Grandpa O's Famous Turkey and Dumplings

My Grandpa used to make these for me when I was a little kid.  I grew up next door to my mom's parents and so we spent not only time there on holidays, but on normal mundane days too. It's one of our family's favorite ways to used up left over Thanksgiving turkey.  The secret to why his are so much better than other recipes is that you used a cream puff or eclair recipe for the dumplings (that makes these dumplings less tough than traditional dumplings):)

Turkey and Dumplings

8 Cups chicken broth
1 stalk celery (optional, thinly sliced)
2 large carrots (optional, peeled and thinly sliced)
I also add about half of an onion finely grated

Left over turkey (shredded or chunks)

Start the broth boiling and add in the veggies.  In the meantime make the dumplings.

Danish Dumplings

1 cube butter
1 C. boiling water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. flour
4 eggs

Melt butter in boiling water.  Add salt and flour, stirring over heat until ball follows the spoon around the pan (not long).  Remove from heat and beat in eggs---one at a time.  Take dumpling mixture and drop into hot chicken broth, a heaping tablespoon at a time.  Simmer 20 minutes---DO NOT BOIL.  Ad turkey to the brother or serve on the side, as desired.

Thanksgiving 2017

Le licking his lips over his pumping pie.

I LOVE making Thanksgiving dinner!  I love spending time in the kitchen.  I love that my family and our guests get cozy and keep my company while I cook.  And I love, love, love all the leftovers.  Leland said, "I like Thanksgiving because the pies, and the sweet potatoes, and 'blah, blah, blah.'"  Hahah....me too, Buddy!

Mark caught me mid-one-of-my-epic-laughs. :D

Le getting the first slice of pie.

Gavin with his.

Senn with hers.

Ship with his pie (and Mom too).  I love this stage where he winks every time he smiles for a picture. <3

Aftermath couple selfie.

The boys performed for the play Wed and Fri night.  I am also tied to home right now for an anytime commitment.  We stayed home this year and had a lovely holiday.  We invited a houseful of guests.  Some told us no up front.  Others changed plans last minute.  Grandma and Grandpa Ricks did join us though.  It's the quietest Thanksgiving we have had a in long time, but we had a wonderful time visiting with Grandma and Grandpa.  They were good sports for the "Loco Cafe" (the kids started a "restaurant" in the play room and the menu and entire experience truly was loco!).  I am grateful for the heartfelt and connecting conversations in the kitchen.  We don't get to spend a lot of time with them, so it was special to have this memorable time together!

Ship (3-yr-old) took over the selfie stick.

This is how we spent Black Friday morning...getting in a much needed date "night" for the week!

The lights are on for Temple Square now!

Dad, Ship, and Grandpa.

Grandma teaching Senn to make books.

Somehow Grandpa caught a nap...I have no idea how!  With a houseful of boys this place is always hopping...and LOUD!

Dad carving the turkey!

Grandma and Grandpa!

The Day after Thanksgiving= Christmas decorations!  The kids put the tree up almost entirely themselves.  I was impressed with their persistence, determination, and teamwork.

It always is so magical when the lights go on!  Minus lights on the house, Christmas is up!  (I have no idea when we will get to hanging them with the play!) :p

Pie Day 2017

Shipton's French Silk Pie (chocolate---Better Homes & Gardens)

1 prepared pastry shell
1 C whipping cream
1 C semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 C butter
1/3 C sugar
2 beaten egg yolks
3 TBS creme de cacao or whipping cream
1 C whipped cream

1.  Bake shell according to directions.  Set aside.  Meanwhile, in a medium heavy saucepan combine the 1 C. whipping cream, the chocolate chips, butter, and sugar.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted (about 10 min).  Remove from heat.  Gradually stir half of the chocolate mixture into beaten egg yolks.  Return egg mixture to chocolate mixture in saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened and begins to bubble (about 5 mins).  Remove from heat.  (Mixture may appear to separate.)  Stir in the creme de cacao or whipping cream.  Place the saucepan in a bowl of ice water (I fill my sink with ice water).  Stir occasionally, until the mixture stiffen and becomes hard to stir (about 20 min).  Transfer chocolate mixture to a medium mixing bowl.

