slow Sunday

The desire to blog again has been growing for a while. I've been debating on starting up again and trying to decide on topics. After not being able to land on anything specific but continuing to feel the tug on my heart I've just decided to write about what's going on in the everyday. The not so exciting day to day stuff.

I feel the Holy Spirit moving I'm just not sure where we're going. I will take your hand in trust and follow you where you want me to go. Even if it's not what I except.

The youngest started off the morning with some counting. He's able to count to 12 on his own and he's working on recognizing the numbers. This little bundle of joy has come so far in his short 3 years. I'm so proud of him and I'm happy he's taking his time because I'm not ready to let go.

The family enjoyed pancakes this morning cooked in bacon grease. I'm on my second round of the Whole 30 so I enjoyed some banana pancakes, sugar free bacon, strawberries and fried eggs. Any form of pancake isn't really part of the Whole 30 program but there are just some traditions that are traditions for a reason.

Eloise, our new kitten is really settling in. We've had her for about 4 weeks now. She has constant companionship and has brought some precious moments to our lives.  Caillou is on repeat most days at my house and this reminded me of when he was pushing his cat around in a stroller.

One of the biggest things of the Whole 30 is no sugar and guess what has sugar in it, everything, seriously and mayo. It has sugar and many other things that are unnecessary. So if you want mayo then you have to make your own. When I first learned this I was a bit overwhelmed, it seems like a daunting task to me. Much to my surprise it's quite quick and easy.

One of my favorite Whole 30 lunches to make is Salmon Salad. The first time I made this I adapted it from another recipe with what I had on hand. It's pretty much my own original creation. The secret to this recipe is the raisins, I know it sounds weird but just trust me. Even my 15 year old took a bite and said the raisins make a huge difference.

Salmon Salad

Whole 30 Approved

1 can pink salmon

2 baby carrots chopped

1 stalk celery chopped

handful of raisins

red onion (as much as you like)

homemade mayo

mustard

Mix all ingredients together. Enjoys on lettuce as a wrap or salad or on sliced cucumber.

It's very light and refreshing but very filling.

For dinner we barbecued, which was a great ending to the day. Here I have just a hamburger patty, homemade mayo, mustard, onion, tomato, W30 compliant pickle in a lettuce wrap held together by a toothpick and some watermelon on the side.

We didn't really do much else on this slow rainy Sunday. It hasn't rained much here in forever and today it was storming. It felt great just to stay inside and get some cleaning done and some relaxing. I know I should be living in the moment but I am definitely looking forward to the fall, my favorite time of year.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

Five Friday Faves: Five Pinterest Dinners

This weeks topic is some of the dinners I've made from Pinterest. I've made many but these are some of my favorites. They are all very simple and delicious. Hope you enjoy!

The first is a Veggie Burrito Bowl. I've made these several times, they are quick and very very good. The are great addition to Meatless Monday or any day of the week. It is also a great recipe to substitute ingredients with if you don't have something on hand.



This next dish is a vegan dish called Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup that I fell in love with. It certainly does not skimp on flavor. The whole family liked it for a cold winter day. It is a great way to sneak in some veggies. You could easily swap out the kale for spinach if someone doesn't like kale like my husband. I ended up freezing what we didn't eat and once thawed it was thicker so I spooned over couscous and had a super tasty quick healthy meal.



California Bowls are one my absolute favorites. It just has everything yummy mixed together and I'm a huge fan of blue cheese so I knew it would be good. It can be great anytime of year if you have an indoor grill.



This pin for Chicken Gnocchi Soup is actually a recipe video from a mom I follow on youtube. I've made a few of her recipes and they have all been good but this is by far my favorite. The whole family loves it and it tastes just like the real thing from Olive Garden.



Last but certainly not least is Pioneer Woman's Corn and Cheese Chowder. Beyond delicious and comforting, need I say more? I didn't use bread bowls for this recipe I just made some corn bread to go along.



I really hope you try and make some of these super yummy meals. You won't be disappointed!

