Friday, November 21, 2014

Thanksgiving Week Menu

Wow...it is already time for Thanksgiving.  Time just flies around this household.  I will be spending this weekend shopping, lugging and packaging for the Food Pantry Thanksgiving Distribution on Monday.

So I am posting this Weekly Menu today instead of tomorrow and I am also making my Chicken Wild Rice Soup for tomorrow today and then will just be able to reheat it when we are done running around.

This is an easy and delicious soup that I got from one of those little cookbooks you find at the grocery store checkout many years ago.  Probably Pillsbury but I cannot guarantee that since I had removed the page and threw out the book itself.  There is no acknowledgement on the page itself but the original recipe calls for "Maggi" and "Carnation" brands so this was put out by whichever company owns those trademarks.  On this same page was a recipe for Pumpkin Corn Muffins that sounded delicious so I threw a pumpkin in the oven as well so I could make these to go along with the soup.

Here is my adaptation of both recipes.


After preparing the soup I transferred it to the crock of my slow cooker.
This will make for easy reheat tomorrow while we are doing our errands.


Chicken Wild Rice Soup

1 box (6 oz) long grain and wild rice mix, prepared per package directions.
2 T. Olive Oil
1/2 lb chicken breast meat cut into bite size pieces
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 c. water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
2 T. dry white wine, if desired
1/4 t. dried tarragon, crushed
1/4 t. dried thyme, crushed
1 can (12 oz) Evaporated Milk (I use low fat)
2 T. cornstarch

Heat the oil in a large soup pot.  Add the chicken, mushrooms, onions and garlic.  Cook until vegetables are tender.  Add the rice, water, bouillon cubes, wine and seasonings.  Bring to a boil.  Mix a small amount of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl.  Reduce heat and add the cornstarch mixture, along with the remaining milk.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until slightly thickened.  Print Recipe


Pumpkin Corn Muffins

2 eggs
1 1/4 c. pumpkin puree
1/3 c. milk
1/4 c. canola oil
1 1/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour
1 c. corn meal
1/3 c. sugar
4 t baking powder
pinch of salt

In bowl of stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, beat the eggs, pumpkin, milk and oil until well combined.  Turn off mixer, add dry ingredients, turn mixer to lowest speed until dry ingredients are incorporated then turn mixer speed slightly higher and mix thoroughly.  Scoop into muffin cups lined with paper cups or sprayed with baking spray.  Bake at 375* for 25 minutes.  Print Recipe

I will be publishing photos and recipes throughout the week so please join us each day and on Monday you should stop by MPM for great menu ideas from hundreds of bloggers.

Soup Saturday
Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Pumpkin Corn Muffins

Sunday
Mashed Potatoes

Meatless Monday
Butternut Squash Ravioli
Salad

Tuesday
Out to dinner with Mom Klik before the Theatre

Wednesday
Chicken and Broccoli Pie

Thanksgiving 
I will be posting my menu for Thanksgiving Day this weekend.

Friday
Leftovers, of course

4 comments:

  1. Sounds like you are very busy. Love your menu! We are not doing Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving so it will give me some extra time to prepare.

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    Replies
    1. Many families celebrate Thanksgiving on a different day especially when they are in the service business as your family is. When I was working, I was on afternoon shift and would have our dinner at Noon on Thanksgiving and then have the leftovers ready for the shift to go into my house and help themselves during their lunch hour. One of the benefits of living in the city in which you work.

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    2. We have always had ours on a different day than the actual day. It worked well in later years when the boys always had in-laws to go to as well.

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    3. Absolutely. It always amuses me when families get all flustered about the holidays....I'm like, just pick another day already.....sheesh.

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