Grilled Cheese Comfort food

 4 slices your favorite white bread (I like butter bread)

3 tablespoons butter

6 slices cheddar cheese

Preheat pan on low heat. 

Generously butter one side of a slice of bread. 

Place the  bread butter-side-down onto the pan bottom then add 3 slice of cheese. 

Butter second slice of bread on one side then place butter-side-up on top of sandwich.

Grill until lightly browned  evenly and flip over and do the same continue grilling until cheese is melted. 

Repeat with second  sandwich slices of bread, butter and slice of cheese.

Serve with your favorite soup, mine is tomato soup!

You can also add a slice of tomato in the middle of the cheese or a slice of ham.

Winter Beef Stew

2 pounds beef stew meat  (cubed)

4 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled

4 cups water

3 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 tablespoon parsley

1/2 black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 carrots cut

4 Celery stalks

1 medium chopped onion

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

2 tablespoons warm water

• In a large pot or crockpot, cook beef in oil medium heat until brown, add bouillon  in 2 tablespoons in water and dissolve in pot.  Stir in parsley and pepper, Italian seasoning. Bring to slow boil,  reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.

• Stir potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion into the pot. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 teaspoons cold water and stir into stew. Cover and simmer 1 hour more.

• 
  

  
  

Family Lasagna

1 pound sweet sausage

3/4 ground lean beef

1/2 minced onion

2 crushed cloves of garlic

1 can of crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)

2 cans tomato paste (2 ounces)

2 cans tomato sauce (6.5 ounces)

1/2 Water

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon dry basil

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 1/2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley 

1 tablespoon red wine

Ricotta (16 ounces)

1 large egg

3/4 pound of mozzarella cheese

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  

  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

• To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
  

  
  

• 
  

  
  

• 
  

  
  

Big Cookie delights

1 cup of peanut butter

1/2 cup butter soften

1 1/4 cup of brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup of M&M's

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup of salted peanuts (optional)

2 cups of flour

1. In a large bowl, cream peanut butter, butter and sugars. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add baking soda and vanilla. Add oats, M&M's, butterscotch chips and peanuts; let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in flour (the dough will be crumbly.   
Shape by 1/4 cupfuls into balls. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets.  Place 9 cookies on each sheet. Gently flatten cookies. Bake at 325° for 15-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks for cooling.

These can be made as regular size cookies.

1. 
   
2. 
   
3. 
   

Moist Pumpkin Bread

2 cups sugar

4 eggs beaten lightly beaten

3 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 water room temp

1 cup vegetable oil

1 can of pumpkin (16 ounce)

2 teaspoon baking soda

 1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon of allspice 

(you can sub 3/4 cup applesauce +1/4 cup oil instead of 1 cup oil)

Optional Variations:  add a 1/2 of chocolate chips or nuts 

In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil and eggs.  Add pumpkin and mix well.  Combine all dry ingredients, add to the pumpkin alternately with water.

Pour into two greased 9x5 loaf pans.  I usually line bottom with parchment paper which is perfect for removal of removal of bread.  

Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes until done.

Cool in pans 10 minutes then remove from pans and move to racks.

Pumpkin nut mincemeat Bread

 

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups Granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup All-Vegetable Shortening
• 4 large eggs
• Canned pumpkin 2 cups
• 1/2 cup Water

Add into a bowl Mincemeat,nuts (Optional)Combine flour,  baking soda, cinnamon and baking powder.  Beat in sugar and shortening in large bowl, until fluffy. Add eggs, pumpkin and water and mix well. Stir in flour mixture, mincemeat and nuts.  

Pour into 2 greased or parchment paper lined at the bottom of pan only. 9x5-inch loaf pans. Bake 55 minutes in preheated 350 oven or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. 

Cool 15 minutes. 

Remove from pans and cook. 

 

Thanksgiving Mincemeat Pie

 

• Pastry dough for 9-inch double-crust pie crust
• 2 Classic Original Mincemeat
• 2 apples peeled and cored 
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons Cold water

• Place oven rack in lowest position in oven. 

• Heat oven to 375°F.

• Use 1 Condensed Mincemeat: Crumble 2 packages condensed mincemeat into a medium saucepan. 

• Add 2 ¼ cups water. 

• Boil over medium heat and cook for 1 minute. 

• Add apples to mincemeat mixture and mix together well and let stand to cool completely.

