Slow Cooker Turkey and Dressing .

From the Prairie Flower Extension Club...mighty good eats.
Sometimes the family table at Thanksgiving is too small to justify a big ol' gobbler. This recipe makes a smaller amount...still enough for leftovers, but not so much that you are eating them every day for a week!

1 8 oz package of herb seasoned stuffing mix
1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 to 1 cup chicken broth
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 3lb. frozen boneless turkey breast, thawed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (0.88 oz) package turkey gravy mix* (prepared according to package instructions)

Coat the inside of a 4-qt slow cooker with cooking spray. Add stuffing mix, onion, celery and cranberries. Combine broth and melted butter. Pour over stuffing and stir gently. Remove string from turkey breast. Rinse. Place turkey in slow cooker on top of stuffing. Combine salt, pepper and thyme and sprinkle over turkey. Cover and cook on high for one hour. Reduce heat and cook until meat thermometer inserted in turkey reaches 165°F. Remove turkey. Wrap in foil and let set for 20 minutes. Slice. Stir dressing, cover and let stand 3-4 minutes. Prepare gravy according to package directions. Serve on the side.
*Some turkey breasts come with a gravy packet which may be prepared according to its directions.

Snow Salad .

Sometimes I read a recipe and it sounds awful. I wouldn't chose to make it or, knowing what is in it, I probably wouldn't chose to eat it. Then it is served and for the sake of being polite, I eat it. OMG! It's good! Now I'll make it and serve it to another unsuspecting "victim" and watch the reaction. What follows is such a recipe.

2 cups cabbage, shredded
1 cup white grapes, cut in half
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons cream
1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted

Combine cabbage, grapes, and coconut. Mix mayonnaise and cream and toss with salad ingredients. Top with almonds just before serving.

Apple Cranberry Pie with Cheddar Cheese Crust .

I copied this down earlier this year and I don't remember where I got it! I hope I am not violating a copywrite to publish it; I'm sorry I can't give credit where it is due!

Crust
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2 sticks chilled butter
2 Tablespoons chilled shortening
1/4 cup ice water

Combine dry ingredients. Mix in cheese. Cut in butter and shortening with pastry blender until texture resembles coarse cornmenal. Gradulally stir in water and compress into two dough balls. Place in plastic wrap and chill 20 to 30 minutes. Roll each ball out to form two 1/8-inch-thick crusts.

Filling

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 cups peeled, cored, and sliced tart apples
2 cups fresh cranberries, washed and dried
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine sugars, flour and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add fruit and toss. Pour into unbaked pie shell, dot with butter, and cover with top crust. Bake 40-50 minutes.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake .

My friend Janice is a GREAT cook and comes from a family of good cooks. I love it when she shares a recipe with me. Lucky you! I post 'em! Remember your dump cake recipe..mmmmm...here's the pumpkin version.

One 16 oz can regular pumpkin
One 12 oz can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice (or use 4 tsp. pumpkin spice)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 package butter recipe cake mix, or yellow cake mix
1 cup butter (2 sticks), melted
1 to 2 cup chopped pecans
Cool whip

Combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, spices and salt in large bowl and mix well.
'Pam' a 9 x 13 pan
Pour pumpkin mixture into pan.
Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture and smooth top
Melt 2 sticks butter into into bowl or large measuring cup and drizzle butter over cake mix , trying to get it as covered as possible. (will have some dry spots left, but that's o.k.)

Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes until golden.
Sprinkle with nuts and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer. Cool
Serve with a dollop of Cool whip.

Refrigerate left overs

Green Bean Bundles .

There are a lot of ways to do green bean bundles. This is a pretty yummy way.

1½ lb. green beans
8 slices sliced bacon
3 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1 Tbsp. minced red onion
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt

Snip the ends off the green beans. Discard any beans that don’t look pretty or set them aside for soup.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

Blanch the beans for 2-3 minutes in boiling water until the beans turn bright green. Quickly drain and rinse in cold to cool.

On a cookie sheet, divide the green beans evenly into 8 groups. Neatly bundle the beans in each group and wrap with a slice of bacon. Space the bundles on the baking sheet.

---------The preparation to this point can be done ahead of time.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and sizzling.

While the beans are in the oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a small saucepan. (Use real butter.) When the butter is bubbly, add in the onions and garlic; sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are soft. Reduce heat to low and add in vinegar, sugar, and salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

When ready to serve, place bean bundles on a serving platter and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.