Key Lime Pie

Beth's favorite dessert is Key Lime Pie -- she prefers this to cake on her birthday.  This is a really easy recipe.  Little prep time required.  


1 package of whole graham crackers - pounded or food processed into crumbs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1 cup key lime or regular lime juice
2 whole large eggs

Mix sugar and graham cracker crumbs in a pie plate.  Add melted butter and mix together.  Press mixture into the pie plate for the crust.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

In a bowl, mix the condensed milk, lime juice and eggs together.  Pour mixture in the baked pie crust.  Bake the whole pie for 15 minutes more.  Let pie cool and place in the refrigerator until cold.

Serve with whipped cream and some lime zest on top.

Really Easy Turkey Gumbo

I have a very lazy way of making turkey gumbo.  But it tastes delicioius.  Hope you can use this during the holidays.  It is always a hit.

1 lb sausage to your liking (I prefer andoille but smoked beef or pork will do)
1 onion diced
1 stalk celery diced (optional)
1 small bell pepper diced (optional)
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of flour for roux
4 cans of chicken stock
1 1lb. bag of frozen okra
2 - 3 cups of leftover turker or more if you want it meatier
Salt, pepper or Cajun spice to taste

Melt butter and cook sausage in butter.  Remove sausage when darkly browned.  Add onion, celery and bell pepper in drippings/butter from sausage.  Cook until tender -- about 5 minutes.  Add flour into the pot with drippings and veggies.  Cook until it for a couple of minutes.  It will be dark because of the fond left by the sausage.  When roux is dark, add chicken stock, okra, sausage, and turkey.  Stir until roux is well combined.  Simmer for 30 minutes and serve with rice.

Turkey (or Chicken) Pot Pie Made Really Easy

With leftover turkey, what to do.  I already made a turkey gumbo, turkey enchiladas (with my enchilada recipe on this site), and turkey salad sandwiches.  I looked in my pantry and made a great pot pie!

1 medium onion diced
1/2 stick of butter
1 can cream of chicken soup and 1 can of water
1 carrot diced
2 potatoes diced
2 cups of leftover turkey, diced (you can also use chicken in this)
1/2 cup peas (frozen is best)
1/2 cup corn (frozen or canned)
1/2 tsp sage or poultry seasoning
1 Pillsbury roll-out pie dough

Sautee the onion in butter.  Add cream of chicken plus one can of water.  Add carrots and potatoes.  Cook until slightly tender.  Add the turkey, peas, corn, and sage/poultry seasoning.  Let cool somewhat.  Remove the two pie dough rolls from their box and line a pie plate with one.  Fill with pot pie mixture.  Tope with the other crust.  Crimp both doughs together.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes until golden brown.

Cream Cheese Smashed Potatoes

These are always a big hit a family gatherings.  Becca just made a triple batch of them for Thanksgiving and they were gobbled up!

1 - 5 lb bag of potatoes -- russett or any other kind peeled -- (if you use red potatoes you don't have to peel them if you don't mind the color and texture)

1 1/2 tsp of salt (add to boiling water)

1 1/2 stick butter

1 package of cream cheese

1/2 - 1 cup of milk

1 1/2 tsp of salt -- you may need more or less depending on your taste

salt to taste

Boil potatoes in salted water.  Drain and put back in hot pot.  Add butter and cream cheese while potatoes are steaming hot.   Let this melt and then smash potatoes.  Add milk a little at a time until creamy.   Don't over mix potatoes.  They will be somewhat lumpy but that is good for texrure.  Keep potatoes warm by keeping them in a pan in the oven at 170 degrees.  If potatoes get too thick while waiting for serving, add a little milk and stir.  

I do not suggest doing more than a double recipe at a time.