Menu for 11/30-12/6

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving! I certainly enjoyed mine.

Probably, more than I should have.

I'll be consuming massive amounts of water today to combat the T-day bloat...still wearing the stretchy pants! I'm hoping to be back to my normal flabby self by tomorrow...it just wouldn't do to be seen in the post turkey pants! It's kind of like wearing white after Labor Day.

At least in my world.

Since we're starting school again this week, the menu will be pretty simple. There's nothing like good, old-fashioned comfort food, a roaring fire in the fireplace and a few holiday tunes to cap off a hard day of learning.

Here's what's cookin' at our house this week...

Monday: Oatmeal w/ blueberries
P.B & J. sandwiches, sliced apples
Homemade meatballs, buttered noodles, spinach salad

Tuesday: Poached eggs on toast
Corndog muffins, cottage cheese & peaches
Crockpot Barbecue Beef, rice, coleslaw

Wednesday: Cranberry Streusel Muffins, *homemade hot chocolate
Baked potatoes w/ tomatoes, cheese & ranch, sliced apples
Spicy Split Pea soup, homemade multi-grain bread

Thursday: Plum smoothies, cinnamon toast
Lentil soup, crackers
Taco salad, cornbread

Friday: Mom's Cream of Wheat Pudding, peaches
Vegetable Beef soup, homemade rolls
Meatloaf, scalloped potatoes, steamed broccoli

Saturday: Waffles
Leftovers
Fried Chicken, Buttermilk biscuits, salad

Sunday: granola
Chili, cornbread

*Recipes*

Hot Chocolate Mix

2 cups organic powdered sugar
1 cup organic cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups powdered milk
2 t. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 t. sea salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Sift ingredients together. To make, add 4 Tb. to 1 cup of heated milk. Stir. Top with freshly whipped cream and chocolate shavings or cinnamon.

Waffle Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup cocoa powder
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar (sucanat, rapadura, or organic sugar)
1 t. vanilla
2 cups flour (I use organic white flour for this)
1/4 t. sea salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional (hazelnuts are extremely amazing here!)

Add cocoa & eggs to melted butter. Mix well. Add sugar & vanilla. Mix. In separate bowl, mix flour & salt. Fold flour mixture into wet mixture. Add nuts, if desired.

Drop by tablespoons onto hot waffle iron for 3 minutes. Do not over bake! Frost while warm. Cream cheese or coffee flavored frosting are my favorites!

You can find more menu plans at http://www.orgjunkie.com/

A Thanksgiving Blessing

Since it's the Thanksgiving weekend and everyone is happily munching on leftovers, I thought I'd share a couple of pictures of my granddaughter.

This isn't her first Thanksgiving...last year she was a whole month old! This IS her first Thanksgiving, enjoying more than just her momma's milk. The butternut squash and glazed carrots were a hit!


Madison was feeling a little loopy after all the carbs she consumed! We won't worry about that yet...she'll obsess over it soon enough.

For now, she's content playing "doggy". And I'm just happy to watch!

My last minute centerpiece...

A baby chicken feeder (it's new, so no "organic material" stuck to the sides!), filled with mini mums. It's low enough that everyone will be able to see each other!

And on that note...

Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours. May God bless you in abundance and keep you safe as you remember what you are most thankful for.

No Corn Syrup Pecan Pie...Finally!

A little known fact...

...my marriage got rocky.

Not because of the usual things, but because I denied my husband his slice of pie. Pecan pie, to be exact. Having determined to eat a healthier diet, anything with corn syrup had to go.

Including the pie.

My husband was not amused.

The good news for him is that I found a wonderful pecan pie recipe that does NOT use corn syrup!

My marriage is saved!!!!

And for the lovely lady who shared this recipe with me...you would be in my will...if I had one. (*Note to self...make a will to show my appreciation for this recipe.)

Pecan Pie

1 cup pure maple syrup (NOT pancake syrup!)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 Tb. unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)

4 Tb. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 t. salt

6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust, chilled in pie plate for 30 minutes.

Filling: Put oven rack to lowest position, and heat to 450 F.

Heat syrup, sugar, cream and molasses in saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Whisk butter and salt into mixture until combined. Whisk in egg yolks until incorporated into mixture.

Toast pecans: In cast iron or non-stick pan, heat pecans. Shake gently so all pecans are in contact with pan. Toast until lightly brown and aromatic. Let cool.

Scatter pecans in pie shell. Carefully pour filling over nuts. Place pie in hot oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 325 F. Bake until filling is set and center jiggles slightly when pie is gently shaken, 45-60 minutes. Cool pie on rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate until set, about 3 hours and up to one day. Bring to room temperature before serving.

