Fun and Games on a Sunday night

This Sunday night we managed to all sit at the kitchen table and enjoy a meal together.  We had grilled chicken, corn and cast iron roasted asparagus.  After we were finished eating, we broke out one of our old kitchen table games before everyone went their separate ways. When the kids were younger, that is something we'd do at least once a week after dinner. It was after one of those family dinners that ended with a few minutes of a game that I started this blog. That's where the title came from.

We played "Battle of the Sexes" . There is a full sized board game, but we have several card versions of board games that we keep on the table, and this is one of them.  It's played boys against the girls, and there are different cards with questions for either sex.  Tonight we learned that our son was able to identify Vera Wang and Donna Karan as popular designers and that the boys not being able to remember Harper Lee's last name was almost enough to reduce our oldest daughter to tears.  The point should also be made that the girls in this family know way too much about football to be stumped by any of those questions and that this mom knows the difference between a birdie and bogey. We only played for 15 minutes or so but it was fun reconnecting.  

This little metal basket sits on our kitchen table. We keep our salt and pepper (cayenne too), cloth napkins and games in it. We have a couple little boxes of conversation starters too just in case we want to be serious (which honestly doesn't happen too often). By keeping the games on the table, it's been easy for one of us to grab one and start a game.  I hope one day my kids play games at the kitchen table too. Here's a photo, torn boxes miss-matched napkins and all.

After dinner, I loaded the dishwasher (by the way, does anyone know how to keep a dog from trying to "help" with the pre washing?) and everyone scattered.  As a mom of three adult children I can't help but be thankful that our kids still like our silly little family traditions. I hope that one day they keep games on their kitchen table too.

Happy Little Top Ten List

For a while now I've been feeling the need to do more living of the life that I have.  The heartbreaking tragedies that have befallen so many this week only serve to reinforce that sentiment.  I have been blessed with so much but I really seldom take the time to appreciate what I am thankful for.  It's really easy for me to dwell on the negative, but I'm making a deliberate choice to live a happier, more joyful life.  This week's top ten that make me happy (in no particular order):

1. My husband. Married this man going on 24 years ago, love him like crazy and I'm so thankful that we get to spend more time with each other now that the kids are getting older.  We started this week off on a double date with our awesome friends. That alone made me happy, but then I found this photo, which made me extra happy.

2. This has been a very good week in the worlds of our children.  Our oldest is getting very close to meeting some personal goals. Our middle child had a week filled with more good days than bad, one less injection and a visit with a friend. Our baby went to his senior prom and starts a new job tomorrow after his soccer game.

3. Shopping for a new tie for the senior prom with my baby boy definitely makes the happy list.  How about the fact that he wouldn't let his sister come with us because he wanted his mom all to himself?  Try not to ugly cry when you hear your almost grown son say something like that.

4. My fingernails are painted in a lovely wet cement shade called Slate by Sinful Colors. I adore this inexpensive nail polish that comes in colors that are off the beaten path. Today I found another fun muddy green shade called Leapfrog while I was at the Walgreens. I can't wait to try it out.

5. We had a wonderful, long burst of rain one evening this week.  I loved that our grass was watered for free and some of the pollen that is harassing us was washed away.

6. I love my coffee, but this week a new variety of tea has made me extra happy. My friend B brought me some to try on our double date with our husbands. Harney and Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea is my new favorite. Let it steep for ten minutes and it's just like drinking an Atomic Fireball. I love it.

7. So I sort of gave my baby sister the pep talk that I needed myself.  She is going through a really busy time, running on empty working so hard and going to school.  She is so smart and determined. I love that girl so much and just called her to remind her what she's made of and that she can do this. I ended up saying words to her that I probably needed to hear myself. I don't know if she was at all encouraged but that conversation put some things in perspective for me.

8. My butler's pantry is clean. I can see the floor and find things.  That feels really good even if Mr. Carson never comes to visit.

9. There are times that I don't appreciate living in the land of heat and humidity (especially in July and August), but there are things about being here that I wouldn't trade for the world.  We live ten minutes from my parents and twenty from my husband's. Four out of my seven siblings live here not to mention my husband's large extended family.  This week, I'm feeling especially happy that we live so close to them.

