Best Christmas ad ever? You're going to cry!

Lacey Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

 

Ingredients:

1 cup quick cooking oats

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup butter- soften

1/2  tsp. salt

1 1/2  tsp. baking powder

1 cup sugar

1 egg- let it come to room temp

1  tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 - 1 cup  dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Cover sheet with parchment paper 

In a medium bowl combine oats, flour, salt and baking powder

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy

add egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture until combined

Mix the flour & oat mixture to the butter bowl until just combined.

Add the dried cranberries

Drop 1 tsp. of mixture on the sheet with the parchment paper 2 1/2 inches apart.

Bake for 7 minutes or a bit more (I like them a little browned)

Cool then peel off from the parchment paper

Recipe is suppose to be a copycat of the Harry and David lace cookies. I never had the H&D cookies but I do like lace cookies.

Next time I'm going to dip the top of the cookie in chocolate!

Slowcooker TurkeyTortilla Soup

 

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

1 15 oz. can corn, drained

1 10 oz. can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

5 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups cut up leftover turkey 

1 tablespoon hot and spicy taco seasoning ( season to taste- more or less)

1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

Heat 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat and add the diced onions and peppers. Sauté for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Add all remaining ingredients to the slowcooker EXCEPT for the cheddar cheese.

Cooked on low for 3-4 house. The last half hour add the cheese and stir well until combined.

November Books

 I was SO lucky to get Michelle Obama's new book right away! It came out on a Tuesday and I reserved it right away. Was shocked  it was ready for me within the next few days. Our library purchased quite a few copies. 

The Light We Carry is a fantastic read. I hope others will read it and enjoy it as much as I did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next  book I enjoyed is sort of  The Crown meets Clue in this delightful locked-room mystery, sure to charm Agatha Christie fans and keep readers guessing to the end.

The king is dead. The killer is in the family. Solving this murder will be a royal pain

A MURDER AT BALMORAL was a quick, fun read.

Texas Cranberry Jalapeno Relish

 

I made this recipe November 19, 2006. We were living in Sag Harbor. I noted on the recipe that it was warm that day ( in the 50's- crazy cause now that we are in Florida 50's is cold). It was 38 Friday morning- yes in Florida. 

Today it's cloudy. Temp may be in the upper 70's

Happy Thanksgiving

Ingredients:

1 package ( 12 ounces) fresh cranberries

1 whole lime

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 or 2 jalapeño peppers- seeded and minced. If you want it spicer leave in the seeds.

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

Place cranberries in food processor fitted with steel blade. Process until coarsely chopped. Add to a medium sized bowl

Cut lime with the peel into small chunks. Process until finely diced. Add to the cranberries along with sugar and jalapeños . Add cilantro. 

Refrigerate relish several hours to allow flavors to blend.

Serve chilled or at room temp.

We are eating our Thanksgiving meal at our neighbors. I'm making Mac and Cheese and this. Left jalapeno seeds for extra heat.

Sweet Potato Crust Pizza-

 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium sweet potato (about 10 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 

1/2 cup almond flour 

1/4 cup grated Parmesan 

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 large egg 

Directions

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil.

Add the sweet potato cubes to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse until coarsely ground, similar to the texture of coarse salt.

Add the ground sweet potato, almond flour, Parmesan, salt, garlic powder and egg to a bowl and stir until combined. Transfer the sweet potato mixture to the prepared baking sheet and form into a 12-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Brush with remaining tablespoon olive oil. Bake until browned around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes.

For the toppings add what you like! I added some pizza sauce and mozzarella 

Place the pizza back in the oven and cook until the toppings are warmed through and cheese is melted, another 8 to 10 minutes.

Judee- think you will like this one!

Easy Pumpkin Cake Bars

 

Ingredients:

FOR THE CAKE OR BARS:

18-¼ ounces, weight Box Of Yellow Cake Mix, Minus 1 Cup For Topping**

1  Large Egg

½ cups Butter, Melted

2 cups Pumpkin Puree

½ cups Brown Sugar

¼ cups Sugar

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

5 ounces, fluid Evaporated Milk

FOR THE TOPPING:

1 cup Reserved Cake Mix (From Package Above)

½ cups Sugar

¼ cups Butter, Softened

1 cup Chopped Pecans (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9”x13” baking pan.

Reserve 1 cup of the cake mix and set aside for the topping. In a medium bowl, combine remaining cake mix, egg and melted butter and blend. Spread evenly on the bottom of the baking pan and pat down.

In a medium bowl combine pumpkin, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon and evaporated milk and stir well. Pour on top of the first layer in the baking pan.

For the topping, mix together the reserved cake mix and sugar. Cut in softened butter until consistency is crumbly. Sprinkle on top of pumpkin and topped with pecans ( if using).

Bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. After cooled, store in the refrigerator. Cut into bars or serve as a cake.

** Mix was 15.25 ounces and needed the upsizer--FOR BETTY CROCKER AND PILLSBURY CAKE MIXES AND ANY OTHER BRANDS THAT WEIGH 15.25 OUNCES.: Use 3 ounces of mix weighed on a kitchen scale OR  8 level Tablespoons plus 1 level measuring teaspoon of cake mix upsizer.

FOR DUNCAN HINES CAKE MIXES AND ANY OTHER BRANDS THAT WEIGH 16.5 OUNCES.: Use 1.75 ounces weighed on a kitchen scale OR 5 level Tablespoons of cake mix upsizer.  

Made for the girls at the gym. I had to do a taste test- very good!