My All-Time Favorite Pie Dough

4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 ts. salt

1 Tb. sugar

1 3/4 cups cold unsalted butter (3 1/2 sticks), cut into small pieces

1 Tb. white vinegar

1 extra-large egg

Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk the vinegar, egg, and 1/2 cup ice water together and mix into the flour mixture with your hands until just combined. Transfer to a clean work surface, and gently press to form a dough. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Shape each into a ball, flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour. Roll out as indicated for your recipe.

Gratituesday...Electricity

This past weekend, we got to "go back in time". A time before computers, video games, televisions, and cordless phones.

A time when quiet was just that. Peaceful, blissful quiet.

We didn't ask for it.

We didn't necessarily even want it. (Well, the kids didn't..my Mister & I NEEDED it!)

But we were prepared for it.

Saturday night, while visions of sugar plums were dancing in our heads, we had our first major windstorm of the season. It knocked out the power and all of the "noise" with it.

And I liked it.

For the first 3 or 4 hours.

Then reality hit the kids.

Then it hit me.

Knocked my visions of family board games by candlelight and old fashioned survival skill training right out the door.

I am extremely thankful to the electricity repairmen and all of the hard work that they had to put in to restore sanity to our household. After 12 LONG hours...

...I liked it.

And So It Begins...

We're off and running. Otherwise known as "The Holiday Season". Officially, it starts the day before Thanksgiving, and ends January 2.

Unofficially, it started in August.

As soon as the back-to-school clothes hit the clearance racks, the fall items come out. I'm still worrying about my tan. Others are worrying about Thanksgiving centerpieces.

So now you know.

I'm a slacker.

The good news though...as a slacker, I get to buy my Thanksgiving centerpiece on the clearance aisle.

In September.

I may be too late for Christmas decorations.

That's okay.

I'll get first choice in the swimsuit aisle!

Please remember to take time and enjoy Thanksgiving with your family. Relax. Don't sweat the small stuff.

Remember what you are thankful for.

At least for one day, nothing else matters.

Menu Plan for Thanksgiving week

I think Thanksgiving might be my favorite holiday. That said, it is also the busiest holiday around here! Since the focus on food, there are no gifts to distract if the food's not good! Still, it is my favorite. I love cooking family favorites, trying new recipes and of course, enjoying it all with my family. I even have special stretchy pants that are saved just for this holiday! They are ugly, but I can eat until I burst...doesn't get better than that. (I try not to think about Black Friday. It is NOT a shopping day for me. It involves some pink, chalky liquid and lots of water. Usually, while still wearing the stretchy pants!)

I'll be carrying over a couple of meals from last week. Things got nutty and I brought pizzas home one day and my "Mister" took me to dinner on another day. No complaints here! The other meals are coming from the freezers and pantry.

Here's what we'll be eating this week...

Breakfasts: oatmeal/blueberries, smoothies/toast, Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal, Sunshine & Sausage Casserole, Cranberry Streusel Muffins, *Mexican Frittata*

Lunches: Leftovers, soups, sandwiches

Dinners: Chili Rellenos, Mexican Rice, green salad (from last week)

Korean Beef Bulgolgi, brown rice, salad (from last week)

Pasta Alla Vodka, salad
Thanksgiving dinner (see Menu below)

Leftovers

Turkey noodle soup w/ homemade noodles, rustic multi-grain bread

Leftovers OR pancakes

Thanksgiving Menu

Roasted turkey

Cornbread stuffing

Taters & gravy

Butternut squash

Glazed carrots

Homemade cranberry sauce

Rustic While Grain Rolls OR Sweet & Sticky rolls (My life may depend on the sticky rolls!)

Spinach and Strawberry salad

Pumpkin Pie

Pecan Pie (found a recipe for corn syrup free pie! Yay..Let them eat pie!)

Key Lime Pie

Pear Crisp w/ Vanilla ice cream

*Recipes*

Mexican Frittata

4 Tb. unsalted butter

1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped

1 (5 oz.) can Mexi-corn, drained

2 (4 oz.) cans mild, green chilies, drained

20 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 t. chili powder

1/2 t. salt

1/3 cup flour

1 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

dash of red pepper

Garnishes: paprika, sour cream, parmesan cheese, mild salsa (all optional)

Saute onion, in butter, until tender. Add corn and chilies. Whisk eggs and 1 cup sour cream together, then add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Combine corn and chili mixture. Pour into 2 greased pie plates. Bake at 325 F. for 40 minutes, or until blonde. Bake another 10-15 minutes, until center is set and golden brown.

This can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until morning.

***After posting this, my daughter, Kelsie, called and requested Pumpkin Layer Cheesecake. Because I love her, or because I want her to think her Momma rocks, or because I'm a big old softie, this has been added to the menu. It's probably a little of all 3. What can I say?