Graham Cracker House

The last several years, we have made Christmas cookies on Thanksgiving week with some friends from Ed's job. This year we decided to try making gingerbread houses using graham crackers! The children loved it! And I'm sure that we'll be doing it again! But I was very glad that I wasn't the only adult! Four adults to five young children was just about right!

If you'd like to try it...here is what you need...

graham crackers - you need 7 crackers per house but plan for extras for breakage!
royal icing (recipe below)
cereal, pretzels, sprinkles, and candy for decorations

Royal Icing

1/4 cup butter
2 egg whites 
1 tsp vanilla 
1/4 cream tartar 
1-2 tsp milk 
4 cup 10x sugar 
Beat well. Add more sugar if needed. We placed the icing in a small bag and snipped off a corner to pipe onto the house.  

First we cut points on two crackers for the ends of the house, to hold the roof.
Then, using icing as glue, we attached the floor, sides and ends of the house, making a box. We allowed this to harden slightly before attaching the roof. Setting the house outside in the cold seemed to speed the process.
While we waited,  we spread icing on two crackers for the roof and the children attached Cinnamonn Toast Crunch for shingles.
Then we attached the roof pieces to the house and again let it harden.
Then the real fun begins! Decorate the house however creativity and imagination dictates!

What to do with Leftover Turkey!

As promised, here is our favorite ways to use up all those turkey leftovers! 

All these recipes are favorites at our house. I usually put turkey leftovers in pint boxes for use in these recipes. When I my leftovers are gone, it is time to roast another turkey!

You'll notice most of these recipes are originally for chicken, but I find that roasting a large turkey is much cheaper and simpler way to prepare these recipes! Having cooked chopped turkey in the freezer is my life line to fast home cooked meals! I usually only buy chicken for grilling or for recipe that I want whole chicken breasts.

Chicken and Biscuits

2 cup cooked, chopped chicken (or turkey)
1 cup frozen or cooked vegetables (corn, peas, carrots)
Place chicken and vegetables in 2 qt casserole
3 T butter
3 T flour
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 c water
Melt butter in pan, add flour, salt and pepper. Stir to blend, lightly brown. Add water. Stir and simmer a few minutes. Pour gravy over chicken and veggies.

Topping:
1 1/2 cup flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles course meal. Combine egg and milk. Stir into flour mixture. Drop by spoon-full over chicken and vegetables.
Bake 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe brings back memories of a former life as a traveling single when I'd beg Rachel to make this! And she usually complied!

2 T butter
2 chopped onions
2 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chilies (drained)
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, cut up
3-4 cup cooked cubed chicken (or turkey)
16 (8 inch) tortillas
2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup milk or cream

Melt butter in skillet, saute onion for 5 minutes. Add chilies, saute 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese, add chicken. Cook, stirring constantly until the cream cheese melts. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of mixture in center of tortilla, roll and place, seam side down, in a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with cheese. Drizzle with milk. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Chicken Lasagna

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cup sour cream
2-3 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
Combine all of above. ( I use a large batch of homemade cream soup.)
12 lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded cheese
Parmesan cheese

In greased 9x13 pan, layer noodles, soup mixture and cheeses. Repeat for three layers. Bake at 350 for 1 hour, covered.

Favorite Chicken Casserole

8 oz seasoned bread cubes
1 stick butter
1 cup broth
Mix together lightly. Place half of mix in a 9x13 greased pan.
2-3 cup cooked chopped chicken
1/2 cup chopped celery
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup cooked chopped vegetables (brocolli, beans, carrots, etc)
Mix. and place over bread. Top with remaining bread.
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
Beat eggs and milk. Pour over casserole. Cover with foil and refrigerate over night. (May also freeze.)
1 can cream of chicken soup
Spread soup over top of casserole. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes, uncovered. Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheese and return to oven for 10 minutes.

Chicken-etti

1 lb spaghetti, cooked
3-4 cup diced cooked chicken
2 can mushroom soup (or large batch of homemade soup)
2 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 diced onion
3/4 cup cheese
Mix all together. Place in 9x13 baking dish. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Chicken Rice Soup

Comfort food at it's best! And a recipe from one of my favorite Titus 2 ladies - Priscilla. Besides my mom and mother-in-law, Priscilla is the lady I most want to be like "when I grow up"!

3 quarts chicken broth
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced onion
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 pint corn
1 cup brown rice
seasoning as desired (I use salt, parsley and thyme)

Place in large kettle. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
(May also be made in crock pot.)

Southwestern Chicken Soup

1 quart broth
3 cup cooked chopped chicken
2 cup corn
1 quart tomato juice
1 pint diced tomatoes
1 chopped onion
2 chopped garlic cloves (optional)
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 cup brown rice

Combine in slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours. (Or simmer on stove for 1 hour)

Chicken and Dumplings

I love quick one-pot meals!

4 cup broth
2 cup diced cooked chicken
1 can cream celery soup (or homemade soup)
vegetables as desired (peas, corn, carrots, etc)
Mix together in large pot or dutch oven. Bring to boil
3 1/2 cup baking mix (like Bisquik)
2/3 cup water
herbs (like parsley) if desired

Mix baking mix, water, and herbs. Drop dough by spoonfulls into slowly boiling pot. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer.
You could also use your favorite biscuit recipe for the dumplings.

