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The main event in my kitchen this week was Thanksgiving x2. Yes, one meal on Thanksgiving day, and another big meal on Sunday when our daughter and her family could come.

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

As you well know, lots of prep work does into Thanksgiving dinner. I like to do as much as possible ahead of time so I can enjoy the day, too. Chopping the onions and celery for the stuffing is an easy thing to do ahead. Use those celery leaves, too! So much flavor in them!

I cooked the sweet potatoes in the pressure cooker. They came out perfect for mashing.

I made enough celery, onions, and sweet potatoes for both meals at once. Such a time saver!

I prepped the turkey by stuffing butter under the skin before I put it in the oven. This is the first time I tried this. And it worked! It was the juiciest turkey breast I’ve ever had. I’ll definitely be doing it every time I cook a turkey now!

My grandson and granddaughter “helped” with the pies by rolling out extra crust. They had a blast. And my flour was covered in flour. That’s ok, I didn’t mind!

Apple, chocolate, and pumpkin pies! Yum!

Thanksgiving number 1 buffet…..

And Thanksgiving dinner Number 2!

The stars of both dinners……the turkey and the ham!

I hope your Thanksgiving was as full of good food, family, and memories as mine was!

Check out my In the Kitchen with Linda page, where all my kitchen tips, ideas, and recipes are linked!

Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Monday – chicken or turkey – Thanksgiving leftovers!

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Pasta with meat sauce, peas

Wednesday – Taco Night- Turkey soup

Thursday – pork or chicken – Pork chops, fried potatoes, beets

Friday – Quick & Easy  – leftovers or take out

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – I don’t have a clue yet! lol

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – soup or sandwiches

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the links, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you

*This In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu post contains affiliate link

I’ve had a few successes in the kitchen lately! That’s always a good thing! lol

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

One of my adult sons called one day and said, what are you doing for dinner tomorrow, I’ll bring hash brown casserole and vegetables. Of course, I said yes! I made the chicken, bbq chicken breast and plain chicken thighs. His casserole, and glazed carrots were so good! His fried corn was good, too!

Another day, I made a pork tenderloin in the pressure cooker with sweet potatoes. The first time I tried sweet potatoes in the pressure cooker. They came out amazing! I sautéed some asparagus to go with. Yum.

And yet another chicken dinner. lol This time thighs for everyone, baked potatoes, and zucchini.

My daughter and her kids came for an impromptu visit from out of state. It’s not too far away, she can drive here, visit, and drive home all in the same day. My grandkids tend to be picky eaters, so I’ve never seen them eat a lot at one time. I gave them macaroni with hamburger in spaghetti sauce. They ate it all, and both asked for seconds! Does a Mimi’s heart good to see them eating so good. So, of course, I took pictures. lol

It’s been deer hunting season here. Thankfully, my husband got one. We process it ourselves. It’s a lot of work. But so worth it.

I use this food scale and this vacuum sealer. Both are awesome!

I also made venison jerky using this dehydrator. I don’t like jerky, but the rest of the family does. I used this seasoning. We’ve used it several times before, and it’s my husband’s favorite. I marinate, in the fridge, for at least 12 hours, before drying and placing in the dehydrator.

I made homemade Chex mix the other day. Easy, and so much cheaper than buying prepared mix.

Did you know that if you are making banana bread, or muffins, and you don’t have quite enough mashed bananas, you can use applesauce! Put your mashed bananas in a measuring cup, and add applesauce up to the amount of bananas you need. I need 2 cups of bananas form my banana bread that makes two loaves. I only had 1 1/2 cups, so I added applesauce up to the 2 cup mark. No one can tell, it still tastes like banana bread!

This is the only picture I got of my banana bread. While I was watching The Great British Baking Show. I added chocolate chips to one loaf. yum!!

This week is all about simple meals and prepping for TWO Thanksgiving dinners! May your turkey and stuffing come out perfect!!

Check out my In the Kitchen with Linda page, where all my kitchen tips, ideas, and recipes are linked!

Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Monday – chicken or turkey – Pork roast, rice, green beans

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Pasta with meat sauce, peas

Wednesday – Taco Night- Chicken Fajitas

Thursday – pork or chicken – Thanksgiving dinner!

Friday – Quick & Easy  – take out pizza

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – soup or sandwiches

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Thanksgiving dinner #2!

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*This In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu post contains affiliate link

I had a great week in the kitchen last week. Well, almost!

The meals all came out great, and everyone ate their fill. The cupcakes I tried to make were a different story. lol

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Don’t let those extra hamburger or hot dog buns go to waste. Make garlic bread out of them!

Chicken Fajitas in the making!

Meatloaf!

