Savory Sports Team Logo-Willing a Phillies Win... & Quick Turkey Shepard's Pie

As we all know, the term 'fan' is just short for fanatic. And we can be a little extra cra-cra here in Philly... After a soul crushing loss on Saturday, I decided desperate times deserved desperate measures... We were having a Turkey Shepard's Pie for dinner on Sunday so I cut a logo out of paper, laid it on the smoothed out mashed potatoes and gave it a liberal dusting of paprika. I like to think I had a little something to do with the win! You are welcome Philadelphia:@)

A fan has to do,

what a fan has to do:@)

As for the recipe, I really don't have one. This is a toss in what you have meal, great for Thanksgiving leftovers. Don't have enough gravy? Sub some green bean casserole. Want a smaller amount? Make it in a pie dish, or loaf pan for two. Anything goes:@)

Easy Turkey Shepard's Pie

Half medium Onion, diced

Stalk of celery, chopped

1-2 Tblsp butter

Cooked turkey, cubed, as much as you'd like

12 oz frozen mixed vegetables, thawed, drain any liquid

very small sweet potato, cooked, peeled, diced-optional

2 C gravy

Poultry seasoning to taste

S&P to taste

Mashed potatoes, enough to cover top

Dots of butter and sprinkle of paprika for top-optional-I didn't use butter because of logo

1. Cook onion and celery in butter until begins to soften.
2. Mix everything except mashed potatoes, pour into 9x13 baking dish.
3. Spread mashed potatoes over top.
4. Dot top with butter and sprinkle of paprika if using.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until heated through.

⚾Eat well and

GO PHILS!!!

Snapps Loaded Baked Potato (or any flavor) Stuffed Jalapenos

We can find Snapps appetizers in the frozen foods section of Dollar Tree and Walmart, and a new (to me) flavor caught my eye... I had these Snapps Loaded Baked Potato Stuffed Jalapenos for lunch over the weekend and it was a very nice lunch indeed. I let the potato sticks sit on the counter while I cleaned the jalapenos, then cut them in half and placed them on the peppers. You may want to add a little cheese to the pepper first to help the Snapps stick to the pepper. And a little extra cheese is never a bad thing:@) I put them in the air fryer at 375 for about 7 minutes. Every air fryer is different, you may need to check your timing or temperature. These were served with a drizzle of ranch dressing. Sour cream, or jalapeno ketchup would be nice too.

What I started with:

Enjoy a munchie and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Slow Cooker Polish Sausage, Sauerkraut & Potatoes

As life gets back to the normal routine of fall and back to school, sometimes it's nice to toss everything into a slow cooker before we go about our day... This Polish Sausage, Sauerkraut and Potatoes was a hearty easy meal, and the caraway seeds added a great layer of flavor. The recipe is easily scaled down and I used a standard 2 quart Crock Pot. It took about 3 hours on high, and the sausage turned out as shown. I would suggest cutting the sausage into 3/4-1" thicker slices, mine were a little thin. Using the low setting might work out best too. Overall, this is a good recipe to tuck away for when we need it, after a batch or two to figure out the best cooking time:@) Slow Cooker liners help make clean-up a breeze, and can even be found at Dollar Tree.

Use Polish sausage, kielbasa, or smoked sausage of choice.

Slow Cooker Polish Sausage, Sauerkraut & Potatoes -from Cooktop Cove

1 package sausage, cut into 1/2-1" rounds

16 oz sauerkraut, drained

6 small potatoes, quartered

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 bay leaf

1/2 C chicken broth or vegetable broth

S&P to taste

1. Add sauerkraut, potatoes and sausage to sprayed 4-6 quart vessel (or use a liner).
2. Top with everything else.
3. Cover, cook on low 6-8 hours, high 3-4 hours. Mine went about 3 hours on high in a standard Crock Pot.
4. Stir and serve.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Sauerkraut Breakfast Hash & Sauerkraut Tip...

This is different folks, and one of the best breakfasts I've had in a while:@) Even though I forgot to top it with the cheese... It's also a nice way to use up some leftovers. Sauerkraut Breakfast Hash is a hearty way to start the morning and loaded with vegetables. Very similar to a Farmer's Omelet, only with the addition of kraut, and it's a scramble instead. It does call for draining the kraut, I pressed mine against a mesh colander. And since I used a fresh potato I did take the time to rinse the shreds under cold water and squeeze that dry. I'm sure you could use frozen hash browns without a problem if desired. Even though sauerkraut and eggs might sound a little odd... Don't hesitate to give it a try, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

As someone that lives alone, it's hard to use a whole can or jar of sauerkraut... My tip: Sauerkraut freezes well. I'll portion the extra out into single serving baggies, then put the bags inside a Lock and Lock so the fridge doesn't smell like kraut. Works great!

I've also been finding these glass jars of sauerkraut at Dollar Tree recently. They are nice because it lasts longer in the fridge stored in the glass jar.

Sauerkraut Breakfast Hash-from Frank's Kraut

2 C potatoes, shredded

1 small onion, sliced

2 bell peppers, any color, sliced

1 C ham, sliced

1 C sauerkraut, drained

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 C cheese, swiss or any flavor

1. If using fresh potatoes, rinse until water runs clear, then squeeze dry.
2. Brown potatoes in butter.
3. Once they begin to brown, add sauerkraut, onion, pepper and ham. 
4. Cook until potatoes are brown and vegetables are softened.
5. Pour in eggs and scramble with everything else.
6. Top with cheese.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Pierogi Quesadillas

These Pierogi Quesadillas are great for everything from breakfast to dinner, to a fun game day snack:@) It's also a good way to use up some leftover ham and mashed potatoes. I found the recipe on Taste of Home, but honestly, just wing it and simply layer what you have on-hand. To make it extra special, add sour cream, applesauce or sauerkraut on the side. Best tip: Heat mashed potatoes in microwave to be able to easily spread on tortillas. Or whip up some instant potatoes, anything goes... Super easy and very filling, don't hesitate to give it a try folks.

Good stuff:@)

Other flavor combos: Buffalo Chicken and Cheddar & Pumpkin and Cheddar

Pierogi Quesadillas

Can be made with all leftovers:

Tortillas

Mashed potatoes

Ham, diced

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Butter

Sour cream, applesauce, sauerkraut, etc, for serving

1. Place pat of butter in pan, use low heat to melt and spread around.
2. Place tortilla in pan and top with mashed potatoes, ham and cheese.
3. Place second tortilla on top. Press down as cheese melts.
4. Carefully flip quesadilla to lightly brown and crisp the other side.
5. Remove to board or platter, cut into serving size with a pizza cutter or knife.
6. Serve with dippers or sides as desired.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes

To me, the slow cooker/Crock Pot is supposed to save us time, so I really don't want to have to cook something before I add it to the vessel. Also, I'd prefer to have only one thing to clean:@) So instead of making a white sauce and adding cheese, then pouring it over potatoes, I simply layered a few ingredients as a little food experiment... While these Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes might not be gourmet, they certainly will be a nice hearty side dish. I had them with dinner, and they reheated well in the microwave to serve with eggs for breakfast.

Waxy potatoes are best in the slow cooker, why did I use russets? Say it with me now... Because that's what I had on hand-right. For reference: I made one pound in my 4 quart Crock Pot. Crunchy ends from the side of the vessel:

I also used a liner for super easy clean-up. Honestly, the liners are my favorite part of slow cookers:@)

Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes

For each 1 lb potatoes:

1 C shredded cheddar cheese

Seasoned salt

Onion powder

Black pepper

1. Peel or leave the skin on the potatoes, wash well. Slice potatoes very thin. A mandoline is the best tool for the job (please use the guard).
2. 4 quart slow cooker: Either spray vessel with cooking spray or use a liner.
3. I split the potatoes in to three piles. Spread first layer into vessel. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, onion powder, and black pepper.
4. Top with 1/3 of the cheese.
5. Add the next layer and repeat... Add third layer and repeat...
6. Place towel under lid, cook on high for 2 1/2 hours or until potatoes are tender.