Home Cooking Veganized: Creamy Tortilla Soup

Recently I posted a recipe that my family had fallen in love with. It was a chicken tortilla soup that tasted just like a recipe at a restaurant I used to eat at. It was amazing and my husband wanted it weekly. So when I changed my diet a few months back I was determined to figure out how to change the recipe to be healthier and plant-based. It ended up being much easier than I anticipated and it turned out great. Read ahead before you make this recipe so you don't forget to soak your cashews! However if you do forget, I've gotten away with soaking them in hot water for 30 minutes prior to making this.

Creamy Tortilla Soup

6 cups No-Chicken or Veggie Broth

1 15oz can crushed or diced tomatoes

1-2 small cans green chiles

1/4 cup dried minced onion

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp pepper

1 cup crushed Juanita's tortilla chips

1/4 - 1/2 cup rehydrated TVP (optional, textured vegetable protein, amount depends on how thick you want the soup)

1 tsp poultry seasoning (there is no poultry in poultry seasoning)

8 oz homemade cashew sour cream, I only use 1 tsp of lemon juice instead of 2

Garnish: Juanita's tortilla chips, green onions

The version I made in the pictures was actually without TVP, I completely forgot to add it in. It still turned out great! Really the TVP would just be for added protein.

Directions:

To rehydrate the TVP, add equal amount of boiling water to equal amount of dry TVP. Add poultry seasoning and let sit while you start the soup.

In a large covered pot, add broth, tomatoes (with all the juice), green chiles, dried onion, cumin, pepper and Juanita's tortilla chips. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and then reduce to medium and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add already prepped TVP and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes until heated through. Remove pot from heat and stir in cashew sour cream until thoroughly incorporated.
To serve, top with crushed chips and green onions.

If you cannot find Juanita's tortilla chips in your local grocery store, look for a chip that is more authentic and is a "oilier, greasier" chip. 

Hope you enjoy! Be plant strong!

Veganizing Family Meals

The biggest question I had when changing my diet was "what in the world was I going to make for dinner that tasted good, was familiar but didn't have any animal products in it?". I knew during the days while the hubby was a work it would be easy, the kids will eat what I make but dinner was another story. We have certain associations with dinner especially comforting dinners and certain dinners on nights when my husband has had a rough day, he doesn't exactly want to come home to a salad. 

In the beginning I was making a ton of different recipes every day of the week and soon realized that this was getting expensive and taking too much time to plan, shop, make and not everything turned out so great. One night my husband mentioned doing the same meals every week. I thought this was a great idea, it would keep the cost down, I could start to perfect recipes and shopping would be much quicker and cheaper as I could stock up on items I was using weekly. So I came up with a simple plan that went like this.

Sundays - New Recipe

Mondays - Soup/Salad

Tuesday - Tacos

Wednesdays - Italian

Thursdays - Asian

Fridays - Burgers and Home Fries (occasional vegan fast food)

Saturdays - Homemade Pizza & Salad (occasional vegan fast food or family gathering)

This might seem boring to some people but it worked for us. These were all pretty much comfort foods for us, were super easy to make and shop for. I highly recommend for any family transitioning or who wants to try it out to figure out how to veganize your favorite meals instead of trying a bunch of new foods, especially if you have a family, it could be too much too fast for them. Maybe just start with one meal a week. With a little research this was easier than I thought. The one thing I make sure to do for most meals is have a big salad before I eat the main dish. Even though the main dish is vegan and helps with weight loss and other health issues just by being plant-based I like to make sure I get a big portion of fresh veggies in with only a little dressing if I'm using a store bought plant-based dressing. This also helps tremendously with digestion which I'm finding is a huge key to weight release.

The best advice I have for beginning this lifestyle is keep it simple and take it slow. It is easy to get overwhelmed with all of the new products and how healthy you want to be. This lifestyle isn't about perfection or purity it is about living a life that is better for your health, animals and the environment. Educate yourself, once you know why you are doing this whether it be health, animals, the environment or all three you will have the motivation to swap out old foods for new foods. Then once you start eating the new foods and start feeling so much better it will get easier and easier. You'll see that this isn't a fad diet or a quick weight loss gimmick but a complete lifestyle upgrade. You will have more energy, you will look at life differently, you will start eating to live not living to eat and you will be set free from the foods that have been keeping you a slave all these years.

