Sunday, December 1, 2013

Sugarplum Pretzel Wands

Sugarplum Pretzel Wands
Christmas
To get your child started in the kitchen, try this fun and easy-to-prepare recipes featuring Sun-Maid Raisins and dried fruit products: Although these wands are fit for any sugarplum fairy, they are also a versatile treat for any holiday. Try red, white and blue colored
frosting for 4th of July or pale green and pink for Easter!

Ingredients:
12 large pretzel rods, 1/2 inch thick by 8 inches long
1- 7 ounce bag Sun-Maid Fruit Bits
1 – 16 ounce can vanilla frosting
Red and green liquid food dye
Assorted holiday sprinkles and candy decorations

LET'S GET ROLLING!
1. Divide frosting in half and place in 2 small bowls. Put several drops of red food dye in one bowl and several drops of green food dye in the other bowl.
Stir to blend each color.

2. Combine Sun-Maid Fruit Bits and assorted holiday candy decorations and pour onto a small sheet pan.

3. Coat 1/2 of each pretzel rod with colored frosting and roll coated end into Sun-Maid fruit bits and holiday candy mixture.

4. Place on foil or waxed paper- lined sheet pan and refrigerate for 10 minutes to harden frosting or cover and chill until ready to serve.

Fun gift idea: Tie with a colorful ribbon for a sweet homemade treat" What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matter compared to what lies within us" ~Angelique~Andrea~Alison~

Christmas Egg Nog Cherry Bread

Christmas Egg Nog Cherry Bread

Bread:
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups prepared eggnog
3 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped glaceed cherries, I like to use both red and green ones

Eggnog Glaze:
1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 Tbsp. prepared eggnog Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the first four ingredients until blended. Combine and add the next six ingredients and stir until dry ingredients are just moistened. DO NOT OVERMIX. Divide batter between 5 (6x3x2-inch) mini-loaf foil pans and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester, inserted in center, comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 15 minutes, and then remove from pans and continue cooling on a rack.

Meanwhile, stir together all the glaze ingredients until blended and set aside. When loaves are cool, drizzle tops with the Eggnog Glaze and allow a little to drip down the sides.

NOTES: 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans can be used in place of the 5 mini-loaf pans. Bake 60 minutes or until a cake tester, inserted in center of loaves, comes out clean. Also, you can reduce the walnuts to 1/2 cup and substitute 1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips in their place.

Eggnog Spice Bundt Cake

1 - (18 1/4 oz.) box spice cake mix

1 - (4-serving) box instant vanilla or

cheesecake pudding and pie filling mix

1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup light eggnog

1 egg

3 egg whites

1 1/3 cups toasted chopped pecans

Powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Coat a nonstick Bundt pan with cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, yogurt, oil, eggnog, egg, and the egg whites in a large bowl. Mix until creamy. Stir in the pecans. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, dust with the powdered sugar. Serves 16

Melissa

Recipe Source: Relish Magazine - Holly Clegg

JUMBO CANDY AND NUT COOKIES

JUMBO CANDY AND NUT COOKIES

1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (16-ounce) bag (2 cups) candy coated milk chocolate pieces
1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixer bowl combine sugar, brown sugar, butter,
eggs and vanilla. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until
creamy (2 to 3 minutes). Reduce speed to low; add all remaining ingredients except
candy and peanuts. Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (2 to
3 minutes). By hand, stir in candy and peanuts. Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls 2
inches apart onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes or
until light golden brown. Enjoy.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

MOTHER "B'S" GINGERBREAD

1 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

scant tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. melted shortening

1 egg

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. honey

2/3 c. boiling water

Sift dry ingredients well. In mixing bowl, break egg and beat. Add honey, melted shortening (when homesteading in Arizona she used bacon grease, which results in a unique smoky flavor) and boiling water. Be sure to stir while adding water.

Add dry ingredients and beat well. Bake in a greased pan in a 325 degrees oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry.

This recipe is an old timer. It dates from before 1900. It was devised by my mother-in-law to use what was available.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Thanksgiving Corn Pudding

Serves: 4

Source: PIL Cookbooks Thanksgiving Recipes

Ingredients:

2 Eggs

2 tablespoons Sugar

2 tablespoons All purpose flour

1 can (15.25 oz.) Corn, drained

1 cup Milk

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Black pepper

2 tablespoons Butter, cubed

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Whisk eggs in large bowl. Stir in sugar and flour. Add corn, milk, salt and pepper; combine well. Spray 8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add corn mixture to dish. Dot with butter.

