Thanksgiving Leftovers

Turkey day has passed, are you sick of turkey sandwiches yet?

How about a way to remake the turkey and ham to something else?

Thanksgiving Leftovers Crustless Quiche

1 Dozen eggs
2 cups heavy/light cream or half & half (or combo thereof)
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, swiss, mozzarella, monterey jack)
1 to 2 cups of cooked turkey or ham(Thanksgiving leftover meats)
chopped onion to taste (optional)
broccoli or other cooked veggie (Thanksgiving leftover from the veggie tray)

Steam the left over veggies.
Whip up the eggs and cream.
Fold in other ingredients.
Spray pan with non stick spray.
Pour in a 9x13 inch pan or into 12 muffin tins.
Cook at 350 for 35 minutes.. Let cool before cutting.

More leftover recipes are found here.

Need Low Cost Menu Plans?

It's been a busy month here as I am trying to make a military move. All the extra tasks to do with getting a house ready to rent have limited my blogging time. I'm still in cheap and easy cooking mode though. Right now I have next to nothing in my cabinets so I am thinking in terms of one meal at a time. This is definitely different for me as I am typically a menu planner. I find it easier to cut my grocery budget when I menu plan and take advantage of larger packs of meat or the ability to recycle left overs. I have several meal plans on Associated Content which may give you an idea of how to cut grocery costs by menu planning.

View my article with three weeks of dinner meals for $75 here

Fourteen Days of Cheap Dinner meals can be read here.

Cheap Pasta Meal ideas are found here.

I'll be working on more as I set up a new household and start back with grocery shopping based on a menu plan.

Low Carb Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Low carb is definitely a better way of eating for me. Note I said "LOW" carb, not "NO" carb. My body doesn't handle starchy carbs well. I know that, but boy do I love them. It's hard to give them up but I've learned in the process there are other vegetables that I love as well. I'm a Calulflower fan. I can eat it pretty much any way it is prepared. With Thankgiving around the corner if you are low carb living, or maybe have guests coming whose diet is low carb based, consider adding some low carb side dishes to your table. This is one of my favorites:

Scalloped Cauliflower

Instead of Scalloped Potatoes serve Cauliflower.
Scalloped cauliflower can be made from either frozen or fresh. If using frozen, use 2 bags thawed before use and for fresh use the flowers of a large head which has been steamed. Lay half the cauliflower in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. If your low carb plan allows you to have onions you can sprinkle chopped onions over the cauliflower also.

Using a half stick of butter, slice into pats and drop onto the cauliflower. Top with a cup of shredded cheddar cheese and repeat the layers.Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Makes 10 servings.

Low carb side dish count:4 net carbs per serving

You can find a couple of other low carb side recipes here

Green Giant Steamers

Green Giant outdid themselves this time. I love the Steamers line. Since it's just two kids and me needing dinner meals right now, I've looked for easier means of filling the menu without destroying the budget. The Green Giant Steamers have helped. We love veggies and these are perfect. Each bag has about three servings so it works out great as a supplement to whatever main meal item we are having. We've had the Broccoli and Cheese, the one with rice and broccoli and our favorite, the broccoli, carrots and caulifower. All of them have a cheese sauce and they are very easy to do. Just stick the bag in the microwave and tear the top off when done. Texture, flavor, and taste are all great. It doesn't get any easier than that, and the cost is only about $2 a bag. That's less than I would pay to buy the fresh veggies and I dont have to cut them up. If you want to see the nutitional value on the Broccoli, Carrot, Cauliflower one, see my AC product review here.

Cheeseburger Baked Potatoes

I love fall. It's time to bring out the recipes of the warm comfort foods. What better comfort food than potatoes? And baked potatoes are especially easy to do. Here's a great recipe for a stuffed baked potato that is easy to make and not very expensive.

CHEESEBURGER BAKED POTATOES
1 lb. ground beef (leaner is better)
1 lg. clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
4 lg. baking potatoes
1/3 c. hot milk
2 tbsp. butter, soft
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat garlic and oil in skillet. Add the beef. Cook until browned. Add salt and pepper. Using potatoes you already baked, cut a thin slice from top of each. Scoop out the potatoes, leaving a 1/4 inch shell. Place potato in a mixing bowl. Arrange shells on baking pan. Add milk and butter to potato. Whip until smooth and fluffy. Stir in half the cheese. Fill potato skins with cooked ground beef. Press potato mixture over the meat. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees until cheese is melted.