SLOW COOKER TURKEY AND DRESSING

Can you prepare a taste of a holiday meal in your slow cooker?
You bet you can!

I have learned to dress up a few boxes of Stove Top stuffing mix

and 

prepare a delicious comfort food meal my family

requests over and over!

In fact, I have given my recipe to many

who want a holiday meal that is easy to prepare

without a lot of preparation!

Here is what you need~

1 package of Turkey breasts or Turkey tenderloins

2 boxes of Stove Top Stuffing Mix

(Estelle's combines Chicken and Cornbread)

1 cup torn pieces of french bread

1 can Cream of Chicken or Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup sour cream

1 32- ounce carton of chicken broth

1/4 cup butter

1/2 onion, chopped

2 stalks of celery chopped

Salt, Pepper, Sage and Parsley to taste

Saute onion and celery in 1/4 cup melted butter.

Add both boxes of stuffing mix and seasonings

and stir to combine.

Pour chicken broth over this mixture, 

saving 1/2 cup of the broth.

Pour 1/2 cup remaining chicken broth in crock pot.

Place turkey tenderloins on top of broth.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Spread sour cream over turkey, then top with 1/2 can of your soup.

Top with stuffing mix. 

Spoon the remaining 1/2 can soup over the stuffing mixture.

Cover and turn crock pot on low

then cook for 6-8 hours.

I add 1 cup of torn french bread into the stuffing mixture,

about one hour before cooking has completed.

This adds great texture to the dressing.

I also top this turkey and dressing mixture

with a little turkey gravy! 

This is just marvelous served with

lemon pepper green beans

and

honey glazed carrots!

PETER RABBIT TEA COLLECTION...EASTER TREASURES TO CHERISH

The misadventures of Peter.....

along with Tom Kitten, Mrs. Tiggy Winkle and Squirrel Nutkin!

The creation from Beatrix Potter's

tale of her mischievous bunny and friends

we all fell in love with as children.

These are among my favorite collectibles!!

True Confession....

I have had a long time love affair with Peter Rabbit.

Each year, I add a Beatrix Potter item

to my collection.

And this year.....

it is the 

Peter Rabbit Trio of English Tea's

These little tins are absolutely darling!

Tea for morning, noon and night.

Each side of each tin reflects one of Beatrix Potter's

beloved little characters.

The Flopsy Bunnies

contains an Earl Gray Tea.

This little tiny sheep

belonged to my mother.

The Peter Rabbit tin

features an English Breakfast Tea.

The Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle tin is an

English Afternoon Tea.

There are twenty tea bags per tin.

What a sweet little addition to the items

I purchased last year.

I found these little treasures at our

Third Monday Trade Days and Home Goods.

Spring is the universal time of rebirth and renewed faith.
No matter where you rest your hat on Sunday mornings,
it's also an Easter tradition to gather together as family
for a celebratory holiday meal.
Peter Rabbit cupcakes are always featured on the sweet endings sideboard.

It had always been our tradition to
spend Easter at home in Jackson.
The children would hunt Easter eggs in Mother and Daddy's backyard
and
then again up at the Darling's parents.
I long for those times....

What a wonderful addition to the Easter Basket!

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT BERRY PASTRIES

Hey Y'all!

I am going to share a darling little recipe

that my friend Karen, who lives in Austin,

gave to me! It is so easy to put together

and would be a perfect sweet ending to your 

next spring soiree! 

Texas had experienced a week of rain
when we babysat the BoBo!!!

We need it badly in order for the bluebonnets to bloom,

so I am certainly not complaining!

I love to bake on rainy days....how about you?

You need a few ingredients....

and the berry ingredient can be of your choosing!

I selected my Four Fruit Preserves simply

because it's what I had on hand.

Raspberry preserves are delicious in this recipe!

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT BERRY PASTRIES

1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Fruit Preserves

1 egg, beaten

Powdered Sugar, for dusting

Taking one sheet of puff pastry, roll the dough into 12 inch strips

Using a pastry cutter, cut the sheet into thirds lengthwise.
Take each sheet portion and cut this into thirds so that you have
a total of nine squares. 

Place a tablespoon of chocolate spread on one half of the pastry square.

Top with a spoonful of preserves.

Using your finger, dab a bit of beaten egg mixture along the edges

of the pastry square.

Fold over, and press the edges together.

