So you hunkered down and decided to make a big ol’ turkey this holiday…only to discover you’re left with tons of leftovers…
While you can certainly just enjoy turkey as is for days afterwards, there are tons of other ways to put that tasty turkey to use in a variety of other recipes.
From Turkey Curry to Fried Turkey and Waffles, here are 12 tasty and delicious ways to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers.
Canning isn’t just for pickling…you can make delicious jams, jellies, butters and even salsas using the ol’ trusty mason jar.
Not only is this a great way to use fruits and veggies that are nearing season’s end, but these canned creations make great gifts for the holidays.
Surprise the hostess with the mostess with some homemade apple butter, or fill holiday stockings with a can of homemade salsa. Thrifty and fun to assemble, these canned jellies, jams and butters will help you clean out your produce stash in no time!
Decorating and hosting Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be stressful…You can still wow your guests with simple, easy touches that A) won’t take a ton of time to make and B) won’t cost you an arm and a turkey leg!
7 Adorable Ideas for Thanksgiving
Fun for a kids table or just those who are young at heart, this Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade centerpiece is honestly the most adorable thing I’ve seen in a while! Make your little town out of cardboard boxes, then decorate with your favorite holiday balloons!
What are you grateful for this year? Make a place for guests to write down their gratitude with this DIY Thanksgiving Embroidery Hoop Wreath. A quick and easy project to make, this is one decoration you can have out every year.
Create a cozy atmosphere with these Faux Knit Pumpkins. Perfect for decorating the table or using as cute place cards, these little mini pumpkins are a sweet and subtle way to warm up your holiday table.
And speaking of warming up your table, these DIY Knit Coasters will keep your table safe and protected when you start bringing out those amazing hot dishes. Not only do they look cozy and warm, but they’re a great yarn-buster (and something to do when that damn turkey is defrosting!).
These Painted and Personalized Corn Husks are also a great way to direct people where to sit at your feast. Use gold spray paint to decorate the corn, then write the names of your guests in gold paint marker.
Forget those paper menus…this DIY Menu Pumpkin is a cute and festive way to let your guests know what’s being served at your feast. You could even use chalkboard paint so you can reuse the pumpkin year after year!
Finally, send guests home with a cute box full of yummy leftovers. Use paper and stamps to customize your own Disposable Thanksgiving Containers.
Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.
We’re a mere couple weeks away from Thanksgiving…and in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s easy to forget the reason for the season.
If you’ve just been on overdrive these last few weeks, take a moment and enjoy these gratitude quotes, pulled from a few famous authors and books. Use them on your Thanksgiving table or hang them on your wall as a reminder to be thankful for what you have, what you’ve learned and every little experience that has brought you here.
10 Literary Quotes about Gratitude
After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody…even one’s own relations.
–Oscar Wilde
I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual…my wealth is not possession, but enjoyment.
–Henry David Thoreau
Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.
–W.T. Purkiser
We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.
–Alphonse Karr
–Roy T. Bennett
When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.
–Maya Angelou
We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count.
–Neal A. Maxwell
Be happy with who you are and what you do, and you can do anything you want.
–Steve Maraboli
Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away…and we are smack dab at the forefront of apple season! This is my favorite time of year, when honeycrisps and pink lady apples are available in abundance.
While it’s easy to turn apples into a pie or a treat on a stick, there are tons of other ways you can put fresh apples to use. From easy baked desserts to delicious fall drinks, here are 10 amazing apple recipes to get you in the spirit of the season!
10 Amazing Apple Recipes
French Apple Tartlets
Applepom Fizz
Caramel Apple Cider
Cinnamon Roll Stuffed Apples
Dried Apples
Apple Pie Smoothie
Apple Cider Churros
Apple Cider Pops
Apple Pie Pop Tarts
Healthy Apple Crisp
Every Monday is a “Reci-bee” post, where I share my favorite recipes, recipe collections, and cooking and baking hints and tips.
My first introduction to Matty Matheson was this MUNCHIES video for Braised Short Ribs.
It was basically love at first sight.
First of all, I wish I loved anything as much as Matty Matheson loves food. I mean just look at the joy on his face! Second of all, he’s literally the most colorful man I’ve ever seen. He’s like a big, loveable, cuddly coloring book.
As a lover of Cholula hot sauce and basically any meat that’s cooked low and slow, I bookmarked this recipe and continued my deep dive into the rest of Matheson’s videos.
