We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Buffet last week here at Full Plate Thursday and we are so happy to see you today to begin this Christmas Season with us. We have sure been busy here at The Cottage getting all the decorations up. This is one of my favorite seasons to enjoy so many celebrations with friends and good food.  I can't wait to see what you have brought to share with us today. Thank you so much for coming today and sure hope you will come back soon! This Is How I Filled My Plate Last Week Breakfast Quick and Simple Veggie Omelet   at Talking Dollars and Cents Morning Snack Breakfast Cookie at  Joyful Homemaking Lunch Peameal Bacon Sandwiches with Braised Cabbage and Apples at Hun...What's For Dinner Baked Kale Chips at  A Sensitive Economist Sunny Broccoli Salad   at A Pinch of Joy Apple Slab   A Change to Frugal and Simplistic Living Afternoon Snack Baked Caramel Popcorn at  Keeping Up With The Times Dinner Beef Bourguignon   at Kat...

For as long as I could remember when we would visit my Grandmothers she would always have Buttermilk Pie and it was so delicious. When I was a small girl she made those pies in a wood stove oven and the buttermilk was fresh from the farm. I remember watching her pour that buttermilk into the custard and how thick and rich it looked. Then I remember getting to lick the bowl, that was before we were told that those raw products would be bad for us, it was always good and I don't recall it making me sick, and guess what (I still do it) shhhhhhhh! Buttermilk Pie Grandmothers Buttermilk Pie Miz Helen's Kitchen 1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell  1 1/2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 stick butter softened 1 tablespoon flour 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg In a mixing bowl, mix the eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, add the sugar and mix until the mixture looks creamy add the very soft butter and flour mix well. Add the butter...

I sure hope that all of you had a great Thanksgiving. We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends, we were very blessed. I am really glad you stopped by today so I can just sit visit and have a nice cup of tea with a friend. Sit right down I will get you a cup of tea and a hot muffin right out of the oven. Sunday Cranberry Beef   Cranberry Beef Miz Helen's Kitchen 1 3 to 5 pound chuck or arm roast 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil 4 large yellow onions sliced thick 2 cups whole cranberry sauce 3 pods garlic sliced 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons pepper 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 sprigs of fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme 2 long springs of rosemary or 3 teaspoons dried rosemary 2 cups beef broth Mix a rub out of the salt, pepper, pepper flakes and any dried herb. Rub the meat on both sides with the rub. In a heavy hot Dutch Oven pour the EVOO and brown the seasoned roast. Place the sliced onions and garlic around and on top of the roast....

Happy Thanksgiving and Welcome to Full Plate Thursday! As we gather around our shared table today, I am so thankful for each and everyone of you that come here every week to share a meal together and have fellowship with each. My very best wishes to you and your family for a blessed Thanksgiving. Thank you so much for coming  to share this special day with us. This Is How I Filled My Plate Last Week With A Thanksgiving Buffet Turkey with Maple Butter Glaze at Texas Cottage    Honey Baked Ham   at The Traveling Spoon Mama's Cornbread Dressing   at Cajun Delights    G F Cornbread Stuffing   at Wheat Free Meat Free Jalapeno Corn Casserole   at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen   Candied Sweet Potatoes at Tools For Kitchens GF Butternut Squash with Apple Walnut Stuffing   at Elegantly Gluten Free    Roasted Beets   at Hun Whats For Dinner   Cranberry Pineapple Salad   Thrifty Texas Penny  ...

We grow green beans in our garden every year and can or freeze them. We usually have enough to last through the winter until the next growing season. This is one of the recipes that we use here at the Cottage for special meals, our family and guest always love this fresh green bean recipe. Green Beans with Onion and Bacon Vinaigrette Green Beans with Onion and Bacon Vinaigrette Miz Helen's Kitchen 2 pounds fresh green beans 6 strips of bacon fried crisp and crumbled 1 medium yellow onion chopped 1 clove garlic minced 1/3 cup Agave 1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar 2 tablespoons Whole Grain Dijon 1 4 ounce jar chopped pimento's 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds Salt and Pepper to taste Wash and snap the green beans. In a Micro Wave safe steamer, steam the green beans in the micro wave for about 5 to 6 minutes and set aside. In a large skillet brown the bacon, then remove the bacon to drain. Leave the bacon grease in the skillet this will be the base for t...

When we downsized into our cottage I began to look for ways to conserve space and cooking time. With only one regular oven and one convection oven I needed to look for a way to cook dishes for a large dinner in another way besides the oven. This has been a great alternative for the dressing and sure frees up some oven space for holiday meals. This is the basic Cornbread Dressing that my family has used for generations, that I have adapted for the Slow Cooker. Slow Cooker Cornbread Dressing Slow Cooker Cornbread Dressing Miz Helen's Kitchen 1 skillet of corn bread ( Corn Bread Recipe ) 8 to 10 slices of day old bread chopped in cubes 2 cups celery chopped 1 large yellow onion chopped 1 cup butter 2 eggs beaten 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning 1 1/2 tablespoons sage 1 tablespoons thyme 3 tablespoons parsley salt and pepper to taste 3 to 4 cups turkey or chicken broth 1 cup milk Make the cornbread about two days ahead and let it dry really good...

