Monthly Archives: November 2017

Nov22

A couple of easy peasy salads for your turkey day table…..

Posted on by
Standard
A couple of easy peasy salads for your turkey day table…..

Not sure why I’ve not posted these recipes — they are two of my most requested.  My fantastic mother-in-law introduced me to the Oriental Crunch Salad, and my brother won’t let me come for Thanksgiving lunch if I don’t bring the Pineapple-Cranberry Salad.  I love CRUNCH, and these salads live up to the challenge.  It’s not too late to serve to loved ones on your Thanksgiving table tomorrow (or whenever you gather for the holiday)!

Happy Thanksgiving!

~Connie Kaye

Oriental Crunch Salad

  • Print
Ingredients:

1 16oz. bag shredded coleslaw mix
6 green onions, chopped (with greens)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/4  cup tarragon vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup sunflower seeds
2 pkg ramen noodles, flavor packets discarded
1 stick butter

Mix together the shredded cabbage and chopped green onions.  Set aside.

Mix sugar, oil, vinegar and soy sauce together.  Stir/shake well until sugar is dissolved.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  (I do this in a jar and shake the heck out of it)

Brown almonds, sunflower seeds and ramen noodles in margarine or butter.  Drain on paper towels and store in plastic bag until ready to serve.  Careful not to burn

You can make everything ahead of time.  Keep separate until about 15 minutes before serving time.  Put the crunchies over the slaw and pour the dressing over all.  Stir well.

cranberry

Pineapple Cranberry Salad

Pineapple-Cranberry Salad

  • Print
Ingredients:

1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple (undrained)
2 pkg (4 serving size) raspberry flavored jello
1 can (16 oz) whole cranberry sauce
1 red apple, choppedf
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Add enough cold water to juice to measure 3 cups; pour into saucepan.  Bring to boil; remove from heat.  Add jello mix and stir for 2 minutes or until dissolved.  Stir in cranberry sauce.  Pour into serving bowl, and refrigerate for 1.5 hours or until slightly thickened.

Stir in pineapple, apples and pecans.  Refrigerate until firm.  Yummo!

 

Advertisement
Nov21

One of the best side dishes ever…..

Posted on by
Standard
One of the best side dishes ever…..

I just recently realized that some of my favorite go-to’s never make an appearance here, so I want to share one of the most requested side dishes from our family and friends.

As I’ve mentioned, my parents were in the restaurant business in Kansas City, and I think they were friends with the then-owners of Stephenson’s Apple Farm.  I believe this recipe for Broccoli Rice Cheese Casserole originated from their Green Rice.  It’s super easy and sooo amazingly delicious.  The recipe below makes a 13 x 9 pan, but I usually cut it in half and that works great in an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 pan.  In any case, I know you will love it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

~Connie Kaye

Broccoli Rice Cheese Casserole

  • Print
Ingredients:

1 bag chopped broccoli
2 cans cream of celery soup
16 oz. cheese whiz
1 stick margarine or butter
1/4 cup diced onion
1 soup can milk
1.5 cups uncooked rice
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease or spray 13 x 9 pan.  Stir all ingredients together and cook for 45 min to 1 hour.  Note:  about 1/2 way through the cooking time, I give it a stir as everything is starting to melt.

Nov19

Hey all you smokers out there….

Posted on by
Standard
Hey all you smokers out there….

meat smokers, that is!  If you’re lookin to change it up a bit for the holidays, I’ve got the deal for you.  We aren’t huge turkey eaters – usually dry…you know the story.  However, while I was out of town last week, Mike, the hubster, did a little research and found a smoked turkey recipe on the Traeger site.  He shared it with me, and my only thought was, ok, this sounds good, but we need to do a trial run before we launch it on everyone at Christmas.

So, today was the day.  We actually started watching the (horrible) KC Chiefs game and half way through, ate wings right off the smoker.  We tried some sauce that we scored in St. Louis last weekend (you might have seen a recent post that we were there for a wedding) which is from a restaurant called Syberg’s.  (Actually, I think we have met the owner at the lake; he’s a friend of a friend, Bob Wood, a.k.a Woody, and I believe he’s been on our dock before).  We joined our friends, Nick and Katie, for lunch, and they said they sell it in the grocery store, so we bought some before we left town – a couple different kinds.  If you have a chance to eat there, do it.  Delish!  And, the plus is that they have TV’s everywhere, and posted on the TV is the NFL game that will be broadcast on that particular TV that day.  I’ve watched a lot of football in sports bars, and that’s a new, albeit very convenient, idea!!!

