What to make with that leftover turkey....

Merry Christmas everyone (although a tad bit late)! I pray each of you had a wonderful and blessed Christmas. We got to spend Christmas with my family and are going to spend it with my in-laws this weekend. I didn't think we would get to do any traveling based on the predicted weather forecast, so I put a turkey breast in the crockpot on Christmas Eve. Well.....needless to say....we have TONS of turkey left over! We have eaten it for two meals already, had a sandwich or two, and haven't even put a dent in it. So, I got creative tonight and made a Turkey Pot Pie. Very easy, quick, and delicious! And, a good way to use up that leftover turkey. :)

Turkey Pot Pie

1 pkg. refrigerated pie crust (you can use one or both)
2 cups turkey, cut up or shredded
1 can mixed vegetables, drained
1/2 can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 can green beans, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can of water (use soup can)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together turkey, veggies, and cream of chicken soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into pie plate (if using both crusts, put one crust into pie plate first). Top with pie crust and pinch all around to seal in filling. Make four slits in top of pie crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Enjoy!!

Friendship Tea

I mentioned in my previous post that I recently attended a Tea Party. It was a Ladies Tea with several of our church members. We had a great time!! We played games, ate some amazing food, and drank lots of yummy tea! There were so many kinds of tea it was hard to choose which one to taste first. From chai to mint to raspberry to darjeeling...and then there was the Friendship Tea that I made. It is basically a citrusy, spicy, sometimes bitter tea and is sometimes referred to as Wassail.

The recipe that I used for this particular Friendship Tea came from my mom. My hometown always has a Homemakers Christmas Bazaar, and since Mom is the secretary for the Extension Office there, she always has to work the bazaar. Every year she helps make the Friendship Tea and Country Ham Biscuits to sell for breakfast at the bazaar. YUM!! Those two go hand-in-hand. You just cannot have a country ham biscuit without a cup of hot Friendship Tea! :)

Okay, here is the recipe for the tea. Now I will tell you that this makes a BUNCH of tea. It is perfect for gift-giving (I made baggies to hand out to our ladies at the tea) - just put it in a little decorative container or a baggie and make it all pretty. I'm sure someone would love to have this!

Friendship Tea

2 cups instant tea
3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups lemonade mix (such as Country Time)
2 3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 1/2 cups Tang orange drink mix

Mix all ingredients together well. To make an individual cup of tea, you will need 2-3 tablespoons per 8 oz. of boiling water. If making a crockpot (or stovetop pot) full, you will need 2-3 cups per pot, depending on how strong you like it. You will probably have to "sample" it a couple of times to get the right depth of flavor. Just make sure to add a little at at time so as not to make it "overpowering". :) (I think mine was a little overpowering - - pretty strong and kind of bitter. Next time I will add less tea mixture and more water.)

Hope you enjoy this tea! It is perfect for a cool fall evening or cold winter night. Just curl up with your blanket (or in this day and age - a Snuggie!), a good book, and a warm cup of Friendship Tea. Mmmmmm..... :)

100th Blog Post (and recipe)

So I just realized that yesterday's post was my 100th post on Bites with Brandi! Woohoo! I am so glad that my blog has lasted this long (and a little surprised!). It has been very exciting posting recipes and restaurant reviews and such. I hope to continue posting for a long time!

To celebrate my 100th post (although technically this one is 101), I am posting a "secret recipe" of mine that is requested by many people for Christmas, birthdays, and other holidays. Actually, the recipe is not really a secret, there is just a trick to getting it to turn out right. :) Here it is:

Peanut Butter Fudge

3 cups granulated sugar
1 stick butter
1 cup milk
1 small jar marshmallow cream
1 small jar peanut butter, melted

Melt butter in saucepan. Add sugar and milk. Stir well. Cook until soft ball stage. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and marshmallow cream. Stir well (mixture will begin to get stiff.) Pour into buttered 9x13 baking dish and let set. Cut into pieces and enjoy!

Have you figured out the trick yet? It's melting the peanut butter! This makes the mixture so smooth and it incorporates well into the sugar and marshmallow cream. It is SO yummy!

Thank you, blog followers, for reading my posts and I hope you will continue to read them! I also hope you enjoy this recipe (it is so easy!). :)

On the 12th day of Christmas treats...

my daddy gave to me.....Yep, today's post is one of my dad's recipes, and it is made in the microwave!

