Simple Leftover Turkey Recipe

photo: Lwatts

Thanksgiving Leftover turkey Casserole Recipe

preheat oven 350 degrees

4 cups + Cooked turkey, cut in bite size pieces
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz sour cream (1 cup)
1 8 oz package / box stuffing mix or your leftover dressing
if you use a new box of stuffing you will
need 1 can of chicken broth to add to packaged stuffing.

layer one:
1. Place cooked turkey in lightly greased 8x8 baking dish.

layer two:
2. In a mixing bowl combine soup and sour cream.
pour sour cream mixture over turkey.

If you are using leftover dressing /stuffing jump to *3.
In another bowl,
Combine stuffing mix and chicken broth.
mix well, let the dressing soak up the broth.

*3. Spread stuffing mixture over sour cream mixture.

Bake for 45 minutes or until brown.

variations:
-depending on how much turkey you have leftover, this recipe
can be doubled for 13x9 pan, extend baking time 10-15 minutes.
-use cooked boneless chicken instead of turkey
-use cream of chicken soup instead of cream of mushroom




Diary of a Kentucky Cook

CAJUN ROASTED POTATOES RECIPE

CAJUN ROASTED POTATOES RECIPE
ky cook

12 or so unpeeled small red or yellow potatoes*,
cleaned and cubed
4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 1/2 Tablespoon onion powder
1 1/2 Tablespoon cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp sea salt
sprinkle of creole seasoning

Place cubed Potatoes in a lightly sprayed 13x9 pan.
Sprinkle potatoes with sea salt & creole seasoning.

Mix olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder and cajun
seasoning in a small bowl or glass mixing cup.
stir well.

Drizzle mixture evenly over potatoes.
Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 1 hour.
Be sure and stir, half way through cooking time.




* You may also use regular potatoes.





Diary of a Kentucky Cook

Blueberry Crumble French Toast Recipe

Blueberry Crumble French Toast

photo:L watts



Blueberry Crumble French Toast Recipe
ky cook

3 eggs
1/3 cup + Tbsp milk
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
4 slices of blueberry crumble bread, slightly stale
Butter for cooking
Maple syrup

Beat eggs, milk, and cinnamon together.
Pour the egg mixture in a 13x9 pan;
place all 4 slices of bread into the egg mixture,
flip, allowing bread to soak up the mixture.


Melt some butter over a large skillet on medium high heat.

Add slices of bread into the skillet,
fry until brown on both sides, flipping the bread when necessary.

Best served hot with butter, maple syrup, and if available, fresh berries

and or
link sausages.
oh and don't forget a big cold glass of milk !

Serves 2







Diary of a Kentucky Cook

Old fashioned blackberry cobbler recipe

Fresh picked blackberries

~ old fashioned Blackberry cobbler recipe






old fashioned blackberry cobbler recipe
kycook

2 1/2 cups fresh blackberries, washed and picked over
1 C white sugar
1 C all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C milk
1 stick of butter, melted

pre heat oven to 350/375
In medium bowl, stir together blackberries and sugar.
Let stand about 25 minutes, stir well.
In a large bowl:
By hand, stir together:
flour, baking powder, salt and milk
lastly, stir in melted butter.
stir until butter is well blended

Pour batter in ungreased dish.
Spoon blackberry mixture over batter.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until dough rises
and the top is golden brown.

Serve warm with cream, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.









Diary of a Kentucky Cook

Cheddar & jalapeno Corn muffins - Cornbread recipe

Cheddar & jalapeno corn muffins w/ butter
photos by Lwatts


Cheddar & jalapeno Corn muffins recipe

2 boxes of corn muffin mix
1 egg
1 can creamed corn
1 - 2 Tblsp jalapenos, diced
1 cup + shredded cheddar cheese

preheat oven to 400 degrees
lightly spray 12 muffin tin or use paper liners

In medium bowl:
Add corn muffin mix, egg, corn, jalapenos and cheese.
Stir well.
spoon mixture into muffin tins.
right before placing in oven, sprinkle with additional shredded cheese.

Bake 18-22 minutes until golden brown.

*OR*
~place the batter into a cast iron skillet or square pan and make cornbread.
~sprinkle a little cooked, crumbled bacon into batter before cooking.
~use mexican blend cheese instead of cheddar
~sprinkle a dash of ceyenne pepper seasoning on top right before baking.
~use fresh jalapenos or i like to use the nacho -ready sliced ones in the jar.

Menu

Cottage cheese
Jambalaya
Cheddar jalapeno corn muffins w/ butter
Strawberry shortcake
Sweet tea

Diary of a Kentucky Cook

Skillet German Potato Salad Recipe

photo: L watts

Tonights menu

buttermilk pork chops
fried apples
skillet german potato salad
steamed broccoli
buttered biscuits

The other day, we had some potatoes that were starting to get a little old, brian made a bowl of german potato salad. He took 2 recipes and combined them making a delicious potato salad.
The next day, we warmed up the leftover salad in the microwave and it still tasted great !




