Crockpot Yum

I have been on the Prism diet for a little bit, and have lost a little. This soup makes it much easier to do. And this soup is down right yummy! For 250 calories per cup, and I am full with 1 1/2 cups. No pictures this time, or the last time, but I will try the next time. 4 frozen chicken breasts 2 jars picante sauce 12 oz (I used medium spice.) 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed 2 cans corn drained 1 brick cream cheese 1/3 less fat Layer in a crock pot, cook on high until chicken is done, or at least six hours. Take out chicken breasts and shred with a fork. Place chicken back into pot, and stir in cream cheese. Cook another 30 minutes. Serve hot. My hubby like it with tortilla chips, as does my 15 year old son. He will eat four cups if I would let him. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Desserts

Yes, I am very aware of the date...and the lack of posting.  But, I promised these recipes from Thanksgiving, so:


Crock Pot Morning Casserole
1 - 32 oz bag frozen has brown potatoes
1 lb. of bacon diced, cooked and drained
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper diced
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
1 dozen eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Place a layer of the potatoes on the bottom, followed by bacon, then onions, pepper, and cheese.  Repeat and end with cheese.  Beat the eggs, milk and salt and pepper together. Pour over the layers, and cover turn on low.  Cook for 10 hours.

***I liked the convenience of this recipe (found on Pinterest).  I will say it is bland, very bland.  I used red bell pepper, and in the future I will use sausage for more flavor.

 Layers before cheese.

 Everything in, and ready to cook.

I said this earlier, I liked this, but it needed more uumph.

I will add dried mustard (like in regular breakfast casseroles), and sausage.

No Bake Cookies (pinterest)

2 cups sugar

1 stick butter (unsalted)

3 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups oatmeal (old fashioned rolled oats, not instant)

Mix the sugar, butter, cocoa, and milk in a medium saucepan.  Bring to boil, and boil for 1 minute.  Add the peanut butter, and vanilla.  Mix quickly until peanut butter melts, then add oatmeal and mix until blended.

Drop by spoonfuls on tin foil (I used parchment), and allow to set and cool completely.

Depending on the drop size, will make 2 to 3 dozens cookies.

 These are highly addictive, and yummy.

Sensational Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

(My mother's recipe)

4 oz of cream cheese, soften

1 T milk

1 T sugar

1 1/2 cups thawed cool whip topping

1 Keebler Ready crust  (this was the recipe. We ended up making a GF pie crust from Red Mill all purpose, and butter - pre bake.)

1 cup milk 

2 pkg 14 oz jello vanilla instant pudding

1 can pumpkin (16 oz)

1 t ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves (I used pumpkin pie spice - it was nice)

Mix cream cheese, milk and sugar in a large bowl until smooth.  Gently stir in whipped topping.  Spread on bottom of crust. Pour 1 cup milk into bowl.  Add pudding mix. Beat with whisk until well blended (mixture should be thick).  Stir in pumpkin, and spices and mix well.  Spread over cream cheese layer.  Refrigerate a least 3 hours to set. Garnish with additional whipped cream and nuts if desired.

Forgot to take pictures of the process (and I had a helper), but as you can see, 

the crust turned out nice.  It was a yummy, different pie for Thanksgiving.

Slush (this has many different names, but this is what my Mom called it)

1 cup flour (once again, Red Mill All Purpose)

1 stick butter (unsalted)

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted

1 8 oz cool whip

2 packages chocolate pudding (you can use any flavor here, but my favorite is chocolate)

2 cups milk

Pecans, and shaved chocolate for topping

9x9 pan - melt butter in pan in a 350 degree oven.  Once melted, add flour and nuts.  Pressed down, carefully, to make the crust.  Bake until golden brown (about 15 minutes).  Cool.

Beat cream cheese with sugar until creamy.  Fold in cool whip.  Spread on the cooled crust.  Mixed pudding and milk (should thicken), pour over cream cheese.  Spread remaining cool whip on top.  Sprinkle with extra pecans and chocolate shavings if you have them.

Once again, no photo's of the process, but this is as yummy as this looks.

Always, a favorite of mine, and crust turned out just as yummy.

I will say, that with the GF flour, you may want to use 3/4 cup instead of a full cup.  

It was a little doughy for me, but everyone loved it.

So, there you finally have them.  Sorry about the delay, too many things going on, as you are aware.

Enjoy!!

Love,

Jerry Ann

Answers...

I have been praying for answers for a long time now. I think we all do, in all aspects of our lives. I have been diagnoised with Lupus in May of 2008. Lots of steps in that direction, and more confusion. Yesterday I was diagnoised with Sjogrens Syndrome, and Raynauds. My new doctor is wonderful and ended my session with "you are weird." Really? I have known that for a long while. I start Methotrexate tomorrow, and I am terrified. Terrified of what it will do to my body, and terrified what this disease has already done to my body and mind. I am positive to everyone, the majority of the time. God has provided me with a tremendous peace, and I do my best to portray God's peace. It is so hard. Hard. I so want to scream, and kick, to be mad at God. Today, I had a precious friend call just to check on me. She cried when she heard what I am going through. I was strong with that conversation, but the moment I hung up, I cried. Terrified once again. I believe that I am saved by grace, and will be healed completely. There are moments of doubt when I try to control, but I come back to rejoicing in the Lord. Always. Phil. 4:4. Answers are only the beginning. Blessings. Jerry Ann

Smells Continued...

