Turkey - good moisture
For a moister meat, let the turkey stand at least 15-20 minutes before carving; this allows natural juices to re-establish throughout the meat. Cover with foil to keep turkey warm during ?standing? time
E-Z crockpot bar-b-que
Low heat, high taste...
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb boneless chuck steak, 1 1/2 inch thick
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup wine vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dry or prepared mustard
Directions:
Cut the beef on a diagonal (across the grain) into one inch wide slices; place meat in crockpot. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, pour over the meat, and mix. Cover and cook on Low for 3 to 5 hours.
French onion dip
An easy and tasty dip...you?ll need:
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1 pkg. dry french onion soup mix (about 2 oz.)
Stir all ingredients until well mixed; cover; chill.
Cleaning the outdoor grill
An economical way to clean the outdoor grill is by saving scraps of foil and roughly balling them up for a scouring pad. The less smoother the ball, the easier to clean. Also good for non-coated pots & pans; NOT for porcelain.
Red Delicious apple salad
Make for guests or just ourselves (we can eat it all!)
Needed:
5 medium red Delicious apples
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup red seedless grapes (halved)
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
Wash (but don?t peel) apples. Core apples, slice into wedges and cut into 1/2" cubed piece; sprinkle apples with lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Combine celery, pecans, grapes and Mir.Whip. Chill. Serve on sliced pineapple, lettuce or by itself.
Serves 6
Microwave Potatoes Au Gratin
We?re keeping it ?Kool? and easy!
1 package (16 oz.) frozen southern-style hashed brown
potatoes, thawed
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of potato soup
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
In a 1-3/4-quart shallow microproof casserole, combine potatoes, soup, sour cream, and 1/2 cup cheese; mix well. Use COOK (high) cycle, cook 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender, stirring once during cook-time.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and let stand 3 minutes, or until top-cheese is melted.
And it?s g-o-o-d!
Frugal, Tender Steak for Two
With this ?tenderizer? you don?t have to buy expensive steaks. For two small-to-med. steaks, pour 1 small can of pineapple juice in a plastic, sealable sandwich bag; puncture steaks two or three times with fork, on both sides; place steaks in bag and let marinate at least 6 hours in refrigerator for very tender steaks. Pour off juice, pepper and salt (light on the salt) prior to cooking on grill. Serve with salad and baked potato. One good rib-eye could serve two people.
Large dinner - prepare ahead
When planning for a large dinner, prepare most of the vegetables and sauces ahead - a day or two. Refrigerate, then warm in microwave oven just before serving. Sauces should be stored separately, then added as needed. This will also relieve the needed use of stove top for last minute preparations.
Turkey - golden brown
To ensure a golden brown turkey, cover with foil ?tent? while roasting; remove during the last 35-45 minutes to allow browning. Note: Tenting for entire roasting time can slow down cooking process.
Flavorful pot roast
To make your pot roast more flavorful...whether oven-baking or slow cooking - try this: brown roast in butter with a little garlic salt sprinkled on meat before cooking.
No sugaring in this honey
Love honey, but hate the sugaring? To avoid this problem, freeze honey in appropriate freezer container; it will thaw quickly for usage.
Turkey - thawing
Always thaw a turkey in original wrapping on tray in refrigerator; about 24 hrs. per 5 lbs. If turkey not quite thawed, place it in COLD water - breast side down - changing water every 30 minutes. NEVER thaw at room temperature, and remember to take out ?giblets? from BOTH cavities. Thawed turkey will keep in refrigerator 1 - 2 days...no more!
Smooth, lump-free sauces/gravy
A simple tip to make great, lump-free sauces and gravy is to use "Wondra" Flour in lieu of regular flour. Much finer grade, and easily mixes with liquids.
Keep shelled-nuts fresh
If you buy shelled nuts in bulk, keep them fresh by placing in tightly sealed freezer bags and freeze...for up to two years! Refrigerator - 10 mos.
Cranberry Sauce
Your very own cranberry sauce; make ahead an chill.
Serves 8 to 12
2 cup water
2 cup sugar
2 (12-ounce) package cranberries, picked over and rinsed
4 tsp coarsely grated orange zest
1/2 cup orange juice (not concentrate)
In a 3-qt. saucepan on medium heat, combine water and sugar, heating until sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a boil, but do not stir; boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add cranberries and simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Skim top of the sauce (and discard), then add orange zest and orange juice, stirring to combine. Cool and chill in refrigerator, covered, until ready to use.
Note: when selecting cranberries, be sure they are firm to touch. During season, cranberries can be ?cheap?; buy extra packages and freeze (up to 1 year)for later use.