Dinner for the very tired

It was a big day, unpacking, washing, and shopping.  My neighbor's brother Matt went with me to look at cabinets that he will install.  We had a leak in the wall behind the kitchen sink last month and black mold is appearing.  So, OUT go the cabinets!  They were dated anyway after 23 years of use.

hamburger patties, pan fried
steamed white rice with butter
whole green beans from the can

Thanksgiving at My Sister Kat's House

Poor Kat pulled her back on Thanksgiving morning as Mark and I drove onward toward her Gulf Breeze, FL home.  Her husband Larry took over.  He put the turkey in the oven, made sweet potato souffle topped with pecans, and made the most amazing unusual stuffing, made with raw onion and celery (because Kat failed to tell him to saute), but guess what?  We loved it!  We also had gravy (Kat started the giblets in some water before the injury) that I whipped up from the drippings and giblets.  Larry's daughter Fathom brought deviled eggs and green beans, and last in the oven were the crescent rolls.    Mark and I brought iced tea and pies: cherry, apple, pecan and pumpkin.  With Kat, Larry, Fathom and her husband Robert and toddler Robby, Fathom's mom, Sheila, and Mark and me, it was a full house and a great day!  Kat's working on recovering from her back injury, bless her heart.

Fire In The Kitchen!

I made a batch of datil pepper sauce and named it Fire In The Kitchen Datil Pepper Sauce.  Here's a link to my other website, There's a Cricket In The Corner, that has the info on how I did it, complete with pictures.  This morning I made turkey sausage, twice-toasted whole wheat english muffin, and an egg.  'Topped that bad boy with some fire sauce, oh yeah!  My Finnish friend would say, "yammy yammy!" 

What is twice-toasted toast?  Toast normally, spread butter, then broil until the butter turns golden with brown tips.  It's heavenly.

16 Bean Soup

Boil bag of dry beans for two minutes and let them sit overnight.
Rinse, add a large can of tomato chunks with liquid and add water to cover the beans by a couple of inches.
Tear up a pound of lean hamburger and toss chunks into bottom of crockpot. Do not stir a bunch!
Add the water and beans, shake in some salt and pepper to taste.
Shake in a tablespoon or so of dried onion chips, garlic powder, and some spices of your choice.
Add a couple of whole bay leaves.
Cover and cook on high 4 hours.
Add leftover raw cabbage chunks (because I have 1/4 head in the fridge).
Cook on low for an additional 4 hours.

Homemade Pumpkin Latte Coffee Creamer

Thanks to my sister, Kat:

Pumpkin Latte Coffee Creamer
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons pumpkin puree (I use canned)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Mix all together in small pan until the sugar melts over medium heat. 
Cool and store in fridge.  Shake and pour.
There will be grounds and pumpkin the bottom of the container.  I like it that way.