Okay...

Mine is cinnamon rolls baking on Christmas morning.  Mom never hand made them, so I don't have to make them.  I do buy the yeast kind to bake. They rise up so very yummy, and then the icing. Perfect for Christmas morning.

As a parent coffee is more important these days, but oh, that cinnamon.

Blessings.
Jerry Ann

Smells

What is your favorite smell or smells at Christmas time?

I have many...but that will be a later post.

Trying to post more...try to keep up.  ha.

Happy Tuesday.

Jerry Ann

Thanksgiving Thoughts and Recipes

Wow...it has been forever...I am so sorry.

Lots of wonderful things were cooked for Thanksgiving, but the main reason for the holiday for us is family.  Whether or not you are truly family doesn't matter.  Just grateful for friends, family of friends, and my precious family.

Carmen was home all week from Auburn, and Tori was here from Spring Hill.  Stephen was at school until Tuesday, and spent the night with a friend.  So he finally made it home on Wednesday evening.

I am still trying to eat healthy, and so far lost 9 pounds.  Healthier foods have been key in this life style change, and we reflected it at Thanksgiving as well.  Carmen actually complained when I told her that I wasn't making my Dad's oyster dressing.  So, I ended up making it, and it turned out just like his.  I have tried in years past, but has not turn out right.

This year it was perfect.  We made tons of gluten-free items for Tori, and what we made, the rest of the family enjoyed without realizing the difference.

 Top Right: cranberry sauce (out of can), pink stuff, pickled okra, olives, 

mashed potatoes, turkey, gluten-free dressing.

Top Left: Giblet gravy, green bean bundles, oyster dressing, carrots and parsnips.

It was really good, for us anyway.  

Pink Stuff:

1 cup small curd cottage cheese

1 small cool whip (lite)

1 small can fruit cocktail (in water or light syrup)

1 can mandarin oranges

1 can pineapple tidbits

1 regular package sugar free jello - I used raspberry flavored.

Drain fruit, pat dry if needed.  Mix jello with cottage cheese, fold in cool whip.  Fold in fruit, and chill for at least one hour.  

Carrots and Parsnips:

Peel and cross cut carrots (large bag), and parsnips (there were 4 med-large).  Try to make as even in size as possible.  Toss in 1 tablespoon of olive oil with leaves from 4 thyme, add salt and pepper to taste.  I roasted on the top rake while the turkey was finishing for 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees.  Serve hot.

Green Bean Bundles:

2 pounds of whole green beans.  Boil in salt water for 4 to 5 minutes.  Pull out, and place in separate bowl with ice (to stop cooking).  Cut center cut bacon in thirds (not cooked).  Take 5 to 6 green beans and place in the center of a single slice (1/3) of bacon.  Roll (stretch if needed), and place seam side down in casserole dish.  Repeat until all green beans are rolled and placed in dish.  Add 1 1/2 cups of beef broth to bottom of dish.  Sprinkle the top with brown sugar (1 tablespoon - to 2 tablespoons), and pepper.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until beans are fork tender.

Oyster Dressing:

Saute 2 yellow onions, and one full stalk of celery (with the leaves for more flavor) in some olive oil.  Add salt and pepper, and cook until translucent.  Add parsley (about 1/2 cup), and stir.  3 days before cooking, bake cornbread (I used Jiffy corn muffin mix), and biscuits (1 sheet pan - side by side).  Leave out to dry out (cover with tea towel if needed).  Crumble into mixing bowl, add onions and celery.  Mix well.  Add dry sage to taste (we use a lot), and more salt and pepper if needed.  Chop 2 pints of oysters (drain), and add to bread mix.  Use broth from neck, and onion tops.  I also used some chicken broth until soaked into the bread. stir until thoroughly mixed. Spread into casserole dish and bake until top is brown and crusty.  

Tori's Stuffing:

Tori's mom sent her a care package to our house with some yummy jams, jellies and croutons for dressing that was gluten-free.  I did the same thing with hers as I did the oyster dressing without the cornbread, biscuits or oysters.  She really enjoyed it, as did David (apparently he doesn't like oyster dressing).  

Sorry to say that I only took pictures of the crock pot breakfast casserole and desserts which I will post later this weekend.

I hope your Thanksgiving was as enjoyable as ours.

Blessings, 

Jerry Ann

Memory Verse #19

I know...I am way behind...but...and, I have borrowed from Beth...

“I continually look to the Lord for help, for He will free my feet from the enemy’s net.” Psalm 25:15 The NET Bible


Have a good week.
Blessings, 
Jerry Ann