Follow my Pinterest boards for great tips and recipes. Pinterest and YouTube have been my best friends through this change. Once I decided that I was going to be open to a plant-based diet the first thing I did was go on YouTube and search "vegan". I just wanted to see what it was all about. There is a plethora of information on there. I will write another post about everything to watch on YouTube and the best people to follow.

YouTube has allowed me to educate myself quicker than reading a book. I'm reading books too, but I like to have quick tips, see how other people are implementing this lifestyle, get encouragement, know there is a large community of people all over the world doing this and I get to see their results.

I will have my recipes soon. I'm a bad blogger, I keep making the recipes and forgetting to take all of the pictures I want before it's too late, soon though, soon.

Transition Foods

 The hardest part about incorporating a new lifestyle is how to blend your old life with your new life, especially when you have a family that isn't interested in your new lifestyle. It's so difficult because I have all of these new convictions, new knowledge, and dedication to do this for my and my families health. But when they, mainly my husband is not on board that can make things tricky. I knew that the kids wouldn't be that difficult to transition because they naturally do not like meat, well real meat anyways, they love chicken nuggets and hot dogs but I do not consider those real meat and haven't for a long time. But my husband on the other hand was another story. But he wanted to start eating healthier which I was happy about, at least he was taking that step forward with me in my journey.

 Image via Veggieboards.com

But, I made the classic mistake of going too far too fast. After my initial introduction of no red meat and meatless Monday went over well I was feeling great about it. I took that part slow. But then once I decided that I was going vegan for the first time I wanted to make all of our meals plant-based. This was a bit trickier because I went against my instinct to take it slow. I was smart enough not to clear out the pantry and fridge and start over with all new plant-based options, I knew that would be too much even for me, not to mention way too expensive. So I replaced things as they ran out with new plant-based items. Since I make all of the meals and do all of the shopping for our family this was easy to control. But then I made a mistake I wasn't into the idea of making a meal for them and a different for me especially wanting them to give up animal products like I did. So I just stopped buying certain products hoping that my husband would just forget about them, mainly milk. I'm laughing as I write this now because I had high hopes that would soon be dashed. I quickly learned that he would not forget and after a couple of heated discussions I soon realized that my new lifestyle changes were not worth ruining my marriage over. It never got to that point but it wasn't worth arguing over. It wasn't my place to make those decisions for him especially since I'm the one who decided to change years into our marriage. It makes me sad knowing that he still eats mostly the same way but he has accepted some new changes and I'm happy with that. I have managed to keep the dinners that I cook plant-based but I do still buy animal products that he can add to the meals to make it like he likes, mainly cheese. Some meals he will do this to and others he will leave all plant-based. I feel this is a good compromise, the main part of the meal is plant-based and healthy so that is a step in the right direction for him. He also is willing to give things a try which is great but he will quickly speak up if he doesn't like it.

Some of the easiest food changes I've made are mayonnaise, margarine, chicken nuggets and baking. Vegenaise is a great eggless mayo replacement. I can find it a my local grocery store and even found a large jar at Costco. Earth Balance is my new favorite margarine replacement, we were big Country Crock fans and I find this to taste the same, with no casein or whey. Baking has been easy too, I've made a ton of vegan cookies and even Duncan Hines cupcakes. For Duncan Hines just check the ingredients but most of their cake mixes and frostings are animal product free. I'm still working on the perfect egg replacer that actually keeps the cake together better but the taste is spot on and using a fork to eat the cupcakes fixes the crumbly problem. Gardein's crispy tenders and Madarin orange crispy chick'n nuggets have been a yummy addition to our meals. The first time I made the the orange chick'n with a stir-fry my husband kept asking me why I was eating meat. All I could do was giggle. He was shocked at how yummy they were, I even turned my in-laws onto them. Costco has them available in a large bag, so these have become a staple. Last week I put them on top of a salad with the orange sauce as a dressing and it was amazing!

