Happy Thanksgiving!

In the past few days my oven has been used daily. Quick Breads such as Butternut Squash Bread and Apple Bread have been baked, cooled, wrapped and placed in my freezer ready to be defrosted and eaten during this holiday weekend. Today, pies were prepared. While the Butternut Squash Custard Pie was cooling, the Cherry Pie found its place on the oven shelf. Mincemeat Pie followed. Tomorrow, the Cranberry Breads will be baked.

On Thanksgiving Day it is a tradition in my family, as in your family, to enjoy certain favorite foods along with delicious Roasted Turkey with Stuffing/Gravy, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Butternut Squash and Cranberry Sauce. :-)

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families/friends!

JG

Raisin Rice Krispies Bars

Whenever these easy and quick to make favorites are found in our fridge, they disappear swiftly. Raisins are a great addition to a Rice Krispies Bar! It’s all about the raisins! Over the years I have learned that doing a little prep work before starting to make the Raisin Rice Krispies Bars is very useful.

I use a glass baking dish (about 9” x 15”) and spray it lightly with PAM. Wipe off the excess PAM with a paper towel. The required ingredients need to be ready to use. Making Raisin Rice Krispies Bars requires working quickly.

After measuring out all of the ingredients and before lightly pressing the mixture in the glass dish with the bottom of the measuring cup, place a pinch of margarine on the underside (bottom) of the measuring cup. Spread it lightly with a paper towel or piece of crumpled wax paper. This allows for easy non-stick pressing of the mixture in the baking dish.

Method:

1. In a 6 qt. pot (large pot) melt 4 TBS. Margarine over Low Heat.
2. Add in 4 Cups Miniature Marshmallows stirring until melted.
3. Turn off heat.
4. Add in 3 Cups Rice Krispies Cereal and stir.
5. 1 Cup Raisins are added.
6. Then, add 2 ½ Cups more Rice Krispies Cereal and stir.
7. Place mixture (will be sticky) in the baking dish and press lightly.
8. Cover top of baking dish with Glad Wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
9. Cut into bars and place in a covered container to store in fridge.

Yummy!! It is all about the raisins!! :-)

For more of my family favorite recipes check out my A Tasty Thought website.

Enjoy!!!

JG

The “Sharp” Shopper

Currently, it is about one and one-half weeks before Thanksgiving! While browsing through the grocery store sales flyers, advertised specials are spotted. This is a great opportunity to purchase the baking staples that will be used in the next few weeks for preparing food for the holidays. The brands and sizes that I use of Flour, Sugar, Chocolate Chip Morsels, Light/Fat Free Chicken Broth, Spices, and Evaporated Milk will be on sale. Yes, I also clip, save and use coupons. Do you? How sweet to use a coupon on an advertised special!

Happy Shopping and Happy Cooking!

No Time to Make a Crust for an Apple Pie?

No problem! Apple Crisp (click on link) does not require a pie crust! It is easy to prepare. Plumped Raisins & Craisins are mixed in with the apple slices before the oat/cinnamon topping is added. While this delicious dessert is baking in your oven the aroma of apples and cinnamon will flow from your kitchen. We enjoy warm or cold Apple Crisp with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. This scrumptious easy to prepare dessert has been a family favorite for many years.

Have you baked Apple Crisp this fall?

Yummy!

A BIG Shout-out To My Son’s Buddies…

This is a BIG shout-out to my son’s buddies!!! I feel very flattered that you checked out my cooking blog! He mentioned sending “a few people” the link. I noticed it in the traffic pattern! Thank you for visiting! Many of you have sampled the foods in this blog at one time or another. Currently, you live a distance from where I reside, but I know that you all have big appetites!

An Egg Cheesy Raisin Muffin, Fantastic French Toast, Pan Seared Scallops, Baked Haddock, Sherbet Punch and Simply Delicious are quite easy to prepare and taste great! Click on these links and easy to follow directions for yummy food awaits you.

If you have a specific question, don’t hesitate, send me an e-mail and I will respond. ;-) If you have used a recipe and want to make a comment, I would like to hear from you. Email address:

atastythought@longmeadowbiz.com

Happy Cooking and Stay Healthy!
JG

Red-Hot Chili

Do you have a Slow Cooker or a Crock Pot? Have you used it in the past few weeks? My answer to both questions is YES! Quite often I use my West Bend Slow Cooker when I am at home working on other projects. The meals prepared in this small appliance have few instructions, take little prep work/time, and taste absolutely delicious! Chili can be prepared on top of the stove, but if the ingredients are placed in the cooking pot of a Slow Cooker or Crock Pot and simmer for a few hours, the resulting dinner is very tender and full of flavor.

The instructions for Red-Hot Chili are simple. Brown about 1 lb. Ground Beef in a frying pan and then place the browned meat in the bottom of the cooking pot of the Slow Cooker/Crock Pot. Place the contents of one 14.5 oz. can of Diced Tomatoes on top of the browned beef. Drain, rinse in cold water and drain again the contents of two cans of Red Kidney Beans. Place the Kidney Beans on top of tomatoes. Sprinkle desired amount of dehydrated chopped onions and chopped parsley on top. Then, sprinkle on 2 tsp. Chili Powder (or desired amount) ½ tsp. Garlic Powder and ½ tsp. Oregano. Pour Tomato Sauce (two 15 oz. cans) evenly over top. Place lid on. Set the temperature on High for 2 and ½ hours. Then, reduce to Medium for ½ hour.

When it is ready to be served stir the scrumptious appetizing Red-Hot Chili before placing into bowls. Your family will know dinner is ready.

We enjoy a bowl of Red-Hot Chili served with a spoonful of Fat Free Sour Cream on top. Add a slice of Oatmeal Bread – Yummy!

Any extra portions can be cooled, refrigerated and reheated to enjoy again. However, there might not be any left after dinner! ;-)

Enjoy!
Yummy!