3. Bake uncovered 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 (3/4 cup) servings.

Friday, November 1, 2013

TURKEY SHEPHERD'S PIE

TURKEY SHEPHERD'S PIE - Wolfgang Puck
Serves 4

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1-1/2 cups leftover stuffing
1 cup organic chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium organic carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 medium organic celery stalk, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1-1/2 pounds leftover turkey meat, all bones, skin, and fat discarded, meat cut into bite-sized chunks
1-1/2 cups leftover turkey gravy

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Put the mashed potatoes and the stuffing into 2 separate baking dishes, stirring in just enough of the broth to moisten and loosen them a bit if they have stiffened in the refrigerator. Put them in the oven to heat up while you continue preparing the other ingredients. (Alternatively, put them each in a separate microwave-safe bowl, adding the broth as directed. Then, cover with plastic wrap and microwave each bowl separately until the contents are heated through.)
Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, celery, and onion, along with half each of the parsley and thyme. Saute the vegetables, stirring frequently, until they just begin to soften and color, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped turkey, gravy, and a little more of the broth, if necessary to loosen the mixture. Cook until the turkey is heated through and the sauce is bubbling and thick, about 5 minutes more.
Spread a layer of the warmed stuffing in the bottoms of 4 individual-serving gratin dishes or the centers of 4 ovenproof serving plates. Spoon the turkey-vegetable mixture on top of the stuffing. Finally, spoon the mashed potatoes evenly on top.
Put the gratin dishes or plates on a baking sheet and bake in the oven just until the top of the potatoes starts to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer each gratin dish or plate to a larger serving plate, garnish with the remaining parsley and thyme, and serve immediately.

(c) 2009 WOLFGANG PUCK WORLDWIDE, INC. DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Bread Stuffing

Ingredients:

Serves: 10

Yield: 9 cups

3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped celery (with leaves)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup butter
9 cups soft bread cubes
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

Cook and stir onion and celery in butter in 10 to 12 inch skillet until onion is tender. Stir in about 1/3 of the bread cubes. Turn into a deep bowl. Add remaining ingredients; toss. Stuff turkey just before roasting. 9 cups stuffing.

STUFFING BALLS: Shape stuffing by 1/2 cupfuls into balls; place in greased baking dish. Cover and cook in 325 degree F oven 30 minutes. Uncover and cook 15 minutes longer. 10 Stuffing Balls.

NOTE: To make Corn Bread Stuffing, you can substitute corn bread cubes for the soft bread cubes.

NOTE: The unbaked stuffing mixture will freeze great in containers or freezer bags to serve later. To reheat: Thaw and bake it in a greased dish, (rather than in the bird)at 350°F until golden brown on top (about 30 minutes covered, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes more). Don't overbake!

Cinnamon Swirl Potato Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Potato Bread
By Elizabeth Yetter, About.com Guide

* 1 cup mashed potatoes
* 1-1/2 cups potato water
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1-1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
* 1 tbsp salt
* 1/4 cup butter, soft
* 4 eggs, beaten
* 1/4 tsp nutmeg
* 10 cups bread flour, about

* 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 1/3 cup butter, soft
* 1 cup raisins or currants (optional)

In extra large bowl, mix together the mashed potatoes, potato water, milk, sugar, yeast, salt, butter, eggs, and nutmeg. Mix in enough flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough out onto floured table and knead for five minutes, only adding flour a tablespoon at a time if needed. Wash large bowl and grease it. Put dough in greased bowl. Lightly greased the top of dough and cover with plastic wrap or clean kitchen cloth.

Let dough rise in warm place for 2 hours or until doubled. Make the filling by mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and raisins in a small bowl. Punch down dough. Turn out onto floured table and knead until smooth.

Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Roll out each piece to a 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Spread with brown sugar filling. Roll up dough from short end. Pinch seams and tuck under edges.

Place each loaf in a greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise a second time for about 45 minutes or until doubled. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes or until done.

Carefully remove hot bread from loaf pans. The brown sugar filling can sometimes leak out of the bread and it’s extremely hot. Let bread cool completely before serving or freezing.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice may be used to prepare the following recipe (also found in Recipe Finder): Spice Nuts. Or it may be used as a substitute for the spices called for in your favorite pumpkin pie recipe.

Yield: 2-1/2 tablespoons.