Skillet German Potato Salad Recipe
courtesy of: brian

6 medium potatoes
1 lb bacon
1 large onion
1/2 cup apple cidar vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 Tblsp flour
1 Tblsp chives, chopped

Boil potatoes until done, drain and cube.
set aside to cool.

fry bacon, drain, set aside.

remove half of the bacon drippings/grease out of the skillet.
place chopped onions in same skillet,
cook onions until transparent.

add flour, stir well
add vinegar, water and crumbled bacon into onion mixture, stirring well.
let simmer until it thickens.

add potatoes and chives,
stir well.

serve warm.








diary of a Kentucky Cook

Tried & True cooking shortcuts, hints & tips

photo: L watts


Shortcuts for making hot cornbread in a hurry.




Here are a few quick tried and true tips to help make boxed corn muffin mix taste more like 'made from scratch' corn bread.

*use 2 boxes for thicker corn bread
*use milk instead of water
*add a pinch of sugar or splenda before adding in wet ingredients
*add in a Tablespoon of honey to the batter just before cooking.
*stir in 1/2 cup of your favorite shredded cheese.
*using cupcake liners in the muffin pan helps with easier cleanup and makes it easier for little hands to hold while eating.
*for cracklin' cornbread, add in a Tblsp of cooked, crumbled bacon into each muffin of batter or stir in 4 cooked, crumbled bacon slices into your corn bread batter.
*for nutty cornbread add in 1/2 cup of chopped pecans.


you might like to see a couple of my other recipes:

dressing up store bought mixes

old fashioned iron skillet cornbread

chicken & cornbread





Misc Hints and Tips...




Measurement shortcuts:

1 cup = 8 ounces or 16 tablespoons.
2 tablespoons = 1 ounce
4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup

---o---

Oven Temperature Conversion Table

Fahrenheit (ºF) Celsius (ºC)


Very slow oven 250ºF 130ºC
Slow oven 300ºF 149ºC
Moderately slow oven 325ºF 175ºC
Moderate oven 350ºF 176.6ºC
Moderately hot oven 375ºF 200ºC
Hot aka quick oven 400ºF 204.5ºC
Very hot oven 450ºF 232.3ºC
Extremely hot oven 500ºF 280ºC


---o---


Cream soups have gotten so expensive...

Lets say you only need to use half of a can of a cream soup for your recipe when cooking for 2. The prices of canned soups has gotten outrageously high, don't waste that soup !
Take out the amount that you need, place what you have left in a container, cover it and place in the refrigerator.
Do not store the soup in the original can.
You can store cream soups up to 2 days in the refrigerator.









Diary of a Kentucky Cook

Southern Kentucky White Chili

White Chili photo: linda watts

Linda's Southern Ky White Chili
by: kentucky cook

1 lb boneless chicken breasts, about 3 med size breasts
1/2 bottle zesty italian dressing
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can white beans, partially drained
1 can mixed beans
1 can chicken broth
1 small can green chiles
1/2 tsp + Mexican or tex-mex seasoning
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
splash of hot sauce, optional

In a large saucepan on medium to high heat
place the italian dressing, the cubed chicken and onions.
Cover, keep stirred, cook 10 minutes, until chicken is done.
sprinkle with mexican seasoning.


Add the beans, broth, chilies, pepper and cumin
stir well, turn down the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
*I let mine simmer till the cornbread is ready.

When you bowl it up you can add a spash of hot sauce
or some shredded cheese or a little cilantro, whatever suits your tastes.
this recipe is very versatile and you can substitute any way you like.

you can :
leave out the cayenne pepper and hot sauce,
use 2 cans of white beans instead of 1 can of each listed,
use cooked turkey instead of chicken...








Diary of a Kentucky Cook

Brian's Quick Biscuits

photo: L watts



Brian's Quick Biscuits
recipe courtesy of: brian

preheat oven to 450

2 1/4 cups baking mix (+ little extra for sprinkling)
2/3 cup regular milk
2 Tbl of dry buttermilk substitute
5 Tbls butter crisco

Place baking mix in a large bowl,
add dry buttermilk substitute, stir.
Cut crisco in with a fork.
Stir and form a soft dough.
if the batter is too wet add a little more baking mix
a sprinkle at a time until batter is good for rolling.