2.  Beat cooled chocolate mixture with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 2 to 3 min or until light and fluffy.  Spread filling in the baked pastry shell.  Cover and refrigerate pie for 5-24 hours (It's even better after it's chilled).  To serve, top with whipped cream.

Leland's Pumpkin Pie (Libby's recipe)

prepared pie shell

3/4 C granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 15-oz can pumpkin 

1 12-oz-can evaporated milk

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in small bowl.  Beat eggs in large bowl.  Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture.  Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

Pour into pie shell

Bake in preheated 425 over for 15 min.  Reduce temperature to 350.  Cover the crust with foil.  Bake for an additional 40-50 mins or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Col on wire rack for 2 hours.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Gavin's French Cherry Pie (Jackie Call's recipe)

1/2 small pkg (3 oz) cream cheese

1/2 C powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 C. cool whip

1 can prepared cherry pie filling

Soften cream cheese and add sugar and vanilla together.  Whip cream and fold into cream cheese mixture.  Pour into graham cracker crust of cooled baked crust and spread evenly. Pour cherry filling over the top.  Chill 4-5 hours. 

Sennika's Blueberry Pie (Better Homes and Gardens)

2 prepared shells

5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (allow frozen berries to thaw at room temperature for 45 minutes)

3/4 C sugar

3 TBS flour

1/2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel or a splash of lemon juice

In a large bowl combine the sugar, flour, lemon, and berries.  Gently toss berries until coated.  Transfer berry mixture to the pastry-lined pie plate.  Trim bottom pastry to edge of pie plate (and cut slits in the top) or add a lattice top.   

Cover crust with foil.  Bake at 375 oven for 25 min.  Remove foil.  Bake pie for 25-30 additional minutes or until filling is bubbly and pastry is golden.  Cool on wire rack.

My Savior of the World Boys

Mark and Gavin have spent the past few months rehearsing for this beautiful musical production depicting the events surrounding Christ's birth and death.  They just started performances and the production will go until the end of the year.  These boys are in the Wednesday night, Friday night, and Saturday matinee performances.  It's been a huge time commitment and late nights, but we have been delighted to support them in this.  Mark and Gavin both have had spiritual moments in preparing for the performances.  Mark is a temple priest.  Gavin is a temple boy and John the baptist. They are both angels for most of the other scenes throughout the rest of the performance.  I am proud of them both!

Hello...and almost goodbye...Autumn..IPad picture download

This was from Ship's b-day back in April.  I'm not sure if it made it up or not.

I think we had other pictures of our big Easter Egg hunt, right?  Since Easter is close to my b-day, I asked for an Easter party and invited my friends (I was the primary chorister at the time, so we invited my primary kiddos and their families).  Our own kids were happy egg fillers and hiders.

This picture gives me reassurance that sometimes I am doing my job right as a Mama.  I LOVE that these two read and read and read.

Sennika drew a picture of Dad. :D

"Super Cat!"  AKA Shipton (note the awesome cape).  Essential to save the day...along with arms flailed behind him so it swooshes after him as he runs. :)

Gavin helped me paint.  I love this color!  It's Robin Egg Blue.

Sennika and I sent all of the boys off camping (this is the first year we haven't had Ship stay with us).  We had so much needed "G.T.," or "Girl Time."  I never expected to have so many boys and only one daughter.  I don't regret the mix, it has simply surprised me.  Being so feminine, I wasn't expecting to many boys.  We love them, but we also love doing things that only girls can do.  We had some extra special time that night.  It was stormy and Senn was scared by the wind.  She crawled into my bed shortly after we had said goodnight.  We stayed up taking WAY too late.  Keeping a strong relationship with each one of our children is important to both of us as parents.  The children behave differently with individual time with one or both parents than in group interactions.  Although there are a million ways I can use my time, I was always keep a flexible enough schedule to make time to stay close to each of my children.  Some day it would be fun to actually get to purchase the baby girl clothes Senn and I sometimes window shop for.  (Senn usually begs to pass through the baby aisle at walmart to take in the cuteness). In the future it may be wonderful for Senn to have a sister to love as only sisters can and one more daughter to enjoy G.T. with.  Until then, we will keep enjoying our time as the only girls in this boy-infested family. lol.:)

This is my Grandma O (my mom's mom) and my mom.  We got together with most of my sisters for a Mother's Day tea party in Idaho.

