Better Than Nestle!

I've been making "homemade" hot chocolate for years now. It's real simple, just a few ingredients;

Hot Chocolate

1-2 tsp sugar

1-2 tsp powdered milk(preferred) or Coffee Creamer

1/2 tsp powdered baking Cocoa

In one cup mix the above ingredients, in another microwave a cup of boiling water and add to the mixture. Add marshmallows and enjoy!

I got this idea years ago from Miserly Moms or Tightwad Gazette, don't recall which. We haven't bought hot cocoa mix for years. For Christmas this year, a good friend got us some European hot cocoa mix that the kids couldn't wait to try. Their response? "Could you make yours please mom?" I don't know if they're just used to mine or if it's really that much better, but it sure is cheaper! With this cold weather, it makes an easy, inexpensive treat!

Pizza Bake

While I have only recently began to post recipes with poultry, I have yet to post one with beef as I just have not taken to eating mammals just yet, but I made this dish for a potluck the other evening with some modifications and just had to share it here as it is quite good!

Pizza Bake

1 lb ground beef(I used ground turkey and got no complaints!)

2 tubes refrigerated buttermilk biscuits( I used 1-1/2 grands)

1 can/jar pizza sauce(15 ounces)

1 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 pkg sliced pepperoni(3-1/2 oz, I have yet to find a veggie or poultry sub)

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In skillet cook beef or turkey over medium heat until no longer pink. Meanwhile, quarter the biscuits; place in greased shallow 3-qt baking dish. Top with pizza sauce. Drain meat, sprinkle over biscuits and sauce. Layer with green pepper, onion, pepperoni and cheeses. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

This is a hit with young and old alike! Great for potlucks or company.

For a Day Such As This

We woke up to lots of snow and even more falling, so while we were planning on making baked beans for a potluck tonite, it looks like we will be house bound and this weather is just calling for an old favorite recipe of mine! I got this one from a very old issue of Keepers At Home Magazine.

Grandma's Chicken & Dumpling Soup

2-3 lbs chicken cut up(I just use Chicken Breasts)

6 c cold water

3 chicken bouillon cubes

3 whole cloves

Soup Base

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can chicken broth

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup chopped celery

1-1/2 cups chopped carrots

1/4 cup onion

1 cup chopped potatoes

1 sm bay leaf

seasoning salt

Feather Dumplings

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1 egg well beaten

2 Tbs butter melted

1/4 cup milk

Place chicken, water, bouillon, pepper corns, and cloves in kettle and bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer until chicken is tender. Cool chicken just slightly, cut into bite sized pieces and set aside. Strain and skim chicken broth. Put the reserved chicken and broth in large kettle. Add cans of broth, cream of chicken and mushroom soups, celery, carrots, onions, potatoes, bay leaf, and seasoning salt. Put cover on kettle and simmer soup on low for 2-3 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, mix up feather dumplings by sifting dry ingredients together and adding egg, melted butter, and enough milk to make a moist but stuff batter. Drop by teaspoon fulls into the boiling liquid. Cook covered without peeking for 18-20 minutes or until the dumplings are done. YUM! Enjoy!

My Famous Lemon Cake

I can't really take credit for this one, as it is yet another yummy recipe from an old issue of Taste of Home. This is another that always gets rave reviews.

Lemon Cake

1 package light yellow cake mix

1 package(3.4 oz)instant lemon pudding mix

1-3/4 cup water

3 egg whites

3/4 cup cold milk

1/2 tsp lemon extract

1 package(1 oz) instant sugar free vanilla pudding mix

1 carton(8oz) frozen light whipped topping, thawed.

In mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix, lemon pudding mix, water and egg whites. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Pour into a 13x9x2 in baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 23-28 minutes. Cool. In a mixing bowl, combine mile, extract and vanilla pudding mix. Beat on low for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Spread over cake. Store in fridge. Enjoy!

