Blogiversary Giveaway Winner & Shepherd's Pie

Thanks to everyone for helping me celebrate my Blogiversary and commenting on the Williams-Sonoma gift card giveaway!


I used Random.org to generate the winning number (I promise I used 22 as the Max Number! For some reason it changes to 100 when I copy it.)

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:3Powered by RANDOM.ORG
The third person to comment was Jen B! 

Jen B said...

you're on my facebook!

November 1, 2010 8:14 AM 

Congrats Jen! I know you are going to enjoy using your $25 gift card to Williams Sonoma! Thanks for being a follower and for posting about my blog on your Facebook page! 

I've got a couple more giveaways in the works to celebrate the one year anniversary of my cooking blog, so be sure to keep checking back!

Now that my hubby is back (he had to work in a different state for 6 long, lonely weeks this fall) I have been cooking up a storm! It feels great to be back in the kitchen - and to have someone to eat with!! :) For one of our first dinners after he was back I made Shepherd's Pie. I found this recipe by googling "ground turkey" because I had a pound of ground turkey I wanted to use. 

Holy Moly, this may be the best use of ground turkey I've ever tasted! This shepherd's pie is incredible! With seasoned, juicy veggies and turkey topped with a layer of creamy, buttery mashed potatoes, this dinner is comforting and belly warming. I loved how this recipe called for chopped chives and rosemary. Fresh herbs make this dish just pop with flavor. This meal is perfect for a chilly fall night!

Shepherd's Pie
From Brood
Printable Version

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds of potatoes (I used two large russet potatoes and it was more than enough)
3 tablespoons butter
Splash of milk
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup chopped celery - add in some celery leaves too
1 pound ground turkey
1 cup vegetable stock
1 10 ounce bag frozen peas and carrots
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 teaspoon paprika
a pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh chives

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dice and boil the potatoes until tender (about 10-15 minutes). Mash potatoes, mixing in 2 tablespoons of the butter, milk, salt an pepper. 

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet add the onion and celery and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add in the turkey and cook through, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat (another 10 minutes). Add the peas and carrots, vegetable stock and sprinkle with flour to thicken. cook for a few minutes. Add spices and let simmer for an additional five minutes.  

Transfer to a medium sized casserole dish. Cover with the potatoes, making irregular peaks with a fork. Dab with 1 tablespoon of butter and garnish with rosemary and chives. 

Bake for about 30 minutes, uncovered. The potatoes should be golden brown around the edges.

It's My Blogiversary!

Exactly one year ago today I started this blog. I have had an absolute blast sharing recipes with you, cooking new things, and discovering the delicious world that is food blogging. I want to thank all of you who have commented on my blog, tell me that you read my blog, have tried a recipe that I've posted, or stop by to check out my blog every once in a while. I appreciate you so much! You are the reason I keep plugging away at this pastime of mine.


In my first year of blogging, I have posted almost 150 recipes! I selected 10 of my favorite recipes to recount by looking over all of the recipes I've posted and thinking to myself, "If I could only eat ten of these things again, which ten things would I pick?" Here they are in no particular order because they are all sooooo good it's just too hard to rank them.


BBQ Short Ribs


Rosemary Rolls


Spanish Flan


Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars


Aunt Becky's Pasta Florentine


Cornish Game Hens


Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Onion-Blue Cheese Sauce


Gram's Coleslaw


Aunt Chris' Pineapple Cheeseball


Scalloped Corn


To celebrate my one year blogiversary I am going to give away a $25 gift card to Williams Sonoma, which in my humble opinion is the premier place to buy new things for your kitchen. My hubby and I registered for our wedding at WS and I was very very sad when all our gift cards ran out. So I decided that I will treat myself to something new at Williams Somona to celebrate one year of food blogging -- I mean I have been slaving away in the kitchen for over a year now -- don't you think I deserve something new and beautiful?? I also want to give one of my lovely readers a little gift to say thank you and to help me celebrate!


Here are the rules to enter:
Browse my blog and leave a comment tell me which recipe you would most like to try and why! You will receive an second entry if you are a follower of my blog or become a follower -- be sure to leave a second comment. For another entry post this giveaway on your blog or on Facebook and leave a comment so I know.


