Hello again! BookWormMom back for part two of the pocket food saga and a Thanksgiving side dish.

Using the same idea as last week, this is a way to make leftovers new. This time I used the crescent roll dough sheets because they were BOGO. I simply can’t help myself.

I had chicken on hand. You can definitely use leftover turkey. I’m sure if you aren’t a ranch dressing fan, you could sub gravy or Italian dressing. Shoot, I bet you could go 100% leftovers and use turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy. I’m even willing to bet cranberry sauce would be a wonderful sub for ranch.

Leftover Pockets

This makes 8 nice sized snack portions

8 bite sized pieces of meat (chicken, turkey, and I bet even small plain meatballs)
8- ½  teaspoon or so sized portions of cream cheese
8- ¼  teaspoon or so sized “squirts” of ranch dressing (I love the stuff in squirty bottles)
2 crescent dough sheets
1 egg, beaten

1 – Preheat your oven according to package directions.

2 – Lay out one sheet of dough.

3 – Spaced out evenly (in rows if you please…HA), place a bite of meat, a dollop of cream cheese, and a tiny squirt of ranch dressing. Friends, I do not measure in “real life”. I’m a dollop/pinch/dash/splash/squirt girl.

4 – Cover the sheet of dough you filled with yumminess using a second sheet of dough.

5 – Cut into 8 portions, like ravioli.

6 – Use your fingers to smush together the edges to prevent leakage. Some of you probably have the ability to make the dough look pretty. I do not. Tasty = yes. Pretty = nope!

7 – Brush each individual package with the beaten egg (egg wash).

8 – Bake according to package directions.

9 – Serve warm. I took a bite to show you the insides … poor me. Hehe

This was so quick, now you have time to read a chapter or two of a good book!

 

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A Different Thanksgiving Side – Texas Style Green Beans

Hello for last time before my favorite holiday! It is my favorite because: being thankful to God brings me joy, good food (I love to eat), and the fact that this holiday doesn’t involve stuff. I don’t know why, but the older I get, the more I’ve become “anti-stuff”.

Some of my kiddos spent their formative years in Texas. Those were the flavors they learned to eat, and now those are the flavors they still love. (Funny story about my twins; salsa was one of their first real foods.) There was a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the middle of Nowhere, Tx that served these beans. We don’t live there anymore, but these beans are a must for my daughter.

I am a bit of a control freak. Ha! I don’t like anyone else controlling how much salt is in my food. As a result, I use no salt added tomatoes and uncured bacon. You may need to adjust your flavorings if you use different base ingredients. I just included the pink salt because it was the only thing I could find in my pantry with the word “salt”. I use kosher salt to cook. Also, you will only need 3 strips of bacon. The package just makes for a nicer picture (IMHO).

An enamel coated cast iron Dutch oven is my best friend in the kitchen. I use mine almost every day. That is what I used took cook these beans. If you watch stores/online after Thanksgiving, they are almost always on sale. It would make a great gift to tell others you want.

This recipe works in a crock pot as well.

Texas Style Green Beans

1 bag frozen green beans (my grocery had 14 oz….give or take a few oz is ok, just DO NOT USED CANNED)
1 can diced tomatoes- with juice
3 strips bacon
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Salt to taste

1 – Cut your bacon into bite sized pieces and cook. Keep the fat. If you are using a crock pot, just dump it all in a warmed pot after it is cooked.

2 – Put your green beans in with the rendered bacon/fat and toss to coat.

3 – Dump in the tomatoes, vinegar, and pepper. Bring the mix to a simmer on the stove top, or just give it a good stir in your crock pot.

4 – Salt as desired. I used about 1/3 teaspoon of kosher salt, but it all depends on your tomatoes and bacon.

5 – If cooking on the stove top, turn to low and stir every few min for about 30 min. If using a crock pot, just cook on low at least 2 hours. You want the juice to reduce to a loose gravy-like consistency.

 

 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving from myself (Ginger) and BookWormMom. Enjoy your day.

Blessings,