SENIOR LADY: AFTER THANKSGIVING TURKEY HACKS!

I followed our family's tradition this Thanksgiving. 

A turkey was roasted golden brown and served

with dressing smothered in gravy.  Well, we

ate roast turkey for two days. Enough already!

I gave the rest of the leftover turkey, new life!

DELICIOUS TURKEY SALAD

2 CUPS COOKED SHREDDED TURKEY

HALF SMALL ONION FINELY CHOPPED

HALF RIB CELERY, FINELY DICED

4 TABLESPOONS, PICKEL RELISH

2 TABLESPOONS WHITE SUGAR

2 TABLESPOONS WHITE WINE VINEGAR

1 TEASPOOON YELLOW MUSTARD

1/2 TEASPOON CELERY SALT

1/4 TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER

1 CUP MAYONAISE

In large bowl mix all of the listed ingredients. Stir

and mix well. Keep in fridge until ready to serve.

Serve with wheat crackers or saltine crackers.

 TIPS:

**   REGULAR CIDER OR WHITE VINEGAR CAN BE USED.

ADDING EQUAL AMOUNT VINEGAR & SUGAR ADDS

ZING TO YOUR TURKEY, CHICKEN, HAM, AND TUNA SALADS. 

**   CAN USE PLAIN SALT.

**   USE CELERY SEED OR DRIED CELERY LEAVES IF

FRESH CELERY NOT AVAILABLE.

**   CHOPPED BOILED EGGS CAN BE ADDED

**   ADJUST SEASONINGS TO YOUR FAMILY'S

TASTE IF DESIRED.

QUICK & TASTY TURKEY POT PIE

2 CUPS COOKED SHREDDED TURKEY

15 0Z CAN MIXED VEGETABLES, DRAINED

1 SMALL ONION, FINELY CHOPPED

1- 10 OZ CAN CREAM CHICKEN SOUP

2 UNBAKED FROZEN PIE CRUST, THAWED

DIRECTIONS:

GREASE 9X9 SQUARE BAKING DISH. 

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350.

TURN PIE CRUSTS UPSIDE DOWN ON CLEAN

COUNTER. PIE CRUST WILL FALL OUT OF

FOIL TIN ONTO COUNTER. PRESS DOUGH

DOWN FLAT. CUT CRUST INTO 1 INCH STRIPS.

IN BOWL MIX, TURKEY, MIXED VEGGIES,

SOUP, AND ONION. PLACE FILLING

INTO DISH. SPREAD OUT EVENLY.

LAY STRIPS OF PIE CRUST ON TOP

OF FILLING IN CRISSCROSS DESIGN

BAKE 30 MINUTES OR UNTIL FILLING BUBBLY

AND  CRUST IS GOLDEN BROWN.

TIPS:

**   1 TEASPOON ONION POWDER OR DRIED CHIVES

SUB FOR FRESH ONION.

**   15 OZ CAN GREEN PEAS CAN BE SUB FOR MIXED

VEGGIES.

**   REFRIGERATED PIE CRUST CAN SUB FOR 

FROZEN CRUST.

**   CREAM CELERY OR CREAM MUSHROOM SOUPS

CAN BE USED

SENIOR LADY: CHRISTMAS GIFT WRAP PAPER HACK!

 

It seems that using gift bags during the Christmas season,

 has been the latest trend now.  I still buy pretty gift wrapping 

paper, even though I don't use it often. I made ten personalized

tote shopping bags as gifts for my female friends this year.

Each bag has gem designs on the pockets. None of the gift 

bags I saw in the stores were an appropriate fit, for these

 extra large tote bags. I was trying to think of an economical 

way to wrap them.   I suddenly gazed my rolls of stacked

 Christmas gift wrapping paper. I felt inspired to use the 

basket full of gift wrapping paper scraps.  A true Crafter 

rarely throws away scrap paper. Ideas for how to use it

comes to mind, sooner or later. I decided to use the 

scrap Christmas wrapping paper for gift tags. 

 I had a package of blank metal rim tags, left

 over from another project. I could use the 

Christmas paper scraps to embellish these

 tags. These tags will have the same design 

as the Christmas paper I used to wrap the 

ten tote bags with. 

CHRISTMAS GIFT WRAP PAPER HACK:

SUPPLIES:

SCRAP CHRISTMAS GIFT WRAP PAPER

10 PLAIN NAME TAGS

TACKY GLUE

SCISSORS

PENCIL

SHEET OF WHITE PAPER

TRANSPARENT TAPE

DIRECTIONS:

Use paper and pencil to make a template. Draw

 the shape of the metal rim tag. Cut out the drawing. 

 You can choose to have the template drawing cover 

the entire face of the tag. Another option is cover

the inside metal rim of the tag. [See image below]

Use the template drawing to make 10 cut outs from

 the Christmas wrapping paper scraps, to cover

 the tags. Spread tacky glue on the front 

of the tag. Place a gift wrap cover on top 

of the glue. Make sure it lies flat and smooth.

Repeat the process until all the tags have

 covers on the front. [See above image]

Cut pieces of tape to attach the tags to the

 front of the gifts. I taped my gift tags so

that the Christmas designs were visible. 

I used the back of the gift tags to write 

 my friends' names. [see image below]

TIPS;

**   TEMPLATE CAN BE MADE FREE HAND WITHOUT THE 

PAPER AND PENCIL.

**   PLAIN METAL RIM TAGS ARE AVAILABLE AT

DOLLAR STORES, WALMART, AND OFFICE SUPPLY STORES.

**    GIFT TAGS CAN ALSO BE MADE BY CUTTING THE

 SCRAP. PAPER INTO CIRCLES OR RECTANGLES,  

ATTACH THIN 1/8 INCH RIBBON ON THE FRONT OF THE TAG 

SO IT CAN BE HUNG ON THE GIFT.  WRITE THE

 NAMES ON THE BACK OF THE TAG.  

HOLIDAY GREETING!

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE1

PSALMS 100: 4

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

SENIOR LADY HOLIDAY MEALS UPDATES! PART 2

     

My Thanksgiving meals always include cornbread dressing. 

I follow my mom's recipe for making cornbread dressing. 

She never stuffed her dressing inside the turkey cavity. 

She only used Pepperidge Farm Stuffing in the yellow bag.

I also add butter, day old bread, dried rubbed sage, sauteed onion and celery, and turkey broth to my dressing like she did.

 

This year I'm serving herb dressing along with the corn 

bread stuffing. I was watching a cooking show and the 

cook made herb stuffing with apples and walnuts! Wow, 

what a unique recipe! I tweaked the recipe when I tried

it. I also added ingredients I felt my family would like

in the herb dressing. I made herb dressing with celery, 

onions, diced apples, chopped walnuts, cooked pork 

sausage, mushrooms, cream of celery soup, and broth.

I love gravy with most of my meat dishes. I must serve

 gravy with my Thanksgiving turkey and dressing too. 

 Mom made her gravy from a roux of browned butter

 and flour. She added the roux to the turkey broth and

 simmered the gravy until it thickened.  I am too tired 

after cooking the Thanksgiving meals. This method is too much work.  My gravy making method is quicker. I strain

 the turkey broth and add it to a pot. I make a slurry with 

flour, espresso powder, and some turkey broth. The slurry

 is added to the pot of broth. The gravy is simmered 

until it boils and thickens. 

Herb Dressing and Gravy

NOTES;

*  MY FAMILY USES THE WORDS STUFFING

AND DRESSING INTERCHANGEBLY!

* AVOID GREASY GRAVY: NO BUTTER

NECESSARY IF YOU HAVE RICH CHICKEN

OR TURKEY BROTH.

*  ADD CUP OR MORE OF CUBED  DAY-OLD

 BREAD (BISCUITS, BUNS, SANDWICH BREAD) 

TO IMPROVE TEXTURE OF THE DRESSING.

*  NEVER USE PLAIN WATER IN THE

STUFFING/DRESSING.  USE CHICKEN

OR TURKEY BROTH FOR SAVORY TASTE.

*  EGG AND/ OR CREAM OF CHICKEN,

MUSHROOM OR CELERY SOUPS

ADD MOISTURE TO STUFFING/DRESSING.

* FRESH SAGE LEAVES CAN BE FRIED

IN BUTTER.  REMOVE LEAVES BEFORE 

SERVING. ADD FLAVORED BUTTER

TO YOUR DRESSING & GRAVY. THE

SAGE LEAVES CAN BE USED AS 

GARNISH.

SENIOR LADY: HOLIDAY MEALS UPDATED!

  I still prepare large Thanksgiving meals. My sons are unmarried and have no children.

They look forward to this feast because they don't do a lot of scratch cooking at home.

I include a breakfast casserole for Thanksgiving too. They take this home with them.  

 There is joy in getting up and their breakfast is already fixed.  All they have 

to do is heat the casserole up in the microwave. My sons' Thanksgiving meals

includes:  Green Bean Casserole, Candied Yams, Mac and Cheese, Collard 

Greens, Cornbread Dressing, Roast Turkey with Gravy, and BBQ Ribs. 

Pecan Pie is always the dessert.  I was able to teach one of my sons how

 to cook. He comes over to my house and helps me cook the Thanksgiving

 meals every year.  I prepare the side dishes and the desserts.  

He cooks all of the meats.  The ribs are cooked on the grill.

A surprise awaits my sons this year.  The breakfast casserole has veggies added.

I included diced green bell peppers and diced onions in the egg mixture. The meats 

in the casserole are crumbled cooked bacon and cooked pork sausage. I'm using a combo of Swiss and sharp cheddar cheeses.  These new additions should enhance the flavor

of this classic breakfast  casserole.

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

BASIC BREAKFAST CASSEROLE RECIPE FROM FOOD.COM

This year I plan to update the green bean casserole. I wanted to use Italian style

green beans; however, my grocery store didn't have any.  I settled for the

traditional cut green beans. I updated the casserole by adding thinly sliced

onions and   diced mushrooms.  

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

BASIC GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE RECIPE FROM: FRENCH'S CRISPY

 FRIED ONIONS [ORIGINAL FLAVOR]  CANISTER