Archive | October, 2011

Not-So-Sweet Potato Casserole

By on October 7, 2011 in Survival Guide for Busy Moms

Thanksgiving Recipes

Call me crazy, but I prefer my Thanksgiving side dishes to taste more like dinner and less like dessert.  I created this recipe last year after a half-decade of trying to come up with a sweet potato recipe that I liked.

And here it is- my Not-So-Sweet Potato Casserole.  This easy recipe is also a part of my Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving.

Toni’s Not-So-Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

  1. Sweet potatoes- 2 1lb cans
  2. Butter- ½ cup (1 stick) plus a few tbspns more to pour on top
  3. Marshmallows- 1 bag
  4. Brown sugar- ¼ cup
  5. Dried sage and thyme- 1 tspn each

 Directions:

 

  1. Melt butter in microwave
  2. Combine sweet potatoes, melted butter, ½ of marshmallows, sugar and herbs
  3. Beat until smooth
  4. Transfer to casserole dish and pour remaining marshmallows and drizzle melted butter on top

This recipe can be made in advance and stored before bringing out on Thanksgiving Day to bake.  I make mine about two days in advance.

  1. Bake on 375 for 30-45 minutes
Sweet Potato Casserole easy make ahead recipe

Toni's Not-So-Sweet Potato Casserole

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Join The Twitter Party

By on October 2, 2011 in Giveaways and Promotions

Thursdays are getting more organized.  The Organized Cook is hosting our first #mealplanning Twitter Party this Thursday October 6th, 2011.

If you’ve never been to a Twitter Party, and are not sure what to do, it’s simple:

  1. RSVP here to ensure your eligibility to win hosted giveaways
  2. Login to your Twitter account Thursday October 6th at the times below and search #mealplanning to join the party.
  3. Join in on the conversation.  We will be talking about family meal planning for busy moms, asking questions and listening to your questions and comments.  The more you engage in conversation, the greater your chances of winning the giveaway.

Prizes? Of course we do!

  • 1 winner will receive a free week’s worth of family dinner groceries with a $100 Visa GiftCard
  • 3 winners will receive a signed copy of Toni’s new book: The Organized Cook™ Cookbook- 12 of her most popular Weekly Meal Plans with menus, grocery shopping lists, and easy to follow instructions.
  • 3 winners will receive a YEAR LONG subscription to Weekly Meal Plan System from The Organized Cook™-Feed your family a balanced, tasty meal each night whileslashing your dinner grocery bill by up to 50%

    The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System

    The Organized Cook Weekly Meal Plan System

We have some amazing prizes that will be given away during the party! Again, to win a prize you must:

  1. RSVP by leaving a comment on this post below that includes your twitter ID.
  2. Tweet during the party time using the #mealplanning hashtag
  3. Follow @OrganizedCook on Twitter

 

Extra entries. Leave a comment for EACH extra entry you complete:

  • Each tweet below is worth one entry (up to 5 a day allowed).  Leave a link to your tweet in your comment.
    1. Looking forward to @OrganizedCook twitter party Thurs 10/6. #mealplanning is important in our house link: bit.ly/r3LcZg
    2. Looking forward to learning more about #mealplanning w/ @OrganizedCook Thurs 10/6 link: bit.ly/r3LcZg
    3. I want to #win $100 giftcard, #mealplanning book, & subscription from @OrganizedCook 10/6 link: bit.ly/r3LcZg
    4. *make up your own using the link bit.ly/r3LcZg and #mealplanning*
  • Love The Organized Cook™? Earn money by sharing this time and money-saving system with your friends! If you sign up for the mom blogging affiliate program (or are already a member) just leave us a comment below letting us know!
  • Get to know our wonderful panelists, busy moms like you just trying to survive the day and get a healthy dinner on the table! Leave us a comment telling us something nice you like about each blogger. One entry per blog below.

·         Melissa at Time Out Mom·         Tammy at Praying For Parker ·         Daria at Mom In Management·         Chris at Mama Bird’s Blog ·         Suzanne at Crunchy Green Mom

Rules:

Beginning 8:00 PM MST October 6, 2011 and ending 9:00 PM MST October 6, 2011 Barb Likos on behalf of the Organized Cook brand on Twitter at http://twitter.com/chaotic_barb will send discussion questions in the form of tweets to the Twitter community asking them to “tweet” answers via Twitter. To be eligible to win you must have RSVP prior to drawing time and be tweeting with the hashtag #mealplanning during the party time. Seven winners will be chosen by random.org from the comment entries at drawing time and party participation will be verified. Winners will be announced during the party. Open to US residents 18 and over.

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Toni’s Perfect Cranberry Sauce

By on October 1, 2011 in Survival Guide for Busy Moms

Thanksgiving Recipes

Cranberry sauce can be made and stored well in advance without having to freeze because you’re essentially making a sugared jelly out of the fresh cranberries.

Homemade cranberry sauce is probably the easiest recipe to make on your Thanksgiving menu, so don’t be tempted to purchase the canned version!

This recipe for cranberry sauce has never let me down; that’s why I call it “perfect”.  It’s also part of my Toni’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving.

Cranberry Sauce easy recipe

cranberries are beautiful when they begin to pop!

Toni’s Perfect Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

  1.  3 cups cranberries (1 12oz. bag)
  2.  1 cup orange juice
  3.  1 cup agave nectar or 1 cup sugar
  4.  Cinnamon sticks- 2

 Directions:

  1.  Combine all ingredients in saucepan; cook over medium heat stirring constantly
  2.  Be amazed at how beautiful the cranberries look when they soften and begin to pop
  3.  Once cranberries are completely softened and have popped (about 10-12 minutes), remove from heat, cool
  4. Remove cinnamon sticks before serving or stick them up in the sauce for decoration

Cranberry Sauce Easy Recipe

 

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Baked Cranberry Chestnut Stuffing

By on October 1, 2011 in Survival Guide for Busy Moms

Thanksgiving Recipes

Baked Cranberry Chestnut Stuffing is my favorite stuffing recipe.  Personally, I’m not a stuff-the-turkey person.  I would rather bake my stuffing separately like in this simple recipe and stuff my turkey with fresh items like onion slices, celery stalks and butter to give it more flavor.  Plus, an un-stuffed turkey takes less time to cook.

Baked Cranberry Chestnut Stuffing

Ingredients:

  1. celery- 1 leafy bundle, trimmed and chopped fine- leaves and all
  2. onion- 1 large, peeled and chopped fine
  3. cranberries, fresh- 1 cup
  4. chestnuts- fresh, chopped or canned, chopped
  5. dried parsley- 2 tablespoons
  6. dried thyme- 1 tablespoon
  7. dried sage- 1 tablespoon
  8. either stuffing mix like Pepperidge Farm Cornbread- 2 14 oz. or 1 pound bread like French, Italian or white sandwich, cut into small cubes
  9. 1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
  10. chicken stock- 1 10 oz. can

Celery and onion can be chopped ahead of time and stored in airtight container in the refrigerator.

Directions:

  1. Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat
  2. Add the celery and onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally
  3. Add the broth and heat to a boil
  4. Remove the skillet from the heat
  5. Add the stuffing or bread cubes, cranberries, chestnuts, parsley, thyme and sage
  6. Spoon the stuffing mixture into a 1 1/2-quart casserole baking dish
  7. Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the stuffing is hot

 

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