♥ Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

4 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 small can of evaporated milk
1/2 cup of cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and peel your potatoes (you can leave some of the skin on if you prefer as I did in the photo. Cut potatoes into large chunks and place in a large pot. Pour in enough cold water to cover the potatoes by 1 to 2 inches and then add a generous amount of salt. You want the water to taste salty. Place the potatoes on a burner and set to high heat and allow the water to boil rigorously. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Usually about 20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander and return them to the pot and cover them to keep them warm. In a sauce pan, combine the butter and evaporated milk and heat on low until butter has melted and mixture is hot.

With a hand mixture, begin to whip the potatoes. Add small amounts of butter and cream as you continuing mixer until the potatoes are fluffy and creamy and when you get the right consistency you like best. As you are mixing add your salt and pepper to taste.

Top with Cheddar cheese and cover with foil for a few minutes until cheese has melted. You can also scoop potatoes in a bowl before adding the cheese and heat in microwave for a few seconds until cheese melts. Stir melted cheese into potatoes and serve.

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♥ Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

I watched Martha Stewart decorate Christmas cookies last weekend and she made it look so simple. So I got out my big Christmas Tree cookie cutters and made my own sugar cookie dough and icing and tried it. Look how pretty they turned out and it really wasn't hard at all. Just look closely at the cookie and you will see that I did it with the icing by just adding my dark green food coloring and dropping a spoonful at the top and then dragging it down to leave some extra at the bottom of each swipe. Then of course I added some sprinkles and even some chocolate fudge for the base. And I saved a little icing and added a little yellow food color for the star!

Sugar Cookies 

2 cups plus 6 tablespoons of butter, softened
1-1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour

4-1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
6 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoons lemon juice
food coloring
your favorite sprinkles

Blend 2 cups butter and sugar together; stir in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add flour; mix until well blended. Shape into a ball; cover and chill for 4 hours to overnight.

Roll out dough 1⁄4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface; cut out with christmas tree or your favorite cookie cutters as desired. Arrange cookies on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden; cool.

Frosting

Combine powdered sugar, milk, remaining butter (melted), remaining vanilla, lemon juice and food coloring, if using, in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Frost cookies when cool. 

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♥ Ham, Peas & Creamy Noodles

Ham, Peas & Creamy Noodles

2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup of chicken stock
1 cup of heavy cream
16 ounces of cooked and shredded ham 
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
the zest from 1/2 lemon
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 pound of your favorite pasta, uncooked like this malfalda 

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet. Cook onion, stirring frequently until they are beginning to turn golden brown. Pour in the broth and cream. Bring to the boil then reduce to as quick simmer and cook until it begins to thicken up somewhat. Add in the ham and peas. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Stir in the pasta. Toss to combine and heat through. Serve immediately.

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♥ Turkey and Dumplings

I always put my leftover turkey to good use after Thanksgiving. Here are the turkey and dumplings I just made this afternoon. Oh yum!

Turkey and Dumplings

Stock

3 quarts of water
2 chicken or turkey bouillon cubes
1 turkey carcass with scraps
2 cups cut up turkey pieces
Salt and pepper to taste


Dumplings

2 cups flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup ice cold water
lots of extra flour for dusting

Place turkey carcass along with meat scraps into a huge stock pot. Add any leftover broth or fat and bouillon cubes. Add 2 1/2 quarts of water so that water came to about 1 inch below the top of the pot. Heavily salt and pepper the water and carcass in the stock pot. Cover with lid and cook down several hours. I cooked mine about 5 hours. You will have to add about a quart of water half way through. Turn off heat and let carcass and broth cool while you make your dumplings.

About 30 minutes before you turn off the heat on the turkey stock you just made, start making your dumplings. Add flour and salt to large mixing bowl. Add in your eggs and stir with a wooden spoon. Next add the cold water and mix well to form a dough. You can add a little more water if needed. Turn out dough on a floured surface and sprinkle heavily with flour. Knead the dough until you get a smooth elastic texture.

Tear dough ball into 6 pieces. Use plenty of flour when working with your dough. Don’t worry about how much you are using. Any extra will go into the pot and naturally thicken the broth. With a rolling pin start rolling out dough. Roll a couple of times. Turn dough completely over and sprinkle with more flour if necessary. Roll a couple more times and turn dough 90 degrees.

Keep doing this a couple of times. Your dough is of right consistency because you have kneaded it long enough it rolls really easily and stretches like elastic. If not, you will really have to work it hard with a rolling pin to get it to roll out. Keep rolling your dough from the middle to the outside until you get a really thin dough. You will be able to tell when it is done because it almost stops being able to be rolled. Next, using a pastry wheel start cutting your dough for dumplings and once you have them cut, let your dough sit for at least an hour to dry out.

