Sausage and Herb Stuffing

• 4 tablespoon(s) olive oil, plus more for the dish
• 1 loaf(s) (small; about 1 pound) country bread, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
• 1 pound(s) Italian sausage, casings removed
• 2 large onions, chopped
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh sage
• 1 cup(s) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 1/2 cup(s) low-sodium chicken broth

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Oil a 3-quart baking dish. Place the bread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the bread to a large bowl.

Directions

1.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a medium bowl.

2.  Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the onions, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until very tender and beginning to turn golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

3.  Return the sausage to the skillet along with the sage and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in the parsley.

4.  Pour the broth over the toasted bread and toss until nearly absorbed. Add the sausage-onion mixture and mix to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and bake until golden brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes.

Make Ahead: Prepare the stuffing, but do not bake. Refrigerate it in the baking dish for up to 1 day. To serve, bring the stuffing to room temperature and bake as directed.

Read more: Sausage and Herb Stuffing Recipe - Woman's Day 

Thanksgiving for Two

Thanksgiving is a holiday that is wonderful to be spent with family. This year it's just SFOmoto and myself so I decided to forego a whole turkey and try a Turkey Roulade.  A turkey roulade is a turkey breat butterlied with stuffing in the center and then rolled and baked.

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons

Half an onion, finely chopped

½ pound Italian sausage

¼ cup chicken broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

1 cup garlic and herb breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

1½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (3 pound) boneless, skinless turkey breast, butterflied

Preperation:

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat add 1/4 cup oil, onion, and sausage.  Once sausage is browned and onion has softened, add the garlic and chicken broth and continue cooking for another minute.  Add sage, melted butter, breadcrumbs, and mix well.  Transfer to a mixing bowl to cool.

Preheat oven to 400° F.

On large working surface, lay the turkey breast on a large piece of plastic wrap.  If your turkey breast is not butterflied, just lay it on it’s side and cut a deep slit down the side, making sure to not cut all the way through.  You want to lay it open like a book.  Place a second large piece of plastic wrap over turkey breast and pound to a uniform 1/2 inch thickness.  I had to get creative and use a rubber mallet from my husband, but you could even use a rolling pin, use what you’ve got!

Take off the top plastic , sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper over the breast.  Now spread a thin layer of the sausage mixture over the turkey leaving an inch on all sides.  You may have a little of the mixture left over.  Now carefully roll up the turkey breast, short end to short end.  Tie with kitchen string every two inches and cut loose ends.  Rub the remaining 1 teaspoon salt onto the rolled turkey breast.

Heat a large oven safe skillet over high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil, once hot, sear the turkey breast on all sides until a nice deep golden brown.   If you don’t have a big oven proof skillet, you can just transfer the turkey breast to a shallow baking dish once browned.  Loosely cover the skillet or dish with foil and transfer to the oven.  Cook for about 30 minutes or until the juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads 165° in the center.  Mine was actually ready at 25 minutes, so I would start checking then.

Take out of the oven and let rest covered for 15 minutes.

Snip and remove the twine, slice into 1/2 inch slices, put on a pretty dish, set on the table and let everyone think you spent days on the turkey.

You could even make it earlier in the day and take out to sear and bake 45 minutes before dinner.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Ideas

So you just made an 18 pound turkey with all the trimmings to feed a family of ten but in reality only have a family of four!  If you're like me (I only have a family of two!) you're going to be eating turkey and potatoes for days!

Here are some interesting ideas for the leftover mashed potatoes that are anything but boring!

1.

Ham Fritters

In med. bowl, combine 2½ c. potatoes; ½ c. chopped ham; 1 green onion, finely chopped; and ⅛ tsp. pepper. Using ¼-cup measuring cup, form mixture into ½-in.-thick patties. Place ¼ c. flour in dish. Coat patties with flour, tapping off excess. In 12-in. skillet, heat ¼ c. canola oil on medium-high until hot. In 2 batches, fry patties 5 minutes or until golden brown on both sides, turning over once. Serves 4.

2.

Broccoli Soup

In blender, puree 1 qt. lower-sodium chicken broth and 10 oz. frozen (thawed) broccoli. Transfer to 4-qt. pot. Heat to boiling on medium-high. Whisk in 2 c. potatoes and ⅛ tsp. pepper. Simmer on low heat 10 minutes. Stir in 2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese. Garnish with lemon slices, chopped parsley, and cheese. Serves 4.

3.

Savory Flounder

Place oven rack 6 in. from broiler heat source. Heat broiler on high. Place 4 (4-oz.) flounder fillets on jelly-roll pan. Sprinkle with ⅛ tsp. pepper. Brush fillets with 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard. Spread 1 c. potatoes on tops of fillets. Broil 3 to 4 minutes or until fish is firm and opaque throughout when tested with a fork. Garnish with dill. Serves 4.

4.

Pierogies

In med. bowl, combine 1½ c. potatoes; ½ c. sauerkraut, chopped; and ⅛ tsp. pepper. Place scant tablespoon mixture in center of wonton-skin wrapper; dab edges of wrapper with water. Fold and pinch edges to enclose filling. Place under damp paper towels. Repeat with remaining filling. Cook in 6-qt. saucepot of salted boiling water 3 minutes or until dough is cooked through. Drain well. Serve with sour cream and chopped parsley. Makes 28.

5.

Sausage Scramble

In 12-in. skillet, cook 8 oz. sausage on medium-high 5 minutes, stirring to break up with spoon; transfer to sm. bowl. To skillet, add 1 red pepper, chopped; 1 sm. onion, chopped; and ⅛ tsp. pepper. Cover; cook 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add 2 c. potatoes. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until potatoes are hot, stirring often. Stir in sausage. Serve with poached eggs. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serves 4.

Hang tags

I have been using my new die cut machine to create cute hang tags!
I created some fall themes:

And some nautical folded card tags:

And some hand stamped coffee themed:

Adventure into Pyramid Studding

Soooooooooooooooooooo many of my students wear those "fashionable" pyramid stud belts and everyday after last period I pick up at least a dozen of those little pyramids off my classroom floor.  Now many of them are not matching in colors but I have close to half of a ziploc full.  I decided to get creative since I don't see myself sporting said "fashionable" belt....

I am working on a way to use my E6000 glue to attach a set of black spray painted pyramid studs to a coffee mug for an awesome one of a kind gift for Mr. Moto :)

T Shirt Shopping Bag

An easy craft for those of you who are farmer's market addicts like myself!

*Quick and easy Christmas gifts as well!*

Turn the tee shirt inside out, line up the bottom hem, and sew or serge the bottom edge together, just above the tee shirt hem.

Line up the sleeves seams and cut off the tee shirt sleeves. It works best to cut off the sleeve seams!

With the shirt still flat, cut out the neck: cut close to the neck ribbing at the sides of the neck

then cut a “scoop neckline” including the back of the tee shirt in the scoop.

Here’s what it looks like when all the pieces are cut off. Knit jersey (tee shirt fabric) doesn’t fray, so you don’t have to hem any of the cut edges!

Turn the bag right side out, and go shopping!

Mod Podge Glitter Candle Holders

I had some clear votive candle holders I bought on clearance last year. I decided to continue to day 2 of my Mod Podge adventures.

I decided to use my Mod Podge and glitter to create Christmas votives.

I coated the inside of the votive with a light coat of Mod Podge.

Then I coated the inside with some winter white glitter.

You can finish by adding a candle to the inside and ribbon or stickers to the outside. I added light blue glitter snowflakes to the center of my votive.