Category: MISC

Leftovers – Simple Saturday

It’s not a recipe, but it really doesn’t get any better than those leftover turkey, stuffing and cranberry topped sandwiches. Serve some of your leftovers tonight on little rolls for a quick, easy, and super delicious meal or share with us what kind of yummy creations you make with your holiday leftovers!

My new favorite salad! Tropical YUM!

I found this awesome new jello salad recipe over at Mennonite Girls Can Cook called Special Salad. This will quickly become a new family favorite! We have even given it a new name and a few changes.

TROPICAL YUM!
1 box orange jello (next time we’re going to try wild strawberry)
1 box lemon jello (we used pineapple)

3 bananas, sliced (next time we’re going to use 2 and add a kiwi)
1 small can mandarin orange segments, well drained, reserving juice (we used a large can)
1 14 oz can crushed pineapple, *well drained but reserving the juice and adding enough of the mandarin orange juice to make 1 cup
1/2 bag mini marshmallows

1/2 pint whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup pineapple juice*
3/4 cup FINELY grated cheddar cheese (next time I’m going to try toasted coconut)
  • Mix the two boxes of jello powder together in a large glass mixing bowl and stir in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water. Mix well until jello has dissolved.
  • Add 2 cups of cold water.
  • Place mixture in the refrigerator until partially set.
  • Mix together the orange segments, pineapple and banana slices.
  • Fold into the partially set jello.
  • Top the jello-fruit mixture with 1/2 bag mini white marshmallows and then put jello back in fridge.
  • Whip together the whipping cream, 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla until thick, cover and place in fridge.
  • Stir 1/2 cup sugar, *1 cup pineapple juice, egg and four together in a microwavable bowl and heat for 1 minute at a time, stirring between until mixture is thick (2-3 minutes) or you can also cook this on the stove top, stirring constantly.
  • Cool this mixture completely and then fold in the whipped cream mixture. Spread over the marshmallow mixture.
  • Layer the 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese on the top.
  • Return to the refrigerator and chill thoroughly.

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Banana Nut Muffins & Banana Blueberry Nut Muffins


BANANA NUT MUFFINS
1 cup packed golden brown sugar
2 sticks of butter, softened
2 jumbo eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 VERY ripe bananas*
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup crushed walnuts

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a medium saucepan melt one stick of butter.
  • Puree bananas.
  • Add brown sugar, raisins and pureed banana. Stir until well blended and remove from heat.
  • In a large mixing bowl cream together 1 stick of butter, eggs and sugar.
  • Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.
  • Gradually add flour mixture into creamed mixture until well blended.
  • Add in the brown sugar mixture until smooth and consistent.
  • If making the Banana Blueberry version, fold in the blueberries last.
  • Fill muffin tins 2/3 full.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes.

*to make Banana Blueberry Nut use one less banana and add 1+ cup blueberries.

Recipes shared with:
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Jen over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Tuesdays at the Table is hosted by Cole at All the Small Stuff
Tempt my Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace
Try A New Recipe Day is hosted by Min at OuR KrAzY KiTcHeN
Vintage Recipe Thursday is hosted by Joy at Joy of Desserts
Foodie Friday is hosted by Michael Lee at Designs by Gollum
Save Room for Dessert is hosted by Joy at OuR KrAzY KiTcHeN
What Did you Bake Today? is hosted by Kristen at OuR KrAzY KiTcHeN
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Let’s Make Magical Mondays

You must be wondering who is this Chaya who has been granted the honor and fun of hosting Mondays with Cooking With Chaya. Some of you may know me from my blogs, Chaya’s Comfy Cook and Sweet and Savory Says it All. I hope the rest of you will get to know me and I will get to know you.

I am Chaya, a woman who is finding herself as a cook and baker. I want to cook or bake everything but everything is too much. Time and error keep me from reaching close to achieving a fraction of what I would like. I make my share of mistakes and I am willing to share them with you. Some have been shocked that I did share my burnt creations but I believe we learn from our mistakes. Of course, I hope there are many more successes to talk about. I would like you to come along with me on my journey, finding out who Chaya the Cook is. Hopefully, we will have fun doing this and come up with some good eating to put on our tables. Please, leave your recipes for all of us to try. Click on If you have another version of what I made, please add your comments. I want to learn from you. Together, we can make Magical Mondays.