Crockpot Lemon Chicken

I may be having to take our youngest in to the Urgent Care today as we're not sure whether or not he broke his wrist last night. The Urgent Care is about two hours each way, then of course the hours we will wait there for Xrays and possible treatment. I didn't want to be worrying about dinner when we get home, so I tossed this recipe together in the crockpot early this morning. It is another I got years ago from Taste of Home Magazine.

Crockpot Lemon Chicken

6 chicken breast halves(I use boneless skinless)

1-2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp seasoned salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tbl butter or margarine

put herbs on chicken and brown in butter. Place browned chicken in crockpot.

1/4 cup water

3 tbl lemon juice

2-3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tsp chicken bullion

place the above ingredients in pan you browned the chicken in loosening the browned chicken pieces. Bring to a boil and pour all over chicken in crockpot. Cook on low 5-6 hours.

If you wish you can thicken juices and serve over rice or noodles.

Lemon Chicken

Here is a yummy chicken recipe. While not a huge fan of meat, this is one way I do like it quite a bit!

4-6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 tsp margarine

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbs corn starch

1 cup chicken broth

brown chicken in skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Remove chicken and melt margarine. Stir in brown sugar and salt. Add lemon juice. Return chicken to pan and cover and cook for 10 or so minutes turning every few minutes. Move chicken to a plate.

Combine cornstarch and broth add to pan. Cook stirring constantly until sauce is thickened. Spoon over chicken and spoon extra sauce over brown rice.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

I tried these this morning for a change of pace and all I can say is YUM!! They are good. A bit sweet, so syrup is optional. Actually they were almost too sweet even with agave nectar.

1 1/4 cup flour

1 T sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 T baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 C milk

4 T melted butter

3/4 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Enjoy!

Holy Guacamole!

I got this recipe from an old Marlboro Country Cook book I got for free for sending in so many cigarette wrappers. No, I don't smoke anymore, haven't in about 12 years, but I still love this cookbook and this recipe in particular.

Yesterday, my neighbor whom I hardly know...as a matter of fact I don't even know their names, blessed us with a huge bag of avocados. So guess what I'm making today?

Of course this is great with chips, but it is also a great topping for your veggie burger or other burger of choice.

Cowboy Guacamole

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe avocados

2 tbs minced onion

1 tbsp lemon juice

1-2 tbsp finely chopped green chili pepper

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce(there's a great veggie one on the market!)

4 drops Tabasco sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 large ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped

combine avocado, onion, lemon juice, chili peppers, salt, Worcestershire, Tabasco sauce and garlic. Cook tomato in a dry skillet until moisture is absorbed and tomato pieces turn light brown; cool before adding to avocado mixture. Enjoy!

Amish Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Here it is; the first ever recipe posted here that has meat! Enjoy! This one is a crowd pleaser and I am almost always asked for the recipe after serving it. I got this one from a little booklet called Cook Books by Good Books, Casseroles.

1 1/4 lb fresh broccoli chopped and cooked

4-6 cups cooked chicken, coarsely diced

6 tbls butter or margarine

6 tbsp flour

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 cups milk

1/2 cup mayo

1 tsp lemon juice

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 tbs butter or margarine

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1. Layer broccoli on bottom of greased 9x13 baking dish. Layer chicken over broccoli.

2. In a sauce pan melt the 6 tbs butter, stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in mild and continue stirring until the white sauce is smooth and comes to a boil. Remove from heat.

3. combine may and lemon juice with white sauce and pour over chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle with cheese.

4. melt 2 tbsp butter. Stir in bread crumbs and sprinkle over casserole.

5. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Note: I have made this with veggie chicken or with only the broccoli with good results.

A Shocking Confession!

After being a strict vegetarian for over three years, I have recently begun to have rather strong cravings for chicken! And bacon if I am to be honest, but I can't bring myself to eat it. I have sampled a little chicken recently. My youngest and I are the only vegetarians here, and the other three guys call themselves "forced vegetarians." They deal, but aren't happy. This most often shows up when we are at church potlucks and they load up their plates full of meat!