Place dough on a prepared surface,
sprinkled with a little mix.
roll out dough abt 1/2 inch thick.
cut out biscuits using either a biscuit cutter
or an ice tea glass.

place biscuit rounds on lightly greased cookie sheet
bake for 8 minutes, take out of oven
spread a small dollup of butter on
the top of each biscuit.
place back in the oven for 2 - 3 additional minutes
or until biscuits are a golden brown.

*watch the biscuits closely for the last minute or 2.
makes about a dozen biscuits

Old Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese recipe

Old Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese recipe
entree or side dish

1/2 stick butter, divided
1/4 cup regular flour
1 cup milk
8 oz. Velveeta, cubed
2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked, drained
1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
8 + ritz crackers, crushed

preheat oven to 350

In medium saucepan;
melt 3 Tbls butter
whisk in flour
cook 2 min., stirring constantly.
Gradually stir in milk
cook until mixture boils and thickens, continue stirring constantly.
Add velveeta, stir until melted
Add macaroni.

Spoon mixture into a 2 qt. lightly sprayed casserole dish
sprinkle with Cheddar
In a small bowl:
Melt remaining butter, add cracker crumbs, stir
Sprinkle over casserole.

Bake about 20 minutes.



variations:

use margarine instead of butter
use 2 % milk
use lowfat velveeta or
use american cheese instead of velveeta
use club crackers insted of ritz
use crumbled homemade croutons, instead of crackers
use shredded cheese blend instead of shredded cheddar
add in 1/4 cup bacon bits when you add macaroni
or if you have any leftover ham, tear into small pieces and toss it in.
or add cubed / coined cooked italian sausage

serve with corn muffins or toast points as an entree.
serve as a side, goes great with any meat !







Diary of a Kentucky Cook

Beef Pot Pie Casserole Recipe

Beef Pot Pie Casserole Recipe
~kycook

1 to 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can mixed vegetables, drained
1 can corn, drained
8 oz velveeta, cubed
1 can cream soup, celery OR mushroom
1 can crescent dinner rolls

In a skillet add ground beef & garlic, cook
until done, drain off drippings.
add in vegetables, corn and soup

stir well

preheat oven to 375.

In a sprayed 13x9 glass dish add in beef mixture, sprinkle cubes of velveeta on top,
push cubes into mixture.

spread out dough on the top making a crust.

bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

variations:

-You can control the sodium and fat content in this recipe
by using any low fat, 2 % or low sodium ingredients you
would like.
~leave out the can of corn and add in a can of green beans or
your favorite veggie, just be sure and drain out the liquid.
-exchange the canned veggies and corn for a 16 oz bag of frozen veggie blend
-use any of the following soups:
cream of celery, or
cream of chicken or
cream of mushroom soup

-freezes well.

diary of a Kentucky Cook

Yellow Squash Patties Recipe

Yellow Squash Patties Recipe

2 cups grated yellow squash
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup self rising flour
1 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup self rising cornmeal
1 small onion, chopped real fine
1 tsp seasoned pepper

Mix all ingredients together.
Spoon out into preheated
olive oil in skillet

Turn to brown both sides.
Drain squash patties on paper towels.
Serve while warm

variations:
use either olive or canola oil for frying
use seasoned bread crumbs instead of plain
add a few shakes of red pepper (ceyanne)
use chopped green onion instead of a table onion
right before serving sprinkle with a little shredded cheese
or a couple shakes of salt


To make one cup of Self Rising Corn Meal Mix

3/4 cup of corn meal
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt









Diary of a Kentucky Cook

Hearty Beef Soup - Inexpensive, money saving recipe

Hearty Beef Soup Recipe

1 and 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 - 14 oz cans of stewed or diced tomatoes or
1 large jar of home canned tomatoes
1 can (14 oz) of water
1 can of cream corn
salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet brown ground beef, drain.
In a stockpot add cooked beef, tomatoes, water, salt and pepper.
Cook, uncovered for about 15 minutes.
Add corn.
Continue cooking for 10 minutes.
Serve Hot

notes:

Great way to use up LEFTOVER burgers:
simply crumble burgers in saucepan, reheat meat, add tomatoes,
continue on - making your soup...

serve with:
grilled cheese or
warm garlic bread or
cornbread or
corn muffins or
your favorite soup side

Diary of a Kentucky Cook

Quick and easy Apple Crisp Recipe

Quick and Easy Apple Crisp
ky cook

4 cups cored, peeled, and sliced apples
1/4 cup water
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup regular flour
1/3 cup butter

preheat oven at 350 degrees

Place prepared apples in baking dish.
add water
sprinkle with cinnamon, and salt.
In a medium bowl:
Mix together sugar, flour, nutmeg and butter.
Stir together until crumbly.
Sprinkle mixture over apples.
Bake for 45 minutes.


Notes:
you can use 2 different kinds of apples if you prefer.

diary of a Kentucky Cook