Hanging In There

Not sure that I'm even getting things in here in any kind of order, but at least family and friends who are readers will know that we are hanging in there. And for the most part, doing okay.

We spent the weekend battling kid germs of assorted varieties. There were a couple of long nights and some worry until everyone was better. So far, the mama-to-be has stayed away from the germs. And I have repeatedly washed and wiped everything in sight.

Little Sister announced to her daddy when he got home, "I was very sick." But here is proof that she is over it! The sun came out yesterday, literally and figuratively. She and had I fun playing outdoors.

Big Sister had a bout with different germs, but she is well, too. Fingers crossed that we will all stay healthy for a while. In trying to keep things from spreading, I have washed and wiped everything in the house multiple times. That also includes many, many handwashings. I have suffered from really dry hands since I've been here. Even Little Sister has told me my hands were rough when I help her out of the tub. 

Yesterday morning I made a quick trip to the store for essentials and happened to spy a bottle of Corn Huskers lotion on the bottom shelf. This is what my grandmother used. There was always a bottle by her kitchen sink. It cost less than $3.00. So I tossed a bottle into my cart with the other things I was getting. By yesterday afternoon, my hands were visibly better. Why have I not used this before? 

And there is some cooking going on here. I am looking for the easiest things I can find to keep us fed. I bought a boneless turkey breast this weekend with no recipe in mind. But a quick Google search led me to this recipe. I changed the cooking directions, but used her rub ingredients exactly as written. 

OVEN ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

1 boneless turkey breast (mine was about 3-1/2 lbs.)

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon minced dry onion

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Reynold's Oven Bag, large size

1 tablespoon flour for bag

Thaw turkey completely if frozen. (Mine was fresh.) 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix all of the dry ingredients. Pat turkey dry. Rub with olive oil. Pat herb mix all over turkey. 

Add flour to oven bag and shake. Place seasoned turkey into bag and fasten bag with enclosed tie. Place into 9x13-inch baking dish. Cut six 1/2-inch slits into bag. 

Bake for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until internal temp of turkey reaches 170 degrees. The instructions enclosed with the oven bags will give cooking times for different sized turkey breasts. Read those before you start.

Let rest 20 minutes before removing from bag. For neater slices, refrigerate overnight.

This turned out SO good. And it was the easiest recipe for roasted turkey I saw. Using the oven bag keeps the meat moist, even when I cooked it a little past the desired temperature. The meat will also brown through the bag. Plus, the clean up is easy because nothing is baked on to the dish. You could use a bone-in turkey breast, too. It's all about the seasoning rub. 

We made sandwiches with sliced turkey, provolone cheese and cranberry mayo. And we had turkey for dinner last night with vegetables. 

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