Happy New Year

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year!!!!!

Gratituesday: Thankful for leftovers!!

This Tuesday I am grateful for leftovers!

We did Christmas at our house this year and only had the immediate family over, 11 people total. Of course, we cooked to much food as usual. We had a 15lb. ham and a 7lb. turkey breast, plus all the fixings. Here are some ideas for using your leftovers.

Leftover Ham:

Ham and Beans:

I froze the ham bone to use later with beans. Just take some beans and soak in a bowl of water for a day. Cook them on the stove until almost tender. Put ham bone and beans in a crock-pot and cook on low until beans are tender. This should take all day. If using canned beans just add to crock-pot. Use what ever kind of beans you like. I like black beans, kidney beans and black-eyed peas.

Ham, Egg and Cheese Biscuits:

Use your leftover biscuits and ham to make breakfast sandwiches. Just fry an egg, add a slice of cheese, slice of ham on your biscuit and breakfast is done.

Leftover turkey:

Turkey salad:

I pulled all the meat off the turkey breast, which was about 2 cups. Add 1 cup mayo, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/4 tsp. paprika, 2 tbsp. relish, 1/4 tsp. celery seed. Mix all ingredients together. Serve with crackers or those leftover rolls.

Turkey soup:

Use the turkey carcase for soup or broth. Just put the turkey in a large pot of water and add a chopped onion, some celery and carrots. Cook until boiling. Boil 5-7 minutes. Drain your broth and freeze or use to make soup.

Leftover potatoes:

Potato cakes:

2 1/2 cups mashed potatoes, 1 egg, 2 tbsp. chopped onion, 2tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Pour 2 tbsp. olive oil in skillet and saute onions until tender. Meanwhile mix mashed potatoes, egg, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Spoon in saute onions and mix well. Using your hands: shape about 1/2 cup potato mixer into patty and place back in hot oiled skillet. Cook 7-8 mins on each side. Enjoy!

Potato cheese casserole:

Mix 3 cups mashed potatoes with 4oz. softened cream cheese. Spread into small baking dish and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 mins or until cheese is melted. You can substitute your favorite cheese on top. Sprinkle with some fresh chives and enjoy.

The leftovers are almost gone. It has been nice not having to think of what to cook for dinner these last couple of days. Thank you leftovers!!

What to do with all the Christmas Gifts??

The presents have been open and now it's time to find a home for them. I like everything in my house to have a place. If not, then I give it to someone who can use it.

The Snuggie will stay in the living room, the cast iron pans go in the stove, and the new toaster oven on the counter. My old toaster stopped working about a week ago, so that's going in the trash.

This week I plan on going through my house and gathering all the items I don't use and donating it to Christian Outreach. They are a no profit that sells the donated items in a thrift store and takes the money to help needy families.

Goodwill and the Salvation Army are some other places you can donate your things too. Don't forget to get a receipt if you want it for taxes.

I have two boxes in my shed labeled donate and hand-me-downs. Through out the year when I find something I don't use or can't wear I put it in one of the two boxes. My teenage daughter is going through clothes like water running through a river. She has a job and buys most of them, with coupons and sales. So her hand-me-downs go to my 12 year old niece. She loves getting "new" to her clothes every couple of months.

I wish I could donate some of the food we had left over from Christmas. We always cook way to much. If you have every meet my Grandmother, you'll understand. I have a few ideas floating around in my brain on what to do with all the leftovers. More to come on that.

What do you do with all your leftover food from Christmas? Or do you not have leftovers?

MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!

Line Drying even in the Winter

Now that winter is here you might think you have to use your dryer to dry your clothes. Not true! The sun is still shining, most of the days. You just have to schedule your laundry days around the weather.

If you have a wood stove or fire place you can hang your clothes on racks and put beside the fire. It usually takes a load of laundry to dry about 2 hours beside my wood stove. I will rotate the racks so both sides get even drying time. Try putting the racks outside facing the sun. If they are not fully dried by dark bring them in and put over the heater vent.

You can still line dry your clothes outside, just make sure you get them out there in the morning so they will have plenty of time to dry before the sun goes down, at 5pm, yuck! Watch the weather channel and see if it's going to be a sunny day or cloudy. If it's sunny, throw in that load of clothes and head outside.

It takes a little more work to dry your clothes in the winter but it's well worth it when that electric bill comes in the mail. Don't forget your helping the environment too.

One Skillet Meal: Chicken, Rice and Veggies

One skillet meals are the best. They are easy to prepare and easy to clean up. I created this one skillet meal last week and it was delicious so I decided to share it with you.

Ingredients:

2lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast (diced in bite size pieces)
3 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. diced onions
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. sage
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 cups of broccoli
1/2 cup sliced carrots
2 cups rice

Pour your olive oil in a large skillet and the chicken, garlic and onion. Cook on medium heat until chicken is no longer pink. Add remaining ingredients and cook until broccoli and carrots are cooked nice and tender, about 30 minutes. Add in cooked rice. Stir and enjoy.

You can substitute any veggies you like or even add some left over turkey. I used brown rice, the one in the boil-n-bag. Yeah, I know, I took the easy route. That is what this recipe is all about. Easy and simple.