OK, so back to the turkey.  Mike took the Traeger recipe and changed it up a bit, and it’s amazing.  We will definitely be doing this at Christmas, along with tri tip on the smoker as well.  Note that we did this on a pellet smoker, instead of the big wood smoker (easier) so adjust as you need to.  This is it before going under the knife:

turkey

Two turkey breasts, awaiting the knife and consumption!

So, so delicious.  We gave half to our friends, and will have leftovers this week.

From our family to yours, we wish you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

~Connie Kaye

  • Print
Ingredients:

MEAT
We used a bone-in turkey breast (leave skin on)

Brine
1 gallon water
3 TBSP minced garlic
2 TBSP worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup canning & pickling sauce
3 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP cajun seasoning

Cover and brine for 1-2 days.  Following brining, remove and pat dry.

Mix 1/2 cup soft butter and 1.5 cups spicy BBQ sauce (we used Traeger Texas Spicy Sauce- yum).  Rub this under the skin and all over the turkey breasts.

Set smoker at 225 degrees, and cook for 2 to 2.5 hours — until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Baste with remaining butter/BBQ sauce every 30 minutes or so.  Once it hits the desired temperature, remove from smoker and let rest for 15 minutes or so.

Carve and enjoy!

Nov16

A new jewelry option…..

Posted on by
Standard

Nope, no food in this post.  Just sharing a very cool option in personalized jewelry.  Click here   to find out about a new collection, KEEP.  Super cute, personalized, inspirational jewelry that is customized to YOU!

Brandi Buzzard-Frobose has launched this and she (and I – she’s my daughter :)) hope that you’ll pop over and take a looksey.  Here’s her most recent piece:

jewelry

For Brandi, this bracelet has a tree is to remember her roots, the mom is to remind her to be a good role model for Oakley and the arrow is a reminder to follow her arrow/goals/dream.  

Rumor has it there’s an early Black Friday sale happening, so start your holiday shopping now!    Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

~Connie Kaye

Nov12

Introducing…Mr & Mrs Kyle Wood!

Posted on by
Standard
Introducing…Mr & Mrs Kyle Wood!

Mike and I spent the weekend in St. Louis with many of our wonderful friends, celebrating the marriage of two amazing people!  Meet Kyle and Erin, a.k.a Mr. & Mrs. Kyle Wood:

Mr & Mrs Kyle Wood

We have been lucky to gather a wide array of friends during our time at the Lake of the Ozarks, and Kyle’s dad, Woody is one of the best!  We all complain about the money we spend on boating, repairs, etc., but there’s nothing that can replace the friendships that we’ve developed as a result of our time at the lake.

I featured my friend Erin earlier on this blog, as she is an amazing cook.  So, I’m going to link to her  Delicious Cornbread Cake with Chicken

Yes, it could possibly be carb overload, but so delicious.  Warning, mine didn’t look near as good as Erin’s, but it certainly was consumed!

Congratulations Kyle & Erin, and your families!   Much love coming your way as you start your married life together!

~Connie Kaye (and Mike)

P.S.  If you would like to receive email updates along with 395 other people, including new ideas and recipes, please sign up with no risk of me sharing your personal information!

Nov5

An easy, delish crockpot meal….

Posted on by
Standard

I love shrimp, and one of our very faves is Crockpot Shrimp Creole:

shrimp creole

It cooks in 3 hours, and the ingredients are probably items you have on hand already!  The simple instructions are below, and we’ll be having this for dinner tonight, after a CHIEFS win!!!

~Connie Kaye

Shrimp Creole

  • Print
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced green bell peppers
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 (14-ounces) can tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp
Green onions, for garnish
Preheat crock pot on high.
In fry pan, heat olive oil. Add peppers, onions and celery. Cook until softened. Add chili powder and saute until caramelized. Remove from heat and pour into crock pot. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, hot sauce, Worcestershire, white sugar, salt and pepper.
Cook for 3 hours. Add shrimp and cook for about 3 minutes. Serve over rice. Top with chopped green onions.