Image via namelymarly.com

Other products that I love and my family will eat are Gardein's beefless grounds, burger patties and Life Lite Smart Dogs. These aren't their favorites but they will eat them. I know these products aren't the healthiest way to eat and some might call these vegan junk foods but they are great and much healthier when trying to incorporate the whole family in a plant-based life style. There are many other brands of beelfless grounds and "meat" products that I've tried and that work but the brands listed above are my favorites. It is so easy these days to go plant-based. There are countless products and tons of information out there, it really is much easier than you might think.

However I will not lie, vegan cheese just doesn't do it for any of us. That is the one thing that I just cannot seem to get on board with. It makes me sad to say that but I'm not going to lie about it. I love the taste of animals products and I try not to compare them to their vegan counterparts because I know they will not be the same but I just cannot do cheese. Luckily I've finally gotten to the point where I can just eat things without cheese or a cheese substitute. This has been very freeing. I'm not a slave to cheese anymore. There is only one cheese product that I have been able to tolerate so far and that is the Daiya Havarti Style Wedge. But I do not use it much at all. 

Milk has been a super easy item to replace because I already liked almond milk and rice milk. I do not like soy or hemp milk though. But to each their own. My favorite almond milk is Silk Unsweetened Original Almond Milk which is Non GMO Project Verified and my favorite rice milk is Costco's Kirkland Organic Rice Milk. I don't exactly drink these by the glass full but they are great in cereal, baking and cooking. I've also completely replaced Daniel's bottles of cows milk with these.

I know there are many more products that I've purchased and used but these are some of the staples that have helped me and my family transition to a healthier way of eating without changing our weekly meals too much. So my advice is take it slowly. Replace items as needed when transitioning. Do not go cold turkey especially if you have a family that isn't on board. We still have a freezer full of meat because I used to stock up on marked down meat. I still occassionally make a meal that has meat as the main dish and I just eat the side dishes and a big salad usually. I still buy dairy, eggs and meat for my husband. I don't like to but I do because I love him and respect his wishes.

Sorry if this was kind of a boring post but I wanted to share the things that have helped us transition and keep transitioning as a family. I feel it's very important to be honest and real. It's hasn't been the easiest transition for us but it's been easier than I thought it would in the beginning. It is so worth it for long term health.
 

Pinned it, Made it, Loved it: Chicken Tortilla Soup

 Back when I lived in Oklahoma I frequented a Tex-Mex restaurant called Peppers. There was only one thing I would order every time and it was their Chicken Tortilla Soup. I have yet to ever find another restaurant with a Chicken Tortilla Soup like it or even a recipe that came close until now. Every other restaurant that I've ever ordered it at is more authentic and has a more clear broth. 

I was browsing Pinterest and happened upon this recipe. I just thought it looked good and thought I would try it. Low and behold I was in love and so is the family. One of the secrets to this recipe is the Juanita's tortilla chips that I used. They are made right here in Oregon and no other chip would have worked the same.

I again adapted the recipe to suit what I had on hand. (i.e., canned chicken instead of fresh and more chiles then the original recipe called for)

Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe (Chicken tortilla soup, adjusted)

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 small cans of chiles
• 1/4 cup dried minced onion
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup crushed Jaunita's tortilla chips
• 1 large canned chicken breast
• 8 ounces light sour cream
• Garnish: additional tortilla chips, shredded monterey jack cheese, green onions

In a large covered pot, add chicken broth, tomatoes (with all the juice), green chiles, onion, cumin, pepper and Juanita's tortilla chips. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and then reduce to medium and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add chicken and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes until heated through. Remove pot from heat and stir in sour cream until thoroughly incorporated.
To serve, top with crushed chips, cheese and green onions.

If you cannot find Juanita's tortilla chips in your local grocery store, look for a chip that is more authentic and is a "oilier, greasier" chip.

Pinned it, Made it, Loved it: Honey Garlic Pork Chops

I want to start a new series about all of the recipes and possibly crafts that I've found on Pinterest, made and loved. I actually have quite a few and thought this would be something great to share with others. I actually have a board dedicated to this called Made it, Ate it, Loved it and I'm part of a group called Pinned it, Did it, Loved it.

