The Joy of Cooking......with Leftovers!

Thanksgiving has come and gone, much like crazy uncles and goofy cousins (I mean that in the best possible way!).  Hopefully you love and adore your families, but in the casual poll I took, most folks were dreading the travel, interacting with certain relatives, and not knowing what to do with the mountain of leftovers after.  Who really enjoys eating turkey for 2 weeks?  Why is this attached to the tradition?  I have some ideas for you!

First, try something different for the main entree.  I discovered that I'm not a big turkey-by-itself fan, so this year, with my family's blessing, I decided to make something completely new:

Roast Pork with Maple & Mustard Glaze

 

with

 

 Brussels Sprout Slaw

 



It was absolutely wonderful.  The glaze on the pork loin was simultaneously sweet & savory, and the slaw was the perfect complement.  In the South, we love pork barbecue with cole slaw, and this reminded me of a more elegant and "fancy" version of that. 
Of course, you can't have Thanksgiving without some stuffing, so my husband made this and was so proud of himself afterward--he kept raving about his accomplishment, and I let him have a big head about it just for the day, and was-able-to-bite-my-tongue-about-how-I-cook-almost-every-day-and-we-never-make-THAT-much-of-a-fuss-about-it, but........I know he appreciates my cooking.  And he should've been proud because it was delicious.  How can you go wrong with bacon and cornbread?  Come to think of it, the last time he helped with a holiday meal, he made bacon scallion cornbread.  I sense a theme here!  YUM.

 

Bacon-Cornbread Stuffing

 

 

After the Thanksgiving meal, we were gifted some leftovers from my mother-in-law, and I don't like for things to go to waste, so I was determined to repurpose them into something my family would enjoy.  I came up with this:

 

If you look closely in the bottom photo, even my youngest was nervous about MORE turkey after Thanksgiving!  This is more than a generic turkey salad sandwich.  I call it, "Year Round Thanksgiving Turkey Salad" because sometimes I want the flavors of this season in the Summertime, and this would satisfy the craving.  It's also a perfect way to use up the leftover turkey and other ingredients you used for your family dinner.

Here's how to make your own.  You'll need:
4 cups of chopped leftover turkey (white, dark, or combination)
1 1/2 cups light mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 stalk of diced celery
1 heaping tbsp minced shallot, or other leftover onion
1/4 cup chopped parsely
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
Salt & pepper, to taste.
Leftover cranberry sauce, sliced swiss or provolone (optional), grainy mustard
Your favorite sandwich bread

Mix the turkey, mayonnaise, and poultry seasoning together in a large bowl.  Stir in the cranberries, celery, shallots, parsley, & nuts.  Season with salt & pepper.
Spread the top half of your bread with grainy mustard and a dollop of cranberry sauce, place approximately 1/4 cup of turkey salad on the bottom half.  Place a slice of cheese on the salad side and broil to melt (optional).  Make your sandwich and enjoy!

Hope my daughter loves it as much as I do--she'll see it in her lunchbox for the next two days!

(Please throw out remaining leftovers after they've mingled in your refrigerator for a week.  I'm a stickler for food safety and don't want anyone to get sick--plus I need you to come back for the next blog post!)

Happy eating! 



A Sweet and Fun Spin on Halloween

We're not into terrifying children on Halloween, so for the Halloween party, I decided to keep it sweet, simple, and fun.   If you saw my previous post, you already have the tools you need to throw a fun get-together on a budget, and now it's time to party!

I asked the kids to come in their favorite costumes or seasonal clothing and had some very easy activities planned.  First, they made their own Creepy Mini Pizzas and each one was customized!  I made the crusts in advance, and set up a pizza station so each child could decorate his or her pizza to look as creepy or funny as they wanted.  Notice the caramel corn treat bag goodies in the back--they ended up being super-creative and used some of those ingredients also.

After baking the pizzas, here's how they looked--didn't they do a fa-BOO-lous job?  I'm the queen of bad puns......

