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1 Day Prep-Ahead Small Thanksgiving Time Saver Meal

11/5/2017

 
Greetings, All!!!
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*Thanksgiving* 
A day of food, family & friends or just hanging out in your pajamas! AmIRight :)

So I was on a mission to find time saver recipes for traditional Thanksgiving dishes, 
when it occurred to me it's really the prep work that takes the most time, NOT the actual cooking.
 

So I found recipes that could be made up (rolls, pie, cranberries!) or prepped up
(stuffing, turkey, carrots, potatoes!) the day before and assembled and cooked quite nicely
​and efficiently the following day.
Now this menu is for a small gathering: 2-6 people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angie's 1 Day Prep-Ahead
Thanksgiving Menu

Links to ALL recipes at the bottom of this page!
​Herb-Roasted Turnkey Breast with Basic Gravy
Cheddar and Jalapeno Stufing
The Best Damn Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Honeyed Carrots and Oranges
Bourbon-Cranberry Compote
Homemade Butter Flake Pull Apart Rolls
Chocolate Cream Pie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
​
I'll take you through some steps here with some brief commentary on each dish.
​




​Herb-Roasted
​Turnkey Breast  

Ina Garten's recipe
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Let's start with the 7.3 lb turkey breast that cooked in two hours.
​ TWO hours!



Prep Day Ahead!
​I made the herby olive oil paste up the night before, coated the turkey and put it back in fridge.

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​Cooks up beautifully and slices up nicely.
The herbed paste rubbed directly on the meat and on top of skin was fantastic!!
Juices were added to the Basic Gravy.




​​
Let's move along to the Basic Gravy.

No prep-ahead of this. Day of only.
I made a roux.
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Add the drippings from the turkey roasting pan into the chicken broth.
 
I used
​homemade chicken broth.




​Whisk the broth and drippings into the skillet and bring to boil then simmer until thickened.


This gravy was hands down the star of the show.
*STAR OF THE SHOW*

​I think the key is homemade chicken broth but I don't know that for sure. If you don't have homemade, buy the absolute best kind of broth you can.





​Let's move along to the PREP AHEAD
Cheddar and
​Jalapeno Stuffing.

By the way, I believe this recipe could be assembled and cooked day ahead and just add some extra chicken broth when heating up next day.

Note: I could not taste the jalapeno really, add more jalapeno if you like heat.
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​The recipe called for Italian bread so that's what I got was Italian bread.

By the way y'all, I do not know how to cook without a recipe.

Completely serious. So I tend to stay true to the recipe ingredients and amounts.


​The day before...
​cut or tear the bread up and bake in a 375 oven for 12 minutes, until dried out.

Cut up all the vegetables, grate up the cheese and deposit all ingredients into the pan you will use to bake the stuffing in tomorrow and
​stick in the fridge.
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​Day of, melt butter and saute the vegetables.
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This recipe calls for a half cup beer.

It can also be left out completely.

Cook until beer evaporates, then transfer mixture to a large bowl. 

Add scallions, broth, eggs and cheddar to mixture and and toss in bread crumbs.
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​Okay,

I have this super exciting picture of buttered up aluminum foil to remind you to, you know, butter up your aluminum foil.

Cause if you don't,
all the good browned bits of stuffing will stick to the foil and you'll be sad.



Pour stuffing into prepared pan and bake covered with foil, then remove foil and continue baking. I let mine stay in 10-15 minutes longer to get more browned.
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This stuffing dish really could be prepped, assembled and cooked the day before and just reheated day of with some extra chicken broth. I made this up in the morning, stuck it in fridge until dinner and then just reheated it in oven. This is why I used a metal pan too.
Another note with this dish: You can NOT taste the heat from the jalapenos. I used two seeded jalapenos just as the recipe states and there was no heat. Probably added flavor but there was no heat so it's safe for little kiddies.





​
​O
kay, let's get these
Best Damn Vegan
​Mashed Potatoes
made.

