Turkey Day Take 2, Part 2

I have heard of potato pancakes for years, but have never made them or even tried them. Since I had leftover mashed potatoes I decided to try to make them. I searched the internet for recipes and found this one which I modified (don't I always?).

Loaded Mashed Potato Pancakes

approx 2 C mashed potatoes (I use cream cheese in my mashed potatoes)
1 egg
1/4 C flour
1/2 C shredded cheese (I used marble cheddar)
2 T chopped onions
5 slices bacon

Fry bacon in skillet, drain bacon on paper towels then chop or crumble into small pieces.
In bacon drippings saute onions until translucent.
Combine mashed potatoes, egg, flour, cheese, cooked onions and bacon and mix until combined.
Using large scoop scoop out potato mix and flatten with wet hands (about 1/4" or so thick).
Fry in bacon drippings until brown and crispy on both sides, drain on paper towels.
Serve with sour cream.

They might not look great but I assure you they were! They tasted like potato skins that you get in restaurants. The kids liked them too. Best of all the leftover mashed potatoes are now gone.

Turkey Day Take 2, Part 1

Yesterday I made sure to clean up as I went and that I had an empty dishwasher before dinner began. Even so I was left with a big mess this morning.

I know that the big dilemma from Turkey day is what to do with the leftovers. So to give you ideas (and to remind myself next year) I am going to post some recipes of what I am doing with the leftovers. First of all, last night I took all the turkey off the bird and threw the bones, skin, and the giblets that I had saved into my crock pot. I covered it all with water and let it cook all night. This morning I used tongs to pull out the bones and big pieces and then strained the broth into a large container that I put in the fridge.

This morning I made cranberry bread using leftover cranberry sauce. I modified the recipe from this one.

Cranberry Bread

1/2 C butter
1 C white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Zest of 1 orange finely minced
2 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 C plain yogurt
1 C Cranberry sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Grease and flour bread pan

2. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla and orange zest. Combine four, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stir into creamed mixture alternately with the yogurt.

3. Pour 1/3 of batter into pan swirl 1/2 of the cranberry sauce into the batter. Repeat ending with the batter on top.

4. Bake 55 minutes, until golden brown.

After I finished making the bread I put a pot of turkey noodle soup on the stove to simmer. I used the broth I made this morning, I chopped up the leftover carrot and celery sticks and extra chopped onions that I cut when making the stuffing. I'll let the soup simmer all morning and I'll put the noodles in right before we are ready to eat.

Thomas Sholar's Chicken and Rice Soup (or chicken noodle or turkey noodle)

1 1/2 C chopped cooked chicken
1 C chopped carrots
1 C chopped celery
1/2 C chopped onion
2 T dried parsley
2 tsp chicken flavor base
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
10 C vegetable broth (I used the turkey broth I made this morning, I also don't add all 10 cups, I like mine with less liquid)
Salt to taste
3/4 C rice or 1 cup orecchiette pasta

Combine all ingredients, bring to boil, cover and simmer at least 45 minutes, add noodles or rice shortly before serving (go by package cooking times).

Happy Thanksgiving!

The kids and I are having dinner at my house with H and her family this year. The turkey is in the oven and the kitchen is clean. Just waiting 'til dinner time.

Here is a cranberry sauce recipe that I made this year:

Cranberry Sauce

1lb fresh cranberries
2 C sugar
1/2 C fresh OJ
1/2 C cranberry juice
Zest of 1 orange
1C dried cherries

Rinse, pick over cranberries and drain
Put all ingredients except cherries in a sauce pan on medium heat, boil until cranberries pop
Skim off any foam
Stir in cherries
Refigerate covered when cool

Make ahead, can freeze.

Enjoy!

Why I never get enough sleep

Because Queen size beds are not designed to sleep 3 across!

For Suzy

My friend Suzy was asking me for this recipe so I decided to post it here for all to enjoy. The ironic thing is that I have been thinking about this recipe a lot lately myself and just bought a jar of chili sauce at the store in anticipation of making this up soon.

Slow Cooker Meatballs (originally from Cooking Light)

1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup fresh parsley
2 T minced fresh onion
1/3 cup ketchup
2 T brown sugar
1 T lemon juice
1 16 oz can jellied cranberry sauce
1 12 ounce bottle chili sauce (it near the ketchup at the store)

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; shape mixture into 30 meatballs.

Combine ketchup through chili sauce in an electric slow cooker; gently stir in meatballs. Cover with lid, cook on low heat setting for 8 to 10 hours.

Serve over egg noodles or rice.

Free Burts Bees Sample

Go here for free samples of Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions. Just thought I'd share.

Disney Fun

Last year I got the crazy idea to go to Disneyland for my birthday this year. Monday that crazy idea came to be. We had a blast! We never waited more than 15 minutes for a ride and there were tons of characters out. Thanks Heather and Pam for going along with me!