Turkey, Turkey.....

What to do with all those left-overs? Well, mine are in the freezer, even as I write. I stashed them in there the day after Thanksgiving. Here's what they looked like, frozen. I haven't used them yet but will post some photos when they come out of the oven.

Turkey Pot Pie in Ramekins

1 pkg. rolled pie crust (enough for 2 pies)

1 1/2 c. Leftover white and dark meat of turkey, cut in bite-sized pieces

1 1/2 c. mixed vegetables

2 c. turkey gravy

In a large bowl, mix the turkey, veggies and gravy together well. . Spread out the pie crusts and cut 4 circles, using a ramekin as a pattern. Spoon gravy mixture into greased ramekins. Top with crust and crimp edges. Make slices in the top to allow steam to escape. Cover with plastic wrap; place in ziplock bags and freeze for up to 3 months.

To prepare, thaw in the microwave and bake 35 to 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly and the crust is lightly browned. Serve with a green salad.

Turkey Shepherd's Pie

1 1/2 c. white and dark turkey meat

2 c. gravy

3/4 c. mixed veggies or frozen baby peas

2 c. mashed potatoes

Mix the turkey meat, gravy and veggies together well and spoon into a round or square cake pan. Top with mashed potatoes and freeze for up to 3 months, wrapped in plastic wrap and sealed in a ziplock bag.

To prepare, let thaw in the refrigerator 1 day or in the microwave for 2 to 3 lbs. of product. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly. Suggestion: halfway through the baking, remove and, using a fork, smooth the potato  topping. Serve with a green salad. Serves 6.

Leftover Pumpkin Pie? Wrap slices in plastic wrap or waxed paper and place in ziplock bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Remove individual portions as needed and thaw in the refrigerator. Serve as needed with whipping cream or non-dairy whipped topping. Yum!

Leftover Cranberry Sauce? Place in a mason jar and put it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw and use as needed. Delicious on pancakes, waffles, French toast, rolls and peanut butter sandwiches (not to mention ham, turkey and beef sandwiches).

Meatloaf for a Month? Last time I bought a 5# chub (80/20) of ground chuck (beef), I was prepared ahead of time. We shop for food, once a month, in a town 45 miles away from our home. Beef is expensive, and we aren't eating a lot of it at $3+ per pound. Before shopping, I chopped one bunch of celery and two large onions. I sauteed them in some butter and let them cool, storing, later, in the refrigerator. I had on hand, 4 cups of bread crumbs,  some home-grown sage and a bottle of ketchup.

When I got home from shopping (tired, because it's a long trip and a major deal buying all that stuff for a month), I put the groceries away, leaving the chub out on the counter. When the kitchen was almost in order (it's usual state), I dumped everything into a very large mixing bowl (onion, celery, ground chuck, bread crumbs, 3 eggs and about 1 1/2 c. ketchup). I mixed it with my clean hands and seasoned it with about 3/4 t. salt, 3/4 t. garlic granules, 3/4 t. onion granules and 1/2 t. black pepper. I added enough sage leaves to make the mix fragrant with it (about 4 t. of the leaves; use about 2 t. if using powder).

I packed the meat mixture gently into three loaf pans and baked them 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees F. When cool, I wrapped them in aluminum foil, placed them in ziplock bags, and froze them. Tonight, we had the last one from November's shopping with baked butternut squash. Yum!

Meat Loaf Stuffed Zucchini

Here's a great way to use that summer squash or zucchini that hid out and grew too big.  Stuff it with your favorite meat loaf recipe and bake it about 1 hour at 375 degrees.  Here's my recipe:

Meat Loaf Stuffed Zucchini

2 c. Lean Ground Beef

1 medium Onion, minced

2 stalks Celery, minced

2 T. Butter

1 c. Bread Crumbs

1 - 2 t. ground Sage, depending on taste

1/2 t. Onion Powder

1/2 t. Garlic Powder

1/2 t. Salt

1/4 t. Pepper

1/2 c. Ketchup

1 Egg

1 Large Zucchini or Summer Squash (12-20 inches long), seeds removed

In a large mixing bowl, mix meat and bread crumbs together well.  Place onion and celery with butter in the microwave and cook about 3 minutes until soft.  Add them to the meat mixture.  Mix seasonings, ketchup and egg together well and add to the meat mixture.  Combine well.  Salt and pepper the squash and stuff it with the meat loaf mixture. 

 Place them in a baking dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of the pan.  

Bake, covered, at 375 degrees F. about one hour or until the squash is done.

Here they are, fresh from the oven and steaming hot!  This is delicious with a Cucumber & Onion salad.

Cucumber and Onion Salad

1 - 2 sweet, mild Onions, chopped rough

1 English Cucumber, peeled or unpeeled, according to taste

1/2 c. Sour Cream

2 T. Balsamic Vinegar

Place the sour cream in a cup or bowl.....

and add the vinegar.

Mix well and set aside.

Rough chop the cucumber and  

place in a small bowl.

Chop the onion,

roughly, in bite-sized chunks;

add salt and pepper to taste.

Combine all with the salad dressing....

and you have a lovely summer treat to go with your meat loaf and squash!  Enjoy!

"Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner for Two"

I’ve planned a romantic dinner for the two of us, my husband, and I.  It’s all about what makes US happy, so I’ve planned some of my favorite things and some of his favorite things.  He likes movies and snacks, and I have some of each.  He likes meat and potatoes, and I’ve got most of that together.  We both like restful music in the background, so we can talk and relax, so I’ve got some of that.  The party will begin at sundown.

We’ll have the table all set and sit down to a shrimp cocktail and a sparkling beverage.  Then we’ll have the main part of the dinner and save the dessert for the movies.  We’ll see one of mine and one of his.  My list includes "You've Got Mail" and "Sleepless in Seattle" and "While You Were Sleeping" and "An Affair to Remember" as well as others.  His probably runs to something like “Independence Day”, “Crossfire Trail” or “One Special Night” - - -

I like to use my mother's wedding china and my crystal for this meal. The tablecloth and napkins came from my husband's mother.  I love vintage linens for the table and use them every day.

Timing the meal

I picked easy items to make.  I don’t want to spend the whole day in the kitchen, do you?  First thing in the morning, I make the trifle and put it away in the fridge.  It needs to settle.  After that, I make the  squash and meat loaf, refrigerate them and pop each one into the oven at the last minute. The shrimp cocktail, I make just before dinner and it is served first, about half way through the time when the meat loaf is baking.  We like to take our time.  Between the meal and the dessert, we exchange cards and gifts.

It’s a sweet time for both of us….and it won’t be perfect.  If I’m too concerned about the timing, it won’t be fun.  So, I plan to enjoy the accidents along the way.  After all, it’ll still be early and we could go to the Drive-In, right?

The Valentine Menu

Shrimp Cocktail

Sparkling Cider

Meat Loaf Extraordinaire

Butternut Squash a la Buerre

Green Beans Scampi

Strawberry Trifle

In the background, some of our favorite music - - -

John McDermott – Believe Me
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - White Sandy Beach
 James Taylor – How Sweet It Is
Theme from Somewhere in Time
Tracy Byrd – Keeper of the Stars

Movies for St. Valentine’s Day

I had to plan ahead for this one because not all were in our collection, but it was worth it.  For Christmas, I got him all the known Louis L’Amore movies that are available on DVD, so we might add one of those to my romance-type list.  Usually, we watch the action-packed movie first, then, have our dessert with the romance.

“An Affair to Remember” – Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr
“While You Were Sleeping” – Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman
“You’ve Got Mail” – Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan
“The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” – Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison
“Random Harvest” – Greer Garson and Ronald Colman
And there’s always, Disney, you know:  Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, Cars (Cars?!!!).

The Recipes

Shrimp Cocktail

12 Medium Shrimp, cooked and chilled
½ c. tomato catsup
1 T. Horseradish Sauce
1 t. Lemon Juice
Place the catsup, horseradish and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk together well.  Check the taste.  Some like more horseradish than others.  Divide into two sherbet bowls.  Hook the shrimp over the side and chill until ready to serve with a fork and a napkin.


Meat Loaf Extraordinaire

1 pound ground beef or chuck
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
3 pieces of bread, crusts removed and cubed small
¾ c. tomato catsup
1 to 3 t. sage, according to taste (you should be able to smell it when the meat is mixed up)
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper

Place meat and bread in a large bowl and set aside.  Saute onion and celery in a little butter with the sage until tender and fragrant.  Remove from heat and stir in catsup.  Add the veggies to the meat and bread.  Add salt and pepper and mix well with clean hands.
Spoon into a loaf pan and bake about 50 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Butternut Squash a la Beurre (Butter)

Pierce the squash in three places deeply and microwave in 5 minute intervals on high until the skin gives when you poke it.  Slice open and remove seeds.  Spoon out flesh and place in a small casserole dish.  Top with butter and brown sugar and bake at 350 degrees F until butter and sugar are melted together.

Green Beans Scampi

Place 1 or 2 cans of French-cut green beans in a saucepan.  Add 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, crushed.  Heat to boiling and simmer 5 minutes.  Serve with a dot of butter and salt and pepper.

Strawberry Trifle

1 bag frozen strawberries
1 loaf Angel Food Cake
1 pkg Jello instant Vanilla pudding
1 Pint Heavy Cream, sweetened and flavored with vanilla, whipped

Thaw strawberries and cut all but five of them in quarters.  Cut the cake in 2” cubes.  Make the pudding according to instructions.  Whip and season the cream.

In a trifle bowl or a clear glass bowl, place a layer of cake cubes, topped with a slathering of pudding.  Next, place a layer of strawberries and a layer of cream.  Make more layers in the order given until almost all used up.  Top with whipped cream and dot with the five whole strawberries.

You can also make this in a parfait or other tall glass for individual servings.

Have a look at our "Heart Etui (needle case)" pattern at Prairie Cottage Corner.  (See the fourth previous blog post about the etui.)  If you buy it on Valentine's Day, I'll email it to you, specially, so you can give it to someone you care about on the day.  Try to make your purchase before 5 pm PST, will you?  I'm going to be busy after that.  LOL.  Prairie Stitcher