Short week this week with Kevin being on call and the rest of us heading up to Seattle. Here's what's for dinner this week.

Sunday: Porchops and gravy, mashed potatoes and corn

Monday: Costco--I have a bajillion things to buy and you gotta love the cheap eats at Costco!!

Tuesday: Chicken Noodle Soup, Homemade rolls and Salad

Wednesday: Pesto Manicotti, Caeser Salad, Garlic Bread, and Green beans

Thursday: Fried Rice, Egg Rolls and Sweet and Sour Chicken

Friday: Hamburger Casserole for the crockpot, Jell-o, Salad

Saturday: Dinner in Portland with Kevin

We're a little late in posting this week's menu, but without being able to get to the store, things were thrown out of sync.


Sunday: Creamy Vegetable Soup

Monday: Cold Cereal and Peanut Butter Toast--No car keys to get to the grocery store.

Tuesday: Burritos--bean and cheese (Noah) and beef and bean(the rest of us)

Wednesday: Fund raiser at a pizza parlor for the kids school or Chicken Crescent Wreath

Thursday: French Bread Pizza and Salad Bar (the kids love making their own)

Friday: Chili and Cornbread

Saturday: Baked Potato Bar, Salad and Homemade Rolls

What's for dinner?

I thought it would be fun to post a menu for the next week. I would love it if others share their menus. I am always asking what's for dinner. So here's what's for dinner at our house this week!!!

Sunday: German Pork Roast, Knoedel (german potato dumplings),Gravy, Carrots and Rotkohl (red sweet and sour cabbage). Kevin loves this meal and I always try and fix something special when he is home.

Monday: Grandma arrives for the week and we will be celebrating Abby's birthday. She chose The Mongolian Grill for her dinner. Yummy!!!

Tuesday: Turkey Pot Pie, Spinach Salad and Rolls

Wednesday: Meatloaf, Twice Baked Potatoes, Corn and Blueberry Muffins

Thursday: Clam Chowder in Bread Bowls and Green Salad

Friday: Sliders on Potato Rolls (with grilled onions for Kevin, Isaac and Abby), Warm German Potato Salad, Veggie tray with Ranch

Saturday: Chicken Parmesan, Green Beans, Buttery Parmesan Noodles, Caeser Salad and Homemade Breadsticks (I make the chicken before hand so all I have to do is pop it in the oven.)

What to do with leftovers????

I want everyone's favorite recipes for leftover turkey.

I always make soup. Sometimes I use rice, egg noodles, or the family favorite, frozen fat noodles.

Other things I do with the leftover turkey:

Turkey Hash
Stuffing (homemade or Stovetop)
Turkey
Corn 1-2 cans, drained
Gravy
Mashed Potatoes

Layer a greased 9x13 (or smaller depending on family size) with stuffing, top with turkey, 1-2 cans corn, gravy and mashed potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until bubbly.


Turkey Tetrazinni
2 cups broken spaghetti noodles
3/4 cup boiling water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/8 t. celery salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked turkey
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, divided

Cook noodles according to directions. Meanwhile, dissolve bouillon in water (if I have leftover broth from cooking the turkey down I use this instead). Add soup, celery salt and pepper. Drain spaghetti and add to soup mixture. Stir in turkey and 3/4 cup cheese. Transfer to an 8-inch greased baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

*I double this for my family.


Turkey, Bacon and Jack Quesadillas

Turkey
Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Jack Cheese, shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup (sometimes)
Chipotle seasoning, if desired
Green Chilies, chopped, if desired
Tortillas

Combine all ingredients and scoop onto tortilla. Top with another tortilla. Cook on griddle until golden brown and melted inside. Serve with sour cream and diced tomatoes.


I also make a Turkey Tortilla soup that's yummy.

Best Ever Coconut Cream Pie

Years ago my mom found this recipe for those of us who didn't want the traditional pies at Thanksgiving. It is soooo yummy, we look forward to each year.

Coconut Cream Pie

3 T cornstarch
1 1/3 cup water
3 egg yolks, well beaten
1 can condensed milk
1 T butter
1 tsp. vanilla
Toasted coconut (to taste)
Shortbread pie crust
Whipped Cream

Dissolve cornstarch in water in saucepan on stove, add eggs and condensed milk. Stir with whisk until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Let cool a couple a few minutes and add coconut. Pour into shortbread crust. Refrigerate until serving. Right before serving, top with whipped cream and top with some toasted coconut.

*Beat egg yolks really well. If not, pie will be grainy.

**This pie is a great Banana Cream pie as well. Just place a layer of bananas on pie crust, top with filling and add another layer of bananas, then top with whip cream.

