There is a reason.

There is a very good reason why my 'leftover turkey' post does not have a finished product picture. And I'd like to share that reason with you.



Yes. There was a cowboy that snuck into my fridge, and decided that the enchiladas that were so nicely rolled, and neatly side by side, needed to be tasted. Right now.



I still cooked them, and we still ate them...but believe me. It wasn't aesthetically pleasing. :) (although they tasted GREAT!)

Leftover Turkey Enchiladas

I originally planned on doing a post for all my Thanksgiving dishes, but, as it is now several days after, I really, really just want to get to the leftovers. *slacker*

I love leftovers. Love eating them (provided its good leftovers) for a few days. Even more, though, I love coming up with something new to do with the leftovers. So today, I'm tackling turkey.

A confession: I don't love turkey. I'll eat it on holidays, but, for the most part, I'll eat a small piece, and focus more on the side dishes...cuz that's the kind of gal I am. So the plate of turkey sitting in my fridge? Yeah, probably just gonna sit there unless I figure out something to do with it.

I didn't want to do a casserole...I love me some casseroles, but a turkey casserole didn't seem overly appetizing. So I decided to make some enchiladas!


Leftover Turkey Enchiladas
2 cups shredded turkey (white or dark meat, your preference)
8 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder*
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder*
1/4 teaspoon onion powder*
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes*
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano*
1/2 teaspoon paprika*
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin*
1 teaspoon sea salt*
1 teaspoon black pepper*
*you could use a packet of taco seasoning here, with the same results)
1 T butter
1 T vegetable oil
1/4 C chicken broth
1 C sour cream
1 C cottage cheese
8-10 flour tortillas
Cheese, optional
Red enchilada sauce (a 10-oz can, or make your own. Recipe here)

Saute turkey, onion, and spices in butter and oil. Add chicken broth. Cook til broth cooks down.


Mix sour cream and cottage cheese together in a bowl, along with some salt and pepper. Or lots of pepper. :)


Take a tortilla, and put about 3 T of the meat inside...


...followed by some of the cottage cheese mixture. (Some Monterrey jack cheese would be amazing here, but, as it is a leftover dish, I didn't see the need to run to the store for any. Instead, I just used the leftover Colby cheese from my cheese and cracker tray.)

Roll up tortillas and place in lightly greased baking dish. Repeat until all of your mixture is used up. Top with red enchilada sauce and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Firsts

**I'm probably going to be posting tons of new posts today...you have been warned.**

I love to try new recipes. Holidays give me the perfect excuse, too. (Not that I really need an excuse, I usually just do it anyways.)

This year has been a year of many first for me. Almost one year ago, was my sons first birthday. That sort of started it off. It was the start of the Christmas season, which held many, many firsts.

1. My first time taking a road trip with my hubby. (Not too many road trip destinations available when you live on Oahu.)
2. My first time in Texas. (Sorry, all you Texans...but I'm not real anxious to return. *insert plea to Uncle Sam* PLEASE anywhere but Fort Hood...)
3. My first time taking a road trip...or going anywhere, really, in a wrecked car. (Don't ask. And even if you do, all I'll say is it was NOT my fault...and if you're ever had to climb into the passenger seat of a car OVER the gear shifter thingy, you know that it is very painful and humiliating to recall how many times your big ol' butt was thrust up in the air as you climb into the car head first... you wont begrudge me my silence on this subject.)
4. My first time meeting my hubby's older brother.

There are many other firsts, but I want to get to the food. Last Christmas, there in that bleak, bleak, state of Texas, my wonderful sister-in-law and I made Christmas dinner for our families. She, being a holiday meal veteran, handled the ham, and I, being a rookie, made a few sides.
-Green bean casserole: a wonderful recipe that is oh-so-tasty and does not include cream of mushroom soup.
-Sweet potato casserole: made with the taters mashed. Yum.
-Sweet potato stuffed apples: this was a newbie. The one recipe I tried that I had never tried before. It was super easy and delish!
-Mini cheesecakes: ok, so its not a side...but it should be!
-Cheeseball: my families secret-but not secret recipe. Its super easy. Every one knows how to make it. But it still has that...secret feel to it.

I carried a few of these recipes with me all the way to yesterday's turkey day. But, of course, I had many firsts yesterday as well.
-My first time making a turkey: Brine it, folks!
-My first time actually hosting a holiday dinner: sure to not be my last.
-New recipes? Check!
-Stuffing, made with Chorizo, pecans and cheddar cheese. A repeat? Definitely.
-A certain roll recipe: A repeat?...maybe. I'm sure it would have been better had I read the ENTIRE recipe all the way through...then I would have known that it was going to take 15 HOURS to make these puppies. They sure did taste good though!
-Pumpkin Pie: I don't think I'll ever go back to canned pumpkin again.
-Pecan Pie: note to self-make sure you pay attention while toasting pecans. They burn. Easily.

