Spicy Lentil & Sausage Soup

Ode to a Lentil

Lentil, your wholesome.
Lentil, you're tasty.
Lentil, you make my
Dinnertime hasty.

Okay, so I'm no Robert Frost. But I do love me some lentils! And what's not to love? They're nutritional powerhouses. They're just about as cheap as food comes these days. They're versatile. They're quick. And they're delicious. This soup has just three main ingredients, yet the flavors that come out of it suggest a much more complex recipe. Warm your belly and your taste buds this winter. Belly up to a bowl of lentil soup. Here's a great way to make it.

Spicy Lentil & Sausage Soup
Serves 4 or 6 (8 Points Plus value at 4 servings; 5 Points Plus Value at 6 servings)

What You Need:

• 1 lb turkey sausage (hot is what I used)
• 1 cup dry lentils
• 6 cups chicken stock (homemade is best by far)
• salt & pepper to taste

How it's Done:

1. Brown the turkey sausage, but do not drain when you're done.

2. Add the chicken stock.

3. Add the lentils.
4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender but not mushy.

5. If the soup is too thick, add more stock. I like mine thick. Salt and pepper to taste before serving.

One year ago: Buttermilk Bread

Menu Plan: 1/26 through 2/2

A day late, but here nonetheless. Here's my weekly menu plan for dinner:

Wednesday (yesterday): Pasta with Vodka Sauce

Thursday (today): Crock Pot Italian Chicken & Veggies on Rotini; Whole Wheat dinner roll

Friday: Burgers on Sandwich Thins & Sweet Potato Oven Fries

Saturday: Spanish Tortilla & baked apple pancake

Sunday: Classic American Pot Roast

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Lentil Soup with Turkey Sausage

Wednesday: Steak, Fries, Broccoli, and Dinner Rolls

What's on your menu this week? Are you trying anything new?

Pasta with Vodka Sauce...on Weight Watchers!

I want to take minute to talk to you all about one of most dieter's pet peeves. The ever-present Food Police. You know the type. They are always asking things like, "Should you be eating that?" or "Are you allowed to eat that on Weight Watchers?" or "Isn't that high in fat/calories/carbs?"

First: If you love a person and truly have their best interest at heart, phrase the question nicely, calmly, and in a caring manner. We might still snip at you, but your intentions will show through and we'll appreciate the support. I mean, if I was about to sit down to a pan full of brownies, I'd want my husband to ask me if I really thought that was a good idea. I would want the support.

But if I'm sitting down to a brownie a la mode, with a big ol' grin on my happy face, I've already counted the points values for those items on my plate. I've planned. I've sacrificed. And gosh darn it, I'm going to enjoy every bite of it.

And I'm allowed to eat whatever I want to eat. Even brownies. Even a la mode.

And so Food Police asking if I can/should/really want to/am allowed to eat that decadent dessert are just nosy and rude.

Weight Watchers isn't about deprivation. As a matter of fact, we're encouraged to treat ourselves, however we see fit, every week, even!

This recipe uses vodka sauce. Vodka sauce has heavy whipping cream in it! Yes, even heavy whipping cream has a place in Weight Watchers.

This is a Weight Watchers recipe, mildly modified to suit what I had on hand. And it goes from pan to table in the time it takes to cook the pasta!

Pasta with Vodka Sauce
Serves 6 (9 Points Plus value per serving)

What You Need:

• 12 oz pasta (penne is traditional but use what you have)
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup (2 oz) vodka
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

How it's Done:

1. Cook pasta al dente and drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute' the onion and garlic for three minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir for about five minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan.

4. Pour in the vodka, cook and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan, for three minutes.

5. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream. Cook and stir three more minutes.

6. Toss sauce with the pasta. Yields about one cup per serving.

Announcing Something Exciting...

What would you do with a cool $50 from CSN Stores? Would you pick up a new laptop messenger bag?

Or maybe you're in the market for a new baker's rack. This one would look stylish in the kitchen!

