Monday, November 21- Since I had about half the spinach from my Box leftover I decided to make pork chops and Southern Living magazine's recipe for
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes and Creamy Spinach.
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes Recipe
4lbs potatoes
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 milk
1/4 butter
salt and pepper
5 oz spinach
5 1/2 oz buttery garlic and herb spreadable cheese
1/4 chopped pecans
- Peel 4 lb.
baking potatoes; cut into 2-inch pieces.
- Bring potatoes, 2 tsp. salt,
and water to cover to a boil in a large Dutch
oven over medium-high heat; boil 20
minutes or until tender.
- Drain. Return potatoes to Dutch oven, reduce
heat to low, and
cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5
minutes or until potatoes are dry.
- Mash potatoes with a potato masher
to desired consistency.
- Stir in 1 1/4 cup warm buttermilk, 1/2 cup warm
milk, 1/4 cup melted
butter, 1/2 tsp. pepper, and 1 tsp.
salt, stirring just until blended.
- Mix into potatoes,1 (5-oz.) package fresh baby spinach, cooked until wilted; 1 (5 1/2-oz.) package buttery garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese;
and 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans.
- Spoon the mixture into a lightly
greased 2 1/2-qt. baking dish. Bake at 350° for
35 minutes.
Makes: 6 to 8 servings
Tuesday, November 22- As of right now I still plan on tortellini but I am opting out with a simple meal of tomato sauce, a side salad and a loaf of bread.
Wednesday, November 23- I will be baking a pumpkin pie and from William Sonoma their Deep Dish Apple Bourbon
Streusel Pie for Thanksgiving dessert. With the baking, cleaning and prepping for tomorrow, take out is in order tonight!
Dish Apple Bourbon Streusel Pie
- For the filling:
- 3 lb. Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into slices 1/4 inch thick
- 3 lb. Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored and cut into slices 1/4 inch thick
- 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3 Tbs. bourbon
- 2 Tbs. vanilla extract
- For the streusel:
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2/3 cup roughly chopped pecans
- 7 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, diced
Directions:
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a
20-by-14-inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Fold the dough in half and
transfer to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Unfold the dough and press into
the bottom and sides of the dish. Trim the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch
overhang, and fold in the excess dough so it extends just beyond the rim
of the dish. Refrigerate the pie shell for 30 minutes.
Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 375°F.
Meanwhile, make the filling: In a large bowl, stir together the apples,
brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cornstarch,
bourbon and vanilla until well combined.
To make the streusel, in a bowl, stir together the flour, granulated
sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and pecans. Add the butter and work
it in with your fingers, pinching to form pea-size pieces.
Pour the apple mixture into the pie shell and sprinkle the streusel on
top. Decorate the pie as desired with decorative cutouts. Bake until the
streusel is golden brown and the apples are tender, about 1 hour and 45
minutes; if the top of the pie has browned after 1 hour, tent it
loosely with aluminum foil. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool
for at least 2 hours before serving. Serves 12 to 14.
Thursday, November 24- Thanksgiving! Of course I will be baking an extra large turkey stuffed with my mother's stuffing recipe. I will also be making my sweet potato casserole and my butternut squash recipes using the vegetables received in earlier boxes. I will also boil up some of the frozen green beans I received from another Box. There will also be cranberry sauce, gravy, hot rolls and wine. And for dessert the pies I baked yesterday.
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.
Sweet Potato Casserole 7 WW Points
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and halved
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg white
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in small bowl, stirring to form streusel. Set aside
3. Place potatoes in pot covered with water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 30 min or until tender. Drain. Mash in large bowl.
4. Stir in 1 cup of streusel topping, sugar, vanilla, egg white and milk.
5. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining streusel.
6. Bake for 45 min.
Serving: 3/4 cup
Calories:
376 Fat: 8.8g Saturated fat: 1.4g
Monounsaturated fat: 4.1g Polyunsaturated fat: 2.6g
Protein: 5.4g Carbohydrate: 70.1g Fiber: 3.8g
Cholesterol: 1mg Iron: 1.9mg Sodium: 115mg
Calcium: 97mg
Friday, November 25- I not quite sure what culinary masterpiece I will dish up tonight just yet. With all of the feasting from the night before, I may pass the baton over to my husband this evening.
Saturday, November 26- Thanksgiving leftovers. A mom in my daughter's class shared a Thanksgiving specialty which graces her dining table every year. It sounded so good and a great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers, so I am giving it a shot.
Fried Stuffing Patties
Leftover Stuffing
Leftover Chopped Turkey
Chicken Broth
Butter/oil
Take leftover stuffing add chicken broth generously and chopped turkey and mix. Form thin patties (make sure they are very moist) and fry in butter or vegetable oil til crisp and heated through. Serve with heated gravy on top if desired.
I'll serve them along with any leftover cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole and butternut squash casserole.
Sunday, November 27- With all the poultry consumed over the past few days, I think we will grill steaks or hamburgers served with home made macaroni salad.
