Holiday Sandwiches

These sandwiches were inspired by the Earl of Sandwich restaurant we ate at during our DisneyWorld trip earlier this month.



Ingredients:



Turkey (deli or leftover from a holiday meal)

Stuffing

Cranberry sauce

Gravy

Mayonnaise

Sandwich Roll



Directions:



Heat up leftovers in the microwave to desired temperature. Put mayo on bread, put turkey on bottom, stuffing on top of turkey and gravy across the stuffing, put back in microwave for 20 seconds, add cranberry sauce and enjoy!



These sandwiches were excellent, not as great as the restaurant, but they were really great.

I plan on doing this a few more times.

Busy Day Ham Bake

This recipe is from Taste of Home Best Ever Casseroles published 2008

Ingrediants:

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingrediants. Transfer to a greased 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Toss bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over the top. Bake, uncovered at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated through.

We tried this recipe for the first time last night. We have so much leftover ham from Christmas that I am going to be trying new recipes with ham just so that we can use it all up.

Apple and Herb Roasted Turkey

This recipe is from Taste of Home Perfection published November 2008

Ingrediants:

1/4 cup minced fresh sage
1/4 cup minced fresh rosemary
1 turkey (14 pounds)
1 medium apple, quartered
1 medium onion, halved
1 celery rib, halved
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup apple jelly, warmed

Directions:

Combine sage and rosemary. with fingers, carefully loosen skin from the turkey breast; rub herbs under the skin. Secure skin to the underside of breast with toothpicks.
Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Stuff turkey with apple, onion and celery. Brush with butter.
Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with pan drippings. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.) Brush with apple jelly. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before removing toothpicks and carving.

This was the first turkey I had ever cooked, I made it for Christmas dinner and it came out really well. We brined it beforehand and it was really easy and really great.

Zesty Chicken with Artichokes

This recipe is from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking published in 2008

Ingrediants:

2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and halved
3/4 cup white wine or reduced sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed olives, drained
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives, drained

Directions:

Combine the thyme, lemon peel, salt and pepper; rub over chicken. In a large nonstick skillet, brown chicken in 2 teaspoons oil; remove and set aside.

In the same skillet, saute onion and garlic in remaining oil until tender. Stir in the artichokes, wine(chicken broth) and olives. Return chicken to the pan. Bring to a boil. REduce heat; cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear.

Remove chicken and keep warm. Simmer artichoke mixture, uncovered for 2-3 minutes or until liquid has evaporated; serve with chicken.

We tried this at my mom's house on laundry night and everyone agreed that the artichoke mixture was good, but the chicken was bland! I think that instead of thyme another spice could be used to add more flavor to this chicken... We might try tarragon or maybe garlic powder next time.

Scrumptious Spaghetti

This recipe is from Taste of Home recipe card collection published 2008

Ingrediants:

1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 package (16 ounces) spaghetti
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:

In a large skillet, saute green pepper, onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the tomato sauce, sugar and oregano. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain; transfer to a serving dish. Serve with sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

This was our first time trying this receipe. I think that 2 tablespoons is too much sugar. Otherwise it was good for a new spaghetti receipe. I think next time I would use 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Italian Meatball Soup

This recipe is from 30-Minute Meals published by Better Homes and Gardens 2006

Ingrediants:

1 14-1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes with onion and garlic, undrained
1 14 ounce can beef broth
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 or a 16 ounce package of frozen cooked meatballs
1/2 cup small dried pasta (such as elbow macaroni, orzo [rosamarina], tripolini, ditalini or stellini)
1 cup loose-pack frozen mixed vegetables
Shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large saucepan, stir together undrained tomatoes, beef broth, the water, and Italian seasoning; bring to a boil.

Add frozen meatballs, uncooked pasta and frozen vegetables. Return to boiling; reduce heat. cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until pasta and vegetables are tender. Top individual servings with Parmesan cheese.

Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce

This recipe is from Quick and Easy Recipes 2008

Ingrediants:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds total)
1/4 cup butter
1 0.7-ounce packacge Italian salad dressing mix
1 10.75-ounce can condensed golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1/2 of a 8-ounce tub cream cheese with chive and onion

Directions:

Place chicken in a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in Italian salad dressing mix. Stir in soup, white wine and cream cheese. Pour over chicken. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Yields: 6 servings.

