Vacation

Dallas from above via Instagram.

I went to Dallas to see my mom for Thanksgiving, and it was a blast! I hadn't seen my mom in over a year, so seeing her alone was eventful in itself. However, we not only cooked an amazingly delicious Thanksgiving meal, we explored the new parks, saw a few movies, and (of course) took a couple pictures which I shall be sharing later this week.

But alas, all good things must come to an end. I am back now. Shoved into a hectic world of endless studying, football games, photography assignments and final exams. And of course, more food and crafts. So stick around, because I've got a lot more up my sleeve.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo courtesy of The Daily Quipple

Happy Thanksgiving beautiful people! I hope everyone has a terrific day filled with food, family, fun and love. Let's not forget the true meaning of this day: to eat of course! 

But all jokes aside, take this day (and everyday) to give thanks for all the wonderful blessings in your life. I'm not very old, but through my 21 years of living I have learned that there is always someone out there that is not as fortunate and I am always humbled. So give thanks for everything and give back when you can. 

Have a terrific Thanksgiving! And don't forget to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Deep Dish Turkey Pot Pie

With Thanksgiving just one short week away, you're probably gonna be scrambling to figure out what to do with the rest of those turkey leftovers. Since I celebrated my Thanksgiving this week (as next will be my vacation) I've come up with a delicious recipe for turkey pot pie that will be sure to have you craving more of this classic comfort food.

Ingredients:
Pie crust or one recipe pastry topper (listed below)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
¾ cup sliced celery 
½ cup chopped red sweet pepper
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
⅓ cup all-purpose flour

1 packet General Tso's chicken seasoning mix

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1½ cups turkey broth

1 cup milk

2½ cups chopped cooked turkey

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

1 egg, beaten

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Prepare pastry topper; set aside. 

3. In a large saucepan cook onion, mushrooms, celery, and sweet pepper in hot butter over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the flour, chicken seasoning mix, salt and black pepper. Add broth and milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in turkey, peas and carrots. Pour into a two quart baking dish. 

4. Place pastry over chicken mixture in dish. Turn edges of pastry under; flute to edges of dish. Brush pastry with some of the egg. 
5. Bake, uncovered, in a 400°F oven (205°C) for 32-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Pastry Topper Recipe: 
In a medium bowl stir together 1¼ cups all-purpose flour and 1¼ teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in ⅓ cup butter until pieces are pea sized. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Sprinkle an additional 5 tablespoons cold water over remaining flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until all dough is moistened. Form into a ball. Form in pastry dish. 

This recipe will be sure to have your family craving more, I know mine did. Plus it's a great way to get rid of some of your leftover. The General Tso's seasoning mix adds a delicious sweetness to the flavor of the turkey while at the same time giving it a little southern kick. I haven't let you down yet, so just give it a try. I promise you'll love it!