Turkey Pot Pie

Recipe found on allrecipes.com

I have an easy and a hard version of turkey pot pie.  This recipe is the hard one and is not for your impatient baker.  It takes a lot of time to work this recipe up but it's oh so worth it!  You can use the store bought crust if you run out of time but it's so worth it to go the extra mile and just make it from scratch.  I usually only have turkey on hand around Thanksgiving.  Shredded chicken works great as a substitute.


Turkey Pot Pie I


Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Ready In: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
Servings: 8


INGREDIENTS:
1 recipe pastry for a (10 inch) double
crust pie
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 small onion, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, diced
3 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 cubes chicken bouillon
2 cups water
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk


DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll out bottom pie crust, press into a
10 inch pie pan, and set aside.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion, celery,
carrots, parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are
soft. Stir in the bouillon and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the potatoes, and
cook until tender but still firm.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the turkey and
flour. Add the milk, and heat through. Stir the turkey mixture into the vegetable mixture,
and cook until thickened. Cool slightly, then pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Roll
out the top crust, and place on top of filling. Flute edges, and make 4 slits in the top
crust to let out steam.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees
F (175 degrees C), and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown

Apple Betty

Recipe from Better Homes and Garden Cookbook

When I was 12 years old I can remember making this.  I loved it so much I watched my mom one night making it so I could replicate it.  This is from the OLD cookbook.  When I first was married I bought the newer BHG cookbook and a lot of the recipes I grew up on were either gone or altered.  This was one of those recipes that they left out.

Apple Betty

4 cups pared tart apples(Granny Smith)

¼ c. orange juice

1 c. sugar

¾ c. sifted all-purpose flour

½ t. ground cinnamon

¼ t. ground nutmeg

½ c. butter

  

Mound Apples in 9-inch buttered pie plate; sprinkle with OJ.  Combine sugar, flour, spices and salt; cut in butter till mixture is crumbly; sprinkle over apples.  Bake @ 375 degrees for 45 minutes or till apples are tender and topping is crisp.  Serve with warm cream. 

Chicken Ole

Recipe from Tiffany Head

This recipe is also from a friend.  Matt and I ate over at her house and I absolutely loved this meal.  Sometimes at the end I'll throw some tomatoes and shredded lettuce on top.  Do not overcook!!!  Also, if you don't have sour cream on hand plain yogurt works well and I always put in more salsa then what is called for.  Just personal preference.

Chicken Ole

1 cream of mushroom

1 cream of chicken

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons of grated onion

1 ½ cups of grated cheddar cheese

12 flour tortillas  OR  tear up  8-9  gorditas

3 to 4 cups of cubed chicken

7 oz jar of salsa

½ grated cheddar cheese

In a separate bowl mix cans of soup, sour cream, onion and 1 ½ cup of cheese.  place 1/3 of each

place 3^rd of tortillas crockpot, 1/3 of soup mix, 1/3 chicken, 1/3 of salsa…repeat.  Cook on low from 3 to 4 hour.  Original 4 to 5 hours.  Gently stir.  Sprinkle cheese last 15 minutes after cooking.  Serve with tortillas chips and lettuce.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

                                 Photos by Tami N.

Recipe from Amber Bahr

This is a recipe from my friend.  If you need something quick it will work in the oven but I suggest using the crockpot.  The flavor is more pronounced in the slow cooker.  You can play around the with the amount of vinegar.  You can half it and still have a good taste with the sauce.  For the barbecue sauce I love Sweet Baby Ray's. In my opinion it is one of the best barbecue sauces out there and I've tried a lot!  If you are short on time frozen meatballs will work just fine.  Works great as an appetizer too if you don't want to put it over the rice.  One last tidbit, for the onion if you don't have any fresh on hand dried onion bits will work.  If I do this I use about half of what is called for.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 lb ground beef
3/4 c. oatmeal
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
dash pepper
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Form into 2 inch balls.  Place in casserole dish and cover with sauce.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30
minutes.

Sauce for Meatballs

1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. vinegar
2 tsp. prepared mustard
1/2 c. barbecue sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Crockpot.  Roll meatballs, place in Crockpot, pour sauce over.  Cook on
High for 3 hours. Serve with White Rice

Santa Fe Chicken

Recipe found on about.com by Cindy

Simple recipe but the flavors combined are pretty good.  It's nice with a side of tortilla chips.  I've also turned down the crockpot to low.  The cooking time averaged about 6 to 7 hours.  You'll just need to watch it.

