My Favorite Thanksgiving Dish & You Can Win a Butterball Turkey!!

Well October is gone and November is here. You know what that means time to start thinking about Thanksgiving. Fall is my favorite time of the year, I enjoy watching the leaves change color and eventually start falling. Racking them all up and watching the kids jump in that big old leaf pile and jump out just a giggling. Fall also brings cooler weather, apple pie, pumpkin bread and cornbread dressing. Oh how I love the foods of the holiday season. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, it is the one time of the year that I get to spend lots of time with my family and enjoy all of my favorite foods. I look so forward to planning out our big thanksgiving dinner with my mother in law. We get so excited at all the dishes that we will get to prepare and cook together.

Mom has her favorites and I have mine. Combined we can throw together one awesome Thanksgiving Dinner. Everyone has their one favorite dish that they look forward to every year. You know the one dish you cant wait to dig into when it's placed on the table. Well for me it's my favorite Sweet Potato Casserole, creamy dreamy sweet potatoes whipped up with sugar, sweet milk, butter, eggs, spices and topped off with a crunchy cinnamon pecan topping. um mm I could sit and eat it all by myself. So today I am sharing my favorite holiday recipe.


But wait! Now it's your turn. Butterball and Mommy's Kitchen want you to share your favorite Thanksgiving recipe. I know you have one, everyone has a favorite recipe. Maybe its your mom's dressing recipe or your granny's pumpkin pie. If you don't have a favorite recipe that's OK too. Maybe you have a favorite holiday memory, story or even a cooking blooper you would like to share. Which ever it is we cant wait to hear all about it. Just leave your recipe, memory or cooking blooper in the comments section below for your chance to win a Butterball Turkey Gift Check. Now to make it even sweeter there is not going to be just one winner, theres going to be FOUR!!! that's right the nice folks over Butterball are giving four of my lucky readers a $15 Butterball Gift Check. So cm on and join in the fun and start posting those recipes, memories or bloopers for your chance to win a butterball turkey. Wouldn't it be nice to have one less thing to worry about on Thanksgiving.

I also want to pass on some information for anyone preparing Thanksgiving Dinner at their house. Maybe this is going to be your first time preparing a turkey without moms help. It can be a bit scary, but don't worry not only is mom a phone call away but so are the Turkey Talk Experts. Butterball and the Turkey Talk Line are here to help you through the process. No question is too tough for these turkey talkers, and they are ready and excited to tackle any challenge you throw at them.

Give them a call at 1-800-BUTTERBALL
(1-800-288-8372)
throughout November and December.

You can also check out their website at Butterball.com for more great Thanksgiving ideas. You will find a Thanksgiving guide to help you plan and prepare that special meal.

You can also follow Butterall on Twitter and Facebook.

Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win one of four Butterball Turkey Gift Checks. I will pick four random winners from the comments section. Winners will be chosen using random.org. I will announce the four winners on Saturday, November 14Th. I want to make sure you get your Turkey Gift Checks in time for Thanksgiving. I will also post the winners on Twitter and Facebook. Below is the recipe for my Sweet Potato Casserole I really hope you will give it a try.

Sweet Potato Casserole

4 -cups cooked sweet potatoes
3/4 - cup butter or margarine
2 - beaten eggs
1 - cup sweetened condensed milk
1 - tsp cinnamon
1 - tsp nutmeg
1 - tsp vanilla extract
1/2 - cup sugar

Topping

1 - cup brown sugar
1/2 - cup margarine
2 - cups crispy rice cereal
1 - cup chopped pecans

Boil sweet potatoes whole with the skin on. When the sweet potatoes are cooked and fork tender. Remove from water and cool completely so you can remove the peeling. Add cooked sweet potatoes, butter, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, sugar, vanilla and spices together. You might want to blend everything together with a hand mixer. Blend well and pour into a greased baking dish. I used a 8 x 4 inch round baking dish. Set aside and prepare topping. Add topping on top of the sweet potato mixture and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Printable Recipe

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Tasters Choice Instant Gourmet Coffee Review & Giveaway

One true fact about me is that I love me some coffee! Recently I was contacted by Nescafe and asked if I would like to try their new Nescafe Tasters Choice Single Serve Packets. I was a little hesitant about trying out the coffee. You see I am a huge coffee lover, but not for instant coffee. I don't think it is bad or awful, it is just something that I don't usually purchase on a regular basis. So I really don't know to much about instant coffee. But I was willing to give a try to see maybe if it was something that I was missing out on. Well surprisingly I loved the coffee. This post will include my video review and also some information about Tasters Choice New Gourmet Single Serve Packets. So lets start with my video review so I can tell you a little bit more about my coffee experience.

I am also submitting a second video below on using the single serve packets to create a recipe. I went to the tasters choice website and found a recipe for a Caramel Café Mocha. If you have never been to the tasters choice website your really missing out. Their website has a lot of information, down loadable coffee coupons and lots of recipes for you to try. They even have a section on delicious desserts using their instant coffee, now I thought that was pretty cool. Click here to stop by the Tasters Choice website. With all the drink recipes they have listed there is bound to be something you will like. Don't forget to click below to view my video on making their Caramel Cafe Mocha recipe.


