The Bryan Times - Nov. 18, 2019 - Thanksgiving menu options

It’s that time of year when we stop and ponder our ‘attitude of gratitude’. People who are grateful are happy people. Learning to be thankful reduces stress and helps you to be less susceptible to illness.

May you and yours enjoy a blessed Thanksgiving feast and season. I wish you sweet love, great relationships, and most of all, thankful hearts.                             

Cranberry Apple Salad

This is a favorite holiday dish.

CRANBERRY APPLE SALAD

2 cans (1# each) whole cranberry sauce

2 c. boiling water

1 lg. (6 ozs.) pkg. strawberry (raspberry or cherry) jello

2 Tb. lemon juice

(Keeps the apples from turning brown)

1/2 tsp. salt, optional

1 c. mayonnaise

2 c. diced apples

1/2 c. chopped nuts 

Place cranberry sauce in saucepan on stove top; melt over medium heat, being sure to stir.  Drain; reserving liquid and berries. Mix together cranberry liquid, boiling water and jello; stir until jello is dissolved. Add lemon juice and salt. Chill until mixture mounds slightly on a spoon. Whisk in mayonnaise, beating until smooth. Fold in cranberries, apples and nuts. Pour into 2 qt. mold or dish. Chill overnight.  Yield: 10 - 12 servings

I was so tickled to find this recipe because it tastes just like my mama's!

CROCKPOT BREAD DRESSING (FOR A CROWD)

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. diced celery

1/2 c. diced onion 

12-13 cups dry bread crumbs

1-1/2 c. chicken (or turkey), optional

3 eggs, beaten

2 cans (10.75 ozs each) cream of chicken soup

2 cans (15 ozs each) chicken broth, divided 

1/2 tsp. each pepper and salt

about 1 tsp. sage OR poultry seasoning to taste 

Spray a 4-6 qt. crockpot with cooking spray. In skillet, melt butter; saute celery and onions. Place bread crumbs in very large bowl; add sauteed veggies. In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients, saving some broth to add if needed before placing in crockpot. (You want the dressing to be moist, but not soaked wet). Pour mixture into crockpot. Place clean tea towel over crock to catch moisture; cover with lid. Cook on high 3 hours and 45 minutes or on low for 4-6 hours. Let stand a few minutes before serving. 

                                                             

                                   Ultimate Creamed Corn (Crockpot)

Oh.my.word delicious! You're welcome. 

SLOW COOKER ULTIMATE CREAMED CORN

2 (16 ozs) bags frozen whole kernel corn

12 ozs. cream cheese, cut into cubes

3/4 c. milk

1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted

2 tsp. sugar (or equivalent in sugar substitute)

1 tsp. salt (or less)

1/4 tsp. pepper

Spray bottom and sides of 3 - 4 qt. slow cooker with cooking spray.  Spread corn over bottom. Top with cream cheese cubes, placing them in the middle of the corn so it doesn't burn on the sides.  In small bowl, stir together remaining ingredients; pour over corn and cream cheese.  Cover; cook on high for 2  to 2-1/2 hours. Stir well before serving. Corn will hold on low heat up to 1 hour; stir occasionally.

PARADISE PUMPKIN PIE

1 - 8 ozs. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 c. white sugar (or sugar substitute)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg

1 - 9" unbaked pie shell

1-1/4 c. canned pumpkin

1/2 c. white sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

dash of salt

1 c.  evaporated milk 

Preheat oven to 350. In small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla, mixing until well blended. Add egg and beat until smooth. Spread in bottom of unbaked pie crust.

In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients; mix well. Carefully pour mixture over cream cheese (I pour slowly from the bowl onto a big spoon so it doesn't pour directly 'into' the cream cheese) Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes. Cool. Brush with maple syrup or honey while still warm.

This is a terrific soup to use up your leftover turkey.  Sip! Slurp! Gobble! 

TURKEY & WILD RICE SOUP 

1/4 c. butter 

1-1/2 c. carrots, finely chopped 

1/2 c. flour

Cook rice according to package directions. In large pot on stovetop, melt butter, then add carrots, celery and onion. Saute until tender; stir in flour. Whisk in broth and bring to a boil. Stir until thick, about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat, simmering a few minutes to allow flavors to blend. Yield: 7 - 8 servings

A very Happy THANKS-LIVING to you all! 

I Chronicles 16:34 - O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; His mercy endures forever. 

