Thanksgiving Menu

I'm sharing today at Tasty Tuesday , Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday and Tuesdays at the Table. Thank you Jen, Lisa and Cole for hosting these lovely events each week. Check out ALL the great recipes posted.

The big Thanksgiving feast is not at my home this year. We are actually going to be joining a group of about 30 members of our church family at our Pastor’s home for Thanksgiving. This is the 2nd year that we’ve done this…Pot Blessing (luck) style. Last year was a blast. I do miss making the big feast, but with one son living in another state and a daughter who has to work (she is a nurse), it isn’t the same anyway. So my assignment, the sweet potatoes and the rolls. Youngest daughter is bringing her Coconut Balls. Pastor really enjoys those.

My office also has a Thanksgiving gathering on Wednesday afternoon for lunch. We’ve been doing this for the last few years and it is very fun. I’m bringing the turkey (making a breast), gravy and stuffing. Easy enough!

And if I won’t be tired of Thanksgiving (not a chance, it is my favorite holiday), we are going to have a small family dinner at home on Sunday. On the menu for that, Turkey Breast, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Stuffing, Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, Cranberry Salad and Rolls. A pumpkin pie for dessert.

This year I’m trying to stay close to my weight loss plan so I’m trading my dear friend Kathy’s very, very fattening (and oh, so good) sweet potato recipe for this similar recipe from Cooking Light. I expect it will be very good and no one will actually notice I’ve made some changes.

Thanksgiving Blessings!



Streuseled Sweet Potatoes a la Cooking Light

14 cups (1-inch)cubed peeled sweet potato (about 5 pounds)
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg,lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375°. Place potato in a Dutch oven, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 12 minutes or until tender. Drain. Combine the half-and-half and next 4 ingredients (half-and-half through egg) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add potato to egg mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine flour and sugar in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add chilled butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans; sprinkle over potato mixture. Cover and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until the topping is browned and the potatoes are thoroughly heated. 18 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup) @ 250 calories per serving.

We Gather Together

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
he chastens and hastens his will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to his name, he forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
so from the beginning the fight we were winning;
thou, Lord, wast at our side, all glory be thine!

We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
and pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

WE GATHER TOGETHER - Netherlands folk hymn, translated by
Theodore Baker (1851-1934)

I'm going to link this to Mosiac Monday over at Mary's Little Red House. Please stop by and visit all the other wonderful mosaics.

Tuscan Chicken Panini & A How to

My old friend, Nancy Bogart shared this recipe. Nancy is a talented cook who has the knack for picking the best recipes. This one is her own creation.


Tuscan Chicken Panini

4 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
4 foccacia rolls -- split in half (I subbed some hearty sourdough bread from my favorite local bakery (Back Alley Bakery in Hastings, NE)
4 slices provolone cheese (be sure to get the smoked provolone)
12 strips roasted red peppers -- drained of liquid from the jar (I roasted 2 red peppers)
4 basil leaves
additional Italian dressing
Italian seasoning

Marinate chicken breasts in Italian dressing for about 40 minutes. Heat an outdoor grill or George grill or grill pan on the stove and grill chicken breasts until cooked through. Allow to cool. Brush each half of the foccacia roll with some additional Italian dressing; on one half of the foccacia layer on one chicken breast, 3 strips of roasted red pepper, one slice of provolone cheese and one fresh basil leaf and top with second half of foccacia roll. Brush outside of the foccacia bread with olive oil and sprinkle top with Italian seasoning blend. Place on George Gill or use a panini press with a grill pan and grill until bread is toasted lightly and cheese is melted.

I do not own a Panini maker and don’t really have the room to store yet another small kitchen appliance. I use a cast iron grill (the backside of my cast iron griddle) to do a lot of indoors grilling. It does a super job of making things like chicken breasts, burgers, sausages, etc., Last night, I used it to grill the chicken, to make the roasted peppers AND to actually grill the panini.




Once my chicken breasts and peppers were done and the sandwiches were assembled, then they went onto the grill and were weighted down with a skillet.



PERFECT PANINI!! Thanks Nancy for sharing and allowing me to share your recipe!

