Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that you all have a great day with family and friends while eating way too much food!

Gobble Gobble Ya'll!
Monlat

What Happens A Week Before Thanksgiving

My goal for this week was to make sure that I post at least three times, but fate had a little fun with me instead. While visiting with a relative before a minor surgery on Monday I get a phone call from hubby saying that I may want to come home because we have a problem. Boy did we ever. Our water heater, which is in it's own closet has been leaking for who knows how long and it had ruined the closet space it is contained in and has made a happy little breeding ground for mold. Yes, mold. I was so freaked out that I didn't take pictures of the atrocity that we were facing as it unfolded, but here are some pictures of what is now happening in my house.

The door to my laundry room is now sealed off-that's one way of getting out of doing laundry!

We have no hot water so I still get to wash dishes, I just have to do it the old fashioned way. That's right, I am getting in touch with my inner pioneer. I'm heating water on the stove and using it to fill the sink to wash dishes... Oh the humanity...

I have six of these little beauties in my house, all running at the same time. One of these going wouldn't be so bad, but six? My house sound like the tarmac at an airport. And to add a little timbre to the symphony that is my home they have to use an industrial strength dehumidifier as well. 

And now the room that started it all:

Guess what's on the other side of this wall? No clue? It's our master bathroom which is now also off limits too! They also had to remove some of the crown molding and baseboards to make sure that mold isn't lurking behind there as well...

So, with all of the chaos going on and Thanksgiving next week, I am hoping to have more posts done soon, but I can't be sure when. Oh, well. What doesn't kill us...

Don't worry about me. I have four friends to see me through!

Turkey/Ham Filled Yeast Rolls

These little filled rolls are popular around my house. They are super easy to make, you just have to do a little planning ahead. I use frozen yeast rolls which saves a whole lot of effort and time. 

Ingredients:

12 thawed and risen frozen yeast rolls (I use the Rhodes brand)

1/4 lb each shaved deli turkey and ham

3 slices provolone or Swiss cheese cut into 6 pieces

3 slices cheddar cheese cut into 6 pieces

All purpose flour for rolling out the rolls

2 tsp melted butter

Directions:

Thaw and let rise 12 frozen rolls. Follow package directions, but with the Rhodes it usually takes about 5 hours if you leave them out on the counter covered with a tea towel or plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray so that it doesn't stick to the top of the rolls. 

Chop the deli meat into smaller pieces and divide them into 12 even servings. 

On a square of wax or parchment paper roll out one roll at a time and place 2 pieces of cheese and 1 serving of the deli meat. 

Gently stretch the dough to cover the meat and cheese filling.

Twist and pinch together the ends and place on a lightly oiled or sprayed baking sheet seam down.

Bake in a 350* oven for 25 to 30 minutes until brown. 20 minutes into the baking time brush the buns with the melted butter. 

We eat these with a side salad or soup. A serving size for me is usually 2 of these buns because they are small. They reheat great in the microwave at full power for about 20 seconds. 

Enjoy!

Monlat

Polish Pottery Love

I have received a few very nice emails commenting on how pretty some of the pottery in my pictures are and asking where I bought them. I am married to an active duty Air Force officer and we were stationed at RAF Lakenheath in England for 3 years. During that time I was lucky enough to make some great friends and we took a few "field trips" to Poland to buy directly from the factories. Ya'll, it was like Disneyland for our group. It was so overwhelming to see all of the wonderful patterns, pottery shapes, sizes, and accessories.  I will have to put together some pictures from our trip so that you guys can see for yourselves and appreciate how wonderful these wholesale places are. The first place we stopped, I literally had to stand to the side of the aisle and just look around. I just couldn't take it all in. If  you have never seen a group of women go bat crap crazy and burn up some credit cards, you should take a group trip to Poland with a bunch of military wives! I bought so much over the three years that I was there that I will have to break these posts up and I don't have as much as many of my friends! I have replaced almost all of my regular dishes and baking/casserole dishes with the pottery. Polish pottery comes in a gazillion different patterns but the majority  have the same cobalt blue so that if you are a collector you can easily mix and match them. All of the polish pottery are dishwasher, microwave, and oven proof and they are a snap to clean. Do I sound like a QVC host yet? Speaking of QVC, I am pretty sure that they sell a few pieces of Polish pottery and there are websites that specialize in Polish pottery as well. Well, without further ado here's the pottery porn!

