Wassail

Wassail

One of my all-time favorite winter drinks. I've made Wassail one way for SO MANY YEARS. That recipe found HERE, is great and long lasting but FULL of sugar.

However, I need something healthier -especially since the name Wassail comes from the words
Waes Hael
(one historical version anyway found here)
OR
Ves Heil Hal
(another historical link here)

That said BOTH mean Good Health.

So I found 4 similar recipes that had varying amounts and differing spices.

Putting them together I created two amazing recipes - both the same taste but for differing budgets.

Wassail

2 cups fresh cranberries

2 sliced oranges
2 sliced lemons
1 qt Apple juice or cider
2 C Cranberry juice

1 qt Orange juice

1 tsp Cinnamon
3 Cinnamon sticks
2 tsp whole cloves
2-inch fresh sliced ginger
1 tsp Allspice

2 C Pineapple juice

1 cracked whole nutmeg

Add all ingredients into either a crockpot/slow cooker or large stock pot on low for several hours to allow the spices to flavor fully.

~~~~~

Now for the budget-friendly version of the above recipe, you can buy frozen concentrate of apple, orange, pineapple & cranberry juice.
One qt of apple cider was almost 6.00 yet a frozen 100% apple juice was 1.20.
I used 2 frozen apple concentrate, 2 frozen orange concentrate, 1 pineapple & 1 cranberry then added almost 2 quarts of water and the rest of the ingredients.

Easter Crockpot Ham

This year the hubby wanted a very simple meal with just us. This is opposite of how we normally spend holidays.

In fact last year for Easter I had my dad and stepmother, Shayne, Sara & Sue. After the dinner Lori came by as well.

Alright so I am the person who likes to make everything BIG. I LOVE to cook big, eat big, party large and just surround myself with friends and family.

I also normally have a HUGE meal.

Due to the smallness (just us four) I downsized my menu. 

I also get the irony of serving ham on Easter. We celebrate the life and resurrection of a Jew (Jesus) with ham... but since I can't afford a full Passover meal or Lamb at all... we did ham.

I found this trick on Pinterest a few years ago and will NEVER EVER make Ham any other way!

This makes it so tender and juicy, it literally falls off the bone. Hubby didn't have use the knife once!

Crockpot Rootbeer Ham

Ham

1 C. Rootbeer

Add items to crock pot, cook on low for a few hours (4-6 hours). Cover with tinfoil if your crock pot lid doesn't fit. Every hour pour the juice/soda over the top of the ham to keep the top moist. If your ham came with a glaze packet, instead of adding water to it, use the extra juice from the ham.

I served the ham with a glaze as well as scalloped potatoes and broccoli. While it was a small meal for a holiday it was delicious!

Easter Sunday Dinner 2011

Menu

Honey cured spiced ham - cooked following package directions.
Sweet potatoes with cinnamon
Corn
Spiced apples

Yummy!

For these sweet potatoes that taste amazing!

You buy several large sweet potatoes (picture above is two large cut)

Wash cut and peel

Place in a baking dish

sprinkle with cinnamon add a few tsps of butter cut up and spread around.

Cook for an hour and a half at 325 so it cooks at the same temp as the ham.

I started my potatoes about 15 minutes before the ham so they would come out at the same time.

Have a blessed summer!

Fun Turkey Melts

Ingredients

Sandwich roll of your choosing
sliced turkey (also of your choosing)
cranberry relish (we use a handful of cranberry's plus one orange chopped together with a little sweetener added in)
several sliced of jalapeno cheese.

Heat oven to 350 cook for 20-30 min. until cheese is melted. If you are cooking this with something else at a higher temp cover with tinfoil.

The end result looks a little like this. While it won't be something we eat once a week its a great end of the holiday's recipe when bread, turkey and cranberry relish is something we have extra of. Its also a great break up if you are like me and fix a standard set of meals. I add in these types of foods once a week to break up the mundane and still stay on budget, with a easy to cook flavorful dish.

If the jalapeno cheese is on the spicy side for you you can use half of the jalapeno and another soft buttery cheese like Gouda.

Enjoy!
Next up will be omelets!

Thanksgiving meal a little late

How nice my dining table looked before we started to devour the food.

Thanksgiving is a day when people all over the USA eat to excess. 

We are no different, our difference is that we eat a healthier meal.

boneless turkey breasts (they cook faster)

Yams with butter and cinnamon

green beans and butter

zucchini, squash and peppers with basil

home made cranberry relish

potato rolls 

and two

weight watchers pumpkin pies

We have learned that if we keep food simple, not adding in the extra soups, sugars and sauces it tastes just as great without the mind crushing comatose after dinner crash.

I have many other recipes from Thanksgiving week that I need to post, but it may take some time. I am now in full Christmas gear and Christmas in our family means Chinese! 

YUM!

Thanksgiving Meal Plan #1

Sorry I have not been posting, but right now my meals are frozen or turkey sandwiches. We are still unpacking and fixing up the house for our house guests for Thanksgiving.


Now for those that haven't heard on Thanksgiving day I will be serving 11 people!
We had to go out and buy extra dishes to handle the load and are begging chairs from dad and diane!

Menu (Subject to change)

3 Turkey breasts - cooked and then covered with Mango Chutney

Yams - cooked with light butter and cinnamon

Green beans with butter

Squash, Zucchini, peppers cooked with basil

Served with a side salad and side butter wheat rolls

Diane will be bringing somethings... maybe a sausage stuffing, cranberry relish and of course chairs!
We are trying to have a more friendly pcos as well as a frienludly diet for my other sister who is taking meds for blood clots - this is the type of flavor challenge that I love!