August 22- August 28

Today's Box contained: Chambourcin Grapes, Bibb Lettuce, 6 ears of Corn, Butternut Squash, 4 Field Tomatoes and 2 cucumbers.

Since the butternuts keep well, I still have some from last week.  One will be used in place of pumpkin puree in my Pumpkin Bread recipe.  The grapes will be great for snacks.  The lettuce, tomato and cucumber will make great lunch and side salads this week.

 With some leftover Sweet Potatoes from an earlier Box, I intend to make this week Sweet Potato Cake.

Sweet Potato Cake

2 1/2 self rising flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 cups oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup Hot water
1 1/2 cups peeled and grated sweet potatoes
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together flour and cinnamon.  In another bowl mix oil and sugar; add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add water and sweet potatoes; mix well.  Add pecans and vanilla.  Add flour mixture; beat til smooth.  Pour into 3 9" layer pans or one 9x13 pan (greased and floured)
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
Frost after cooling.
Recipe reprinted from Michelle Gemmel

I did not have self rising flour on hand but was able to make my own. (For every cup of self rising flour add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.)

Wednesday, August 22-  I fell behind last week and never made the chicken pot pie.  So tonight I will make that up for dinner, using some of the fresh corn from my Box.

Chicken Pot Pie 6 WW Pts

• 2 deep dish pie shells 
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup (per a friend's suggestion I am using cream of chicken with herbs)
• 1or 2 cans of veg-all vegetables (or combination of fresh & frozen veggie mix- I used carrots, celery, onion, peas & corn)
• 2-3 cups cooked chicken 
• 1/2-3/4 cup milk 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme

1. Boil chicken in chicken broth.  After it is cool cut in to small pieces 
2. Reserve broth and boil fresh or frozen vegetables for 5 minutes and drain.
3. Pre heat oven 375 degrees 
4. Mix chicken, vegetables, soup and milk in a medium bowl 
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and thyme
6. Pour mixture in pie crust cover with 2nd pie crust 
7. Cook pie for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Thursday, August 23-  It's just us girls tonight.  I'm thinking of turkey meatballs over pasta and sliced bread.

Friday, August 24-  Golf night which usually means take out.

Saturday, August 25- We decided to go out for BBQ.

Sunday, August 26-  I have Thanksgiving on my mind and with the delivery of my butternut squash, I am thinking a little Thanksgiving in August sounds yummy!  I will slow cook a garlic turkey breast.  I hope to make up a turkey breast and serve it along with my Butternut Squash Casserole and green beans (frozen from an earlier Box).

Butternut Squash Casserole- from Williams-Sonoma

Casserole:

4 cups butternut squash puree

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp orange extract

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Topping:

1 cup vanilla wafers, crushed

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Lightly grease a casserole dish (4 - 6 cup capacity).

2. Combine squash puree, sugar, milk, vanilla, orange extract, salt, flour, eggs and melted butter. Pour into the prepared casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until set.

3. Meanwhile, make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine crushed vanilla wafers, melted butter and the brown sugar. Sprinkle over top of the cooked casserole and return to the oven to brown for an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

Monday, August 27- With the leftover turkey I will use Pampered Chef's recipe and make their Turkey Cranberry Wreath for dinner.  I'll make a box of mac n cheese since my girls aren't huge fans of this meal.

Leaner Turkey Cranberry Wreath

Servings: 8 (approximately 2 crescent triangles per stuffed sandwich)
Weight Watchers: 10 PointsPlus per serving

• 2 cups light meat turkey, chopped or shredded (no skin)
• 5 ounces reduced fat Swiss cheese, shredded or diced up
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 3 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tubes (16 rolls total) reduced fat crescent rolls
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten, for wash

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In medium sized mixing bowl, combine turkey, cheese, celery, cranberries, parsley, mayonnaise, mustard and pepper.  Mix well.  Set aside while preparing the crescent roll wreath, braid or ring.
3. Scoop filling evenly over the crescent roll wreath, then finish assembling the wreath.  Brush wreath with egg white.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Tuesday, August 28- Using the Bibb Lettuce I will make Asian Lettuce Wraps for dinner tonight.  Since I believe the kids will not particularly care for this meal I'll make Ramen Noodles and green beans from my box for them.

Asian Lettuce Wraps WW 9 pts (2 wraps with 2 small scoop beef)

• 16 lettuce leaves
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil

Sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 T soy
• 2 T rice vinegar
• 1 T chile paste

Mix ingredients and spoon desired amount over wrap before rolling.