No matter what you're looking for, you can find it at csnstores.com. I've been fortunate to work with CSN stores as a preferred blogger for several months now, doing giveaways and reviews. I think very highly of the company, and I look forward to giving one of my lucky readers the chance to get to know CSN Stores, too. Look for the giveaway very soon!

Breakfast for Dinner

A really great way to stretch your grocery budget AND to make your family think they're getting a great treat is to serve breakfast for dinner. I do it once a week now. I was afraid that when I started Weight Watchers, I'd have to give up my breakfast for dinner routine. As a matter of fact, I thought I'd have to give up a lot of things.

As it turns out, I gave up nothing, except for 35 pounds so far (since mid-September). I still eat everything I used to eat. I just watch my portion sizes. I have never, not once, felt deprived, or "on a diet" since beginning with Weight Watchers. And that's key to sticking to a weight loss plan, isn't it? Feeling satisfied!

Last night, we had pumpkin waffles (two waffles each, for just 5 points!) and baked apples. It was delicious, satisfying, and belly-warming on that cold winter night. I want to share with you the recipe for baked apples. I modified it slightly from the original Weight Watchers recipe, but the Points Plus value remains the same.

Baked Apples
serves 6 (5 points each)

What You Need:

• 6 apples (I used red delicious, because they were on sale!)
• 12 Tbsp raisins
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
• 2 Tbsp chopped toasted pecans

How it's Done:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut a small slice off the bottom of each apple, so that it stands up straight in your baking dish.
3. Scoop out the core with a knife and spoon or a melon baller, but leave the bottom intact.
4. Fill each apple with 2 Tbsp raisins. Sprinkle them with the cinnamon.

5. Combine the cider and maple syrup. Pour this around the apples.
6. Bake, uncovered, for about an hour. Baste the apples with the syrup/juice mixture every ten minutes.
7. Top each apple with 1 Tbsp yogurt and 1 tsp chopped pecans. Serve immediately.

Pardon My Dust

...I'm changing some things on the blog. Weight Watchers is important to me. It's already helped me to lose over 35 pounds. Now, I'm reaching out and sharing my journey. You can expect home-cooked, healthy recipes. No weird processed foods. No added fiber (Fiber One..blech!). Just the same good stuff as always... with Points attached.

I'm looking for new blog design items right now, so we're going to have a period of awkward adjustment.

It's gonna be a great year!

Michelle

Saturday Baking

I got myself a little present. A pizelle maker. I've been waiting until Saturday to use it, because my Weight Watchers Points reset on Saturdays, and it's the day I've designating for relaxing my eating AND for baking.

So I made some yummy cookies.

This is a messy project. Keep a wash cloth handy.

I first tried a pizelle at the home of an Italian friend. She made traditional, anise-flavored cookies. I was impressed not only with the flavor, but also the texture of the cookie and its presentation.

Ever since then, I've wanted a pizelle maker. I got mine from Sears.com for about $50.

Pizelle makers' nooks and crannies are much shallower than waffle irons'.

Pizelles can be formed into cannoli shells, waffle cones, or any number of finger foods (fruit and cream in pizelle bowls would be gorgeous). However, they're super yummy plain, straight off the cooling rack. And that's how we're eating them today.

Chocolate Pizelles
makes 24 large cookies, at 3 Weight Watchers Points Plus value each cookie

What You Need:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled (salted sweet cream butter)
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

How it's Done:

1. Plug in and preheat your pizelle maker. Spray it with nonstick cooking spray or brush it with melted butter (only do this before your first batch of the day).
2. Beat eggs with sugar until smooth and creamy yellow. Add butter and cocoa powder.
3. Gently fold in flour and baking powder only until combined.
4. Drop by heaping tablespoon onto preheated pizelle maker and close the lid.
5. Bake 30 to 45 seconds each batch. Remove from maker with spatula. Cool cookies on wire racks.