Since I also served Mini Crescent Mummy Dogs , I kept the pizza toppings meat-free to try and get some veggies in the kids.  They chose from sliced tomatoes, multicolored sweet pepper strips, black olives, and parsley.  Of course, some opted to use pretzels and peanuts, but how cute are they?  The best thing about these is that they ate every last bite.

They also got to create their own take home treat boxes using with the Caramel Corn I made for the party.  They added pretzels, salted peanuts, dried cranberries, and a little candy.  This stuff is so good, and I was glad they were helping it to leave the house or else I would've eaten my weight in it!

After, we decorated mini pumpkins with Sharpies.  I know what you're thinking, but they turned out better than paint.  Even my 3 year old was able to decorate hers and there were no stained hands or clothing.

 

Their finished products.  The kids ranged in age from 3 to 12, and you can guess which jack-o-lantern belongs to which age.  I love kids' art!

Next, this is the one thing that grossed them out a bit.  You've probably heard about Halloween pranks involving peeled grape eyeballs, fake blood, and frozen hands in the punch, but I stumbled upon some squid ink fettucini and knew it would be perfect for.............the BRAIN!

Cook the pasta as you normally would, toss in a small drizzle of olive oil to give it a brainy sheen, refrigerate it in a small bowl for a few hours to help it hold its shape.  If you've ever had leftover spaghetti, you know what happens to it in the fridge.  Perfect brain consistency!
I hope I haven't turned you off of your leftover spaghetti.

Without telling them what it was, we took the kids one by one into the hall and had them close their eyes to touch the "brain."  A friend of mine posted an article on Halloween tricks involving food items and this next trick caught my attention.  Take a sliced pickle, and rub it on the kids' arm while blindfolded or their eyes are closed and tell them they are being licked by a werewolf.  This caused the most squealing and they all wanted to know what it was that licked them.  Then they complained about smelling like pickle juice--silly kids!

I think they're ready to trick-or-treat!  If they show up at your house, don't lick them with a pickle ; )

Homemade Treats for Boys & Ghouls

I think of the start of Fall as the beginning of baking and the season that revs up for more serious cooking.  Kind of like a when a race car driver starts his engine, my internal cooking clock's timer "dings" to let me know it's time to switch it into high gear.  Not only are you getting ready for Halloween, but you may have a few birthdays thrown in (we do), Thanksgiving is around the corner, and Christmas follows shortly after.  I was excited to learn that some of my activities this month with Allrecipes.com would include challenging me to do things I've never attempted before.  Our brand sponsors included Pillsbury Crescents and Karo Syrup.   In this post, I'll share the treats and tips I used to craft a fun and economical Halloween party for some of the kids in the neighborhood.

First, probably my favorite decorations were these spiders--made with a $1 pack of black pipe cleaners and a $1 pack of black pom poms.  Bend 4 pipe cleaners together to create legs and hot glue 2 pom poms on top for the body.  In my next post, you'll see how I used some of these.

 

 





They look great on my dollar store spider webs!

Next, for the table I used more dollar store black plates, orange napkins, and black plastic flatware.  Notice how the napkin was made to look like a ghost over the flatware.  This is a simple way to add a little extra pizzazz to each place setting.  The tablecloth is a piece of fabric I had in my sewing room, and I always like to print the menu to let my guests know what they'll be eating.  It just adds to the tablescape, and keeps folks from guessing what they're eating.  For my Halloween theme, each food was renamed something spooky (like Graveyard Cocoa).  You'll see more about the menu below.

A closer look at the floral arrangement shows that a spider has taken over the marigolds from our garden.  My oldest daughter made this from a $1 craft kit I found at the store.  It was her idea to place it on the flowers and I think it looks fantastic!

If you can't find a sign like this, print one yourself!  Target's dollar bin had this fun one for $2.50.  It would also be cute on a post outside the house.

