Added More to the Freezer

I tell you, I have been on a roll with this freezer meal plan.

Today I added a meatloaf and meatballs for a Baked Meatballs with Mozzarella recipe.  Mmmm.  It's going to be delicious.

I also bought a 2lb bag of frozen flounder fillets to make Fish Po Boys, several bags of frozen shrimp and a bag of salmon fillets for another recipe I want to try.

Now my freezer is packed to capacity.  Couldn't add another thing if I tried.

Freezer Meals

As it gets closer to the holidays, you find yourself very busy.  Shopping for gifts, going to holiday parties, planning for visitors,etc.  Throw that in with every day life and you can become overwhelmed.

Before I joined the groups Organized Christmas and Magical Holiday Home, when the holidays came around, I found myself eating a lot of greasy fast foods and sweets.  Working a full time job and part-time job or working full-time and going to school at night, I didn't have time or the strength to come home and cook a meal.  OC and MHH taught me that having dinner prepared ahead of time gives me one less thing to worry about. Not to mention keeps a few extra dollars in my pocket.  I will admit there have been a couple of times where I didn't make meals ahead of time or I didn't make many (last year being one of those times) and I regretted it.  That's not happening this year.

So after doing some thinking and making a list of meals I want to have in the freezer, I went to the grocery store and started picking up ingredients.

I bought a 3 lb roll of ground beef, which I cut into thirds.  One lb is prepped for a taco ring I plan to make. I made burger patties with the second pound. And the third lb I mixed with ground sirloin for hotdog sauce. With a pack of chicken thighs I have a meal for pineapple jerk chicken in the freezer.
From a family size pack of chicken breast I have gyros, chicken cheese steaks and several single serving size roasted garlic chicken white sauce pizzas.  I split a 3lb roll of ground turkey in half to make a pot of chili and a cajun lasagna.  I also have some egg rolls, crab cakes, and salmon cakes frozen.

I am so happy with what I have done so far.  I've never done this much prepping before. Ever!!! And there's still a few more meals I want to make like, jambalaya, a chicken & biscuit casserole and stuffed shells.  But you know the one thing I really would like to make?  Lobster bisque. I love, love, love lobster bisque. Mmmm, yummy!

Also I've been thinking... Several weeks ago I made Greek marinated chicken with rice seasoned with turmeric and cumin with a yogurt sauce and Sriracha, and baked chops in the oven with small red potatoes and green beans. Oh, they were so good. They may go on the list too.

Decisions, Decisions

I know I already decided on the menu for this year's Christmas Eve family dinner, but in the last month I have been seeing some really great recipes I want to do.  (Thank you Pinterest - LOL).  Now I think I may be changing a few items.

The Latest With Me

Good day all.  Been trying to survive this wicked heat we've been having.  Summer is coming to an end and I for one am glad.

My little palace has been remodeled from top to bottom.  All new kitchen and bath. All new carpet throughout.  Freshly painted walls.  Even updated light fixtures throughout. Some of the work took longer than what I was told which had me a little stressed.  Now that all the contractors are gone (thank goodness) I can focus on putting my place back together. I can't wait to start decorating for the autumn and Christmas seasons. The old decorations will  look fresh and new. So excited.

In the meantime I am going over plans for my family's Christmas Eve dinner. I've got my menu selected and grocery list printed and at the ready:

     Appetizers

• spinach & artichoke dip
• baked crab rangoon
• fruit platter

     Entree

• Lasagna
• Spare Ribs 
• Wingette platter 

     Sides

• Collard greens
• Amish macaroni salad
• Garden salad
• deviled eggs
• fresh baked dinner rolls

     Desserts/Beverages

• Red velvet cupcakes
• pound cake
• a variety of cookies
• holiday punch, sodas,wine, egg nog, 

I'm sure I will be adding another kind of entree.  I always do when I go out to do my holiday grocery shopping.

With the new, easy layout from dining room to kitchen, I know exactly how I want to put everything.   Instead of having the food set up on the dining table as in past Christmases, I can put everything on the buffet I bought this summer. With the added counter space in the kitchen I can set up the dessert station.  And the kitchen island  I bought for the kitchen will serve as a beverage station.  People will actually be able to sit at the dining table and enjoy their meal.