10. This week the fact that I went to sleep every night this week with my husband and babies safe and sound under the same roof is a true blessing. The fact that God blessed me with them and kept us all safe has to be the very thing that has made me the happiest of all.

Disney Dinner Series (Part One)

So my girls and I have these lovely, lovely friends.  There are so many things about them that are wonderful, but the one crazy fun thing we have in common is our love for all things Disney.  I'm not sure of the exact moment, but we decided to get together once a month or so to have a themed dinner and to watch a favorite Disney movie.  Our girls also found a blog called Disney Bound, with outfits planned around a Disney theme but using every day type clothing instead of costumes. Dressing up was a perfect idea, and made the experience complete.

Our friends were kind enough to host the first dinner party. They chose a French theme, based around the movies The Aristocats and Beauty and the Beast.  We decided that we would each dress as an Aristocat. At dinner we had Thomas O'Malley, two Maries, Scat Cat, Toulouse and Berloiz. That was fun.  We arrived to be greeted by beautifully decorated theme tables and were served a wonderful four course French meal.  We dined on a lovely salad with pears, beautifully prepared French onion soup with the most amazing smoked guyere crouton, followed by an amazing fresh quiche.  We talked and enjoyed our lovely meal.  Our friends put so much effort into making the evening a very special experience. It was an evening that I will reflect on for many years to come.

After dinner, we watched our movies. It was wonderful to share our memories of first seeing the movies. The Aristocats is one of the first I recall seeing in a theater in my childhood. Our girls all grew up with Beauty and the Beast and had an assortment of sweet stories that they shared with us of their childhood memories as well.  In between movies, we enjoyed my favorite dessert ever - Creme Brûlée. What a perfect ending to a really wonderful evening.

Thanksgiving Again

Every once in a while, I will talk to my mom about trying a new recipe out on the family, and sometimes I'm met with "Ok, try it but don't make too much because people won't try it". This recipe was one that met that response a few Thanksgivings ago. It was GONE very quickly, so I doubled it the next Thanksgiving and it was still GONE. This recipe makes a nice sized batch, you could bake it in a 13x9 inch pan.

Cornbread Stuffing with Apples, Onions and Sausage

6 boxes of Jiffy Cornbread mix, follow the package directions, baking in two greased 13x9 pans
1 lb. pork breakfast sausage (the one in a plastic tube)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 apples, cored and finely chopped. Leave the peels on. I use a sweet red apple, not tart, and the red of the peel is pretty
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
2-3 c. low sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste.

If I'm making this for Thanksgiving, I'll bake my cornbread on Monday and let it get a little stale. You can bake it just before you make the stuffing and that's fine too. Crumble it up in coarse chunks in a large mixing bowl. In a decent size skillet, brown the sausage. Remove from pan, then add butter and bring pan to medium high heat. Add onions and apples and cook until soft but not brown. Stir the sausage, apples, onions and parsley into the cornbread. Add the broth, a half cup at a time and stir. You don't want this to be mushy, but wet enough that it sticks together. Taste it so that you can salt and pepper to taste. Pack it into a greased pan, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and let bake another 5-10 minutes if you like a little crunch on top. If you are making this ahead of time and putting it into the oven cold, allow an extra ten minutes of cooking time. By the way, if you already have a favorite cornbread recipe, by all means, don't use Jiffy. Also, if you have a cornbread recipe that doesn't call for flour, this recipe would be gluten free.

There you go. Super easy and only a few ingredients. We love this recipe and it has earned it's place next to my mom's Stove Top. I don't have any photos of this lovely finished stuffing, but it is so pretty on your table. This photo is from one of our infamous family game nights, I'm hoping that we can get together for one on Saturday night. Enjoy your weekend!

