Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes

This recipe for Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes is quick to set-up... you can make a great big pot...  perfect for holidays when oven space is at a premium.. perfect t bring along to that covered dish supper.. perfect for a buffet.. the crock pot keeps it warm.... an all around perfect dish!

TIPS

The kind of potatoes you use will make a difference in the time it takes to cook...  Russets will take longer than white or Yukon Gold potatoes.

I listed the bacon as a range of slices.. if you like bacon.. use it all.. if you're only okay with it.. then use less.

Definitely use the garlic salt on your potatoes otherwise the dish can be bland.

The sauce is made from scratch.. but well worth it... it only takes a few minutes to make it.. I swear in under 10 minutes.

I used 5 good sized potatoes... not super large.. not too small...  they were medium/large sized.  There is a bit of leeway with the quantity...so don't fret too much about the quantity.. 

I always make the bacon in the oven.. if you've never tried it.. definitely try it.. Click here for the instructions.

This will serve 8.

Try this for your next get together... everyone loves potatoes and cheese.. throw bacon in there and they will scrape the pot clean!

Recipe:  Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes

All you need:

5 good sized (medium/large potatoes), sliced 1/4 inch thick

3-5 strips bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled

1/2 cup onion, finely diced

4 tablespoons butter

2 cups skim milk, warmed

1/2 cup fat free half and half, warmed

1/4 cup flour

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Butter flavored cooking oil spray

All you have to do:

Spray the crock pot with cooking oil spray.  Set aside.

In a small skillet heat about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease over medium high heat.

Add the onion and cook until soft.. about 5 minutes.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the flour and mix well... cook for about 3 minutes.. do not let it brown.  Remove from the heat.

Heat the milk and half and half in the microwave to take the chill off.  Add the milk to the flour/butter mixture slowly, whisking as you add it.  Whisk until smooth and mixture starts to thicken.  Add the shredded cheese and whisk until the cheddar cheese is melted.  Add the white pepper and whisk to mix.   Remove from the heat.

Ladle 1 large ladle of sauce and spread on the bottom of the crockpot.

Lay one layer of potatoes on top of the sauce... sprinkle the potatoes with garlic salt. Sprinkle with some bacon crumbles and sautéed onions.  Ladle more sauce over the potatoes.  Remember a little goes a long way.. the heat of the crockpot will spread the sauce.

Repeat until all the potatoes, onions and bacon have been layered with sauce.

Pour any remaining sauce over the top.  Cover and set the crockpot on low and cook for 6-8 hours to until potatoes are cooked.   Every crockpot is different.. mine heats up very slowly.. if yours heats up fast.. then you will probably need less time.

Fabulous Last Minute Thanksgiving Desserts

It's always crunch time in our house the day before holidays... I always want to make something different... an alternative to the ordinary pies... and every year I add a few more to my recipe box... these are great additions to the menu!






Here are a few suggestions...



Southern Apple Crumble with Vanilla Ice cream or Whipped Cream - this really easy dessert uses an ingenious short cut ... a fool proof recipe for sure!










Pumpkin Flan - another really easy recipe.. and I promise you it is fool proof... looks really elegant - a wonderful alternative to pumpkin pie.








Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake - a wonderful pumpkin cake recipe that is so delicious you will certainly wow your guests!









The Beaumont Inn’s Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce -

This luscious dessert is always a hit, a true southern treat!








Perfect Peach Cobbler - another simple recipe that's foolproof - don't want to use peaches? - Substitute another favorite fruit! Serve this with vanilla ice cream or homemade Chantilly Cream - It's sure to please!

Pumpkin Crunch Cake  - a delicious cross between pumpkin pie and pecan pie... a dab of whipped cream.... heavenly!

Lots of Potato Recipes for Thanksgiving

One Potato Two Potato...Three ..Plenty of potato  recipes to choose from... after all .. what's a turkey dinner without potatoes? 

Whether you've been asked to bring a dish of potatoes or you're hosting the celebration.. potatoes are likely on the menu... and you really can't have too many kinds either... seems just about everybody loves a good spud.

Here are some recipes for you to consider... all with easy to follow instructions...

