roasted turkey/chicken

this is the picture from the recipe


this is how mine turned out...not as pretty, but still delicious!

I found this recipe online and decided to make it for a pre-Christmas dinner for Ryan and I tonight, and it turned out amazing! It's really flavorful and moist!

Preheat oven to 350°

Marinade:

1 1/2 cups Dijon mustard
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (don't throw away lemon rinds)
--Combine ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and creamy.

Turkey:

1 (15-pound) free-range turkey (I used a 5 lb. chicken for Ryan and I)
2 bunches fresh poultry herbs (I used dried Rosemary and Marjoram)
---Clean out cavity of the turkey and rinse well, inside and out. Pat dry and place turkey in a large roasting pan. (I used a 9X13 pan and just lined it with foil)

Tie turkey legs together and cover tips with foil (so they don't burn). Stuff cavity of turkey with lemon rinds and one bunch of poultry herbs, or spinkle them. Pour the marinade over the turkey.
Place the second bunch of herbs in the roasting pan. Place turkey breast-side up in roasting pan. Insert thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. Cover with foil and roast for 2 hours.

Baste turkey and cover with foil. Roast turkey another 30 minutes and repeat basting process. Continue basting every 15 minutes until the thermometer reaches 180–185°, approximately 3 to 4 hours.

Remove turkey from oven and place on cutting board. Cover turkey well with foil to keep warm. Let it rest 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

Russian Teacakes

This is a recipe from Mom that I have always loved. Another Holiday cookie that I must make every year. (These three cookies are what I have given to my neighbors the last 2 years.) I have to be sure to give most of them away, or suddenly I will find that I have eaten half the batch. They are just the right size to just pop into your mouth!

Ingredients:
1 c. butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bake for 15-20 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar while still warm. (I also found this year that is faster and works just as well to dump them all in a ziplock bag with some powdered sugar and give them a little shake, then just dump them on a plate and voila! pretty little cookies.)

Gingersnaps

I have not always been a fan of Gingersnaps, because I do not particularly like a cookie that "snaps". I prefer my cookies soft and chewy. I came across this recipe and now have to bake these every year because they are soft, chewy, and very tasty.

Ingredients:
3/4 c. butter
1 c. white sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses
2 c. flour
1 T ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. white sugar for decoration

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and molasses until well blended. Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; stir into the molasses mixture to form a dough. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll the balls in the remaining sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Egg Nog Cookies

A delicious cookie, especially if you love Egg Nog. Perfect for the Holiday Season!
Ingredients:
2 1/4 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. egg nog
1 tsp. vanilla
2 egg yolks

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in smaller bowl and set aside.
Cream together the sugar and butter. Add egg nog, vanilla and egg yolks and beat until smooth.
Add the flour mixture and mix until combined, be careful not to overmix.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets 1 inch apart. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until bottoms turn light brown. Transfer to cool immediately. Sprinke with mixture of powdered sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Cheese Ball

This cheese ball is just delish! We would make them every year with my mom to give out to neighbors at christmas time and now I do the same. It's really easy and extra yummy! The recipe is just a estimate because I usually just eyeball it :)

2 Packages Cream Cheese

1 C Sharp cheddar cheese - grated

1/2 Can chopped black olives

2-3 Green onions - chopped

Mix ingrediants together and form into a ball. Then roll in chopped pecans and enjoy with crackers.

Glazed Ham

This is the only way to cook ham, according to me. The ham turns out really moist and tender - it falls right apart! And the flavor is awesome - it goes great with the potatoes below.

Ingredients:
1 (8 lb) bone-in shank ham (not the spiral cut kind, although we have used that when it was the only kind we could find)
4 cups of water, or as needed
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring
2 Tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
1 pinch ground cloves

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Place ham in roasting pan, preferrably on top of a rack so the ham is not sitting directly on the bottom of the pan. Pour in water to a 2 inch depth. Cover with a tight fitting lid, or aluminum foil if you don't have a lid.
2. Bake 6-8 hours. Remove from the oven. Pour off drippings and reserve 1 cup. Debone ham, removing any excess fat as well, and return to the roasting pan.
3. Skim fat from the top of the drippings and discard. In a small bowl, mix one cup of the drippings with the other ingredients. Pour over ham, cover and return to oven.
4. Bake for another 30-40 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

I made this recipe for the first time on Sunday when my oven was over-booked. We were cooking ham all day, which left room for little else. This poses a problem everytime because we like to have cheesy potatoes, and also rolls when we make ham. This recipe was a great solution, and I can't believe I had never considered making the potatoes in the CROCKPOT before! They were delicious, and I think we will do this from now on!

