My Christmas Turkey Pt 1

On Saturday, I am hosting a Christmas party for some of Joey and my couple friends. I am also cooking a traditional Christmas dinner with their help. I of course, am providing the meat. So this week you will get to follow the making of my first turkey!! I am very excited.

Last week I was sitting at work making lists for this upcoming weekend and realized I had no idea what I was going to do with my turkey. I started getting very worried and decided to text my mom. She has never had to make a turkey before because my grandma or an aunt has always made the bird. Luckily, she had my aunt's recipe that she always uses when making a bird, so she sent me the directions. I am confident I now know the proper way to make my bird delicious.

Today I went to Target to purchase my bird. Joey had gotten a $25 Butterball check from his (new) job and let me use it to buy my bird. I went to Target because their Butterballs were on sale for 99 cents a pound. That was the cheapest turkey I had found anywhere, even the off brand wasn't that cheap!! So I was able to purchase a 17 pound turkey for free.

Now my bird is thawing in the fridge until Saturday morning when I get it all ready for the cooking process.

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas

I am always looking for different recipes to make for dinner. So, when I came across one of Joey's favorite foods, buffalo chicken, and a Mexican dish mixed together, I had to make it.

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas

• 1 lb. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 14 oz. can Red enchilada sauce
• 1/3 c. Buffalo sauce (I use Frank's)
• 5 Chopped green onions, divided
• 1 1/2 c. Shredded mozzarella cheese
• 4 Large whole wheat tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 glass dish with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, mix together enchilada and buffalo sauce. You can always add more buffalo sauce if you like it spicier. In a large bowl, toss together shredded chicken, half of the green onions, and 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese. Pour in 1/2 c. of the enchilada sauce mixture and stir until combined.

Pour 1/2 c. enchilada sauce into the dish and spread mixture to the edges. Working with one tortilla at at time, fill with 1/4 of the chicken mixture. Roll the tortilla and place it seam-side down in the dish. Once all tortillas are filled, pour the remaining sauce on top of tortillas and add the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce its bubbling. Top with remaining green onions. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Fudge

I got this recipe from a girl I work with. It turned out great for me, but for her, not so well. She was not patient enough for it to get to the right temperature. So let this be a warning, patience makes perfect! (Even if it is 10:30 at night) I was told not to make anything for Joey's extended family's Thanksgiving, so naturally I made these. They were the only homemade thing there besides the turkey and red velvet cake, so of course they were a hit!

I just went looking for a picture, but apparently I forgot to take one because I made these late, late at night. So here is a picture of my little crafty project I did instead :)

Pumpkin Fudge

• 3 c. Sugar
• 3/4 c. Butter
• 1-5 oz. can Evaporated milk (2/3 c.)
• 1/2 c. Canned Pumpkin
• 1/2 t. Ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t. Ginger
• 1/4 t. Ground nutmeg
• 1-12 oz. pkg Butterscotch chips (2 c.)
• 1-7 oz. jar Marshmallow creme
• 1 c. Chopped pecans
• 1 t. Vanilla

Butter a 13x9x2 baking dish. In a 2 quart saucepan, combine sugar, butter, evaporated milk, pumpkin, and spices. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly (you don't want the fudge to burn). Reduce heat. Boil over medium-low heat until mixture registers 234 degrees F (soft ball stage) on candy thermometer stirring constantly (about 25 minutes). *I ended up having to turn up the heat because after 30 mins the temperature hadn't moved past 200 F.

Remove from heat and stir in chips until melted. Add marshmallow creme, nuts, and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Pour in pan and spread evenly. Cool at room temperature. Cut in squares, wrap, and store in fridge.

Happy, Happy, Happy

First post that isn't about the kitchen!

This past weekend I was lucky enough to be able to go to St. Louis with Joey. I was able to see a lot of family because they were all helping my grandparents move into a retirement center. You ask why they moved? To be with all of their old Lutheran friends is what I tell everyone, which is mostly true :)

Anyways, I got to see my dear cousin, Malia, who is 6 weeks older than me. We hadn't seen each other for a year and a half because it she lives in Ohio and is still in school. Once we got together though it was like we had never been apart. I also got to meet her boyfriend and she got to meet Joey. The 4 of us definitely had a good time together.

