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

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.

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

Test and Trial Friday

This week I let my Husband pick the recipe I would try. Two weeks in a row I did a slow cooker recipe. A tip before I get started, If you have kids do not try to start this when they suddenly have the need to be clingy. Lily suddenly decided that she wanted to be held the entire time I prepped my ingredients. I throughly enjoyed our first ever CHOWDER!!!! next time I will make sure Lily will be down for a nap when I have to do prep work. I only got frustrated when I was finished and looked at my kitchen, talk about a scary scene. Thankfully I have an amazing husband who helped me clean it up since Lily had my hands full all afternoon.

Chicken, Potato, and Double-Corn Chowder
 1 bag (16oz) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
     (I chopped my own potatoes about four medium)
1 can (15.25 oz) whole kernel corn, undrained
1 can (14.75 oz) cream-style corn
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 medium onion , chopped (1/2 cup)
3 cups Cooked Chicken Breast
8 slices of crispy bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1.  In a 3 1/2- to 6- quart slower cooker, mix all ingredients except chicken.

2. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours (or on High heat for 3 to 4 hours) to develop Flavors.

3.Stir in 3 ups of Chicken, cover and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

1 Serving: CAL: 315 (CAL. FROM FAT 70); FAT 8g (SAT. FAT 3g); CHOL 15mg; CARBS. 55g (FIBER 5G); PROTEIN 11g

Test and Trial Friday

Okay I think it is time for me to try something new. Every Friday I am going to Post a New recipe that I tried during the week. I think it will help me to learn to cook better and not lean on the recipes I already know.... I think I will call it Test and Trial Friday. Wish me luck.

So this week I did try two new recipes but I am going to only share one. Last Sunday before grocery shopping my husband convinced me to try a slow cooker recipe, so we tried Pulled Jerk Pork Sandwiches. We loved it, best pulled pork I have ever made. The only down side was that I had to sit at the house all day smelling it. Lily and I spent a little time sitting on the porch to get away from the smell. I know the recipe was good because my neighbor Brandi ate faster than anyone at the table, which never happens. We had small salads, potato salad, and baked beans as sides.

Pulled Jerk Pork Sandwiches
2 1/2 lb pork boneless shoulder
1 tablespoon Jamaican jerk seasoning (dry) - we used a mixture of Smoked Applewood seasoning, seasoning salt,Garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder
1/4 teaspoon Thyme leaves
1 medium onion ( Chopped)
1 cup cola ( We used 2)
2 cup Barbecue Sauce
sandwich buns

Prep Time: 5 min Cook Time: 10hr 45min Makes 8 servings

1. Rub dry seasoning over pork and sprinkle with Thyme. Place pork in cooker with onion and cola.

2. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours

3. Remove pork from cooker; place on cutting board. Remove juices from cooker and reserve. Use forks to pull pork into shreds. Return pork to cooker. Stir in barbecue sauce and 1/2 cup of reserved juices. Increase heat setting to High. Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes or until heated through.

4. Spoon pork onto buns. In 2-quart saucepan, heat remaining juices to boiling; serve with sandwiches for dipping if desired.

Serving: CAL. 420 (From fat 125); FAT 14g (SAT. FAT 5g); CHOL. 65ml; SODIUM 900ml; CARBS 48g (FIBER 2g); PRO. 25g

Day 20 & 21 Hobbies and a recipe

Day 20
Why do I always have so much fun on the weekends? Doing two days in one again. My hobby is pretty simple and a joy for anyone who can hold a crayon. Who doesn't love to color. All my greatest memories. Here is a picture that i colored with my wonderful niece Ansley helped me color while I was home hanging out with the kids.  Can you guess who did which one?

Day 21
Once again I find my self combining days so this is the most recent recipe I tried by my self. I did mess it up a bit but it was an easy fix and my husband still ate it. The recipe comes from my Better Homes and Gardens Easy Everyday Cooking book.

Hawaiian Turkey Burgers

Nutrition information per serving: 331 cal., 9g total fat (2g sat. fat), 108 mg chol., 1,092 mg sodium, 37g carbo., 23g pro.

Ingredients
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound uncooked ground turkey
1/4 cup bottle sweet and sour sauce
4 canned pineapple rings
Shredded spinach
4 hamburger buns

In a medium bowl combine egg, bread crumbs, ginger, salt, and pepper. Add ground turkey; mix well Form into four 3/4inch patties.

Place patties on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 14 to 18 minutes or until done, turning once and brushing sweet-and-sour sauce the last 5 minutes of grilling. Meanwhile, place pineapple slices on grill rack. grill for 5 minutes, turning occasionally.

To serve, place shredded spinach on the bottoms of buns. Top with hamburgers. Brush the burgers with sweet-and-sour sauce and top with pineapple slices.  Replace bun tops. Makes four servings.

This was mine. Pretty Good, right?

I also wanted to share that I successfully made three separate batches of muffins today; blueberry, banana, and strawberry/banana. I am so proud at how far I am coming with my cooking and baking abilities. Soon enough I will be kicking my husband completely out of the kitchen and I will be all on my own.

Strawberry/banana