I'm linking into Michael's Foodie Friday. Check out all the great recipes there :)

It is a good thing.....

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD Psalm 106:1



Offer to GOD the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Psalm 50:14



Giving thanks always for all things unto GOD and the Father in the name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. Ephesians 5:20


Thanks be unto GOD for his unspeakable gift. 2 Corintians 9:15



Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psalm 100:4




Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare. Psalm 75:1



Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Squash & Chicken Stew ~ Crockpot Wednesday

Yesterday was a total crockpot kind of day. Busy from the start. It's nice to know when you have hectic days, that supper is being taken care of by the crockpot. This recipe uses butternut squash...we still have lots of it stored in the cool garage. The orginal recipe calls for couscous. I served the stew with brown basmati rice (made in the rice cooker) and that was delicious too.

Linking up with Dining with Debbie's, Crockpot Wednesday. Thanks for hosting, Debbie! Lots of great crockpot ideas there. Check them out!



Squash & Chicken Stew

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I just used whole thighs)
1 can (28 ounces) stewed tomatoes, cut up
3 cups cubed butternut squash
2 medium green peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Hot cooked couscous, optional

In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 10 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until chicken juices run clear. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with couscous if desired. Yield: 5 servings.

Tasty Tuesday/Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday/Tuesdays at the Table

I’m linking with my favorite Tuesday Foodies at at Tasty Tuesday , Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday and Tuesdays at the Table. Thank you Jen, Lisa and Cole for hosting these lovely events each week. Check out ALL the great recipes posted.

I am continuing my quest to eat somewhat lighter this week in anticipation of next weeks feasting. Again, I’ve gone to my favorite source of lighter recipes, Cooking Light. This brisket is melt in your mouth (as brisket should be). I served it with a simple romaine salad with red pears, walnuts and crumbled blue cheese and for those who could afford such calories, homemade bread was also offered. The brisket is 340 calories per serving.



Zinfandel-Braised Beef Brisket

2 cups zinfandel or other fruity, dry red wine
½ cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup tomato paste
1 (2 ½ -pound) beef brisket, trimmed
2 teaspoons salt (divided use)
2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (divided use)
Nonstick cooking spray
8 cups sliced sweet onion (about 4 medium)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons dried thyme (divided use)
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ( ½ -inch) slices
2 celery stalks, cut into ( ½ -inch thick) slices
1-1/2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into quarters
1-1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
Chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 325 F. Combine wine, chicken broth and tomato paste, stirring with a whisk; set aside. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; cook for 8 minutes, browning both sides. Remove beef from pan; cover and set aside. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, onion, sugar and 1 teaspoon thyme to pan. Cook on stovetop 20 minutes, or until onions are tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, carrots and celery; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place beef on top of onion mixture; pour wine mixture over beef. Cover and place in oven. Roast in the oven for 1-3/4 hours. While the beef cooks, place potatoes in a large bowl. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, oil, oregano and red pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on a jellyroll pan coated with cooking spray. Remove beef from oven; turn beef over. Place potatoes on lower rack in oven. Cover beef; return to oven. Bake potatoes and continue roasting beef at 325 F for 45 minutes, or until beef is tender. Remove beef from oven; cover and keep warm. Increase oven temperature to 425 F. Place potatoes on middle rack in oven, bake 15 minutes longer, or until crisp and edges are browned. Remove beef from pan; cut across the grain into thin slices. Serve with onion mixture and potatoes. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 8 servings (about 3 ounces beef, 3/4 cup onion mixture and 1/2 cup potatoes).

Me, The WINNER?

Linda from Prairie Flower Farm from neighboring Kansas, hosted the most lovely giveaway and I still am in amazement.....I was the WINNER! I never win anything..thus the continued state of amazement. This very large box arrived at my home on Friday. When I opened it, I was absolutely speechless. Linda, this window fits perfectly into my home and is something I certainly would have been drawn too and it is a perfect fit in my home. Thank you for your generosity and thank you for hosting such a beautiful blog. It is always a treat to visit.



The window now resides in my entryway. Doesn't it look like it has always belonged there with the grouping on the wall? Thanks again Linda!