I made another batch of hot chocolate mix. I don’t drink coffee, hot tea sometimes, but hot chocolate on a cold morning is my go to!

Cheeseburgers on the grill, with oven fries.

Ok, those are all the successes. Now for the failure. Well, somewhat failure. I didn’t like how these apple pie cupcakes came out, but we ate them all because they tasted good. They just didn’t look good!

To start with, I over filled the cupcakes. The recipe I tried said it made 12. I over filled and still had some batter left. I think I used too much apple, too, but used the number of apples the recipe call for. Because I over filled the cupcakes, the started falling apart when I took them out of the pan. So I’m not sure if the recipe was the problem, or user error.

The frosting recipe that I used, called for all butter. By the time the cupcakes were cooled enough, the frosting started to firm up and was ripping the cupcakes when I tried to spread it. Since the cupcakes were already ugly, I just plopped some frosting on and called it a day. This was totally user error. lol Even though they were ugly, they did taste good! I’m going to keep trying for the perfect apple pie cupcake! My family doesn’t mind the discards. lol

When my husband and I went shopping on Saturday, we stopped at our favorite pizza place. You go through the line, like a sub shop, and tell them what you want on your pizza.

I got ranch dressing as my sauce, with onions, green peppers, spinach, grilled chicken, bacon, pineapple, and parmesan cheese. Yum! These pizzas have 6 slices, enough for 3 lunches for me.

Check out my In the Kitchen with Linda page, where all my kitchen tips, ideas, and recipes are linked!

Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Monday – chicken or turkey – Baked Chicken, mashed potatoes, zucchini

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Pasta with meat sauce, green beans

Wednesday – Taco Night- Chicken Fajitas

Thursday – pork or chicken – pork chops, rice, beets, and peas

Friday – Quick & Easy  – take out or leftovers

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – Burgers on the grill, pasta salad with lots of veggies

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Soup, sandwiches, or leftovers

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the links, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you

*This In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu post contains affiliate links

Another week, another 7 meals. lol

I didn’t get pictures of all of them, though. Of course. lol

When we have company, I usually leave my phone alone.

One night, I made a meal for a family in church that just had a baby. I sent them lasagna and green beans. So of course, since it’s easier, I made the same thing for us. I didn’t get a picture of what I sent, but I got a picture of ours. After we ate. lol

My 2 sons were very unhappy that I served the lasagna from the edges, and left the middle pieces. lol I saved one for my daughter, who had been stuck on the highway with a flat tire. And I saved the other one for my lunch the next day. Cooks privilege. lol

On chicken night, I usually make white and dark meat. Here’s my plate with the oven roasted potatoes, and spinach.

And my husbands plate with the potatoes, and cooked spinach. I prefer raw, my husband and mother prefer cooked. And the adult kids prefer none. lol

Here’s one of my lunch plates from last week. Crackers a couple of days, and most days not.

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Check out my In the Kitchen with Linda page, where all my kitchen tips, ideas, and recipes are linked!

Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Monday – chicken or turkey – Baked Chicken, baked potatoes, beets

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Pasta with meat sauce, green beans

Wednesday – Taco Night- Chicken Fajitas

Thursday – pork or chicken – sweet and sour pork , rice, peas, carrots

Friday – Quick & Easy  – take out or leftovers

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – Burgers on the grill, pasta salad with lots of veggies

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Soup, sandwiches, or leftovers

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the links, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you

*This In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu post contains affiliate links

Well, I once again missed posting for a couple of weeks. sigh. I did manage to take pictures this time, though!

In the Kitchen with Linda

I attempted to make blooming onions in the air fryer.

They were a fail! One onion I cut to0 far down and it fell open. The recipe that I was following said you could put foil under the onion in the air fryer. I’m not sure if that’s why, or not, but the onions weren’t done after the recommend time. I even put them in the oven for 20 minutes after the air fryer. They were still “crunchy”. So not sure if it was the cooking time listed in the recipe, the foil, or me cutting them wrong. I will be trying them again at some point, though. I will succeed in make a blooming onion in the air fryer!

I had bought some pork loin on sale and cut it into chops myself. So good cooked on the grill!

I hadn’t made Sausage Pasta Skillet in a long time. The family loved it. And so did I. It’s so good!

Breakfast for dinner – french toast and bacon.

A flat whisk is the perfect utensil for french toast! You can pick it up and drain the liquid from it without it falling apart. I used to use a fork, and the bread would always rip. Not anymore!

Breakfast for supper is always good!

So is meatloaf!

Spaghetti with meat sauce, and zucchini. All covered in parmesan cheese, of course!

