Cooking a turkey

1 turkey
1 turkey cooking bag
1 cookie sheet or roasting pan

There are so many opinions about how to cook a turkey. Some say start at 425 others say start at 275 and some say baste and other say that dries out the turkey, whatever, either way it will turnout cooked. The thighs take the longest to cook so make sure their temperature is 170°-175°

1/2/19 I decided not to brine this time.
1 onion
5 celery leaves chopped
sage, thyme, oregano, onion powder, 5 garlic cloves (1 t powder), salt and pepper
5 bay leaves
oil
I put the turkey in a turkey bag, then separated the skin from the meat on the breast top and sprinkled salt and oil. Then added all the above additions around the outside of the turkey, then added more salt and oil to the outside of the turkey.

275 for 3 hours
Then take out the turkey and Smear the butter mixture all over the skin, in crevices, etc so that it's totally covered. Insert a meat thermometer into the thigh, increase the oven temperature to 350, and return the turkey to the oven, basting every 30 minutes for an hour to 1 and 1/2 hours.

Brine-
1c salt
2 oranges
1/2c any type of vinegar (red wine, white or apple cider)
3 bay leaves
1 chopped onion
1/2c chopped garlic

Fill a large pot with water, dissolve the salt in boiling water.  Add all ingredients to pot and boil 5 min.
Put turkey and the brine in a bucket, let sit at least 3 hours, preferably overnite.  I put the bucket with the turkey inside, outside in the backyard and covered with a tower of snow and left overnite. (I think next time put turkey in fridge or bucket ice, just not outside)

In the morning- drain the liquid and reserve the onion, garlic, bay leaves to roast in the oven with the turkey. Put turkey in the turkey bag, then sprinkle the onion, garlic, bay leaves around the turkey.

To roast the turkey, put chunks of butter on turkey. Sprinkle with sage, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Roasted on 200 degrees for 4 hours, then 350 for 1/2hr -1 hour.  Open the turkey bag the last 1/2 hour to crisp the skin.

At about hour 4 of cooking the turkey, I wanted to make the gravy b4 the turkey was finished cooking.  So I opened the turkey bag and used a measuring cup to get the drippings (turkey juice).  But, some of the turkey drippings, dripped on to the bottom of the oven and started a fire in the oven.  I had to turn off the oven, pull out the turkey, take off the bottom oven shelf, and put new aluminum foil under the heating element, where the fire started.  Then resumed cooking the turkey. Phew.....

I put the drippings in a pan to cook. The drippings were surprisingly bland, so I added garlic powder, rosemary, sage, oregano, salt and pepper. Then to a separate bowl whisked cold water and flour and slowly added to the pan to thicken the  gravy.

the Brine seems to really moisten the turkey, not add much flavor.  Everyone loved the turkey especially my nephew- Porter, who is a picky eater, So at least he had something desirable to eat.

Goes well with- Cranberry Sauce, Mashed potatoes

Cranberry sauce

2 bags of fresh/frozen cranberries
1c sugar
1t cinnamon
1/2t ginger
2 whole oranges squeezed and 1 orange zested

Combine everything into pot, boil 8-10min.
Optional- Can add dried cranberries, cherries or raisins

Crockpot mashed potatoes

The Kitchn

I scrubbed and sliced the potatoes, I didn't peel them.
Put cut potatoes in container with water and put in fridge over nite.


OPTION 1-
In morning oil or butter the inside of the crockpot then add, water and potatoes to crockpot and boil for 4 hours on high, till potatoes are tender.

OPTION 2-
5lb bag of potatoes cook potatoes on stove for 25min, drain water.
After cooked-
add salt,
pepper,
sour cream(didnt have one time),
1/4 c butter, and
1/4-1/2c milk.

Puree with hand mixer in pot, Coat the inside of crockpot  with oil/butter, then add the whipped potatoes. Keep in crockpot on low for 4 hours.

12/26/2015 I did option 2, it worked out perfect.