Turkey Quesadillas

Fast, easy, and so good!

4 (10 inch) tortillas
1 cup refried beans (optional)
1 cup shredded cheese - cheddar or Monterrey Jack
1/3 cup salsa
1 cup diced cooked turkey
olives, peppers or any other desired ingredients

Place two tortillas on baking sheet. Spread with refried beans. Mix cheese, salsa, turkey and any other ingredients together. Spread on tortillas. Top with second tortilla. Press firmly. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Cut in 6 to 8 wedges. Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

Chicken, Broccoli, Rice Casserole

1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced onion
1/3 cup butter
Saute vegetables in butter.
1 1/2 heads broccoli, chopped
1 cup rice
1 cup cheese
1 can cream soup
2 cups water
2-3 cups cooked chopped chicken
Mix all together. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Freeze Ahead Turkey Pot Pies

This is adapted from my mother-in-laws recipe, and probably the reason my husband loves turkey pie so much! She would make the small individual size pies. She didn't make a bottom crust for the pie, only spreading pastry over the top of the pies. Great memories were made by the boys of surviving on pie when mom and dad were away!

Pastry for 6 or more pies
12 cups cooked diced turkey
6 cup diced potatoes
4 cup corn
3 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup butter
1 medium onion
1 cup diced celery (optional)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp pepper
5 tsp salt
3 cup milk
5 cup broth

Cook potatoes and carrots until tender. Saute onion and celery in butter. Stir in flour, pepper, and salt. Gradually add milk and broth. Stir until thickened. Stir in potatoes, carrots, corn and turkey. Pour into prepared pie crusts. Top with crust. Cut steam vents. Crimp edges. Wrap securely and freeze. Makes 6-7 pies. Bake 375 degrees for 1 1/2 hour (or less)

For a smaller recipe for making turkey pie, go here!

More turkey ideas:
Curry in a Hurry - mentioned in my cream soup recipe
Turkey Salad - Mix chopped turkey with mayonnaise and pickle relish
Turkey and Filling - posted with the filling recipe
Turkey Melts - Spread bread (hopefully something crusty and homemade) with mayo or mustard, layer slices of turkey and some Provolone cheese, toast under broiler

And one more recipe from a reader!

Turkey Croquettes - Joanna

2 T. butter
2 1/2 T. flour
1 cup milk
2 cups minced cooked turkey
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 T. minced parsley or celery
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup dried bread crumbs

Make a white sauce of the butter, flour and milk. Add the finely chopped turkey and seasonings.
Cool thoroughly and then shape into croquettes (approx. 1/4-1/3 cup each).
Dip in crumbs, then beaten eggs and again into crumbs. (This part is messy, but you could freeze before doing this step to eliminate that, and then let thaw before baking.)
Fry in oil for 3-5 minutes.  I prefer baking them at 400* for 25-30 min. Serves 6. 

Well, hope you understand a little why I love leftover turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you enjoy Thanksgiving with your family!

Do you have any favorite family traditions? On our first Thanksgiving, Ed and I took a blank notebook and started a "Thanksgiving Journal". The goal was to jot down things we were thankful for, not only at Thanksgiving but any time of year. Well, I just pulled it out, and by the number of pages that are filled, we aren't a very thankful people! At this rate, this one book should last us through 50 years of marriage! But it has been written in at least once a year and hopefully as our children grow older, they can add to it as well.

Here is one excerpt from our journal, with a little editing, written about a year and a half ago, when our children were newborn, 1 1/2 and just turned 3.

"I am a wealthy woman.

No. Not the kind of wealth found in Hollywood or Fortune 500. In fact, to be honest, my life rarely feels like a millionaires! I'd more aptly describe my life as a circus juggler - who is dropping his balls! Keeping up with three children, three and under, can make me feel as if I'll lose my sanity before forty! Cleaning house seems like a completely hopeless task and errand running is highly complicated! When nap time arrives, I'm just relieved to stop answering question, breaking up fights, and balancing children's needs - to wash the dishes without slopping water and use the bathroom in peace!

But in all of the wildness - I'll still say "I'm a wealthy woman!" I wouldn't trade places with anyone in the world! I get to cuddle up with a precious newborn...Snuggle with the toddlers while reading a book...Stay up late talking with my husband and best friend (who I still haven't run out of conversation even after five years!)...Take care of the wonderful home God has given us. My life is rich in those things that really matter - like Love, Joy, and Peace - the things only God can give."

What I found interesting, as I flip through the pages of our journal, is that we seemed to have written more often on the difficult days then the sunny happy ones! Why is it that hard times drive us to remember what we have been given from God?

This past week, I was at the lady's detention center Bible study. Going in, I was thinking of those dear ladies, most of them mothers, who were going to be separated from their families over the holidays. Yes, I know that it is through mistakes they have made or sins they've committed, but I still couldn't help but be discouraged for them. If I was in their shoes, could I find something for which to be thankful?