Creamy MashedPotatoes- what can I possibly say about Creamy Mashed Potatoes..  it just goes with a a turkey dinner!

Easy Duchess Potatoes -  these are a real show stopper and really quite easy to make...

Herb Roasted Potatoes- a nice alternative for those that don't care for mashed potatoes... delicious all by themselves or with gravy.. a perfect bring along dish.



 

Scalloped Potatoes - so fine and fancy.. and another great dish.

Crockpot Au GratinPotatoes - a great dish that cooks itself and the crockpot makes it easy to serve and keep warm.. great for those of you that serve ham also on Thanksgiving.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes - can't forget mashed sweet potatoes... they're just sooo good!

Sweet Potato Mashtini-  a great way to portion out a serving with style... these make a great presentation... don't have enough martini glasses?  Get the plastic ones at the party store...

Sweet Potato Casserole- this classic Southern dish is so good you'll think it's a dessert!

Whew... whatta list!  Look under the "Potato" label for even more great potato recipes.... I hope you find something that strikes your fancy!

Three Great Bread Stuffing Recipes.. and Easy Too!

 

Looking for last minute recipes for bread stuffing?  You've come to the right place! 

Here are links to three of my favorite stuffing recipes... all three recipes have easy to follow instructions to help make preparing your holiday meal a snap.

Bread Stuffing - traditional bread stuffing is always welcome at a holiday meal









Sausage and Apple Bread Stuffing - a little Southern spin on the tradition bread stuffing







Apple Cranberry Bread Stuffing - combines the wonderful flavors of apple and cranberry in a traditional bread stuffing...
perfect for turkey, cornish game hens and pork

Fresh or Frozen Turkey

With the holidays just right around the corner... you may want to start thinking about the kind of turkey you want to make.  A good place to start is deciding if you want a fresh or frozen turkey. 

Here are some things to think about...

Choosing a fresh or frozen turkey is a matter of preference. There are some things to think about when making the decision.

Thawing Time

The biggest thing to think about when choosing a fresh versus a frozen turkey is that a fresh turkey requires no thawing. A frozen turkey will require several days of thawing (I will post a thawing guide, as well, there are different methods of thawing, some take longer than others).  Generally you have to figure 1 day for every 4 pounds... and must be thawed in the fridge or cold water thawing... cold water thawing is quicker but you still need to figure on plenty of time.

Taking Advantage of Sales

A frozen turkey will allow you to purchase it well in advance and take advantage of any sales that your area might have in early November. 

Storage

Storage is another consideration…. Do you have the freezer space to store the turkey? Take into account any other needs you might have for freezer space for the month.



Picture is from Williams Sonoma 2014 from their site... they currently have lots of turkeys and prepared foods, as well as, kitchen cookware and bakeware to make your Thanksgiving a success.... http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/thanksgiving/?cm_re=Holiday_D1-_-subhero2-_-Shop_Thanksgiving

Turkey Club Salad

So you stepped on the scale this morning and went ...holy cow!.... and the holiday season just started!

This recipe for Turkey Club Salad was really a no-brainer for me… I wanted a salad… and all the flavors of a Turkey Club Sandwich without the bread… what could be simpler?

This quick and easy meal allows you to have the bacon… after all without the bacon a Turkey Club Sandwich would be just a Turkey Sandwich… and the same goes for the salad… and as long as you don’t go crazy with dressing… it drastically cuts the calories….

And for those of you like me that just love salads.. this is a great tasting salad…

TIPS

If you want to cut fat and calories… use a low calorie and/or low fat or non-fat dressing.

My picture shows the salad on a plate without dressing… dressing to be added… to use less dressing… instead of making the salad as pictured… put all the ingredients in a large bowl and add a small amount of dressing and toss it.. then put it on the plate… you tend to use a lot less dressing when you do it that way.

I left off quantities, use as little or as much of each ingredient that you like.

This is perfect for those turkey leftovers!

I use 2 strips of bacon per person…



This makes a great lunch or add a small bowl of soup and you have yourself a great supper.