Menu Plan 1/19 through 1/26

To help keep variety in our menus, I've implemented a commonly used strategy in my meal planning. The skeleton of the plan is done for me, and all that's left to do is fill in the blanks. Here's what I mean:

Every Monday, I'll serve leftovers. On Tuesdays, poultry will make an appearance on my table. Wednesdays will fill us with some sort of beef. Thursdays are reserved for my Crock Pot or a casserole dish, often featuring beans. Fridays are my junky days (made wholesome, of course), with hand-held foods like burgers, pizza, tacos, or a simple pasta dish. Saturdays, it's breakfast for dinner. And Sundays will always feature a traditional roasted family meal, like ham or whole roasted chicken, or roast beef.

Having the plan in place speeds up menu planning and helps me make sure I'm serving a wide variety of foods. Here's what this week looks like:

Wednesday: Shepherd's Pie

Thursday: Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Ham

Friday: Bowties with Sausage and Veggies

Saturday: Pumpkin Waffles & Baked Apples

Sunday: Roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, and broccoli

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Chicken Soup with Butter Dumplings & Toasted Baguettes with cheese

Wednesday: Chicken-fried steak, rice, and collard greens

What's on your menu plan for the week? Do you have a weekly guide like me?

Boiled Water

For my birthday, my mother bought me the Bittman book collection, How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. I'm so excited because I love Bittman, his food philosophy and cooking style.

Today, I made the most interesting soup. It's really just bread and water. And Bittman calls it Boiled Water.

And you know what? It's simple. And fast.

And delicious.

It tastes like grilled cheese. Grilled Cheese Soup.

Boiled Water
from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

What You Need:

• 4 cups of water
• 6 to 10 cloves of garlic, crushed (I used minced garlic instead and used 2 Tbsp)
• 1 bay leaf (didn't have, so I added some oregano instead)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 thick slices of French or Italian bread, stale (I used a baguette and did three small slices per bowl)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• fresh parsley for garnish (I skipped it)

How it's Done:

1. Bring to a boil the water with the garlic, salt, pepper, and bay leaf (or oregano). Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Toast bread in it. It's quick, maybe a minute total cooking time.
3. Put the bread in each of four bowls. Sprinkle with the cheese.
4. Bittman says to strain your broth here. I didn't strain mine. It's up to you.
5. Ladle one cup of broth over each bowl.  Serve immediately.

Grocery Trip: mid-January through mid-February

I went to three stores (Publix, WalMart, and the post commissary) for my shopping for the month. I did very well, because I bought NO nonsense. Here's what I bought:

Publix

Lenders Bagels B1G1F 2 bags @ $2.09
Cabbot Greek Vanilla Yogurt 2 tubs @ $3.99 each
Cabbot Plain Greek Yogurt 1 tub @ $3.99
Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Rotini 2 @ $1.79 each
Ronzoni bow ties & ziti (B1G1F) 1 each @ $1.39
Hunts Spaghetti Sauce 3 Jars @ $1 each
Whole Grain Cheddar Goldfish $1
Jollytime microwave popcorn @ 1.00 each plus a $.50 coupon, 2 boxes for $1.00
Half ham, $12.71 on sale
Granola, 2 bags (Back to Nature brand) @ $3.59 each
Publix reduced calorie wheat bread, 2 loaves @ $1.69 each
Thomas Whole Wheat English muffins B1G1F, 2 bags @ $3.69
Baguettes from the bakery, 3 @ $1.00 each

TOTAL @ Publix: $55.76 with tax

WALMART

5 lb whole wheat flour $2.72
instant milk $6.23
2 lb lentils @ .98 each
2 lb pinto beans @ $1.08 each
kidney beans $1.16
great Northern beans $1.08 (all beans dried)
canned diced tomatoes, 2 cans @ .63 each