Our discussion that night centered on forgiveness and as we read verses about God's love and provision of salvation, I was encouraged. These are women who, like us, are claiming God's gift of His Son. Though they have little else that we may call important in life, they truly have the only thing necessary to be thankful!

I have been given so much, a loving husband, good health, dear children, abundant food, and comfortable home. But I am challenged to focus less on the material blessings this Thanksgiving, which can be here today and gone tomorrow, and instead, dwell on the riches of God through Christ Jesus, which never changes.

Turkey Just Got Better!

Last week, I roasted a turkey. I used Crystal's deviled turkey recipe (recipe below) as a guide to make a rub. I didn't set it in the fridge overnight but just roasted it as usual, using the easy slow cook method I mentioned last week.
Here is the turkey, all ready to go in the oven.

The turkey smelled glorious and was HUGE! Almost 25 pounds, which needed 26 hours in the oven! Which means I had to smell that turkey for 26 hours! No wonder when I finally pulled it out of the oven, I tore off strips of turkey, which went straight into my mouth like a ravening beast!
This picture shows the turkey mid way through the roasting time. I took it out to remove some broth. While I was at it, I poured some broth over the turkey, then placed the lid on the pan for the remaining of the oven time. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of the final outcome before we began devouring it!

I don't want to brag but it was the best turkey I've eaten in my life!!! Wonderfully moist and incredibly seasoned! And the gravy made with the broth was good enough to skip the mashed potatoes!

Wow! How I love good food!


Deviled Turkey - Thanks, Crystal

1/2 Teaspoon Salt per pound of turkey (I use much less!)
2 Tablespoons Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Sage
2 teaspoons Curry Powder
2 teaspoons Garlic Power
2 teaspoons Dried Parsley
2 teaspoons Celery seed
1 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1/4 teaspoon Allspice
3 or 4 Bay Leaves, crumbled

Mix all ingredients together. Rub bird well inside and out with vegetable (or Olive) oil. Make pockets with a sharp knife in the breast. Rub dry mixture all over bird. Any mixture left over, rub in cavity. Let set over night in fridge. Roast as usual.

Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

I just made this recipe for the first time and loved how they turned out! I thought it would be a good one to share for Thanksgiving week. The rolls are sweet and light. We prefer some whole wheat flour added. This is another winner recipe found at Tammy's Recipes!

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2 cup warm milk
¼ cup butter, softened or melted
2 cup mashed cooked pumpkin
2 teaspoons salt
10-12 cup all-purpose flour
7 teaspoons dry yeast

In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, water, milk, butter, pumpkin, and salt. Mix well. Add 7-8 cups of the flour, and yeast. Mix, and then continue adding flour and kneading until dough is elastic and not sticky.

Place dough in greased bowl. Roll dough to grease top of dough, cover with a towel, and set in a warm place until doubled (about 1 hour). Punch dough down and divide into thirds.

Shape dough into rolls. I usually roll out the dough and cut with a biscuit cutter. But you can form the rolls by whatever method you choose.

Place on greased baking sheets.
Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes, until tops are golden. Brush with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.
Yield: About 4 dozen rolls - depending on how large of rolls you make. You can easily make half a batch if you'd prefer a smaller amount of dough to work with.

Chicken Pie

This is one of those meals that I know will light up my husband's eyes when he gets home! Chicken pie certainly falls under the comfort food category at our house! I am not a pro at pie crusts and you may use your favorite pastry recipe but I included the one I typically use for chicken pie. This is one of the chicken recipes that I use leftover turkey.

Crust:
2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup milk

Mix flour, salt and baking powder.
Cut in softened butter. Mix in milk. Roll out dough.
Place in two ten inch pie pans. Save some dough for top crusts.

Filling:
2 cup cooked cubed potatoes
4 cup cooked diced chicken (or turkey)
2 cup corn
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix. Place filling in pie crusts.

I added some carrots as well, I like the added color.

Gravy:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup broth
1/2 tsp salt
1 heaping tablespoon flour

Whisk all together. Pour over filling. Place top crust. Crimp the edges.
Since I had more filling and used my deep dish pie pans, I didn't have enough pastry dough for a top crust. Should I mix up more? No, time to get creative. Grab some cookie cutters and we'll have us some hearts...
and stars!
Now one pie for supper and one for the freezer!
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Toasty golden brown and smells delicious!

Baking Day!

We woke up with cool temperatures! Eighteen degrees! I was so glad that I had planned to bake today! Nothing like a cold day to make be glad that I'm a homemaker and get to stay in the warmth and make the house smell yummy!

It is such a time saver to make several recipes, while I'm "in the mess"! Today I made three white bread recipes. I don't usually make white bread, as we greatly prefer whole grain bread. But I wanted to do some experimenting and get some pictures before I posted some new recipes on the Home Joys newsletter and the blog.

Here is the results! Wish I could send the taste and smell to you as well! You just need to come visit! Now I have some bread for the freezer, as well as some to give for gifts this week!

Miracle Bread. As good as it looks! We had to cut into these to have with our soup at lunch!

Country White Bread. Look for this recipe soon!

Pumpkin rolls. These taste wonderful but are a little harder dough to work with. I want to adjust the recipe a little more.