TT: Make a list and check it twice
By Andrea | December 2, 2008
Happy December! Since we had fun doing Thanksgiving tips for the month of November, I thought holiday tips for the month of December would be appropriate. I normally would have a lovely graphic for you at the beginning but could not find one that appealed to me and I needed to get this post up. I would love to be able to make my own graphics, banners, signs, and so on, if you have any suggestions for programs I am all ears. Everything I do, I do on a Mac, so the program would need to run on my Apple products. Moving along!
You should not be surprised that my first holiday tip to you is to plan out what you need to do and make a list! Or if you’re like me, several lists. 
If you are purchasing gifts for a lot of people, creating a list with all of their names and jotting down some ideas beside each one for gifts saves a lot of time when out shopping or even searching online. If the people you need to purchase for cover different areas, for example:
- Immediate family
- The In-Laws
- Co-workers
- School (perhaps you teach, or are in school)
- Neighbors
- Church (or your place of worship)
It is easier to divide everyone up by a group and then create a list for each group. Yes this can make for a lot of lists but having everything organized and mapped out can help shopping, planning, and entertaining run a lot smoother. For example, if you already know that your co-workers will be receiving baked goods, you can plot that next to their names and then set aside time in your Google Calendar (or calendar of choice) for baking, packaging up the goodies, and delivering them. Because I know you guys already use a calendar program, right?
One thing I always do along with planning out gifts, is menu planning. The holidays are a huge indulgence time at OHC HQ and special dishes make frequent appearances. In order for me to fit everything in, I have to plan out meals ahead of time. This is especially helpful if we are entertaining or are going to a party. I can plot everything in my calendar, and seeing the plan visually helps me plan a better course of action.
When you complete each item, cross it off your list and move on. Having that sense of accomplishment can help alleviate the stress of the holidays. Sometimes we get so wrapped up and frazzled trying to get everything done, we forget about actually enjoying the holidays and each other.
Save yourself that stress this year and be organized! It will help your sanity and result in you being able to enjoy some holiday cookies yourself! And another tip? Gingerbread cookies go great with red wine. Santa told me.
Happy Holidays from OHC!
Leftover Idea: Stuffing Frittata
By Andrea | November 30, 2008
The cast
Still plowing your way through leftovers? This is one of my very favorite leftover recipes. I look forward to this all year long! I started doing this a few years back with leftover stuffing and have made it every year since. It’s so easy and so yummy! Perfect if you are hosting guests at your house and they are threatening bodily harm if you feed them another leftover. Disguise it!
Andrea’s Stuffing Frittata
- 1 C overloaded with stuffing
- 1 C of leftover chopped turkey
- 4 eggs
- 1 TBSP of olive oil
- Shredded Cheddar for topping
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sized skillet, drizzle in the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Then add in the turkey and stuffing. Whisk the four eggs and pour that mixture over the turkey and stuffing. Making sure the egg mixture covers the whole thing. Turn off heat and plop in the oven for about 5 minutes until just slightly shy of being set. Turn off oven and remove frittata. Sprinkle top with as much shredded cheddar as you like. Put back in the oven for about 3 minutes until the cheese is melted and frittata is fully set.
Remove from oven, cut into four slices and serve!
Out of the oven
This dish is so easy to make and takes leftover stuffing to that next level of awesomeness. Stuffing is my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner, so I’ll look for any excuse to keep eating it! I have made this with just stuffing and no turkey. This year I had a few bites of turkey still in the fridge so I dumped it in. But omitted, the frittata is still just as yummy.
If you have leftover cranberry sauce, some of that warmed and drizzled over top would make a really nice sauce for the frittata. You could also use egg whites in this as well. It’s up to you! Even playing around with the cheese and maybe using a pepper jack for some kick would be great! Get creative with those leftovers!
Stuffing Frittata
Have fun guys! And remember, always play with your food!
Leftover Idea: Potato Puffs
By Andrea | November 28, 2008
Thanksgiving OHC Style
Hi guys! I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving full of yummy food, laughs, and naps! Over at OHC HQ we had a beautiful day, the skies were clear with a very mild temperature outside. Perfect for an afternoon stroll to help digest the big meal.
Here we are the day after and while some of you may be shopping and scoring deals, others of you may be wondering how to handle all those leftovers in your fridge. My suggestion is to turn them into something else!
For example, if you have leftover mashed potatoes and the last thing you want is another scoop of them, try my little Potato Puff recipe!
This is a recipe you can play around with and discover new combinations! Possible mix-in ideas can include:
- Leftover greenbean casserole
- Leftover corn or corn pudding
- Turkey and cranberry sauce
- Corn and stuffing
Or you can even make a sweet potato puff! Don’t get in a leftover rut, use your imagination and get creative with leftovers!