The first recipe I want to start with is the Honey Garlic Pork Chops. I've actually made these a few times now and they have been delicious every time. The original pin that I have is no longer valid but I was able to find another blog that made the recipe from the original pin like I did. So I pinned hers here instead.

I'm not usually the biggest fan of pork chops but every once and while I find these in the marked down section of the meat department. That's actually how I buy alot of our meat lately. I go to the grocery store in the middle of the week and lately they have had a ton of discounted meat, most of it half off. I know that it's close to date so I just make sure to put it right into the freezer when I get home. That's the secret you cannot just put in the fridge unless you are using that day or the next depending on the date. But this has been a wonderful way for my family to save money and we've gotten alot of meat that we wouldn't normally be able to afford, like organic free-range chicken.

I actually do this with bread products too, right next the the marked down meat is a large rack of expensive bakery items that are marked way down. We are blessed enough to have an extra freezer in a shop outside of our house so I keep it full. I just leave the bread in its original packaging and put it into a freezer bag. I do however make sure to use these up more quickly than I would the meat to prevent freezer burn. But this has been another awesome way for our family to save money and have fancier rolls or bread than we would normally.

When we are having a week or month where our income is tighter and I cannot afford a big shopping trip I can just go out to the freezer and shop for that weeks dinner meat. Then when we have a month where things are less tight I stock up again. Or even when things are tight I can afford to get a couple of marked down items.

So now this has turned into a longer post then I meant but I wanted to share some of my secrets.

But here is the pinned and loved recipe.

Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Yield 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 + 1/8 cup honey
3 tbsp soy sauce
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 pork loin chops, boneless, trimmed of excess fat, 4 oz each

Directions:

1) In a shallow dish, whisk together honey, soy sauce and garlic.
2) Coat chops in mixture. 
3) Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes, until meat is done. Less time for thinner pork chops.

I actually only made two pork chops but and then had an ingenious idea to bake the frozen green beans with the pork chops and pour the extra sauce onto them before they baked. Best idea ever, they tasted awesome and cooked right with the meat.  I then paired this combo with a baked sweet potato and my family ended up having a wholesome simple and scrumptious meal that night.

Enjoy!

((linking up with A Glimpse Inside))

Zucchini Houdini

That's what I was last night, a Zucchini Houdini. I only made two of the four zucchini disappear but I made some magic in the process. These dishes are so delicious and easy they are must for that extra garden zucchini you've been staring at on your counter for a couple of days now dreading another meal with the basic recipe you use it in. These two are sure to be crowd pleasers and are great for the cooler nights we've been having.

Zucchini Beef Pasta Bake

This makes a ton, so unless you have a large family you will have lots of left overs.

1 lb ground beef

1 lb cooked pasta of your choice, I used penne

cooking spray

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

2 small zucchini, finely sliced into rounds (or one large finely sliced and sliced into rounds then halfed again)

1/4 c parsley

1/4 c butter

3 tbsp flour

4 cups milk

1/2 c parmesan

2 cups mozzarella cheese (or cheddar in my case)

Preheat over to 350 degrees

Spray large and I mean large lasagna dish (14x10 or larger), set aside.

In a large frying pan, saute onions and garlic in olive oil, add beef and brown. Add salt and pepper to taste.

While your browning the beef (and cooking the pasta as in my case), heat another medium pot on medium heat, melt the 1/4 c butter. Once melted, add flour to the pan and stir to make a paste.

Gradually whisk milk in adding salt and pepper to taste. Keep whisking until it begins to bubble and thicken up, then remove from heat. (over years of experience making a rue I find it easiest to add about 1/2c to 3/4 c milk at a time, allow to simmer and it will start to thicken up, once it starts thickening up add more milk and wait to thicken again, keep doing this until you've added all the milk.) Once removed from heat, stir in parmesan.

 Once beef is browned stir parsley, cooked pasta and raw zucchini through and pour into lasagna dish.