9/2019 Served with Herb Chicken

Chicken & Veggie Chowder

1 lb chicken/turkey from leftovers
4 c frozen chicken/turkey broth from carcass
3 diagonally sliced carrots
1 chopped onion
1 can corn with liquid
2t garlic powder
2 c of bite sized chunks of  zucchini
1/2t thyme
cream of soup recipe or can of cream o soup
can add broccoli or mushrooms
1/2c Half and half

Combine everything put in crockpot.  Cover cook on low 5-6 hours. The last 15min stir in half and half

For the cream of soup part all I did- melt butter on skillet, add garlic and onion powder to get browned, add in flour for 2 min, then add milk and broth and whisk together and cook for 10 min, stirring occasionally.

Taco Soup

All Recipes

1lb sausage
1 can black beans *
1 can white beans *
1 can corn
1 can kidney beans *
2 cans (15oz) diced tomatoes
2t garlic powder
1 chopped onion
2 stalks chopped celery (all I had was a spice celery seed 1 t)
1 chopped red pepper
1 rounded Tbs Cumin
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 Tbs Chili Powder
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp basil

cooked sausage, then added everything to crock pot.
* I rehydrated dry beans and used them for the soup. (Black, Garbonzo, kidney beans)

BBQ Sauce chicken

All recipes

6 chicken drumsticks or thighs
1/3 cup salsa (but usually its ketchup)
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 t garlic powder
1/2t onion powder
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). in 9x13 pan put foil down and spray. Place drumsticks in a baking dish, put butter plops on top of each and bake for 30-40 min.

Can prepare the sauce many days in advance and sit it in the fridge.  Whisk water, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, butter, salt, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and chili powder together in a bowl; pour mixture over drumsticks. Cook for remaining  20min 

didn't cover with foil so it would thicken better. In the last 10 minutes (baked for an hour and 10) I poured the sauce from the pan into a small saucepan and reduced it on medium to thicken it up while the chicken got a little crisp on the top.  (I didn't do this last part)

12/9/15 it was excellent. everyone loved it!!!!  Next time double it for leftovers, it was so yummy.

Served with pasta and green beans.

Quinoa Veggie Burger

Eating Well

INGREDIENTS

Double      Original

• 2c                1 cup water
• 1c                1/2 cup red/white quinoa
• 2T                1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2c                1 cup diced onion
• 4c                2 cups finely chopped cremini or white button mushrooms
• 2t                1 teaspoon  garlic powder
• 1and 1/2t      3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram (didn't have, used basil instead)
• 1/2t              1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3                  1 large egg
• 1c                2/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 1c               1/2 cup whole pecans, toasted and finely chopped (had only pumpkin seeds) (see Tip)
• 2/3c            1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• 2T               1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• salt and pepper
• 8 small whole-wheat burger buns, toasted if desired

PREPARATION

1. Combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
3. Chop mushrooms in food processor. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms (i cooked till slightly brown 10min) then add garlic, marjoram and oregano; cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
4. Beat egg in a medium bowl. Add the quinoa, mushroom mixture, cheese, pecans, oats and soy sauce; stir to combine. Scoop scant 1/2-cup portions of the mixture onto the baking sheet and shape into 8 patties, about 3 inches wide, leaving about 1 inch of space between each patty. (The mixture will be crumbly; patting it into burgers on the baking sheet makes it easier to work with. The burgers hold together very well once baked.)
5. Bake the burgers until crispy, 28 to 30 minutes. Serve on buns with your favorite garnishes.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Individually wrap and freeze cooked burgers for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a skillet with a little oil.

• For the best flavor, toast nuts before adding to recipes. Spread whole nuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F, stirring once, until fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes. For chopped nuts, place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Pressure cooker or Crockpot steel cut oats

Pressure cooking today
More ideas for steel cut oats

3/5/24

use the doubled recipe- oil, steel cut oats, coconut milk, almond milk, cinnamon, salt, rolled oats. Put on low for 8 hours, then it automatically goes to warm.