Happy Holidays from OHC!
TT: Simmering stock on the stove with veggie trimmings
By Andrea | November 25, 2008
Use those ends
This is it! The big week and there’s only two more sleeps till Thanksgiving. I hope you are ready to tell Thanksgiving who’s boss!
Remember when we talked about freezing the veggie trimmings? Now is a great time to put those veggie end pieces to good use! I honestly can’t think of another day when such copious amounts of stock are used and needed than on Thanksgiving day. Some goes on the turkey, some is used for casseroles, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. You name it and the probability of it needing stock is probably high.
I don’t know about you, but I love using stocks and broths to add flavor to things. As much as I love them, I still think the flavor intensity could stand to be kicked up a bit. I love things with big bang flavor, I am not a subtly girl. And I’m talking store bought stock here, because I’m sure your homemade version has plenty of flavor.
One thing I do on Thanksgiving day is fill a huge pot, one you would make soup or cook pasta in, with lots of chicken broth. And I mean LOTS. I actually don’t care for Turkey stock/broth much but feel free to use that if you prefer.
Asparagus ends
Once I have it full of the stock, I add in the turkey neck, veggie ends that I saved, garlic, onions, carrots, and plenty of herbs. I let that simmer while I have everything else cooking. I keep the pot on low and let it hang out doing its thing. This bumps up the flavor of the stock/broth while keeping it warm and at the ready for whatever I need it for.
A good bit of my stock goes in the stuffing and adding cold stock to the warm pan of veggies and bread increases the cooking time. Which results in longer prep time getting that stuffing ready. With warm, kicked-up stock, I don’t have to worry about that.
Yes I use drippings for gravy and as much as I love them, I don’t use the whole pan of drippings. I do half and half; half drippings, half simmering stock. This method allows me to use the flavor from the roasted turkey without all the fat of straight drippings.
Planning ahead and knowing that the pot will be on the stove the whole day, means I won’t run out of space. I make a list of what gets cooked when so everything flows smoothly on the big day. If you end up not using the whole pot of stock, no worries. Save some to help reheat leftover gravy and freeze the rest. You can put it in ice cube trays and freeze small portions that way. Or you can measure out the stock by 1 C increments into freezer bags. If you go the freezer bag method, line a measuring cup with the bag, pour in the stock, seal and freeze in the cup. Remove the bag from the cup once the liquid is frozen or close to being frozen. Rinse, repeat until all the stock is separated and frozen.
Put those leftover ends to good use and bump up the flavor on store bought stock or broth. You can always play around with flavors too and add in an apple or maybe a jalapeno. Whatever would compliment your turkey dinner.
In addition, to make things easier, here is a list of the previous Thanksgiving Tuesday Tips:
Chop and Prep Veggies Ahead of Time
P.S. Yes, I am aware that stock and broth are two different things, however at OHC the terms are interchangeable.
T-day Schedule
Just in case you thought I was kidding about printing out a schedule and sticking it on the fridge, I assure you I was not. My current schedule with Thanksgiving menu on the bottom. Plus room for notes and last minute changes.
Happy Thanksgiving from OHC!!! Have a safe and most awesome holiday!
Sage Sausage Biscuits
By Andrea | November 23, 2008
Right out of the oven
One of the things I love making are handheld food stuffs. Especially if it’s for a party, potluck, or just something simple to have on hand for holiday gatherings.
Another thing I love is sausage. I grew up eating all kinds and being Polish, you know you have to eat kielbasa as required by law. Back in the day on the rare occasions that I had a McDonald’s breakfast (I know, totally ew, but hey who hasn’t had one? Uh huh.) naturally it was all about the egg sandwiches right? I took off the egg and tossed it because it was icky. I only ate the muffin and sausage. That’s where it was at for me because it was all about the sausage.
I still like that combination but worked on making it a little more healthy. Yes, the dish has sausage but that doesn’t mean the dish has to be a total unhealthy fest. I worked on looking at it from a different perspective and presenting in a different form. Sage Sausage Biscuits are the result!
Andrea’s Sage Sausage Biscuits
- 1pound of bulk sage breakfast sausage, cooked, drained and cooled
- 1 C self-rising cornmeal
- 1 C of all-purpose flour
- 1 C of shredded cheddar
- 1 C of half & half
- 1 egg
- Garlic powder to taste
Preheat oven to 350. With nonstick spray, spray a 12 count muffin tin. In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, half & half, egg, and garlic powder. Then add in the sausage and cheese and mix until well blended. Spoon into the muffin tin and fill about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for around 15-20 minutes until the biscuits are brown and start to pull away at the sides of the tin. A toothpick inserted should come out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 2 minutes then remove from the muffin tin. Serve warm. Makes 12 biscuits. If it seems like you have more mixture, make more biscuits!