I had no idea what recipe to start with and changed my mind a dozen times. Finally, I decided, I would share the last thing I made and stop agonizing. Here it is.

Candied Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes

I have made candied sweet potatoes for years but not like this and never with the butternut squash. I actually made the recipe, in the morning, with just sweet potatoes but found a lonely butternut squash in the refrigerator and decided to up the recipe with this delicious vegetable. I am presenting the recipe as baked together.

Ingredients:
Spray cooking oil
4 medium sweet potatoes

1 butternut squash
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Method:
Preheat oven 400 degrees.
Spray a medium size to large baking dish.
If you have a microwave, microwave the butternut squash for a few minutes to make it easier to peel.
Peel both the sweet potatoes and squash and cut into chunks about an inch and one half in size.
Sprinkle these with salt and pepper.
Bake in over for 30 minutes.
While the vegetables are baking, make the marinade by mixing all ingredients together.
Remove the vegetables from the oven and cover them with the marinade.
Make sure each piece is well coated.
Put back in oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender.
With a large spoon, once again, spoon the marinade from the pan onto the sweet potatoes and squash. If it has all been incorporated into the glaze on the vegetables, skip this step.
My sweet potatoes held the glaze better than the squash did.
This is the kind of dish you can serve with meat, fish and poultry. Its sweetness sets off other flavors.

Growing pains with benefits

Hi everyone. We are just about 6 months old here at OuR kRaZy KiTcHeN and going through a few more growing pains, but with benefits. Martha from Menagerie formally of Simple Supper Saturday and most recently of Monday Munchies will be returning to Simple Saturday as Heather from girlichef will be taking a sabbatical. We are fortunate and excited to be gaining Chaya of Sweet & Savory Says it All who will be joining our team with a new meme, Cooking with Chaya on Mondays and Min of The Bad Girl’s Kitchen with her new meme, Try A New Recipe Day on Tuesdays. Be sure and join us tomorrow and Tuesday to welcome Chaya and Min.

And let’s not forget to mention that Dave from A Year On The Grill will Start New Year’s Eve with another great new meme, I CAN COOK THAT! We know that Dave’s quick wit and awesome style will bridge many a food gap!

Don’t forget we’re looking for avid foodies with a passion for cooking and the limelight for guest posts in the upcoming year. Please leave a comment and we’ll email you to set up a date.
abbey-oyster-white-kitchens

Chaya, Dave and Min all have some wonderful ideas on making us better here at OuR KrAzY KiTcHeN. Chaya jumped in with both feet and helped us develop our newest idea of featuring a special blogger each week from the recipe links we receive. So, we will be searching through the recipe links each month and will be featuring one awesome blogger the last Sunday night of the month beginning on the 27th. of December. Help us choose YOU! by linking your recipes with one of our daily memes throughout each week.
KK Feature Award

Penne with Spicy Vodka Sauce & a ta-ta for now…~Simple Saturday with girlichef

As life would have it, my Saturdays (and other days) have not been too simple lately. In fact, I’m in a somewhat madhouse period right now, and have come to realize that I have over-extended myself. Meaning? Meaning that this is going to be my last regular Simple Saturday post. I have really enjoyed my time here in Our KrAzY KiTcHeN and will miss visiting with you on Saturdays… but I’ll be around whenever possible!! And never fear, the wonderful Martha of Martha’s Menagerie and our very own Krazy Kitchen will be stepping back in to take over Saturdays!

SimpleSaturdaysKrAzYKiTcHeN

To say so long for now, I cooked up something quick & simple…Pasta with Spicy Vodka Sauce
by girlichef
~1/2 lb. uncooked pasta
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pinches crushed red chiles
pinch salt
1 (14.5 oz) can Fire-roasted, diced tomatoes w/ juice
1/4 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. Absolut Peppar Vodka (or other chile pepper infused vodka)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook your pasta in boiling, salted water until just al dente. Drain, reserving ~1/4 c. or so of pasta water. While your pasta is boiling, heat oil in large skillet over medium and saute garlic, salt and crushed red pepper for a minute or so, then add tomatoes and their juices. Simmer for a few minutes or until the tomatoes start to break down a bit. Add cream, vodka and reserved pasta water…give it a quick stir. Toss with warm pasta and season to taste. Grate fresh Parmesan over top and serve!
It’s been so great meeting so many great foodies and I will definitely see you around the Krazy Kitchen… and the blogosphere… get ready for Martha 🙂

Salted Chocolate, one of our newer favorites is always a winner!