Enjoy an easy side dish, and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Sweet Potatoes with Hard Cinnamon Candy

These Sweet Potatoes with Hard Cinnamon Candies would be a very pretty holiday side dish. I loved the occasional small bite of the candy, and the red adds some nice seasonal color. No rules here folks, love butter-add lots. Want more cinnamon flavor or sweetness-add more candy. Love black pepper-yep, adjust to taste. Hitting the candy once with a hammer creates all different size bits and some dust, simply open the wrapper and pour it in. Will the candy all melt? I guess that's a possibility, but mine didn't. If you want to ensure a little color, save a candy or two to stir in before serving. This is different, and totally unexpected:@)

I cooked mine in my ♥Instant Pot, or the sweet potatoes can be steamed on the stove. This whole side dish can also be made and served in a slow cooker, only one thing to wash, and saving precious oven space too. 

More holiday sweet potato ideas: 

Sweet Potatoes-with Applesauce, Slow Cooker
Sweet Potatoes-with Bourbon or Brandy

Sweet Potatoes-Coconut Mashed, Slow Cooker

Sweet Potatoes-Mashed with Pumpkin Spice-Slow Cooker
Sweet Potatoes-Savory Twice Baked or Mashed

Sweet Potatoes with Hard Cinnamon Candy

For each:

1 lb sweet potato, peeled, washed, 1/2" cubed

5 or more hard candies, hit once with a hammer while still in wrapper

Butter

S&P to taste

1. Steam sweet potatoes until soft (6 minutes in ♥Instant Pot with 1C water, automatic release). Or add sweet potatoes to slow cooker, paper towels under lid, cook on high for about 2 hours, or low 3 1/2-4 hours. *Every slow cooker is different, I suggest a test batch before the holidays.
2. Add to bowl (or leave in slow cooker vessel), add butter, S&P.
3. Open wrapper and pour in candy, saving one or two if you choose to. Stir with fork, lightly mashing sweet potatoes as you go. 
4. Taste, adjust flavor as desired.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Slow Cooker Onion Potatoes

I don't know what newspaper or church cookbook this is from, but I did save the recipe for these Slow Cooker Onion Potatoes the minute I saw it on Pinterest. Super simple, three ingredients, quick to prepare, tasty, and great with sour cream:@) I only had russet potatoes on-hand the day I made it. I find the best potatoes for the Crock Pot are ~always~ red or yellow waxy potatoes. So if shopping to try this, I suggest picking waxy up. This is a good side dish for summer because it doesn't heat up the house, but it would also be perfect as we're about to enter the cooler months.

I also suggest a test batch on an easy day,

every slow cooker cooks differently.

Recipe says 5-6 hours.

Mine were done in 4 hours.

Once you know, you know:@)

The original:

Slow Cooker Onion Potatoes

6 medium potatoes, diced-I suggest large waxy potatoes and about 3/4-1" diced

1/3 C olive oil-I would cut back, just coat well

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1. Add potatoes and oil to zip top bag, shake well.
2. Add soup to bag, shake well to coat.
3. Pour into slow cooker. I used a liner for easy clean-up.
4. Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours. I added a towel under lid.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Potato Salad with Fresh Green Beans

My first planter of green beans was coming to an end and the plants were ready to be pulled for the next round. What do you do when you only have a handful of green beans left? How about whipping up a batch of Potato Salad with Fresh Green Beans. Simply cook the beans to crisp tender and cool them off. Then stir them into your favorite potato salad recipe. Nice and easy, and we're using up what the garden gifts us. I like that:@) Have leftover salad? Maybe stir in a little ham or a hard boiled egg and call it lunch... Very tasty, don't hesitate to give it a try folks.

Let's use it up,

and have a happy day:@)

ReView: Heart Shaped Food Round-Up & Heart Suspenders for Ken (Barbie)

Wow, we're down to single digit days before Valentine's Day folks, so I thought I'd add a Heart Shaped Food Round-Up from the archives. Ideas for main meal, deviled eggs, cookies, cake, pie, and fudge, a little something for everyone:@)

I saw some cute red and pink 98¢ party favor bracelets at Walmart and thought they might be fun for a little Valentine's Day Barbie crafting. The first thing that came to mind was suspenders for Ken, and I love the perfect scale. They can be attached with buttons or sewn directly onto to pants. While he may choose to not get super dressed up for the occasion, there is no denying Ken did put thought into Valentine's Day! Barbie's smitten:@)

✂What I did:

1. Super simple, just sew a few small buttons onto any pair of Ken pants.
2. Cut the bracelet apart at bottom of heart at bend in bracelet, and loop the hole in the bracelet over the button. The top bend from the packaging naturally falls at his shoulder.
3. You'll need to trim a couple hearts off of the back, then loop a hole through buttons on the back of the pants.