I try to cook in a way that pleases us all, and feel like most of the time I do accomplish just that. But it does put limits on what and how I cook. There just aren't as many tasty veggie crock pot dishes.

Lately it has become apparent that a couple of my guys really do feel deprived. And after trying to up my protein thinking perhaps that was the reason for my bizarre cravings(the thought of meat typically sickens me literally) I have caved in and ate and rather enjoyed chicken.

I don't know whether this will be a short lived phase or if it will result in me consuming meat beyond poultry or what will come of it....I haven't really formed any deep convictions one way or the other. For now I will listen to my body and follow it's leading.

So, in the days to follow you will see a first here.....recipes that involve chicken! I have been told that for not eating meat I sure do cook it well, so you will have to try a few and let me know if that is true.

Garlic Bubble Loaf Bread!

I can't believe I never posted this before. In my last post I said this was posted under breads, then I realized I never posted it! This in my opinion has to be the bestest bread recipe ever!! Even my brothers girlfriend who typically doesn't like the drive out to the boonies where I live will come if this bread is served. It is THAT good, I promise! I got the recipe from an old Taste of Home magazine some years back.

Garlic Bubble Loaf

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

3 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 cups bread flour

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

GARLIC HERB BUTTER

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp each of dried oregano, thyme and rosemary

In bread machine place first seven ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting(check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1-2 tablespoons water or flour if needed) When cycle is completed, divide dough into 36 pieces. Shape each into a ball. In a bowl, combine butter, garlic and herbs. Dip each ball in mixture; place in an ungreased loaf pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

It's Getting To Be Soup Weather!

I love being able to cook soup in the crockpot all day long and letting it make the whole house smell good! Then just add some crusty bread, maybe a salad and you have a yummy meal with little effort.

Last night I just threw a few things in the crock and it came out yummy! Here's what I did:

4 cups veggie broth

2 cups water

1 onion diced

3-4 carrots sliced

2 zucchini diced

3 stalks celery sliced

4 garlic cloves pressed

1 can diced tomatoes with juice

1 can white kidney beans drained

1 can red kidney beans drained

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1 tbl sugar

thinly sliced cabbage

1-2 cups cooked noodles(I used macaroni shaped)

fresh Parmesan cheese

a dab pesto sauce

First I sauteed the onion, garlic, carrots and celery in a little olive oil until the onions were clear then added to the crock pot with the broth, water, tomatoes, seasonings and beans. I cooked on low most of the day(6-7 hours) then I turned to high and added the zucchini, cabbage and cooked noodles and cooked for about another hour. To serve I added just a dab of pesto sauce and some fresh Parmesan cheese to each bowl(the fresh Parmesan is really a must in my opinion!)

My oldest and youngest did turn their noses up to it, but my middle son couldn't get enough, he even ate it for breakfast this morning!

I served with some garlic bubble loaf bread(search archives under bread for recipe)

Quick and Easy and CHEAP!!

I cook from scratch probably 95-99% of the time. But sometimes due to time or energy I will break open a box or cellophane wrap and zap something in the microwave. Not too often mind you, although with one particular product I find myself doing it more and more.

Wild Oats(AKA Henry's in SoCal) makes a yummy instant rice noodle soup! Thai Noodle Cart also makes one although it is over a dollar versus 59 cents for this one.

It is not quite filling enough to satisfy bigger hungers on it's own and a little plain, but I spruce it up a little by sauteing a bit of cabbage and onions in a little sesame oil and add to it.

If you're needing a little protein boost top with a scrambled egg and bean sprouts. Yum! This has been my lunch daily for this past week or more, I am hooked!(minus the egg)

A Courtship Made in Heaven

I am not a big fan of ice cream. I can take it or leave it and more often than not I leave it. It just doesn't do much for me.





One day because we had a coupon and I got the item for free or near free we bought this:

All I can say is YUM, YUM, YUM!! Now this is GOOD stuff!! Dove's Chocolate & Cherry Courtship. Try it, but I warn you it is addicting! And without a coupon quite expensive, but oh, so worth it!