10/2018- crockpot
     I used the double batch of oatmeal. The morning (or 4-24hours before you want the oatmeal) In a bowl I assembled oats, water, apple, cinnamon, salt, regular/rolled oats, sugar and left out on the countertop for 4-24 hours. In the evening around 8 or 9pm oiled the crockpot then added the oats mixture ingredients to it. Low 8 hours. Because I soaked the steel cut oats, the final product was smooth creamy oatmeal. I prefer creamy oatmeal compared to slightly crunchy.
     In the morning each person adds any or all of the following to their bowl of warm oatmeal- more fresh chopped apples, peanut butter, sugar, raisins, milk, flax, hemp.
     It turned out so delicious and wasnt dry or crunchy. Very much a success.

I melted oil the inside of the pressure cooker to help the oats not stick.
Double        Original Serving
2               1T         butter/oil

2               1c         steel cut oats

7               3 1/2c   cups water or fruit juice (*)

2               1           apple with peel, cored and diced

3               1 1/2t    ground cinnamon

1/2            1/2t       salt

2               1c         raisins (add after steel cut oats are cooked)

1-2            1-2T     flax added to each bowl right before it is served

2-3            1c        rolled oats (cook for 1 min, makes it more creamy)

1. Add butter to pressure cooking pot. When butter is melted add the oats and toast, stirring constantly, until they start to darken and smell nutty, about 3 minutes.
2. Add water, apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Keep stirring mixture until it is boiling and then put the lid on and start pressure cooking. (When I just put the lid on without stirring and without letting it get to boil, then the food inside burns faster on the bottom.  So thats why I make it boil and stir it, then put lid on) Select high pressure and set 10 minutes cook time.
3. When beep sounds, turn off pressure cooker and use a natural pressure release for 10 minutes and then do a quick pressure release to release any remaining pressure.
4. When valve drops carefully remove lid. Stir oats. Cover and let sit five or 10 minutes until oats are desired thickness.
5. Top with raisins, milk,flax, nuts and additional brown sugar, if desired

12/7/15 only use water or juice not milk in the pressure cooker.  Milk burns on the bottom of the pot.  I cooked for 5min, I will do longer next time to make more creamy, it was a little crunchy.
I add 2T of ground flax to each bowl before serving it, add a little more water or milk.

3/21/17 Pressure cooker-
    I cooked for 10 min and I wanted it a little more creamy so I cooked for 10 more min. The steel cut oats were softer, but I wanted a little creamier. So I cooked some regular oats and added them to the steel cut oats and loved the texture even more.
(*) one time I used the fruit juice leftover from canned apples, it turned out well. 
I cooked the original serving, next time Cook double the amount so we have leftovers for the following days.

Funeral Potatoes

Our best bites

1 medium onion chopped small
1-2 t garlic powder
6-8 baked potatoes shredded
1c plain yogurt
1 c onion dip (like sour cream)
1 10oz can of turkey gravy or cream of chkn soup
1c shredded cheese (or more)
salt and pepper

grease 9x13 pan

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.  Remove from heat.  Add the thawed hash browns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cheese, salt, and pepper and combine well.  Add additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Spread the mixture into a 9×13″ (or similar) dish and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the casserole is hot in the center and the cheese is bubbly throughout.  Serve as a main dish with a salad and fruit or alongside roasted ham, turkey, chicken, or beef.  Makes 6-8 main dish or 10-12 side dish servings.

OPTIONAL: Crushed cornflakes, seasoned bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, or crushed Ritz or saltine crackers

Can prepare a couple days in advance, then put in a 9x13 pan the day of and bake it.

chicken pot pie

2 refrigerator pie crusts (or from scratch Food Network)
2 c cooked chicken (I had a whole chicken I roasted and used the leftover broth and chicken as the base of this pot pie)
1 chopped sauteed onion
2 sliced carrots (diagonal slice if you want the carrots to look a little different)
1 c peas
2 c broth from the chicken (whisk 1/4-1/2c of flour to thicken, b/c it is so flavorful I don't need to add any seasonings)
Can do potatoes, chopped celery or corn. ( I sometimes do too many ingredients, so I thought I'd simplify this time).

