Pearl's Stuffing

My mother made the best stuffing ever. It wasn't anything fancy, very simple to make, and no matter how tempting it is to try a new recipe, I simply can't. I don't know anyone who doesn't love it. It has long been a favorite of everyone.

My mother never wrote down a recipe. Luckily a few years before she died I got her to show me how to make it. Hope I can explain it in such a way that it turns out equally as good for anyone else who wants to try it.

Ingredients:
1 Box Mrs. Cubbison's Corn Bread Stuffing seasoned
1 Cup Butter (two sticks)
1 Cup Onion Chopped
1 Cup Celery, chopped
1 and 1/2 - 2 Cups Water

This will stuff an 8-12 pound bird. Double for larger size.

Chop up the onion and then the celery. In a large bowl mix together, chopped celery, chopped onion and the box of corn bread stuffing. In a separate pan, melt the butter, then boil the water and add these two together. now drizzle this wet mixture over the dry mixture and stir and toss until you have drizzled the compete mixture. Now continue tossing and salt and pepper to taste. Now Cover with a towel over night and in the morning stuff your bird and your ready to bake things.

Happy Thanksgiving

Mother Bird's Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

There is nothing better than a big pot of soup! Especially if it's Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. This one is a favorite at our house!

Ingredients:
1 whole Chicken boiled and deboned.
Chicken Stock
2 Pckgs Grandma's Frozen Egg Noodles
Celery chopped and diced a little on the thick side.
Paprika
Granular Chicken Bouillon by Wylers
Butter
Salt and Pepper

I make this soup for 26 people so I cannot tell you how to make a small pot. There is no such thing as a small pot at my house.

I get a nice Chicken and boil it until it falls off the bone. I keep the water I boiled the Chicken in, but I drain and filter any crud or residue that might accumulate in it, basically anything I don't want in my soup.

Then I add the Chicken Stock. I use three or four 20 oz cans. I sprinkle to taste the bouillon,  the paprika, and the salt and pepper. I make a huge pot so just adjust as needed for size you are making.

I bring that all to a boil and add the Celery and Noodles, (follow the directions on the Noodle bag for thawing and preparing the noodles) when the noodles are soft I add the chicken, and season with paprika, salt and pepper. Top with a big ole chunk of butter and simmer for 30 min.

ENJOY!

Triple Berry Pie

Triple Berry Pie is a must at the Crow's Nest every Thanksgiving. It is the pie everyone requests! I buy my Berries from Costco. "Kirkland: Natures Three Berries" If you do not have access to this use three different frozen berry mixes that do not have strawberries in them. A good raspberry, black berry and blueberry mix is what you are looking for.

Prepare your pie crust as usual. If you want a good pie crust recipe see "The Best Pie Crust Ever," under Pie on the left of the blog.

1 Cup Sugar
2 and 1/2 TBSP Ultra Set by Ingredion or 3 TBSP all purpose flour
5 to 6 cups Triple Berry Frozen Berries
1TBSP Lemon Juice

In a large separate bowl, add the dry ingredients first and mix well. Then add your Berries and Lemon Juice. Now Mix well again.

Dot the bottom of your crust with real butter. Add the berry mixture and dot the top with butter too. Be careful not to fill your pie dishes too full or they will bubble over and burn in your oven. Berry pies are the worst for boiling over, so beware! Then apply your top crust prepared with vent holes. Seal and Bake 375 degrees F. 45 min. for fresh fruit and about 60 min for frozen.

Important: To prevent overbrowning on the edges, cover the edge of the pie with foil and remove the foil the last few minutes for edge to brown.

Remember! The fresher your ingredients are the better your pie tastes!

Crow Apple Pie

I don't know how many years ago my girls and I started making pie. I'm too tired today to look it up, but I think it's been at least a good twenty years or so. I tell you this because making pie is an art and every year we learn new tricks or develop new secrets that just improve every pie we make. Our apple pie has become "Crow Apple Pie," tried and tested year after year. 26 people now are here to do the taste testing! Today my daughter in law called and wanted the recipe. Her family recently moved away to law school and when it comes to making pie this year she's helping a friend.

Begin by making your pie crust. If you want an awesome pie crust recipe, see "The Best Pie Crust Ever!" It's located on the right under the label, "Pie". Love this pie crust recipe!

Prepare your bottom crust in your pie dish.

Apple Pie Filling
5 to 6 nice large Jonathon Apples peeled, cored, and sliced. soak in cold water with 3TBSP Lemon Juice until you are ready to use.

In a large bowl combine the following:
1 Cup Sugar... Half Brown, Half White (Don't Be Stingy!)
1 and 1/2 TBS Ultra Set by Ingredion or 2 TBS all purpose flour. We use the Ultra Set
1 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
a Pinch of Salt

Mix Well all dry ingredients.

Melt 2 TBSP Butter
1 TBS Lemon Juice

Drain your sliced apples,. In a separate bowl, drizzle the butter and lemon over them, then toss them into the dry ingredients and mix well.  Then add the mixture to your bottom crust. Dot with more butter and then apply your top crust. Your top crust should have some holes in it to let the steam out.