More Potato Dishes!

For a person on a tight budget the potato should be your best friend! It is so versatile and quite tasty, not to mention affordable!

We love to bake them and top them with a cheese sauce and broccoli, or with last nights chili. Homemade oven fries topped with chili and cheese also makes a tasty meal!

One of my favorite potluck dishes to take is this one:

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup butter

1 t. seasoned salt

1 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. pepper

about 5-6 large potatoes cooked & sliced

In sauce pan mix soups, sour cream, butter, and cheese and seasonings. Cook until smooth. Add potatoes and mix well. Add to grease baking dish and bake for 40-60 minutes at 350.

This works well as a side dish or even a main dish served with a salad and bread!

Another easy potato dish is to shred/grate your potatoes like making hash browns. Do the same to a zucchini. Press both together between paper towels to drain moisture/water. In a fry pan melt lots of butter and add the veggies in. Shape in the form of a patty and cook on both sides until crisp. Drain on paper towel and serve topped with chopped tomatoes, sliced green onion and just a touch of shredded mozzarella cheese. This is a favorite around here!

If you search this blog you will find more potato recipes for yummy soups, tasty casseroles and festive tacos. So buy a bulk bag and have a week or two of frugal, yummy, and easy to make meals!

The Tastiest Mac& Cheese

It seems most kids these days prefer the yucky processed mac & cheese in the blue box over moms home made rendition which is usually far healthier not to mention way tastier. Well, moms fear no more, I finally found a recipe even the pickiest of kids seem to enjoy! I have not had a complaint ever! I honestly don't see much different in this one than many others, but there must be something, cause even my kids eat it. Not only that, they BEG for it several nights a week!

I got this recipe from the Sara Snow show on TLC(one of the few reasons I miss my cable!!)

Mac & Cheese

I usually double this for my family of six and we get a few left overs for lunch the next day!

1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni

3 T butter

3 T flour

1/2 t salt

dash pepper

2 C grated cheddar cheese

2 cups milk

2-4 roma tomatoes sliced(to me this is a must for an adult friendly touch, but alas, two of my kiddos are tomato haters, so I don't get to add this touch as often as I like. Another idea I've heard of people trying is broccoli )

1 C bread crumbs(I use homemade, when I slice my fresh bread I save the crumbs in a freezer bag in the freezer, or when I have left over bread I fear wont get eaten quickly enough I run it through the food processor to create crumbs. Homemade crumbs really are so much tastier than store bought! If you're not making your own yet, I HIGHLY suggest you start...TODAY!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cook pasta until firm

Melt butter. Blend in flour. Whisk in milk.

Cook at medium heat until thick.

Add salt and pepper, and 1 1/2 cups of cheese.

Stir to melt.

Place cooked macaroni in greased baking dish.

Pour sauce in. Top with sliced tomatoes(or broccoli, or skip all together!)

Sprinkle with cheese and bread crumbs, bake for about 35 minutes. Start with lid on and then take it off for about the last 20 minutes.

I usually serve with Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans and either salad or a green veggie! Enjoy!

Black Bean and Rice Casserole

With the economy just getting worse and worse daily we are back to a lot of rice and beans around here! The good news is that not only are grains and legumes still quite affordable, they don't have to be boring! Think beyond just a heap of rice with a spoon full of beans heaped on! Though we should be grateful if we have even that, as many do with much less or nothing at all!
This is yet another family favorite. It is good the first night with corn chips on the side or to scoop it all up with, and a great filler for burritos the next night or two!

1 can black beans rinsed and drained(or make your own from dried beans for even bigger savings!)

1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 jar (8oz) picante sauce

2 cups cooked rice(I like to use brown, not only is it healthier, the texture works better in this recipe. The kids wont even notice, as it is covered well!)

1 cup sour cream

2 cups cheddar cheese, divided

In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Stir in the rice, sour cream and 1 cup of cheese. Transfer to a greased 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

I usually double to have left overs for lunches and burritos. For a potluck you can add corn, olives or other yuumies to make it more special!