This is a basic Corn Bread recipe that has been passed down in my family for generations. There is nothing better than a great skillet of corn bread to compliment any meal. This is also the corn bread recipe that I use for my corn bread dressing. The Iron Skillet that I make my Corn Bread in is the Iron Skillet that belonged to my Grandmother, it is a very special skillet. I have the Corn Bread cooling on my antique butcher block today. Miz Helen's Corn Bread Corn Bread Miz Helen's Kitchen 1/4 cup olive oil 1 1/2 cup yellow corn meal 1/2 cup flour 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cup buttermilk or regular milk 1 egg, beaten Heat olive oil in iron skillet and coat evenly. Combine dry ingredients, add milk and egg mix until blended.  Add melted olive oil and mix well. Pour batter into heated oiled iron skillet. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes Option: The Olive Oil can be substituted  with bacon grease, my grandmot...

The Cottage is all decorated for Thanksgiving the aromas floating through the cottage are warm with spice from  wonderful dishes being prepared in the kitchen.  All the guest rooms are ready and the gift baskets so carefully placed in each room  As I sit quietly today for just a moment to reflect on the many blessing in my life to be thankful for;  certainly all of you are on my list. I look forward to our visits and you are a very important part of my life. Thank You! Sunday Community Fellowship Dinner I am Bringing Brussels Sprouts Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette   Recipe Here Monday Vegetable Beef Stew (Recipe Here)   Corn Bread (making extra Corn Bread for the Dressing on Thanksgiving)  Caramel Brownies Tuesday Pinto Bean Soup  Baked Spicy Potato Wedges Green Tossed Salad Hot Biscuits (making extra biscuits for the Dressing on Thanksgiving) Left Over Caramel Brownies Wednesday From The Left Over  Pinto Beans   Baked Bean Cha...

Welcome to Full Plate Thursday, I am so excited to see you here today.  We are all so busy here at The Cottage making sure that all the fall decorations are in place for all the guest we are expecting during this Thanksgiving season. I can hardly wait to see what you are sharing with us today, I am looking for ideas for the Thanksgiving week menus when I am expecting several guest for the week. As I begin to make my Thankful List for this year, all of you are on that list, I am so Thankful that you are in my life! For those of you who have asked or maybe want to know I will publish Full Plate Thursday next Wednesday night November 23, 2011 at 8:30 p.m.  I want to thank you so much for coming today and please come back soon! This Is How I Filled My Plate Last Week Breakfast Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Granola   at Food Farm Health Morning Snack Hot Strawberry Drink   at Joyful Homemaking Lunch Roasted Winter Squash and Apple Soup   at Simple Girl Sesame Chia Green ...

We love sweet potatoes here at the cottage and often times have them as a side dish. This recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole is one of the favorite sides that my family request at holiday time. I hope you and your family will enjoy it. Sweet Potato Casserole Sweet Potato Casserole Miz Helen's Kitchen 8 large sweet potatoes baked until tender 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 tablespoons butter 1 cup unsweetened pineapple crushed with juice 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/3 cup orange juice 1 teaspoon cinnamon salt and pepper to taste 2/3 cup miniature marshmallows 1/3 cup pecans chopped Wash and dry the potatoes then place on a cookie sheet. With 1 tablespoon olive oil, oil the skin of the potatoes. Bake for 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until tender. Split the potatoes and remove the pulp into a mixing bowl. With a potato masher, mash the potatoes until they are mashed well. Add 3 tablespoons melted butter and mix well. Add the pineapple, orange juice, cinn...

We just love a warm bacon vinaigrette, and the combination of the salad greens with the saute of the Brussels Sprouts makes this a very special salad.  This salad has quickly become one of our favorites and you will most likely see it on our menu often.  This salad will be a great salad for lunch or a great side salad for any meal.  Brussels Sprouts Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette Brussels Sprouts Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette Miz Helen's Kitchen 4 tablespoon olive oil 1 lb Brussels sprouts salt and pepper (to taste) 6 slices smoked bacon 1/3 cup white wine vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 6 cups romaine lettuce (chopped) Directions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Place the Brussels sprouts into a food processor and pulse until they are roughly chopped Toss the Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper and lay out on a  baking sheet. Bake t...

We have been having so much fun today getting ready for the Youth fund raiser at our church. We have been making Spaghetti Sauce all day and it smells so good. I sure am glad you stopped by so we can take a break and just visit for a while. Lets get that menu for next week all set and ready to go. Only one more week and we will be planning our Thanksgiving meal. Sunday Honey Baked Ham Scalloped Potatoes Broccoli with Lemon Sauce Fresh Fruit Salad Hot Cottage Bread Cranberry Apple Cobbler Monday From The Leftover Ham Ham and Asparagus Quiche Green Tossed Salad Left Over Cranberry Apple Cobbler Tuesday Meatloaf Chipotle Cheddar Mac N Cheese Green Peas Winter Greens and Oranges Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing Hot Biscuits Pumpkin Cupcakes Wednesday Chicken Breast with Olives and Rosemary over Rice Italian Salad Rosemary Bread Sticks Coffee Bean Pudding Thursday From Leftover Ham Ham and Cheese Casserole Vegetable Salad with Greens Garlic Bread Fresh Apple Cake Friday Pan Seared...