2014 Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway

Welcome to the 2014 Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway! 

Thanks to HOST Dixieland Reviews and CO-HOSTS Mom 'N Daughter Savings, Ottawa Mommy Club, Finger Click Saver, Susie Q-Pons and Giveaways and Michigan Saving and More for letting me tag along and to the various companies for sponsoring. 

There will be a total of 19 Winners! You could be one and it's so easy to enter!

 To see a list of winners at the end of this contest, just click here. This event is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada who are 18+. Void where prohibited by law. Winners will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to respond. If no response is received, winner forfeits the prize and a new winner will be chosen. We are not responsible for late or misdirected email or email ending up in your spam folder. Please add Marie@dixielandsdeals.com to your safe list so the email will reach you if you win. 

This event will begin at 11:59 pm eastern standard time on November 28th, 2014 and end at 11:59 pm eastern standard time on December 8th, 2014. All entries from all tools will be combined and then ran through Random.org to ensure a fair draw. Chances of winning varies depending on number of entries received. Approximate retail value of all prizes is $4440. Participating Bloggers are not responsible for shipment of prizes. 

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #123

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday
Linky Party!!

Meet Our Co-Hosts!

Turkey Pesto Panini

Thanksgiving Turkey is delicious but no matter how moist it was when it was served it can quickly dry out in the days following. Transform your leftovers with a little help from Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.   Hellmann’s Mayonnaise is made with real, quality ingredients; like eggs, oil and vinegar and will make turkey moist and delicious. 

This loaded panini is one of the perfect ways to use up your leftover Thanksgiving turkey!  You can even use up the leftover rolls (if there are any) to make smaller slider size paninis.

I wanted to use fresh sliced tomatoes and my husband suggested marinara so I made it both ways.  We tried bites of each of them and while he preferred the marinara I liked both!

Turkey Pesto Panini (recipe makes 2 sandwiches)                         Printable Recipe

1 Tablespoon Hellmann’s Mayonnaise 
1 teaspoon pesto, purchased or homemade
4 slices of bread (or 2 larger rolls cut in half)
4-6 tomatoes slices or 2 Tablespoons marinara sauce
leftover turkey (slices or manageable pieces)
2 slices mozzarella (or your favorite sliced melting cheese)
olive oil (optional)

Mix together pesto and Hellmann's mayonnaise.

Spread the mixture on the top slices of each sandwiches, using half for each.

Add 1 tablespoon marinara sauce to the bottom slice of bread OR slices of tomatoes - whichever is your preference.

 Add your sliced leftover Thanksgiving turkey to the top slices.

 Add your mozzarella to the bottom slice.  I used my shredded goat mozzarella.

My large bread rolls did not need any olive oil.  If I had used sliced bread I would have used some to aid in browning.  Brush on olive on to top outside piece and place face down in grill pan that has been pre-heated on medium.  Brush other outside piece with olive oil.  

Grill until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes per side. I used my bacon press to compress the sandwich like a panini maker. Any pan will do and you can use your pancake turner to press down on your sandwich. The only thing that will be missing will be the grill marks and ridges.  Your sandwich will still taste yummy!

The top two sandwich pieces in this photo have marinara and the bottom two I used fresh tomatoes.

Visit www.hellmanns.com to find more recipes to try! Don’t forget to add Hellmann’s Mayonnaise to your shopping list when you’re at the grocery store picking up items for your Thanksgiving meal– it’s the secret to great-tasting leftovers!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Modern Mom Insider for Hellmann’s. All opinions expressed are 100% mine.

Do-ahead Potatoes

Just as the name implies, it's a dish you can make ahead and bake another day.  The ingredient list is simple but the taste is phenomenal!  This recipe came from my great-grandma's hairdreser.  It was made it for many holiday meals.  I'm sure she used full on fat cream cheese and regular sour cream but I lightened it up a little but using the light versions of both.

Do-ahead Potatoes                                                                     Printable Recipe

8-10 medium size russet potatoes

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons grated onion

8 ounce package light cream cheese

1 cup light sour cream

About 2 Tablespoons butter

Peel and wash potatoes, chunk and boil for 15 to 20 minutes or until fork inserts easily into potato. Drain well.

Make mashed potatoes with your mixer out of the cooked potatoes, milk, salt and pepper. You may need more or less milk depending on how large your potatoes are.

Add cream cheese, sour cream, and onion.  Mix until blended.

Spread into 7x11"  or 8x8" baking dish.

Dot with butter slices and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

The butter will melt and the top will start to be golden brown.  It may be even more brown that this photo. This one arrived late to the Thanksgiving meal and we hurried this one along with the help of a microwave and broiler at the end.

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #122

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday
Linky Party!!

