Taking Turkey Time to a whole new level.

If you know me you will know that I have a pretty addictive personality.  Or I like to consider myself passionate.  When I do something I do it full force.  Often becoming so focused I have tunnel vision.  In a conversation if you bring up one of my addictions you will quickly see my eyes light up and my mouth start running, spewing all the sheer excitement I have pent up.  The problem is not many people that I come in contact with have these same addicitons so it is not long before I see the glaze come over their eyes and I snap back into reality that, 'no Amy no one really wants to hear about your issues'.  Then my ingrained manners kick in and I say, "so what have you been up to?"

It is pretty much the social norm when a woman is addicted to shopping.  Going on the hunt for that perfect fitting pair of jeans for the right price is not unheard of but pretty common.  So if I simply state that my addiction is shopping it sounds much better but when I am completely honest and say I am addicted to shopping for rock bottom prices on produce, meat and groceries it makes me sound a bit coo coo.  Well what if I said I was addicted to buying turkeys?  What will that make me?  It is true.  I have bought not one, not two, not 3 but 4 turkeys and not one of them is being served on Thanksgiving.  We are traveling to visit family for Thanksgiving this year so I am not responsible for the bird for the first time in a long time.

Meijer is having this crazy deal on turkeys and if you are smart crazy like me you are able to get a 16 lb turkey for $3.  That is 18 cents a lb!!  This excites me way too much!  So I have purchased turkey after turkey which means then I have to do something with all these birds too, right!  A friend and I have dismantled 3 so far and have ground, boiled, canned and frozen many pounds of poultry the last few days.

Next week I will be doing 2 more birds.  Mostly grinding with some canning and freezing involved.  I do the same thing with produce in produce season, with gardening and the Amish produce auction.  Buying mass amounts of produce and canning and freezing.  It is my way of contributing to the family and I take it so seriously it is probably not healthy.  I was recently called lazy and unimaginative by someone who does not know me.  I would love for that person to come spend a day at my house and see if they change their mind.  Crazy, passionate, intense, reactive, opinionated with an addictive personality that I am.  Lazy?  HA

Have a very happy Thanksgiving!

Jalapeno popper balls

Sorry it is a bit late but maybe you chopped some of those prolific peppers and froze them.  Here is something to do with them.  I typed this up a while ago.  Not sure why I never posted it.  I have been MIA for a while but I really hope to be better about keeping up.  I have some great posts in the works.  Making the time to get them on here is the bigger challenge.

Have jalapenos and don't know what to do with them?  I have made the traditional poppers in the past and we enjoy them but with the variablness from pepper to pepper alot of time the peppers are just too hot.  We like some heat but homegrown jalapenos can be over the top.  So I came up with this idea as a way to control the amount of heat.  We made a few to try it out and not only were they amazingly yummy but they were easier to make.  It is sometimes hard to get an even breading coating over the shiney side of the peppers and it was messy trying.  But with the balls they coated evenly and easily.

          12 ounces cream cheese, softened
          1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
          1 tablespoon bacon bits

          12 ounces jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

          1 cup milk

          1 cup all-purpose flour

          1 cup dry bread crumbs

          2 quarts oil for frying

            

1. Put the milk and flour into two separate small bowls. Dip the  balls first into the milk then into the flour, making sure they are well coated with each.
2. Dip the balls in milk again and roll them through the breadcrumbs and repeat into the milk then breadcrumbs.
3.                             

1. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese and bacon bits and minced jalapeno. Form into 1 inch balls. 

2. Put the milk and flour into two separate small bowls. Dip the balls first into the milk then into the flour, making sure they are well coated with each.  

3.    Dip the balls in milk again and roll them through the breadcrumbs and repeat into the milk then breadcrumbs.

4. In a medium skillet, heat the oil to 365 degrees F ( 180 degrees C). Deep fry the coated jalapenos 2 to 3 minutes each, until golden brown. Remove and let drain on a paper towel.      

Finished product!  MMM...mmmm..mmmm