Using a fork, make a sealed edge.

Cut a few slits on top in order for air to escape while baking.

Bake at 400 degrees F.

for 15-18 minutes.

Allow to cool and dust with powdered sugar!

Karen suggested that you may also use

dark chocolate chips in this recipe also! 

What a divine little recipe to make you the hostest with the mostest!

PEPPER CREAM DRESSING

Hey....

Good Morning Loves.....

Are you ready for the weekend?

Goodness Gracious is one of my all time favorite cookbooks!

It shines with heart and soul in these beautiful illustrations. 

I would say they are simply "lavish!"

All of the recipes are easy to prepare

with tips to help you lead a more positive lifestyle.

The results are inspiring on making your house,

your home!

This dressing is one of my favorites!

A common thread at Estelle's is 

focusing on the kitchen and not simply on the food,

but on the fun in sharing.

Try this dressing with any variety of lettuce

and/ or

fresh vegetables

PEPPER CREAM DRESSING

1 cup mayonnaise (Estelle's uses Dukes or Hellman's)

2 T. water

1/2 t. lemon juice

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

3/4 t. dry mustard

1 T. coarsely ground black pepper

3/4 t. garlic powder

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix well until blended. 

Cover and chill for at least one hour prior to serving! 

This is one of the darling's most favorite meals...

a fresh wedge salad and Hasselback potatoes!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

HAPPY ST. PADDY'S DAY!

"Oh, the indignities I must suffer for the amusement of my mistress...."

~Mae Mobley

MAINE IN MARCH AND A DAY OF SUNSHINE!

March at Pine Point Beach in Maine!

That's me....wrapped and tucked into layers of warm clothes!

Mainer's walk on the beach any time of year!

It was fun, actually....but really, really cold!

This is the darling up in Kennbunkport on a March day!

This spot is right down the road from Walker's Point,

The Bush's summer home!'

When the mist rolled in from the bay,

it became gray and damp.....

we often drove up here on weekends!

Those were great times, but we sure are happy

to have our feet planted firmly in 

The Great State of Texas!

This was just an ordinary day,

but we loved and appreciated each and every moment.

What a blessing ordinary days are...

the birds are singing and the sun is shining....

I love fresh fruit and sausage and biscuits 

for breakfast, don't you?

Our gorgeous tree just outside our kitchen window

leafed out in the last three days!

Love!!!

I spent the morning outside

listening to the birds and

watching the wind spinner whirl around,

while enjoying morning coffee.

I caught up with the

newest Southern Living,,,

there is a wonderful article on

Barbara and Jenna Bush....

just love these girls! 

I keep the bird feeder full to the brim

so that Mae Mobley is entertained....
I bought this feeder from
The Christmas Tree Store in Scarborough, Maine!

It's fun to look forward to summer

and plan the pool parties and barbecues! 

The cottonwood trees in the greenbelt

are showing their beautiful spring branches!

I need a weekend of planting the pots...soon! 

I love this little bird bath....

It is so sweet to see a Cardinal land on the edge

and take a few sips of water....

Is this color of violet not the prettiest?

Do you have any of these glass self-watering bulbs?

Love them....

these have lasted for about fifteen years already! 

I decided to purchase a pretty

outside serving tray for the patio...

so glad I did!

I  know there will be a million uses for this! 

A spring day and ice cold lemonade go hand -in -hand,

don't you think?

Yes....

Little Debbie Easter Cakes are being

served this afternoon....

I suppose this might be a Texas High Tea.....sorta'.....

Get em' Maypole...

She was a tiny kitten when we bought her perch.....

Please don't tell her she has outgrown it......

Y'all have a great day!

CHESS PIE FROM THE BLUE WILLOW

Whether you like vinegar or cornmeal,

the southern chess pie

is a "must-make this pie!"

The chess pie is a staple in the south.

It's buttery and creamy....

and will be one of the best sweets on your

southern sideboard! 

CHESS PIE FROM THE BLUE WILLOW INN

2 cups sugar

1 T. flour

2 T. yellow cornmeal

½ cup butter, melted

1 T. white vinegar

½ t. vanilla

4 eggs

¼ cup buttermilk

½ t. salt

1 piecrust, unbaked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cornmeal, butter, vinegar, eggs, buttermilk and salt. Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Bake for 50 minutes. Cool before serving.

Stay happy and Eat Pie!