On Sunday, Joey and I went to see Gil Shaham play with the St. Louis Symphony. It was an amazing concert. I was so happy that Joey agreed to come with me because I know it wasn't his first choice of fun things to do in St. Louis. There are a lot of guys I know who won't do that for their woman. I am one lucky girl :) I managed to get us upper level seats, but they were right in the middle so we could see everything. Gil Shaham played Beethoven's Violin Concerto. He was so good! He is the first world-renowned I have ever seen. I can only dream of one day being as good as him OR be good enough to play in a symphony like St. Louis.

After the concert I took Joey to P.F. Changs as a thank you. He had never been and I hadn't been in a very long time. It was a very lovely evening. We got a 4 course meal for $40, it was quite the deal AND we still had leftovers.

After this weekend I felt like Joey and I got even closer. We had some good talks and a really good time overall. Things keep getting more real that we will be getting engaged soon. Then it will be a whole bunch of planning and exciting times. I am very thankful that he walked into Fazoli's and that I gave him a chance. I know we are going to have a very good life together, because I mean, we already do!

Beer Mac n Cheese Soup

This recipe had sounded so intriguing to me, so one night I decided to make it. I must say, it was a hit. It is more like really soupy mac n cheese, rather than actual soup. I don't like beer, but the subtle taste of it really adds to the soup.

Beer Mac 'n Cheese Soup

• 2 T. Olive oil
• 6 Bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 1 Medium onion, diced
• 1 Large carrot, diced
• 2 Jalapeno pepper, diced with seeds removed
• 2 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. Flour
• 2 c. Chicken broth
• 1 c. Beer
• 1 Pinch nutmeg
• 1 1/2 c. Elbow macaroni
• 1/2 c. Heavy cream
• 1 t. Mustard
• 3 c. Shredded cheddar cheese
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• Salt and Pepper to taste

In the olive oil, cook onion, carrot, and jalapeno peppers in a pot over medium heat, until tender, about 10 mins. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, careful not to let it burn. Mix in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the broth, beer, nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and bacon. Cook for as long as it says on the package of macaroni or until noodles are tender. Add the cream, mustard, and cheese and cook until cheese is melted, making sure to reduce the heat so soup does not boil again. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper.

Recipe adapted from closetcooking.com

Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup

I am aware I like to take large breaks in between posting things, but that just makes it even more special when I do :)

Here is some deliciously easy soup to make on a cold day like today. There is no broccoli listed in the ingredients, but next time I am definitely going to add a head of broccoli.

Baked Potato Soup

• 6 Large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 Large onion, diced
• 2 Carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 Quart chicken broth
• 3 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 c. Butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 c. Cream
• 1 c. or more Shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 Bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Combine all ingredients besides cream, cheese, and bacon in the crock pot. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8. When potatoes are tender, coarsely mash them until soup reaches your desired consistency. (I still don't have a potato masher, so I used my hand mixer) Stir in cream, cheese, and bacon. Garnish with whatever toppings you please: sour cream, chives, more cheese)

Recipe adapted from crockingirls.com 

The Epitome of Fall: Apple Butter

Two weeks ago I had the privilege of making something that I always had wanted to make, apple butter. I had to research what recipe I wanted to use and finally settle on this one:  http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/crock-pot-slow-cooker-apple-butter-recipe/

I followed it to a T (where did that saying come from?) and it turned out great! It was an all day ordeal, taking about 12 hours total, plus cooling time so I could put it into plastic containers. I considered canning, but I have never done it before so I decided people could freeze it if they didn't eat it in 2 weeks. It made 4 pints which I split into little half pints. People may be getting them as Christmas gifts this year (canned and all!) I was even told by Joey's mom that I sell it :) 

First some pictures of my creation!

The many, many apples it took.

All of the apples peeled. It took a good while because I am not fortunate enough to have an apple peeler corer slicer.

The apples with all the tasty goodness on them.

About half way done cooking.

The finished product!

Apple Butter

• 6 1/2 lbs Apples - peeled, cored, and sliced (I used Gala)
• 1 c. Granulated sugar
• 1 c. Brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 T. Ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t. Nutmeg
• 1/4 t. Ground cloves
• 1/4 t. Salt
• 1 T. Vanilla extract 

Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples and mix well. Cook in slow cooker on low for about 10 hours, stirring every two hours, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown. Uncover, stir in vanilla, and continue cooking uncovered on low for about 2 hours. Use an immersion blender (or electric mixer worked) to puree the apple butter until it achieves your desired consistency. Let cool and can or place in containers, cover, and refrigerate for up to two weeks or freeze. Makes 4 pints.