Yummy Fried Rice

I just found this recipe in a very old Prevention Cookbook I've had for ages. I don't know why I never saw/tried this one before. I just made it for lunch today and it was SO good!

2 cups long-grain white rice(I like Jasmine!)

1/4 cup veggie broth(it calls for sherry or chicken stock)

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 cup thinly sliced broccoli stems(I used the tops too!)

2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger(I skipped this one)

2 cloves minced garlic(I used 4!)

1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage

2 scallions, diagonally sliced(I used a brown onion)

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

1/2 tsp ground red pepper(I used crushed)

1 teaspoon hoisin sauce(optional, but IMHO this is what made it so yummy!)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Cook rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile in a no-stick skillet combine the sherry or broth and canola oil;bring to a boil over med-high heat. Add the carrots, broccoli, ginger, and garlic. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, or until carrots soften slightly. Add the cabbage and scallions. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer the veggies to a plate;cover to keep warm.

Add the water, honey, sesame oil, red pepper, and hoisin sauce to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Add the rice. Cook and stir for 3 minutes, or until hot. Add the veggies. Cook and stir for a minute. Add soy sauce and enjoy!!

Satisfying Snacks

Keeping the kids bellies full and content can be a full time job in itself sometimes. Some of our favorite snacks all involve Cream Cheese. If you want to try all of these, the best deal is to buy in bulk at Costco or other warehouse club.

Cheese Ball

16 oz cream cheese

packet of ranch dip mix

1/4 cup mayo

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Mix all ingredients except for 1 cup of cheddar in mixer. Separate into two balls and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for several hours.

When ready to serve roll balls in shredded cheddar and serve with your favorite cracker! YUM!!

____________________________________________________________________

Another Cheese and Cracker Treat

8 oz block of cream cheese

sweet chili sauce from Trader Joes

Just pour the chili sauce over cream cheese and serve with crackers, yummy and easy!

_________________________________________________________________________

Dip for Apples

I got this one from here. Try it, it's yummy!

Another "Pocket" Meal

I've shared my Pizza Pockets and Veggie Pasties on different posts, and today I have yet one more tasty pocket meal. I wasn't to sure the kids would like this one because of the broccoli, but they all love it! It also freezes well, and if wrapped in foil while hot and placed in an insulated bag, it could be a good meal on the go idea as well. This isn't my own creation, so here is the link to where I stole it from. Broccoli Calazone.

Veggie Pasties

Growing up my mom used to make the yummiest pasties ever, but they had meat in them, and other than that they only had potatoes, carrots, onions and if I recall correctly, tomatoes. I have been trying to come up with a good veggie recipe for the longest time, unsuccessfully...until I found this site a few weeks back.

This one is my favorite:

Veggie Pasty
Ingredients:
The Crust
2 cups flour
2/3 cups butter (or Crisco)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water
The Filling
2 1/2 cups peeled, diced potatoes
1 cup finely diced sweet potatoes
1/2 tablespoon oil or butter
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup diced, cooked mushrooms (about 3/4 cup uncooked)
1 1/2 cups diced broccoli
1 small onion (1/2 cup chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon season salt
1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 package)
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup milk for moistening and sealing crust
Crust:
Cut butter into flour and salt until it forms pea-size lumps. Add cold water and knead until well-blended. Form into 4 balls and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Roll in to an 8-inch circle. Use plenty of flour while rolling out.
Filling:
In a tablespoon of oil or butter, saute garlic and mushrooms, broccoli, onion, salt, black pepper, and one tablespoon of olive oil in a large bowl.
Construction:
Put 1 1/2 cups of filling on half of the pastry crust. Cut cream cheese block into quarters, and then cut each quarter into 4-5 pieces, and scatter on top of the filling pile. Add a tablespoon or two of shredded cheddar cheese to the top of the filling. Moisten the edges with milk or water, fold over, and pinch to seal. Brush outside lightly with milk. Cut 3-4 slits on the top to vent steam. Put on a lightly-greased cookie sheet, and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the crust is golden brown.