So as you can see by my video reviews I really liked the instant coffee, and I am so glad that I gave it a try. Now I am not going to throw out my coffee maker and go all instant, but these little coffee packets are so great to have on hand. Below I have made a list of what I like most about the Tasters Choice Single Serve Coffee Packets:

• First off the convenience of the packets. Just open one up add it to a cup of hot water and you have coffee. Its that easy! Plus I have some emergency coffee packets if I run out of my regular brew coffee, that seems to happen a lot.
• Second I love that they are portable so I can take them anywhere. (to work, out of town or carry some in my purse.)
• I really like the flavor variety so I am not stuck on just making one flavor of coffee. I can change it up when I want to.
• The coffee packets are really affordable. At just $3.49 for a box of 20-22 single serve packets. I think that is a pretty good deal.
• These little packets are perfect to make homemade individual hot beverages such as a Cappichino or Latte. This will help cut my local coffee house budget down a bit.

I really hope you give the Tasters Choice Gourmet Instant Coffee Packets a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised just like I was. Click here and you can print off a coupon from the tasters choice website to get you started.

Today I am also going to be giving away a coffee break kit to one of my readers. Then you can enjoy your own coffee experience. To enter the giveaway please read the details below. I want to thank all my readers for listening to my coffee review and I also want to thank Tasters Choice for including Mommy's Kitchen to be a part of the "What Flavor are you Today" coffee trial. I had a lot of fun. And thank you so much for offering one of my lucky readers a coffee break kit.

"Giveaway Details" One winner will receive a coffee break kit identical to the one pictured above.

The coffee break kit consists of the following items:

a weeks worth of tasters choice gourmet instant coffee samples
2 - coffee mugs (1) insulated & (1) ceramic
1 - coaster set and product information

How to enter: Just leave a comment on this post and let me know what your favorite coffee flavor is. Maybe its just plain old joe that's OK to. I will randomly choose one winner on Friday November 13Th. Last day to enter the contest will be Thursday, November 12Th. Good luck.

Dont forget to leave a email address if yo don't have a blogger accounts. That way I can get in touch with you if you are the winner.

Disclosure: This post was made possible by Nescafe Taster's Choice who provided me a Flip Video Recorder, Coffee Samples, Coffee Mugs and Coaster’s. The products stated above were sent to me for the sole purpose of reviewing their product and to document my thoughts and opinions. The Opinions stated are solely my own and have not been wavered or compensated by the products I received. No other payments or sponsorships were taken for this review.

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The Pioneer Womans Potato Bundles and Ree, I Cant Wait to Meet You.

I love baked potatoes but they tend to get a bit boring after a while. We grilled chicken the other night and I wanted something different. I remembered a recipe over at The Pioneer Woman's site. Ree made these awesome little Potato Bundles. All the ingredients she used were my kind things. Potatoes, onions, butter, cream, parsley um mm how could you go wrong adding cream. I was so excited to get all the potatoes diced up and in the packets. My husband grilled the chicken and I manned the potatoes. The only thing I did different then the recipe stated was use margarine in place of butter. I didn't have any more butter in the house, can you believe that. Thank goodness Paula wasn't coming over for dinner, she probably would of gasped at just the thought of me using margarine. But that was that's the only change I made.
I have to say these were the best tasting potatoes I have had in a long time. So tender and all those buttery onions um for goodness sakes I was in heaven. I served these potatoes with my Honey Lime Grilled Chicken recipe. But these potatoes would be great served with any grilled chicken, fish or steak recipe. You must try these potatoes they were excellent and everyone got their own little packet. Ree I'm coming to see you girl and I cant wait, December 1st cant get here fast enough. I am so syked to finally meet you on your Book Tour stop in Dallas.

start by cutting up the potatoes. Cut the potato into two slices lengthwise. Then turn it in the other direction and make one more slice down the middle. Last turn the potato slices and cut the other direction to create a large dice. Slice up the onions and cut into large chunks. Mince the parsley and set aside.


now it is time to start assembling the potato packets. I didn't have the foil packets so i just used regular foil and made my own packets. Toss on some potatoes in the middle of the foil,


add the onions, how ever much you want. I love onions so I use a lot. Sprinkle on some paprika and kosher salt. Add the cream, not a lot just enough to give it a rich creamy flavor. The add some parsley. I left that out in some of the packets since the kids are not big on green stuff on their potatoes. Sprinkle the pepper on last.

OK now it is time to make a little packet for the potatoes to cook in. Bring up the sides of the foil together and then roll them down towards the center of the foil. See above.


Roll each of the sides towards the center the same way. Make sure they are sealed up tightly.



There now you have a nice little packet.

place them on the baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes tender. Be careful when you open the packets because all the steam will escape and it will be hot.

Serve!!!!!!!!



