Cranberry Swirl Muffins

This is a two-part recipe. My mom always made cranberry relish for Thanksgiving. It's a gorgeous ruby color and isn't cooked, so it tastes very fresh, of cranberries and oranges. But we always had some left because the recipe makes about 2 cups, and people usually only used 1-2 Tbs with their turkey. So, one year, I bought relish instead of making it because I was short on time, and there was a recipe for muffins right next to the relish. Ta-da!

I've had to modify the relish a bit because mom used to put the whole orange through her food grinder, and my little food processor can't handle that.

Mom's Cranberry Relish
1 package fresh cranberries, rinsed and sorted
1 navel orange
scant 3/4 c sugar

In your food processor or food chopper, grind the cranberries until small-ish (the size should look like pickle relish). Put cranberries in a bowl. Zest the orange, then juice it, right on top of the cranberries. Add the sugar and mix well. Refrigerate and let sit for several hours before the meal.

Cranberry Swirl Muffins
1/2 c cranberry relish
1/4 c shortening, butter, or margarine
1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla*
3/4 c milk (I used almond milk)

Preheat oven to 400. Grease or line 12 muffin cups. Cream shortening and sugar; add egg. Beat until fairly smooth. Add dry ingredients, vanilla, and milk and stir until just mixed. Fold in relish and swirl. Spoon into muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes.

*I added the vanilla because I love it and it was the challenge ingredient. ha.

Five stars -- kiddo and baby loved them. The husband isn't home from work yet, but he'll eat them, too, and I'm taking a dozen to a family party later on. Yay!

Leftover Turkey Hash

I got the inspiration while watching Food Network. Guy Fieri made the most amazing looking/sounding turkey hash with leftovers, and I decided to give it a shot but change it up a little so my pregnant taste buds could handle it. Here is the original; I left out the jalapeno, used a milder onion and only a green pepper, and no salt or pepper. I also didn't make fried potatoes -- I served it over leftover dressing/stuffing and there was plenty of salt and pepper in that. And I made a lot less than his recipe because the kids are being stinkers and I knew I didn't want a ton of leftover hash.

2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced (you can dice and freeze the other half to use later)
1 to 2 c diced, cooked turkey breast
2 roma tomatoes, diced
2 limes, sliced
leftover dressing or stuffing

In medium skillet over medium heat, saute onion and green pepper until desired doneness (I like mine sort of caramelized). Add turkey and heat through, use more or less turkey depending on your tastes. Reheat dressing or stuffing and place individual portions in the center of individual plates. Divide turkey hash evenly over top, then add tomatoes. Juice the limes over each plate and enjoy!

*This probably would serve 3-4 normal grownups, but my husband is a big eater, so he got quite a bit of it, and I couldn't finish my plate because I'm still in the icky phase of pregnancy. It was delish; I'm just limited to how much of anything I can eat. Five stars.

How to stretch a roast

1. Buy a roast (pork or beef) on an incredibly good sale (I bought a 7.5 pound roast for 99 cents/pound not too long ago).
2. For dinner A, put it in the crock pot on low until it's cooked through but not falling apart, and eat slices of roast with your favorite sides. Then leave the remaining roast in the crockpot on low until it is falling apart, and shred. Put in fridge to keep for the rest of the week (or freeze part of it). (We had cheesy potatoes, because the dairy thing got lost by the wayside a bit ago, though we are working to get back to it, and frozen peas. Sides cost: $1.)
3. Let your husband make sandwiches out of some of the leftovers, but let him know you have plans for the rest (that last part is key in my house). He had two lunches of leftover pork roast sandwiches. Him loves pork. (he used shredded cabbage and mayo and bbq sauce on his sandwiches. approximate cost: 50 cents)
4. Dinner B, heat up some of the roast with BBQ sauce. Add some coleslaw and have BBQ pork sandwiches. This day, also slow cook one pound of dried beans in the crock pot on low heat all day. Freeze half for another time. (approximate cost for sandwiches: 75 cents)
5. Let your husband take more sandwiches to work, but remind him you want another dinner out of the roast. (50 cents)
6. For dinner C, put the rest of the roast in a pan with some fajita seasoning. Dice an onion and cook it in a separate pan in a little olive oil, then toss in the beans and 1/3 c salsa. Serve with cheese, sliced avocado, sliced tomato, and lettuce in warm tortillas. (about $3.50)
7. Husband gets another lunch out of the very last of this roast tomorrow. (50 cents)

When I make Kahlua pork, it doesn't last this long unless it's HUGE, but this roast made 3 lunches and 3 dinners. For about $14.25. FABULOUS.

Um, yeah ...

We had chicken bacon avocado wraps last night. Cut a package of bacon in half and cook, slice raw chicken breasts thinly and cook, and slice an avocado. pile it all in warmed up tortillas, roll up, add a sauce if you like (ranch or BBQ or something), and enjoy.

Tonight, I diced the remaining pork roast and made Asian pork instead of the Asian chicken last night. It was yummy and cooked quickly since really the sauce just had to come together as the pork was already cooked.

Guess I'm going to be cooking the zucchini with the soup tomorrow, maybe add some cornbread?