Ingredients:
7 medium potatoes (about 2 lbs.)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of chicken soup
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
1 small onion, chopped or 1 tablespoon minced onion
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted, divided
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 to 2 cups Stove-top stuffing mix (uncooked)

Directions:
Peel potatoes and cut into 1/4 inch strips; set aside.
Combine soup, sour cream, onion, 1/4 cup butter and salt in bowl.
Lightly butter inside of 5 quart Crockpot Slow Cooker and place potatoes inside. Mix cheese with potatoes. Pour soup mixture into Crockpot; mix well. Cover top of potato mixture with stuffing mix and drizzle with remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Cover; cook on Low 8 to 10 hours until potatoes are tender or on High 5 to 6 hours.

Tip:
Cook potatoes in boiling water about 30 minutes or until tender and then cut into strips. Mixture should be on Low 6 to 8 hours or on High about 2 hours, until potatoes are tender.

Variation:
Substitute 2 packages (16 ounces each) frozen hashbrowns for potatoes and prepare as directed. Cook on Low 4 to 6 hours or on High 2 hours.

Creme Brulee French Toast

This is the best french toast ever! I had it for the first time a few months ago while staying at a friends house in St. George and HAD to have the recipe! (Thanks Brooke!) It's very rich and sweet, so great for the holidays! I don't put anything on it, but it would be delish with some fresh strawberries or topping of your choice!

1/2 C butter
1 C packed brown sugar
2 T corn syrup
8-12 pieces Texas toast bread
5 eggs
1 1/2 C half & half (you can also use heavy cream)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Melt the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup over medium heat until smooth, stirring occasionally. Pour into large, greased jelly roll pan ( I just used a large cookie sheet ) and spread over surface. Place 8 to 12 slices of bread in a single layer in pan. Mix eggs, cream, salt and vanilla. Spoon mixture over each piece of bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 - 40 minutes (until golden brown)

* I don't do the whole refrigerate overnight thing . . . and it turns out just great!

yummy cran-apple salad

ok, this is super easy, and as you know, delicious!

1 head of Romaine lettuce
I like to add Hearts of Romaine from the bag if I'm making a bigger salad
1-2 sweet apples
Crasins
Brianna's Poppy Seed dressing

That's it, just mix it up and it's so good!

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

these are the most delicious cookies ever! and to make it ever better, it's the easiest recipe too! My friend at work got the recipe at a Weight Watchers meeting, and each cookie is only 1 w.w. point, so that's a little ego boost while you're eating 20 of them in a row! ENJOY!

1 box of Spice cake mix
1 small can of pumpkin
chocolate chips (i use a little less than half a bag)

bake at 375 for about 10 minutes, mmm!

{ Salted Pumpkin Seeds }

We like to make this yummy snack after carving our pumpkins. Soaking the seeds overnight in the salt water really makes the difference. I just adjust the recipe according how many pumpkin seeds we dig out!

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1/2 cup salt
2 cups pumpkin seeds

Directions:
Combine water and salt in saucepan. Cook and stir until salt dissolves; cool. Add pumpkin seeds and soak overnight. Drain thoroughly. Pat seeds dry with paper towel.
Place on cookie sheet. Bake at 300 F until seeds are dry, about 1 hour.

{ Banana Bread }

I love making banana bread in the fall. I know everyone probably has their own recipe, but this recipe is simple and oh so yummy! I just started adding the flax seed and you can't even tell it's in there! Enjoy!

2 C sugar
4 beaten eggs
1 C butter, softened
6 mashed bananas
1/2 C milk
4 C flour
4 T flax mill (optional)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Bake at 350 for 50 - 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. This makes 2 large loafs and then the rest I usually make into mini muffins for the kids. If you do the mini muffins, bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes.

{ Parker House Rolls }

After years (and I'm talking YEARS) of failing in my attempts to make good dinner rolls (yes, there were even tears involved), I got this recipe from my sister-in-law Kricky and have finally found success! I probably make these 3 out of 4 Sundays in the month. I have adjusted the recipe a little bit to incorporate whole wheat, but the original recipe uses just white flour which are really good as well. I usually cut the recipe in half which is perfect for my family (makes 10-12 rolls). The whole recipe calls for one egg, so when cutting it in half, I just beat the egg and then pour in what looks like half.
Enjoy!

