Roast Turkey with Rigatoni

Roast Turkey with Rigatoni

New babies! I love them. And with all the siblings – this recipe was a hit with the kiddos (one even went back for seconds). I served this with roasted broccoli and red peppers and peanut butter cookies.
I found a recipe similar to this on Simply Recipes, and just changed it up to my liking!
1 lb rigatoni (I like these shapes when serving to kids because they can eat them easier – trick I learned from Mrs Italian cook herself, Lauren)

12 oz sliced mushrooms
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 cup white wine (I used Quail Creek, a CA wine that the Whole Foods guy recommended)
2 cups homemade turkey stock (made from simmering the turkey bones from my roast turkey recipe a few recipes down)
3 cups chopped roast turkey – from Ina Garten recipe I made
1 1/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup parm cheese
1/2 cup mozz cheese, grated
juice of one lemon
s/p/pinch of nutmeg (nutmeg goes great with cream sauces)
1/3 cup parm cheese
1/2 cup mozz cheese
Cook mushrooms (I did in evoo and Quail Creek), for about 10 minutes.
In separate small saucepan, melt butter, whisk in flour, then milk and half and half on low (so it doesn’t scorch or boil over), then the cheese, finally spices and lemon juice.
Cook rigatoni till al dente and drain.
Mix all together. Top with remaining cheese.
Pour into 9×13 pan, lightly sprayed with pam. Bake uncovered at 375 for about 35 minutes or until top is lightly browned.
Enjoy!
Easy Shepherds Pie

Easy Shepherds Pie

This month is cleaning out the pantry time! I had a can of Dinty Moore beef stew – which I do love by the way. So, on the back of the can is a great recipe for shepherds pie. I made it for a friend and her husband this past Wednesday since their nights are really busy with work and church (and traffic).
I kinda followed the recipe, but really not.

1 can dinty moore beef stew
1 cup sliced mushrooms, chopped
3/4 cup frozen peas
7 red skin potatoes
1/3 cup half and half
2 T unsalted butter
2 T parm cheese
s/p
1 cup cheddar cheese

Boil potatoes, mash, and mix with half and half, butter, cheese, and seasonings.
Dump beef stew in bottom of 8×8 pan. Break up bigger chunks of beef. Stir in mushrooms and peas. Spread potatoes on top. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Top with cheese and bake another 5 minutes. Serve.
Aarica and J both said this was wonderful – “best shepherds pie ever”!
Shepherded

Shepherded

A friend said to me last night, “Isn’t it nice to be shepherded?”
YES – a resounding YES.
I haven’t thought of the past few months – or even 2 years – in this term, but that is what has been happening in my life. I have had certain people come alongside me and encourage me, speak TRUTH into my life (exactly when I need it), care for me, spur me on, wish for me to succeed, pray for/with me, love me, and also realize that I’m stupid and listen to other voices.
Jesus talks a lot about sheep, and shepherds. I really liked this blog post from FL pastor, Timmy Brister: “Every one of Jesusโ€™ sheep are safe and secure in the grip of the Good Shepherd who put the choke hold on death and crushed the head of the serpent.”
I always need shepherding – but not everyone is a shepherd, and I’m not easily shepherded. There have been pastors in my life who have been shepherds, and I look forward to having 2 more. These pastors have also been friends of mine, and for that I am grateful.
Most of the time I need shepherding is when I listen to other things and am being stupid: and for me, that is most of the time fear of man – I listen to that dude a lot. But, when people come alongside me and remind me that life is not about man, or you – but ultimately it is about the gospel – that is what I need to hear. That is when I need to be shepherded.
But, also another aspect of a shepherd is the ability to love. I love being prized and delighted in. It is amazing that people would do that to/for me. It doesn’t happen often. Its an odd thing: receiving love and/or praise. It is very hard for me to receive praise from just anyone – because I don’t trust the sincerity of it. Most of the time words of praise have to be matched with action. But, being delighted in – just because of who you are and the gospel story that is on display in your life – that is amazing. When God brings someone into your life that delights in you – cherish it.
Being delighted in helps you to see the God in you, helps you to see the God in others, and increases your chance to succeed in ministry. Because, ultimately, again, its not about you – its about God. God living in you, God redeeming you, God shepherding you, God cherishing you, God loving the world, God shaping you, God refining you, God making you in right standing before Him, God being God.
Two verses on shepherding:

Psalm 100.3 – “Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, we are His. We are his people and the sheep of His pasture.”
John 10.11, 27 – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them; they follow me.”
I am thankful for earthly shepherded who reflect the love of the Good Shepherd to me in their guidance, delighting, and shepherding.