Disclaimer: I had full intentions of using vegan butter but I didn't, I used real butter. 
Note: I wanted a mashed potato recipe that was different than the same old, same old, that's why I made these.
​Also, Yukon gold potatoes are so naturally delicious buttery anyway.
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By the way, these CAN BE MADE DAY AHEAD but I just prepped everything the night before and made day of.
I washed all the potatoes and set them aside. I then roasted the garlic by cutting off the top third, rubbed the cloves with olive oil, wrapped up in foil and roasted for 50 minutes. Mmmmmmm, always smells awesome. Also, chop up those chives and store everything but potatoes in the fridge until next day.

Before the meal, I threw the cut Yukon golds into boiling salted water and cooked until soft.
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I mixed in butter, salt and pepper and the deeeelicious roasted garlic. I ate spoonfuls and then transferred the remaining into a bowl and topped with those chives. Yum!
These potatoes are awesome with or without gravy!!






​Now, y'all, let's get to these super easy peasy
Honeyed Carrots
​and Oranges.

 I prepped everything night before and cooked them day of.
(I liked these so much I went out and bought more carrots to make this exact recipe again this week.)
Please do NOT cut the carrots in half lengthwise like I did, just buy thin carrots, don't use thick ones. If you do use thick carrots, then okay, you can cut them in half lenghtwise. Mine were thin already. Also, dudes, don't be like me and leave the freaking top on. Just don't.
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The night before, I peeled the carrots and sliced the orange and had the honey/oil all measured out.

I had chopped up some dill but decided not to use the dill on the finished dish, these were just too darn good on their own.

This was super easy to prepare as well as to assemble and cook.

​

Day of, pull out the carrots and oranges, toss in olive oil and honey, salt and pepper, arrange on cookie sheet.
​By the way, the aroma of the oranges and honey is fantastic!
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Cook until soft. So easy. 
Again, cut off the tops of the carrots. I did not do that cause I am a fool.
Don't be a fool like your pal Angie, just do the right thing.

​
These carrots were absolutely delicious, just make sure to follow the directions exactly!





Y'all. These Butter Flake Pull Apart Rolls
are delicious!!
This is Alton Brown's recipe and I always get PTSD from baking cause I am horrible at it.
​I actually was able to make these without using too many swear words. Maybe three.
Four. Five at the most. Okay, six. SHUT UP!  
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​So these are the fixins for these pull apart rolls.
I did NOT make these up a day ahead of time. I do think they would be fine made up 24 hours ahead and then just reheated shortly before the meal the next day.
Also I do not own a stand mixer. I old-school used my hand mixer. Worked fine.
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​
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Now this recipe calls for some ingredients to be weighed. 

Don't fight it, just do it.

​These are baked items.
You want to use correct measurements even if you have to bring out the scale.




​S
o mix the stuff according to directions.
I love how I am so technical with my language. Seriously dudes, I can not bake so I am just trying to get through this as quick as I can.

Dough before rising and dough after rising.
​Now if *I* can do this correctly, anyone can!!!

​Okay, let's slow this down a bit.....let me explain...so roll the dough out to a 12" x 12"...

Cut 12 - 1" strips. Now I don't own a pizza cutter, so I pulled out this vintage pastry cutter ​I paid 50 cents for at a consignment store last year. Aaaaand this pastry cutter is broke and wobbly and doesn't make straight lines.


So I bring out my pizza cutter, also known as a plain ordinary knife, and cut 12 - 1" strips.
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Okay, so this is my first try at the strips and stacking them. 

And this is my second try at the other half of the dough, I got much better, especially after I figured out I need to GENTLY pull up the strips
and not stretch them.

My initial attempt is at the bottom...Second try at the top.
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Set each section in a sprayed muffin cup.
​Let rise until double.


Then bake 8-10 minutes. Or overbake like I did but then brush a ton of melted butter on the tops. They were still delicious!!




Okay, only TWO more recipes left!!!!
This one is so easy and delicious! Make it same day or day ahead, doesn't matter, it's delicious both days!
Bourbon-Cranberry Compote!
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Combine and simmer.
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Okay Friends, last item on the menu is a
Chocolate Cream Pie! 
Tim doesn't eat pumpkin pie so I made a Chocolate Cream Pie with a
​store-bought whole wheat crust.
This can TOTALLY be made up a day ahead of time!!!
Okay, the piece on the right up there looks a little wonky but trust me, deeeelicious!!

These are the fixins.
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​F
irst,

chop up the semi sweet chocolate.

