Saturday, November 27, 2010

Test and Trial Friday (Thanksgiving Edition)

Okay so I forgot to do right down my recipes last week and Yesterday. But today I am going to make up for it by doing my Thanksgiving Test and Trail Friday Edition. This year I was in charge of desserts, Chex Mix, and one casserole. And as always my husband did not allow me to cheat with pre-made anything, so once again everything is from scratch. I was lucky and most of my cooking/baking was done on Wednesday night so that my Husband could have control of the oven all day Thursday. I enjoyed my baking time a learned that I need to invest in an apron of some sort. I am sharing three of my recipes Chex Mix, Green Been Casserole, and Red Velvet Cake (including frosting). I loved cooking my first Thanksgiving with my husband and I am blessed to have him state side for another year. Well I am off to enjoy more of my leftovers.

Chex Mix 
3 cups Corn Chex® cereal
3 cups Rice Chex® cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex® cereal
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup bite-size pretzels
1 cup garlic-flavor bite-size bagel chips or regular-size bagel chips, broken into 1-inch pieces
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Oven Directions Heat oven to 250°F. In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips; set aside. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Green Bean Casserole 
2 (10.75 ounce) cans Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 cups cooked cut green beans
2 2/3 cups French's French Fried Onions

1. Stir soup, milk, soy sauce, pepper, beans and 1 1/3 cups onions in 3-qt. casserole.

2. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 min. or until hot. Stir.

3. Top with remaining onions. Bake for 5 min. more.

Red Velvet Cake
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 bottle (1 ounce) McCormick® Red Food Color
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened, 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened, 2 tablespoons sour cream and 2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar until smooth.
Red Velvet Cake

Friday, November 12, 2010

Test and Trial Friday

I am actually excited to talk about my recipes this weeks. Yes I have two this week, an turkey dish and a pastry. I am not going to lie I was more excited about doing my apple pie than the Swiss Turkey Bundles, but who wouldn't be excited for Apple pie.

Monday night I made Swiss Turkey Bundles for my husband and my self to enjoy for dinner. It was a little bit more complicated dish then I have been doing so I was a little nervous and asked Christopher stay close just in case I mess up. I am so thankful he was around I ended up needing a little help making the cheese sauce ( I have never done that before). after they came our of them oven we sat down to enjoy a wonderful meal. I recommend this dish because it is so good and once finish is tastes so amazing.

The following evening I made homemade Apple Pie, which included making my own pie crust, (My husband refuses to let me cut any corners.) I believe at my least favorite part about the entire experience was having to peel and de-seed the six apples that the recipe needed. I loved making the pastry, until I tried to roll it out without a rolling pin (BIG mistake). Originally I was making a covered Apple pie which turned in to a Lattice Pie top (Criss Cross). Add a little Vanilla ice cream and I was set. I am looking forward to the new and exciting recipes that the world holds for me next week.


Swiss Turkey Bundles - making 8 servings
8 dried lasagna noodles
1 beaten egg
2 cups ricotta cheese or cream-style cottage cheese, drained
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked Turkey or chicken
1 1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh tarragon or basil or 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon or basil, crushed
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded process Swiss Cheese

1. Cook Lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again

2.Meanwhile, for filling, in a medium bowl stir together egg, ricotta, turkey, and basil/tarragon

3. Grease a 2-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside. To assemble bundles spread about 1/3 cup of filling over each Lasagna noodle. Starting from a short end, roll up Lasagna noodles. Place bundles seam side down in the prepared baking dish, set aside.

4. For sauce, in a medium saucepan belt butter. Stir in flour, mustard, slat, and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Gradually add cheese, stirring until melted after each addition. Pour sauce over Lasagna bundles.

5. Cover and bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes. Transfer lasagna bundles to dinner plates. Stir sauce in baking dish; spoon the sauce over the bundles.

347 CAL., 17 g. TOTAL FAT (8g SAT. FAT), 92 mg CHOL., 523 mg SODIUM, 22g CARBS., 25 g PRO.)

Home-made Apple Pie
Pastry:Two-Crust Pie (9 in)
2 cups all-purpose flour* or unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening
4 to 6 tablespoons cold water.
Apple Filling
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
dash of salt
6 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples
2 tablespoons firm butter or margarine
2 teaspoons water
1 tablespoon sugar

1. In a medium Bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is  is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

2. Gather pastry into a ball and divide in half and shape into two flatten rounds on a lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.

