Recipe Ideas for Leftovers

Painting by Alice in Paris, she's having a sale today!

I'm sure we're all surfing the internet today for recipes to use up our leftovers. 

Here are a  few I'd like to try:
Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole from Brown-Eyed Baker
Pilgrim Roll Ups from Ma What's for Dinner?
Turkey and Stuffing Cakes from Kraft Canada (use leftover stuffing, these are fantastic!)
Morning-After Cranberry Sauce Muffins from Serious Eats
Crunchy Pear & Celery Salad from Eating Well (great way to use up all the extra celery you chopped!)
Mixed Bean Salad from Martha and Me (use up those leftover green beans)
Pierogi with Potatoe Filling from Sweet Almond Tree
Too Much Pumpkin? from New Nostalgia

Enjoy!

Our Thanksgiving Day Menu & Prayer

 Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  Here's what we're serving tomorrow.

Oven Roasted 12lb Turkey with Sage Butter from Tyler Florence
Stuffing Casserole from Food Network website
Oyster Stuffing Casserole (my husband's recipe)
Mashed Sweet & Russet Potatoes with Herbs from Martha Stewart
Cranberry Sauce from Real Simple
Bean Salad (mother-in-law bringing)
Pumpkin Pie (mother-in-law bringing)
Apple Pie from Cooking Light Magazine

May you all have a blessed holiday :)
Enjoy!

THANKSGIVING PRAYER

Dear Father:

We thank You for the sunshine and for the rain and snow.

We thank You for the birds that sing and for the flowers that grow.

We thank You for the harvest, the good things gathered in,

The food that fills the farmer's barn, the storehouse, and the bin.

We thank Yon for our homes and for our friends so dear,

We thank You for our mothers and for our fathers' cheer.

To show You that we thank You, we will be kind and true,

And go with happy faces each day our work to do.

~Amen~

Amish Cook's Mystery Biscuits

My mother is famous for her baking soda biscuits.  Me, not so much.  So what is one to do when you love them, but your mother lives thousands of miles away?  You just gotta figure out how to do it on your own.  So, I turned to my favourite Amish cookbook for a simple recipe for biscuits and found these beauties.

One of the key's to a fluffy biscuit is not to handle them too much.  As these are made in muffin tins the handling is minimum.  They have mayonnaise in them and the dough is very sticky.  The center was soft and fluffy with a perfect crunchy crust.

MYSTERY BISCUITS
from The Amish Cook's Baking Book

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1-1/2 cups white & 1/2 cup whole wheat flour)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (I used Kosher salt)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a baking sheet or 12 muffin cups and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Blend in the mayonnaise, milk, and sugar until the mixture is creamy.  Drop by the Tablespoon onto the prepared pan or fill the muffin cups two-thirds full.  Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

Printable Recipe

Have I mentioned how much I adore this baking book?  I have tried many cookbooks but this is the one I can easily open, flip to any page, will likely have all the ingredients on hand and all the recipes are simple to make.  Does it get any better than that?

So far, I've made their Monster Cookies, Peanut Butter Swirl Bars (which I'll post another time), Banana Muffins, Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Brownies (forgot to get photos of these and they were eaten in a flash).  Looking for the perfect gift for the baker in your family or novice cook - this is it!  (No, I'm not being paid to review or write about this lovely book either).

Enjoy!

My Aunt emailed me this link for creating a Santa message to your children.

Give it a try~

http://magicsanta.ca/

Pumpkin Pie (without Evaporated Milk!)

Yes, it can be done.  You can make a perfect pumpkin pie even if you don't have that can of Evaporated Milk!  Although it's in every pumpkin pie recipe on the back of every can of pumpkin, you really don't need the evaporated milk.  This delicious pie came out tasting exactly the same, even better the recipe is for two 9-inch pies.  So enjoy one for your family, then be a kind neighbour and send the other next door and ease some of their holiday stress.

VIRGINIA PUMPKIN PIE
from The Southern Hereitage Pies and Pastry Cookbook

2 (16-ounce) cans pumpkin
2 cups sugar (I always use Truvia or Stevia in the Raw)
4 eggs, seperated
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pastry (recipe follows)

Combine pumpkin, sugar, egg yolks, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl.  Beat at medium speed of an electric mixer 1 minute or until smooth.

Beat egg whites (at room temperature) until soft peaks form.  Fold hites into pumpkin mixture.  Pour equal amounts of filling into prepared pastry shells.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool before slicing.  Yield: two 9-inch pies.

PASTRY
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk

Combine flour and salt; mix well.  Combine oil and milk (do not stir).  With a fork, stir in liquid to moisten dry ingredients.  Divide dough in half; shape into two balls and chill.

Roll each portion of dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.  Place in two 9-inch pie plates; flute edges.  Prick bottoms and sides of shells.  Bake at 475 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool.  Yield: two 9-inch pastry shells.

Printable Recipe

Happpily submitted to Culinary Evolution over at The White Blue Sky.

Enjoy!

from The Parent's Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 10, 1919

Six Orange Grove, Inc — Save 40% Charlie's Soap Ultra Dirt Fighting Combo Kit

Six Orange Grove, Inc — Save 40% Charlie's Soap Ultra Dirt Fighting Combo Kit

Had to post a quick one on this amazing deal.
I love Charlie's Soap and use it frequently in our HE washer.
I'm not paid to promote this product or sale - just wanted to pass it on :)

Menu Plan Monday

Oh I am so nervous because this is my first Menu Plan Monday.  Why am I so stressed out?  Remember I wanted to do this.  It's not like we have to eat exactly what I've listed.. right? 

