3 Tb chili powder
3 Tb flour
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning
3 cups chicken or veggie stock
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Stirring constantly, add enough of the stock to make a thin paste. Pour into pan and add rest of stock. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Stir in tomato sauce. Makes about 4 cups.
glory to J's cousin Cyndi!
This is a recipe that I used for Thanksgiving (2011), by adapting four or five other recipes and all the typical ingredients ~ so that I could make them in the crock pot (since I had a turkey in my tiny oven already!). Making this was so easy, and I didn't really have to think about it at all. Its pretty sweet, and more of a desert-side -- but yummy!!
5-6 sweet potatoes, skinned & sliced thin
1/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 Tb vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tb orange juice
Melt the butter - and pour it over the sliced sweet potatoes. Combine all the dry ingredients, and then toss with the buttered potatoes. Combine well, and then pour into your crock pot. You can add the OJ & vanilla on top and simmer on high until done. Enjoy!
I haven't roasted a turkey every single year, but this has been my favorite way to season a turkey so far. It was an easy preparation, but you need to have space in your refrigerator to keep the turkey overnight. We turned it into a fun math project too, since Asia calculated & measured the 2 gallons herself (32 cups!) and all the other ingredients too. She basically made the brine herself! Here's the ingredients we used:
2 gallons of water
2 cups apple juice
2 cups salt (kosher is best)
2 cups brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 bay leaves
3 Tb peppercorns
1 Tb rosemary
2 whole peel of oranges, chopped
Bring everything to a boil, and then turn off the heat. Cover and let return to room temp. I also put the brine in the fridge to cool completely before covering the turkey. You can soak the entire turkey in your pot, or in a plastic bag. Let it sit in the brine for 8-24 hours. Its amazing. Before you roast your turkey, you can wash the turkey well, and discard all the brine.
I got this amazing recipe from Pioneer Woman...and its incredible!
spinach greens
red onion, sliced extra thin
pear, thin slices
pomegranate seeds
vinaigrette dressing
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tb honey
3 Tb apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
make separate plates/bowls to serve, only 1 tsp of dressing needed!
almonds - 3/4 cup, whole
olive oil - 10 Tbsp
balsamic vinegar - 1/2 Tbsp
oney - 5 Tbsp
Blend everything in a blender!! Enjoy!
Makes 1 cup total, 16/1 Tbsp servings
1 Tbsp = 133 calories!
glory to my friend Clarisa for this recipe
1 large bunch of sprouts (we used a combo of alfalfa, clover, radish & canola)
1-2 cucumbers, chopped fine
1-2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
optional:
1 carrot, quartered & chopped finely
green onions
larger sprouts: mung beans, sprouted lentils, etc
dressing
1 Tb. sesame oil
2Tb. tamari/soy sauce
1 Tb. veg/canola oil
1 Tb. white rice vinegar
2 Tb. sesame seeds, toasted and then crushed
1 garlic clove, crushed
Chop veggies as desired, combine & toss well in a large bowl. Whisk the dressing ingredients well, and pour over veggies. Mix well and serve cold! We love this easy to make salad!!
glory to Krissy - she gave me the Indoor Gardening sprout bag for Christmas - and we can't wait for our sprouts to grow quick enough. :)