3. Roll pastry on lightly surface, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths and place in pie plate; or roll pastry loosely around rolling pin and transfer to pie plate. Unfold or unroll pastry and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side and being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked.

4. In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar, the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir in apples. Spoon into pastry-lined pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over apples. Cover with Top pastry that has slits in it; seal and flute.

5. Brush top crust with 2 teaspoons water; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Cover edge with 2- to 3- inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil for last 15 minutes of baking.

6.Bake at 425 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and jucie begins to bubble through slits in crust. Cool on wire rack for at least 2 hours.
* if using self-rising flour, omit salt.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

A night of Celebrating and A Day of Remembrancer

What a night!!! Yesterday was the celebration of the United States Marine Corps 235th birthday, which means we were at the Birthday Ball celebrating with fellow Marines and wonderful friends.  I was kind enough to let my husband drink his weight in alcohol (who is still in bed at this moment). Here are some of the better parts of the evening...


















As I sit here sipping my coffee remembering the night, my thoughts also travel to the significances of today, Veteran's Day. Today is the day we set aside and celebrate the men and women, past and present, who have served for our country. Whether it is Army, Air Force, Navy, or Marine Corps, we need to celebrate the sacrifices they have made over the years; the wars they fought/fight, the families they have had to leave behind. I am thankful to have my Marine state side and by my side everyday and I know the day is coming when he will have to deploy. I am thankful for the love I am feeling today as people so there pride in their Country.

This video is of the Marines of POM singing the Marine Corps Hymn celebrating 235 years. Ooh Rah! (not the best video quality and nothing to really look at but I Love it and thought I would share)

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Test and Trial Friday(Saturday)

I kind of cheated this week and did something extremely easy. My husband and I have me under weather and I did not want to something that required a lot of prep work. I made Cheesy Hot Dog  Crescent. WE enjoyed them with a small side of baked crinkle fries. I think I deserved some french fries after the week I have had. I did two different types of cheese, cheddar for myself and Pepper Jack for the wonderful hubby. I feel like I cheated this week with doing something so simple but at least I can add this recipe to my arsenal of kid friendly foods, whenever babies enter the Orr family.
Photo By Kraft Foods

Cheesy Hot Dog Crescents
One 8 pack of hot dogs
8 single slices of cheese
1 can (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent dinner roll

Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 12 mins Servings: 8
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Cut lengthwise slits in franks to within 1/2 inch of ends; fill with Singles.
2. Wrap crescent triangles around franks. Place, slit-sides up, on baking sheet.
3. Bake 12 min. or until golden brown.

Calories: 300; Fat: 22g; Sat. Fat: 9g; CHOL: 40mg; Sodium: 830mg; Carbs: 14g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 9g

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Tears of Sadness with Hope of Peace


Yesterday a part of my world was rocked. Late yesterday morning I received a phone call from my Dad, from the sound of his voice I knew something was wrong. As he spoke, I could hear the pain in his voice as he struggled to tell me that my Aunt Sharon (His sister) had passed away early that morning. Needless to say I was in shock, we all knew she was sick and had been for a while but I was not expecting to hear this news so soon.

My Aunt Sharon was born July 18, 1953. I hate that I lost contact with her for so many years and when we finally regained contact she was already sick. I know she had Alpha-1 related COPD/emphysema which slowed her down physically, as I remember she was bed ridden and lived her life through the world of Facebook. She called herself "the queen of simplicity; Master of the Mundane; or Champion of the Ordinary," but that was wrong Aunt Sharon was more than ordinary, she had a spirit that could brighten any room to me. Sick as she was she looked to the bright side and found a way to live. Given I know she got in some trouble with online shopping from time to time but I don't know how many smiles I have gotten from the Ecards she has sent me. She has touched so many lives.

I know she was loved by many and loved even more. I will miss her so much and I know that she is with me always. This is short and sweet, I love you Aunt Sharon. Heaven is celebrating having a new angel.
Aunt Sharon with Nick-the-Cat

Monday, November 1, 2010

Read my Lips.

I don't believe it!!!! Stupid Wii board says I gained back every pound I lost last week. I can't take it. I thought that I was doing so good. I kept to my diet, I am religiously working out. I should have lost more weight, NOT GAIN!!!!!

I am so frustrated right now I could put a hole in the wall (if only we weren't renting). And on top of that My online logger for weight, inches, and food diary is saying I don't exist any more so I can't see if I at least lost inches. What could have caused me to suck it up so badly this week.

This post may not make any sense but I can not stand how easily I got flustered by this set back. All well better luck next week...