Christmas Eve Family Dinner

The Menu:

• apricot meatballs
• honey baked ham
• roast beef
• Bruce Lee wingettes
• macaroni & cheese
• green beans
• deviled eggs
• shrimp salad
• herb & parmesan monkey bread
• garden salad

      Dessert

• red velvet cake
• a variety of cookies
• a punch bowl of egg nog & vanilla bean icecream

      Beverages

• a variety of sodas
• Moscato wine
• Rum egg nog
• lemon iced tea
• and a special holiday punch (made with Pinnacle Vodka, Triple Sec, cranberry juice, orange juice and a little lemon juice)

And presents under the tree:

(And that's only half the gifts. More arrived after I took this picture)

Happy Holidays!

It's two days post Christmas.  I hope that everyone had a nice holiday.  My holiday was fantastic, though there was almost a chance that it wouldn't happen.

Woke up last Tuesday with a terrible sore throat.  I could not believe I was having the same issues I had during the Thanksgiving holiday. Still I continued to get things ready for Christmas Eve.   Wednesday I had to go out and get the remaining groceries for dinner.  I was slowly falling apart and by Wednesday night, I was feeling so bad, all I could do was lay in bed, rest and get myself together.  I dranked a hot cup of Thera-flu which soothed my throat and relaxed me.  I didn't even feel myself doze off to sleep. 

Thursday morning when I woke up I felt a little better.  I was supposed to be preparing dishes that could be made ahead of time but I ended up going out with one of my best friends to finish gift shopping.  I didn't get to do it Wednesday because I felt so bad and didn't feel like going anywhere else after marketing. 

Oooooh, I've got to tell you what I found when I walked into a Dollar Tree.  I found Santa hats that fit over the top of your chairs. 

I was just browsing through the store while my friend was grabing some things she needed, and there was one hanging on the rack.  I asked a worker if this was all they had left and she said yes.  I was so devasted, but I didn't give up.  I searched high and low through the shelves hoping to find three more.  Just when I was about to give up, I found them, hiding under a bunch of tissue paper.  I had to laugh at myself for the way I was acting.  When I got up to the register the cashier said she was surprised there were any left.  She said they knew these would go fast so they just dumped them all in a shopping cart and left it at the front of the store instead of putting them on the shelves.  When my friend saw them she wanted two so I went back and found two more.  These will be used next year.

We got home from shopping just before the evening rush hour started.  When I got in I decided to take it easy. A hot bath, warm pajamas and a cup of Thera-flu and I just layed in bed and rested.  The food prepping would have to wait until Friday.

Friday morning, I was up early with no problem.  I got in the kitchen and got busy.  Just took my time and did not stress out about all the food I had to prepare.  Know what?  It worked.  Got everything done and still had time to relax before the guests arrived.  This was the menu.

Appetizers:
cheese/ham spirals
crab-red pepper dip
caribbean style wingettes

Entree:
Pork ribs
Bourbon glazed chicken
Steak with carmelized onions

Sides:
roasted potatoes
macaroni & cheese
green beans
fresh garden salad
fresh baked dinner rolls

shrimp salad
deviled eggs

Dessert:
variety of homemade cookies
large punch bowl of eggnog with vanilla bean icecream

The ribs were a last minute thought. Just had a taste for some. The only thing I didn't get around to making were the cupcakes but it was okay.  Noone cared.  I tend to go overboard with the menu.  I just like to make sure that I have something that everyone would like.

The evening went off without a hitch.  I even got a nice surprise.  Some relatives came in from New York whom I hadn't seen in three or four years. 

After dinner we opened presents.  Everyone was very pleased with the gifts I got for them.  Especially the one who received the Washington Redskins car mats.  He completely lossed it. After I watched everyone open their gifts I opened mine.  I got a cute bath set (rug, shower curtain, hooks, towel set), a soft hooded robe with some soft slippers, 3 piece glass candle holders, another candle holder set that has some beautiful writing on them (will go nice with the new bath set), a bottle of Moscoto (my favorite wine), perfume, a 15 inch tall nutcracker (from my neighbor), a gift card for Lane Bryant, a lovely spa set, a digital photo frame (I've always wanted one) and the nicest gift of all - a new laptop computer.

