Food For Thought

Reindeer cookies...

Ingredients
1/2  cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4  cup peanut butter
1/3  cup granulated sugar
1/3  cup packed light brown sugar
1  large egg
1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1- 1/2  cups all-purpose flour
1  teaspoon baking soda
1/2  teaspoon salt
48  large red M&M candies
96  mini semisweet chocolate chips
Pretzels, broken into 96 1-inch pieces

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375¿F and place rack in center. Grease two baking sheets. In a large mixer bowl beat together butter, peanut butter and sugars on medium speed until light, about 2 minutes. Add egg and extract; beat until combined. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt until a dough forms. Roll into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.

2. Bake, one sheet at a time, until just set and bottoms are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. For each cookie, immediately place 1 M&M in center for nose, 2 chocolate chips for eyes and 2 pretzel pieces on top for antlers. Transfer cookies on sheets to a wire rack and let cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, in single layers separated by waxed paper, up to 2 days.)

Nutrition facts per serving:
calories: 80
total fat: 4.5g
saturated fat: 2g
cholesterol: 10mg
sodium: 101mg
carbohydrate: 9g
fiber: 0g
protein: 1g

Makes 48 cookies

Starting The Diet....

After doing tons of research on what the best diet would be for one to lose...oh say 100 pounds or more.. I've decided to go back on the Glucose Revolution.  It worked before... when I was doing the infertility diet.  And it certainly worked when I had gestational diabetes. (I lost about 50 pounds during pregnancy.. and gained it all back).  What can I say.. I have an awful metabolism. 

So I found this website that has nutritional values including GI index for just about any ingredient or food you can think of.  I'm hoping I can find another resource that will teach me how to figure out the GI value for the combined ingredients so I can actually create recipes.  EEK. kinda exciting.

Thanksgiving Turkey...

I don't understand the whole brining process. I mean I totally GET that it's the "in" thing to do to your bird, but in all honesty, if our turkey were any more juicy and tender it would have been soup. 

This is what I do to my turkey :)

I make a "butter" out of the following:

1 stick of butter
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon season salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (I used bells)
1 teaspoon dried parsley

I sprinkle a tablespoon of Tony's Creole seasoning all over the turkey.. inside and out.  (or 2 if it's a large bird).

Loosen the skin on top of the breast, and put 1/4 of butter mixture under the skin.  I usually load the butter, cover over with skin, then massage the butter around under the skin.   Rub the remaining butter all over the turkey. 

Stuff the bird if you wish.. (we used a cornbread stuffing)

Insert digital oven thermometer into breast.  When you hit bone, back out 1". 

Cover with foil and bake in an oven at 350 degrees until the temp reaches 160.

Remove foil and continue baking until the temp reaches 170-175.  Make sure the internal temp of the stuffing is at least 165. 

Remove from oven, let sit for 20 minutes. Carve. 

(I wish I'd taken a picture of the turkey yesterday, but there was too much running around going on)

Tips: 

• Once I put the turkey into the oven, I didn't open the door except to take the foil off. Opening the door just prolongs cooking time and that will dry the meat.
• no need to baste.  Seriously it's a waste of time and again, opening the door will add cooking time and THAT will dry the bird.
• Some say stuffing will draw liquid from the meat.  Use extra broth in your stuffing and you won't have this problem.
• Use a digital probe thermometer instead of the pop up thing that comes with the turkey, but don't take the pop-up out, it'll leave a hole where juices can escape.

Pumpkin Pies are in the Oven...

I'm doing the entire Thanksgiving dinner this year.  It's certainly not the first time, but it is the first time since having the girls.  Let me tell ya, having TWO 2 year old girls hanging off your legs while trying to do food prep is no fun.  LOL

I'm doing Libby's Pumpkin Pie recipe.  It's about the best pumpkin pie I've ever had and it's definitely easy... and this year I'm ALL about "easy".

Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:
MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream..

I don't know why people don't make their own ice cream.  Seriously, it's easy and you can make just about any flavor you can find in a grocery store without the additives.   

I'm making this one for my twins birthday party tomorrow...  Found on my favorite recipe website... www.allrecipes.com

Strawberry Ice Cream

Submitted by: Christy J. Rated: 4 out of 5 by 7 members

Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Ready In: 1 Hour 40 Minutes Yields: 6 servings

"This vibrant frozen dessert offers fresh berry flavor at its best."

INGREDIENTS:

1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided

3/4 cup white sugar 3 egg yolks 3 tablespoons light corn syrup

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Place the berries into the container of a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. Pour into a large bowl, and set aside.
2.	Heat 1 1/4 cups of the cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble at the edge of the pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, remaining 1/4 cup cream, and corn syrup. Gradually pour the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan, and heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon, about 5 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Strain custard into the berry puree through a sieve, mix, and refrigerate until chilled.
3.	Fill an ice cream maker with the mixture, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Red and Green Pasta Salad

Red and Green Tortellini Salad

1 package frozen tortellini
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups frozen, thawed, French-cut green beans (I leave these out because I don't like raw green beans)
1 large tomato, chopped (I used grape tomatoes)
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (I used green)
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain well. Return to pot.
2. Stir in vinegar, oil, and all remaining ingredients. Mix well. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve immediately on assorted lettuce leaves or refrigerate and serve chilled.

(adapted from 365 Easy One-Dish Meals by Natalie Haughton)

Meatloaf-a-licious!!

This is what happens when I run out of just about everything needed for a recipe.  LOL

I had no onion soup mix, so I made my own.
I had no milk, so I improvised... I mean sour cream is white and is sorta like milk, right? 

1.5 pounds ground beef
1 egg
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
8 teaspoons dried onion flakes
4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon season salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Mix it all up until well blended...  and press into a loaf pan that's been sprayed with Pam (I used the olive oil variety.  Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 45 minutes, take foil off and bake another 20 minutes or until the center reaches 170 degrees. 

I served it with frozen green beans and scalloped potatoes ala Betty Crocker.

What to do with Leftover Candy Corn..

These turkey cookies from the Boxtop for Education website are adorable!!

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® Create ' n Bake™ refrigerated sugar cookies or
1 package (18 oz) Pillsbury® Ready To Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies
1 container (16 oz) chocolate creamy frosting
Candy corn
Orange decorating icing
Black decorating gel
Miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies as directed on roll or package. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.

2. Spoon chocolate frosting into resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut small hole in bottom corner of bag. On each cookie, pipe frosting on outer edge of half of cookie. Arrange candy corn over frosting for feathers.

3. Pipe orange icing onto each cookie to resemble turkey face and feet. Use orange icing to attach baking bits to turkey face for eyes. Pipe black gel on baking bits for centers of eyes.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

1 Serving: Calories 250 (Calories from Fat 110); Total Fat 12g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 3 1/2g); Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 170mg; Total Carbohydrate 33g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 24g); Protein 1g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 6% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.