Whisk the dry ingredients together then add the heavy cream and eggs.
Don't forget the espresso powder!

​W
hisk in the cream and milk over medium heat.

​Pour that lusciousness over the chopped chocolate & butter and stir...
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Mmmmm, lookin' good!
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Pour into a pie shell...
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Buy whipped cream OR make this super easy whipped topping...remember, chill the bowl AND the beaters!!
Homemade Whipped Cream:
In a chilled bowl (very important, a CHILLED bowl, meaning chill that sucker in the freezer), combine 1 cup whipping cream, 2 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.
​Or continue beating until stiff peaks form.
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Here's the deal on this Chocolate Pie...it is really rich!
This Chocolate Cream Pie is not for people who do not appreciate
​deep layers of chocolate.

If you want a boring, bland chocolate pie, do not make this!
Oh, make a strong pot of coffee cause it will go wonderfully with this dessert!




Okay guys, I will come clean here.
I was planning on making this menu for just
Tim and me as a trial run. 


But then friends of ours called and wanted
​to pop out Friday night. 


​heeeeeeeeeeeeeee....

I said fine...

just come hungry.
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Once they got here, I bamboozled them that they were going to participate in my
1 Day Prep-Ahead Small Thanksgiving
Time Saver Meal blog post. 


They didn't seem to mind :) :) :)
and we had a fantastic time!!!



​Okay, so that's all the recipes, friends! 
Below are all the links to
​the recipes!!

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast with Basic Gravy
Cheddar and Jalapeno Stuffing
The Best Damn Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Honeyed Carrots and Oranges
Bourbon-Cranberry Compote
Homemade Butter Flake Rolls
​Chocolate Cream Pie



If you have any questions at all,
contact me at the phone number or email address on the contact page or just ask away here in the comments! 

​

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Thanks for checking in!! I appreciate it!!
Have a great early holiday season!
Stay warm, have fun, eat delicious food, 

and we'll be talking soon!!
:)



​





​

Really, Are We Gonna Go Through This Torture Again...Pumpkin-Banana Bread

10/24/2012

 
I'm not a baker;
I'm TERRIBLE at it,
as you know.
Click here to see what an impatient, horrible baker I am.


And to top it off,
my bananas are jerks!



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Click here to see what other nasty things these jerks have said to me in the past.



But that didn't stop me from attempting this Pumpkin Banana Bread!
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I saw this
recipe in a magazine and my mouth started watering so I threw caution to the wind and got my baking crap out again.



And this recipe was actually very easy and really quite tasty.
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With some hot coffee and a little butter...

pretty darn yummy.







But in the meantime, let me just say...


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NaNaNaNa
BooBoo!!!!

My counters are clean!!!


So THERE!





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Exhibit A: Notice the Madsen household's far counter with the microwave.....

.........

........

that's called CLEAN for those of you who have never seen the Madsen's counters uh....clean.






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Having doubts?

Let me bring into evidence

Exhibit B: the counter by the stove and the actual stove.

They are looking weird to Angie, but that's because they are.......clean.






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Exhibit C: Angie's prep area. Angie must not be prepping anything because once again, those counters are of the "clean" variety, cleared off, sanitized, washed down, dejunked, you know......clean.




PictureHere's the kicker, Mindy WILL NOT pick up after herself either. Hummmph.



I didn't say my floor was clean though!!!


Geez!




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Anyway,

let's get to starting this Pumpkin-Banana Bread
from the

Midwest Living
Comfort Food magazine 2012.



And believe it or not, this was an easy recipe....even for me....
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So here's the fixins for this fine Pumpkin-Banana Bread.




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The recipe calls for toasted pecans, so I just threw some pecans in the oven on a baking sheet for five minutes.

YAY, I did not burn them this time.

It's the small successes in life.




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Okay so let's get started with the sugar...




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Add the
oil in...

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Mix away.









Boring.


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Add the eggs in one at a time.

Why?
Why do eggs have to be added in one at time?

It seems so, so time consuming.






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See, when you're trying to just put one egg in at a time while holding the mixer,

ONE FREAKING FALLS ON THE GROUND!!!





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SHUT UP you annoying piece of monkey fruit!!!





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Moving on,

this is the wet stuff together.




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This is the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger together.