Back in the summer my mom decided to buy herself a new laptop and she would give me her old one.  Well for months I had been waiting for her to give it to me but she kept saying that she was transferring information from the old laptop to the new laptop.  So on Christmas while we were opening gifts she surprised me with a brand new laptop.  When I tore off the wrapping paper I thought it was some glassware.  It wasn't until I turned the box around to open it that I realized it was a laptop.  I was so happy - like a kid.  I couldn't open the box fast enough.  Now I can sit in bed or on the sofa and use the computer instead of being stuck at my desk.  Ooooh, it's a nice one too.  It has a built-in web cam (Now I can chat with my newphew whose in college on Skype) and something called light-scribe.  Light-scribe adds designs to your cd/dvd.  No more do I have to buy the paper and waste the ink from my printer to make labels.  I'm still learning all the programs installed.  Yep, she got me good.

Christmas day for me was a day of rest.  I layed in bed most of the day and watched holiday movies.  My poor feet were hurting so bad.  I could barely stand when I got up to get something to drink.  Usually I am in a coma after partying with the family the night before, but I think because I made sure to get proper rest all week, I was feeling okay.

Well, let me stop boring you guys.  It's almost 8 in the evening and my Monday night line-up of shows are about to begin.  More tomorrow. Good night!

Christmas Journaling - Fruitcake

Yes, please or not with a 10 foot pole!

I for one do not like fruitcake.  Actually I've never tried it.  I'm not a fan of desserts with fruits baked in to them or filled with fruits (with the exception of apple pies or apple danish).  I can remember as a little girl, my grandmother always had fruitcake in her house.  I don't know if she made it herself or if she bought it from the store.  It just looks gross to me.  (Sorry to those who like fruitcake).

Christmas Journaling - Favorite Holiday Dishes

Special dishes made only at Christmas

My menu changes every year so I don't have too many dishes that are only made at Christmas.  Last year's main course was saucey beef ribs and ham.  The year before that was turkey lasagna and pork shoulder.  I always make several kinds of meats and sides (way too much).  But I rather have too much than not enough. 

This year's menu will be a little more traditional- Bourbon-glazed chicken, steak with carmelized onions, roasted potatoes, crab stuffing, maccaroni & cheese, collard greens, rolls, garden salad, deviled eggs, several dips, and a host of desserts and beverages.

A must have at Christmas for my family is hot dinner rolls.  They love them and Christmas is the only time (well sometimes for Thanksgiving too) I make them.  Are they homemade you ask?  Indeed not!  Haven't attempted making breads from scratch yet.  I've always known how to cook, thanks to my grandma.  But I've only been making homemade desserts for a few years -when I joined Organized Christmas.   Anyway, back to the rolls.

I buy the rolls from the local supermarket in the freezer section.  My favorite dough to use is Parker House.  They are easy to handle.  Just place the rolls on a lightly greased cookie sheet, cover the dough with a little oil as well (I use a cooking spray), cover the rolls with a clean dishtowel and let the rolls rise for about two hours.  I like to let them rise for about 3 hours so they get really big.  If you prefer, you can use a muffin pan instead of the cookie sheet.  Make sure you put them in a place where there is no cool air blowing.  I like to sit them on the stovetop because the oven is nice and warm from being used all day.  Then just stick them in the oven. When the rolls are done I use this basket (I have 3), lined with a clean dish towel and cover with another towel to keep the rolls warm.

I do not know why my family thinks they way I make these rolls are so special.  I tell them all the time they can do them too, but they always say that when they try it doesn't come out the same.  I guess I just have that magic touch (wink).

Another dish that's done only for Christmas is seafood salad.  I use lump crab, jumbo shrimp and lobster. 

2 lb lump crab meat

2 lb shrimp

1 lb lobster meat

celery, chopped

green onions, chopped

mayonnaise

a little mustard

Old Bay seasoning

black pepper

After cleaning the shrimp I put them in the top part of a double boiler/steamer and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning.  In the bottom pot I mix water and vinegar together.  I let the shrimp steam until they turn pink.  While the shrimp is steaming I clean the crabmeat, picking out shells.  Once the shrimp are ready I let them cool a few minutes, then dump them in to a bowl along with the crab and lobster. Next (a little a time) I add the celery, green onions, black pepper, mayonnaise and mustard and mix well.  It's pretty much freestyle how I add my ingredients so I'm sure what it would be in measurements.  If necessary I may add a little more Old Bay.  Then chill in the fridge.  I make this the night before the big dinner.  Tastes much better.