We have had these a few times in the last couple of weeks. They are SO yummy!!

If you wrap these in foil and keep in an insulated bag you can take these on the go with you too!

The BEST Chocolate Cake....EVER!!

I got this recipe several years ago from a "friend" over at Homeschool Blogger, when I used to blog over there. I honestly can't recall who it was now, as I'd love to give proper credit for this one.

When I was a little girl we use to go to my moms friends and she'd always have the BEST chocolate cake waiting for us. It was just so moist it was unbelievable! One day my mom asked for the recipe and couldn't believe the secret ingredient. Over the years I wondered about that recipe and where I could find it. My mom is no longer here with us and all I remembered was the incredible taste and the secret ingredient.

One day over at HSB I stumbled upon this one and I am pretty sure this is the same recipe as it has the secret ingredient and is SO yummy! In fact I have it baking in the oven right now to take to a dinner we are going to this afternoon.

Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup mayonnaise(THE secret ingredient...shhhh)

1 cup water

2 tsp baking soda

4 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder

1 tsp vanilla

mix all ingredients in a bowl.

pour batter into 9x13 greased and floured pan(I just spray some Pam)

Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350

cool and frost with frosting and enjoy!

Now, the lady at HSB that I stole this from, put a nice twist on this one. She included a totally yummy MOCHA frosting recipe:

Frosting

4 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp instant coffee

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl.

Beat until smooth and creamy, 2-4 minutes, on medium speed.

Enjoy!! YUM!

Focaccia Bread with Tomatos

This is one of our favorites! The bread is great alone served with a soup or pasta dish, but with this tomato topping it is just heavenly!!

I stole the tomato topping idea from California Pizza Kitchen. I am not sure of the exact ingredients, but I think I have it pretty darn close! Served with a salad this is a perfect summer main meal idea!

The Focaccia Bread recipe I got from a very old Taste of Home Magazine years ago.

Focaccia Bread

1 cup water

3 tbls butter or margarine softened

2 tbls dry milk powder

3 tbls sugar

1-1/2 tsp salt

3 cups bread flour

2-1/4 tsp yeast

combine all ingredients in bread machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Select "dough" setting. Check and see if you need to add more water or flour while mixing. When cycle is done punch down dough and let rest for 15 minutes or so. Knead for one minute and roll out into a 15"x10" triangle. Move to greased baking pan and cover and let rise for 20-30 minutes. With a wooden spoon handle make indentations at 1-inch intervals. Brush with oil and sprinkle with desired toppings. I like to use garlic granules, fresh Parmesan cheese and rosemary.

Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minute or until lightly browned. Then top with tomato topping!

Tomato Topping

This like many of my own recipes is a little of this and a little of that, nothing is ever exact, but it always turns out yummy!

3 large tomato's or 5 medium

1 tsp salt

2-3 garlic cloves minced or crushed

1-2 tbls fresh basil(I have used 1 tsp dried in a pinch and as long as it soaks for several hours in the fridge it turns out fine!)

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

I chop the tomato's and sprinkle salt on them and combine with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and refridgerate covered several hours in the fridge. Top your Focaccia Bread (juices and all!) and enjoy!

Great Books and Some Links

Well, it's been a while again....but if you frequent my OTHER blog you know why. I've been sick for over a week now, and my little guy had a horrible accident that left him badly burned, details are posted on the other blog.



So, I haven't given much thought to which if any recipes to post here, but I did find some great books I had my library order for me. The first, I've been wanting for a while and finally got it and can't wait to feel better and get busy baking!

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World...all I can say is YUM!! I am literally drooling over the photos and descriptions in this one! There are some pretty creative ideas in here like Green Tea Cupcakes, Smores, and Banana Split. There is a Sexy Vanilla with Berries that I probably am going to try first.