Sage Sausage Biscuit
I prefer using self-rising cornmeal because it makes life easier. But if you can’t find it or don’t use it, you will need to add 2 tsp of baking powder to the recipe so the biscuits will fluff up.
I love this little biscuit. The muffin tin makes them the perfect sized portion. They are a great dish to serve at brunch and can be made the day ahead. Just gently rewarm before serving. They can even be frozen and reheated right before serving. Or freeze and pull out one (or two) when needed.
They are also a great little treat to have during the holidays. Heat up and serve as an easy breakfast on Thanksgiving day. Since they can be made ahead, it’s one less thing to worry about on the big day.
Feel free to play around with it too! Maybe use spicy breakfast sausage and add some chopped jalapeno. Or shredded pepper jack instead of cheddar. Or both! It can be adapted to your personal tastes.
Enjoy guys! And remember, always play with your food!
Happy Holidays from OHC!
Pumpkin Penne
By Andrea | November 20, 2008
Pumpkin
I love pumpkin and one thing I have resolved to do this year was to be more creative with foods. To experiment more and branch out more. I have been doing that a lot with pumpkin.
Pumpkin doesn’t have to be just regulated to pies and I’m sure all of you are aware of this fact already. I’m new to the party. Pumpkin can be savory? Pumpkin can be spicy? Well smack my bottom, let’s get this party started!
Some of you might be aware of the Blogger Secret Ingredient contest that has been going around. Well this week, Lindsay is hosting and she picked pumpkin. Since my new found love of experimenting with pumpkin, I wanted to create something that I could enter in this week’s contest.
The idea came to me earlier this week and I pondered it a bit before fully deciding what I was going to make and how exactly I was going to make it. Pumpkin Penne was the result!
Andrea’s Pumpkin Penne
- 1 Italian sausage link
- 1 C of pumpkin puree
- 1/3 C of dry white wine
- 1 C of chicken broth
- 1/4 of a medium onion finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 TBSP of unsalted butter
- 1/2 TBSP of olive oil
- 2 1/2 C of mini whole wheat penne
- 1/2 tsp of chili powder
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
- Pinch cayenne pepper, pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- Flat leaf parsley for garnish
- Grated parm for garnish
In a medium sized skillet with high sides, add the 1/2 TBSP of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Cut the casing on the sausage and crumble into the skillet browning and cooking through ( like cooking ground meat). Remove from skillet and set aside. Either drain the grease or keep (there shouldn’t be too much), add in the butter and chopped onions. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and sauté until soft and transparent. Add the sausage back in and also grate the clove of garlic into the mixture. Stir everything together and then add the wine. Allow to simmer for about two minutes. While that is simmering bring a large pot of water up to boil for the pasta.
To the onions and sausage, add in the pumpkin and stir. Then add in the chicken stock and stir. Add in the seasonings and allow the mixture to simmer as the pasta cooks. The pasta should take about 7 minutes to cook, taste test to your preferred doneness. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and place back into the hot pot to help evaporate remaining water. Add the pasta into the pumpkin sauce and combine. Sprinkle in some chopped parsley for added color. Top with grated parm and serve!
Serves two with plenty of leftovers or can serve four for a dinner.
If the sauce starts to get too thick, add in more chicken stock by the tablespoon until it’s back to a smooth sauce.
Pumpkin Penne
This dish came out perfectly. It was creamy with just a touch of heat from the seasonings. A great way to get more veggies in for the day. The sausage gives it just enough of texture and flavor to keep things interesting.
Certainly you can use spicy sausage here if you prefer; it’s all about your preferences. If you would like to keep it straight veggie, use veggie stock and perhaps some veggie crumbles or starters instead of sausage. I think adding in even more veggies would be a great addition, spinach or zucchini would work well with this dish.
I used a Chardonnay from a box from Target. It’s not too shabby and the box is handy for cooking because it’s easy to measure out what you need. However, opening a bottle for the evening is also a great way to go!
Enjoy guys, and remember, always play with your food!
Review: Leinenkugel’s Fireside Nut Brown
By Andrea | November 19, 2008
Fireside Nut Brown
When it comes to alcoholic beverages, I only like two categories: beer and wine.
