Our Family Thanksgiving 2014

Well, first a couple of pictures of the bug-a-loo

Thanksgiving Day evening.  Wearing Mr. Potato Head glasses.  :)

Recipe at the bottom

And this one, too.  This one especially caught my eye because they're called spoon bread muffins.  My Weesie used to make spoon bread and it was one of my favorites.  These were really tasty.  Not exactly the same, but similar.

Meal time!

Fancy plates huh!!!  :0)  We do have nice china, but it just seemed like too much work after a long day of cooking.  

Hailey had puffs.  I think Daddy may have fed her spoon bread muffins, too.

Both recipes from Southern Living Nov 2014 Issue

Spoon Bread Corn Muffins 

Ingredients

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1 1/2 cups finely ground white cornmeal 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

2 large eggs, lightly beaten $

2 1/4 cups buttermilk 

1/4 cup freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese $

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives 

Unsalted butter 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk eggs and buttermilk into cornmeal mixture, stirring vigorously until smooth. Stir in cheese and chives. Pour batter into a greased (with unsalted butter) 12-cup muffin tin.

2. Bake at 425° for 13 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan to rack; cool 5 minutes.

Cheese Cracker Topped Squash Casserole 

Ingredients

3 pounds yellow squash, chopped 

2 pounds zucchini, chopped 

1 medium onion, chopped $

2 tablespoons kosher salt 

1/2 cup sour cream $

1/2 cup mayonnaise $

1 large egg $

1 (8-oz.) block extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated 

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 

2 cups fish-shaped Cheddar cheese crackers 

2 tablespoons butter, melted $

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place first 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven; add hot water 2 inches above squash-and-onion mixture. Add salt to Dutch oven, and stir to dissolve. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 10 minutes or until squash is very tender when pierced with a fork. Drain vegetable mixture well; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes to cool slightly.

2. Stir together sour cream and mayonnaise in a large bowl. Lightly beat egg, and stir into mayonnaise mixture. Gently stir in cheese, pepper, and cooked squash mixture; spoon mixture into a greased (with butter) 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

3. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until bubbly. Combine cheese crackers and melted butter, and toss to coat. Arrange over casserole. Bake 10 more minutes. Remove from oven, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Note:

Gerri Ellis, Hazelhurst, MS, 

NOVEMBER 2014

Taco Soup, Lemon Roasted Whole Chicken, and Homemade Disinfectant Wipes

Sean said as the chicken was cooking in the oven that it smelled like the holidays to him :)

Super easy and super tasty!!!!

 

 

 

 

Disinfecting Cleaning Wipes

You will need:

• wide-mouth quart-size mason jar with lid (or other 4 – 6 cup capacity container with tightly-fitting lid)
• 15-20 pieces of pre-cut cloth (we use cotton t-shirts cut into 10-inch x 10-inch squares)

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup filtered water (find water purification systems here)
• ¾ cup white distilled vinegar
• 15 drops lemon essential oil (find 100% pure essential oils here)
• 8 drops lavender essential oil
• 4 drops bergamot essential oil

Directions:

Combine your liquid ingredients in the mason jar or other container of your choice. (Glass is best because essential oils will react with plastic.) Swirl or stir to combine. Add pre-cut cloths to jar and press down firmly to soak up liquid. Secure lid and tip jar upside down if needed to further moisten wipes.
Store wipes in a cool dark cupboard to preserve the properties of the essential oils.

To use:

Wring excess liquid from cloths before using. After using, rinse cloth out with clean water and use to wipe surface again if necessary. Wipes can be rinsed out or machine washed after using and returned to the container to be used again.


I think these are just great!!!! 
http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-wipes/

Just pure tastiness!

BEST BANANNA PUDDING (Shirley Scates)
2 Large pkg, Instant vanilla pudding
milk
1 (8oz.) cool whip
1 (8oz.) sour cream
vanilla wafers
4-6 ripe bananas
*Mix pudding as directed on package, Add cool whip and sour cream. In casserole dish, layer wafers, bananas, pudding. Repeat.

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This looks so fancy and if you’re a peanut butter lover, you’ll really love this!
PEANUT BUTTER PIE (Chay Balletto)
1 (8oz.) cream cheese softened
2c. powdered sugar
1c. peanut butter
1 (16oz.) cool whip
melted peanut butter & chocolate syrup topping
2 graham cracker pie crust
*Mix cream cheese & sugar. Add cool whip. Add peanut butter. Place mix in pie crusts. Drizzle with peanut butter & chocolate syrup. Store in freezer. Let soften slightly to serve.
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BLUEBERRY PRETZEL SALAD (Amy Cornett)
2c. pretzels- broken
1 stick butter- melted
3T. sugar
*In 9×13 baking dish, place crushed pretzels. Add melted butter and sugar. Bake on 400 for 6 min. Let cool completely.
Filling:
2 blocks cream cheese- softened
2c. sugar
1 (8oz.) cool whip
Topping:
blueberries
1 bag blueberry glaze
(can substitute strawberries and strawberry glaze instead of blueberries)
(note: blueberry or strawberry glaze is found in a bag in the produce dept.)
*Mix cream cheese and sugar. Fold in cool whip. Pour filling over pretzels. Top with fresh or frozen blueberries and glaze. Refrigerate overnight before serving.
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ENJOY THE HOLIDAY SEASON!

http://gilbatesfamily.com/