Jamie's Vegetable Soup

My D-I-L, Jamie brought me some of her soup to try when they came over for our family Christmas Saturday. Thank goodness, because I don't feel that great, and this really hit the spot. I just added some left over turkey from Saturday. That made it supper for the hubby... he has to have meat, or it's just a side dish! LOL

5-6 Red Potatoes, cubed
1 can or 1 cup fresh Carrots
1 cup Celery, sliced
1 can Sweet Peas
1 can Corn 
1 can Green Beans
1 can Tomatoes, crushed or diced
1 Onion, chopped
2 (8oz) cans of chicken stock
one packet of Italian dressing mix
2 cups water
1 tsp tomato paste
Salt and Pepper, to taste*

Saute onion and celery in pot with a little oil or butter until onions are translucent. Add chicken stock, dressing mix, salt and pepper, and water. Bring to a boil then turn down to med~high heat for a simmer for 30 minutes. Then add green beans, corn, sliced carrots, (or cup of fresh carrots), potato, peas, tomato and tomato paste. Let simmer for another 30 minutes or until the potatoes have cooked through. Then enjoy!!! I like to eat it with saltines or a good homemade sweet bread.

*I added a little garlic powder, because everything I eat seems to have some garlic in it! LOL That's not everyone's cup of tea!

Christmas 2014 with the kids and a Heritage Turkey for Supper!

Presents! :-)

My Plate!

We have a tradition of celebrating Christmas with all the kids and grandkids on the Saturday after Christmas. Everyone is welcome to come over on Christmas day if possible, but my stepkids and their children have in-laws and other parents to visit. So, I decided to take the pressure off them and insure that I get a good day with them, without them having to rush off! It's worked out well. This year, Kayleigh, Joe and Jack had to stay home with baby Benjamin, since he's so young and susceptible to the flu and respiratory illness that's out there!

I received an early Christmas present from my foodie friend Mary over at All Things Food - Cooking with Mary and Friends. She brought me one of the turkeys that she received from Paradise Acre Farm. Tom and Denise offer awesome pastured poultry, eggs and gluten free baked goods that they sell at the Rosewood Market in Columbia, SC.

Roast Garlic Teriyaki Turkey

This is a very easy way to make a Thanksgiving turkey using an oven bag. The bird will be perfectly moist when done, plus, cleanup is a snap!

12 pound turkey
Teriyaki Marinade (Or 1 bottle of good quality)

1 head of roasted garlic, mashed
2 turkey size oven bags

The night before... place the turkey in one of the oven bags, pour in teriyaki marinade and roasted garlic. Massage the marinade over the turkey and make sure some of it goes into the cavity. Close the bag with the tie and sit it in a bowl to insure safety from contamination. Place it in the frig overnight.

The day of... Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Sprinkle the second oven bag with flour, and shake to coat. Remove the turkey from the frig and take out of the bag. Carefully place it in the floured oven bag, sitting in a roasting pan. Pour half the juice oven the turkey in the bag. Seal the bag and poke several holes in it with a fork. Bake 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature of the thigh meat reaches 180 degrees F .

I was afraid that I had overcooked my turkey! I was told that these turkeys cook much faster than ones from the grocery store. I pulled it from the oven and it wasn't up to temperature, so back to the oven. Come to find out, my probe was broken! Yikes!!!

BUT, the oven bag protected the meat, 

and as you can see, the turkey is moist,

tender and delicious!

Juicy white meat!

The kids were all "OMG"-ing and picking at the turkey while their Daddy was trying to cut it up! He had to fuss at them a few times to make them, leave it alone so we'd have some to plate up! :-)

Cornbread Dressing

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

D-I-L Brittney's Green Bean Casserole

Mitchell's Favorite Cheddar Bay Biscuits!

Ranch~Dill Crackers (Using Mini-Club Crackers)

Brittney's Turtle Pie

Jamie's Apple Pie

My Pumpkin Cheesecake

My friend Brandie's Southern Pecan Butterballs

 from The Country Cook

Check out this information about this wonderful South Carolina farm...