Recipe: Turkey Club Salad

All you need:

Salad greens
Leftover turkey, chopped
Tomatoes, cut into chunks
Bacon, cooked and chopped
Croutons
Dressing of your choice

All you need to do:

Layer the ingredients on a large plate.

Three Great Bread Stuffing Recipes.. and Easy Too!

 

Looking for last minute recipes for bread stuffing?  You've come to the right place! 

Here are links to three of my favorite stuffing recipes... all three recipes have easy to follow instructions to help make preparing your holiday meal a snap.

Bread Stuffing - traditional bread stuffing is always welcome at a holiday meal









Sausage and Apple Bread Stuffing - a little Southern spin on the tradition bread stuffing







Apple Cranberry Bread Stuffing - combines the wonderful flavors of apple and cranberry in a traditional bread stuffing...
perfect for turkey, cornish game hens and pork

Lots of Potato Recipes for Thanksgiving

One Potato Two Potato...Three ..Plenty of potato  recipes to choose from... after all .. what's a turkey dinner without potatoes? 

Whether you've been asked to bring a dish of potatoes or you're hosting the celebration.. potatoes are likely on the menu... and you really can't have too many kinds either... seems just about everybody loves a good spud.

Here are some recipes for you to consider... all with easy to follow instructions...

Creamy MashedPotatoes- what can I possibly say about Creamy Mashed Potatoes..  it just goes with a a turkey dinner!

Easy Duchess Potatoes -  these are a real show stopper and really quite easy to make...

Herb Roasted Potatoes- a nice alternative for those that don't care for mashed potatoes... delicious all by themselves or with gravy.. a perfect bring along dish.



 

Scalloped Potatoes - so fine and fancy.. and another great dish.

Crockpot Au GratinPotatoes - a great dish that cooks itself and the crockpot makes it easy to serve and keep warm.. great for those of you that serve ham also on Thanksgiving.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes - can't forget mashed sweet potatoes... they're just sooo good!

Sweet Potato Mashtini-  a great way to portion out a serving with style... these make a great presentation... don't have enough martini glasses?  Get the plastic ones at the party store...

Sweet Potato Casserole- this classic Southern dish is so good you'll think it's a dessert!

Whew... whatta list!  Look under the "Potato" label for even more great potato recipes.... I hope you find something that strikes your fancy!

Recipe: Sausage and Apple Bread Stuffing

Sausage and Apple Bread Stuffing combines the tartness of an apple and the sweet sausage flavor .. a truly winning combination.

I know Stove Top advertises the thinking that you should have stuffing instead of potatoes... well as a potato lover.. sacrilege!   BUT... that doesn't mean I don't love a good stuffing... so why not make both...  you do on the holidays... so why not other times?  ... and leftovers... well... they speak for themselves.. many a time I caught my son with spoon in hand raiding the fridge...

TIPS

You can use any kind of sausage you want..  I use a basic breakfast sausage that comes in  a tube... you can usually find in by the bacon in the grocery store.

This recipe is not one to use with Italian sausage...  which makes a good sausage stuffing too.. just not this one.... the seasoning would be different and it would be sans the apple... so if you want an Italian sausage stuffing this recipe is not for you.

There are many sausage flavors though, that you could try...  I saw a chicken sausage seasoned with sage.. that might work quite nicely.

I use dried seasoned bread cubes you can buy that are specifically for making stuffing.. you can use fresh bread also... I'd recommend drying it out a bit before making the stuffing... unless you prefer a softer stuffing.  Remember to add seasoning.

I used chicken broth to moisten the stuffing.. you can also replace some of the chicken broth with apple juice.. to strengthen the apple flavor in this.

These directions are for a casserole... if you want to actually stuff your turkey.. follow stuffing instructions that usually come with the turkey.

Try this really delicious stuffing... it's perfect with turkey or even chicken.

Recipe:  Sausage and Apple Bread Stuffing

All you need:

4 cups of seasoned dried bread cubes (homemade or store bought)

1/2 pound breakfast sausage, cooked, drained and crumbled (See TIPS)

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

All you have to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 9 inch square baking dish or equivalent with butter flavor cooking oil spray.

