Hi Joy,  that was me over there and I was just using it for an excuse to sit down for a bit.  I've heard that one and the other one is to leave the water in the microwave and set the butter in there with it.  I just didn't want to exert and effort so I waited.  I think I'm a bit lazy at heart and I had lots of other stuff to do.

The cookies are mixed, rolled, wrapped and waiting in the fridge to slice and bake.  Please don't tell me any shortcuts to the finished product.  I NEED to wait!

I soaked some pinto beans overnight and will cook them with a chunk of leftover ham and season with some onion and salt.

Must be the weather that makes us think of beans!!    Yesterday I made bean soup with a package of mixed beans and a piece of Kielbasa that was left over from cabbage and sausage last week. 

Thanks all for comments.  I only grocery shop once a month and haven't  gone this month yet.  Budget doesn't include money for car and since I do not buy lottery tickets to win one  I keep shopping to once a month, order food on line and go with what I have.  I hate not having a car but I guess things are as they must be. Tomorrow is our potluck here.  I am bring Schwans mashed cauliflower and rosettes.  Schwans mashed cauliflower is as good as it gets.  I made the cauliflower from scratch last year and loved it.  A man with Swedish family roots from Wisconsin makes the rosettes so I have them to bring too. He has a home here at FOS.  Lots of variety from people too.  One doz of rosettes are sugared and one is not.  No one uses pepper since so many allergic to it but the turkey is awesome.  I am a pepper lover and keep trying to find a good one.  So far I have only found one worth buying.  It comes from India.  Any suggestions?

Delphineaz,   Your potluck dinner sounds so good!    I'm curious about the Rosettes....not sure what you are talking about.         I admire your attitude about getting along without a car.     That is a subject that many of us will face sooner or later and I talk with friends about it and how we might handle it both  physically and mentally.    It is a drastic change for those of us who have always driven.   Here in our community we do have grocery delivery as well as a Senior van that is available for shopping and Drs. appts.    We are blessed in that respect.     I have spoken with a number of people about the online shopping.    In fact I have experimented with same with Walmart and have been pleased with the results.   If you don't mind I would be interested in your comments on the online shopping and what sites you find to be good.

I wonder if anyone has tried the pie crust recipe.    I just made mine up for the Thanksgiving pies.    I divided it into three parts and it is in the refrigerator waiting.   I'm making the Dutch apple pie topping also.   It will make the final job of the pies much quicker.   Our daughter will make the pumpkin pies.

http://www.recipe4living.com/recipes/crockpot_chili_con_carne.htm

This crockpot recipe looks good for this weekend.

Or this great way to do a burger!
http://www.popsugar.com/food/America-Test-Kitchen-Burger-Recipe-41861366?utm_source=living_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=living_newsletter_v4_11172016&em_recid=171173695&utm_content=placement_5_desc

Mary I don't think I will ever make peace with not having a car.  It's just not in me.  It was my source of freedom from a marriage based on abuse.  It kept me sane.  Even after it was over I had to watch my back.  Moving to AZ and changing my phone number many times did not stop the mental abuse.  Only his death did.  So, yes, I do not have panic attacks every time the phone rings or the knocking at my door but the memory tapes still play.  I have found peace 2000 miles away but still have panic attacks.  Life for me is blessed here.  I thank God daily for his patience and love.  Fiends I have met on SN and here made a difference.  So many have worn and still wear the same shoes. We have walked together down so many roads.   Praise God, praise God.  Our Lady of Perpetual Help gave me back my life.  Without her to talk to at 3am I would not  have lasted till now.  Enough if maudlin thoughts, life is good.

Delphineaz,  I'm happy to hear that you now have a peaceful life and sorry that you had to have years of misery to get to this point.  It is scary to think that young women (and sometimes men) can just make a mistake in choosing a partner that costs so dearly.   I was married young and not experienced but I struck it very  lucky with a good good man.   How different my life could have been.

  ^{THE APPLE  PIES ARE BAKED AND COOLING FOR TOMORROW'S DINNER.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY TO ALL HERE}[move][/move]

Sounds good.  I just took a pumpkin pie out of the oven.

Yummy! That delicious baking smell from the apple and pumpkin pies has drifted all the way over here to California! 

I like homemade pumpkin pie best.  Not making it this year however.

I love potatoes. Just tried these and good. fast and easy. Good for if taking a covered dish or have a crowd to feed

Funeral Potatoes


1 small-medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp. butter
1 28-oz. bag shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 c. sour cream
1 10-oz. can cream of chicken (or cream of mushroom) soup
2 1/4 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
OPTIONAL: Crushed cornflakes, seasoned bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, or crushed Ritz or saltine crackers

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.  Remove from heat.  Add the thawed hash browns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cheese, salt, and pepper and combine well.  Add additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Spread the mixture into a 9×13″ (or similar) dish and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the casserole is hot in the center and the cheese is bubbly throughout.  Serve as a main dish with a salad and fruit or alongside roasted ham, turkey, chicken, or beef.  Makes 6-8 main dish or 10-12 side dish servings.

Jeanne, I thought it was so interesting that the potato recipe is called "Funeral Potatoes".  The first time I ever tasted that casserole was when my nephew brought it to the family lunch following my Mother's funeral.  Loved it!  I got the recipe from him but I haven't fixed it for a long time.  I'll put the ingredients on my shopping list and pick them up at the store.  Sounds like a good dish to have for Sunday dinner though I'll probably cut the recipe in half.  If I made the full dish David and I would be eating it for a week!

Phyllis.  I suppose it got its name from people making it to be taken to the Church luncheons after a Funeral.  It does seem that in all the small towns and Villages around me it is quite common for these meals to be served in the churches. Not in the homes like in larger towns.
I cut it down in size also.  Although it has frozen well.

