Carving the Ham and the Turkey TODAY, Peeling Vegetables, Baking Pies for Tomorrow.

Ham as it came from the oven.

Turkey breast as it came from the oven.

I have never seen a turkey or ham carved at the table in real life.  (Does this just happen on TV?)  Our family always does everything in the kitchen and luscious platters and bowls of food are taken to our family table or set up as a buffet,  a prayer of Thanksgiving is said over the meal and the family enjoys the feast.  As I have gotten older and the family has gotten bigger I have found it easier to do as much as possible ahead of time.

So.....yesterday I roasted the turkey and baked the ham, both at the same time I might add!  I wrapped them in large plastic bags after cooling and today I carve them and place them into large covered casseroles to heat back up tomorrow.  The stock was strained and saved for the gravy. 

I have thawed the pie dough that I made ahead and froze to roll out and bake the pies this evening.  Today I will clean and chop all of the vegetables for tomorrow.  This includes dicing the celery and onions for the stuffing or dressing, whichever you call it. The potatoes will be peeled and left covered with water, ready to go!  Preparing the vegetables and dip.  Making the fruit salad and cranberry sauce.  After that I set the table and bring up extra ice to have ready in the kitchen freezer.

Kate and perhaps Emily are coming this afternoon to make cookies for Thanksgiving!  Now let me wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving too!

Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball and Easy Taco Soup for Supper

Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball is Prepared and Ready for Thanksgiving.

Delicious Taco Soup.

When I saw this recipe for Taco Soup I thought it sounded just as good and easier than the one I have always made.  Plus it sounded just right for the run up days before Thanksgiving.  So, yesterday I checked my ingredients and committed to throwing it together today.  I have adapted this recipe from  highlandsranchfoodie.com    The name of the blog convinces me it has to be good!

I also want to try this cheese ball as I am certain in a household of Ranch Dressing lovers who also LOVE bacon it will surely be a hit!  I adapted this recipe from one bouncing around Pinterest right now.  It only took a bit of tweaking from me.

Ingredients for Easy Taco Soup:

1 can drained pinto beans
1 can drained kidney beans
1 can drained black beans
2 cans drained yellow corn
1 large can tomatoes broken up with your fork
2 C. beef stock
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
4 T. Taco Seasoning
2 pounds ground beef chuck
1 onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 C. water
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Crumble the ground beef into a dutch oven or large heavy bottom kettle and brown over medium high heat.  Meanwhile between stirs dice the onion and garlic and add to the pot and cook along with the beef.

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat at least 15 minutes or longer watching and adding water it it becomes too thick.  Or transfer everything into a slow cooker and simmer over lowest heat setting to meld the flavors.

Serve with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, diced avocado, or sour cream.   Yield 10 servings.

Ingredients for Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball:

2-8 ounce bars of Philadelphia Cream Cheese at room temperature
1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 C. crisp cooked crumbled bacon
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix

Place the soft cream cheese in a medium mixer bowl and beat until soft and creamy.  Add the Ranch Mix, lemon juice, Cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup of the bacon and mix thoroughly.

Using you hands form into a ball.  Roll in the remaining bacon crumbles.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving with assorted crackers or crisp celery sticks.  Yield 1 cheese ball.  

This is wonderful to make ahead and cover in the refrigerator for a few days for the flavors to meld.  It is nice to have things like this tucked away during the holiday season and ready to pull our as needed,  I serve with assorted crackers, pretzels. or crisp vegetables .

Rump Roast, Angel Food Cake and a Big Green Salad for Sunday Dinner. I am sticking with tried and true recipes this week.

Thin sliced cold rump roast makes wonderful sandwiches!

Over the last few days Thanksgiving preparations have continued.  Today I spot cleaned the carpet and used all of the egg whites from the Thanksgiving  noodles to make an Angel Food cake for Sunday Dinner.  I am trying to come up with a place to hide Christmas presents for the Grandchildren that they would not stumble across too!  Here is the link to my favorite Angel Food cake recipe.    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2010/12/12-eggs-do-angelfood-cake-make.html

The cake plate above is very special to me.  Emily and Katie made it for me as a gift some years ago and it is large, flat, and is decorated with both of their hand prints and finger prints and it says"Grandma's Helpers".  Mighty awesome!

Lazarus' Cheesecake

There was a text message this week asking me to bake cheese cake for a birthday gathering and desserts for a Christmas party too,  So, the cheesecake is ready and will be picked up tomorrow.  I always make an extra cheese cake as backup when I bake for someone else.  I have the extra one put back wrapped and ready for Sunday also.  Here is my best cheese cake recipe link.    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2011/10/lazarus-resturant-cheesecake-with.html



This is the cheesecake recipe from the old Lazarus Department store restaurants and has the sour cream topping.   You can also add fruit or it is wonderful as it is from the oven.  There are also several variations.

Today I also prepared a rump roast for Sunday dinner.  I especially like to roast them, wrap them in foil, and refrigerate them before thinly slicing.  I can slice them much more easily when they are cold.  They will make great roast beef sandwiches "Au Jus."  And, here is our favorite rump roast sandwiches recipe link.    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2012/04/roast-beef-sandwiches-our-favorites.html


Our granddaughter has a new collage room mate and she is bringing her for dinner tomorrow too.  I think I will fix a couple of chicken breasts too in case someone prefers chicken to beef.  So, I have been very busy but not using any new recipes.  Just sticking with the tried and true favorites.  I hope you will try one of these and enjoy them too!