My inspiration:

Make something just for fun,

and have a happy day💗

Fried Leftover Mashed Potatoes for Breakfast

Nothing ground breaking here folks, just another suggestion that things don't have to be complicated, or have a lot of ingredients, to be tasty:@) These Fried Leftover Mashed Potatoes were great with an over-easy egg for breakfast. Do they make neat looking little round cakes or pancakes? No. But, the crispy brown crust or edges on the potatoes made a very nice breakfast. I fried the potatoes in a little bacon fat, using a non-stick skillet, and then topped them with S&P and onion powder. 

The key is to flatten the mashed potatoes to about 1/2" thick,

and just let them sit on the skillet and ~slowly~ get brown.

Will they break when you flip them?

Probably, but we break them up with a fork to eat them... 

Right? :@)

Fried Leftover Mashed Potatoes

1. Heat non-stick skillet, add fat of choice (bacon fat, olive oil, etc.).
2. Spoon -cold- mashed potatoes onto skillet and flatten a bit with spatula.
3. Cook over medium heat until bottom gets brown and a crust develops.
4. Flip potatoes as gently as possible. Flatten with spatula and brown the other side.
5. Sprinkle with onion powder, S&P to taste.
6. Serve with eggs if desired.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Instant Pot Pork Chop Soup (or Stew) with Potatoes and Vegetables

I love pork and I'm always looking for new things to make with it... This Pork Chop Soup with Potatoes and Vegetables was very good:@) I adapted a popular recipe so I could use my ♥Instant Pot pressure cooker. It's pretty versatile, the original called for broccoli, I used green beans from the garden, and you could easily sub some frozen peas at the end. The only thing to be mindful of, there is a lot of sodium, so you might want to cut back where you can. Oh and, I added stew to the title, I can see this with the broth a little thicker, loaded with extra vegetables as a Sunday dinner. A nice change from beef stew. Very tasty stuff folks!

Recipe easily cut in half.

I'm going to list what I did, 

click the link for the original stove top version.

The original uses bone-in chops, I used boneless.

Pork Chop Soup with Potatoes-adapted from Allrecipes

1 lb boneless pork chops-I used country ribs, fat trimmed

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 bay leaf

2 Tblsp soy sauce

*3 C chicken broth

*2 C water-can use all water and add chicken bouillon

3 potatoes, cut into 1/2" chunks-I used russets and do suggest peeling them

2 stalks celery, 1/4" slice

1 C fresh string beans, cut

1 carrot, 1/4" slice

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 C A/P flour

S&P to taste

1. Add everything through water to pressure cooker vessel.
2. Add lid, seal, and cook on high for 18 minutes. Automatic release.
3. Remove meat to cutting board. Cut into bite size pieces or shred.
4. Reserve 3/4 C cooking liquid.
5. Add vegetables to vessel, lid and seal. Cook on high for 2 minutes, automatic release.
6. Stir flour into reserved liquid, add back to pot. It will most likely thicken up as you stir it, if not, use saute feature to thicken.
7. Add pork back to soup.
8. S&P to taste.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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ReView: Crabby Tator Tots & Thread Spool Knitter Scarves for Barbie or Ken

 If you're looking for a super easy appy for the games this weekend (or ~hello~ Monday night:@), you can't go wrong with these Crabby Tator Tots. The oven does all the work, and yes, they have been guy tested and approved!

When I was a kid, my Grandpop would make little handheld circle knitters from a recycled wooden thread spool and four nails. A low tech craft that kept kid's hands busy for hours:@) Especially since my G-Mom-D had oodles and oodles of yarn. These thread spool knitters make a long thin round coil, anywhere from 1/4" up to 1/2" wide depending on the type of yarn used and how loose you keep your stitches. They are perfect as a scarf for Barbie and Ken. In honor of football season starting back up, I made one in Philadelphia Eagles colors for Ken, and I think he's representing his team well! 

