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holiday
One Last Gift Idea - Casseroles!
Freaking out yet?
Christmas is tomorrow!
I'm psyched. Jay and I are driving the full 17 minutes and spending the night with my parents tonight. It's gonna be fun, and it'll likely send my father to an early grave, because according to him, we drink too much.
According to him, I said.
I have a great gift idea that you can give to ANYONE tomorrow, or later this week if you spread out your events like some folks do.
You buy a dish. You make a casserole in said dish. Then you take the casserole to the person you're giving the gift to. They can freeze it or refrigerate it, depending on the casserole and when they want to eat it, and keep the dish as the gift?
I would seriously love this gift. I love baking dishes and I love eating. Know anyone else like that? This is perfect for them!
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Easy and Healthy Leftover Turkey Soup
I promised.
I'm delivering.
You're welcome.
Yesterday we talked about the joys of making one's own stock at home.
We also talked about what folks might do with leftover turkey.
One of the ideas was soup. DUH. So obvious. So delicious. So easy.
My version has very few ingredients and is super light and healthy. You could of course leave out the meat for a vegetarian version, or use poached chicken or rotisserie chicken or canned chicken or shredded pork or WHATEVER YOU LIKE any other time of the year - don't keep this one just for these days of leftovers!
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Turkey Plan - 3 days to go!
Happy Sunday!
Are you working this week?
I have to work Monday and Tuesday and then I'm off work. For 5 whole days.
Except for Wednesday and Friday, where I have to counsel at night.
But still. During the DAY, I'm going to be free.
I'm going to be eating.
I'm going to be resting.
I'm going to be yoga....ing.
Anyway.
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Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes
I have a thing.
I don't like sweet potatoes.
I don't know why.
I think most of it is that I just don't eat them very often - I eat a few bites at Christmas and Thanksgiving like a good American, but I never cook them, never buy them, and DEFINITELY never order sweet potato fries because "omg they're like, the BEST EVER here, and DEFINITELY get the blue cheese crumbles because it just MAKES them!!!!!"
Um, yeah. It's still a sweet potato. Stop being fake-trendy.
I don't dislike them. I just don't eat them.
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Bacon Blue Cheese Burgers
Children.
Note the title.
Not Cheeseburgers. Blue. Cheese. Burgers.
YES.
Remember awhile ago when we made bacon blue cheese meatballs for a choir party and they were devoured in the NAME OF THE LORD (we live in the south, let it go) with lots of wine?
That happened.
This is the same recipe.
But. You make them bigger, which is better, and you eat 'em on a bun.
ZING.
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Happy 4th of July!
Whether you're American, terrorist, or standard cool-human-from-outside-america, I hope you have a wonderful day full of food, family, and humor.
Mainly, because I wish that for you and myself every single day - holiday or not.
Father's Day Dinner - Grilled Edition
Happy Father's Day Weekend again!
Are you cooking for pops? Is he a grill master? Do you often question people incessantly?
Sorry.
Anyway. This is the perfect time of year to make a whole meal full of grilled yumminess - here's something that would be perfect for a weekend meal outside!
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Memorial Day Cookout
As you may have seen, yesterday I offered my idea for a super duper easy and healthy and light and delicious and wonderful cookout menu.
Today I'm giving you another plan!
This menu isn't exaaaactly as healthy, but DAMN is it good.
You could, like, totally mix and match these, by the way.
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Strawberry Cucumber Salad
Today, my friends, we begin a week of sexy Memorial Day recipe ideas.
You're doing something fun for Memorial Day, right?
The pools open this weekend, so I'm planning to pretend that I didn't just move to a new house, that I don't need to organize my life, that I have zero homework, and roast my body in the sun.
I've been feeling pretty wrinkle-free recently, and I'm interested in abusing my skin just a wee bit.
I'm not condoning unsafe sun exposure. I was kidding.
This little gem of a salad is absolutely perfect for outdoor summery gatherings. It's easy as pie, but healthier than pie, so everyone wins!
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Roasted Garlic Gravy
I promised roasted garlic gravy to go with your smoked turkey, didn't I?
Even if you don't go all out and smoke a dang turkey, this gravy can be used on ANYTHING. Roasted garlic has a magical flavor that goes great with meat, potatoes, vegetables...you name it!
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Easter Dinner - Smoked Turkey
I haven't told you about my smoker yet, have I?
Well, I have one.
That's pretty much it. It was a great investment a few years ago, and I use it all the time!
And by that, I mean that I use it at least twice a year.
If you have a grill, you can make it into a smoker! I've even seen online guides for getting smoke into your regular oven - google that crap and make yourself a smoker for this weekend!
Smoking food is kind of like cooking in a Crock Pot - hard to mess up, which I love! This is my method for smoking a turkey that works really well, but you can alter the cooking time or brining method to suit your needs!
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Family Birthdays
Two weeks and one day ago my littlest sister turned 17.
She's taller than me, the butthead.
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Chocolate Cloud Cake
I promised you the best cake in the world, and here it is!
My mom, and now me, have been making this for years and years - I think the recipe originally came from my dad's mother.
It's delicious, and not nearly as unhealthy as it tastes!
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