Chicken fajitas with lots of onions and green peppers. Yes, that’s sour cream on the tortilla. lol I like a lot! lol

My lunches have been looking a lot like this plate lately. A “picky plate” I usually have a vegetable, carrots, cucumbers, raw green peppers. But on this day there were homemade chocolate chip cookies in the house. So they were on my plate. lol

What’s your favorite lunch when you are home all day?

Check out my In the Kitchen with Linda page, where all my kitchen tips, ideas, and recipes are linked!

Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Monday – chicken or turkey – Baked Chicken, oven roasted potatoes, spinach

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Pasta with meat sauce, zucchini

Wednesday – Taco Night- Chicken Fajitas

Thursday – pork or chicken – pork roast with potatoes, onions and carrots

Friday – Quick & Easy  – take out or leftovers

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – Burgers on the grill, pasta salad with lots of veggies

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Soup, sandwiches, or leftovers

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the links, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you

*This In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu post contains affiliate links

Well, I failed at taking pictures last week. Again. lol I though I did, but the proof is on my phone! lol We had some family over Saturday night for a game night. I did take a couple of pictures while I was preparing some of the food. But not of the spread when it was serving time. I’ll try again next week. lol

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

I had gotten a cantaloupe on sale, so this seemed like the perfect time to slice into it. The people that like cantaloupe said it was really good. I’m not one of them. lol

I also made a family favorite, pepperoni and cream cheese. It’s really good! My mother in law used to make these for every holiday. Sometimes she would use small salami, too. For an appetizer tray, every pepperoni should be on a toothpick.

But when you make over a hundred, that’s too many toothpicks. If it was for other people besides family, I would have used toothpicks. lol Instead, I put them all in a bowl. lol

I did go grocery shopping! We won’t talk about how much this cart full was. I’m sure you have your own receipt total that you don’t want to talk about, too! I did take my favorite electrolyte drink shopping with me. Can’t go shopping without it!

I am really going to buckle down and take lots of food pictures this week! So come back next week and see how I did! lol

Check out my In the Kitchen with Linda page, where all my kitchen tips, ideas, and recipes are linked!

Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Monday – chicken or turkey – Baked Chicken, mashed potatoes, zucchini

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Pasta with meat sauce, green beans

Wednesday – Taco Night- Chicken Fajitas

Thursday – pork or chicken – pork chops, rice, beets, and peas

Friday – Quick & Easy  – take out or leftovers

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – Burgers on the grill, pasta salad with lots of veggies

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Soup, sandwiches, or leftovers

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the links, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you

*This In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu post contains affiliate links

I had an easier week this week, recovering from my surgery. So I was able to be in the kitchen more. Still didn’t get everything done that I wanted to. But I’m always too hard on myself anyway. If I don’t get everything done on my to do list, I feel like I failed. I’m working on that!!

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

My son planted kohlrabi in the garden this year. I’m not sure why, as none of us had ever had it before. lol

Turns out, kohlrabi, sometimes called German turnip or turnip cabbage, is in the cabbage family. It grows above ground, not below, so doesn’t belong in the turnip family.

You can eat it raw, or cooked in multiple ways. We thought it tasted like a mild turnip

I made a family favorite…. Cheesy Ranch Pork Chops. So good!

Pork chops smothered in sour cream with ranch powder. Then covered in cheddar cheese.

I served it with rice, beets, and crescent rolls. Yum!

Another night, we had baked chicken, mashed potatoes, and pan fried zucchini. I use just a small amount of butter in a cast iron skillet.

We needed a quick meal one night. So hot dogs it was. Guess who forgot the hot dog buns??? lol So we went old school. lol I actually like it better on bread than a bun. There is a better bread to hot dog ratio. lol

Then it was on to birthday party prep! A Princess Tea Party to be exact for my 4 year old granddaughter.

First up, chicken salad! Yes, I use canned chicken. I also add sweet relish, finely chopped celery, and finely chopped green onions. Refrigerate over night so the flavors can meld. So good!

The table without all the tea cups, including the most adorable mermaid tea set I found!

My other daughter, one of the Aunties, made a castle cake. It was the first big cake she’s ever decorated. I think she did an amazing job!

Isn’t it cute???

Check out my In the Kitchen with Linda page, where all my kitchen tips, ideas, and recipes are linked!

Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Monday – chicken or turkey – Switching it up this week, having burgers on the grill! And corn.

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Pasta with meat sauce, green beans

Wednesday – Taco Night- tacos with all the fixin’s

Thursday – pork or chicken – pork chops, rice, beets, and peas

Friday – Quick & Easy  – take out or leftovers

Saturday – Quick & Easy or Husbands Choice – Grilling! Not sure what yet……

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Soup, sandwiches, or leftovers

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click the links, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you