When your top crust is all sealed brush with Milk and sprinkle with Sugar and Cinnamon Bake at 375 degrees F. for 45-50 minutes or until apples test tender when a sharp knife is inserted into vent hole.

Makes 1 Nine inch pie.

Important: To prevent overbrowning on the edges, cover the edge of the pie with foil and remove the foil the last few minutes for edge to brown.

Remember! The fresher your ingredients are the better your pie tastes!

Golden Winter Soup

Golden Winter Soup

Makes 8 servings  (Doubled and Revised)

3 tablespoons butter (2 Tbslp butter or coconut oil)

5 cups (1/2 inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds) (10 Cups)

2 cups (1/2 inch) cubed peeled red or russet potato (4 cups red)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste (2 tsp)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste (grinded some in)

2 cups sliced leak (about 3- make sure you wash them well)  (4 cups)

4 cups low sodium chicken broth  (6 cups/3 cans)

1 cup heavy cream (2 c almond milk or plain yogurt)

Add more chicken broth if too thick.

Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add squash, potato, salt, and pepper to pan; saute for about 3 minutes. Add leek; saute 1 minute. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally. Place half of potato mixture in a blender or food processor- if using a blender, remove center piece to allow steam to escape, place towel over. Blend until smooth. Pour into large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining potato mixture. Stir in half and half. Taste, adjust seasonings and serve hot. Garnish with chives or green onions if desired.

Combine all ingredients except broth and almond milk. Saute and then add one can broth and bring to boil/simmer for 5-10 minutes. Put half mixture into blender with 1 can broth and blend, repeat, then combine all with almond milk back in pan. Heat if needed.

Zucchini Bites

I'm always trying to beat the sugar addiction. To say I love sugar is a gross understatement. This week I've done pretty awesome at my quest for clean eating. The body is an amazing thing and the more I age, the more I truly appreciate it's miraculous abilities. I am such a believer in the philosophy that how we eat can really determine how we feel! 

This last week I tried some new things. Every morning I put a 16 oz glass of fresh lemon water by my bathroom sink. The bathroom is always the first place I travel to in the morning. I chug the entire bottle down when I see it sitting there. By the way, you can figure a big gulp is almost an ounce of water. Most people don't realize your body needs rehydrated first thing in the morning. After emptying my water bottle, I take it to the kitchen and fill it again several times throughout the day. Especially in the afternoon. I also take a bottle of water with me everywhere. If I forget one, I stop and buy a bottle. If you are tired in the afternoon, you don't need a diet coke! YOU NEED WATER! And most likely some healthy fuel for your body! Wow, what a difference staying hydrated makes. I've also been looking for new ways to cook and new ways to eat whole foods! 

It wasn't two days into being off sugar and junk food that I noticed the places in my body that were starting to feel arthritic felt 100 percent better. Pain was my motivation for changing how I eat. It also wasn't two days into my attempts to form new habits in eating the nutrients that do a body good,  that I realized, I don't know how to cook healthy!

Warning: You might be seeing a lot of healthy stuff, like these yummy Zucchini Bites I'm making today. 

Here's to EATING CLEAN!

Ingredients

4 medium, fresh Zucchini, sliced in half
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1-2 tablespoons fresh Rosemary & Thyme, minced
Smidge of olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350F, lightly brush both sizes of the zucchini with olive oil and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Mix cheese and herbs together in a small bowl and sprinkle over the zucchini along with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 15 minutes and place under the broiler for the last 3-5 minutes until cheese is crispy and browned. 

ENJOY! AND EAT HEALTHY, STAY HEALTHY!

Dinner Recipe: Baked Potato Casserole

A baked potato sprinkled with cheese and sour cream? Delicious. All the makings of a baked potato in an entire casserole dish? Really delicious. With this recipe for baked potato casserole, this popular side dish takes center stage as the main course.

The great thing about this casserole is that you can easily adjust the recipe to match what you like in your own baked potato. Bacon or no bacon; chives or no chives; even if you want to use different cheeses, there is plenty of room to experiment and make the recipe your own. And if you’re looking for a dish to bring for a potluck or a side dish for a big dinner table, this casserole comes in handy then as well.

Get ready to serve lots of second helpings after bringing this dish to the dinner table.

Baked Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 8 medium-size potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
• 6 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Green onions or parsley for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Put the chopped potatoes into a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook them over medium-high heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are tender. Then, drain the potatoes. (You could also bake the potatoes in the oven and then cut them into chunks.)
3. Put the potatoes back in the saucepan and toss with the bacon.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the salt, pepper, 1 1/2 cups of cheese, sour cream, and onion. Then, add this mixture to the saucepan with the potatoes and toss thoroughly.
5. Grease a 2.5- to 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray, and then spoon the mixture into the dish.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, then top the dish with the remaining cheese and garnish and let it bake for another 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
7. Enjoy!