Turkey Potato Casserole

This is very similar to the casserole at Cracker Barrel, but we omitted onions and added ground turkey (ground hamburger would be fine also.)  Holt, our 18 yr old, helped make this with my husband as I was down and out with pain one day.  He was impressed how easy this was and with his first helping, the casserole was half gone.  (You'll see the photo we got - not soon enough!)

You will need the following ingredients:

1 package frozen hash browns (1 lb. 10 oz, usually)
1 lb. ground turkey or ground beef.

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 pint sour cream

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1. Fry ground meat in skillet.  Drain fat.

2.  Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

3.   Put in a greased 9X13 pan and cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until brown on top.

We didn't get a photo fast enough of the cooked casserole.  This is how much was left after Holt got his first and second servings.  Yikes!  (Ladies, if you have young boys, prepare NOW!!!)
Needless to say, this is REALLY good!  This would also be great for breakfast.

ENJOY!

I will be joining THESE parties.

Weekend Wrap-up

Andy snapped this photo of my hair today before we left to run errands.  Had on my new purple coat and it just looked really full and pretty.  I love good hair days, don't you?

We called a "mandatory family matinee" on Saturday and took the boys to see "Unstoppable" with Denzel Washington and Chris Pine.  AWESOME movie - we were on the edge of our seats the entire movie.   I'll be straight up honest and admit I went to see Chris Pine with little interest in the movie, lol, so I was very surprised to love the movie as much as I did!  lol  IMDB readers gave it a 7.2 out of 10. 

I did some baking as well.  Made the muffins that come in the Cinnabon box at Sam's Club and the guys loved them.  Just tonight, made THIS recipe for Cranberry Upside Down Muffins and YUMMY!!! 

The cranberry muffins are just the right combination of sweet and tangy - like a shortcake flavor with a little zing from the cranberries.  Did you know that when you cook cranberries in some sugar and water, they will start popping and get mushy in around 10 minutes?  I didn't until now.  :)

I made the cranberry ones tonight after hubs went to bed, so hopefully he will be excited to grab some in the morning to take on his business trip.  I definitely miss the ability to go with him on business trips - maybe again some day when we get the boys situated.

Do you love Tiramisu?  Do you love creamy ice cream?  Do you have a Kroger nearby?  Then go pick up this flavor:

Private Selection Italian Cafe Tiramisu:  

Dark chocolate truffles folded into expresso ice cream swirled with fudge.

Ryan and I almost died.  SOOOO good.   Dairy and soy elimination diets (per the DAN! doctor) are starting after the holidays so we're enjoying life right now.  lol

And if you live near an ice cream shop named Emack & Bolios (seriously?  That's the name, I kid you not).....then try the Beantown Buzz flavor - coffee ice cream with fudge swirls and chocolate covered expresso beans.  A flavor explosion in your mouth!  Holt and I had their Cosmic Crunch the other day, and Holt got his in a sugar cone covered in rice crispie treats!  Cosmic Crunch is vanilla ice cream, caramel swirl, chocolate chips, walnuts and cookies.  Sound good?  It was!

Emack and Bolio's Ice Cream Favorite Flavors (although they have more!)

Hope you had a great weekend!

Plum Upside-Down Pudding Cake

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Have you ever seen a recipe in a magazine and you KNEW it would be amazing?  Only to come home and be unable to convince anyone else?  I was in the waiting room for my one-week surgery appointment when I saw this recipe in Coastal Living and the photo just grabbed my attention.  If I were only allowed 5 foods on a deserted island, plums would be one of them.  LOVE plums!

So, I told my husband and got "that" look.  While in Texas, told my mom and while she didn't seem thrilled, she did help me shop for ingredients.  And then my sister flat out said it did not sound good to her.  I was going to take this to the band reunion, but then Andy asked me if I really wanted to take something untried.  PEOPLE!!  I KNEW this would taste amazing, but whatever.   lol

We actually ended up bringing the ingredients home with us - always frugal!  And you know what?  It tastes amazing and guess who loves it?  My husband!!!

Anyhoo...my photos are ridiculous.  First, I forgot to take it out of the pan and make it "upside-down" so by the time I remembered this, it was half gone.  So this will just have to do.  But, if you would like a very mild cake with a bit of tang, you must try this!  Only 1/2 cup sugar in the entire cake! 

Enticed yet?  Here's what you need to know:

Prep: 15 minutes  Cook: 25 minutes  Cool: 30 minutes

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

4 small red or black plums, sliced

1/2 cup sugar, divided

1 TBS. fresh lemon juice

3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided

2 large eggs

3/4 cup whole or lowfat buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

4 TBS. unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Sweetened whipped cream

Preparation

1.  Combine plums, 1 TB. sugar, lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt in a bowl, tossing gently.

2.  Grease sides and bottom of a 9-inch cast iron skillet or deep dish pie pan.  Cover bottom with plum slices, overlapping slightly.

3.  Whisk together eggs, remaining sugar, buttermilk, vanilla and butter until well-blended.

4.  Combine flour, baking powder and remaining 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, whisk into egg mixture.  Pour batter over fruit.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool in pan 30 minutes.  

5.  Run tip around edge of cake to loosen.  Invert onto a platter, and serve with whipped cream.

Let me know if you try this and what you think.  This is so good, it could be for dessert, for a breakfast cake.....very mild and not too sweet at all.  I think that is why hubby loves it.

Have a glorious day!