This is the place setting that I went with. 

I also went with the pasta bowls. They are so versatile. I use them for salad, pasta, and rice dishes all of the time.

These pretty baking dishes are one of my favorites to roast chicken and pot roasts in. 

I have yet to bake in this monster. You can fit an 18 lb turkey in this thing so it's huge and heavy, but boy does it look pretty sitting on my sideboard!

My last picture for today are my three large mixing bowls. LOVE them. I use them for mixing of course and they are perfect for rising bread. I hope that you guys enjoyed a little peek into my cabinet!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have no idea who gave this recipe to me but I have been making them since 2012 and we love them at my house. So if you are the person who gave me this wonderful recipe give me a shout out and I will be happy to give you credit! 

Ingredients:

1 can of pumpkin (not pie mix)

2 cups sugar

1 c vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tsp baking soda dissolved in 2 tsp of milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups all purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 bag of dark chocolate chips or morsels

Directions:

Mix together pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs, milk mixture, and vanilla. 

(Try to refrain from drinking this yumminess)

In a separate bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. 

Add flour mix to wet mixture one cup at a time to incorporate evenly.

Add the entire bag of chocolate chips.

Scoop and bake in a 350* oven for about 10-12 minutes. I usually line my baking sheets with parchment paper but after making the cookie mix I discovered that I was out and used aluminum foil instead. Don't judge-the nearest grocery store is a Wal-Mart that's 20 minutes away and it's raining out. That trip just couldn't be done this morning...

This makes 34 cookies with the size scoop that I use, but I like my cookies a little on the larger side. These are not crunchy cookies, They have more of a whoopie pie texture. They are done when the center springs back when you slightly push in on them. 

Enjoy!

Monlat

Christmas Dessert Cookbook

Amazon- only

No pictures, but some really good looking recipes. I will be making the Nutella Chocolate Fudge, Chocolate Spice Truffles, and the Honey Pecan Pie. Definitely worth getting this one at only 99 cents!

Book Description:

In the Christmas Dessert Cookbook you will discover 20 delicious Christmas recipes. They are fun to make and even more fun to eat and share with your loved ones. Nothing compares to the joy of bringing people together at Christmas time and sharing with them your smile or a slice of cake, a cookie or maybe a fudge square. 

From cookies, pies, fudges, or trifles, you will find a variety of desserts with a variety of flavors that complement the holiday season perfectly. They will give you great Christmas recipe ideas this holiday season. 

Grab your copy and have fun making your Christmas desserts this year! 

Easy Steak Sandwich

If you are a vegetarian please look away now for the following images are packed full of meaty goodness! I love these hearty and easy to make sandwiches. This recipe makes enough for 6 sandwiches. If you haven't tried the black pepper blend featured in this recipe give it a try. You will be so pleased when you try it! It's great on burgers and grilled steaks as well. It has that wonderful smoky flavor of Worcestershire. 

Ingredients:

As close to 2 lbs of thin cut steak as you can find (I use thin cut top round)

3 peppers thinly sliced

1 white onion thinly sliced

1 pkg sliced mushrooms (if you're lazy like me all you have do is rinse these)

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp chopped garlic

1 tsp black pepper blend

1/2 stick of butter + 2 tsp for buttering rolls

1/2 tsp salt & regular black pepper

6 slices of provolone or your favorite cheese

6 hoagie or sub rolls

Directions:

In a large skillet start cooking the onions, peppers, butter, salt, and pepper. These take longer than the steak to cook so I start these about 10 minutes before I start cooking the meat. 

Cut the steak into strips then place into a large skillet along with the sliced mushrooms, soy sauce, garlic, and pepper blend.