We tried this recipe for the first time tonight, this was also our first time using our new slow cooker. We opted for using chicken broth instead of white wine because we use a lot more chicken broth in our cooking.

On a scale of 1 -5, my husband rated it a 4 and I rated it a 3.

The chicken was very juicy and it peeled apart really nicely.

We had a nice house salad with it.

Chili with Corn Bread Topping

This recipe is from Cooking for 2 - Fall 2006 issue

Ingrediants:

1/3 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can (15 ounces) chili with beans
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup corn bread/muffin mix
3 tablespoons 2% milk
2 tablespoons beaten egg
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in chili and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour into two 2-cup baking dishes.

In a small bowl, combine the corn bread mix, milk and egg. Stir in cheese and corn just until combined. Spread bater evenly over chili. Bake at 400○ for 15 - 18 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Yield 2 servings.

We have made this recipe many, many times. It is excellent and easy to make. Instead of using two 2-cup baking dishes, we use one 2-quart baking dish. We also tend to add about a half can more chili, but sometimes it will spill over in the oven, so we make sure to put something to catch any spill over.

On a scale of 1 - 5 my husband and I give this recipe a 4.

Match it with a salad and it is an excellent meal for a cold winter night.

Savory Meat Loaf

This recipe is from the Taste of Home website.

Ingrediants:

1 egg
1 cup fat free milk
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
2 slices bread, crumbled
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound lean ground beef
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingrediants. Crumble beef over the mixture and mix well. Shape into a loaf; place in an ungreased 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, water, brown sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce; pour over meat loaf. Bake at 325○ for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until meat is no longer pink and a meat thermometer reads 160○. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Yield 6 servings.

This is one of our favorite recipes. We make it at least once a month and have made it for most of our family. My grandfather loves meat loaf so we invite him over whenever we make this dish. He loves it.

On a scale of 1 - 5 my husband and both rate this a 4. We usually have some kind of vegetable with it, and potatoes or risotto.

This is an excellent leftover dish too, I usually make a meat loaf sandwich for lunch the following day.

New England Clam Chowder

This recipe is from Taste of Homes Soup 2008 issue.

Ingrediants:

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 quarts milk
3 cans (6-1/2 ounces each) chopped clams, undrained
2 to 3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Minced fresh parsley

Directions:

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to boil. Cover and cook until tender.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, saute onions in butter until tender. Add flour; mix until smooth. Stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Drain potatoes; add to Dutch oven. Add clams and remaining ingrediants; heat through. Yield 10 - 12 servings (3 quarts)

We have made this recipe a few times. A few things I noted about this recipe is that the stirring after adding the milk can take a long time, so I have turned up the heat to get the bubbly reaction faster, it also seems to thicken faster if you turn it to medium high instead of just medium. There don't seem to be any negative flavor consequences from cooking it on medium high.

On a scale of 1 - 5 my husband and I both rate this a 3.

Overall this soup is very filling and has a great flavor to it.

Cheeseburger Soup

This recipe is from Taste of Home Soups 2008 issue

Ingrediants:

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1-3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups (8 ounces) process cheese (Velveeta)
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

In a 3-qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream. Yield: 8 servings (2-1/4 quarts).

We tried this recipe for the first time last night. As usual, we matched it with some french bread.

On a scale of 1 - 5, my husband and I rated this soup a 4.

It is really excellent, the flavor is really good, it isn't super complicated to make and it is really filling.

Speedy Vegetable Soup

This recipe is from Taste of Home Soups 2007 issue

Ingrediants:

2 cans (one 49 ounces, one 14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, combine the first nine ingredients; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes; heat through. Discard bay leaf. Yield: 11 servings (about 3 quarts).

We tried this recipe for the first time Monday night. We had french bread with it.

On a scale of 1 - 5 my husband and I rated this soup a 3.

It was good, but it was a little plain. It could have used some more seasonings, it could have used some meat, it could have used something to thicken up the broth...