Dad's Divinity

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Butter a 8-inch baking dish, set aside. In a 2-quart microwave-safe glass measuring cup with handle, combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. Stir well until sugar dissolves. Microwave on HIGH for another 5-6 minutes or until mixture reaches 260 degrees (check temp with a candy thermometer).

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites untiol stiff peaks form. While beating at low speed, slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites. Continue beating until mixture loses its gloss, about 10-12 minutes. Blend in vanilla, stir in walnuts and quickly press mixture into a buttered 8-inch square pan. Let stand until firm then cut into squares. Makes 1 1/2 pounds.

May each of you and your families have a very blessed Christmas and New Year!!

Now for the 11th day of Christmas treats...

These are so easy -- I made a batch in no time. A perfect snack too!

White Chocolate Pretzels

1 bag mini pretzels
1 bag white chocolate chips (I use Hershey's)
Paraffin (optional)
Sprinkles (optional)

Melt white chocolate chips in a double broiler on the stove. Mix in about 2 tablespoons of paraffin if desired. Stir until all chips/paraffin are melted and smooth. Dip pretzels in white chocolate and place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with red and green sprinkles, or other sprinkles. Let cool until set. Makes a whole bag of pretzels (however big of a bag you have).

The 9th and 10th days....

On the 9th (and 10th) days of Christmas treats, my true love baked for me...... Christmas Pancakes with Maple Cranberry Syrup!!

Christmas Morning Pancakes (ideas/recipes from Chef Pam Price)

I like to add cinnamon and fresh ground nutmeg to my favorite store bought boxed pancake mix then pack it into a mason jar with the recipe for Christmas Morning Pancakes. Sometimes I add a package of country ham, apples and festive holiday cloth napkins.

Recipe for Christmas Pancakes:
Mix pancake batter using water and enough pancake mixture to form a smooth batter the consistency of sour cream. Peel two apples, core and slice into very thin slices. Place griddle or pan on medium heat for two minutes. Place one teaspoon real butter in the pan swirling to cover the surface. Add 6 apple slices in a circle shape. Pour batter over the apples. Lower the heat slightly and cook until bubbles come to the top and the edges appear dry. Flip and cook the other side. Remove to heated platter and keep warm . Repeat to make as many pancakes as desired. Serve with maple cranberry syrup and sliced fried country ham.


Maple Cranberry Syrup (also from Chef Pam)

1-cup maple syrup
½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce
¼ cup chopped walnuts

In a one-quart saucepan, combine the syrup and cranberry sauce. Heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberry sauce is melted. Stir in the walnuts. Pour into a small decorative jar. Give instructions on a recipe card to serve warm. Store covered in the refrigerator up to four weeks.

*This would also be a great gift for an anniversary, birthday, or hostess gift.

On the 6th, 7th, and 8th days of Christmas treats....

Okay, I guess I shouldn't make a promise I cannot keep. I promised that I would not fail to post each day's Christmas treats...but indeed I have failed. Therefore I am making it up today with 3 Christmas treats! I hope you enjoy them.

Oreo Truffles

1 package Oreos, crushed until very fine (I use a food processor)
2 pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. white chocolate bark, melted

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in crushed Oreos until mixed well. Roll into balls. Place on wax paper and freeze for 10-15 minutes. Remove from freezer and dip in melted bark. Makes 75 truffles. (These are to die for!!)

Oatmeal Scotchies (this recipe is from my friend Tricia)

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract or grated peel of 1 orange
3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 2/3 cups (11 oz. pkg) Nestle Toll House Butterscotch Flavored Morsels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 7-8 minutes for chewy cookies; 9 to 10 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. (Makes about 4 dozen cookies)

Easy Hot Fudge Ice Cream Sauce (a recipe from Chef Pam Price)

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup miniature marshmallows
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium to low heat until melted and smooth, stirring constantly. Pour into decorative jars and store in the refrigerator up to one week.

Gift Idea: Tie a nice ribbon around the jar top and dangle jingle bells from the ends. Pack in a nice bag with a new ice cream scoop, ice cream themed paper napkins, or a set of colorful dessert/ice cream bowls.