With wine, I’ll drink whatever you throw at me. With beer, I’m a little more picky. I like darker beers and I do not dig on wheat beers (of course there are exceptions). I never drink a light beer because I might as well just drink water. And I don’t drink cheap beer. I will try everything at least once, maybe twice, just so I can be certain in my opinion. Really when I break it down, it doesn’t seem too picky. Right?
I am a sucker for seasonal beers and I’m a sucker for flavored beers. I will head straight toward them like a moth to a flame.
My love for trying seasonal items explains why I have this Fireside Nut Brown by Leinenkugel’s in my possession. As I was perusing the beer aisle at my local grocery store (Thank you Ohio for allowing us to buy beer at the grocery store!) my eye fell up on this. I have had some Leinenkugel’s beers in the past and they have been good beers. The description of this beer talked about sitting by a fireside on a cold night and warming up with this beer. You had me at fireside, Leinenkugel’s! I picked up a sixer and was on my way.
Rich dark coloring
The first time I tried this beer I was in love. The flavor doesn’t hit you right away, it’s very subtle and at the end. There is a nice caramel flavor with a punch of roasted nuts. But it’s not a fake nut taste, you know how nut flavored coffees or creamers can have a really nasty fake flavor. This has none of that. It’s a good hearty beer while at the same time not being overwhelming or too pungent. This has the perfect beer flavor, full bodied with a touch of sweetness at the end.
The color of the beer is an amazing dark amber color. I think if you served this at a party in some nice frosted glasses, the recipients would be very impressed. I would be impressed if someone gave this to me!
This easily has become a favorite beer of mine and sadly I only have one left in the fridge. I will be going to the grocery store soon and I have already informed Scott that we need to stock up on some of this. He wisely did not protest.
Guys, if you like beer and you can dig on trying some different flavors, I would highly suggest trying this out. The beer is amazing and is perfect for holiday parties or just kicking it back at home. It has a short seasonal run, only available November through December (Why must you torture me so Leinenkugel’s?!), so pick some up while you can and give it a taste.
TT: Brining is your friend
By Andrea | November 18, 2008
one happy bird
People either love it or hate it. Personally, we over here at OHC HQ love the brine. More specifically, I love the brine and making brine while Scott loves the results of the brine. And, I know you’ve heard it thousands of times so I’m going to just get it out of the way in the beginning, please brine your bird.
Yes, brining does all the glorious things that you’ve heard before. It makes for a really juicy turkey and as someone who grew up eating her fair share of dry turkey (I’m sorry mom, you tried and it’s okay we still had great Thanksgivings!), a nicely roasted juicy turkey is an awesome thing to behold. And inhale. And then nap off.
But that’s not the point I want to get across. What I want to let you in on, is that brining is like a marinade only kicked waaaayyyy up and so much better. Because you can flavor your brine however you want and that flavor will infuse all through whatever is getting brined. I’ve used cider and wine in brines. Yes, the results were awesome. And when I can look over and see Scott desperately trying to get every last bit of meat off a bone, I know it came out well.
I am however still new to the brine. I only started brining my turkey a few years ago. I use a huge white bucket that I bought specifically for brining my turkey. It’s only two of us for Thanksgiving but I still cook a whole bird to make things a little more special and because I like roasting things. I’ve over cooked my turkey and because I used a brine, the turkey still came out edible and not too dry.
When you pull the turkey out of the brine, it immediately starts to fill the kitchen with awesome smells. Brining just bumps up the flavor that much more.
What I have learned along the way:
- Start your brine the day before and put your turkey in it around dinner time. If you are going to start cooking the turkey earlier the next day, put it in the brine earlier. A good 12 hours or so is a good amount of time for a 10-12lb bird.
- You do not have to boil brines. Some call for it, but the goal is to make sure the salt and sugar (if you use it) dissolve. Cold water/liquids work just fine.
- Play around with different flavors in the brine. This year I’m trying a little spicy twist, we’ll see how it turns out!
I do not have a special brine recipe for you at the moment because I’m still tweaking my turkey brine. However, there are a bizillion brine recipes out there to take a peek at and try. And if you are a little nervous about brining a whole turkey, start off small and try some chicken. That takes a shorter brine time and you’ll be able to try first hand what I’m talking about. Then you can move on to bigger things!
Show your turkey some love this year, and brine that bird!
Cranberry and Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash
By Andrea | November 16, 2008
Roasted Acorn Squash
I’ve been experimenting with winter squashes lately. These are a new item at OHC HQ and one that we are thoroughly enjoying. I didn’t grow up eating winter squash aside from pumpkin, and that was only in pie. Perhaps a cookie, but that’s as far as it went. All the other varieties of squash never crossed the threshold and I’m pretty sure it was the same way over at young Scott’s house as well.