Remove the carcass, de-bone all the meat, and get the pot ready for boiling the dumplings. Add salt and pepper and a little parsley if desired to the pot and some water to fill about two-thirds of the way full. Bring the pot of liquid to a boil and begin dropping dumplings into the pot....you may want to add flour to keep them from sticking to your fingers. At this point, you can add larger pieces of left over turkey as I did if desired. Cover the pot of dumplings and cook for about 45 minutes or until done.

If you want a thicker broth like mine, just a tablespoon corn starch to a cup of cold water and mix thoroughly before adding to the boiling liquid.

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Beautiful people do not just happen.

Beautiful people do not just happen.

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat in their lives. They have known suffering, known struggle, and known loss. They have found their way out of the deepest lows.

These people have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with true compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern for others. Beautiful people do not just happen.

~Elizabeth Kubler Ross

♥ Thanksgiving Southern Green Beans And Ham

I made my Mom's country green beans and ham this Thanksgiving as my table just wouldn't be complete without them.

When I was little I can remember my Mom taking me out to the garden to pick fresh green beans. I thought it was so much fun carrying my little basket and walking behind her and watching her every move. Then we would sit out of the back porch and with two big bowls in our laps, we would snap them and I just loved that sound. What she created for supper that night with those green beans has never left my memory. She used to say, "we gonna have a big ol' mess of beans and cornbread tonight. What a supper!

Southern Green Beans And Ham

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced or chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 or 4 ham hocks, ham end pieces or ham shanks
2 to 3 pounds of fresh green beans, cleaned and snapped
3 cans chicken broth
3-4 cans of water (I use broth cans to measure)
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Place ham hocks or shanks in water enough to cover & let simmer a good 2 hours. Remove and set aside to cool. Reserve broth. When cool enough to handle, cut meat into chunks. If using ham end pieces like I did in the photo, set aside to use for later.

In a large heavy stock pot, melt butter on medium high. Add onions and garlic and ham. Cook until onions and garlic are tender and meat has browned just a little.

Turn down the heat to medium and add green beans, chicken broth and 3 cans of the broth from the cooked ham hocks. You want to just cover the beans with the liquid. If you need a bit more water, add it. Cover and cook beans for about an hour. Add, sugar, salt and pepper and stir well. Remove lid for the last 10 minutes of cook time. Check and re-season if necessary.

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♥ Roasted Carrots and Parsnips in Herb Garlic Butter

This is one of the easiest and most delicious side dishes. I didn't know what parsnips were all about until I tried this recipe a few months ago. They are delicious! They look like a white carrot and taste like a cross between a potato and a carrot. They are so good, especially when you roast them with carrots until they caramelize and then melt some herb butter over them. I buy Wegman's Shallot and Thyme butter and add garlic, but you can make your own with the recipe below.

 

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips in Herb Garlic Butter

5 large carrots (about 1 lb.), peeled
4 large parsnips (about 1 lb.), peeled
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup butter, softened at room temperature
1-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the carrots and parsnips into 2 inch chunks and put them in a bowl. Toss with garlic oil and salt and pepper; toss with the oil. Sprinkle with the thyme, salt and pepper and toss again. Transfer the vegetables to a baking dish with sides and roast, stirring every 15 min., until the vegetables are nicely browned, 40 to 45 min. Remove from oven and pour in bowl. Toss with garlic herb butter and serve.

Homemade Garlic Butter

2 large heads/bulbs of garlic (use 3 if the heads/bulbs are small)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons oil
8 ounces butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons finely minced parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut off about 1/4 inch of the bottom of the garlic heads/bulbs to expose some of the flesh of the garlic (the part that is pointed). Add the garlic heads/bulbs to a large piece of foil (about 12 x 12-inch square). Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap the garlic loosely with the foil and
transfer to the oven. Cook for 45 to 50 minutes or until the garlic is softened and lightly browned. Remove garlic from oven, carefully open foil and let cool to room temperature. Squeeze pulp of garlic into a medium sized bowl. Add butter and parsley and mix well.

Take a large piece of plastic wrap and transfer butter creating a 4-1/2-inch log along one side of the plastic wrap (leave a 2 inch space from the edge). Take the piece of plastic closest to the edge of the butter and place it over the butter. Roll the butter, wrapping it until it reaches the other edge. Twist the ends until the butter is tightly secured. Refrigerate to harden until you are ready to use it. Use parchment paper if you do not have plastic wrap or simply transfer the butter to an airtight container. To use, unwrap and slice.

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♥ Cranberry Pecan Stuffing

People love my homemade stuffing (dressing) and it is always a big hit every year. I make it the way I personally think dressing should taste and it comes out just perfect every single time. Not too many people know my secret. You see I don't like big chunks of wet soggy bread in my stuffing so I use the seasoned mix of breadcrumbs from a store bought stuffing mix. Then I add my own flavors and go...od things to make it perfect! You will be amazed at how this simple shortcut turns out incredible flavors in a this homemade stuffing!

