Chinese Chicken Salad with Ramen Noodles!

Who doesn't like ramen noodles? This salad is always a crowd pleaser and is also a good/easy pot luck go-to. The recipe has been around for awhile so it's nothing new under the sun but I recently remembered it and have made it twice this month (once for dinner at home and once for a pot luck). Easy. Refreshing. Delicious.

Ingredients:

1 Bag of Shredded Iceberg Lettuce

1/2 head of cabbage, shredded

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

2 bags of ramen noodles (oriental flavor-blue package), crushed

1 large bunch of green onions, chopped

1 package of sunflower seeds

1 package of slivered almonds (I used the brand Almond Accents usually found in the produce section)

1 Cup of vegetable oil

5 Tblsp. of rice vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

2 flavor packets from Ramen noodles (set aside for dressing mixture)

Directions:

Combine the shredded chicken, chopped green onions, lettuce and cabbage, sunflower seeds and slivered almonds into large salad bowl. Crush the ramen noodles then open and toss with the salad. Set aside the flavor packets for the dressing.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar and flavor packets from the ramen noodle packages.

Pour over salad, toss and enjoy!

Gobble Gobble

This is Lucy. Lucy was the BEST turkey I've ever eaten! Our recipe made for the juiciest turkey meat, even the white meat was moist. I think my favorite part was the gravy that it made. This Tyler Florence turkey recipe requires a little extra *love* and work but it is well worth it and your family will LOVE it.

We brined our turkey a couple days before Thanksgiving. You can google any recipe on how to brine a turkey. I highly suggest doing this and think it had a lot to do with how moist our turkey came out.

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temp.

1/4 bunch fresh sage, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (12-14 pound) fresh turkey, giblets, neck and liver discarded

6 strips bacon

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and remove top rack of the oven.

Put the butter and sage in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork or spoon until sage is well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, gently lift the skin from the turkey breast and slip the remaining seasoned butter under, massaging the breast meat as you go. Truss the bird by crossing the legs over one another and tying with a piece of kitchen twine (if you don't know how to truss or what it is, you can google this and many "how to" videos should come up with a step-by-step process). Shingle the bacon strips over the breast so it's totally covered. Put the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan, cover the turkey with aluminum foil, and place in the oven.

In a small bowl, stir the maple syrup with 2 tablespoons of hot water to thin. Roast the turkey for 2 hours, basting with the maple glaze every 30 minutes. Continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer, inserted into the meaty part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F. The thigh juices will run clear when pricked with a knife, about 3 hours total (15 minutes per pound). About 1/2 hour before you think the turkey is done, remove the foil so that it can brown. When done take the turkey out of the oven and put the roasting pan on the stove top. Transfer to a serving tray to rest at least 20 minutes before carving. Serve with turkey gravy.

Paula Deen's Chocolate Pecan Pie

This little beauty made for a very happy ending to our Thanksgiving last year. I made it last minute and every one thought it was scrumdidlyumptious. Best served with vanilla bean ice cream or cool whip but good on its own too.

1 (9- inch) unbaked pie shell

2 cups of Pecan Halves

3 large eggs, beaten

3 tblsp butter, melted

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1 cup sugar

3 ounce semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I used chocolate chips and it worked fine)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cover the bottom of the pie crust with pecans.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and melted butter.

Add the corn syrup, sugar and chopped chocolate.

Stir until all ingredients are combined.

Pour mixture into the pie shell, over the pecans and place on a heavy duty cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes or until pie is set. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.

Easiest Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a great fall/winter recipe. Since we've finally been having some cold weather and rainy days, I've been feeling like eating some warm soup. I remembered my friend Carly had made some delicious tortilla soup a few years ago at her Tupperware party. I sent her a text and she sent me the recipe right over. I didn't realize it would be this easy! My family was very happy with this recipe so I'm positive I'll be making this again and again.

2 Cans of Corn

2 Cans of Rotell diced tomatos with chillis

2 Cans of Ranch Style Beans with jalepenos

2 Cans of Chicken Broth

2 Cans of Cream of Chicken soup

1 rotisserie chicken

tortilla chips

shredded cheese (I use reduced fat mexican style)

light sour cream

Add all 10 cans to a large pot or crock pot (DO NOT DRAIN ANY OF THE CANS) and stir. Pull all the meat off the rotisserie chicken and add to the pot. Stir and heat! Serve in a bowl then add chips, shredded cheese and sour cream to your liking. Enjoy!

*Don't forget the Tapatio!*