Love this recipe – so simple, so fast, and a favorite with the kiddos!

Start with a refrigerated french bread loaf

roll it out into a rectangle (If you get the kind in the tube, it’s usually rolled up jelly-roll style, so you can just find the seam and unroll it that way – no rolling pin necessary!)

If you are a make-from-scratch type of person, by all means, use your own recipe

I’ll keep doing it this way…

cause I’m lazy like that.

 cut slices down each side, going in about 1/4 of the way, leaving 1/2 of the space together in the middle

Put cut up meat and cheese in the middle

I only have a picture of the meat – use your imagination for the cheese

braid the side pieces… simply criss cross each of the little cut out pieces (you can even add a twist to make it look really fancy!)

Slice up and enjoy!  The biggest challenge we have here is the kiddos waiting for the cheese to cool down enough before they can dig in!

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday…
(no, not the green and red one that the stores seem to think comes next…)

I share with you the SECRET…
an ancient Vernal secret…
passed down from generation to generation…
… well, it was passed from a mother in law who received a very desperate call from a daughter in law, who couldn’t reach her own mother on the eve of her first Hosting of Thanksgiving
… who didn’t even realize that you needed to defrost the turkey DAYS before the big day (did I mention this was the night before the blessed event, for which we were hosting a houseful of family and friends??!) … let alone how to actually cook the turkey!

… and asked her simply, “hey, do you know how to cook a turkey??!”
… to which she gave me the most simple secret to the yummiest,
most tender
and scrumptiously moist
turkey
that you will ever sink your teeth into!

… did I mention it’s EASY??!!
(and no, this picture is NOT a turkey that I cooked – I don’t get that fancy… just wanted to give you a visual to wet the appetite a bit…)

Are you ready for this??

all you need is 4 ingredients:
1. the turkey (hopefully thawing in the fridge days before…)
2. an apple (no, not the computer kind!)… a real, live apple

…just in case you need a visual
3. some celery

(yep, the good ole’fashioned green stuff!)
4. a turkey oven bag

and yes, you DO need the turkey size. You don’t need the extra stress of trying to fit a turkey into a chicken sized bag… you may as well try to stuff yourself into your high school jeans… it’s not going to fit!

… oh yea, you can also add some salt and pepper if you want…

then simply rinse the turkey,
(be sure to pull out all of the ‘goodies’ the nice butcher people leave for you – neck, gizzard, possible gravy bag… yep I’ve seen a bunch of things stuck up in there!).
Chop up the apple and celery (for a big turkey, I usually use about 2 apples and 3-4 stalks of celery), and stuff them inside the turkey.
Follow instructions on the bag box,
Put turkey in oven according to directions on turkey bag,
Cook until that handy dandy thermometer pops up,
take out and let rest for a bit,
then slice into it and enjoy seeing the moisture just ooze down the knife.

Yes, it really IS that easy.
and it works!!
Going on 11th Thanksgiving Turkey this year
and the past 10 have all worked like a charm!

So from our house to yours –
Happy Thanksgiving!

I absolutely love seasons. I used to think that I could live in a hot climate for the rest of my life and be truly happy, but this year, for some reason, (probably because I’m not yet neck deep in snow!) I am relishing the changing of the season.
I love waking up to a brisk, fall morning.
I love the colors.
I love the excitement of gearing up for another holiday season (yes, the kiddos already have their Halloween costumes… What can I say, I’m a wee bit obsessed with fall activities!).

I love starting the day with cocoa and toast.
I love coming in from the chilly day to the sight of hot soup on the stove.

So without further adieu… here is the recipe that is the current favorite at our house… adapted from a couple of recipes from my dear friend, Jolene, who made a version of this soup one Christmas Eve for dinner with some of us penniless residents, and then we had our kiddos combine together to put on the Christmas play – such tender memories! I think of that, and of her, every time I make this soup, and think of how lucky I am to be surrounded with such incredible friends in life!

Potato (plus) soup:

2-4 cups of diced potatoes (depending on how much you like potatoes. Being from Idaho… I load it up!)
1/2 cup minced onion
2 quarts water
4 tbsp chicken base (or 6 chicken bouillon cubes)
dash of minced garlic, parsley flakes, salt and pepper
Combine in big pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes

In another pan combine:
1/2-3/4 cups carrots (diced)
1 head broccoli, cut
1 1/2 cup water
cook for 15 minutes in small pot

In separate pan:
3/4-1 cup (depending on desired thickness) flour
3 cups milk (divided)
1 cup powdered milk
5 tbsp margarine
1 tsp salt
1 cup velveta cheese, diced
combine flour plus 1 1/2 cups milk, wisk until well blended. Add everything except velveta cheese and heat while stirring until bubbly and thickened.

Remove from heat and add cheese.

– Combine all pots together (pour everything into the potato pot),

and stir to mix.

Try to hold off the troops who are magically drawn to the warm, yummy smelling kitchen – maybe even using is as bait to get them to set the table in order to get a taste .

(Tastes great when served in bread bowls, either purchased

or homemade…

either one tastes great!
(If you have a bread machine – I have a great recipe for easy rolls – I’ll post it soon!)

This soup freezes great (if there is any left over to freeze… )

Happy Souping!