Sausage Cranberry Pecan Stuffing

1 pound sweet Italian sausage or you can use a full roll of sage flavor Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage

2 (6 oz) boxes of Turkey or Chicken Stove Top stuffing
3 cups of chicken or turkey broth
1/2 cup butter (one stick)
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup water (if necessary)
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup Craisins or sweet dried cranberries
1 cup of Fuji or Gala Apple, diced very small (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter and set aside. In a small dry skillet, saute pecans over low heat for about 5 minute until lightly toasted and set aside. In a large skillet brown sausage that has been removed from casings. Drain off fat. Add onions, celery and carrots and saute until vegetables are tender and set aside.

In a a very large saucepan or dutch oven, add broth and butter and heat until boiling. Turn down heat and add the seasoned breadcrumbs from stuffing mix and mix well until crumbs have completely absorbed the liquid. Use the additional water if you think you need it. If there is a seasoning packet with your stuffing mix, add that too. Add in the sausage and vegetables. Add in pecans and cranberries and apples if you choose to use them. Mix well to combine all ingredients. Pour mix into prepared pan and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes and then uncover and bake 15 minutes or until the top is slightly crisp and the stuffing is heated through.

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♥ Deep Fried Turkey

So this past weekend I wanted to have a little mini Thanksgiving get together for a couple that will not be home for the holidays. And I wanted an excuse to bring out my Butterball Turkey Deep Fryer that I told you all about last week. I love this thing! It is truly amazing how simple it is to make a deep fried turkey and how it comes out perfect every time. It took only 35 minutes to fry this turkey from the second my oil heated up. The skin is golden and crispy and the white and dark meat is so moist it just gushes with butter when you slice into it! Here is the finished result and the step I took to make a 10.6 pound little butterball fresh turkey for my guests. I have also included the link again for those of you who might still want to buy it.

Deep Fried Turkey

2 and 1/2 gallons of Peanut Oil (oil can be reused)
1 10 lb. fresh turkey
salt and pepper to taste

Remove the giblets from the turkey. Rinse the turkey in the sink under cold water (inside and out). Then completely and thoroughly dry the turkey inside and out with paper towels. You want to eliminate as much water as possible.

Season the inside and outside with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you might want to add. I stick with just salt and pepper for that true turkey taste. Simply rub the salt and pepper all over the inside and outside of the turkey. Put turkey in deep fry basket.

Heat the oil in your deep fryer. It took mine 35 minutes to heat to 375 degrees. Gently and carefully lower the turkey into hot oil and close the lid. Time it 4 minutes per pound of turkey. However my turkey was a 10 pounder and it only took 35 minutes. The temperature should be at 165 degrees at the thickest part of the thigh and breast.

Lift the basket and drain the turkey for at least 20-30 minutes before removing to platter to carve. Enjoy!

Here is the link for the Butterball Turkey Fryer at a special price through Amazon when you purchase it using this Welcome Home code. Remember when you buy anything through Welcome Home at Amazon you support the No Kill Advocacy Group that saves the lives of dogs and cats in this country who are killed unnecessarily while waiting in shelters for a new home.

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Good Morning December 1st, 2013

Good morning everyone. It's a cold morning here in Maryland with temperatures only in the low 20's. November sort of came and went in a hurry and all of a sudden it's December.

I am currently in hibernation at this time and will probably stay in hibernation for the next 108 days, 8 hours, 21 minutes, and 35 seconds. Not that I'm counting or anything.

My definition of hibernation means I do a...s little as possible outdoors and as much as possible indoors. I avoid being exposed to the harsh outside elements at all costs and only make it out of my cave when I absolutely have to. I stock my pantry with all the essentials necessary to make comfort foods during cold winter months. My freezer is stocked with homemade soups and stews, casseroles, and all the good things I've already cooked in preparation for cold winter days. The Slow Cooker is ready to fire up at any second and the fireplace is always going.

My closets are filled with winter scarves, sweaters, wool mittens and socks, as well as electric blankets and throws. And I can be found at anytime of the day all bundled in my sweats and my pink furry bunny slippers... with my Mom's old Pink Chenille robe very close by... just in case there is a draft somewhere in the room. And yes with all that, I still have a space heater at my feet trying to warm up the room to a nice even 85 degrees! I am not a winter person. I do not like cold, nor do my bones and joints and hands and feet, which will stay ice cold until sometime in May of next year.

So, welcome December....I'm armed and ready for you. Go ahead and throw out everything you've got. Bring on the frigid temperatures and the snow and the blizzards and your freezing rain. Bring on your gusts of wind and your harsh bitter cold and the sleet and the frosty icicles hanging off the roof tops. Bring it on.... 

 I am not coming out!