During my experimentations, both of us have decided that we love the winter squashes and currently we have not met a squash we didn’t like. A familiar squash this time of year is the little acorn squash. Perfect as a meal on its own or playing costar as a side dish. And one thing that seems pretty typical is a stuffed acorn squash. Meat of some sort seems to be a common ingredient, sausage taking a top spot.
When I created this dish, it was a veggie day for us so there’s no meat contained in this stuffing. I was looking for something a little sweet and a little savory. Filling, yet light, so as not to weigh you down after eating.
Andrea’s Cranberry and Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash
- 1 medium-sized acorn squash
- 1-2 C of cooked brown rice
- 1/2 C of dried cranberries
- 1/2 C of crushed pecans
- 1 TBSP of maple syrup
- 1 TBSP of olive oil
- Salt, pepper to taste
- 1 tsp of chili powder
- 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the seeds. On a foil lined cookie sheet place the acorn squash cut side up. Rub each half with 1/2 TBSP of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (to taste). Also sprinkle each half with 1/2 tsp of chili powder, 1/4 tsp of cinnamon. Roast for about 1 hour or until fork tender.
While that is roasting, cook the rice according to package directions. I always use chicken stock for cooking rice. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine rice, cranberries, pecans, and maple syrup. Mix to combine.
When the squash is fully roasted, remove from oven. Place each half on a plate and fill with the rice mixture. Serve immediately.
Cranberry and Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash
Both of us were really pleased with the way the dish came out. The acorn squash is sweet but it isn’t quite as sweet as a butternut, allowing the maple syrup and cranberries to shine through. The pecans give it some crunch and a little protein boost. The brown rice keeps things filling yet light.
I used a brown jasmine rice but you can use whatever rice you love or happen to have on hand. Another common way of roasting squash, is in a shallow roasting pan with a little water, about an inch or so. Roast at the same temp for the same time or until fork tender. The steam from the water will help keep the squash moist.
If you’re looking for something a little different this holiday season, or perhaps an easy side dish to bring to a party, this is definitely a winner.
Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!
Review: Kashi Roasted Garlic and Thyme Crackers
By Andrea | November 12, 2008
Healthy Entertaining
“It’s the holiday season, with the whoop-dee-do and hickory dock and don’t forget to hang up your sock…” is the song that runs through my head constantly during this time of year. Yeah, I’m a sucker for holiday music. Old school only please.
With the holidays comes entertaining and social gatherings where there is food and if you’re lucky, drinks are involved. It’s cocktail parties instead of sit down dinners. Eggnog instead of a cold brew. If you are the host of such a party this year and are looking for a different type of cracker so that you can avoid the same old tired Ritz crackers (sorry Ritz, you had a good run), Kashi has your answer.
They have a new line of entertaining crackers out that I had to try because I am in love with Kashi crackers. And also because the box had that nice little “New!” stamp on it which pulls me in every time. A very quick way to my heart and to ensure my devotion to you is to present me with a plate of cheeses and crackers. Oh sure most girls like chocolates and yeah that’s okay. But cheese and crackers and I will adore you. If you also give me wine then things could turn crazy.
Because of my obsession with cheese and crackers, you can see why I had to try these out. And I have no shame in telling you that they impressed me as soon as I took them out of the box because they were huge and size matters
Wow!
While I may have small hands, they are not abnormally teeny. Just typical chick small. As you can see by the picture, one cracker takes up the whole palm of my hand! That’s a big cracker, holy cow!
What you see is the Roasted Garlic and Thyme flavored variety. Garlic is my lifeforce, so I had to try these first. I had the crackers straight up and in short, they are awesome. Very light and crunchy with a huge amount of flavor to them. The flavor isn’t overwhelming and would pair nicely with just about anything.
These crackers are perfect for entertaining because they are a larger cracker. That may sound weird but they are the perfect size for cocktail and appetizer type foods. You could make these into anything. Small fancied up mini-pizzas? Sure! Chi-chi brie and cranberry sauce appetizers? Certainly! Or you can serve these straight up and allow your guests to top them however they like.
Sometimes when the crackers are smaller, you feel like you’re loading up if you have more than three. Or maybe that’s just me. With the bigger size of these, two is plenty and depending on what you use for toppings, can be a very filling snack or first course.
If you are looking for a different kind of entertaining cracker or just a different cracker to have on hand, give these a try. Plus you can feel better about eating them since they are made with whole grains!
Kashi has three different flavors of these crackers that you can try. I know that I will be picking up more!
Happy healthy entertaining guys!
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