
1 lb. pepper bacon, room temp,
slices cut in half
4 T. barbecue sauce
–
Cut stems off mushrooms; rinse
briefly & pat dry with paper towels.
Wrap each mushroom with a bacon
strip half (use 2 if cap is not completely
covered). Bacon will stick to mushrooms
so there’s no need for toothpicks. In
medium pan over medium-high heat,
saute mushrooms until bacon is
golden brown. Just as bacon begins
to crisp up a bit, add the BBQ sauce &
toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Serves 6-8

(recipe: food.com)
—————————————-

Marinated Stuffed Turkey Breast

2 turkey breast halves (about 3 lb. ea),
boned
5 T. soy sauce, divided
2 T. dry sherry
1/2 tsp. sugar
8 slices day-old bread, shreddede
1 C. finely chopped celery
2/3 C. sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 C. finely chopped green onions &
tops
3 T. butter or marg., melted
–
Remove fillets from breast halves & reserve
for another use. Starting with thinner edge,
cut each breast in half lengthwise, horizontally,
almost all the way through. Open up breasts
& pound to 1/4″ thickness. Combine 3 T. soy
sauce, sherry & sugar in large, shallow dish.
Add breasts, skin side down; marinate 30
minutes.
Combine bread, celery, almonds & onions;
blend butter with remaining 2 T. soy sauce &
pour evenly over bread mixture. Toss until
moist & crumbly.
–
Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Remove turkey; reserve marinade. Spread 1/2
of stuffing mixture on 1/2 of each breast half,
leaving a narrow border along outside edges;
pack stuffing down slightly. Close breasts &
secure with skewers or toothpicks. Brush with
reserved marinade, place on a rack in baking
pan. Roast 1 hour 15 minutes until tender;
brush with reserved marinade every 30
minutes. Remove to serving platter; let stand
15 minutes. Just before serving, remove skewers
& cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices.
Serves 8-10

(recipe: Kikkoman co.)
======================

Our weather is still warm for this time
of year (62) but it’s now grey & rainy
with a pretty good wind. When we went
to Home Depot I didn’t wear a jacket –
should have; reminder that I WILL wear
one tonight for my special needs group!

Just for a little change of pace – try something
DIFFERENT – doesn’t have to be something
big, it could be just driving a different route
home or picking an author you’ve never
read before. Give it a try and spice up your
life a little! Sometimes something different
turns out to be something that becomes your
very favorite thing!

Hugs;

Pammie

More Holiday Recipes!

Still getting lots of recipes, so I thought instead of really ‘chatting’, I’d just send you more recipes. For starters, more crockpot recipes – and crockpots can really free up your oven space for the holidays.

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Crockpot Sweet Potatoes

6 sweet potatoes
butter, to taste
brown sugar, to taste
cinnamon, to taste
–
Pierce each sweet potato with a
fork several times; place in crockpot
& cook on High 3-4 hours. Remove
from crockpot, cut a slit on top of
the potato & mash the insides
with a fork. Top with butter, brown
sugar & cinnamon, to taste.
Serves 6

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
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Crockpot Stuffing

2 (6 oz, ea) boxes Stove Top
stuffing mix
3 C. chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
–
Combine all ingredients & pour
into greased crockpot. Cover &
cook on High 2-4 hours.

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
—————————————
Crockpot Corn Casserole

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 C. sugar
1 (8.5 oz) box corn muffin mix
2 1/2 C. frozen corn
1 (16 oz) can creamed corm
1 C. milk
2 T. butter, melted
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
–
Spray insides of crockpot with
nonstick spray. In bowl, combine
cream cheese, eggs & sugar. Mix
in dry muffin mix & remaining
ingredients; mix well. Pour into
crockpot & cook on High 2-4
hours, checking occasionally &
turning crock insert when
necessary to cook evenly.
Serves 8

NOTE: DO NOT double recipe

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
———————–

Crockpot Apple Pie

8 apples, peeled/cored/sliced
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 C. milk
2 T. butter, softened
3/4 C. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 C. Bisquick baking mix
1/3 C. brown sugar, packed
3 T. chilled butter
–
Place sliced apples & spices in a
big bowl & toss. Spray insides of
crockpot with nonstick spray;
place apples in crockpot. Mix
milk, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla &
1/2 C. Bisquick very well. Place
spoonfuls of batter mix over the
apples. In a small bowl cut up
butter into remaining Bisquick
mix until crumbly; lightly
sprinkle this over the batter in
crockpot. Cover & cook on Low
6-7 hours. Serves 10-12

(recipe: recipesthatcrock.com)
————————————-

Southwest Cornbread

I try not to post recipes with very
specific ingredients that might be
hard to find – in this recipe I
underlined that one ingredient –
I’m guessing you might find it in
the grocery section where they
feature Old El Paso items: by
the refried beans, enchilada
sauce, etc.