Potato Bundles

Russet potatoes, cut into chunks
Yellow or white onion, cut into chunks
Butter (regular, salted)
Heavy cream
Kosher salt
Paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Pile potatoes and onions on a square of foil. Add 2 tablespoons butter, splash on some cream, then sprinkle on salt, paprika, and black pepper. Wrap bundles tightly and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until extremely tender. Serve foil bundles right on the plate!

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November Menu & My Trick or Treaters

October is gone and November is here!! ummm this is one of my favorite months all that dressing, sweet potatoes and pumpkin crunch. I love Fall and all the fall foods that go along with the territory. We will be out of town for Thanksgiving but I will be making a few fall entrees to post throughout the month. I have listed my November Menu below, another months worth of meals planned out yeah!!! . If you are a monthly menu planner enter the link to your menu at the end of this post. I love seeing everyones different meal plans. I have included some photos of my little trick or treaters. I hope everyone had a happy and wonderful Halloween.


November Dinner Menu

I Hop French Toast
Beer in the Rear Chicken, Baked Beans & Baked Potato Casserole *
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Easy Peasy Chicken Legs, Cornbread Dressing & Mashed Potatoes
Hamburger Soup & Cornmeal Rolls
Fall off the Bone Ribs, Mac & Cheese & Baked Beans
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Soup
Pumpkin Spice Waffles, Bacon & Eggs
Cheeseburger Macaroni, Salad & Rolls
Pink Pasta, Chicken, & Bread
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti, Green Beans & Rolls
Chili & Pepper Jack Cornbread
Breakfast Tacos
Tostadas
Cheese Manicotti, Garlic Bread
Ground Beef Stroganoff, Rice & Broccoli
City Chicken, Mashed Potatoes & Veggie
Ham, Sweet Potato Casserole, Stove Top Stuffing
Pigs in a Blanket & Fries
Fettuccine Alfredo w/Chicken
Homemade Pizza
Chicken Fried Chicken W/Cream Gravy
Scalloped Potatoes with Ham (Leftover Ham)
BBQ Cheesy Chicken, Au gratin Potatoes & Corn
No Fail Pot Roast w/Gravy, Potatoes & Carrots


Desserts for the Month

Pumpkin Crunch
Pumpkin Cream Pies
Apple Pie
Smore Grahamwiches
Jamie’s Coconut Cake
Pumpkin Cheesecake

Notes:
Linked Recipes are recipes that are already listed at my site or somewhere else. Recipes that are not linked will be shared as I make them. * Represents* - A meal carried over from last months menu that did not get prepared. No problem, I already have all the main ingredients to make that meal which is always a plus.

For more great menu ideas visit: I’m an Organizing Junkie





Mackenzie was a Goddess Fairy & Carson was a Cowboy again. He loves that costume.

Mommy & Mackenzie

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Halloween Dream Cakes for My Trick or Treaters

I wanted to wish all my readers at Mommy's Kitchen a happy and safe Halloween. Today I am posting a quick last minute treat. Every Halloween at our house we order pizza and I make a special Halloween treat for the kids. It is so much easier to have a quick dinner before heading out to go trick or treating and the kids always want pizza that night, so it makes everyone happy. The special treat I made is Halloween Dream Cakes. The kids favorite thing are cupcakes so this was the first thing that came to mind. I love this cake recipe because it makes a boxed came mix taste more like a cake baked from scratch. Just three instant mixes and you will have a great tasting cake or even cupcakes.

This is the recipe I also use when the kids request a special birthday cake for that they want me to make. I used homemade butter cream frosting to frost the cupcakes. I also added orange food coloring to the cake batter and to the frosting. Another fun idea is to tint half of the cake mix yellow and tint the other half orange and you can have candy corn cupcakes. You could tint the frosting or just leave it plain white and then place a candy corn on top of each cupcake just like I did. The kids will be so excited when they see the cupcakes I am so glad I got this done a day early. Have fun and be safe tomorrow night. I have two trick or treaters this year a Cowboy Sheriff and a Goddess Fairy. Gracie the little one we sit for is going as a Lady Bug. What will your trick or treaters be wearing?

Halloween Dream Cupcakes or Cake

1 - box duncan hines yellow cake mix (I used french vanilla)
1 - envelope Dream Whip
1 - small box Cook n Serve Pudding Mix (vanilla)
4 - large eggs, slightly beaten
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 - cup water

Beat all ingredients in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just to moisten, scraping sides of bowl often. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes. Pour into 2 well-greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans (at least 1-1/2 inches deep). Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks. Frost as desired. If making cupcakes use cupcakes liners and fill 3/4 full with batter. I use my ice cream scooper for even cupcakes. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack and frost.


Vanilla Butter cream Frosting

1 - sticks butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 - cup shortening
1- tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
3-4 cups powdered sugar
orange food or icing color

Cream the butter and the shortening together. Add vanilla extract and and powdered sugar a cup at a time. Then add the milk until you get the consistency you desire. Add food or icing coloring last.

Recipe from: Kraft Foods


Printable Recipe



For more great cupcake ideas and recipe visit Hoosier Homemades Cupcake Tuesday.

From Tina, the Mom in Mommy's Kitchen

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