SALTED CHOCOLATE
16 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
Sea Salt
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
PURE

  • Spray a jelly roll pan with an even coat of PURE.
  • Microwave chocolate in 20 second intervals until melted.
  • Spread chocolate out evenly.
  • Sprinkle sea salt across the entire layer of chocolate.
  • Sprinkle top with crushed walnuts.
  • Gently press nuts into the chocolate.
  • Cool in refrigerator uncovered for 30 minutes until hardened.
  • Break up into pieces and store in cool dark dry place.

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Baked Smoked Turkey in a Slow Cooker: What Did You Bake Today?

I realize that I am completely pushing the limits of the whole “bake” thing with this post.  Hopefully, you will have it in your hearts to hear me out.  This is a new technique I learned reading Cheater BBQ by Mindy Merrill and R.B. Quinn.  The premise being that slow cookers can act as mini ovens on occasion.  By wrapping meat tightly in foil, it doesn’t end up like the typical crockpot stew but stays firm as though it were cooked in the oven.
 
Now, here’s the bad news.  This is the only picture I took of the turkey breast.  Yep!  You have to use your imagination and trust me a Lot!
Smoked Turkey Breast (based on the Cheater BBQ Hobo Crock Turkey Breast)
One thawed turkey breast
4 Tbls butter, melted
1/4 cup liquid smoke
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
Line the crockpot with foil large enough to completely encase the turkey breast.  Place the turkey in the middle of it.  Combine the spices and rub them all over the meat, including in the cavity.  Combine the butter and liquid smoke and pour it all over everything.  Wrap the foil over the turkey, sealing snuggly.  Cook on low 6-8 hours or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.  I cooked mine for the originally prescribed 10 hours and had a very dry bird.   Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce.
We only ate half of the meat.  With the leftovers, I borrowed another recipe from the Cheater BBQ cookbook…..and I really baked it in the oven.
Cornbread Turkey Bean Casserole:
3 cups chopped leftover smoked turkey
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 Tbls olive oil
2 cans Texas Ranch style beans (ranch brand)
1 can hickory bbq beans (bush’s brand)
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 heaping tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 small can green chilies
Saute the onion in the oil until soft.  Combine the meat, beans and onion and pour into the bottom of a greased casserole dish.  Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.  Stir in the milk until moistened.  Add the cheese and chilies.  Spread the mixture over the beans.  Bake uncovered 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until cornbread is done.  (Note: if, like me, you take it out of the oven a bit too soon and find that there is a thin layer of not done cornbread between the beans and the baked cornbread…microwave it for 3 minutes.)
 What Did You Bake Today?
 

White chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cookie Mix in a Jar Recipe

C & H Sugar (called Domino Sugar in some regions) recently contacted us at Our Krazy Kitchen and offered for us to use any of their recipes, and link to them for a sweet recipe exchange. There’s no better time than for Save Room for Dessert and tomorrow’s Cookie Party. They have a lot more sweet holiday recipes, gift ideas, shipping tips, even a campaign to raise funds for hungry children. Here’s a sample recipe below, complete with printable gift tag.

White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cookie Mix in a Jar
Makes 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup firmly packed C&H Golden Brown Sugar
1/3 cup C&H Pure Cane Sugar
3/4 cup toasted macadamia nuts, chopped
1 cup – (6-oz package) vanilla milk chips

Instructions:
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Spoon into 1-quart, widemouthed canning jar. Layer remaining ingredients in order given, making sure to pack down each layer firmly. Clean inside of jar with a dry paper towel after each layer. Decorate lid by cutting fabric into a 7-inch wide square or circle. Secure with a rubber band and tie with a decorative ribbon and accents.

Download PDF file and attach these instructions to the jar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together 2/3 cup softened butter or margarine, 1 egg, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until combined. Slowly add contents of jar and mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375°F for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned.

Quick Tip: Toasting heightens the flavor of nuts. To toast macadamia nuts, spread the nuts in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown, watching carefully and stirring once or twice to brown evenly.

Full Disclosure: In the interest of full disclosure we were contacted and asked to voice opinion and C&H/Domino Sugar links in exchange for a gift card. We did this because we believe in the product and the recipes and not for payment.

Don’t forget tomorrow’s Cookie Party!

and Save Room for Dessert!

Pick your favorite badge!