Meet Our Co-Hosts!

Creamed Chicken and Biscuits

If you are looking for a belly-warming dish my creamed chicken and biscuits are simple to make.  Yes, even the biscuits. You can skip the biscuits and serve over noodles or mashed potatoes but nothing compares to the flaky fluffiness of these biscuits.

Creamed Chicken and Biscuits                                                   Printable Recipe

3 cups cubed cooked chicken (breasts and/or thighs)

3 cups chicken broth 

15 ounce can mix vegetables, drained  or 1-1/2 to 2 cups frozen vegetables

3 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

salt and pepper to taste

fluffy biscuits

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

My mom lightens this up by replacing some of the milk with chicken broth. I personally like more potatoes so I add even more to mine.  Top with all the extras you want and your bowl will be perfect!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup                                                Printable Recipe

2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup flour

7 cups milk

4 large baking potatoes, cooked and cubed

1 pound bacon

8 ounces Velveeta

1 cup sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup shredded Mexi-blend cheese

1 bunch green onions, sliced

Cut up bacon and cook.  I know this picture isn't necessary but it sure looks yummy!!  Drain.

I used to bake my potatoes, then peel and chop.  Now I use 4 cups of Yukon golds, chunked and cooked by boiling. Much less messy and you keep the nutrients of the skin. 

Drain.

In a large pot melt the butter.

Stir in flour, heat and stir until smooth.  Cook for 1 minute.

Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened. I find it easier to have the milk warmed to prevent burning the milk on the bottom while it tries to warm up the rest of the milk. *

This is with about half of the milk

Add potatoes and bacon.

 Add cheese and stir until melted. Stir in sour cream.

TO FREEZE.....Omit potatoes (they will become gritty when you unthaw) cool and put in bags. When ready to use reheat and add potatoes.

Edited to add that if I use YUKON GOLDS they do not turn gritty and they keep their shape even in the freezer!

*An alternative method is to add the milk to pan and warm.  Make a roux out of the butter and flour.  Add the roux to the milk and stir. It will thicken in just a few minutes.  You can see this method on my Cheeseburger Soup and Chicken, Corn and Potato Chowder.

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #121

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Baked Chocolate Buttermilk Donuts with Chocolate Coffee Glaze

 Soft, moist, and just the right amount of coffee in the glaze.   You'll want to share with a friend (or two!) 

Baked Chocolate Buttermilk Donuts with Chocolate Coffee Glaze         Printable Recipe

Donuts:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

Spaghetti Meatballs (with Gluten Free Options)

On top of spaghetti, all covered in....I think you know the rest!! Piled high on pasta or stuffed in a sandwich, these meatballs are versatile! With just one mess you can make extra and freeze them for another time which is great when ground beef is on sale.

Spaghetti Meatballs (with Gluten Free Options)                         Printable Recipe

2 eggs
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 pound ground beef
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (sometimes I use 1/2 grated and 1/2 shredded)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs *
1 jar favorite pasta sauce
cooked pasta *


In large bowl beat eggs, garlic, and parsley. Crumble the beef over the mixture and mix well. Sprinkle with cheese and bread crumbs; mix gently.


Shape into 1-1/2 inch balls using a medium size scoop. Makes 16 balls. *

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

This meat will almost shred itself.  When I shop I am looking pork butt, which is funny in its name since it has nothing to do with the pig's butt.  It's near the shoulder and can also be called a shoulder roast. Around my neck of the woods it generally doesn't have a bone but sometimes the butcher leaves it in. It will be marbled with fat.  A lean cut of meat won't work the same and certainly won't taste the same. 

It doesn't matter the size you get so long as it fits in the crock. Typically they are around 5 pounds but sometimes they come as 2-3 pounders.   If it is really large, sometimes I cut it in half.  Let it slow cook all day and at then end you will have juices and the meat will be so tender.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork                                                                             Printable Recipe

1 pork butt roast
1 onion
salt and pepper

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #120

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday
Linky Party!!

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Chili-Cheese Baked Potatoes

So you have some perfectly baked potatoes, now what?  Let's top it with some chili and some cheese sauce!!

Chili-Cheese Baked Potatoes                                                           Printable Recipe

5-6 baked potatoes

Chili:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1-1/2 T - 2 T chili powder
14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes undrained (or 1 pint home canned)
1/2 can water
1 Tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

How To Make Perfectly Baked Potatoes

 A simple recipe that results in the perfect baked potato ready for whatever toppings you desire!!

How To Make Perfectly Baked Potatoes                                         Printable Recipe

Russet Potatoes
Olive oil
Salt

When baking a large amount of potatoes at one time, choose potatoes with uniform shapes and sizes; they will cook more evenly and get done at the same time.