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Holy crap, grab onto your hats! This is the exciting dry stuff going into the wet stuff and getting mixed up.




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Add the canned pumpkin in...





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Mash up those mean, mouthy bananas
real good and dump them in.





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Okay,

now I can see light at the end of the tunnel here,
fold the toasted pecans in.




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Pour the batter into the greased pans.



Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.
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And they come out real nice too.




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Okay,

this is a gratuitous shot of my pretty platter with the Pumpkin-Banana Bread on it.




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Slice up some of this light and delicious snack bread.




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The toasted pecans are awful nice in this bread as well.






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So grab your coffee,

sit down for a spell,

and let's chat about the Bee Gees and their impact on the music world.




CLICK HERE to get the recipe for Midwest Living's Pumpkin-Banana Bread!!!























Hey wait!! Don't run a way!!! 
What? You don't think the Bee Gees are the greatest artists of all time???!!????
That's okay, we can talk about other things.  Wanna talk about polka and how Lawrence Welk is under appreciated? Well, how about the oppression of women over centuries of time...is that a better topic?
Well then answer this, who was cooler...Sgt. Pepper Anderson of Police Woman or Julie from The Mod Squad?

Seriously, come back!!! We'll talk about what you want to talk about................hey, you don't wanna happen to sing Sunshiney Day by the Partridge family with me, do you?













Why you squealing tires out of my driveway?




Geez.














My Bananas Talk To Me And They Say Mean Things - Banana Butterscotch Bread With Toasted Pecans

3/5/2012

 
I don't know about you,

but my bananas talk to me.
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Look closely.

Shhhh, listen.





Can you hear what they're saying?






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Those bananas just called

me a loser!!! 

A loser!

Why? What did I do????


What? 
What are you saying now you meanie-baneanie bananas ?


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I'm LAZY????!!!

Hey you little monster bananas,
why do you say I'm lazy you little spoiled, overipe, overdone, overblown pieces of produce??
What? Speak louder, I can't hear you.



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I'm a
 
banana

waster

?!?!

You're a banana waster!
 

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Okay, well I won't argue that one with ya.


Whatever.


Just for that though, you're going down.
You're getting mushed.
You're getting cooked SUCKA.





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HeHeHe


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And these are the fixins for a
Banana Butterscotch Bread With Toasted Pecans.
We all know that over-ripe, brown banans make THE best bread eh?

Nothing fancy for the line-up. Just good old ingredients you have in the fridge and pantry.

Smash your bananas and then mix all your dry ingredients together.
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and grease and flour it.
Add your eggs and butter to the sugar and mix.


Add the bananas, milk and vanilla...


Add the flour mixture, the butterscotch morsels and the pecan nuts.


Did someone say
 
butterscotch morsels

and pecans?
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Stop right

now!



No face diving into the batter.


It is inappropriate.
And unsanitary.


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Pour the

batter in

the pan.

Add the remaining pecans on top and bake at 350 degrees for an hour.

Bake for 45 minutes and then put a sheet of tin foil over the top to prevent over burning for the last 15 minutes.
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.
This Banana Butterscotch Bread With Toasted Pecans was yummy.


I kept thinking it would be good for a breakfast sweet bread or when company comes over.


Enjoy!!!
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OH! I forgot...here is the recipe for the Butterscotch Banana Bread!
Banana Butterscotch Bread with Toasted Pecans
From www.cookiemadness.net check this website out; this woman has cool recipes
Courtesy of www.turnkeyqualitycars.com

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour (8 oz)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup butterscotch morsels

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5 inch metal loaf pan and dust with flour. If you have some, line the bottom with parchment. This bread is kind of sticky.

Mix together the flour, soda, cinnamon and salt and set aside.

In bowl of stand mixer, beat the sugar, butter and egg. Beat in the bananas, followed by the vanilla and the milk. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the pecans and the butterscotch morsels. Sprinkle the pecans on top of the banana bread and bake for 1 hour. After 45 minutes, lay a sheet of foil over the bread to prevent over-browning. Let bread cool in pan on a rack for about 15 minutes, then remove from pan.

See ya next time...hopefully I will have found time to make some naughty brownies, whose thoughts and picture just will not release me!



    Author

    Angie Madsen
    One half of a team that blends their work and personal life together
    in fun ways.





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