TOTAL @ Walmart: $17.07 with tax

POST COMMISSARY

Keebler Entertaining cracker collection, 2 boxes bought on clearance for $1 each
Dawn dish soap $1.99
automatic dishwasher detergent $2.49
light butter $1.95
Weight Watchers light Mexican blend cheese $1.89
Weight Watchers light 4 cheese blend, 2 bags @ $1.89 each
3 gallons 1% milk @ $2.63 per gallon
2 dozen large eggs @ $1.39 per dozen
large bag frozen broccoli cuts $1.69
frozen chopped collard greens .89
frozen orange juice concentrate .99
whole roaster chicken $5.48 (.89 per pound)
shampoo and conditioner, 1 each @ .79
95% lean ground beef, 1.25 lb $3.42
1 lb flank steak $5.08
3 lb yellow onions $1.59
4 lb sweet potatoes $2.51
golden potatoes, 3 lb @ $1.98
bosc pears, 3 lb, $2.50
1 lb carrots .59
3 lb red delicious apples $1.98
bananas, 5 lb $2.64

COMMISSARY TOTAL: $59.82 with surcharge

TOTAL FOR GROCERIES: $132.65

My budget for the month was $200. So I'm very happy to be so far under budget. It leaves some much-needed breathing room this month.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Here in Georgia, we've had a major cold snap this week. We had an ice storm (snowstorm for much of northern Georgia) that cancelled school for two days and threatened to take out the electricity (it did manage to take out the cable and Internet).

Weather like that calls for belly-warming food. Belly-warming food on a diet can be tricky.

Enter turkey chili. Warm, filling, hearty, nutritious, low in fat, it's the perfect Crock Pot meal for winter days.

If you think turkey tastes bad (I used to, until I started using only turkey breast), substitute lean beef or ground chicken. Either way, it's delicious.

And cheap.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
makes a lot. ;) (enough to feed three adults and two children twice, plus leftovers)

What You Need:

• 1 lb small red beans (or pinto, or kidney, or whatever you feel like using), dried, sorted through and rinsed (or four cans of beans, rinsed and drained)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 large onions, roughly chopped
• 2 large bell peppers, roughly chopped
• 1 lb ground turkey breast
• 2 cans of chili-ready diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• 1 can of tomato sauce (4 oz)
• 8 oz water
• 3 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp sea salt
• cayenne pepper to taste (up to a teaspoon for hot chili)
• 2 tsp dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup brewed coffee (optional, but adds another dimension)
• 1/3 cup masa mixed with 1/2 cup cool water

How it's Done:

1. If you're using dried beans, cook them. If you're using canned beans, rinse and drain them. I use cooked beans almost always. They're a fraction of the cost of canned, and I've got some financial goals to accomplish this year, so it's dried beans for this household. I digress....
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the turkey with the onion and peppers.
3. In the crock of your slow cooker, combine all of the ingredients except for the masa mixed with cool water. That comes later.
4. Cover and cook on low for ten hours. Then, give it a stir, and decide if you want to thicken it up a bit. If so, stir in the masa flour combined with cool water. Cook and stir for a few minutes in the crock.
5. Serve with sour cream and/or cheese, over spaghetti, or with crackers, or however you like your chili. Freeze the leftovers. :)

Menu Plan for the week

I hope the week has been treating you all well so far. Wednesday is my new menu plan day. It works out better for me because the sales ads come out on Wednesday so it allows me to plan my meals based on sale items. Here's the plan for this week. Later today, I'll be sharing a slow cooker chili recipe, just in time for all this cold weather across the United States.

Wednesday: Asparagus, Bacon, and Cheddar Fritatta and fresh fruit

Thursday: Slow Cooker Chicken Burritos

Friday: Eating with friends -- Chicken & Noodles and dessert

Saturday: Steak Hash & scrambled eggs

Sunday: Baked ham, cornbread dressing, broccoli, and dinner rolls

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Panko-Parmesan Drumsticks, Sweet Potato Fries, and cooked cabbage

Happy New Year!

I've come to the end of a year of home cooking. Originally, I had intended to post here daily. However, it quickly became obvious that life had to come first. I hope you've enjoyed my recipes all year.