Thanksgiving Part Three

So your turkey is under control, now let's talk about your side dishes. Everyone has family favorites, dishes that they must have on their Thanksgiving dinner table. In my family, it is Stove Top stuffing. For real. It's what my mom always makes. For a few years I've made cornbread stuffing from scratch and it's now become one of those must haves. Watch for that recipe tomorrow. Today we're talking about shortcuts that can add some sass to your table. Here are a few for you to consider:

Cranberry Sauce - Buy two cans of whole berry sauce, stir in the grated zest (shiny part of the peel) of one orange and a teaspoon of vanilla. Chill overnight for a sassier sauce.

Corn - Cook your canned or frozen corn as usual, but just before serving toss in a couple of strips of crumbled bacon and a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley. Salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet potatoes - Open and drain two large cans of Bruce's Yams. Add 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 c. brown sugar, an egg and a splash of milk. Beat together until smooth and spread in a casserole dish and either top with a little butter, chopped pecans and a sprinkle of brown sugar or marshmallows. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Carrots - Rinse a couple of bags of fresh baby carrots, then place in a glass bowl covered with plastic wrap and steam for 4 minutes or so. In a coffee mug, melt 3 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar (in the microwave too). Pour over the steamed carrots add salt and pepper to taste and toss together.

You can think of some simple additions or ways to sassy up a recipe with your own creative spin. Don't forget about the power of color. A sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley makes any side dish prettier, and makes me feel better if I'm serving something straight out of the box. As far as your Thanksgiving desserts go, you have other shortcuts that can help you make a splash.

Pies - Homemade pies can be intimidating. Feel free to buy pie crust in a roll, or a ready made one (but put it in your own pan before baking) and try a new filling recipe. I guess that is what you call Semi-Homemade. Try something with a lattice top, just for the fun of it.

Cake - You aren't going to believe me here, but did you know that all you need to add to a cake mix to bake it is a can of pop? Diet or regular, any flavor. No eggs, oil or anything else. Just beat it with a mixer as you usually would. The result is a softer, moister cake that still serves well from a pan but doesn't do well for cupcakes. Great if you run out of eggs, for dieters, or people with egg allergies (if the cake mix is clear). Try a spice cake mix with root beer, devil's food cake mix with black cherry or vanilla cake mix with orange.

Have fun as you continue to plan your Thanksgiving dinner. One week from today...

Thanksgiving - Talking Turkey

If you haven't read my last post about simplifying your Thanksgiving, please do. Before we talk about how we are going to roast a turkey, let's chat about choosing the right one for you. As far as a whole turkey goes, anything under 20 lbs. isn't worth my while. Maybe it's coming from a big family, but if I am going to take the time and roast a turkey, why not take a little extra time and make it a big one. Even if you are only hosting a few people, the leftovers are great. The next point to consider is whether you (gasp) need to cook a whole turkey at all. If my mother-in-law will be at Thanksgiving dinner, I cook a whole turkey. If she isn't, then we have whole turkey breasts. I purchase several of them and roast them exactly the same way as a whole turkey. These wouldn't be the pressed and rolled boneless turkey roasts, but whole turkey breasts. Big difference there. We end up with only the white meat that my family prefers, and it is a much quicker process. This year we will have one whole turkey and one whole turkey breast.

When cooking a whole turkey or breast, always follow the package instructions regarding temperature and roasting time based on the weight. I generally err on the side of cooking it longer. I do use a meat thermometer to check to make sure it is done, you can click HERE to see how to check using one. Safety first, no matter how you are going to be preparing your bird.

Because we are going to roast our turkey on Wednesday, thawing time of a frozen turkey has to be considered a day earlier because you need it to be completely thawed in time. Wednesday morning, as early as I feel like it, the turkey gets rinsed, the neck and bag of giblets get removed (and tossed!), and patted dry. Make sure that you've prepared by having a huge foil roasting pan, big enough for your turkey and a rack of some sort, to lift the turkey off the bottom of the pan just a bit. You can buy one at the Dollar Tree, or even turn over a muffin pan and place it on that. For the last few years, I've used an electric roaster on my counter top so that my oven is free for baking. It can hold a big turkey, and you set the temperature just like an oven.