More to come in the next few days!! :)

5 GOLD-EN ...........wreaths??

Okay, so the wreaths are not really golden, unless you don't add the food coloring. :) These are so festive for Christmas! You can use crisp rice cereal, but this recipe calls for good ole' corn flakes. They are so pretty and great to give as gifts. Plus, you only need 5 ingredients!! Check out the recipe (and I apologize for the measurements - I just usually eyeball everything):

Corn Flake Wreaths

1 bag mini-marshmallows
1/2 stick butter
A couple of drops of green food coloring
1/2 box of cornflakes (about 5 cups, or more if batter is too sticky)
Red hots candies or red M&Ms

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add marshmallows and stir until marshmallows are melted. Add in green food coloring until well blended. Remove from heat. Fold in cornflakes until coated. Drop spoonfuls onto waxed paper and form into wreaths. While still warm, place a few red hots or M&Ms onto wreaths (for holly berries). Cool in fridge for about an hour. Enjoy!

On the 3rd day of Christmas treats, tell me what can it be??

So sorry I failed to post yesterday's Christmas treat! I promise not to let it happen again. :)

Today's Christmas treat is one of my all-time favorite goodies, especially at Christmas-time. They are so yummy, so easy to make, and fun! The only thing that is a little time-consuming is rolling the mixture into balls (but that is the fun part). :)

Peanut Butter Balls

2 sticks butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla
2 boxes powdered sugar
1 jar creamy (or crunchy) peanut butter
Chocolate for dipping **

Mix butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and penaut butter together until the mixture forms a dough. Roll into little balls about 1 inch in size. Dip balls in chocolate (dark, milk, or white) and place on wax or parchment paper to cool. Enjoy! Makes about 75 balls.

**You can also melt a little bit of paraffin wax into your chocolate for a glossy finish on your peanut butter balls.

Day 2 of "The 12 Days of Christmas Treats"

For today's treat, I thought I would post something a little different than your usual Christmas cookie or candy. This recipe is from one of my long-time best friends, Melissa. I am hooked on this mix!! Try it for yourself:

Yum-Yum Candied Mix

5 cups Rice Chex cereal
5 cups Corn Chex cereal
4 cups Wheat Chex cereal
4 cups oats and honey granola
1 box Honey Teddy Grahams (about 3 cups)
4 cups pecan pieces (or whole pecans)
1 package of dried cranberries

1 cup (2 sticks) of butter
¾ cup light corn syrup
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup honey

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Spray large roasting pan with cooking spray. Combine the first 7 ingredients in large sprayed roasting pan; set aside. Combine butter and remaining ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour mixture over the combine cereals, tossing to coat. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Pour onto wax paper to cool, gently separating with a spoon. Store in airtight container.

This is better than any granola I have had, or almost any other snack mix (there a few that rank pretty high on my list). Plus it is so easy!! Even kids can help you with this treat, just make sure they stay away from the hot sugar mixture (of course).

This mix would be a great gift for co-workers, teachers, and friends. Just put a scoop into a Christmas cellophane bag (like those treat bags you find at the dollar store), tie it with a pretty ribbon, and attach a little card and there you go -- instant Christmas gift!!

The 12 Days of Chrismas Treats....Day 1

In honor of Christmas and the official start of the "baking season", I thought I would do a series of posts on yummy Christmas treats -- 12 days of them!

The one I have chosen for today is super, super easy and very festive. The main thing to remember when making this treat is to use a good quality white chocolate, NOT vanilla bark. I would recommend Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips or another good quality white chocolate chip. Here is the recipe:

Peppermint Bark

2 packages white chocolate chips
1 box candy canes (either these or these)

Pour both packages of chips into a glass mixing bowl. Melt using double-broiler method (or microwave) until chips are completely melted and smooth.

Meanwhile, unwrap each candy cane and place in a sturdy, plastic zip-top bag. Crush with rolling pin or meat mallot until there are no more large pieces (some chunky pieces are okay, do not crush them too fine).

Pour candy cane pieces into melted white chocolate (reserve a couple of tablespoons full). Stir until well blended. Pour onto cookie sheet covered in wax paper or parchment paper. Spread evenly over the sheet. Put in fridge to cool and harden.

Once hardened, break into pieces - big, medium, small. Enjoy!!

*Option: you can add peppermint extract/flavoring to the bark if you would like, but it is kind of overpowering.

Stay tuned to Day 2 of The 12 Days of Christmas Treats!! Who knows what yummy goodness will come up next..... :)