No hem team tank top for Ken free pattern.

Can koozie from pencil grips.

The thread spool knitter:

Try to use nails with very small heads.

Nails at 12, 3, 6 and 9 (as if looking at a clock).

Peel paper away from hole on both ends.

I won't re-invent the wheel explaining how to use it, there's a link HERE, and plenty of videos on-line.

Basically you push the thread through the hole (loose end hanging from bottom).

Wrap yarn around the nails close to spool, wrap yarn a second time higher on the nail.

Using a knitting needle pull bottom yarn up over top yarn, and over/off of nail.

Keep going around in circle, pulling bottom string to get the finished rope through the thread spool.

Yarn around the nails:

Coil or rope coming out of the bottom hole:

I added fringe to the ends of Ken's scarf.

You can glue pom-poms on too if desired.

The Dollar Tree yarn I used for Ken's scarf:

I was tickled a few weeks ago while nosing around Pinterest. I saw an Apple Pie Knitter. Yep, a marketed kit for kids that came with yarn, a plastic circle knitter that had 16 pegs, and it was scaled to make Barbie dresses! Ebay says they date to the early 1970's. That might explain why I wasn't familiar with them as a kid, just a little later than my (first) Barbie phase😉 I see there's a Peach Pie one too. Mattel, if you're reading this, I really think it would be fantastic to ~update~ and bring back this cute, interactive craft kit! 

There are several Round, Circle, Loom, or French Knitters on Amazon, Walmart and on-line. But as close as I can tell, none are scaled for fashion doll clothes at this time.

In closing...

While I acknowledge that it's August and ~hot~ outside, I also know we need projects to keep the kids busy while out of school!

This simple idea might help😎

✂Make something just for fun and have a happy weekend:@)

Slow Cooker Baby Potatoes with Onions -Litter Dipper Crock Pot or Larger

This Slow Cooker Baby Potatoes with Onions is another recipe I just had to try. It's one you might want to test ahead of time and add to your list of holiday ideas to save stove or oven space. And of course it's helpful during hot weather too. To take it one step further, I made a small, approximate quarter batch, in my Little Dipper Crock Pot:@) My potatoes were from the Little Potato Company (found at Walmart) and literally were only about 1" in size. Those itty whole ones you see, yea, don't do that. Cut them all in half. They call little potatoes like this creamers, and yep, I think that's accurate!

What makes these different than my Slow Cooker Waxy Rosemary Potatoes?

Butter and chicken broth.

Good stuff folks:@)

Slow Cooker Baby Potatoes with Onions-from Salty Side Dish

1 1/2 lbs baby potatoes, cut in half

2 large onions, sliced, preferably a sweet onion

1/4 C butter, melted

1/2 C chicken broth

3 Tblsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper-or S&P to taste

1. Combine potatoes and onions in Crock Pot.
2. Mix everything else, pour over potatoes, mix well.
3. Cover, heat on low 6-7 hours, or high 3-3 1/2 hours. I placed a paper towel under the lid.
4. Serve with slotted spoon.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Southern Tomato Gravy (Not Spaghetti Sauce)

Got tomatoes??? I've been dying to try this Southern Tomato Gravy for quite a while. And while it can be made with canned tomatoes, I used some from the garden. Very, very, nice:@) This would be a perfect side dish for meatloaf, and I hear it's great for breakfast over biscuits or grits too. ~But~ I highly recommend trying it over mashed potatoes for dinner. Mild, tomato-y, slightly sweet, and you will need to add salt and pepper to taste. Don't hesitate to give this a try folks, I'm giving it my darn good label, and can't wait to make it for Sunday dinner with the boys!

Since we use the juice from the tomatoes to help thin the gravy,

I cut my tomatoes over a bowl.

Optional: Thin with milk or water.

Recipe easily cut in half.