Italian Meatball Stew

This recipe is from Quick and Easy Recipes 2008

Ingrediants:

1 16-ounce package of frozen cooked Italian-style meatballs
2 14.5-ounce cans Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained and cut up
1 15- to 19-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup purchased basil pesto

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine meatballs, undrained tomatoes, drained beans, the water and pesto. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered for 15 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

My husband and I have enjoyed this recipe several times. We usually have some vegetables and french bread with it.

We like to use Italian diced tomatoes instead of the stewed tomatoes and it tastes just fine.

On a scale of 1 - 5 my husband rates it a 4 and I rate it a 3.

Italian Vegetable Soup

This recipe is from Taste of Home 2008 Soups magazine


Ingredients:

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup small shell pasta, cooked and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine the first nine ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Add the pasta and tomatoes; heat through. Discard bay leaf.
Yield: 6 servings.

We tried this recipe last night for the first time, as usual we had some french bread with it.

On a scale of 1 - 5 my husband and I both rated it a 3.

I felt that it could have used more seasonings, maybe some minced garlic or something to liven it up.

Tortellini Soup

This recipe is from Taste of Home 2008 Soups edition

Ingrediants:
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 1/2 cups shredded carrots (about 10 ounces)
1 cup chopped yellow summer squash
3 cups torn fresh spinach
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine the broth, carrots and squash. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Stir in spinach and tortellini. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until tortellini is tender and heated through.

We tried this recipe for the first time last night and had it with french bread.

On a scale of 1 - 5, my husband and I rated it a 3.

We felt that it could have used some more flavor, maybe some garlic or salt and pepper.

Sausage Kale Soup

This recipe is from Taste of Home Soups - 2008

Ingrediants:

3/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic gloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound fresh kale, trimmed and chopped
1 can (15 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound reduced fat fully cooked Polish sausage or turkey kielbasa, sliced

Directions:

In a large saucepan or Dutch Oven, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the brother, potatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Using a potato masher, mash potatoes slightly. Add kale, beans and sausage; cook over medium-low heat until kale is tender.


We tried this recipe last night for the first time. We used a full pound of kielbasa, because it is one of our favorite kinds of meats. We had french bread with it.

My husband and I both gave this dish a 2 out of 5. It was bland, kale isn't the most flavorful vegetable and there was a lot of it in ratio to the rest of the ingrediants.

We felt that using spinach might have tasted better.

This dish is similar to the kielbasa potato chowder, but isn't nearly as good.

Kielbasa Potato Chowder

This recipe is from Cooking for 2 - Fall 2006 Edition

Ingrediants:
1/2 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 bacon strips, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1-1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 cups water
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 kale leaves, torn or 1/3 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or 2% milk

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet, brown kielbasa and bacon; drain, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings. Add onion and garlic; cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until onion is tender.
In a large saucepan, bring broth and water to a boil. Add the potatoes, bouillon and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add the meat mixture and kale; cook over medium heat for 2 minutes or until kale is wilted. Reduce heat. Add the cream; cook 1 minute longer or until heated through. Yields: 4 cups.

My husband and I enjoy this chowder a lot. We enjoy it with french bread.

On a scale of 1 - 5, my husband rates it a 3 and I rate it a 4.

We think that it is just perfect as is and wouldn't add anything to it.

Best-Ever Potato Soup

This recipe is from Taste of Home 2008 Soup Magazine

Best-Ever Potato Soup

Ingredients:
6 bacon strips, diced
3 cups cubed peeled potatoes
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 small carrot, grated
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon each celery seed, salt and pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
8 ounces process cheese (Velveeta), cubed
2 green onions, thinly sliced, optional

Directions: In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp; drain. Add potatoes, broth, carrot, onion, parsley, celery seed, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Combine flour and milk until smooth; add to soup. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add cheese; stir until cheese is melted and the soup is heated through. Garnish with green onions if desired. Yield: 8 servings (2 quarts).


We made this dish last night and it was very good, we had french bread with it.

On a scale of 1 to 5, my husband and I both rated this dish a 3.

My husband felt that we could have added extra vegetables to it, such as broccoli.