Who is your earthly shepherd?

Running and P90X

Yeah – bring on March 1.
That means, typically, there is warmer weather out there. And, I have missed running because of a couple reasons:
1. I hate running inside (track or treadmill).
2. I hate running when its below 40 degrees.

Last night, by the time I had the chance to run, I had to run inside on the track. The past few months this has been almost impossible because my gym keeps the track at about 90 degrees so you can’t breathe. So, I would do interval hills on the treadmill. Last night, the heat/air was back to normal. It felt so good to run 2 miles. I didn’t lose much on my time, but I could feel a difference in my right ham and in my left ankle. I’ve been having knee issues – but amazingly not when I run. So that was a good thing.
I’m running tonight on the track again (just a time thing) and then tomorrow night I’ll run out at Seneca. I’m gearing back up for the Anthem 5k on Saturday.
But, I’ve missed the energy running gives me and the weight loss/shaping ability that running has. Definitely will be doing that. I love the parks here in Louisville, and I am looking forward to Shelley, Johnson, and Lynn Lakes in Raleigh and also Umstead State Park. They will be good preparers for the Half I’m doing over Labor Day wknd. Hopefully some running buddies in Raleigh too. (But I’ll def miss my running buddies here in the Ville).
Ok – now for P90X. I’ve heard and read so many blogs about how absolutely wonderful this is. And for some yes. This is the first time I’ve heard some negative reports of it.
You can read about it here. Basically – its a lot of money. But, if you can borrow someone’s to test before you purchase it, that might be a wise move.
Ok – go exercise people – its spring – that means its one more month closer to bathing suit season – yikes! ๐Ÿ™‚

Lemon and Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

Lemon and Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

This might be the best turkey I’ve ever cooked – Thanksgiving or not! ๐Ÿ™‚

Ina Garten comes through again as her little Barefoot Contessa. So thankful she did. I am trying to use things in my freezer so they won’t get to waste when I move at the end of March, and I found this turkey in the back of it. Don’t even remember why I bought it – maybe just b/c it was on sale. So, I looked on line. This morning I had plenty of time on my hands (after my 12 hours of sleep, 745-745, I was so tired and it was needed, some AWESOME sleep) so I just let it cook in the oven.
It was SO MOIST and flavorful! Loved it. I’m going to be using it on salads, maybe for a sandwich, mostly for turkey tetrazzini I am making for a family with a new baby on Tuesday.
Yum!

(slightly changed from original recipe because size of my turkey)

1 8 lb turkey breast
2 mega garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp rosemary
2 tsp italian seasonings
2 tsp kosher salt
1 lemon – juiced
2 1/2 T olive oil – very good, fruity olive oil works best
1 cup blush or white wine

Dry turkey breast with a paper towel. Mix garlic through oil into a paste – smear on and under the turkey (under the skin). Place skin side up in a roasting pan (or on a rack). Pour wine in the bottom of the dish. Bake for about 2.15 hours at 325 covering about halfway through because the skin will get too dark.
This is so moist, and the wine and lemon and olive oil are very good things!
Tomato-Basil Toads in the Hole

Tomato-Basil Toads in the Hole

Panera puts out some mighty delicious bread. I got a loaf of their tomato-basil bread for dinner on Thursday night. I wanted to use it for my breakfast with Becca. I did – and it was yummy.

2 slices of your fave bread (tomato-basil)
2 eggs
mozz cheese
pepper
spray olive oil

Spray a griddle. On about med-high put the bread (cut a hole in it with a glass – that’s what I used). Crack open an egg. Cook till mostly done – or to your liking – then flip it. I overcooked mine a bit, but I will learn. Top with mozz or parm cheese and serve warm!