Thanksgiving Turkey Veggie Platter

Need a last minute way to make your veggie tray cute for your Thanksgiving table?  How about turn it into a turkey?  I found this cute little idea on pinterest and knew I wanted to make it.

The original was cuter but I wanted to add celery and tomatoes and didn't want as many peppers that they had on their tray.  It doesn't matter the veggies you use, it is the color that really makes the turkey.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Apple Crisp Recipe

I have apples coming out of my ears right now.  Earlier during the summer months I prepared bags and bags of pear puree to turn into pear applesauce.  I have been dreading the applesauce making because I have been feeling so icky.  Well with the help of my mom and brother I went and picked baskets full of apples.  I have been slowly working on them and have made 10 quarts of pear applesauce, 5 pints of apple butter, and I still have lots more to do.  Well last night I decided to take a break and make something other than applesauce.  The kids and I found a yummy recipe and got to work.  I am excited to share it with you.  It smells delicious and tastes even better. 

Apple Crisp

10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored, and sliced. 

1 cup white sugar

1 TB all purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup water

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter, melted

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2.  Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan.  Mix the white sugar, 1 TB flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples.  Pour water evenly over all.

3.  Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together.  Crumble evenly over the apple mixture. 

4.  Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 mins.  (If your topping is getting too brown you can cover with aluminum foil.  I did this for the last 5 mins)

5.  Let cool for a little bit.  Serve with icecream!

Stay tuned for Pear Applesauce recipe.

Apple Butter

I love this time of year.  I love the smell of apples and spices.  I LOVE APPLE BUTTER!  I have had a few requests for the recipe I use for my apple butter so here you go.  I have my first batch cooking as we speak so I can't post a picture quite yet.  I promise to when I spread the yummy goodness on a piece of buttered toast.

Apple Butter

12 medium apples (I have no idea what type of apple we have on our two trees out back)
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cinnamon

In buttered crockpot (don't always do this) add your apples.  I use my handy apple slicer.  You know the circle one that cores it and quarters your apple.  I add everything core and all to the crock pot.  If you don't have a mill you will want to peel and discard your cores.  However, leaving the core helps to naturally thicken the butter. 

In a bowl mix your sugar, juice and spices.  Then pour over your apples and stir.  Cover and cook on low for 10 hours. 

About this time is when it is late at night and I don't want to wait the extra 2 hours. I put the mixture in the refrigerator and begin where I left off in the morning.

Run mixture through a food mill or if you don't have one mash with a fork or masher (doing it with a masher or fork will give you chunkier results).  I like to put it through my mill because it is alot smoother. 

(Sometimes I stop here too and wait till morning to finish)

Cook uncovered on low for 2 hours to let thicken.  Stir every so often.  I like to taste it as it cooks, because many times I add more cinnamon.  I like cinnamon. 

Let cool .  Then put in your containers.  It will store for quite sometime in the refrigerator.  This year I will skip the cooling process and can it.  So excited!!

Enjoy!  If you have any questions let me know, I will help you if I can.  This is so yummy on toast, or even when used to dip graham crackers or animal crackers in.  Writing this up is making me anxious to eat it.

Pork Chop Supper

As our dinner slowly simmers on the stove and fills our home with a very pleasant aroma, I can't help but smile and get excited to eat.  Years ago my sister in law gave us cookbook that her ward had put together.  Since then we have enjoyed many dinner recipes and delicious desserts found from that cookbook.  One inparticular was a favorite while we were living in Oregon while JBody was attending Chiropractic College.  I completely forgot about this favorite dinner until today while shopping at Costco.  I came across the meats and saw some perfectly packaged pork chops.  I knew exactly what was on the dinner menu: Pork Chop Supper.  And for your dinner enjoyment for another evening I have decided to pass the recipe onto you.  Hope you enjoy!

Pork Chop Supper
6 pork loin chops (If using the ones from costco, use 3 and slice them in half to make them thinner).
1/2 c. flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 large potatoes (we chose multicolored fingerlings tonight for color)
5 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
3 c. beef broth

Dredge pork in flour.  Heat oil in  a large skillet; brown the chops on both sides.  Spirinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper.  Peel potatoes (I never do) and cut into cubes; add to skillet along with carrots and onion.  Pour broth over all; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes. 

We love this dinner with a nice heaping of applesauce.  Can anyone tell me where the phrase, "Pork chops and applesauce," came from.  I remember hearing it in an old time tv show. 

Picture was taken right before I covered to let simmer, but doesn't it look so yummy?

Thanks Terri for the wonderful cookbook and submitting this oh so delicious recipe.

MMM Fall Foods

As much as I loved our summer and the wonderful sunshine and warm weather, I am excited about the change in the season.  I love when the leaves start to fall and all our favorite comfort foods fill our home with a warm aroma.  I love pulling out my fall candle scents and decorating in pumpkins and leaves.  This year I have even found a new love of SCHOOL.  Now with the Lil' E in Kindergarten and Doble and Razy in Preschool, I have a couple hours a week to go shopping alone or do some fun crafts.  Who knows maybe I will even get some blogging done. 

As a tribute to the change in season and the start of fall (I know I am a bit early), I made Pumpkin Chili for dinner.  I had a bunch of requests for the recipe so here I am sharing it with you.  Enjoy! And Happy Fall!!

Pumpkin Chili

2 lbs ground beef

1 large onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

3(15oz) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (48oz) tomato juice

1 (28oz) peeled and diced tomatoes

1/2 cup (15oz) canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup white sugar

1TB pumpkin pie spice

1TB chili powder

2 tsp cumin

1-2tsp cayenne pepper (depending on preference)

Cook beef.  Stir in the onion and cook for another 5 minutes.  Stir in beans, juice, tomatoes, and pumpkin puree.  Add sugar and spices.  Simmer for one hour. 

I like to let it simmer longer sometimes.  It is very good the first night, but even better the next. 

When I use the big can of pumpkin puree I like to use the remaining pumpkin to make pumpkin bars. 

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin puree

3/4 cup melted butter

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking pouder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

frosting

3 oz cream cheese

6 TB butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 TB milk

2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325.  Cream eggs and sugar.  Add pumpkin and melted butter.  Add in dry ingredients and mix well.  Pour into a greased 11x17 jelly roll pan for 25 minutes.  When cooled frost with the cream cheese frosting.