Pour white sauce evenly over pasta mixture, sprinkly with cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

This next dessert reminds me of the Little Debbie spice cakes, I cannot seem to find any in the Northwest, but they sure are good. As soon as I tasted the batter, I was sooooo excited! Unfortunately this doesn't make as much as the pasta dish. So if you are making both for a big crowd, I would double this recipe.

Zucchini Spice Cake

2/3 c packed brown sugar

1/4 c butter, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 small zucchini shredded and drained

1/2 c chopped nuts ( I used walnuts)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8x8 pan.

Mix brown sugar, butter, vanilla and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Stir in zucchini and nuts.

Spread batter in pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely. Frost with Spice Frosting.

Spice Frosting

3/4 c powdered sugar

1 tbsp softened butter

1/8 tsp ground cloves

3 tsp milk

Mix all ingredients until smooth and spreadable.

Hope you all enjoy these recipes as much as my family did.


Partying @

 

 

Bit of a slump/Pink salad

I haven't really been doing any projects since Hannah's b-day. I'm in kind of a slump but I want to start something so I'm going to take a look at my to-do list and commit to something. 

However I did want to post a yummy recipe for a salad that I made for Hannah's party. I always make something called "Orange Salad" for Thanksgiving. I wanted something similar for Easter but I wanted it to be pink for Hannah's party. So I pretty much took the orange salad recipe and altered it to make a pink salad. I knew I would use strawberries and added bananas for the pink and yellow theme. I knew that cottage cheese wouldn't go good with those fruits so I just took it out. It turned out great and it was beyond simple.

Sorry I don't have a picture but it's pretty much a bowl of pink fluff.

Pink Salad

1 tub of cool whip (which ever kind you prefer) I think mine was lite

strawberries cut to small pieces

bananas sliced

1 box strawberry jello

put all fruit into a bowl

add cool whip

add dry jello

mix

done

After mixing I transferred it to a prettier bowl, but it's your choice.

Hope you enjoy this salad, this is definitely a new fave.

 

Whole Strawberry Country Jam

I decided I would take my first attempt at making jam yesterday. I chose a really simple recipe, so simple you even keep the berries whole. The flavor turned out good but I'm not crazy about the whole berries. It left alot of jelly without fruit which makes it a little runny, but once you spread it on toast you don't notice. This was good for my first attempt but next time I will tweak it a little. What I really liked though was how quick it was and still very yummy.

Whole Strawberry Country Jam

4 cups strawberries

3 cups sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice

wash, dry and hull strawberries.

In a large pot stir together strawberries and sugar.

Cook on low heat until strawberries release their juices, continuing to gently stir.

Once juices are released, raise heat to medium or so, bring to rolling boil.

Let boil without stirring for 15 min.. But check to make sure jam isn't sticking by running a wooden spoon across bottom of pan.

After 15 min. remove from heat. Pour lemon juice on top, while it's setting.

Once cooled, stir in lemon juice.

Pour into preferred storage container.

Done.

Linking up to these fun Friday parties:

Happy Belated Thanksgiving

Yesterday I planned on blogging but with hosting Thanksgiving, cooking, baking and everything else I was exhausted by the time I could finally get on the computer. We ended up having a beautiful Thanksgiving. Everything went well. The brine worked out perfect, the turkey tasted great and was falling off of the bones by the time it was done. I have no complaints for the day.
My thanks for the day were for Joe's family. I pretty much only have my mom and she lives out of state so I rely completely on my husbands family. They are the best, we all get along so well, which can be tough when there are six siblings and always have a good time.
Now on to what I made for the day. First here's a pic of the turkey, they had a hard time pulling it out of the roaster, it was so juicy and tender it was falling apart.

The only other things that I made were my Merry cherry pie, It's a southern thing cornbread dressing, and my Orange you glad you tried it salad. That's another nice thing about big family is everyone brings something. Below are my recipes.

