punch

This is the punch that my Grandma always made at family gatherings:
(It can be made in small or large quantities.)

1 part Ginger Ale (Canada Dry)
1 part 7-Up or Sprite
1 3/4 parts cranberry juice (Ocean Spray Cran-...)
raspberry sherbet

Combine first 3 ingredients. Add sherbet. Stir gently.
(To serve in glasses, instead of a punch bowl, place a scoop of sherbet in each glass before adding the punch.)

Turkey Tomato Casserole

a flavorful use for leftover turkey

1/2 c onion, cubed
1/2 c celery, sliced
1/2 c carrots, sliced
1 T butter
Heat above ingredients in microwave oven in 6" x 9" casserole until vegetables are tender.
Add 1 T flour and stir to coat vegetables with the flour.
Add:
1 c cooked turkey, cubed
1 16-oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 t ground sage
1 T parsley
(or 1 T Italian seasoning in place of the sage and parsley)
Stir. Then top with:
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese.
Bake in 350F oven for 30 minutes or until cheese is slightly browned.

Deviled Ham

a good way to use leftover ham...

1/2 medium onion, cubed
1/2 c celery, cubed
1/2 c pickles
1 pound ham, cooked, cubed
1 T dried parsley (or 1/4 c fresh parsley)
2 t ground mustard powder
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 T molasses
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t salt
dash pepper

Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate.

Bread and Giblet Stuffing

--- Makes 3 cups stuffing – enough for a 4- to 5-pound chicken. Double the recipe for a 10-pound turkey, etc.

½ medium onion, cut up
1 c chopped celery (including leaves)
¼ t salt
giblets (plus neck and tail)

Cook neck, tail, giblets, onion, celery, and salt in enough water to cover, for at least 2 hours. Remove neck and tail from broth, take meat off bone, and discard bones and skin. Remove the rest from broth. Put all in blender (or chop fine). Keep the broth for later.

4 c bread crumbs (about 7 slices)
¼ t pepper
½ t ground sage
¼ c butter or margarine

Put bread into large bowl. (It's not necessary to dry the bread crumbs or even to break the bread into small pieces.) Add the chopped meat, onion, and celery. Add some of the broth and toss gently. Add more broth and water as necessary.

Use as stuffing. Or place in a buttered casserole dish and bake for at least two hours at 350F.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Place seeds in saucepan. Add water and salt. Let boil for about 15 minutes.
Drain. Toss with vegetable oil and salt (and any other flavorings desired).
Lay out in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 300F for about 30 minutes.

complete proteins

For some general information on proteins (courtesy my DS):

Meat and eggs are good sources of all the proteins the body needs daily. They are called complete proteins. Milk (dairy products including cheese), legumes, grains, and seeds are good sources of all except one or two of the proteins needed daily – and are called incomplete proteins. These incomplete protein sources can be combined, however, to give complete proteins. Any two categories connected by a bar will give a complete protein.

Here are some examples of complete proteins:
Dairy and grains:

• Macaroni and cheese
• Cereal and milk
• Crackers and milk
• Spaghetti with Parmesan cheese
• Cheese pizza
• Ice cream and cookies

Grains and legumes:

• Beans plus rice or corn bread
• Split pea soup plus crackers
• Baked beans plus muffins or bread
• Taco with refried beans
• Peanut butter sandwich

Legumes and seeds:

• Trail mix including peanuts and sunflower seeds

Grains include rice, white or whole-wheat bread, corn bread, macaroni, and spaghetti.
Legumes include garbanzo beans, Great Northern beans, lentils, lima beans, navy beans, peanuts, peas, pinto beans, kidney beans, and soybeans.

Cheddar Cheese Soup

Sauté chopped onions and peppers in butter.
Stir in flour, salt, and pepper.
Add chicken broth and milk. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.
Add cubed cheese just before serving.