Spray the circle pan you are putting the pot pie in, put down first later of crust.

Warm up the broth and add flour to thicken and any seasonings you want (salt, pepper, garlic, boullion, basil/oregano). Then add onions, carrots, chicken and peas. When the chicken mixture is warmed then put in circle pan. Then top with the last pie crust. Cut slits in top.

Preheat oven to 425°, 35-40min.  Let sit 15min

FREEZE- Great idea to make 2 chicken pot pie's and freeze one assembled but unbaked for a later date. About freezing- Taste of home

Domestic Superhero

Chocolate Lava Cake

11/30/15 I had this cake at a friends house, it is was amazing!!!

Cookie Crumb Crust

Williams sonoma

Grease 9x13pan

Ingredients:

• 
  
• I did 20 chocolate cookies- they look like oreos, then I didn't have enough so I added 7 graham crackers
• 1/2c coconut oil
• 5 Tbs. sugar

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

In a bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter and sugar and stir until the crumbs are well moistened. Pat the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and all the way up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan or dish.

Bake until the crust is firm, about 5 minutes. For a firmer, crunchier crust, bake for 5 minutes more.

12/1/15 Made this for lily's birthday.  filled with a layer of mint chocolate chip ice cream, a caramel layer, followed by a layer of  vanilla ice cream, lastly whipped topping.
It was good but very filling, next time keep the ice cream layers thinner.  Lily said she likes play dough ice cream.
I did bake the cookie crust but I'm not sure I needed to, it was pretty crispy and tough.  Maybe next time bake it less or not at all, but I wonder if it would fall apart?

Crockpot Steel cut Oatmeal

All Recipes
Cook smarts

1 can of coconut milk (13oz, which is 2 c) or cows milk or water
2 cans of water (13oz, which is 2 c- (liquid needs to be 4c to 1 c oats)
1.5 c of steel cut oats
2T coconut oil or olive oil/butter
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
allspice
2 t vanilla
1/2c sugar or honey or date paste


Add in the morning to individual bowls after it has cooked thoroughly-
2 chopped apples
Walnuts or almonds (chopped, toasted would be even better)
peanut butter
protein powder
shredded coconut
flax

Mix ingredients in a bowl, then put in oiled or buttered crockpot.  Low for 8 hours

Top with shredded coconut, raisins, flax, sugar/honey, chopped nuts. I did chop some fresh apples and mixed in lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and allspice to mix in, in the morning.

* (I saw one recipe said to toast the dry oats on the stove or in the oven b/4 adding them to liquid ingredients. It says it gives a more nutty or toasted flavor, I'll try that next time.)

* For a pumpkin oatmeal, add pumpkin puree to the liquid part of cooking the oats.

Pumpkin Chili

All Recipes
1 small real pumpkin (it was frozen from being outside, I chopped it up in 1inch pieces)
 1lb of turkey (cooked)
1 can of kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
Sour cream, cilantro, and cheddar

added , corn, cumin green chilies and extra can of tomatoes 

Chicken Noodle Soup

Boil chicken carcass for a few hours with extra water or  I use the pressure cooker and cover the carcass with water for 1-2hours.  Reserve the broth and freeze in small ziplock baggies use for soup.  I do boil the carcass one more time, fill the pot with water to the height of the carcass and cover and pressure cook 1-2 hours.

I like to make a big batch of soup and freeze some in smaller quanities to pull out when my child or friend/neighbor isn't feeling well.

Chicken noodle Soup

Saute 1 chopped onion
chopped celery (5-7 individual stalk stems)
sliced carrots
3 bay leaves
5 garlic cloves
1 T oregano and basil
3 c broth from chicken/turkey carcass
3 c water
any uncooked wide egg noodles or my favorites are Essenhaus wide homestyle noodles

Saute onion first. After it is brown add everything to the pot and let it cook for at least 20 min.

Fajitas Mixture

Greatist

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 c. olive oil, 1/4 c, lemon juice, 2 T. soy sauce, and 1 T. vinegar 

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into strips (or beef)
• 2 bell peppers, sliced
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 8 tortillas

Mix the dry spice ingredients, set aside in small container.

Lauren Creamy Curry

3-4 chicken breasts cut in pieces
1 medium diced onion
1 carrot diced or sliced
2 cloves garlic
4 T butter or coconut oil
1/4 c flour
3-4 T curry powder
1 t ground tumeric
1 t brown sugar
1 heaping tsp basil (or handful of chopped fresh)
cayenne to taste (1/2t if you want spicy)
1/4t cinnamon
1 c water
1 can coconut milk cream or half and half (or mixture of both) or substitutes when I don't have coconut milk (1. cream or 2.sour cream (3.cream cheese) add more milk or 4. water or 5. chicken broth, or 6. cashew or almond paste (blended in blender), or  7. tomato puree/pulp.
1 small can of diced tomatoes
Squeeze and lime or lemon in the pot before serving

Brown chicken in butter on medium high heat.
Add veggies and let simmer with chicken for about 2 min.
Stir in curry powder and flour- stir for about 1 min and stir in water.  When it begins to simmer stir in cream.  Now add all the remaining ingredients.  Bring to simmer, may need to turn up to high heat to begin a simmer. Let simmer 30 min, stir occasionally.

Add extra curry powder or cayenne if you like spicier.

If too thick add more milk or cream.

Serve with favorite rice, naan or fresh flour tortillas.

Chicken, Rice, and Salad

1.  In Crockpot-
1lb frozen chicken
8oz container of French Onion dip (in dairy section)


2.  In rice cooker-
4c water
2c brown rice

3.  In a salad bowl mix-
spinach or romaine
shredded red cabbage
shredded carrots
toasted pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds or almonds or pecans)
sesame ginger salad dressing

Scoop up rice, top with chicken, then add the salad mixture to the top!!!!  I loved it.

PS- I like to make a salad in a large glass bowl at the beginning of the week with- chopped romaine or spinach, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, shredded broccoli or cauliflower.
Then in a separate small bowl I chop tomatoes and cucumber the just for that day to eat b/c they go bad quicker after you chop them.

Then every time for dinner or lunch I pull out the larger bowl that has all prepared salad, Grab some of that salad and put it in a separate bowl to add tomatoes, cucumbers and nuts.  Helps cut down on the time for washing, chopping, and preparing of veggies

baked potato soup

Our Best Bites

3 Tbs butter

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 chopped onion (sauteed)

1/2 C flour
4 1/2 C milk (low fat works great)
1 14oz can chicken broth
4 medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds) baked*
2 C grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 C  sour cream (low fat is fine), divided
1/2 C chopped green onions, divided
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

*don’t have time to bake potatoes in the oven?  Just pierce them with a fork a few times and then pop them in the microwave.  Cook in 5 minute intervals until a knife easily pierces through them.  It usually takes 5-10 minutes.  To bake in the oven, pierce each potato with a fork and place directly on oven rack.  Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes.

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat.  Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.  Add flour to pan.  Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps.   Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth. (Now, if you get to this point and don’t have a smooth liquid.  Stop!  Save your soup by popping the mixture in the blender, then continue.)  Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low.  Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot.  Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps.  Add 1 1/2 C grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted.  Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 C sour cream, 1/4 C green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

Fibroids and Cysts

1.  Adrenal, thyroid, and pituitary support

2.  Wellness Mama
It seems that optimizing selenium intake provides powerful protection against autoimmune thyroid disease, and provides tolerance of a wide range of iodine intakes.”