I am a "mood cook" and love to explore recipes and try new things.  So will having a meal plan still give me the freedom to cook what I want?  Yes, and no.  What my plan will be, is to stick to the plan as much as possible, but give myself the freedom to choose to change-it-up once a week.

MONDAY
Breakfast Pumpkin Waffles from freezer
Lunch Leftover Pizza
Dinner Panko-Breaded Pork Chops, Leftover Apple Coleslaw, Leftover Banged Potatoes

TUESDAY (slow cooker)
Breakfast Oatmeal with Applesauce Granola
Lunch Sandwiches
Dinner Hearty Potatoe Soup

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast Cinnamon Chip Scones
Lunch Leftovers
Dinner Rosemary Baked Chicken with Potatoes

THURSDAY (slow cooker)
Breakfast Pancakes
Lunch Leftovers
Dinner Turkey Pumpkin Chili

FRIDAY
Breakfast Breakfast in a Muffin
Lunch
Dinner Thai Chicken Soup

SATURDAY
Dinner Let's Go Out!

SUNDAY
Dinner Pork Loin with Pears

WEEKLY FREEZER COOKING PLAN
- Lasagna
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Meatloaf
- Pancakes
- Breakfast in a muffin
- Zucchini Bread

WEEKLY BAKING PLAN
- Oatmeal Cookies
- Applesauce Granola
- Cinnamon Chip Scones

Whew!  I did it!

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time!

Pasta with Pumpkin, Sausage and Spinach

Get ready because your family is going to love this!  Everyone at our table, including Grandma and a picky-eater friend our daughter had over, ate 2 bowls of this delicious supper.
 
Turkey sausage, rotini pasta, spinach in a pumpkin sauce with sage and nutmeg form a mouth-watering combination.  Serve with Pamesan cheese and it's perfection in a bowl.  The leftovers are even better.

This cooks up in a flash, so it's perfect for a week night meal after a busy day.  If you can make spaghetti, you can make this easy meal.  If you can pop a pre-made convenience meal in the microwave, you can make this meal.  As Roni from Green Lite Bites says, you don't even have to tell anyone there's pumpkin in it.  I'll be making this again and again and it's now added to our rotation of family favourite meals.

PASTA WITH PUMPKIN, SAUSAGE AND SPINACH
from Green Lite Bites

1 small onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic diced
1 package of mild Italian sausage (I used homemade turkey sausage)
1 15oz can of chicken broth (I used homemade)
1 15oz can of pumpkin
1/4 cup of non fat greek yogurt (I used plain yogurt)
1 tsp ground sage
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
8 oz whole wheat fusilli pasta
About 1/3 of a bag of fresh baby spinach leaves

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

While waiting for the the water to boil, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray it with non-stick spray and brown the sausage with the onion and garlic.  Once brown, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Lower to medium and add the pumpkin, yogurt, sage, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir to combine everything. Keep on medium until the sauce begins to boil again then lower to a simmer.

By this time the pasta should be done. Drain and add to the skillet with the pumpkin and sausage. Stir to coat and combine everything. Add the spinach and stir in until it wilts.

Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan.

Printable Recipe

Happily submitted to
Ultimate Recipe Swap Thursdays over at Life As Mom
Family Friendly Fridays over at Mommie Cooks!

Enjoy! (I know you will)

from the book "Let's Think About Time"

written by Jane Hart

illustrated by Judy Varga

1965, Hart Publishing Company

I purchased this book from a local thrift shop.

Shepherd's Pie with Three Peppers

Shepherd's Pie brings back many happy memories as my Mum made this almost every week when I was growing up.  I was browsing my cookbooks searching for an updated version and came across this great recipe in my Canadian Living's Family Cookbook. 

It was truely delicious with a meaty bottom layer with lots of colourful vegetables and soft potatoe crust.  I substituted groud pork for the beef and it turned out great. 

The only thing I didn't care for wih this recipe, was the sink-full of dishes it produced.

SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH THREE PEPPERS
from Canadian Living's Family Cookbook

4 large potatoes peeled and halved (I used unpeeled red potatoes)
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
1 cloved garlic, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 lb. ground beef (I used ground pork)
1/2 cup beef stock
1 Tbsp. tomatoe paste
1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
salt and pepper
1-1/2 cups sweet red, green and yellow peppers (I used frozen)
2 eggs, seperated
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
ground nutmeg

In saucepan of lightly salted boiling water, cook potatoes for about 20 minutes or until tender, drain well.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil over medium heat; cook onions and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened.  Add mushrooms, cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden.  Transfer to greased 8-cup shallow baking dish (I used my Pyrex 9x13" glass dish); set aside.

In same skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat, breaking up with back of spoon, for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink.  Drain off fat.  Add to mushroom mixture.

In same skillet, bring stock and tomatoe paste to boil, stirring contantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in horseradish, mustard, thyme, 1/2 tsp slat and pinch of pepper; add to meat mixture, mixing well.

In clean skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat; cook sweet peppers for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender-crisp.  Sprinkle over meat mixture.

Mash potatoes.  Blend in hot milk, egg yolks, cheddar cheese, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper and nutmeg to taste.  Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into potatoe mixture.  Spoon evenly over meat mixture.

Bake in 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes longer or until filling is bubbly and top is golden.  Makes 6 servings.

Printable Recipe

Enjoy!

The house beautiful: essays on beds and tables, stools and candlesticks

By Clarence Cook

1878 Scribner, Armstrong and Company