I'm not shutting down the blog.

I'll always be cooking. Mostly from scratch.

Stay tuned for new recipes in 2011. For now, the domain will remain unchanged.

I wish you all peace and happiness this year! See you tomorrow with a brand new post!

Porkchops & Applesauce

I got a new Crock Pot for Christmas! Here I am in all my dorky glory:

Want to read more about my family's Christmas? Go here. :)



Remember The Brady Bunch? It was one of my favorite shows growing up. Tonight for dinner, we're having Pork Chopsh...and Appleshaush.


This meal goes together quickly and cooks in the crock pot. That's perfect for nights like tonight at my house. Our new German Shepherd Sacha is starting her training classes at Petsmart, so we're going to be in a rush. It'll be nice not to have to fiddle around with making dinner and cleaning up. Everything will be done. Just one pot to wash and some plates to stick in the dishwasher.

Also, this is very healthy, with no added sugar or fat. And that's good for my weight loss. I'm following Weight Watchers Points Plus program and have lost over 25 pounds since September 19th. :)

Your house will smell delicious when you cook this. Plus, you get to talk like Humphrey Bogart and act like Peter Brady. What could be more fun?

The chops are completely covered with applesauce prior to cooking. I don't measure the amount, but it's roughly two cups of sauce.

Pork Chops & Applesauce
Serves 6

What You Need:

• 6 boneless pork chops
• 1 large, tart apple (cored and sliced)
• about 2 cups unsweetened applesauce

How it's Done:

1. Layer chops and apple slices in slow cooker.
2. Cover completely with applesauce.
3. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Some of my favorite non-recipe breakfasts

Lately, I'm been busy.

I mean, super, crazy, insane, taking on too much responsibility, need to learn to say no sometimes, busy.

So I haven't been cooking much at all. And I feel like I'm neglecting my blog and my blogger friends.

It occurred to me this morning as I was making my breakfast that not everything needs a recipe, and maybe I could just share some of my favorite non-recipe meal ideas with you all.

You know, in case you need inspiration for your busy days.

Because I know I can't be the ONLY one out there that has no time for kitchen detail.

Or am I?

Anyway, here are some of my favorites. Please leave a comment and tell me yours. I'm always looking for fresh ideas around here, too.

Breakfasts in a Hurry

• 1 cup Greek yogurt, mixed with a sliced banana and topped with 1/2 cup granola (store-bought or homemade)
• Banana, sliced in half the long way. Spread peanut butter on one of the cut sides. Top with the other half of the banana and press together gently to get the peanut butter to smoosh out the sides. Roll in chopped nuts.
• Toasted waffles (can be retoasted from homemade or store-bought) topped with almond butter and fruit spread, folded together for a PB&J wafflewitch
• Heat up some pork & beans and serve over toast.
• Instant oatmeal: If you pulse old fashioned oats in your food processor for a few seconds, you turn them into instant oats that can be prepared simply by adding hot water or milk. You can make up individual packages of these and flavor them as desired. Some ideas include brown sugar-cinnamon, vanilla (scrape a vanilla bean for this), peanut butter (look for dehydrated PB2 at your grocery store), and apple-cinnamon (using dried apple bits).
• fruit & yogurt: Serve fruit with vanilla yogurt to dip. Add some crushed cereal for topping.
• "Baked" apple: Core an apple. Fill the center with chopped nuts, a bit of cinnamon and sugar. Bake in the microwave until soft. Drizzle with vanilla yogurt for a quick sauce.
• Bagel with tomato and cheese. Toast a bagel. Add a slice of mozzarella and a slice of tomato. Fresh basil is delicious here.
• Pizza. One of the easiest breakfasts ever. Reheat a slice of pizza. Or, eat it cold.
• Leftover rice with milk and honey
• Smoothies. Blend yogurt with fruit, milk, and ice. No sweeteners needed!

What are your quick breakfast ideas?