Southern Tomato Gravy-from Deep South Dish

1/4 C butter or bacon fat-I used butter

1/4 C A/P flour

2 Tblsp onion, finely minced

2 Tblsp green bell pepper, finely mined-I used banana pepper from the garden

3 C peeled and chopped tomatoes, keep the juices

2 tsp white or brown sugar-I used white

S&P to taste

Reserved tomato juice, milk or water, only as necessary if needed to thin to desired consistency.

1. Heat butter or bacon fat in skillet over medium heat. Add flour, stir and cook until a golden tan roux.
2. Add onion and peppers, cook 2-3 minutes, continuously stirring.
3. Add tomatoes, sugar, S&P. Stir and simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Add extra liquid if needed to thin.
4. As Mary says: Serve over hot biscuits, with meatloaf, over rice, or grits alongside fried catfish and hushpuppies. 
5. As I say: Ladle this over mashed potatoes and love life!!!

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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What's for Dinner

Easy Cheddar Potato Cakes from Dry Potatoes

G-Mom-B knew how to be frugal. Yep, she could use up any leftover, or food that was just about at the end of it's usefulness... Fruit crumb cake was a favorite:@) While today's recipe isn't quite a -use it up- idea, I'm brought back to G-Mom's potato cakes from leftover mashed potatoes, good stuff folks. With the world as it is today, it's not a bad idea to have some items in the pantry that have a long shelf life. Instant mashed potatoes are one suggestion. I had some, and decided to make Easy Cheddar Potato Cakes from Dry Potatoes. Love the addition of corn meal, it adds some texture and bite. I think Grandmom would approve...

Recipe easily cut in half, just scramble what's left of the egg and cook it in the pan too. As a point of reference: A 4oz package of dry mashed potatoes = about 1 1/2 C.

As an experiment I cooked some, put the leftover batter in the fridge to get nice and cold, formed the balls and froze them.

Then simply thawed them for about 30 minutes and fried as normal. Although I used olive oil this time-yum. Worked just fine:@)

We did use some leftover mashed potatoes for these

Roasted Garlic Potato Cakes here:

Easy Cheddar Potato Cakes-from Food.com

2 C dry potato flakes

1 C shredded cheddar cheese

2 Tblsp flour

1/4 C corn meal

1-2 tsp seasoned salt

1 tsp garlic powder

2 green onion, sliced

1/4 tsp cayenne, optional

1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste

2 C milk

1 egg

1/4 C butter, melted

vegetable oil for frying-I prefer olive oil, or bacon fat would be great...

1. Add everything through black pepper to bowl.
2. Mix milk, egg and butter well.
3. Stir wet into dry, mix well. Let sit for at least 10 minutes or until well absorbed.
4. Heat skillet to medium (a non-stick pan works well). Add oil.
5. Using slightly wet hands, form mixture into 2 Tblsp balls, place in skillet, press down with back of spoon.
6. Cook about 3 minutes each side, or until lightly browned, adding more oil as needed. Remove to paper towel.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Pickle Potato Salad - Dill or Sweet Pickles

This is how the conversation usually goes at my house: Me-I'm thinking about trying a new potato salad. The Boys-How about you make a batch of your normal one ~and~ the new one and we'll have a taste test... Um, see what happened there? 

We all have our family favorite recipes, but every once in a while it's fun to change things up a bit... I decided to try this Pickle Potato Salad and was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. Of course it does help if you're a pickle lover:@) No special recipe required, simply whip up your go-to potato salad, but mix in some rough chopped pickles, or a nice big spoonful of pickle relish. Use your favorite pickles too, either dill or a sweet bread and butter type. Most folks like sweet, and the dill will add just a little pickle-y zing and pucker. How much pickle? As much as you'd like! Some recipes call for adding pickle juice too, but pickles are wet, and especially if you use relish, you'll already be adding some juice.

I used a medium baking potato and heaping forkful of sweet relish.

Nothing ground-breaking here folks,

just an easy way to add a little something-something you your next grill out.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Grilled Sheet Pan Kielbasa, Cabbage and Potatoes

Whether you're spending more time outdoors, trying to keep the house cooler, or just don't want the house to smell like cabbage... This Grilled Sheet Pan Kielbasa Dinner with Cabbage and Potatoes was simple to throw together, and since I used a disposable pan, clean-up was a breeze:@) There really isn't a recipe, and you can vary the amounts by how many people are eating. Seasoning is just S&P, and of course I served it with some nice spicy mustard on the side. Yep, I really did enjoy this meal folks!