4 cups all purpose white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages active dry yeast (1 package = 2 1/2 teaspoons)
1 cup butter (2 sticks) softened
1 large egg

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups white flour, 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, sugar, salt and yeast; add 1/2 cup butter (1 stick). With mixer at low speed, gradually pour 2 cups hot tap water (120 to 130 degrees F.) into dry ingredients. Add egg; increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes, scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in 3/4 cup whole wheat flour or enough to make a thick batter; continue beatin 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. With mixer on lowest speed, stir in enough additional flour (2 cups white, 1/2 cup whole wheat) to make a soft dough.
Using the dough hook on your mixer (or on a lightly floured surface), knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, working in more flour (about 1/2 cup whole wheat) while kneading. Shape dough into a ball and place in greased large bowl, turning over so that top of dough is greased. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place (I usually turn my oven on to warm while I am making the dough, then turn it off and let the dough rise in there) until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough by pushine down the center of dough with fist, then pushin edges of dough into center. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead lightly to make smooth ball, cover with bowl for 15 minutes, and let dough rest.
Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter in a bowl. On lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll dough 1/2 inch thick. With floured 2 3/4 inch round cutter (or drinking glass), cut dough into circles. Holding dough circle by the edge, dip half into melted butter, fold in half and pinch edges together. Arrange folded dough circles in rows in a cassarole pan, each nearly touching the other. Brush the tops with butter. Cover pan with towel; let dough rise in warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.
Bake rolls for 15 to 18 minutes until browned, at 350 degrees.

{ FRUIT & VEGGIE SHAKE }

I have started drinking these almost every day to help get all my fruits and veggies in. They are so yummy and my kids even love them!

2 c ice
1 c juice ( I like to use Naked's Mighty Mango )
1 banana
1 pear
1 apple
2 or 3 giant handfuls of spinach

Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor and enjoy!
* You can really use any combo of fruit that you like . . . as long as you have more fruit than veggies, you can only taste the fruit! Also, if you freeze the banana first, it makes the texture more like a smoothie.

{ SALSA }

This salsa is so yummy! Kasey will eat the entire batch in a week . . .

2 cans diced tomatoes w/ green chillies, drained. ( I use rotel )

1 Green pepper

1 red pepper

1 large onion

1 T white wine vinegar

1 T red wine vinegar

Garlic powder

Chili powder

Cilantro - dried or fresh

Salt

Pepper

Blend everything together in a blender or food processor. If you like it more chunky then add a chopped pepper and onion after you are done blending. I don't measure the spices but just add to your liking!

* When I have fresh tomatoes I use those instead of canned. Probably about 5-6 large tomatoes.

{ CHICKEN AZTECA }

This is a favorite around here. The picture doesn't do it justice . . .

3-4 good size boneless skinless chicken breast
2 C Salsa, divided
2 Cans black beans, drained
1/2 bag frozen corn
2 8ounce packages cream cheese ( I use the low fat kind and it's just as yummy!)
2 tsp. cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced

Combine black beans, corn, 1/2 of the salsa, garlic and cumin in crock pot. Arrange chicken on top and cover with remaining salsa. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Remove the chicken and shred or cut into pieces. Put back into crock pot and add the cream cheese. I usually cube it first so it melts a little easier. Serve over rice and garnish with shredded cheese!

{ VEGGIE & BEEF STIR FRY }

Steak of your choice (I used round steak) cut into thin strips
Veggies of your choice (I used carrots, mushrooms, snow peas, and asparagus) but you could use whatever your family likes!

So this is way easy. Just heat up some olive oil in a large skillet. Then brown your meat on high. Then add veggies adding the harder ones first. Add mushrooms just before serving or they will get to soggy. Then when everything is cooked to your liking pour the sauce over the stir fry. I put the lid on and let it simmer for just a few minutes. We like to eat this with steamed rice . . . yummy!

Sauce
2 T corn starch
2 T sugar
1 T salt
soy sauce (I just eye it but probably about 1/2 C )
cooking wine (equal parts to soy sauce)

{ CHICKEN CEASAR SALAD WITH NOODLES }

1 bag romaine lettuce

3 large chicken breasts ( boneless skinless )

1/2 of a 12 ounce box of rainbow rotini

1 bottle ceasar dressing

croutons

shredded Parmesan cheese

Put chicken in a large Ziploc bag, cover with some ceasar dressing and let it marinate in the fridge for a few hours. Cook chicken on the grill, then cut into bite size pieces. Cook your noodles and once they are drained and rinsed with cold water, put them in a bowl and toss with some ceasar dressing. Let them cool in the fridge and then toss the rest of the ingredients together into a salad. I like to leave the croutons out until right before eating so they don't get soggy :)

{ TACO SOUP }

This is a yummy fall time soup that everyone loves around here!

1 pound ground beef

1 can black beans-drained

1 can pinto beans -drained

1 can kidney beans -drained

1 can corn - drained

1 can diced tomatoes w/ green chilis

1 small can tomatoe sauce

1 package taco seasons

2 cups water

Cook the ground beef in big soup pot. Drain fat, then add all other ingrediants. Heat on Med -High until boiling and then simmer until you are ready to eat! You can serve with sour cream and shredded cheese. We like to crunch up tortilla chips or fritos and put them in as well!