There's never any left at the end of dinner so before guests arrive I scoop a little on to a small plate and place it in the fridge for later.  After all the prepping and cooking I don't have much of an appetite.  My family usually have to force me to eat a little something, especially if I'm going to have a glass of wine or two.

Butter Pecan Cookies

Earlier this week the ladies and I at MHH were just talking about our day when my friend Lana  mentioned that she and her husband were picking pecans. There's a picture of the pecan tree  on her blog.  I have never seen an actual pecan tree myself.  I like to use pecans when I bake "butter pecan cookies". I only make them at Christmastime. 

Here's how I do mine.

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecan

Directions
In a medium bowl mix flour and salt together. Set aside.  In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, vanilla and egg. Mix until well blended.

Slowly add the flour and salt. Mix well.   Add chopped pecans. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll dough in to 1" balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten balls with the bottom of a glass dipped in flour.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes until lightly colored.
 
I get my pecans from the grocery store - already chopped.   If you have fresh pecans, like my friend Lana, toast them in the oven for a few minutes first. Then proceed with baking.

Christmas Journaling - Eggnog

I love eggnog.  I don't remember when I started drinking it but every year I make sure to keep it in the fridge.  I start looking for eggnog to appear on the shelves around Thanksgiving.  My favorite brand is by a local grocery chain, Giant.  I will also by Turkey Hill when the store runs out of their brand.

Not only do I like the ones found in the grocery store, I also have a favorite alcohol brand too.  My all-time favorite is by Engle Brook.  I would love to one day make some homemade eggnog with rum in it - yummy.  Maybe I'll give it a try this year (Hmmm, have to think about that). There are so many recipes that I'm sure I'll find one that is simple and easy.

At Christmas I used to fill a big punch bowl with non-alcoholic eggnog and add vanilla or French vanilla icecream.  The kids loved it.  So did the adults except they would add a little rum to theirs - lol.  I haven't done that in years and don't know why.  I think it's making a comeback this holiday season.

This Week

Well it's Rudy Day at MHH & OC.  There's two more before the big day (Dec. 25th).  This week found me putting up more fall decorations and organizing the master bedroom.  Also I printed labels for the DVD greeting cards I'm sending out this year. My famiy is really gonna enjoy watching this homemade dvd over and over again. While watching the many photos of Christmases past, songs by Donny Hathaway and Luther Vandross play in the background.

My dessert list is finally done! It's mainly cookies.

• chocolate chip
• chocolate cake mix cookies with peanut butter chips
• old-fashioned snicker doodles
• sugar cut-outs
• eggnog sparkle
• oatmeal-raisin
• Santa thumbprint
• pecan-shortbread
• Oreo balls
• Ornament shape holiday cake
• Grandmother's jelly cookies.

I got the recipes for the snicker doodles and eggnog sparkle cookies from two nice ladies who are fellow members at Magical Holiday Home, (Hi Jessica and Snowangel00). Snowangel you may not remember posting this recipe. It was when CEO had the forum at Organized Christmas.

I'm at work right now and things are really quiet and slow. My boss has kept hisself closed up in his office all morning.  Well I'm enjoying it while I can.

Be sure to check out my other blogs, Hey Rudolph! and The Harvest. I just added new posts over there.

Checking Out The Pantry

I was reading a topic over at Organized Christmas, "Save Money: Beat the Holiday Grocery Game," when I decided to go through my kitchen cabinets to check the dates on spices and baking ingredients. I only had a few baking items that were expired and threw out. My spices were in great shape as I had just bought them during last year's holiday season. After checking everything, I added things that need replacing to my grocery list.

It's important to check your pantries for expired items. You don't want your delicious dishes and treats to be ruined and make you ill by using old ingredients.

Just thought you should know.

Grandmother's Jelly Cookies

This is a recipie I found in a Better Homes and Garden Christmas cookie book I purchased several years ago. They were a big hit with the kids when I made them for a kids party once.