• Roll out half of pastry dough on floured surface and line 9-inch pie plate, then fill with mincemeat. Roll out remaining pastry dough on floured surface then cover filling with top crust. Seal and flute edges, cut some slits in the center to vent.  Mix egg and 2 tablespoons of water in blended, then brush over crust.

• BAKE 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and serve.  Serves 8

Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole

 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

3 to 4 large sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

Peeled and cubed sweet potatoes add to a  large pot of water over high heat, lower the heat  simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 20 minutes. Drain and cool, and mash sweet potatoes.

Whisk the butter, mashed potatoes,milk, brown sugar and almond extract, salt and eggs in a bowl, the add to butter coated baking dish.

Topping for Sweet Potatoes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans(optional)

Combine flour, brown sugar, butter and salt in a medium bowl until moist and the mixture clumps together. Stir in the pecans. Spread the mixture over the top of the sweet potatoes in an even layer. Bake till set in center and golden. 

============================================================

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees   Bake 30-35 minutes

Lets talk Turkey

Turkey Per Person

1.25 pounds of turkey per guest

 12-13 pounds feeds a party of 9 to insure leftovers figure 1.5 pounds per person

Turkey cleaning and Preparation and
Thawing your Turkey

Frozen  turkey can take several days to thaw.

Thawing in the fridge: One day of thawing per 4 to 5 pounds of turkey.

Thawing in water bath:  A half hour of thawing per pound of turkey.

Clean a Turkey

Most turkeys come with the neck and giblets inside the bird. 

Remove these and set  aside to cook separately.

Rinse out the cavity of the bird with cold water and salt and then, use paper towels to pat the bird dry, including inside the cavity. 

Turkey Rub

A classic rub made from thyme, garlic powder and salt and pepper works great as a rub.

Temperature to Cook a Turkey

Set oven to 325°F to cook turkey evenly.  Roast 22 to 24 minutes per pound (18 to 20 minutes per pound for unstuffed turkey),

If not a Butterball: brush with butter mixture after 1 hour and again after 1-1/2 hours. Baste with pan juices every hour.

After it's done, allow the bird to rest for at 20 least minutes before carving. 

Stuffed Turkey cooking times

• For 10- to 12-pound turkey, roast 3¼ hours to 3½ hours.

• For 12- to 14-pound turkey, roast 3½ to 4 hours.

• For 14- to 18-pound turkey, roast 4 to 4¼ hours.

• For 18- to 20-pound turkey, roast 4¼ to 4¾ hours.

• For 20- to 24-pound turkey, roast 4¾ to 5¼ hours.

Christmas sugar cookies

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening 

1 cup sugar

1 large egg(room temp)

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 1/4 cups of Flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350°. 
2. Cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla, in another bowl.  Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda; gbeat into creamed mixture.  Shape dough into 1-in. balls, then roll in sugar. Place on parchment paper lined cookies sheets.  Flatten with bottom of glass. Bake until set 10-12 minutes.
3.  Move to wire racks to cool.
4. 
   
5. 
   
6. 
   

Braciole

 Tomato basil Sauce or any Pasta sauce

1 teaspoon pepper

1 beef steak flank 11/2 pounds

1 large eggs

1/2 cup bread crumbs seasoned 

8 ounces of prosciutto  

1 cup of kraft Italian cheese blend

21/2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of red wine

1 teaspoon of sugar

1. In a  crockpot add pasta sauce and pepper, wine and sugar. Mallet the steak to 1/2-in. thickness.
2. In a bowl, mix eggs, bread crumbs and spoon onto beef, press it on with the spoon. Layer with prosciutto and cheese. 
3. Roll the filled steak and tie with kitchen string.
4. Add to crockpot, and cover meat with sauce from the crockpot. Cover and cook at low temp until beef is tender, 8 hours.
5. Remove meat once cooked and remove the string. Cut into slices, serve with added sauce from pot.

This can also be cooked with meatballs, and served with pasta.

 

Sweet Cream Garnish

 3 ounces of soft cream cheese

1/4 cup of milk

2 tablespoons of confectioners sugar

Combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy.

This is great for pies and Pumpkin soups, squash soup

Make your own Croutons

Place bread in a small pan and drizzle with oil and butter. 

Sprinkle with your favorite seasoning and grated cheese, coat well.

Move small pan to stove top and stir over medium heat until lightly toasted about 8-10 minutes until desired golden color.  You can also toast these at 350 in the oven to toast, keep and eye on them and will need to keep turning to toast watching not to burn.

You can use sour bread or Italian of French bread, French Baguette