Cook both until the meat is cooked through and the veggie blend is cooked down.

To get the cheese to melt wonderfully I have a little trick. I place 4 portions of the meat mix on a baking dish that has been lined with foil or parchment paper and then put the cheese on top. Place under the broiler until the cheese is bubbling.

Butter your rolls and grill them until they are golden brown.

Pile 'em high!

Enjoy!

Monlat

Christmas Slow Cooker Freebie

Amazon

This one does not seem to be available at Barnes & Noble. This little freebie has no pictures, but some great recipes that are truly easy to put together. I'm definitely trying the Visions of Sugared Nuts and the Drummer Boy's Teriyaki Drumsticks. These are not gourmet recipes, they are simple quickie things that you can do for casual gatherings. but it's free! Yay!

Book Description:

Merry Christmas!

Do you love slow cooker recipes? Are you looking for new Christmas appetizers to prepare for your family and friends? Why not put the two together this holiday season?

You know there will be all ages coming to your family gatherings and you want to prepare a variety of appetizers that will suit everyone.

Watch Out! You will absolutely love this recipe book!

I would like to share some of my family's favorite crock pot appetizers for the holidays to give you some new ideas for planning your family gatherings or sports parties.

So, so I spent quite a few hours researching and compiling a variety of 20 Slow Cooker Christmas Appetizer Recipes that you can prepare for your loved ones and friends. 

In this book I've included:

- North Pole Barbecue Chicken Wings

- Holiday Party Mix

- Rudolph's Hot Dog Hors D'oeuvres

- Evergreen Broccoli Cheese Dip

- More to choose from!!

But, maybe you won't have to choose because if you have as many get-togethers as I do, you can try out all 20 appetizer recipes this Christmas.

Not Just For Christmas!

The best thing about this slow cooker appetizer recipe book is that you can use the recipes all year long!

For instance, serve your guests some tasty treats for your ..

- New Years Eve Party

- The Upcoming Super Bowl Event

- Easter

- 4th of July

- and just about any other gathering where you'll need party appetizers to

to serve your friends or guests!

So, don't wait too long, start planning your next party dishes today.

My Version of Meat Loaf

I know that meat loaf recipes are a dime a dozen, but I have to say this is my favorite version. It's a mash up of many different recipes and I have finally gotten it down to what works and tastes good for my family. I hope that you enjoy it too. 

P.S. I know that I have not been posting much lately but I am hopefully back on track and will be posting much more frequently!

Ingredients For Meat Mix:

1 lb each ground beef and ground pork

1/2 of a yellow bell pepper-chopped small

1 large carrot-shredded

1 small white onion chopped small

1 Tbsp. of dried rosemary

1 tsp of kosher salt

1 tsp. of black pepper

1/3 c of ketchup

1 egg

1/2 c. dried bread crumbs

(I found that when my girls were small they were more prone to eat the veggies and not try to pick them out if they were really small. You still get the flavor of the veggies without the side of whine!)

I use my handy dandy mortar and pestle to grind the rosemary and salt.

Mix all ingredients together. Try not to over mix so that the meat loaf doesn't get tough.

Here's where my cooking method differs. I use a 13 x 9 baking dish to cook the meatloaf. This takes off a lot of cooking time and provides more surface area for the yummy glaze. I know, genius right? I'm so proud of myself. If someone else already thought of this please don't burst my bubble, I really thought I was hot stuff when I thought of this!

Ingredients for the glaze:

1/2 c ketchup

1 Tbsp turbinado or dark brown sugar (they both work beautifully & I go back and forth between the two)

1/2 tsp of dry mustard 

Mix well and spread over the meatloaf.

Bake at 375* for approximately 30-35 minutes until cooked through. 

Now here's the only draw back to this method. There is grease pooled around the sides after it's cooked. I just carefully pour the majority of the grease off into a bowl. This makes the most amazing meatloaf sandwiches the next day. The sweetness of  the glaze and the rich flavor of the meatloaf between two pieces of white bread. Oh. My. Goodness. It doesn't get much better than this. 

Enjoy!

Monlat