Monday, November 29, 2021

smothered chicken

 Smothered Chicken

NEED:
chicken breasts--I cut them thin and into smaller "squares"
Veggies--this time super thin cut red onion, green bell peppers and red bell peppers
Cheese (pepper jack is our fave)
Salt, Pepper and today I used  red pepper flakes

DO:
Get your saute pan piping hot (my fave is cast iron)--cook the veggies in a frying pan until done to your liking (I like ours crisp). I started with the red onion. 
Put veggies aside and cook chicken in the same pan until done--try to turn only once and don't let the chicken touch each other (chicken will brown better)
when chicken is done, put the veggies on top of the chicken, add cheese and let melt. Put a lid on or a baking sheet until the cheese is all melted in. 
Serve :) 

Sunday, November 14, 2021

thanksgiving 2021

 

Saturday   
Grocery Shop
Sunday

Monday
Bread out to “crust up”              

Tuesday
our amazing cleaning ladies clean
Wednesday
Make tea
cut up celery and onion

Rolls out to Thaw
butter out on counter for Thursday am use

Boil sweet potatoes
Thursday
Morning
6:00 am
Cinnamon rolls into oven
Coffee
Prep Rolls to Rise
Shower
Tidy
8:00 am
Make stuffing
8:30 am
Start getting turkey ready and preheat oven to 350
9:00 am
Turkey into oven
9:30 am
Boil Sweet Potatoes and make sweet potato soufflé
10:00 am
Peel Potatoes
Prep Green Beans
Corn to a bowl for microwave

Set Table
 11:30/11:45 am
Stuffing into oven

Sweet Potatoes into the oven

Start boiling water for Potatoes
12:00 noon




12:15
Pickles and olives on a tray 
Put on green beans


Turkey out and let rest
Rolls into oven (Double Batch)
12: 30 pm




12:45 pm
Make Gravy
Corn into microwave


Mash potatoes
Carve Turkey
1:00 pm
Eat the Fest




Menu:
Turkey
Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Stuffing (with apples) both in and out of the bird
Fresh Green Beans
Frozen Corn
Sweet Potato Soufflé
Herbed Rolls
Olives
Pickles
Apple Rings

 

Dessert: Mom B :) and Vanilla Ice Cream

Drinks:
Iced Tea
Decaf Coffee
Wine
Milk
Juice
sparkling juice

herbed rolls
need:
frozen roll dough--thawed (overnight or all day)
melted butter
italian seasoning

do:
cut dough into halves or quarters
dip into hot butter mixed with herbs
layer in a greased bundt cake pan
let raise for 45-60 minutes (covered with a towel)
bake 30-45 minutes 350-375 degrees


Recipes

Turkey not sure how big my turkey will be yet so I might have to adjust times above.... but no matter how big it is, I will rub with sage then butter (under the skin too) and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. In the neck cavity I place a few sage leaves, lemon slices and green apple. I also stuff the turkey (stuffing below) before placing it in a turkey cooking bag. The cooking bag leaves the turkey SUPER moist! 

Stuffing
diced bread that has been "crusted" up (good bread is best...sour dough, french, etc)--I have been freezing mine for a few months all torn up as I came to the end of loaves...just gotta get it out now :) 
bag or two of pepperidge farm coutons
chopped celery
chopped onion
butter
sage
thyme
salt
pepper
broth
chopped green apple
2 eggs beaten

Saute the celery, and onion in butter. Add to the bread cubes and croutons, salt, pepper, and herbs. Toss with your hands. Add apple. Then add eggs, mix with hands. Now add broth, a bit at a time, until it is moist but not too wet. Place in a baking pan or stuff your turkey. I do both.

Gravy
Made with drippings from the turkey, broth, tad bit of kitchen bouquet and cornstarch thickener 

Sweet Potato Souffle 
BEST SWEET POTATOES EVER!!
Beat together: 3 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup evaporated milk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 stick butter.

Put in a greased cassarole dish.

Topping: mix together and put on top of sweet potato mix.  1 cup chopped pecans, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 stick butter, 1/3 cup flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

Bake 350 for 30 min or until knife comes out clean.


Garlic Mashed Potatoes
  I will use Yukons....and then mash them BY HAND (the only way to go) with half and half that is simmered with garlic and melted butter

Pickles and Olive Tray 
sweet pickles, dill pickles, green and black olives

Corn
 From the freezer

Green Beans  
fresh green beans, trimmed and simmered with fresh garlic

Friday, November 5, 2021

crock pot lasagna

 

Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna

from kristineskitchenblog.com
This crockpot lasagna is possibly the easiest lasagna you will ever make. You don't need to boil the lasagna noodles before layering the lasagna in your crock pot. You are going to love this easy slow cooker lasagna!
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time4 hrs
Resting Time30 mins
Total Time4 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 8 servings
 
Calories: 354kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 24 ounce jars marinara sauce about 5 1/2 cups total*
  • 10 lasagna noodles uncooked, whole wheat or white (NOT no boil noodles)
  • 10 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded, 2 1/2 cups
  • grated Parmesan cheese for serving
  • fresh chopped parsley or basil for serving, if desired

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until it begins to soften.
  • Add the ground beef (or turkey) to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and cooked through, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Remove pan from the heat.
  • Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker insert. Make a single layer of noodles, breaking them up as needed. Top with 1/3 of the meat, 1 cup of marinara sauce, and 2/3 cup shredded mozzarella.
  • Make a second layer with noodles, half of the remaining meat, another 1 cup of sauce, and 2/3 cup mozzarella.
  • Make a third layer with noodles, the remaining meat, 1 cup sauce and 2/3 cup mozzarella.
  • Top with one more layer of noodles, 1 ½ cups of sauce, and the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella
  • Cook in your slow cooker on low heat for about 4 hours, until noodles are soft. Turn off heat and let stand, covered, for 20-30 minutes before serving. Open lid carefully to keep any condensation on the lid from dripping on the lasagna. Serve with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley or basil, if desired.

Notes

  • Use a marinara sauce that you really enjoy as the flavor of the sauce intensifies as the lasagna cooks.
  • All slow cookers cook differently. This takes about 4 hours on low in my slow cooker, but yours may cook a little faster or slower.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 lasagna | Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 1153mg | Potassium: 890mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 975IU | Vitamin C: 13.4mg | Calcium: 219mg | Iron: 3.7mg