Paradise Acres Farm is a small family farm dedicated to producing fresh and naturally grown fruits, vegetables, and eggs for the local community. They produce products free from harmful fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics and hormones.

Hen and Chicks at Paradise Acres Farm

This summer would you like to raise some backyard chickens?  

Would you like to:

• collect your own farm fresh, healthy, natural eggs?
• know exactly what the hens ate to produce your eggs?
• Do a test-run before you invest in your own Hens?

Do all this and more without any long term commitments or expensive cost associate with owning your own flock.

Try the Rent-Laying-Hens Program, new this year!

For $350 the Paradise Acres Rent-Laying-Hens program includes everything you need to produce your own eggs for the duration of your rental period ... AND Paradise Acres will deliver everything you need right to your backyard.  (delivery fee included within 40 miles of Paradise Acres Farm)  Before the weather turns cold, we’ll return to pick everything up and the hens will return to Paradise Acres Farm. (Purchase available in case you fall in love with your hens).

With our program you’ll get:

• 2 Laying Hens that are already producing eggs
• Portable Chicken Tractor (coop with run)
• Bedding for the nesting box
• Feeder
• Waterer
• 100 pounds of feed
• Delivery, Setup, and Pickup
• Instructions

Rental
Our standard rental periods start in May or June and last for 6 months.  After 6 months, we’ll pickup the hens and equipment. Call for a quote for destinations further than 40 miles.  Longer or shorter rental periods are available.

Eggs
You’ll get an average of 8 to 12 eggs a week from 2 hens.

Deposit
A $75 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your Rent-Laying-Hens. 

To contact Paradise Acres Farm, call 803-427-6943 or email dkbachmann@paradise-acres-farm.com

Find Paradise Acres Farm on Facebook

Shop their online store

Sugar and Cinnamon Candied Pecans

These candied pecans remind me of Christmas! They smell awesome and taste delicious! Just a word of caution, they are addictive! We eat them by the handful!

½ cup sugar

¼ cup butter

¼ cup light corn syrup

½ tsp cinnamon

3 cups pecans

Whisk sugar and cinnamon together in a medium sauce pan. Bring sugar mixture, butter, and corn syrup to a boil. Place pecans in a grease 13X9 dish, pour sugar mixture over them and stir. Bake at 300 degrees for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Cheeseburger Pie and a South Your Mouth Cookbook Giveaway

My friend Mandy at South Your Mouth has some awesome recipes! I've made many of her dishes, and all of them have turned out delicious. As a matter of fact, she has compiled them in her cookbook, "South Your Mouth: Tried & True Southern Recipes", and I'm giving away a copy! It's easy to enter! Go to the link below and enter to get wonderful recipe like the one I've linked in the picture... Cheeseburger Pie! This cookbook is a great guide for the beginner or anyone wanting some good ole comfort food!

 Cheeseburger Pie

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Homemade Beef Jerky

This first time I made this was for Christmas gifts for the guys to take hunting... In turn, they brought me venison to make them some more! LOL  It must have been pretty good! I like making it in the oven better than a dehydrator. Basically, you put it in the oven and walk away... Your nose will remind you it's in the oven!

2 1/2 pounds lean round steak

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons liquid smoke

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon black pepper

Place the meat in the freezer for a couple of hours to make it hard and easier to cut into thin strips. Cut long narrow strips about 1/8” thick.

For the marinade, combine the remaining ingredients in a gallon plastic bag. Add meat slices to the bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Remove meat from the bag and drain. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place wire racks on top. Place meat slices on the racks, leaving a little space in between each slice.

Place racks in the oven and prop the door open with the handle of a wooden spoon. This will allow the air to circulate. Bake for 6-8 hours. 

The meat will lose about half its weight and will be dark brown. It will be dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Store in an air tight container. 

This recipe makes about a pound of jerky. :-)