1 c butter
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
3 c all-purpose flower
1 slightly beaten egg white
Finely chopped almonds and/or pearl sugar or granulated sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup currant jelly

Lightly grease cookie sheets; set aside. In large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on med speed for 30 secs. Add sugar, beat well. Beat in egg. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon.

On lightly floured surface divide dough in half. Roll one half to 1/8 in thickness. Using a star shape cutter, cut into 2 1/2 in shapes. Roll out second half, cut with a 2 in. cookie cutter. Using a 3/4 or 1 in cutter, cut a circle from center of smaller shape star. Continue til all dough is used.

Brush top of 2 in. star shapes with egg white, sprinkle with almonds and/or pearl sugar or granulated sugar. Arrange all shapes on prepared cookie sheets, bake in 375 deg oven for 7 to 9 mins or til bottoms are light brown.

Transfer cookies to wire racks, let cool. Place a small amount of jelly in centers of 2 1/2 in. cookies. Top with 2 in. cookies, sugar side up, and press together, showing jelly in center. Makes 36 to 42 cookies.

Happy CIJ - July 10th

Well it's Friday and I for one am glad. It's been a very long week.

I've been working on my menu for our Christmas Eve family gathering. Every year I try to serve something different from the previoys year. I never do turkey because my family is usually good and sick of it from the Thanksgiving holiday. (LOL!)

So here's what I've decided on:

• Saucey country ribs (I got this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens. I will use beef ribs instead of pork though.)
• Honey baked spiral ham
• Wingette platter (three different flavors)
• Collard greens
• Macaroni & cheese
• Deviled eggs
• Cesar salad
• Seafood salad
• Potato salad
• Fresh baked rolls

Appetizers:

• BLT dip (A recipe I got from Cathymac, a fellow MHHer)
• Baked crab rangoo

Desserts:

• Holiday cake shaped like a snowman
• Homemade cookies
• Oreo Balls

My best friend doesn't know it yet but she is going to do my snowman cake (LOL!) She's been taking baking lessons and is doing very well.

Last night while playing on the computer, I had an idea. This years invitations will be in the form of a CD/DVD. My plan is to put together a slideshow of photos from past Christmases set to a Christmas song. Then at the end of the slideshow will be the information inviting them to this year’s Christmas Eve dinner. I think that everyone will enjoy getting the cd. Plus they will have the memories. I’m pretty excited about this myself. Now I just need to decide on a clever label for the cover. TTFN!

Only 13 Days To Christmas

I can't believe Christmas is almost here. Time to get ready for my annual Christmas Eve family dinner. I'm expecting a lot of guests so there must be plenty of food to go around. I'm so excited I can't wait to see everyone. Each year I like to serve something different. This years menu is:

party wings platter (buffalo, fried and Bruce Lee).
cold-cut platter
deviled egg platter
lasagna
pork shoulder
green beans
Seafood salad
potato salad
fresh baked rolls

DESSERTS
fruit platter
home made cookies
Oreo balls
Cream Cheese pound cake

Beverages include several types of cocktail drinks for the adults and a special holiday punch for the kiddos. And my all-time holiday favorite, eggnog.

You may be wondering what are Bruce Lee wings? Well I'll tell you. In the city, a few blocks away from the famous Baltimore Inner Harbor, there is a wonderful little market called 'Cross Street Market'. It's a very popular market (next to the world famous Lexington Market, which is a few miles away from Cross Street) that sells all types of fresh produce, meats and other treats. Inside the market there is a stall which sells very delicious chicken. The chicken is crisp and crunchy, dipped into some kind of sauce which has a light bourbon flavor. OMG when I tell you it's delicious, it's delicious! And what's so great is that the chicken stays crisp even though it's covered with the sauce. A co-worker turned me on to them about two years ago, and I've been hooked ever since. I found myself getting some on a weekly basis. The owner's name is Bruce Lee, hence the name.

This weekend is basically free for me (no job to go to) so I plan to get my baking done. Saturday I'm getting up early, about 5 a.m. to get started. I also want to attempt to get my bedroom back in order. I just can't seem to keep it together. LOL!!! Then later Saturday evening my nieces and nephews will be over for pizza and movie night.

Sunday I hope to spend the day just relaxing. Black Friday I bought a lot of movies at really cheap prices. I plan to lay around and watch movies all day while nibbling on cookies and eating ice cream.