Turkey Pot Pie

Leftover Turkey anyone???? I have some and actually used this recipe last year! It is sooo good and I have decided as an early new years resolution to not be afraid of pie crust anymore! I even did a double crust tonight instead of cheating and only covering the top (which I have done before on pot pies)! At least once a month I am going to make a crust, so we are either having lots of pies or pot pies at our house!

My kids loved every bite too!!

Turkey Pot Pie

(from allrecipes.com)

• 1 recipe for a double pie crust
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced (I made this even simpler by substituting 1/2 a bag of frozen carrots and peas for the celery and diced carrots)
• 3 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cubes chicken bouillon
• 2 cups water (I used a can of chicken broth instead of bouillon and water)
• 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 1/2 cups cooked turkey, cubed
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out bottom pie crust and place in the 10 inch pie pan and set aside. (I used a 9 inch and it worked fine)

Place 2 tbsp of the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion, celery, carrots (or frozen peas and carrots), parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft. Stir in bouillon and water (or can of chicken broth). Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm.

In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter. Stir in turkey and flour. Add the milk, and heat through. Stir the turkey mixture into the vegie mixture, and cook until thickened. Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Roll out the top crust, and place on top of filling. Flute edges, and make 4 slits in the top crust to let out steam.

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 mintues. Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown!

Black Forest Cheesecake

I found this recipe on real mom kitchen and had to try it! Doesn't that look yummy!!!

I planned to try it for Thanksgiving, but was worried it would be tooo heavy after eating turkey and......everything else in site! So I made it for Sunday dinner and it was super easy and super yummy! (You don't even have to bake this!)

I will never complain about something with chocolate in it (well usually) and this one had a great balance of some chocolate and some not! This was all I had leftover after dinner!

Thanks real mom kitchen for another great recipe!

Black Forest Cheesecake

• 1 pkg (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 carton (8 ounces) whipped topping, thawed
• 1 chocolate crumb crust (8 inches)
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling (I forgot to bring this, but loved it without it)

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in whipped topping. Spread half of the mixture evenly into the crust.

Fold cocoa and powdered sugar into remaining whipped topping mixture ( I actually had to use a wire whisk a little to make sure the cocoa was mixed in); carefully spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Cut into slices; top each slice with cherry pie filling. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Soft Pretzels

I found this recipe at Sisters Cafe a while ago and just got around to trying it! They were super simple and the kids even helped roll the snakes and make the pretzels!

They were really yummy and wouldn't these be good to dip in cheese sauce!

Soft Pretzels

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 pkg yeast (or 1 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups flour

Add sugar to warm water then sprinkle yeast on top. Let float for a minute then stir to dissolve the yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes as yeast activates and starts to foam.

Add salt and flour and knead for 5-10 minutes; adding more flour as needed to reduce stickiness.

Divide dough into 12 pieces and roll each piece into a long rope or "snake". Twist into pretzel shapes and place on baking sheet sprayed with non stick spray.

Make an egg wash ( 1 egg + 1 tb water, lightly beaten). Brush pretzels with egg wash then sprinkle liberally with Kosher salt. Bake 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned!

Peanut Butter Syrup

We love to put peanut butter on our pancakes with syrup. I found this recipe for peanut butter syrup and thought I'd try it. My kids loved it and one of them wants it every time we have pancakes or waffles. Very easy!!

Peanut Butter Syrup

1/2 cup of syrup
1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter

Heat syrup in microwave until warmed, about 30 seconds. Then stir in peanut butter until smooth. Pour over French toast, pancakes or waffles.
How easy is that? I did try it and it was good!

Pumpkin Pancakes

I have been told and told how good pumpkin pancakes are, and so last night for breakfast Wednesday we tried them! They really are good!!! My kids loved them too, which is always a bonus too!! I found this recipe on Sisters Cafe, in fact they have 2 recipes for pumpkin pancakes to try!

Here is the recipe we tried, the great thing about this is that you can use up the leftover pumpkin that you have from all those other great pumpkin dishes!!

Pumpkin Pancakes

from http://www.sisterscafe.blogspot.com/

• 2 cups flour (try to use half whole wheat!)
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (use overflowing measurements!)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp vinegar

In one bowl, mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs, oil and vinegar.

Combine dry ingredients separately and then stir into pumpkin mixture just until combined.

Heat your pan or griddle, use about 1/4 cup for each pancake and enjoy!

Twisted Cinnamon Bread Sticks

I found this recipe or idea on http://www.everydayfoodstorage.net/. She has a great video with directions and step by step to make this twisted cinnamon donuts and also a cinnamon bread. She made hers whole wheat, which is sooo much healthier, but I did the easy way with just white flour. She used her favorite wheat bread recipe, I used the Sixty minute rolls recipe for quickness and ease!

These turned out soo good and were super easy. If you want more explained directions go to her site!

Twisted Cinnamon bread sticks

http://www.everydayfoodstorage.net/

Double Peanut Butter Paisley Brownies

This is a really bad picture, bu the brownies turned out really yummy! Ben picked these out and they were really easy and moist! I didn't swirl the chocolate very well, but they may not be paisley but they were definitely good! I found the recipe on the back of a Reeses Peanut Butter Chips bag.

Double Peanut Butter Paisley Brownies

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 2/3 cups peanut butter chips (10 oz pkg)
• 1/2 cup hersheys syrup

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 pan.

Beat butter and peanut butter in large bowl. Add sugars and beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla.

Stir together dry ingredients; mix into peanut butter mixture, blending well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Spread half of batter into prepared pan; spoon syrup over top. Carefully spread with remaining batter; swirl with metal spatula or knife for marbled effect.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Bajio Chicken

I found this on Jack and Jills kitchen and she has a great picture of it on her blog! It turned out really yummy and my kids loved it too!! Even better is, You make it in your crock pot!!

Bajio Chicken

• 5 chicken breasts (I did only 3 for my family)
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (more to taste, she added at least an extra 1/8 cup)
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
• 6 oz Sprite (1/2 can)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Thicken the juices with a little corn starch mixed in water. Serve with flour tortillas, lettuce, cheese, black beans, rice and nay other taco fixings.

If you want it spicier rather than sweeter add a hotter salsa and more green chilies. She has a pico de gallo recipe on her site with this one too!

Barbequed Pork Loin Roast

My sister gave me this recipe from a Costco Celebrations cookbook! My sister altered it a little, I will put what we did in parenthesis. It turned out really really good and so easy. You barbeque the roast, but because it is sooo chilly outside we cut our roast up and made pork chops with it!

Super good, try it!!!

PORK LOIN ROAST MARINADE

• 1 1/2 lb pork loin roast
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp dry sherry (or apple juice)
• 1 1/2 tsp dry minced onions (chopped up an onion)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch garlic powder (minced 1 clove garlic)

Marinate overnight or 6-12 hours.

Barbecue til done!!