JeanneP,   Funeral potatoes is a favorite casserole recipe of mine though I never heard it called by that name.  It does seem like a good one for that kind of occasion or a pot luck.    Does anyone here remember those event being called tureen dinners?     I'd almost forgotten but when I was very young I can recall my mother referring to those meals at our church  that way.   Funny what things you forget isn't it?

This evening we had an easy supper.    One of our neighbors had brought a container of chicken chowder last week when I was still using our bean soup.    I put his chowder in the freezer and today Al wasn't feeling like too much food so we had the chowder with a half grilled cheese sandwich and it was a good supper.    Debby had been out doing some Christmas shopping for both of us so when she stopped by there was just enough of the chowder left for her to have a supper too.   She and I went over to our little village yesterday to shop for Angel Tree gifts.     We didn't do too well in our few shops so she went to the city today for more variety.   She did get the toys but was very discouraged with no choice of clothing for little ones.     It is strange!  I suppose it is late in the game but the Angel Trees don't offer names until this week so you really can't shop ahead.

A couple people over in Soda Shoppe asked for my recipe for Peanut Butter cups and I can't remember all of them so I'm going to post it here with a message there that if they're interested they'll find it here'

1/4 lb butter
8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 tsp of salt
1 1/2 tsp of vanilla
1 1/2 c peanut butter or coconut
4 c. confectioners sugar

Soften and mix cream cheese and butter.
Add remaining ingredients and chill for 2 hours or overnight

I have peanut butter cup molds but you can just make them into balls and dip in chocolate (a fork works well)

Also, you can divide the batter in half before you put the pb or coconut in and make 1/2 of each.

I forgot to say that this makes a LOT of pb cups or coconut cups.  I give them for Christmas gifts so I need to make a lot.  Also, you can make this recipe in the Spring and shape them like Easter Eggs and dip them. 

That sound easy. I have about enough of all to make about half as many. No coconut but lots of P Nut butter. I think I have some tiny  little muffin like pan. Now do you just press Choc. in after making the balls?

I'm not a cook any more, but y'all might like this recipe from today's paper.

Salted Caramel Sauce
1 cup heavy cream, warmed
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
       In a large, heavy saucepan, combine sugar and water and turn heat to medium high. Stir just until sugar is dissolved and then stop stirring completely. Do not stir the mixture; even if it looks a little grainy, that's just the sugar doing its thing. Boil for 6-7 minutes until the mixture has turned golden brown and starts to smell like caramel; make sure it doesn't get too dark or start to burn.
     When the mixture is a deep golden brown, turn the heat down to medium and stir as you slowly add the warmed cream. The mixture will boil up  vigorously (this is why you use a large pot).  Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter until it is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla and salt.
     Cool the mixture to room temperature, then use right away, or transfer to a glass jar or two with a tight seal. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
     Start to finish: 20 minutes. Makes about 1 1/2 cups, roughly 12 servings.

When I make PB cups, I just melt chocolate in a measuring cup sitting on a paper towel in water in my electric frying pan.  I never have the heat above the "warm" setting because you don't want to burn the chocolate and you definitely don't want to get even a drop of water in it.

I use a long handled ice tea spoon, spoon a little chocolate in the bottom, add a rolled ball of the filling and finish filling the cup with chocolate.  However, you can just roll balls and use a fork to dip them in the melted chocolate.  I put them on a non stick cookie sheet and pop them in the freezer for about 5 minutes to set them.  It's not hard but it is a bit time consuming.

Do you use that caramel sauce ON things?  Like ice cream?

Both recipes sound good to me, simple but time-consuming. I would use the caramel sauce on ice cream, cake, donuts, muffins or cupcakes and even on dessert waffles with fruit.

I'll probably never make the caramel sauce, but along with what angelface suggested, it'd probably be a good dip for apple slices or ginger snaps, pretzels, etc. 

Oh that does sound good Mary! I too will probably never make it unless I can barter with someone else to if I purchase the ingredients or something else done, but it sounds terrific!

We, my crafts club, are in the midst of making up cookie and candy platters for all the volunteers, police, firemen and others we are thankful for this year, so it's the usual busy holiday season. It has also been in the minus twenties, so it has been cold. However, it is expected to warm up and snow starting this evening, so that will be better.

Homemade Seasoned Salt

Ingredients
5 m 19 servings 2 cals
1/4 cup kosher salt 4 teaspoons ground black pepper 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions
Prep
5 m
Ready In
5 m
Stir salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in an airtight container, seal, and shake to combine.

"Use this delicious blend to season chicken or vegetables before grilling. Makes enough to store and use later. Sprinkle over meat or vegetables and grill." From AllRecipes.

And for later;

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/255014/salted-cashew-sweet-potato-fudge/?internalSource=rotd&referringContentType=home%20page&clickId=cardslot%201

Angel. I have lots of mixed one. Not that one. Will make some today.

The elementary school system's charity awareness has already started here and seniors are a big beneficiary from the children's efforts. We have a number of private and public schools and we are usually filled to capacity with sample shampoos, toothpaste,  and combs in little bags. The children of Immaculate Conception grade school were thinking outside the box or at least their teachers were. This morning, they attached to our doorknobs, bags of three types of dried beans, macaroni, and a seasoning packet. They also included a set of directions and ideas for add-ins such as carrots, tomatoes or other vegetables. The thoughtful  little bag is something I truly appreciated!

Lemon Chicken Potato Casserole'

I think I got the recipe here from one of the links.  I tried it today and it is absolutely delicious.  I will be making that again - even for visitors
[attachimg=1]!