3.  DR Ramsey

Fibroids or cysts are indications of estrogen dominance.  which can be caused by  many things, mainly by xenoestrogens. These are xeno (alien, strange) hormones. They imitate estrogen. They are found widely in PCB’s, BPA’s (hey are found in food and beverage containers, both plastic and metal products) and Phthalates (in processed foods, plastic objects like shower curtains and toys, adhesives, detergents, shampoo and many more) and Paraben  preservative in cosmetics and food (aka- Hydroxybenzoic acid and hydroxybenzoate) .  We have all been exposed to them through breathing, eating, drinking and skin contact.

These toxins store in fat tissue and are difficult to eliminate.

Five steps to avoiding xenoestrogens:

• Avoid plastic bottles as much as possible – never freeze, warm or reuse disposable water bottles.
• If you use the microwave, never use plastic. Best is to not use the microwave.
• If you eat meat or use dairy, use from grass-fed, free-range farms.
• Use natural detergents
• Avoid paraben in skin care products.The best supplement that helps eliminate xenoestrogens from the body is DIM. 

Lastly, unload the liver. This is done by:

1. Eating as close to nature as possible
2. Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily.
3. Make sure you are having at the minimum, one bowel movement daily.
4. Use castor oil massaged over liver morning and night to enhance the liver’s functioning.
5. Take 1-2 scoops of detox powder daily. Some of Dr. Ramsey’s favorites are Core Restore, Complete Detoxification and Complete Meal.

4.  Importance of Cleaning the liver- kill  microbes and parasites in the organs

5.  Cryoablation - pressurized argon gas is injected through the probe into the tumor, freezing and destroying the tissue.

6. Turmeric- turmeric and black pepper appear to stop the growth of breast tumors, Tumors do serve a function, and do it well - up to a point. They hold toxins that liver, kidneys, and intestines have not been able to adequately flush out of the system.

Massage hand where liver is- Love Liver

Acupuncture point

Lasagna Rolls

Food Network

1 can of cream of mushroom
5 cooked lasagna noodles
1/2 (16oz) bag of chopped spinach
2 eggs
salt and pepper
1/2c Parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese
2 cups marinara sauce

5 slices of cooked bacon (or ground beef or sausage)

 450 degrees F
Pour half of the cream of mushroom on to bottom of 9x13 pan and mix in 1c of marinara sauce.

In bowl mix the other half of cream of mushroom, spinach, eggs, salt and pepper, and Parmesan.

Pour 1/4c of soupy mixture onto the edge of lasagna roll. Put mozzarella on top of soupy mixture and a slice of bacon, then roll up.

Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching on to the 9x13 pan, Pour the rest of the marinara sauce over the top and sides of the rolls.  Put remaining cheese on top of rolls.

Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

Food Network

 oil
1 pound linguine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-2 T basil
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/4c parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

10/27/15 I wanted to make it a little more creamy so i added a half of a can cream of mushroom and a little plain yogurt.

Sausage, Kale, and Noodle Soup

Saute
1 lb sausage (after cook, then put in pot of water)
1 sauted chopped onion

Boil
1 pot of water
1lb finely diced mushrooms
5 garlic cloves (1T minced garlic)
3 bay leaves
Optional (potatoes or noodles) Bought Home style Noodles or wide egg noodles (or can put diced potatoes instead)
1-2T chicken bouillon

Put in last 10min
1 1/2c chopped kale (or could use spinach)



Put everything in a pot.

Delicious!!!  So much so that when we went camping a racoon opened up our cooler and grabbed this soup container and downed it all!!!! Stinker.  True story.