Have I talked about the chickens?  I think so, right?  We got little puff balls on Easter weekend and started our flock.  Senn literally calls them her babies.  She LOVES the little bird brains!  They seem to love the kids too.  They race to the door of the hen house when they hear them open the backdoor to the house.  They have spent more of their free time this summer playing with the chickens than any other way.

Field trip to the local botanical gardens.

Gavin all ready to head out for his first scout camp!

Field trip to the Bird Refuge.

Solar Eclipse!

Leland's b-day piñata!

I was dying over this card!  Gavin took a picture off of Leland's poster board and used a body he cut out from his Friend Magazine.  I'm not entirely sure why it hit me as so funny...even know I am still chuckling about it!

Gavin has been my regular yoga buddy lately.  The other kids only have the patience and attention for a 3 minute mediation each, but Gavin has been doing my daily practice with me (30 min).

Senn makes a lovely yoga buddy too!

Senn helping Ship build magforms.

The yoga girls again.

I was up the apple tree trying to get the remaining apples.  Senn thought it was pretty funny.

Shipton with another favorite cape (a V-Day tablecloth). :)

Senn nervously about to head into her first day of dance class.  She did ballet back in ID.  We finally got her into a super fun class here in UT.

Gav again.

I don't know why, but this felt like such a magical moment.  Everyone was finishing up lunch.  I love when they all decide to sit at the counter and I can look into all 4 of their faces (our table only fits 3 chairs per long side, so I always have one next to me).

Oh, the toilet paper! :s  I have a Preschooler Halloween album of music on my IPad.  Ship loves to listen to it over and over.  One day, with Dad's permission, he decided to turn himself into a mummy while he listened to it...except he ended up turning the house into a mummy instead.  He was so excited for Halloween this year.  It was adorable!

My boys!  Look at how comfy that both look!  This is the one and only day Mark was clean shaven in 2017.  We found out he didn't get into the Book of Mormon movie clips for this year (they will continue to record next summer, but won't start accepting applications for a few months---then they are suppose to update the profiles every 3 months to demonstrate hair and beard growth).  Mark and Gavin had auditioned for Savior of the World.  Mark received an e-mail telling them that the didn't get it.  So he shaved.  And then the night he shaved I received a voicemail.  There had been a mistake and they really did cast Mark and Gavin!  He frantically called back the next morning to let them know he had just shaved.  They reassured him that they didn't cast him because of his beard. :)  So he started growing again the very next day.

We don't usually do yoga all together at once, but this day we did.

About to head out for dinner and the General Women's meeting.

It's tiring work to be a preschooler!  Truly!

Senn was asked to dog sit.  I think Ship was excited to see the dog found one of his favorite hiding places too: under the desk.

Oh, these two!

Senn's dance company had a super fun Halloween party.  She loved her face paint.  I love her!!!

Another yoga buddy shot.

Can you spot my two spiders---Gavin and Leland---at the park?

Ship (and a touch of Le).

Dad took the boys to the park.  They had a hey-day gathering hazelnuts.  Here is Le's "stash."

Gav

Ship

Carving pumpkins!  This is Gavin

Dad and the boys.

Le

The weather his so different here than in ID.  It was so hot outside the day before Halloween that the kids got umbrellas to block the sun!

Mom and Ship.

The cutest ninja turtle ever!

Hmmm...Le gives him the run for his money though.

All four kids about to hit the neighborhood for trick-or-treating.

Just so classic!  I have no idea how other moms get all of their kids to look and actually smile.  Haha...but this definitely shows their personalities. :)

Leland's bday cake!

Gavin and Le trying to position the ramp to launch cars down the stairs.

Dad's B-Day cake!