It wasn’t until the first frost hit Chicago a few weekends ago that I decided it was time to finally bust out this recipe. Full of amazing flavor and stick-to-your-ribs deliciousness, this Braised Short Ribs recipe is just as good as it looks. Serve it with the homemade slaw and some salt and vinegar chips for a hearty, rich meal that is certain to warm you, body and soul.
Braised Short Ribs with Cilantro Slaw
*Based on Braised Short Rib Sandwich Recipe, courtesy of MUNCHIES
Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 poblano, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 rib celery, roughly chopped
3 sprigs cilantro
3 sprigs parsley
3 bay leaves, dried
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 (6-inch) long short ribs (about 3 pounds)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (5-ounce) bottle Cholula® Original Hot Sauce
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (I used an IPA)
4 cups beef stock
For Slaw
1 head green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
4 limes, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Heat the oven to 325°F. Place garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño, poblano, carrot, onion, and celery in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Set aside.
Tie the cilantro and parsley sprigs together with string. Set aside. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Season the ribs all over with salt and pepper and cook, turning as needed, until brown all over, about 10 minutes. Set aside on a plate.
Add chopped vegetables to the saucepan and cook until soft and the liquid has evaporated, about 20 to 25 minutes (it’s gonna start smelling amazing in your kitchen). Stir in the tomato paste and cook 2 minutes more.
Add the Cholula® Original Hot Sauce (yup, the WHOLE thing) and cook 2 minutes longer.
Add the beer and beef stock and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Again, I used IPA, but a stout or porter would also be really good here.
Return the short ribs to the saucepan. Top with herb bundle and dried bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Cover, then place in the oven. Cook until the ribs are soft, about 3 hours.
For slaw, toss all of the ingredients together in a bowl about an hour before you’re ready to serve. Cover and refrigerate until ready to plate.
Remove the ribs from the oven and set aside (remove and discard the bones). Strain the liquid, discarding the solids. Place the liquid back into the pan and bring to a boil. Simmer until thick and reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
Roughly chop the rib meat and toss in the reduced sauce. Stuff into toasted buns and top each with the slaw. Serve immediately.
Every Monday is a “Reci-bee” post, where I share my favorite recipes, recipe collections, and cooking and baking hints and tips.
Let’s take a minute and talk about the beauty that is the cast iron skillet.
It can be used to make dinner, desserts, dips and so much more. Cleaning is a breeze, and really, the more you use it, the nicer it is to you. It really is a staple in any kitchen and is the best way for cooking bacon, chicken and even biscuits!
But that’s not all you can do…here are 13 clever things to make in your cast iron skillet!
13 Clever Things to Make in Your Cast Iron Skillet
Pecan Apple Dutch Baby
Country Egg Skillet
Veggie Pot Pie
Chocolate Cinnamon Skillet Brownie
Monster Skillet Cookie
Apple Pie Skillet Cobbler
Skillet Drop Biscuits
Curry Bread with Cheesy Dip
Strawberry Nectarine Skillet Crisp
Skillet Cookie
Garlic Lover’s Pizza
Refried Bean Dip
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta
Every Monday is a “Reci-bee” post, where I share my favorite recipes, recipe collections, and cooking and baking hints and tips.
Once the first day of fall hits, all I want to do is bust out my slow cooker and fill my home with the smells of homemade soups. Creamy squash soups or hearty meat soups, there’s nothing that won’t hit the spot on a cool, blistery fall day.
These tasty fall soups have a little something for everyone…best of all, you can add or subtract ingredients as needed. A healthy and no-stress meal that will appease the whole family, these tasty fall soups are all you need to get in the spirit of the season.
As soon as the first leaf falls from the tree, I’m ready for Halloween. Pumpkins galore, Beetlejuice on REPEAT and the perfect excuse to eat Reese’s pumpkins without the guilt.
I also love making my home as cozy as possible in fall and winter, which means it’s time to bust out those crochet hooks! These adorable crocheted Halloween patterns will add a warm charm to your home while adding a touch of seasonal flair!
Best of all, most of these projects can be made in an hour or less…so pop in Hocus Pocus, put some apple cider on the stove, and get to crocheting these cute projects for Halloween.
Nothing gets me in the mood for fall like a whiff of a cinnamon treat baking in the oven. Whether it’s cookies or a coffee cake, anything is made instantly better with a dash of cinnamon!
Get in the spirit of the season with these 12 sexy cinnamon recipes, great for filling your home with amazing autumn aromas.
The Hob-bee Hive 