These are a few of the things I made, and I'll be posting about them here pretty shortly. My goal is to do it today, but it may not happen. They will be posted though!

Cheers!
Liz

My Tornado

I have lots of things I wanted to put up here today.

Recipes for some yummmmmy Thanksgiving food.

My two newest cookbook additions, that I received as gifts for my birthday which was...uhm...well, about 2 months ago. Yeah, I know. I've been slacking.

A list of what I'm thankful for.

And lotsa more things. But, today, on this Black Friday day...here in SNOWY Kentucky, (helllloooo winter!) as I listen to my little cowboy in the other room, doing everything in his power to NOT take a nap...I just want to share this:


This was my Tornado about one year ago...When he wasn't quite so...Tornado-ish.


And this...this is him about 3 weeks ago. It's probably one of my most favoritest pictures of him I've taken. He looks JUST like he is. Happy. Mischievous. Smart. Oh, is he smart. 100% boy. He's my little Tornado. My cowboy. And today, the day after Thanksgiving, he is on my mind. Why? Because he's almost TWO!

That's right. In T-three days, my little man will be two. Just thought you'd want to know. :)

Liz

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

I've never made taco soup before but had heard many, many good things about it. And today...well it felt like a taco soup kind of day. (I forgot to take pictures of the ingredients...sorry!)

1 1/2 lb ground beef (I used 93/7)
1/2 C onion, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
2 T cumin
1 T chili powder
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t oregano
1 t paprika
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder

1 (12 oz) beer
1 (10.75 oz) can tomato soup
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with chiles (Rotel)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can corn
1 (14.5 oz) can whole tomatoes, for the hubby

To serve (optional):
Sour Cream
Shredded cheese
Tortilla chips
Green onions

Brown the ground beef, onions, and seasonings in your slow-cooker. You could do this in a pan on the stove and transfer it. Either way is fine. Add your tomatoes, corn, soup, beans and beer. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

I'm not a huge pasta fan. Really. Mac and cheese is about the most noodle I can handle. Growing up, I was the oddity in my pasta salad loving family. I loathed the times we would go to relatives homes and they'd have spaghetti for a meal. Because I'd have to eat it. Can't be rude.

I used to long for the day when I'd be out on my own (ok, so I never got that far. Got married instead) and I'd be pasta free!

For the first year or so of our marriage, the hubby would ask for spaghetti from time to time. I'd heave a sigh. Maybe pout a little. Maybe. Then I'd make it, with the cheapest sauce I could find. And with very little grace.

I have recently come to realize that...I will probably never love spaghetti. But I can cook it for my family and enjoy making it to be as tasty as it possibly can get. And that is today's mission.

Sauce
Recipe and photos by Busy Nothings
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (6 0z) can tomato paste
1/2 C onion, diced
2 T dried basil
2 T dried oregano
2 T dried parsley flakes
2 T garlic powder
1 t sugar
1 bay leaf
dash red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion in...BACON GREASE! Haha. Or olive oil, if you didn't happen to have bacon for breakfast this morning like I did. In a medium sauce pan, put the tomatoes and the paste in, then add all of the seasonings. Once the onions are tender, add those as well. Simmer for three hours on low.

I pretty much just read a bajillion sauce recipes and came up with my own based on what I had in my pantry. Should be good!

Meatballs
Recipe and photos by Busy Nothings
Origianl recipe by For the Love of Cooking
1 lb ground beef
1/4 C onion, finely chopped
1/4 C Italian style breadcrumbs
2 T parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg
1 T dried basil
2 T parsley flakes
1/4 C shredded mozzerella cheese
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
1 T olive oil


Mix everything together. Roll into balls. Heat olive oil over meadium heat in a skillet. Cook meatballs in oil until golden brown on all sides. Put meatballs in sauce and simmer for 30 minutes.

Tomato Basil Soup

This soup is amazing.

It shouldn't be. The adage "Simplest is Best" rarely applies to cooking. Simple recipes tend to become complex when I'm around as I try and season them up...change this and that. But this. This.

A six ingredient soup that is almost to die for? Yep. It's for real.

It's so easy that it feels like you have to be missing something. I probably looked at the recipe at least two dozen times just to be sure that I hadn't left something (or several somethings) out.

Tomato Basil Soup
Recipe and photos by Busy Nothings. Original recipe on Allrecipes
3 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
2 3/4 C chicken broth
1/8 C dried basil
3 T sugar
1 1/2 C heavy whipping cream
2/3 C butter

In a large saucepan, bring the tomatoes and the chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add basil and sugar. Reduce heat to low and stir in whipping cream* and butter. Cook until the butter is melted. Serve with crusty rolls and ENJOY!

*I added the cream veeeeerrry slowly, especially at first to avoid curdling. Turns out I didn't have a problem with it at all. But please do NOT boil the soup once the cream has been added as it will more than likely curdle...which is no fun.