Menu Plan Monday 11/29 - 12/5

Breakfasts will include:

• eggs/whites cooked in olive oil, with veggies (onion, green pepper, broccoli, spinach) and sometimes cheese
• fruit & yogurt smoothies
• English muffins
• Gingerbread Muffins
• Oven Oatmeal

Lunches discussed daily at 360 Lunch Boxes

Dinners this week:

• Thanksgiving Soup
• White Winter Vegetable Stew
• Busy Day NOT Gourmet Chicken Cacciatore
• Meatball Pizza
• Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks
• Build-Your-Own Hoagies & Fresh Fruit Salad
• Chili & Cornbread

Planned Baking/Snacks:

• the gingerbread muffins from breakfast
• peppery popovers
• double chocolate muffins

Bites Around the Blogosphere

Been a while, hasn't it?

I'll get to this week's Bites in just a second. First, I thought I'd share a bit of what I've been up to. First of all, here comes Christmas, charging full speed ahead. Are you almost done shopping? I have just a few things to pick up and I'm finished. Hubs and I are really scaling back this year on our purchases. I like it this way. Less stress. Less financial strain. More enjoyment. What could be better?

Also, as if I haven't mentioned it enough, WE'RE MOVING TO GERMANY! We report to Grafenwoehr in September. I've been using Rosetta Stone to learn the language, and I've been looking at pictures and stories about Bavaria. I'm so excited. Wouldn't you be? Look at what I have to look forward to (photos found @ google.com):

...and that's just in Grafenwoehr! As time passes, I'll share more about Europe and what I learn. So far, I can tell you, in German, all about my small, white dog, my sandwiches and eggs and milk, numbers through six, and a little about men, women, kids, and clothing.

On we go....today's Bites:

Pumpkin Cranberry Pecan Upside-Down Cake at Beantown Baker

Grilled Chicken with Bacon Balsamic Glaze at Jenn's Food Journey

Spicy Corn Cakes with Black Beans at Lucy's Soup Can

See you tomorrow for the week's menu plan!

Holiday Shopping's a Breeze with CSN Stores

Having a hard time finding just the right present for the folks on your list this holiday season? If you're like me, you don't feel much like braving the crowds at the mall and department stores. I prefer to stay home and let my fingers do the shopping. Whether I'm shopping for sling backpacks for my daughters, some framed artwork for my mother, or I just want to reward my hard shopping work with a new hanging pot rack for myself, CSN Stores has it all.

Soon, I will be reviewing another great product from CSN Stores. The trouble is, I'm having a hard time deciding what to review! What do you think I should choose?

A Pizelle Iron?

A French Press?

Or maybe a programmable Crock Pot?

Which would you choose to review? I look forward to hearing from you. And who knows? Maybe I'll choose the one YOU want to hear about! Look for my review soon!

Happy Thanksgiving! Menu & Recipes

Thanksgiving Delights

 

On Thanksgiving Day we’re thankful for

Our blessings all year through,

For family we dearly love,

For good friends, old and new.

 

For sun to light and warm our days,

For stars that glow at night,

For trees of green and skies of blue,

And puffy clouds of white.

 

We’re grateful for our eyes that see

The beauty all around,

For arms to hug, and legs to walk,

And ears to hear each sound.

 

The list of all we’re grateful for

Would fill a great big book;

Our thankful hearts find new delights

Everywhere we look!

 

By Joanna Fuchs

www.poemsource.com

********************************************************

My Family's Thanksgiving 2010 Menu

Cheese Ball & Crackers

Roast Turkey

Pan Gravy

Cornbread Dressing with Bacon & Onions*

Buttery Corn Pudding

Mashed Potatoes

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Honey-Nut Crunch Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries

Pumpkin Yeast Rolls*

Sweet Peas with Pearl Onions

Simple Pumpkin Mousse

Crustless Pumpkin Pie*

Pumpkin Bread Pudding*

Banana Bread

Apple Crisp*

Vanilla Ice Cream

*Recipe follows

*************************************************

Hints for a Delicious Turkey

I don't inject my bird. I don't deep fry it. I don't really do anything special. But my turkey is always the moistest, most delicious around. How do I do it? Well, Grammy always taught me that the most important thing about cooking is paying attention to detail. Not skill. Not talent. But rather taking care...doing the job at hand and doing it well. Pay attention to the foods you're cooking. My biggest turkey tip:

Baste it. A lot.