Santa Fe Chicken

Cook Time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cans (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 cup bottled thick and chunky salsa, your favorite
• 5 or 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 lbs)
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preparation:

In a 3-1/2- to 5-quart slow cooker, mix together the black beans, corn, and 1/2 cup of the salsa. Top with the chicken breasts, then pour the remaining 1/2 cup salsa over the chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the chicken is tender and white throughout; do not overcook or the chicken will be dry. Sprinkle cheese on top; cover and cook until the cheese melts, about 5 to 15 minutes.
Serves 6.

Turtle Cheesecake

Photos by Carrie S.

Recipe found on verybestbaking.com

When I was in Boise I went to a Chicago Pizza joint in downtown with my sister-in-law.  I was looking over the dessert section and they had this cheesecake decked out with caramel, chocolate, pecans and the kitchen sink practically.  I set out to find a similar cheesecake recipe and this one is pretty amazing.  It looks daunting but is not as complicated as it seems.  For the toppings if you want to make your own caramel sauce and chocolate sauce the more power to you.  For the crust that goes up the sides I use a flat sided measuring cup that has a perfect 90 degree angle on the corner bottom.  I push the graham cracker mixture over from the middle and press the cup up against the sides to have it perfectly even.  Also, this will make it so you won't get your hands all buttery and have your fingers accidentally hit what you've already set for the crust..  The measuring cup is the perfect height of where the crust needs to go up when you push it up against the sides.  I hope this makes sense.  You can also use a cup that has a good 90 degree edge.

Turtle Cheesecake

Prep: 40 mins

Cooking: 70 mins

Cooling: 180 mins

Yields:14 servings

Ingredients
CRUST
1 3/4 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

FILLING
3 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (9 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
2 tablespoons NESTLÉ NESQUIK Chocolate Flavor Syrup
2 tablespoons caramel syrup or ice cream topping
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels

Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Cheesecake

Recipe found from whatscookingamerica.net

I think what I love about this cheesecake is the crust. It's not your typical graham cracker crust but it's awesome! There is included a way to toast and remove the skins. Nutella is a love of mine just don't look at the nutritional info and you'll be fine eating your confection. I think everyone else discovered how great it tastes because the price has skyrocketed in the past 5 years.  The recipe says to cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap.  If you do this be sure to have the cheesecake completely cooled down.  Little water droplets on your cheesecake are not cool.  Also, I have used just bottled lemon juice and it has turned out fine.

Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Cheesecake

Hazelnut Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped*

* Preheat oven to 350° F. In a baking pan toast hazelnuts in one layer in middle of oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly colored and skins are blistered. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel and let steam 1 minute. Rub nuts in towel to remove loose skins; and cool completely.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and position rack in center of oven (too high or too low of rack placement will cause baking problems). Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.

In a food processor, combine flour, brown sugar, butter, and chopped hazelnuts. Add butter; whirl 5 to 10 seconds more. Mix well and press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from oven and cool crust completely on a wire racks. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Filling:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature*
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (Nutella)

* To quickly bring cream cheese to room temperature, place unwrapped package(s) in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 to 45 seconds or until slightly softened. Do not let it melt or get warm. Refrigerate if it does.

NOTE: Use a conventional oven rather than a convection oven in baking your cheesecake. The forced hot air from the convection oven causes too much browning and can often cause the center of the cheesecake to collapse.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese just until smooth. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. NOTE: Do not over beat the mixture. You want to avoid beating air into the mixture. Too much air will make the cheesecake fall. Add lemon juice, beating until just smooth.

In a medium bowl, measure 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese mixture. Gently stir in chocolate-hazelnut spread.

Spoon half of the yellow batter (about 1 1/2 cups) over the baked and cooled Hazelnut Crust. Top with 1/2 of the chocolate-hazelnut batter (about 1 cup). Repeat layering. With a small metal spatula, carefully swirl batter to marble cake (this also helps get rid of any extra air bubbles).

Place cheesecake in center of middle oven rack. Position a baking pan filled halfway with hot water on lower rack. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until edges are light brown and center is almost set. NOTE: There should be no wet spots or liquid areas in the center of the cheesecake. Remember that a cheesecake continues to cook when it is removed from the oven.

Turn oven off. Let cake stand in oven, with door ajar, 30 minutes or until center is completely set. remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Cool cheesecake completely on a wire rack before refrigerating. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours before cutting (the cheesecake will solidify to a perfect consistency during this time).

To serve, slide a small knife around edge of cake to loosen it and remove sides of the springform pan; transfer onto a cake plate. Makes 10 to 12 servings.