Thanksgiving Dinner Lazy Style

This is the turkey I have cooked for the last 4 or 5 years. It is no nonsense. You take it out of the freezer, put in the pan and cook it. That's it!

The first year I cooked one I didn't quite believe it. I thought I was reading the directions wrong. Why, if this was true, would anyone bake a turkey any other way. Well, it turned out great and has every year since then.


Yes. I also use boxed dressing. I definitely doctor it up with my own herbs and spices, but I start out with this



I love roasted brussel sprouts. I make my family pretend they like them. They are good, eat them. ;)

Yep. Boxed rolls also. Don't tell me you don't like these. Everyone loves the hawaiian sweet rolls.

I will be making the Cheesecake Cake out of this cookbook. The Cake Doctor is my hero. As you can see by the previous items I like to take a basic item and build on it.

I will also be making this Chocolate Pecan Pie via my other baking hero.

Oh! and this too...

...and don't forget the mashed potato's.

I know, I know, a giant carb feast. That's okay we don't mind. I will pile the dirty dishes in the sink and take a nap.

Ciao for now. I have to bake pies today. I am baking an extra pecan pie for a non-baking friend.

Holiday Gifts and Decor

Use any one of these items for table decor or a place setting. When the party is over your guests have a nice gift to take home with them.

Customize a Napkin and Gift Card and include a sample and recipes for Cheese Straws


Wrap up some Chocolate Raisin and Oatmeal Cookie Mix in a pretty tin. Use the "gift tag" as a place card and your gift is ready and waiting for your guest when they are seated.


Some Frosted Glass Candle Holders for table decor and take home gifts.

Monogram Napkin use alone or with earlier mentioned cheese straws.

All images courtesy of BHG.

BBQ Break

I am so very tired of bbq'd this or that. We are having bbq'd steak AGAIN tonight. Yuck!

This looks delish! With fresh corn just down the street this is a no brainer.

This is for tomorrow night.

Fresh Corn-Rice Salad

Ingredients
4 ears fresh corn
1-1/2 cups cooked rice, cooled
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup fresh arugula
1 small red onion, cut in thin wedges
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil

recipe continued here.

Image BHG

Cheesecake To Go

Cheesecake, chocolate, sprinkles, to go!! What could be better than this?

Cheesecake on a Stick
1 cup(s)
(lowfat) milk
11.1 ounce(s)
package no-bake cheesecake , without crust packet
1 cup(s)
(finely crushed) chocolate wafers or sandwich cookies
1 package(s)
(12-oz.) chocolate chips
2 teaspoon(s)
vegetable shortening
(optional) sprinkles, crushed nuts, mini chocolate chips, etc., for garnish

Pour milk into a large bowl. Add cheesecake filling mix and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until thick, about 3 minutes. Stir in crushed wafers. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With moistened hands, roll cheesecake mixture by the tablespoonful into 30 balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Insert a small wooden or lollipop stick into each cheesecake ball; freeze until firm, about 2 to 3 hours.
In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring until smooth. Spread out sprinkles, nuts or any other decorations you like on a sheet of parchment paper.
Remove pops from freezer. Carefully dip each pop into chocolate, turning to coat, then roll it in decorations and return to baking sheet. Freeze at least 2 more hours, or until serving time

Courtesy of Quick and Simple

It's Soup for Dinner!

It's cold. It's wet outside. This sounds REALLY yummy and warming. "What's for dinner?" has been answered. Give it a try and ENJOY!


Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. Marsala wine
1 3/4 lb. cremini mushrooms, brushed clean and thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
7 cups low-sodium chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 country-style loaf, crusts removed, bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 oz. Gruyère cheese, shredded ...

for complete recipe go to Williams-Sonoma...


they also have these great Double Handled Soup Bowls.

Guilty and Not-So Guilty Pleasures

This recipe was on the Biggest Loser show last night. I thought it sounded really good and it's really easy also. Yeah, yeah, make fun of me, but I loooove the Biggest Loser. So there!

Anyway, the chicken sounds good. Enjoy!


Rosemary Skewered Chicken with Orange Glaze

INGREDIENTS

Juice of 3 oranges

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes

6 large sprigs of rosemary about 10 to 12 inches long, with half the leaves removed

METHOD

Preheat a grill or grill pan on medium high heat.
Place the orange juice into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the orange juice has the consistency of a very thin syrup.
Add the Dijon, honey, garlic, and ginger and continue cooking over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from heat to allow flavors to meld and reserve.
Evenly divide the cubed chicken among the rosemary sprigs (only remove half of the rosemary from the sprig) and skewer the chicken onto the exposed part of the rosemary sprigs.
Lightly brush the grill with oil and grill chicken for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F on an instant read thermometer.
Remove skewers from the grill to a serving plate, drizzle with the orange sauce and serve immediately.