Pumpkin Pie French Toast

Pumpkin Pie French Toast
makes 4 servings

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
8 slices of bread
Or you can skip all the spices and just use a few tsps of pumpkin pie spice

1. Mix the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mutmeg and brown sugar in low flat bowl for easy dipping.
2. Dip the bread into the egg mixture on both sides and grill in a pan until lightly golden brown, about 2-3 minute per side.
3. Serve with maple syrup.

Maple Crackle

Maple Crackle

12 cups plain popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups walnut halves
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1 1/2 cups salted dry-roasted peanuts
1 cup butter or marg
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250° F.

In a large bowl, combine popcorn and nuts. Pour popcorn-nut mixture into a lightly greased roasting pan and spread evenly; set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sugar and maple syrup, stirring to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add baking soda, salt and vanilla, stirring to combine. Pour syrup mixture over popcorn-nut mixture, stirring to coat as much of the popcorn and nuts as possible.

Bake for 2 hours. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 1 gallon
(16 servings)

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Apple Cherry Salad With Pecans

Apple Cherry Salad With Pecans

4 large Fuji, Gala or Honeycrisp apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 1/4 cups dried tart cherries
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Mix chopped apples with lemon juice and lemon zest in large bowl.
Add cherries, celery and red onion; toss.
Mix in light mayonnaise.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Add chopped pecans right before serving; stir well.

Makes about 12 cups (1 cup servings)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/a-little-bit-of_everything/
Ask me about my new group!

~*Piper*~

Sunday, September 1, 2013

OLD FASHIONED APPLE BUTTER

OLD FASHIONED APPLE BUTTER

4 lb. tart apples
2 c. cider, cider vinegar or water
1/2 c. sugar for each c. apple pulp
1 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 lemon, grated rind and juice

DO NOT PEEL OR CORE apples, just cut into chunks.
Cover with liquid and cook until soft.
Put through a sieve and measure pulp.
Add the sugar (1/2 cup for each cup of pulp) and the remaining ingredients.

Cover and cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
Uncover and cook quickly, stirring with a wooden spoon to avoid burning.
Test a bit on a cold plate, when it is thick and smooth, put into sterile jelly glasses (about 10).

May finish cooking in crockpot on low instead of stove.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/a-little-bit-of_everything/

~*Piper*~

Apple Streusel Cobbler

Yield: 9 to 12 servings
Nutrition: See Below
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 50 Minutes

Ingredients

2 (21 oz.) cans apple pie filling
2 large eggs
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup cold butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup oats

Instructions

HEAT oven to 375°F. Spread apple filling in buttered 9-inch square baking pan.
BEAT eggs, sweetened condensed milk, melted butter and spices in large bowl; pour over apple filling. Combine brown sugar and flour in small bowl; cut in cold butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add nuts and oats. Sprinkle over top.
BAKE 50 minutes or until set. Cool. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Fabulous Chili

Fabulous Chili

1 lb. Ground beef
1/2 to 1 lb. Bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 16-oz. Cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
16-oz. Can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
16-oz. Can pinto beans
16-oz. Can pork & beans
15-1/2 oz. Can Sloppy Joe mix
14-1/2 oz. Can diced tomatoes, drained and juice reserved
1/4 to 1/2 c. Brown sugar, packed
Salt, pepper and chili powder to taste

Brown ground beef and bacon with onion and green pepper; drain. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker, using half of reserved tomato juice. Cover and cook on high setting until chili begins to simmer, about one hour. Reduce to low setting; continue to simmer for 2 to 4 hours. If more liquid is needed, use remaining tomato juice. Serves 6 to 8.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

OAMC Ham and Pineapple Melts

Ham and Pineapple Melts

I have had this recipe for ham and pineapple melts bookmarked ever since I found it on A Year From Oak Cottage about a year ago and I have just been waiting for the opportunity to make them. Armed with my ham leftovers I finally got the chance and it was certainly worth the wait! Ham and pineapple is a classic flavour combination and one that I particularly enjoy. How could you possibly go wrong with smothering it with some melted sharp cheddar cheese? Lets not stop there though, when we can add some sweet and spicy honey dijon mustard and top it all off with a splash of Worcestershire sauce! These are so good! With the sweet, spicy, tangy, salty, warm, melted and gooey they have a magical combination of flavours and textures. I have already made them several times and they are quickly depleting my supply of leftover ham. I made them with whole wheat english muffins and they go great for any of breakfast, lunch or dinner or even as a snack.

