Talking turkey Dinner

I make a turkey dinner for our friends every year. This year I experimented with a few different turkeys and stuffing solutions for 30 people at one time. Are you ready?

Turkey:
Brine the turkey in 2 gallons water and 2 cups salt for 6-8 hours the day before.
Take the turkey out of the brine and refrigerate overnight.
Turn on the over to 325
Stuff the turkey with stuffing to fill the cavity
Gingerly pull the skin up and dot the breast and thighs with butter
Add liquid to the bottom of the pan (I use white wine)
Roast per lb recommendation in a covered roasting pan.
After 2 hours baste hourly removing some liquid for the stuffing
Remove the pan cover 30 minutes before it is done

Let is rest for AT LEAST 30 minutes out of the over if not more covered in foil.


Stuffing:
I use Mrs Cubbisons - but you can dry out your bread and all that jazz if you want
Add dry stuffing (2 boxes)
1 cup butter
1 onion - chopped
1 package of celery - chopped
Cook the butter, onion and celery in a pan until soft
Mix 2 cans of chicken stock, butter, celery onion and stuffing

Stuff the bird and put the remaining stuffing in the crock pot on low all day.
Add drippings from the turkey and stir once and hour.

When the turkey is done add the stuffing from the turkey and mix.

Sausage and Peppers

A fall favorite.

1 1/2 lbs. Italian Sausage (I mix hot and mild)
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
2 large green peppers
2 large red peppers
1 medium onion (sliced)
Water
1/4 tsp. oregano

Heat oven to 375
in a large pan add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Add chopped sausage and onion. Roast for 1.5 hours turning periodically.
Add cut peppers, 1 cup water, tomato sauce and oregano. Stir and cook for another hour.

Crockpot Ham

The Crockpot ham that is world famous (in my world)
Bone in Butt Ham (important - spiral cut is too dry and shank is too greasy)
1 Bottle of Apple Cider (apple juice works)
Whole cloves

Put the ham in the crockpot bone down
FILL the crock pot with apple cider
toss in a handful of cloves

Cook on low all day
It is AMAZING!

Cooked Carrots

Peel and chop carrots into 1" pieces
Place them in a glass pan, in a single layer
cover with chicken broth
add rosemary and thyme to taste
Bake at 400 for 1 - 1.5 hours

Crockpot Potatoes

These are only 3 WW points per serving... not bad!

Peel and slice about 1lb potatoes
put in the crockpot with 2 chopped pieces of garlic
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp. butter
lots of Johnny's seasoning salt

Put on low for 4 hours

delish!

Kale Sausage Bean soup

This is an amazing soup:
In a crock pot chop up turkey sausage (I use Jenni-o hot)
Put in the bottom of the crock pot
Add 1 chopped medium onion
2-3 chopped carrots
8 cups water
2 tbsp. chicken bouillon
1 drained can of navy beans
4-6 cups chopped kale
salt and pepper

Let cook on low for about 4 hours and stir. Then cook on low for a few more hours. so good, so good for you!

Cucumber Salad

So refreshing - especially with fresh garden cucumbers and tomatoes!

2-3 chopped cucumbers
2 chopped tomatoes
1/4 fine diced red onion
1-2 oz feta
Feta Dill Lighthouse dressing (you can usually find it under the OPA yogurt dressing)

Cowboy Caviar

This is one of the MOST requested things I bring to a BBQ....

Cowboy Caviar
1 can great northern beans - drained
1 can garbonzo beans - drained
1 can corn - drained
4-5 chopped tomatoes
1/2 Walla walla sweet onion
1-2 jalepeno - chopped
juice of one lime
salt
2-3 chopped avocado
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped

Mix in a large bowl and chill for a few hours before serving.

Stew!

Matt and I have had many conversations about stew. We discuss if it needs more liquid, less potato, baby carrots vs regular potato, etc. These are the things that consume our table.

I think we are there... this is a mix of randomness and taste:
2 lbs. Stew meat
2 cups water
Worcestershire
Clove Garlic
Bay Leaf
1 Onion
Salt
1 Tsp Sugar
Pepper
Carrots (the big ones)
Potato
1 can diced Tomato
1 Beef Bouillon Cube
Basil
Italian Seasoning

Brown meat and onion. Add Water, worcestershire, Garlic, Bay Leaf, Salt, Sugar, Pepper, Bouillon, Italian seasoning. Simmer for 2 hours. Add can of tomato, Potato, Carrot, Basil. Cook on medium heat  for 1 hour.