Merry Cherry Pie

Perfect everytime pie crust (recipe below)

2 14.5 oz cans tart cherries

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 ts salt

2 tbs butter

1/4 ts almond extract

1/4 ts red food coloring

1 egg yolk

Preheat over 425 degrees.
Make perfect everytime pastry and refrigerate.
Drain cherries, reserving 1 cup juice.
In a saucepan combine sugar, flour and salt. Stir in cherry juice and bring to boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens, less than 5 minutes.
When mixture is thickened, add butter, almond extract, food coloring and cherries.
Cover and refrigerate.
On lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pastry into an 11 inch circle.
Put into 9 inch pie dish.
Poor cooled cherry filling into pie dish.
Roll other half of pastry into another 11 inch circle. With a knife cut your design in center of pastry circle.
When done designing, place pastry on top of cherry filling and lightly brush with egg yolk.
Bake 30 minutes and cool before serving.

Perfect Everytime Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 ts salt
3 tbs granulated white sugar
1/4 cup crisco
12 tbs butter, cold and cubed
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you coat it all up with the flour. Add the colf butter and work into the flour with a pastry cutter.
Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft. Work until mixture is crumbly.
Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough.
Bring dough together into a ball.
Divide ball into half, flatten it slightly into a disk shape. Wrap it with saran wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
On a floured surface roll each disk out into an 11 inch circle to make a 9 inch pie.

It's a Southern Thing Cornbread Dressing
One 8x8 batch baked cornbread, cooled
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 hard boiled eggs, diced
1-1 1/2 cans chicken broth
salt and pepper

The night before or first thing in the morning bake you cornbread so that it will be completely cooled by the time you are going to make the dressing.
Preheat over to 350 degrees.
Sautee the chopped celery and onion in oil or butter until soft.
Salt and pepper to taste.
In a 9x13 baking dish break up the cornbread.
Add the celery, onion and diced egg to the cornbread.
Mix together with hands.
Pour chicken broth over cornbread mixture, you can make it as dry or moist as you like.
Season with salt and pepper.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, if not brown enough on top, broil on low for 3-5 minutes.
Serve warm.

Orange You Glad You Tried It Salad
1 tub cool whip, thawed
1 small tub small curd cottage cheese
2 small cans manderin oranges, drained
1 box orange jello

In a large mixing bowl. Add thawed cool whip, 1/2 tub cottage cheese, maderin oranges and dry orange jello. Stir together, refrigerate until ready to serve.

If you haven't tried these dishes before I hope you try them out. These are some of my favorites from my childhood growing up in Atlanta. Hope you all have a great decorating/shopping weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve and a third day of thanks

Today and everyday I am thankful for my two beautiful and healthy children Brenden Michael, 10, and Hannah Grace, 7 months today.

 Brenden is the sweetest and most polite boy, he always cares about others feelings. He is growing up so fast, I can't believe this is his last year of elementary school. I'm so proud of the person that he is becoming.

 Hannah is the most beautiful and precious child ever. She is such a sweet baby and her smile will light up a room. I can't believe she is already 7 months old. I'm so proud to be her mama.  

Today I am brining our turkey. This was my husband's idea, I take no credit. I only have to do it because he's at work and it has to start today at noon. So for his sake hopefully it turns out good. We have a 21lb. turkey and we are going to brine it for 18-20 hours. We are using a 5 gallon bucket we bought at our local grocery story which has a hardware section. We are using as much water that will fit in the bucket along with the turkey, our measurement isn't exact.

Joe's First Thanksgiving Brine

3/4 cup table salt

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tbs sage

1 tbs thyme

1 tbs rosemary

1 bay leaf

1 tbs peppercorns

1 chopped onion

1 chopped celery stock

1 chopped carrot

4 cans veggie broth

Fill standard stock pot half way with water, bring to boil. Add salt and brown sugar, stir until dissolved. Turn off heat, add all other ingredients. Fill stock pot rest of way with water, cover with lid and cool in fridge for 3 hours. Do not add turkey to brine without cooling first, this could create salmonella. Once cooled, pour brine into 5 gallon bucket, slowly lower turkey into brine. If there is still room for more liquid add more water, make sure turkey is fully submerged. Cover with lid and refrigerate for 18-20 hours.

We luckily have a fridge that you can adjust the shelves to accommodate a 5 gallon bucket. If you don't, check out google, they have several different brining techniques and ways to store the turkey while brining.