Now to season the turkey. It is all cleaned out, patted dry and ready to go, right? Give it a quick check to make sure that there aren't any pokey bits of feather left in the skin. That can happen sometimes, just pull them out. Here is what you'll need to season your turkey:

1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 c. chopped parsley leaves (no stems please)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 whole onion (skins too)
1 large carrot
2 stalks celery
Vegetable or olive oil

Mix the butter, parsley, garlic and pepper together. Coarsely chop the veggies and place them in the cavity of your turkey. Add the parsley stems too. This part is messy but worth it. Without removing any skin, place as much of the herbed butter under the skin of the breast and thighs of the turkey as you can. If there is any left, spread it on the turkey. Then put some oil in your hands and rub the whole turkey to coat. Then sprinkle with more pepper. I don't baste, but you can if you want to. Check your turkey several times during roasting, just to make sure that the breast isn't getting too brown too fast. If it does, take a sheet of foil and make a little tent just to set on top. That should keep it from getting over done. If you know for sure that your turkey is done and it's Wednesday, take your turkey out. Cover it with foil and set it aside for an hour to an hour and a half. That is going to give it time to cool sufficiently for you to be able to carve it easily, but it is also going to give it time for every bit of natural juice to absorb back into the meat, giving you a really juicy turkey. Toss the veggies from the cavity but reserve the drippings in the pan for later.

I use another foil pan at this point. When carving the turkey the day before, be careful to save as much skin in one piece as possible. Set that aside to place on top before you seal the pan with foil. As you are carving, start the white meat on one side and dark on the other of the pan, it's easier that way, I usually leave the legs and wings whole, and they go on top of the carved meat. Once you've carved everything, take some of the drippings from the pan and pour on top. If you aren't sure about this whole "reheating the turkey" thing and fear that it will be too dry, feel free to pour some low sodium chicken broth over too. Place the skin on top, then seal well with foil and pop in the fridge. Clean up your kitchen and you are one really big step closer to a very fun and relaxing Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving Part One

Hello Blog, I'm sorry that it's been a while. This has been a month of personal struggles and the bright invitation to go back to work. Just one day a week, two classes of really fun kids. I had almost forgotten how much I love teaching kids to cook. It's great to be back.

Tonight, at coffee with some of my girlfriends, the subject of Thanksgiving dinner preparations came up and one suggested that I blog a little about the subject. Thankfully, my wise mother made sure that I knew how to cook a turkey before I left her home. What a huge favor that was. My first Thanksgiving dinner that I cooked completely on my own was the third after my husband and I were married. He was deployed with the USMC for the two before that, so by the time I could make him a Thanksgiving dinner it was a really big deal. Dinner that year would be for myself, my husband, our oldest daughter and one of our very good USMC friends. Needless to say, I did all of the cooking, serving and clean up myself. It was a lot of work. Almost too much for me to really enjoy myself. Over the years I felt the need for Thanksgiving to become a more simple affair. Martha wouldn't approve of my methods but my reward is the calmness of the day. I get to watch the parade with my kids, serve dinner from an almost clean kitchen and enjoy the rest of the day without much effort. Sometimes, you just have to be given permission to shake things up and simplify your life. You can so do this.

The reason my kitchen is mostly clean on Thanksgiving day is due to the fact that nothing is actually cooked on the holiday, only reheated. Including the turkey. Shocking, right? I haven't cooked a turkey on Thanksgiving day in at least ten years and I don't plan on ever doing it again. Tomorrow I will tell you why your turkey turns out better for having cooked it the previous day. By next Wednesday evening, there will be a stack of foil roasting pans in our fridge of various sizes, all ready to be popped in the oven for dinner. We use Chinet platters for dinner, but with real flatware. You see, I want to watch football too. Scraping and washing dishes isn't how I want to spend the holiday. I purchase an extra box of plastic storage bags to send leftovers home with guests, or to store them myself, then the foil pans are trashed too. Dinner is always wonderful but in a more relaxed atmosphere because most of the work is done.

Over the next couple of days I will walk you through the basics of roasting a turkey and share some of my favorite recipes. Remember why we celebrate this holiday. If you need the fuss and rush, carry on, but if you are looking for a change, stay tuned. This is going to be fun.