Directions

1. Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
2. In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside to cool. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped peanuts, green onions, sesame oil, and cooked beef; continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
3. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Add desired amount of sauce. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Servings Per Recipe: 4 (2 wraps)
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 388 Total Fat: 22.3g Cholesterol: 69mg Sodium: 580mg Total Carbs: 24.3g Dietary Fiber: 4.7g Protein: 23.4g

Thanksgiving Meal keeps giving!

As with most families, we have turkey leftovers from our Thanksgiving meal.  Of course I knew we'd have a bunch, considering I roasted a 24 lb. bird for 3 adults and 2 small kids!  But I have enjoyed reinventing different ways to use up our leftover turkey.  I had already made earlier, the stuffing patties.  Yummy!  Of course there are turkey sandwiches.  But this week I am using the last of my turkey in 2 different dishes as outlined below.  Of course the casseroles have been the accompaniments to our turkey creation meals.  Overall cooking has been easy these last few days!

Monday, November 28-  From Pampered Chef, I enjoy making this recipe with leftover turkey (it is also good with leftover chicken).

Turkey Cranberry Ring

2 packages (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
½ Cup Mayo
2 T. honey Dijon mustard
½ tsp coarsely ground pepper
2 Cup (12 oz) Chopped turkey
½ Cup sliced celery
3 T. fresh parsley
½ Cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 Cup (4 oz) Shredded Swiss cheese
¼ Cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 egg

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375°

Unroll the crescent roll container and separate the rolls. Place 8 of the triangles in a ring, wide edge of the triangle facing inward, around a circular baking stone with the corners touching. The points of the triangle will hang off the edge of the stone a bit.

Arrange the additional 8 triangles in the center of the ring, seaming wide and to wide end, points inward. Do not seam the sides of the inside triangles, only the wide ends.

In a medium sized bowl mix together the mustard, mayo and pepper. Chop the turkey, celery & parsley and blend in with the mayo-mixture. Grate the cheese and mix in as well.

The original recipe calls to add the walnuts after the mixture is on top of the crescent rolls but you can add it right into the mix or omit entirely.

Scoop the turkey mix onto the center of the wide-end seams. Fold the tips of the crescent roll triangles over each other to make a wreath and seal together. When you’re done the crescent rolls should cover the turkey mix completely. Seam together the edges.

In a small bowl, separate the egg white and discard the egg yolk. Beat the egg white, then brush on to the top of the ring.

Bake for 25- 30 minutes or until golden brown
This recipe if from pampered chef

Tuesday, November 29-  With the onset of cold weather, I am taking the lead with Turkey Noodle Soup.

Turkey Noodle Soup

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups wide egg noodles
• 10 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 1 cup of peas or green beans
• 1 tsp basil
• 1tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 cups diced, cooked turkey meat

Directions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil.  Add garlic, onion and celery.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Add remaining vegetables and continue sauteing for additional 5 minutes.
2. Combine broth and poultry seasoning into pot. Bring to a boil.
3. Add noodles.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water together until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Gradually add to soup, stirring constantly. Stir in turkey, bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or heated through. 

Wednesday, November 30- I never made the below risotto recipe over the summer as I had posted in an earlier blog.  Tonight I will make this meal and add sliced Italian sausage to the risotto for a fuller meal.

Risotto with Tomato, Corn and Basil

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup minced onion
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup uncooked Arborio rice
• 3 tablespoons white wine
• 1 medium tomato-peeled, seeded & chopped (I will substitute a small can diced drained tomatoes)
• 1 cups corn kernels
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine the water and milk in a medium size pot or saucepan, heat the water and milk to a simmer. Keep the pan over low heat.
2. Melt the butter in a large casserole or skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and the rice, stir constantly for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir until completely absorbed.
3. Begin to add the heated milk-water mixture 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is almost completely absorbed before adding the next. When the rice has cooked for 15 minutes and most of the liquid has been incorporated, add the corn kernels and tomatoes along with the end of the milk-water mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender but still slightly chewy.
4. The risotto should take 18 to 20 minutes of cooking all together. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, most of the basil, and the salt and pepper. Spoon the risotto immediately onto plates, top with the remaining basil strands, and serve.

Thursday, December 1-  Since it's just us girls this evening, and my refrigerator is packed full with leftovers, tonight is leftover night (or better known as empty the fridge!).

Friday, December 2-  Pork Chops and Potato Pancakes.  Although I have included it in my menu recently, I haven't made it.  But tonight I will make my favorite, potato pancakes (will include recipe later).

Saturday, December 3- It is the annual Apex Christmas Parade.  We will arm ourselves with Bojangles, hot chocolate, muchkins, chairs and blankets to camp out a great spot along the parade route tonight.

Sunday, December 4- The NY Giants play at 4pm and we get it on the television.  That means pizza and wings!