Enjoy!!!!!

The Preparations have begun

In order to enjoy Thanksgiving as much as possible, I have started making the dishes that can be made ahead. I have the stuffing/dressing made. A couple of appetizers and the jell-o. For appetizers this year I am doing a spinach and artichoke dip, a cheeseball, baked potato rounds (my niece loves those!), lil' smokies, a veggie platter, chips and dip and a bean dip. It will be way more than enough, but they are great for Friday's leftovers. I love to munch on the cheeseball while playing card games or Sequence with the family. Tonight after dinner, I will make the pies.

Ranch Cheese Ball

1 package softened cream cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 package ranch dressing mix
sliced almonds

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, cheese and ranch dressing mix. Roll in almonds to coat. Chill and enjoy with crackers.
I got this recipe from a wonderful lady at a recipe exchange from church. It is very yummy!!!!


Bean Dip

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large can refried beans, or 2 small ones
1 package taco mix
1 tub sour cream
1 bottle green taco sauce
cheese for the top

Brown ground beef, drain. Add taco mix and beans, spread in 9x13. In bowl combine sour cream with taco sauce, pour over bean mixture. Top with cheese and heat until bubbly and hot through.

My sister gave me this recipe within the first year of marriage. I cannot tell you how many times I have made this. Chances are you have eaten it at my house or at some social gathering. We LOVE this recipe. I have made it whenever a munchie has been needed to be brought (BUNCO night), for birthday parties (Kevin's surprise fiesta), and sometimes we have it for dinner. Noah prefers it to plain taco meat anyway. There are truly never any leftovers.

Baked Potato Rounds (for Olivia--I will pop a few of these just for you)

2 Large baking potatoes
salt and pepper
shredded cheddar cheese
bacon, cooked and crumbled
sour cream

Slice potatoe rounds into uniform round slices. Spray both sides with PAM, salt and pepper (if you like salt and pepper-I usually go light for the kids). Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until softened. Top with cheddar cheese and bacon. Bake until cheese is melted. Top with a small dollop of sour cream. It's like eating a baked potato!!

We sometimes have this for lunch. The kids love these.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Here's our dinner tonight. I tried out a new meatball recipe and the kids gobbled them up. Spaghetti has never been one of my favorites, but when I was pregnant with Abby I craved it. It's still not a favorite, I used to save it for Kevin and the kids on Girls' Night Out. But every so often...


Meatballs:

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 eggs
parsley
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Shape into size you want, brown and simmer in sauce for 40 minutes on the stove top or in crockpot for 6-8 hours.

Anybody have a good meatball recipe?

Pizza for dinner

Our family favorite, canadian bacon, pineapple and bacon.

The boys showing off their pizzas. Isaac made a smiley face out of his.

Anna, Christie and Abby with their pizzas.
Noah tossing his dough. The sizes and shapes were certainly interesting.

The kids had so much fun making their own pizzas.

We started with cheesy breadsticks and ended with dessert pizza topped with mini m&m's and icing.

Rich and Cheesy Macaroni

This is our family's favorite mac-n-cheese. I tried to take a picture, but it didn't look as yummy as it should. We had this dinner tonight and the kids can hardly wait for lunch tomorrow. (I bought thermoses for the kids and they bring a hot lunch every day. Sometimes it is just top ramen if I haven't made a soup yet for the week.) I made this for a casserole recipe exchange our ward had and it got rave reviews.


Rich ‘N’ Cheesy Macaroni
2 ½ cups uncooked macaroni (I used fusilli this time and the kids LOVED it, about 31/2 cups)
4 T butter
¼ cup flour
1 t. salt
1 t. sugar
2 cups milk
8 oz. velveeta
1 1/3 cups small curd cottage cheese
2/3 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook noodles according to directions; drain. In saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and sugar until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat, add velveeta and 1 cup cheddar. Stir until melted. Add cottage cheese and sour cream. Add drained noodles. Mix together and pour into greased 9x13. Sprinkle remaining cheddar over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cheeseburger Buns

I made these cheeseburger buns for my sister as a surprise this weekend. She LOVES them. Last time I made them she took the leftovers home and wouldn't share with anyone.

Cheeseburger Buns:

2 Tbls. yeast

1/2 cup warm water

3/4 cup warm milk

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup melted margarine

1 egg

1 tsp. salt

3 1/2- 4 cups flour

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

8 oz. tomato sauce

8 slices American cheese, cut in 4

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, melted margarine, sugar, salt and 2 cups flour. Continue to add flour and knead until dough is soft and elastic. Let rise 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, brown ground beef, drain. Add tomato sauce.