In a large skillet melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions and celery and cook about 5 minutes... make sure the onions do not brown.. turn the heat down if necessary.

In a large bowl.. combine all the ingredients until well mixed. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until the top begins to brown.

Recipe: Roasted Turkey Gravy

I love to make my Roasted Turkey Gravy a day ahead of a holiday meal... it's one more thing out of the way.. it just reduces stress in the kitchen when preparing the final details of a meal.  I'm not big on making the gravy from giblets... and a few years ago came on a recipe that uses smoked turkey wings... we loved it and it now is a staple in our house when serving roast turkey.

This gravy recipe is also very doable anytime.. not just for holidays... even when making a dinner of hot turkey sandwiches... It's a perfect recipe when you don't have giblets available and want to make a gravy and not use one of those jarred or powdered gravies.

This recipe is very, very easy.... I promise you!  The recipe is slightly altered from Tyler Florence's recipe at the Food Network. 

His gravy is far too thin for our liking so I make mine thicker.  The method I use is a bit different also..  he thickens his gravy by adding the flour in with the vegetables... I thicken it traditionally by first making a roux of butter and flour and slowly adding hot liquid ...  it makes for a smooth gravy. The butter ... in my opinion.. also adds to the overall flavor of the gravy.

He roasts his vegetables with the smoked turkey wing... which I do also... he only uses 1 large or 2 small wings... I usually use about 3 good sized wings... I found the flavor is better with more. 

He uses far more oil than I do... I found it isn't necessary.

And finally... he removes the wings from the pot after roasting and simmers the broth with the vegetables only... I leave one wing in while simmering.. I know it adds a bit more of grease.. but .. again.. I found the flavor a bit bland when I followed his recipe completely.

TIPS

The original recipe uses fresh herbs... which honestly... is the way to go ... especially for a holiday meal... I do use dried herbs in its place if I have to.. and the gravy comes out fine.  Start with a teaspoon of thyme and 1 teaspoon of sage.. and add more to your taste.

If you do use dried herbs.... add them to the pot right after you add the vegetables... then add the turkey wings... I made the mistake once of adding them after the turkey wings... and not much got on the vegetables... you want the flavor of the herbs infused into the vegetables... since you will be removing most of the wings after you're done roasting them...

If you do think too much of the dried herbs are taken out when you take out the wings.. don't worry.. you can always add more.

Notice a salt quantity isn't listed... you really don't need much.. the smoked wings will add salt to your gravy..  do a taste test at the very end and adjust to your tastes.

When you cut the vegetables... it's a really rough chop... a 5 minute prep time is not an exaggeration.  When you cut your garlic... I just remove a few of the those loose paper thin layers around the garlic. 

Update:  I recently found turkey stock in the grocery store... what a great find... it was so difficult to find in previous years... so if you can find it.. (be warned .. it is more expensive than chicken stock)... but if you want to...by all means... use it!

Try this delicious recipe... it is so easy!

Recipe:  Roasted Turkey Gravy

All you need:

About 2-3 tablespoons olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pot)

3 good sized smoked turkey wings

1 large onion, peeled and quartered

2 carrots, chopped

1 large rib celery, chopped

1 head garlic, split through the equator

4 stems fresh sage

4 sprigs fresh thyme

6 parsley stems

6 cups chicken or turkey stock

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

Salt and pepper to taste

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the vegetables and herbs.. then the turkey wings.  Cook for about 5 minutes.

Place the pot in the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven and place on the stove.  Remove two turkey wings, leaving one.  Add the stock to the pot and bring it to a simmer.  Simmer for about 45 minutes or until it is reduced by 1/4.  Strain the gravy and return it to the pot.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and then add the flour.  Stir until well mixed and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes to cook off the flour taste. 

Slowly add some of the hot liquid from the cooked chicken stock... whisking vigorously to ensure it remains smooth.  Keep adding more stock until you have about 2 to 3 cups of very thick gravy. 

Add it to the remaining chicken stock and whisk to make sure it is smooth and no lumps.

Add salt and pepper and adjust seasonings to taste.