Ham and Pineapple Melts

(makes 2 servings)Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2 whole wheat english muffins (cut in half and lightly toasted)
4 teaspoons honey dijon mustard
4 slices ham
4 slices pineapple
4 slices cheddar cheese
4 small splashes Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
1. Spread the mustard on the english muffin and top with the ham, pineapple, cheese and top with a small splash of Worcestershire sauce.
2. Broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown, about 2-4 minutes.

OAMC A French Toast Morning

A French Toast Morning

2011

Most days breakfast is pretty low key around here, with oatmeal or cereal on the menu. But sometimes variety is called for, and the kids often request french toast. While I love french toast as much as the next person, I’m lazy efficient and often make it in a casserole form. Think french toast marries bread pudding and has a baby.
It’s EASY and fast to put together and cooks up while we get dressed and do our morning routine, which I love. I think I’m just in the stage of life where staying close to the stove to flip soggy bread is not practical and I imagine leaving the kitchen to discover my Oddles have pulled an entire package of baby wipes out of the container, one lovely wipe at a time–or that a marker masterpiece has been drawn on the cursed WHITE carpet.
Not that it would ever happen or anything. {Ahem.}
Shall we get to that recipe?
Ingredients: bread, eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla

8 pieces of bread. Stale is good. Half a loaf of last night’s leftover french bread is good too. Tear it up into bite size pieces. (Better yet, give the kids this job!)
Beat up 6 eggs, a cup of milk, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and 2 tsp. vanilla.
Place bread chunks in a greased baking dish. Pour egg mixture over bread and let soak in.
Bake at 375F for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown and set.
Serve with syrup, jam, or fresh fruit and whipped cream, if desired.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

OAMC Pizza Pasta Bake

Pizza Pasta Bake

1 lb. penne rigate or mostacolli, fully cooked and drained
1 c. ricotta cheese
3 c. marinara sauce (homemade or from a jar)
30 slices pepperoni
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms (I used canned, but only because that’s what I had on hand)
1/2 c. sliced black olives
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Combine hot pasta with ricotta cheese and stir until cheese is melted and smooth. Pour into a 13×9 casserole dish.

2. Pour marinara sauce over pasta. Top with pepperoni, mushrooms and olives. Add shredded mozzarella cheese on top.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through and cheese is melted.

Monday, August 19, 2013

OAMC CrockPot Cranberry Pork Roast

CrockPot Cranberry Pork Roast

I was lucky enough to receive a few different cranberry pork recipes and decided to make Mamame's the other night. She wrote it in the comments on the original pork post. I did change a few things around because I used fresh cranberries instead of canned, but otherwise tried my hardest to not stray too far.

I packed this up for some friends, and heard back today that they liked it. The kids found the cranberries to be a bit tart, so I added some additional sugar to the recipe ingredients.

The Ingredients.
serves 4-6

1 (2.5-3 lb) pork loin roast or rib roast
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 (16-ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
or: 1 cup fresh cranberries, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown (I did add 1/4 cup
brown sugar half-way through cooking after tasting the sauce, but 1/2 cup would be
better. I learned from making my own cranberry sauce that you really do need a lot
of sugar to balance out the cranberries.
1/3 cup golden raisins (I only had regular)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/3 cup cranberry juice
1/2 small lemon, thinly sliced (I put in a whole one, but Mamame is right, 1/2 is better. A whole one is too bitter.)

The Directions.
Use a 4 quart crockpot. In a plastic zipper bag, put dry spices and cornstarch and add meat.

Shake to coat. Put contents into your slow cooker. Add cranberry sauce, or your fresh cranberries and sugar. Put in raisins and garlic. Pour in cranberry juice, and top with lemon slices. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for about 4. The longer you cook the meat, the more tender it will be.

Serve with rice or pasta.

The Verdict.

Mamame writes, "this is hands down our family's favorite crockpot recipe." My friend who tried it liked it a lot, and her husband said the meat was perfectly cooked and juicy. Her 9-year-old, Austin, reported "I didn't really like the cranberries so much, but I thought they really brought out the flavor of the pork."

Sunday, August 18, 2013

OAMC Italian Sausage Risotto Recipe

I was recently looking for ways to use some sausage I had frozen in the freezer. I went searching the web for recipe inspiration and realized I had never in my life made a risotto recipe. Hmm. So I explored some different recipes, combined a few and came up with recipe.
This creamy risotto is a perfect chilly fall dinner. The blend of cheeses, sausage and rice make it a meal that won’t wane in several hours. On first look I wasn’t too excited about it. However, it ended up being very tasty and my husband especially loved it.

Author/Source:

Tricia @ Onceamonthmom.com

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
16 ounces Italian Sausage links (like Johnsohnville), sliced
1 cup apple juice
1 cup onion, diced
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1.25 cups rice
1 cup Chardonnay or dry white wine (can also sub apple juice)
3.5 cups chicken broth
1 cup peas, frozen
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/2 cup Romano Cheese, grated

Directions:

In a large saucepan, cook the sausage in apple juice. When finished cooking, remove from pan and slice. Heat oil in a large stockpot, add sliced sausage and onion, cooking until browned and softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme, cook for one minute longer. Add wine and rice and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Stir in 3 cups of the chicken broth. Lower the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until broth is absorbed. Add the rest of the chicken broth slowly, stirring until rice is cooked and creamy. Stir in peas and cheeses; cook until heated through. Serve.

Freezing Directions:

Follow all directions above. Allow to cool. Package in freezer containers. To serve: Thaw. Slowly warm on stove top, in slow cooker or in microwave. You may need to add a little chicken broth to bring it back to it’s creamy texture.

Servings: 4

Saturday, August 17, 2013

OAMC Brown Rice Casserole Recipe with Leftover Turkey (or chicken), Mushrooms, Sour Cream, Cheese, and Thyme

Brown Rice Casserole Recipe with Leftover Turkey (or chicken), Mushrooms, Sour Cream, Cheese, and Thyme

Brown Rice Casserole with Leftover Turkey (or chicken), Mushrooms, Sour Cream, Cheese, and Thyme

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving day, and some of you may even be cooking one of my Thanksgiving Recipes in honor of the big feast day. This week I've been giving suggestions for using up leftover turkey, such as Turkey and Guacamole Quesadillas or Turkey and Pinto Bean White Chili. This flavorful casserole with healthy brown rice, turkey, mushrooms, sour cream, cheese, and thyme is another option for something to make with your leftover turkey, or make it with chicken if you're not cooking a turkey this year. It's been months now since I vowed to make more casseroles for the blog, and if you grew up on casseroles like I did, you'll probably like this idea to use your leftover turkey. My casserole is missing the canned soup like the ones mom used to make, and I'm using low-fat sour cream and low-fat cheese, so it's really not as decadent as it looks in the photo.

To make this recipe you'll need 2 cups cooked brown rice. I cooked a batch in my rice cooker and froze the extra rice I didn't need. The rice doesn't need to be cooled, so you can cook it right before you make the casserole if desired.

Wash mushrooms, cut into half slices, and then saute in a small amount of olive oil until the mushrooms are slightly browned and all the liquid has evaporated.

Remove the mushrooms and in the same frying pan, heat a little more olive oil, then saute chopped onion until it's starting to soften. Then add the dried thyme and poultry seasoning and saute a few minutes more.

While onions are cooking, dice up enough leftover turkey (or chicken) to make 1 1/2 - 2 cups diced turkey. I cut it into pieces about 1/2 inch.

Add the mushrooms and diced turkey (or chicken) to the pan and mix with the onion-herb mixture.

Then mix in the rice and gently stir to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and turkey (or chicken) stock, then stir in the coarsely grated parmesan and grated low-fat cheese.

Mix the sour cream mixture into the rice mixture and stir gently to combine. I'm not sure why the picture taking process broke down at this point, but you'll have to imagine there are photos here of putting the casserole mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish, baking 25 minutes, adding the second cup of low-fat cheese, and baking about 15 minutes more!

Brown Rice Casserole with Leftover Turkey (or chicken), Mushrooms, Sour Cream, Cheese, and Thyme
(Makes about 6 generous servings, recipe created by Kalyn)

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked brown rice (long grain brown rice is best)
16 oz. mushrooms, washed, thickly sliced, slices cut in half
2 tsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil (or more, depending on your pan)
1 onion, diced into small pieces
2 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 tsp. ground poultry seasoning (see note after the recipe if you don't have it)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 - 2 cups diced leftover turkey or chicken, cut in 1/2 inch dice
1/2 cup turkey stock or chicken stock
1/2 cup sour cream (I used low-fat sour cream, but don't use fat-free)
1/2 cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese
1 cup + 1 cup grated low-fat cheese (I used Four Cheese Mexican Blend, use any type of low-fat cheese that you like the flavor of.)

Instructions:

Cook brown rice following package directions or using a rice cooker and let cool. Preheat oven to 375F/190C.

Wash mushrooms and spin dry or dry with paper towels. Cut mushrooms into thick slices, then cut slices in half. Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in heavy non-stick pan and saute mushrooms until they're starting to brown and all liquid has evaporated. Remove onions to a dish.

In same frying pan, add 1 tsp. more olive oil and heat, then add onions and saute 3-4 minutes until onions are softened. Add thyme, ground poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper, and saute about 2 minutes more.

While onions cook, dice leftover turkey or chicken into 1/2 inch pieces. Add mushrooms and diced turkey into pan with the onion-herb mixture, and stir to combine. Add rice and gently stir until all the meat and vegetables are evenly distributed in the rice.

In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and chicken stock, then stir in coarsely grated parmesan cheese and 1 cup grated low-fat cheese. Gently stir the sour cream mixture into the rice mixture.

Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick spray or olive oil. (I'd use a relatively flat dish without a lid for this casserole.) Spoon rice mixture into the casserole dish and press down to evenly distribute. Bake for 25 minutes, or until casserole is slightly bubbling and barely starting to brown. Sprinkle with second cup of grated low-fat cheese and bake about 15 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve hot.

(Note about poultry seasoning: My poultry seasoning from Penzeys has sage, white pepper, red and green bell pepper, lemon peel, savory, rosemary, dill weed, allspice, thyme, marjoram, and ginger. If you don't have it, just use a pinch of what you have.)

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

OAMC BBQ Chicken Enchiladas

BBQ Chicken Enchiladas.

Traditional enchiladas were the first dish I ever made Mr. How Sweet, long before he put a ring on it. They are still his most requested dish… he generally begs for them once or twice a month. If I want him to do something, I make enchiladas. He will almost do anything for enchiladas.
Except get rid of the turkey. Or eat a meatless meal. I already tried that with enchiladas.

Since he can eat the same meal for four hundred years before getting bored, I make enchiladas quite a bit. They’ve worn out their welcome on me – unless someone else is making them. Then I’m all in. Why does food taste better when someone else makes it?

After last week’s enchilada request, I was determined to put some kind of spin on it. On a whim, I whisked some of our favorite BBQ sauce into a can of enchilada sauce. I was instantly hooked. I knew that sweet, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese and BBQ sauce were just what we needed to break out of our enchilada rut. It was happening.

The thing is, I made this big batch of enchiladas just for Mr. How Sweet. I’m going to be away for a few days this week and wanted to leave him something for lunches and dinners. Or should I say dinner. One pan lasts about 30 minutes in our house. And in the face of starvation, you never know what he will eat.

I assume it would look like eggs… ground turkey… steak… chicken… protein bars… steak… cookies… and chicken. And I am not coming home to a man house that smells like that.

I couldn’t help it though.
They just looked and smelled so delicious. One bite turned into two, two bites turned into an entire enchilada, and one enchilada turned into three. I’ve never been good at math.

And that is how I ate Mr. How Sweet’s lunch for the week.

To be honest, the idea of BBQ enchiladas has crossed my mind once or twice, but I was afraid it may taste a bit off.

If the combination scares you, don’t let it. It truly is so delicious – Mr. How Sweet and I agreed that these are just as fantastic as traditional enchiladas, but different. Different in a good way. Not different in a strange way, like bacon in a granola bar.
What? That’s not strange either.

BBQ Chicken Enchiladas
makes 8 enchiladas
8 large whole wheat tortillas (my favorite are La Tortilla Factory!)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
28 ounce can red enchilada sauce
1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (or more depending on your tastebuds)
1/2 large sweet onion, sliced
1 tablespoon BBQ seasoning
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
Preheat oven to 375.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on low-medium. Add sliced onions with a pinch of salt, and let caramelize until soft and golden – about 10 minutes. While onions are cooking, dump enchilada sauce into a bowl and whisk in your favorite BBQ sauce until combined.
Add shredded chicken to onions with BBQ seasoning and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly. Pour in about a half of a cup of enchilada/BBQ sauce mixture, and add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup colby cheese. Stir until mixture comes together and turn off heat.
Pour a drizzle of enchilada/BBQ sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Take each tortilla and fill it with 1/2 + of chicken mixture. Roll each up and set it in the baking dish. Dump remaining enchilada/BBQ sauce on top of tortillas and add remaining cheese. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

OAMC Mexican Chicken

You want quick. You want easy. You want hearty. You want healthy. AND you want to freeze it? This one-pan dish is all that! Keep portions in your freezer and you’ll always have a quick taco filling ready for lunch or snacktime munchies.