Grape Crepes

100 Days of Real food

Original recipe Makes 12-15 crepes, next time double it for family of 5 to have extras or freeze the crepes.

double        original recipe
6                 3 eggs
2                 1 cup whole-wheat flour
2                 1 cup milk
1 1/4c         ¾ cup water
1/2              ¼ teaspoon salt
2                 1 tablespoon butter, melted + extra for cooking                                        

2                 1 scoop of protein powder (optional, if you add it- add a little more milk)

1. put all ingredients in blender or bowl and mix well. Let stand about 15 minutes.
2. Melt and swirl around a small pat of butter in an 8 or 10-inch frying pan over medium heat.
3. Angle pan and pour enough batter on one side to thinly and evenly cover the pan. Very quickly swirl the batter around to cover the pan in one thin layer.
4. Immediately use your cooking spatula to push down the thin edges of the crepe around the perimeter.
5. After about 1 minute (and once it is golden brown on the bottom) carefully flip it over without tearing the crepe.
6. Fry for 1 more minute on the other side (until it is golden brown as well) and then roll up each crepe. 
   Serve with 100% pure maple syrup or plain yogurt, granola, grape sauce and sometimes chloe likes to put peanut butter on them.

Grape OJ sauce-

Double       Original

4T               2T             Butter

6T               3T             Frozen condensed OJ

6T               3T             Any type of fruit juice

2c                1c             halved grapes

                                    cinnamon and/or allspice

melt 2 T butter in pan

Whisk and Add 2-3T condensed OJ

Add 2-3T water of any type of juice

Add 1c sliced grapes and let warm up 5min

Can add cinnamon or allspice

I like to zest some of the outside of 1 orange, and dice up the orange into the sauce

Or

Blueberry sauce or use blackberries instead of blue berries

Delicious!!!!

Broiled Zucchini and Squash

Turn oven on to broil

Slice zucchini and squash 1/2-1 inch thick
Spread out on cookie sheet.
Pour olive oil over them and sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Broil for 10-15min.

Spaghetti Dinner

1/2 medium onion
1lb hamburger
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
1/2 c chopped olives
1c shredded cheese
12oz spaghetti noodles (cooked and drained)

Cook hamburger with onion.  Mix soup and tomato sauce, add olives.  Stir in hamburger.  Put cooked spaghetti into large casserole dish and mix in hamburger mix.  Cover with cheese.  Bake at 350 for 15min

michelle bodily

Creamy Chicken With Pesto

Southern Food

• 4 to 6 Chicken breast halves
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• could add chopped onion
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 4 ounces mushrooms, I chopped them up small so my kids couldn't tell

Dredge chicken in the mixture above.  Saute the chicken, onions, garlic, and mushrooms till browned. Then put the chicken only in a baking dish, set oven 350.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons prepared pesto
• In the sauted oil pan- I added the mushrooms concoction then added the pesto and then mixed in a small bowl 1/4c-1/2c cold water with 1/4c whole wheat flour to make a creamy sauce instead of using cream. 

Mix the sauce and reserve a 1/2c for after the chicken is cooked to serve with.  Add the rest of the sauce to the baking dish with the chicken and bake for 30-45min.

Serve with salad and rice or pasta.

I do like to have the top of the chicken a little browned by broiling it in the oven for about 10min.

Goes well with Zucchini and squash

Simple Hearty Hamburger Soup

1 lb hamburger cooked
1 onion chopped and sauteed
4 garlic cloves
4 chopped tomatoes (or 1 canned tomatoes)
4 celery stalks (chopped)
4 carrots sliced or chopped
5 potatoes chopped
2T chicken or beef boullion
3 c water or broth
2 T oregano
optional- can add yellow, red or green peppers to the last 10-15min of cooking

sauteed the carrots, onion, celery and garlic for about 5 minutes to soften
In a big pot or crockpot- Add hamburger, onion, garlic, tomatoes, bouillon, water, broth, oregano to pot and let simmer for an hour or so.
The last 15 minutes add carrots, potatoes, celery to help the veggies be tender crisp.

Optional- Add everything to crockpot on low for 3-4 hours or high 1 hour.  Then right b4 you eat add peppers if you want