Turkey Talk

Okay people, here it is, my hands down favorite (to date!) turkey recipe. I always make my hubby and I a turkey of our very own. We love us some turkey and I like to see what I can make out of the leftovers. I have done turkey many ways, but this recipe provides the most flavorful meat of them all. If you love the flavors of the Southwest, you should absolutely give it a try. Without further ado, here it is, Poblano and Cilantro Roasted Turkey. http://asouthernfairytale.com/2010/11/13/poblano-and-cilantro-roasted-turkey//

Cranberry Salsa

Okay, here it is, the most popular thing I have made so far this holiday season-Cranberry Salsa! I got the recipe from Food Network chef Melissa D'Arabian's show about leftovers.
Here's the link, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/cranberry-salsa-recipe/index.html.

This salsa has a great flavor and is not hot if prepared according to the recipe. You could certainly amp it up with more jalapenos.

This stuff is so good I am planning on making it to give as gifts! So, if you get a jar from me, act surprised!

Thanks, Lisa!

My precious friend Lisa has posted one of my fave recipes on her blog this morning! Here's the link, http://www.blessedwithgrace.net/

I met Lisa and her twin sister Lana in first grade when they joined the church my family attended. The photo is our second grade church choir. Lana & Lisa are the tall girls on the front row and I am on the back row. We became fast friends and remained so through school. We grew up and followed our own paths and then in the summer of '09 when I finally joined Facebook, we reconnected. I have been amazed at how much we still have in common.

Be sure to check out Lana's blog, as well, http://lanarightnow.blogspot.com/. Both of these gals are fabulous cooks and have wonderful recipes. It is hard to believe we used to think cold pizza and canned ravioli were luxe cuisine!

Quilted hugs to Lana & Lisa!

Cornbread Dressing

I thought I would share some of the dishes that I will be making for our holiday gatherings. This is my version of Cornbread Dressing. It is not exact, everything should be to your taste.

Chop 1 large yellow onion, about 1 cup of celery ( I use the leafy ends, as they have more flavor) and 1 large peeled Granny Smith apple. Sweat these in a stick of melted butter in a skillet. Meanwhile, brown some sausage of your choice, I use Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausage, and drain the drippings. In a large bowl combine the onions, celery, apples, and the sausage. I add 1 bag of prepared stuffing mix, Pepperidge Farm or comparable and one 9 x 13 pan of cornbread that I have prepared earlier in the week and crumbled. Stir all this together and add 2 cans of chicken broth. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt, pepper, sage, thyme or other herbs of your choice. I had Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, so I chopped some and added it. When it is to your taste, add 2 eggs and mix thoroughly. Pour into a greased casserole and bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes then uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.

In the rush to get everything and everybody to the table, I didn't get a photo of the baked dressing. However I did get a pic before it was completely gone!

Pumpkin Construction

I hope you enjoy the following slide show of my latest project. Once again one of my super creative friends has inspired me! My friend Mojo made me a set of these wonderful templates and suggested using decorator fabrics for the pumpkins. I kind of went on a "pumpkin bender", as you can see, 11 in one evening! I know, it is totally out of character for me to get consumed by a new project ;) Anyway, thanks so much to Mojo for the templates and the inspiration!

Pecan Pie Muffins

That's right, I said, "Pecan Pie Muffins"! So simple, so delicious, so easy and I bet you have the ingredients in your pantry at this very moment.

Here's the method:

Combine 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1 cup chopped pecans and 1/2 cup flour in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat 2 large eggs until foamy and stir in 1/2 cup melted butter. Add butter and eggs to dry mixture and mix just until combined.

Place foil baking cups in a muffin tin and spray with cooking spray. Fill the cups 2/3 full of batter. If you use a full size muffin tin, you will get 9 muffins, if you use a mini muffin tin (my personal preference) you will get 24. Bake at 350 for 20-20 minutes for full size muffins and 15 minutes for mini muffins. These may not look done in the center, that is good! The edges should look crisp. Don't try to use a toothpick to test them for doneness.

These are a wonderful holiday "go to" for family and friends. They probably freeze well, but I wouldn't know as they are never around our house long enough to find out!