Next come the recipes.  Remember how I mentioned that this was a month that challenged me?  I made caramel, marshmallows, pecan pie, and yeast rolls for the very first time.  For the party, here were the recipes I made that were extremely neat and pushed me out of my normal comfort zone--but it was worth it because they all turned out well (thankfully!).

Crescent Mummy Dogs
I made them mini sized by using small cocktail sausages and
cut the crescent roll strips smaller.  Like pigs in a blanket, only spookier.

Caramel Corn Treat Bags
This is delicious and addictive!  We could not stop sampling the
caramel corn.  Here are the steps to make it, and the recipe instructions
are spot on, so I recommend following them to a T.

Spooky Homemade Marshmallows
I cannot believe I made marshmallows!  They were so tasty, much
better than any storebought.  We used a bone cookie cutter to
make our Graveyard Cocoa. 

Individual Pumpkin Pies
My family also loved these.  I made them before our party and
they didn't last, but I wanted to mention them in case you'd like to try them.
I would recommend using foil baking cups because they made the
paper cups I used a bit sticky.  The pie is delicious.
 

Lastly, my husband took a few pictures of me as I was working, and I promised him I'd use one.  Most were fairly dark, but I was able to edit this one enough to be presentable. 
He liked my Halloween hat.

Next up, the party!  I hope there are some ideas here you can use for your own celebration, be it for 2 or 20.  There's always a way to make life a little more special, even if you're on a strict budget.

Simple & Easy Food Photography: What I do





One of my first photos from when
my hobby began--the cake I made for
my daughter's 4th birthday--not great, not awful



Peanut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Shepherd's Pie

Maple Cannellini Bean Salad

Most of you know that one of my favorite hobbies is cooking and then photographing the finished product.  I love photography in general, but food doesn't move (unlike my girls).    By no means do I consider myself  an expert on this, but I do get asked every now and then how my photos turn out the way they do. In this post I'd like to share some simple things I do to try and get the best food shot.

First, the camera.  I purchased a used Canon Rebel xt off of eBay a couple of years ago.  As my hobby progressed, I knew I wanted a more "substantial" camera, and got a good deal on this one.  It came with the standard 18-55mm lens that I use for most pictures--it takes good photos of nature, food, and still life shots.  My most recent purchase was a 50mm lens, pictured on the right.  It is good for portraits and close-ups of food.  My favorite setting for this type of photography is the active setting--the icon that looks like a running man on the dial.  I go against the grain here, but you can never know when you'll have to go quickly between taking a photo of your daughter playing soccer and a plate of spaghetti.  Also, I never use the flash because I feel like it washes out the photo and makes everything too bright.  But that's just me.

This photo was taken using my iPhone 4S--great picture capability as well! 
I use it when I want to be more inconspicuous, like in restaurants. 
If you ever go out to eat with me, chances are, I will take a picture of my dinner. 
And maybe yours.

Don't be discouraged if you don't have a top of the line camera.  Many phones take excellent photos once you learn how to tweak the settings.  Do a little research online to find the tips that relate to your specific phone and you'll be improving in no time!

Next, lighting is key.  There are some sophisticated and great ideas out there for ways to set up lighting for food, but I prefer to keep it simple.  While I shoot all over the house depending on my mood, my favorite, most dependable lighting spot is this corner of my dining room table.  It's right next to the window, and it can't be beat for the photography I like to do.  Plus, I like the background the wood gives.

Please ignore the sad landscaping outside of the window.  My hydrangea is ready for Fall.

 

Here are two identical photos with different backgrounds.  I ended up choosing the second one because I liked the richness of the wood under the plate.

 



PB&J Pancakes on a White Dishtowel

PB&J Pancakes on Dining Room Table



Regarding backgrounds, it's fun to be creative.  There is a lot you can do to change up the background, and give a whole new feel to your food photos.  I like to match the food to the feel of the photo (if that makes sense).  For example, here is a pecan pie I recently made:

Pecan pies remind me of picnics, and this one made its way to a family reunion.  A nice chippy picnic table is what I needed for this particular photo.  What?  I don't have a nice chippy picnic table?