I started cooking with the food on separate sides.

This way it could be hotter on the left so the cabbage cooked more.

Then just mixed it all together at the end.

This pan was excessively large, but it made flipping the cabbage easy:@)

Grilled Sheet Pan Kielbasa, Cabbage and Potatoes

As much as you'd like:

Kielbasa, cut into bite size pieces

Cabbage, cut into bite size pieces

Potato, washed, pierced and partially cooked in microwave. I used 1 minute. Then cut into bite size pieces.

Onion, diced

Olive oil, enough to drizzle over everything

S&P to taste

1. Heat grill to high, reduce to medium high.
2. Add everything to disposable pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with S&P.
3. Cook until desired level of doneness.
4. Add more S&P to taste.
5. Serve with  mustard.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Leftover Frozen Hash Brown Potatoes Au Gratin Casserole with Ham & Peas

Whether you happen to have half a bag of frozen hash browns in the freezer, or would like to make a smaller casserole, this Leftover Potatoes Au Gratin Casserole is a nice meal, with many options. I had some ham and peas in the freezer, so that's what I added. But any cooked meat would work. Like bell peppers? Toss some in. Use any cheese you have on-hand, but cheddar is a natural. I was very pleased with this meal, don't hesitate to give it a try:@)

While I wrote this up as a leftovers meal, 

and obviously opted for easy clean-up...

It's good enough to maybe sub some asparagus for the peas, use a pretty baking dish,

 and make it for your Easter or Mother's Day Brunch:@)

Good stuff folks!

Leftover Frozen Hash Brown Potatoes Au Gratin Casserole-Adapted from Ore-Ida

Approx 14-16 oz frozen hash browns, thawed if possible-I used the cubed ones

1 1/2 Tblsp butter

1/2 C onion, diced-can add celery, bell pepper, etc

1 Tblsp A/P flour

1 C milk or Half and Half

S&P

Up to 1 C meat, cubed-I used less

1/2 C frozen peas

1 C cheese, shredded-I used less, and used up cheddar and mozzarella

1. Cook onion in butter for about 5 minutes.
2. Add flour, stir well for a minute or so.
3. Add milk, bring to boil, reduce heat and cook for a minute or so until thickened.
4. Add S&P to taste.
5. Fold in potatoes, meat and peas.
6. Pour into sprayed baking dish, mine was about 8x8".
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until heated through.
8. Optional: Place under broiler for a couple minutes to brown the top. I did do this.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Handmade Monday

Spicy Sweet Potato Dip -Little Dipper Crock Pot or Larger Slow Cooker (or Oven)

This four ingredient Spicy Sweet Potato Dip was a nice change of pace. It came together in no time, and only needed to be heated up in the slow cooker. Spicy because I used regular Rotel, you can opt for the milder variety, and of course add some cayenne pepper, or use a hot taco seasoning for fire lovers. Simply mash, mix and heat, and your crowd will be happy in no time. If you need a last minute party treat that's different (and plays nicely with the holidays), it's hard to go wrong with this dip folks.

And of course it's perfect for, say it with me now, 

football parties:@)

Not the prettiest pics, but it is pretty darn tasty:@)

This was a great way to use up a can of sweet potatoes I forgot I bought.

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Spicy Sweet Potato Dip

15 oz can Bruce's Sweet Potatoes, drained

10 oz can Rotel or store brand, drained

1 Tblsp cream cheese, in chunks

1 Tblsp + 1 tsp taco seasoning, or to taste

1. Can be mixed right in the vessel:
2. Mash sweet potatoes (I used a fork), stir in drained Rotel, cream cheese, and taco seasoning.
3. Heat on low for 2-3 hours. Alternately, heat on stove or in microwave and transfer to slow cooker to keep warm. Can heat in the oven too, I'm guessing 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.
4. Stir to combine and serve with tortilla chips.

Snack well and have a happy day:@)

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