Keep squirting or spooning the juices over your bird. This keeps the bird moist and helps even browning.

More tips:

Rub your bird, inside and out, with a high-quality olive oil. Then, rub in your favorite herbs. I like to use garlic, pepper, and salt..only those three. You can get fancier, but I find that those three make the best flavor.

To stuff, or not to stuff?

I've done both. I prefer unstuffed. I like to cook my dressing on the side, and I stick a whole onion (stick it with a fork a few times first), a couple cut-up carrots, and some celery in the cavity to add flavor to both the bird and the drippings -- which you'll use for gravy later!

Use a meat thermometer. These are available at low cost. They're tremendously useful. Another way to tell when your bird is probably done: The wings and drums will wiggle loosely in their sockets. A meat thermometer is your best bet, though.

Avoid cross-contamination.

Defrost in the fridge. I pulled out my turkey on Sunday and it was perfectly thawed this morning.

Emergency thawing: place the WRAPPED turkey in a clean sink full of cold water. Change the water every thirty minutes until the turkey is thawed.

****************************************************************

Thanksgiving Recipes

Cornbread Dressing with Bacon & Onions

I rely on boxed stuffing mix for this quick, delicious variation on dressing. It's a favorite with my entire family.

What You Need:

• 2 boxes of cornbread stuffing mix
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1/2 cup butter, divided
• 1/4 lb bacon, diced

How it's Done:

1. Heat 1/4 cup butter in a skillet. Add bacon and onion. Cook and stir until onion is translucent and bacon is cooked.
2. Bring to a boil 3 cups of water.
3. Put the dry stuffing mix in a large mixing bowl. Cover with the bacon and onion. Top with the rest of the butter. When the water boils, pour it over the entire thing.
4. Let the stuffing stand for five minutes.
5. Grease a 2 quart baking dish. Transfer the stuffing to the dish. Pack it down tightly. Bake in the oven with your turkey for the last hour of cooking.

Pumpkin Yeast Rolls

These beauties are just a spin off of my favorite sweet potato rolls. They're easy to make and taste delicious.

What You Need:

• 1 cup warm milk
• 2 packets active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 to 4 cups flour (I used White Lily all-purpose flour)

How it's Done:

1.Proof your yeast: In your mixing bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Stir it up and then let it sit undisturbed for ten to twelve minutes. It should get bubbly and double in volume. (If it doesn't, don't proceed, because it means your yeast is dead. Go out and buy new, fresh yeast. Yeast should be used by the expiration date. If you buy it in a jar, use it within 6 months of opening.)

2.Stir in egg yolk, butter, and salt. Add pumpkin puree and stir to combine.


3.Half a cup at a time, stir in your flour. If you're not using a stand mixer, a wooden spoon is the best tool for this job. Your dough will be slightly sticky when all the flour is stirred in.


4.Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. You could also use your stand mixer for this job. By hand, it will take about 8 minutes.


5.Form the dough into a ball. Coat lightly with oil and place in a large mixing bowl. Cover gently and let rise until doubled in size. This will take anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes.


6.Punch down your dough. Divide it into 10 equal parts. Roll each piece into a rope. Roll cinnamon-roll style, pinching the end seam to seal. Place each on a cookie sheet that's been oiled and dusted with cornmeal. Cover loosely. Let rise again, until doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour.


7.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake rolls 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.


8.Immediately upon removal from oven, brush rolls with melted butter.
 
 
 
Crustless Pumpkin Pie (a.k.a. Pumpkin Pudding)

This wonderful dessert will satisfy your desire for pumpkin pie and you won't even miss the crust! Better still: you can make it in your slow cooker, freeing up time AND oven space!