Taa Daa!

Easy Cheesy!

When you have friends with kiddos coming over for dinner and you want to wow them with "Mac and Cheese for the kids" - toss this together.  It is FABULOUS - and easy:

In a casserole dish mix:
2 cups uncooked noodles
2 cups chopped cheese of your choice
2 cups milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 tbs onion soup mix/any spice mix you like

Cook for 1 hour at 350 - stir at 30 minutes.

DONE!

Crockpots and time

At least once a week I get asked what I make in the crockpot. Well that is easy - easy stuff!  When you have to have dinner on the table by 5:30 and you get off at 5:00 - you live for the crockpot.

The Crockpot ham that is world famous (in my world)
Bone in Butt Ham (important - spiral cut is too dry and shank is too greasy)
1 Bottle of Apple Cider (apple juice works)
Whole cloves

Put the ham in the crockpot bone down
fill the crock pot with apple cider
toss in a handful of cloves

Cook on low all day
It is AMAZING!

Other EASY simple ideas:

Meatball Sandwiches
Frozen bag of meatballs
1 can of spaghetti sauce

Cook on low all day - we like to start it on "keep warm" and up it to high a few hours before.  This may not work for you at work all day.  Low all day works too.
Put the meatballs on rolls with provolone
YUM.
The kids and hubby love it.

BBQ Chicken
Frozen chicken breasts
1 can of pop (any kind works I think.  Coke, Sprite. I use any one hand.)
Cook on low all day
Shred when you get home and mix in BBQ sauce
Put on rolls
enjoy!

Pot Roast and leftovers

As I stood in the kitchen with a pot roast in hand I was trying to devise a new recipe that would bring flavor, less salt than the "three pack" recipe and not use a can of cream of mushroom soup.  I came up with the following:
Pack of AuJus
Milk (about 1/2 cup)
Butter
Water (about 1/2 cup)

Cover the bottom of the crockpot with potatoes and carrots.  Place the roast on top.  Cover with the mixture.  Cook on low all day. Fantastic!

Now I have leftovers....  What to do!  I am going to try for the following - I will let you know how it works out.
Cut up leftover beef
Mix with leftover carrots
Add peas from freezer
Mix with leftover gravy
Cover with a Pillsbury Dough sheet
Bake at 350 for a bit.

Cross your fingers!

Chili!

Ingredients:

 

1 pound ground beef 1 pound ground pork 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped, divided 1 green bell pepper, chopped 2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons chopped green onion 2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans 1 can white navy beans 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (12 ounce) bottle lager-style beer 2 tablespoons cornmeal 1 cup water 1/4 cup chili powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Directions:

1.	Cook ground beef and pork in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease.
2.	Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in 3/4 of the onion and all of the green pepper, jalapeno pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir the drained meat into the onion mixture along with the green onion, chili beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, beer, and water. Sprinkle with the cornmeal, then season with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.
3.	Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate overnight.
4.	Reheat the chili over medium heat until it begins to simmer again.

Pickeled Jalepano's

Slice up a bunch of jalepano's
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 tbsp peppercorns
2 bay leaves
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tbsp coarse sea salt
1 tbsp sugar

Pack the jalapeños in a glass jar.
In a saucepan, add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Pour the hot pickling liquid over the jalapeños and let it rest for a few hours. Shake it up a little so that the peppercorns are evenly distributed.
Keep refrigerated for upto two months or can it according to jar manufacturer’s instructions.

Sunday Dinner

This week we went all out!  Filet Minon, Shrimp, Salmon and salt potatoes.  Are you ready?

Filet Minon.
Alpine Touch and a good grill!

Shrimp. 
Recipe to come.

Salt Potatoes.
1 cup salt
2 quarts water
5 lbs small white potatoes
Boil until over done
Drain into a bowl and cover with 1 stick of butter chopped into small pieces

Salmon.

cover with Mayo and fresh dill

Broil for 15 minutes or until done



First Post - Potato/Carrot/Onion

We call it the potato-carrot-onion

Cut up about 4 potoatos
chop about 2 carrots
chop about 1/2 onion

Place all the potato, carrot, onion onto a sprayed foil packet.  Cover with 1/2 cube of butter chopped and Johnnys seasoning salt.  Wrap in foil.  Bake for 375 for 45 min. or on the grill. Open and serve!