Separate dough into balls and flatten to 5-inch circles. Place 2 squares of cheese in the center of circle, top with 2 Tbls. ground beef mixture, bring edges together, make sure it's sealed. Repeat with reaming balls. Let rise 20 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!!!!

Off to Wisconsin

So we will be spending another Thanksgiving in Wisconsin, which is always fun but never dull of a little drama. So for this year Neal decided to step out on a limb and dare to ask my step mom if I could make the dinner this year. YIKES!!!! He is very brave and he got the assignment because he is a master at words. I should say that her meals suck. I didn't think you could really ruin a thanksgiving dinner but she does. She usually makes ham, which i don't mind, but it is only have heated...yuck! and then her very favorite homemade maccaroni and cheese, worse than any school mac and cheese you can find.

Anyway he did make the call and basically said that we were all talking and decide we would love to give mom and dad a break from dinner and dishes this year. She is one to stress about everything and gives herself ulcers...so I am sure with her finally agreeing, she is still stressing and giving herself ulcers. For the record we are going to have a great dinner and that is what all of us kids really wanted. So my sisters, sister-in-law and I will do dinner. As for our menu I am not positive but I do know a few things that are at every Wisconsin family function...

veggie tray
cheese, sausage and cracker tray
taco dip (7 seven layer dip)
turkey
potatoes
sour dough rolls, my sister-in-law makes, the best...so good her dog stole a hole batch off the counter last year when we left...Neal was so mad.
Sweet Potatoe casserole
And I am sure some pie

I am hoping I get to make the turkey cause I found this faboulus recipe last year in the paper...so moist...but my brother wants a deep fried one...

anyway...here is the recipe for the turkey...best one I have ever made, seriously so moist.

Roasted Turkey with orange and rosemary

1 (10-pound) turkey
4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary
4-6 tablespoons butter, cut into pats
1 Whole orange, cut in half
Salt and pepper to taste

Basting Liquid:
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup orange juice
½ cup white wine

Special Equipment:
2 pieces cheesecloth, large enough to cover entire turkey breast
1 large roasting pan
1 rack that fits inside roasting pan

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Read all turkey instructions thoroughly.
2. Generously spray a large roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Remove neck and giblet packets from front and back cavities of bird. Place neck and giblets in the bottom of roasting pan.
4. Rinse turkey cavities and pat skin dry with paper towels. Place on a rack inside roasting pan. 5. Lift breast skin away from the meat. Slide pats of butter evenly over each breast. Strip the leaves off the rosemary twigs and arrange under the skin. If stuffing the turkey, do so now.
6. Take one orange half and squeeze the juice and rub it all over the bird. Place the used orange half in the bottom of the roasting pan. Season outside of bird liberally with salt and pepper.
7. In saucepan combine, melted butter, orange juice and white wine. Keep warm on top of the stove.
8. Stack two pieces of cheesecloth on top of each other. Spray the turkey skin and one side of the cheesecloth generously with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Place cheesecloth (sprayed side down) over turkey breast. Brush cheesecloth with basting liquid until it is soaked. Place turkey in oven. Baste turkey and cheesecloth every 20 minutes during roasting period. Occasionally add water to the bottom of the pan.
9. After 2 hours and 15 minutes, gently remove the cheesecloth so the breast skin can brown. Using a meat thermometer, check the internal temperature of the inside of the thigh, being careful not to touch bone. When it registers 170 degrees, remove turkey from oven. Cover loosely with foil and let rest at least 20 minutes or as long as an hour. Carve.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

Stacy

Turkey, turkey, turkey!!!

We now have less than 2 weeks until Thanksgiving. I want to know what everyone will be eating. Also any fun family traditions you might have. Share your recipes please!!!! Our menu is as follows:

Turkey
Southern style dressing (recipe from my dad)
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Sweet Potatoes
Corn
Cran-raspberry jello salad
Homemade rolls
Olives

Dessert:
Pumpkin pie
Coconut Cream pie--I know not your usual, but Mom started making it for those of us who didn't want the traditional.
Pecan pie
Apple cranberry crisp

We usually only eat appetizers until the big meal. I am always looking for good appetizers, any favorites?

What's for dinner???

Porkchops and gravy. Served with mashed potatoes and corn. Yummy!! This was a comfort food as I was growing up. Now my children gobble it up. Not sure if it tastes as good as Mom's though.

Welcome to our new blog!!!

I am hoping that everyone will join in and help make this a fun and successful site. I am always looking for new recipes and know you are too. I want lots of recipes and pictures of your creations. Looking forward to a yummy experience!!!!