4 T. butter
1 large onion, peeled/chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 C. chopped celery
1/2 red bell pepper seeded/chopped
(about 2/3 C.)
1/2 yellow bell pepper seeded/chopped
about 2/3 C.
1 packet “Old El Paso Roasted
Tomato Mexican Cooking sauce
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 (3.8 oz) can sliced black olives
1/2 C. chopped cilantro (+ extra,
for garnish, if desired)
1 (14 oz) bag dried cornbread stuffing
2 C. shredded “Mexican blend” cheese
1 1/4 C. chicken or vegetable stock
salt/pepper
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Place a large deep skillet over medium
heat. Add butter, onion, garlic, celery &
bell peppers. Saute & stir 3-5 minutes
until soft. Turn off heat & add salt/
pepper, to taste. Pour the Old El Paso
cooking sauce into the skillet; add chiles,
olives, cilantro & dried stuffing; stir to
combine. Toss with shredded cheese,
reserving a handful for the top.
Spray a 9 X 13″ baking dish with nonstick
spray. Spoon stuffing into dish, drizzle
stock over top of stuffing, covering the
entire dish. Sprinkle top with remaining
cheese & a little more cilantro. Bake
30-35 minutes until top is golden brown &
cheese has melted. Serve warm.
Serves 10-12

(recipe: aspicyperspective.com)
——————————————–

Sausage Phyllo Rolls
(appetizers)

1 T. olive oil
1 (6 oz) pkg. cremini mushrooms,
finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. hot Italian turkey sausage,
casings removed & crumbled
2 oz. cream cheese, room temp
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
16 (9 X 14″) sheets phyllo dough
–
Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Spray
a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over
medium-high heat. Add mushrooms,
onion & salt; cook, stirring occasionally,
over medium heat until mixture is
very tender, about 8 minutes. Remove
from heat, stir in turkey, cream cheese &
Cheddar until well blended. Place 1
sheet phyllo with short side facing you on
a work surface. (cover remaining phyllo
with plastic wrap to keep from drying out).
Spray phyllo sheet with nonstick spray then
fold in half lengthwise & spray again. Place
1 heaping tablespoon filling in center of
bottom end of phyllo. Fold in sides, then
roll up from bottom to completely
enclose filling (should look like an egg roll).
Place roll, seam side down, on baking sheet-
repeat with remaining sheets/filling to make
a total of 16 rolls. Spray rolls generously
with nonstick spray & bake until lightly
golden, about 20 minutes.

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
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Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs

2 Lb. frozen cooked beef meatballs,
thawed
1 (14 oz) can jellied cranberry sauce
1/4 C. ketchup
1/4 C. + 1 T. water
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 T. brown sugar
–
dried cranberries (garnish/optional)
chopped scallions, (garnish/optional)
–
Place thawed meatballs in 2 qt. or larger
crockpot. Whisk cranberry sauce, ketchup,
water, soy sauce, ground ginger, garlic
powder, crushed red pepper flakes & brown
sugar in medium mixing bowl. Pour mixture
on top of meatballs. Cover & cook on High
2 hours or Low 4 hours. Garnish (if desired).
Serves 16+

(recipe: realhousemoms.com)
———————————-

Killer Dessert

Crust:
1 C. chopped pecans
3 T. granulated sugar
1/2 C. butter, melted
1 C. flour

Cream Cheese Layer:
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 C. powdered sugar
1 C. Cool Whip (thawed)

Pudding Layer:
1 (5.1 oz) box instant vanilla
pudding
2 C. milk

Chocolate Pudding Layer:
1 (5.1 oz) box instant chocolate
pudding
2 C. milk

Top Layer:
2 C. Cool Whip (thawed)
shaved chocolate (see note)
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Spray 9 X 13″ baking pan with
nonstick spray. In medium bowl
mix all crust ingredients & press
gently into prepared pan. Bake
20 minutes until lightly browned;
let crust cool completely.
Prepare vanilla pudding layer with
milk as per package instructions – allow
pudding to set. Prepare chocolate
pudding layer as per pkg. directions &
let set.
In medium bowl beat cream cheese,
powdered sugar & 1 C. thawed Cool
Whip until light & fluffy; spread evenly
over cooled crust. Spread chocolate
pudding over cream cheese layer, then
the same for the vanilla pudding layer.
Cover evenly with 2 C. thawed Cool
Whip & sprinkle top with shaved
chocolate. Refrigerate at least
2 hours or overnight before
serving. Serves 10

NOTE: Shaved chocolate: you can
use a bar of milk chocolate and shave
off bits using a potato peeler.