Leader Enterprise - January 10, 2018 - Tips to help make right food choices

Chicken(Turkey) Barley Soup with Sweet Potatoes

Welcome 2018! (Can we even believe it??) If you're anything like me, I felt I had to clear the kitchen of anything unhealthy to eat so I won't be tempted by it before I begin my healthy eating program in January.  EEK! Here's to a happy and healthy new year!

I so appreciate thoughts like these, found at www.sparkpeople.com that give me something concrete to wrap my mind around when trying to eat healthier. Enlisting some of these ideas into our daily lives, one change at a time, will help jump-start our healthy New Year's Resolutions.

Eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal. If half a plate of fruits and vegetables seems like an overwhelming goal for you right now, start by simply adding one fruit or veggie to each meal. You can eat them as a side -- think a cup of green beans with dinner or an orange with breakfast -- or simply start adding them to foods you already eat. Fruit is a cinch to add to oatmeal, yogurt and cereal in the morning.  Drink up. While you should limit the number of calories you get from beverages, if you have trouble fitting fruits and vegetables into your busy life, work them into a drink that you can take on the go. Try out smoothie recipes until you find a few you love and work them into your rotation as a breakfast or afternoon snack option. You can easily get several fruit and vegetable servings in a yummy beverage.   Slurp some soup! Soups and stews can be a nutritious, filling way to get lots of vegetables into a meal. Soup is an easy way to increase the variety of veggies you eat as it can make some of your least favorite options more palatable.  Keep them in sight, in mind. Just like you keep sweets out of sight to discourage incessant snacking, keeping fruits and veggies in sight will help you think of them as an option for eating. Stock a fruit bowl at work each week and keep a bowl on the kitchen counter at home so you’ll be more likely to eat it when you’re hungry.  My husband and I love this delicious soup from the Skinny Kitchen website. It makes a large batch, but it freezes well. You can easily cut the recipe in half.  TURKEY BARLEY SOUP WITH SWEET POTATOES 10 c. (reduced-sodium) chicken broth 1 c. dried pearl barley (I use quick) 1 tsp. olive oil 2 cloves fresh garlic,minced 1-1/2 c. carrots, sliced 1-1/2 c. celery, sliced 1-1/2 c. onions, chopped 2-1/2 c. sweet potatoes (or butternut squash), peeled and chopped  1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1/2 tsp. dried sage Fresh ground pepper, to taste 1 lb. cooked turkey breasts or chicken, cubed In a large pot, add the chicken broth and barley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. In the meantime, in a nonstick pan add the olive oil, garlic, carrots, celery and onions; sauté until soft,about 5 minutes. Add the sautéed vegetables to the broth. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, thyme, sage and fresh ground pepper. Continue to cook uncovered for 25 minutes. Add the cooked turkey and stir with a rubber spatula so the squash doesn’t get mushy. Cook for 5 minutes more. Yield: 12 cups. 1 cup= 142 calories; 1 gr.fat, 13 gr.protein, 22 gr.carbs, 5 gr.fiber Blueberry Banana Flaxseed Smoothie BLUEBERRY BANANA FLAXSEED SMOOTHIE 2 TB. flax seed meal 1 ripe banana (frozen slices are great) 1 c. blueberries 1/2 c. (fat free) Greek Yogurt 1 c. (skim) milk 1 TB. honey 1/4 tsp. almond extract 6 chopped ice cubes Add all ingredients and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.  Yield: 2 servings. Garnish with blueberries.  STUFFED PEPPERONI PIZZA MELT 1 (whole wheat) Deli Sandwich Thin 1 tsp. Smart Balance Light or reduced-fat butter 1-1/2 Tb. pizza or marinara sauce 7 slices Hormel’s 70% less fat turkey pepperoni 1 slice light provolone cheese or light mozzarella Preheat Panini maker, George Foreman grill or stove-top skillet. Spread the outside of the sandwich thin, both top and bottom, with 1/2 teaspoon of butter on each. Split open and spread the inside of the bottom slice with pizza sauce. On top of sauce, place pepperoni slices and top with 1 slice of cheese. Place remaining top piece of sandwich thin, butter side out. Place in preheated grill or skillet; cook for 4 to 5 minutes until melted and golden brown. Remove with a spatula as the cheese oozes out a bit while cooking. De-Lish! Yield: 1 serving= 215 calories, 8 gr. fat, 14 gr. protein, 26 gr. carbs, 6 gr. fiber Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm. ~Abraham Lincoln