This giveaway will end on midnight Wednesday, November 3rd. Thanks helping me celebrate and good luck winning!

Second Chance at the CSN Stores Giveaway!

Fortunately for you, I was unable to get in contact with the winner of the CSN Stores Giveaway I held two weeks ago. Soooo the FIRST person to comment on this post will be the new winner and receive $35 to use at CSN Stores.


On your mark.....get set....GO!

Captain's Kugel

While Momma Heidi and I were making Matzo Ball Soup, we also whipped up Kugel, a noodle pudding that is served as a side dish. This recipe comes from Momma Heidi's cookbook, "From Noodles to Strudels" and is a family favorite.

 I learned that Kugel can be made literally a thousand different ways. It is wonderfully comforting and this Kugel is sweet but not in a dessert type way - more in a pasta side dish way.  I am excited to make this again at home and to try different variations. If you have a favorite Kugel recipe please share it with me!

Captain's Kugel 
Printable Version


Ingredients
1 pound wide egg noodles
6 quarts of boiling water
3 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 cup of milk 
1 pound large curd cottage cheese
6 tablespoons of butter, melted
1 cup of corn flakes, crushed
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 pound of dried apricots, diced (optional)

Directions
Cook noodles in boiling water with 1 teaspoon of salt. Remove when tender - do not overcook. Drain, rinse with cool water, and allow to cool. Mix sour cream, cottage cheese, milk, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, sugar, and melted butter together in a large bowl. 

Mix with noodles and add in apricots. 

Pour into a greased 3 quart casserole dish. Cover with corn flakes and bits of butter. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, making sure the corn flakes  do not brown. Serve hot. 

CSN Stories Giveaway Winner & Matzo Ball Soup!

Thanks to everyone who entered my CSN Stores giveaway! I used random.org to pick the winner and here are the results:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

8

Timestamp: 2010-10-25 20:59:09 UTC

The eighth person to comment was Natural N. Congrats to Natural N -- please comment or email me with your email address. Thank you to all who entered the giveaway! I am hoping to host another giveaway for my blogiversary coming up in November, so be sure to keep checking back. 

Now let's get to the good stuff: Matzo Ball Soup!

This weekend I was so lucky to be a guest in the kitchen of my California Mom, Momma Heidi. Momma Heidi is the mother in law of my sister in law - if you are confused, don't worry. Basically, she's a wonderful lady who I consider another Mom. She is so sweet and loving and generous (not to mention fabulous with great fashion sense) and she blesses all those who are in her life. I asked Momma Heidi if she would show me how to cook Matzo Ball soup since it's one of her family favorites. She not only showed me how to cook it, but we also made kugel (recipe to come later) AND she took me to an awesome Jewish deli and bakery  in San Diego called D.Z. Akins  where I got to try my first Hamantaschen cookie. YUM!! I am officially hooked on Jewish food. Momma Heidi and I talked about how a lot of Jewish food is based around carbs -- a great match for me since I'm a huge carb lover. 

If you've never had Matzo Ball soup or never made it you are really missing out. It's like chicken soup but so much better! The Matzo Balls are my favorite part. They are light and fluffy and so good with the chicken and vegetable flavored soup. Momma Heidi and I made the soup pretty thin, but you can modify it to make it as thick or thin as you desire.

Matzo Ball Soup

Love and thanks to Momma Heidi - XOXOX

Printable Version

Ingredients

For the soup:

2 to 3 quarts of chicken broth or soup (*Momma Heidi made her own stock by boiling a whole chicken in 3 quarts of water and then shredded the chicken and added it to the soup)

10 carrots, peeled and chopped into thirds

1 head of celery, rinsed and chopped into thirds

3 yellow onions, peeled and chopped into large pieces

Directions

Bring the chicken broth to a boil and add in the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the vegetables are tender when pierced by a fork. Ladle veggies into a food processor and puree in small batches until smooth and thick. 

Continue pureeing until all veggies are incorporated. Ladle the veggies back into the broth. 

For the Matzo Balls: 

We used one of these boxes and simply followed the directions on the box. 

When the Matzo Balls are done, ladle them into the soup. 

Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately.