Tag Archives: turkey

Dec23

Happy Thanksgiving and Almost Christmas

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Jenn C.

Wow. Life happens and the blog falls by the wayside. We moved, by the way. Across town, closer to the kinder’s school and right next door to Winco. I also was a co-recipient of the Oregon Small Schools Association Teacher of the Year.

It’s been a crazy busy month and a half. Right after I got the teaching award, I got strep. I am behind on my Masters homework–like weeks behind. But Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I planned to enjoy it, and put other worries and stresses behind for a bit. (Edit: I have now put my Masters on hold for sanity’s sake and it was the best decision I’ve made in a long time.)

For Thanksgiving, we went to my best friend’s house and ate dinner with 15 or so other people. It was amazing. We had turkey and ham, of course, and everything else you could imagine. I ended up making crockpot mac and cheese, a cream cheese and cherry pie, and sweet potato casserole.

I may or may not have eaten too much food, drank too much wine, danced too much, and actually sang karaoke on their Wii.

Giving somebody the what for

the munchkin and me, cheesing

It was my 5th year spending Thanksgiving with my best friend’s family and it was the best one I can ever remember having.

me and the bf

Later that week, Henry’s dad, Henry’s dad’s girlfriend, and Henry’s brothers came to visit for yet another Thanksgiving. As much as I lovelovelove Thanksgiving, I didn’t want to do another turkey. Instead, I made individual chicken potpies based on this recipe.

Delicious, delicious, delicious.

Fast forward an entire month and here we are, a couple days from Christmas. Henry and I are going to have a Christmas with the kids tomorrow and on Christmas, and then we will head to my dad’s, then to Henry’s dad’s, and then to Henry’s mom’s house–and then back home. A whirlwind trip if there ever was one. We are nearly ready for our own small, family Christmas. I’m going to make a turkey breast for us and have a small Thanksgiving meal for Christmas. I’ll do a post on that when it comes up in the next couple days.

On a final note, we did the last of all of our shopping today. Or so I thought. I’m thinking I have to go back and buy butter. Wish me luck. Winco is a mad house.

P.S. Here is dinner…

spaghetti sauce

What are you having?

Aug21

Giada’s Meatloaf (tweaked) and Rachael’s Orzo (tweaked)

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Jenn C.

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Everyone in my household is out of sorts today. One out of the four of us is smiling, sweet, and caring. The rest of us need a reset button. Good thing there’s always tomorrow.

Today would have been my mother’s birthday. I didn’t have a very good relationship with her, and she was a very broken woman, but over the past couple weeks, I have caught a glimpse of her in my daily activities. The good parts. Like the flash of a smile or perfume on a breeze, these good memories come and go and make me wonder if I just imagined them in the first place.

I spent a great deal of my life trying to not be like my mother. Every thing I did was an act of defiance, a protest. I was determined to never have kids, because she had kids and she hurt us. But time smooths over rough edges and life rarely happens according to plan or protestation. One day, I stopped running from my mother’s nature and nurture (or lack thereof), embraced the stepkids at my feet, wiped sticky faces, scolded, read a book, danced, and cooked for this family I never planned for.

I still fold towels like she taught me. And I can make a damn good meatloaf.

That being said: here’s a meatloaf recipe. And an orzo recipe. It’s what for dinner!

Giada’s Meatloaf, also known as Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sundried Tomatoes

Ingredients

2 pounds of ground turkey
1/2 onion, diced fine
garlic, diced fine
1 cup plan bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped parsley
4 eggs
4 tablespoons milk
1 cup diced feta cheese
3 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper

Method: Mix it. Form it. Bake it at 375. It’s really good.

Rachael’s Orzo, also known as Cheese Orzo

Ingredients:

2 cups orzo
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups tomato sauce
fresh basil and dried oregano
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan

Method: Saute onion and garlic. Add liquid and bring to a boil. Add orzo. Stir well to make sure it doesn’t clump at the bottom. Add oregano and salt and pepper. Cook pasta in liquid until the orzo soaks up the stock and sauce. Finish by stirring in cheese and basil.

Nov26

What to do with Thanksgiving leftovers!?

Posted on November 26, 2010 by Jenn C.

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Please don’t eat turkey sandwiches until you’re sick. Eat one. Enjoy it. And then move onto something else. Turn your leftovers into completely new meals. There are so many different things to do with turkey (pot pie, tacos, soup), potatoes (I love adding an egg, some breadcrumbs, and seasonings to my potatoes, making patties, and then frying them up for breakfast.), whatever else you have jammed precariously in your fridge.