What You Need:

• 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
• 12 oz can evaporated milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

How it's Done:

1. Beat eggs well. Add the rest of the ingredients and keep stirring until it's uniform in texture and color.
2. Pour into a greased slow cooker.
3. Cook on high for three to four hours. Start checking for doneness at the 3 hour mark. You'll know it's done when the center is set and it looks like a pumpkin pie.
4. Serve as is or with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Make the most out of this favorite American fall food. Who says you need to stop at pumpkin pie? Try this delicious twist on a traditional bread pudding. I've used milk in place of heavy cream to cut down on calories, but make no mistake: this is a very rich dessert that's full of sugar. A little bit will do you well.

What You Need:

for the pumpkin bread:

• 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

for the custard:

• 3 cups milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

for the nonalcoholic vanilla sauce:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• vanilla bean, scraped

How it's Done:

1. Bake the pumpkin bread.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line three loaf pans (8x5 is fine) with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set them aside.
2. Beat together the pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, soda, and all the spices.
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients all at once and stir only until combined.
5. Divide amongst loaf pans and bake for about an hour, until a pick inserted near center comes out clean.
6. Let the loaves cool completely. I like to wrap mine and store them overnight before use.
7. Cut two of the loaves into 1/2" cubes. Spread them out on cookie sheets and bake at 325 for about 20 to 30 minutes, until they're toasted dry. You can use the other loaf another time.
8. Set the cubes aside and prepare the custard. Bring the milk and vanilla extract to a simmer over medium heat, stirring very frequently to prevent scorching.
9. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, pumpkin puree, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
10. Slowly drizzle in the heated milk, stirring the whole time to prevent the eggs from cooking.
11. Butter a 9x11" baking dish. Spread the pumpkin bread cubes evenly in the dish.
12. Drizzle the custard over the cubes, stirring and pressing the cubes to fully saturate them with custard. Let it stand up to 30 minutes so that the bread soaks up the custard as much as possible.
13. You need to cook this in a water bath, so find a pan bigger than the one you're cooking it in. Place the bread pudding dish into the larger dish and position the whole thing on the middle shelf in your oven.
14. Pour hot water into the bottom dish.
15. Bake for an hour. You want to see it puffed up, but the center will still be a bit jiggly. Take it out of the oven and out of its water bath. Let it stand 30 minutes before topping with sauce and serving.
16. While it sits undisturbed, make your vanilla sauce. Bring all the ingredients (just the seeds of the vanilla bean, not the bean itself) to a boil in a sauce pan with high sides. Cook and stir for two minutes. Remove from heat.
17. You can either drizzle the sauce over the entire dish, or you can drizzle a bit over eat individual serving. For additional flavor and eye appeal, sprinkle each serving with a combination of ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, to taste.

Apple Crisp

What You Need:

• 3 lb tart apples, cored (peel them if you want to. I left my peels on for color and texture)
• big bowl of water with Fruit Fresh added (for dipping the sliced apples)
• 2 Tbsp apple cider, orange juice, apple juice, lemon juice, or water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional, I omitted them today)
• 1/4 cup softened butter

How it's Done:

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Slice the apples thinly as you would for pie. Dunk them in the Fruit Fresh water ( I leave all the slices in the bowl until I'm ready to proceed).
3. In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 2 Tbsp all purpose flour. Toss apples in sugar mixture.
4. Grease a 2 quart baking dish. Pour the coated apples into the dish and distribute them evenly.
5. Drizzle with whatever juice you prefer.
6. Combine the topping ingredients: softened butter, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts (if using). Sprinkle topping evenly on apples.
7. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until apples are tender and dish is bubbling.
8. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

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I'd like to leave you with one final verse:

May your stuffing be tasty,

May your turkey be plump.

May your potatoes & gravy

Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious.

May your pies take the prize.

May your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off of your thighs.