(recipe: salu-salo.com)
————————————

Pumpkin Risotta

1 onion, chopped
2 tsp. butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 T. cornstarch
3 1/2 C. vegetable broth
1/2 C. dry white wine
1 C. canned pumpkin
3 C. precooked white rice
about 3/4 C. grated Parmesan
cheese
salt/pepper
–
In 4-5 qt. pan combine onion,
butter & nutmeg; stir often
over high heat until onion is
limp, 3-4 minutes. Mix cornstarch
smoothly with a little vegetable
broth; add to pan along with
remaining broth, wine, pumpkin
& rice. Stir mixture over high heat
until boiling, 3-4 minutes. Cover &
remove from heat – let stand 5
minutes.
Stir in 3/4 C. cheese; sprinkle
portions with additional cheese
when serving & add salt & pepper,
to taste. Serves 4

(recipe; popsugar.com)
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Honey Dijon Cheese Ball

Cheeseball:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. sour cream
1 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
2 T. grainy Dijon mustard
1 T. honey
–
2 C. pretzels
–
Pretzel chips & sticks, for dipping
–
Mix together all cheeseball
ingredients. Place 2 C. pretzels into
a gallon zip-lock bag & smash lightly.
Remove cheeseball mixture & pour
into bag – gently smash ground
pretzels onto cheese mixture, forming
a ball. Remove to a plate & serve
with prezels for dipping.

(recipe: tiphero.com)
———————————————–

Acorn Squash Soup

3 whole acorn squash, approx
8 C. when cooked
6 shallots, 1 C. diced/3 left
whole & peeled
6 garlic cloves, peeled
3 T. olive oil plus
1/3 C. olive oil
1 T. salt
1 T. pepper (+ more for
seasoning)
1 stick unsalted butter
4 C. chicken stock
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried savory
1 C. heavy cream
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 C. grated Parmesan cheese
–
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Cut squash in half around middle
& remove seeds using a spoon.
Cut a flat spot on each end so
squash sits flat. Line a baking sheet
with foil & arrange squash, cut sides
up on sheet. To three of the halves add
a peeled shallot & to the other 3 add
2 garlic cloves on each. Drizzle with
2 T. olive oil & season with 1 T. salt/
1 T. pepper. Roast until very tender &
starting to caramelize & collapse,
approx. 1 hour. Remove from oven &
when cool enough to handle, remove
squash from skins. Remove the
roasted shallots & garlic with the
squash.
In large Dutch oven, heat 1 T. oil &
2 T. butter over medium-high heat.
When butter starts to foam, add raw
diced shallots & saute until they start
to caramelize, about 5-6 minutes. Pour
1/2 c. chicken stock into pan & stir to
remove any stuck bits. Reduce heat to
medium-low & add reserved squash,
roasted shallots & garlic & remaining
chicken stock. Stir to combine then
pour into a blender ( a little at a time)
& puree. Mixture will be very thick.
Pour mixture back into pot & add
cayenne, white pepper & herbs. Stir
in cream & Worc. sauce. Heat slowly
over medium-Low heat. When mixture
comes to a slow simmer, mix well &
stir in 1/4 C. Parmesan – reduce heat
to Low. Ladle into bowls & serve
with a little pepper, drizzle of olive
oil & a slight sprinkling of remaining
Parmesan cheese. Serves 8-10

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)
—————————————

Ricotta-stuffed/bacon-wrapped
Dates

1 lb. (about 12-13 slices) bacon,
preferably thick-cut
25 Medjool dates (about 3/4 lb)
1/3 C. ricotta cheese
–
Preheat oven 450 degrees F.
Cut bacon in half lengthwise to
make twice as many slices. Remove
pits from dates*. Place ricotta in
bottom corner of a strong plastic
ziplock bag & seal tightly. Use
scissors to cut a small hole in the
tip of one corner. Use the bag as
a piping tool & pipe filling into
dates. Wrap dates with a slice of
bacon & secure with a toothpick
through center of the date. Arrange
dates on a parchment-lined baking
sheet, allowing at least a little
space between each one. Bake
15-20 minutes until bacon is browned
& crispy. Remove from sheet & gently
remove toothpicks. Serve immediately.
Makes about 6 servings.

*toremove pits from dates:
Cut the tip off each date & insert the
flat end of a skewer through date until
it pushes the pit out of the date

(recipe: foodnetwork.com)

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Have a great day –

Hugs;

Pammie