Here's a secret for you:

< < < This is real chippy wood.

And this is scrapbook paper!  Can you tell the difference?  Neither will those who view your photos......the orange is what I plan on using for some Halloween and Fall backdrops.  The neat thing is, scrapbook paper comes in many different colors and styles, and it's super-affordable.  You don't have to spend lots of money to get the shot you're hoping for.  The white chippy paper set me back 59 cents.

Last, plating your food is HUGE.  If what you've prepared is plated well, it makes those viewing your photos want to eat it and try the recipe in their own home.  If you can get someone's mouth watering over a photo, you've done a great job!

Here is part of my plating stash:


Stacked in the cabinet

A variety of plates
(which includes our everyday dishes)



Small plates and cups--great for plating little
portions, soups, dips, and casseroles for
good close-up photos

Pretty dish towels for added color

I like to find plating dishes at Goodwill, TJMaxx, and on clearance.  Even one $2 dish can make an impact in a photo, you don't have to spend an exhorbitant amount.  My all-time favorite plates/saucers came from Goodwill.  They are pristine white, which really makes the food pop:

A dishtowel makes this "homey"



The white plate enhances the color of the food



Honey Butter on one of the Goodwill plates

Always save room for dessert!

 

One final note--I do use Picasa free editing software to crop and slightly tweak my photos.  Sometimes the lighting isn't exactly right, other times I feel like it needs a subtle boost to enhance the color.  NEVER do I try to make food look overly bright or colorful, you can tell when a photo is overprocessed to the point of looking unnatural.  If you start with a picture that's in focus, has decent lighting, and has been plated well there isn't a lot you have to do to it.  It takes practice over time to develop the eye for what constitutes a nice food photo.  Sometimes, it takes 10 pictures to get the shot you're looking for.  I'm not perfect by any measure, but I do love when someone tells me they're drooling because of a picture they've seen.  And then, when they eat it and are happy I know I've met my goal!

It's so much fun, and through my voluntary position as a Brand Ambassador with Allrecipes.com, I feel like I've had the opportunity to develop a hobby that I love while feeding friends and family food they like to eat and view.  I hope some of these tips have given you the encouragement to try food photography for yourself.  But don't be surprised if you get some weird looks along the way when people realize that you take pictures of food.........

My McCormick Debut(s)

Do you remember my posts earlier this year about the making of the McCormick Gourmet videos?  They are officially online now, on Allrecipes.com, McCormick Gourmet, and YouTube.  Please forgive me if I get a little silly, this was the thrill of my life! 

The recipe mixes are truly delicious, all natural, and so incredibly easy.  You simply buy the packet, add the remaining ingredients, and you have a delicious "everyday gourmet" meal to serve to your family.

The mixes are NOW in stores near you, and in my area the approximate price is $1.49-$1.69 per packet.  I've found that you can typically feed a family of four for $10 using these. 

Video one:  Lillian from NY and me from NC

Video two:  Valerie from CA and me from NC

 

 

 

There was also a third video made which I'd like to share with Valerie from CA and Nelly from MO.  Both are fellow foodies, and just wonderful ladies!

 

Video three

 

 

 

They asked if we wanted hair and makeup, and we opted out so we would appear more like our natural selves.  Of course, looking back, I could've used the help!  Aren't we always our own worst critics?  I think I came across as normal....

 

This was incredibly fun, and I love being a part of a product I believe in.  McCormick Spices have always been staples in my kitchen pantry, used in practically every meal, and I can depend on them for the best flavor.  I'd love to know if you've tried any of their new spice blands, and what you think of them!

 

Happy eating, friends!  I truly appreciate those of you who have offered your support and encouragement, it means the world to me.