The other cookbook is Eat, Drink and Be Vegan. Now I have to admit here that I had one of her other cookbooks and honestly there wasn't much in there I wanted to try. NOT the case with this one. Both my husband and I were drooling over several of the recipes including the Tamari-Roasted Chickpeas, and Avocado & Pinto Bean Enchiladas.

My library was able to get both of these for me. Check your library's online data base and see if you can get them too! Meanwhile if you are looking for some good recipes to try now, visit these blogs:

The Cooking Lady

Veggie Tables

Iyengar's Kitchen

The Vegetarian Epicure

Hopefully I will be back by mid-week with some new recipes and ideas. We have to go to the burn clinic Tuesday for my son, so I doubt I will return before then, but when I do I promise to have some yummy recipes to try!!

Potato Tacos

It's been awhile....again...but we've been busy getting ready for out of town company and at the same time suffering from a little flu bug or something, UGH!!

When I used to work at my last job, one of the young girls mothers used to bring her and me lunch. One of my favorites were potato tacos. Usually I can taste a dish and know what is in it and mimic it almost perfectly at home. For some reason I couldn't this. For years I have craved it.

Recently I found a similar dish in my favorite cookbook. I am not going to copy the original recipe here, but just give simple, easy to follow directions. Again, this is one my meat eating older guys love around here!

First I boil some potato's. Sometimes right before I prepare this, sometimes if I know I will be making it later in the week and am boiling potatoes for another recipe I will make extras and keep them in the fridge until needed. For about 12 tacos I use 6 regular sized potatoes.

I also usually have on hand some of my homemade "refried" beans, if not I make them in the crock the same day(search "beans" for my recipe!)

I peel and dice the potatoes and cook in a little oil with some sliced onions. I add seasoning salt and garlic powder. I cook until slightly browned.

I warm some corn tortillas in the microwave then add a tablespoon or so of bean and a 1/4 cup or so of potatoes and fold over and fry in a little oil until just crisp. Then I add cheese and eat! You can add lettuce, avocado, or any other desired topping, but the flavor of these is so tasty, you really just want to enjoy it alone.

Recent "Yummy" Finds

I LOVE Green Tea and drink lots of it!! I am quite picky though and normally will drink ONLY Tazo's "Zen" Green Tea:


Recently though I discovered "Yogi Tea". All I can say is YUM!! But what is so neat about this tea, is the tag on each bag has a little meditation or thought. It is kind of like a fortune cookie! Silly as it sounds, like a kid with a fortune cookie, I get all excited to read my thought for the day as my tea is seeping!
They also have a great variety of black teas as well, my favorite being the Indian Spice. You gotta try these!

An even bigger recent discovery for me was Agave Nectar. I had some in my cupboard I forgot all about until one of my sons friends asked if we had some when we last made pancakes.

I LOVE pancakes, but don't get to eat them as I can't eat the cheap fake syrup because of my corn allergy(just another thing that the main ingredient is "corn syrup") and honestly I don't like the pure maple stuff and my kids wont eat it anyway.

Well, I decided to try some and again; YUM!! It tastes so good! It HAS to be better for you than the cheap fake stuff at the stores. My kids love it too, so no more of the high fructose junk for them either!! Give it a try, you'll like it!

I Got Weird Kids!!

Last night we had Spaghetti for dinner. As a side I made some yummy squash. We as usual had left-overs of all. So, this morning my 11 year old is trying to decide what to eat for breakfast, and I go down the now routine list; Cream of Wheat, Scottish Oats, Pancakes.... and he decides he wants the left-over squash. Just the squash, no spaghetti, just squash!

I LOVE squash, but it is usually not a kids favorite. While the others didn't want it for breakfast, they did enjoy it last night, and again tonite. It is pretty easy to make, and this time of year it is cheap and easy to come by.

So here's my recipe, as usual no exact measurements, these are just estimates as I just kind of throw a little of this and a lot of that when I cook.

Sauteed Squash

about 1/4-1/2 cup butter(real is best, but margarine will do!)

2-3 large zucchini

2-3 yellow squash

1 large onion

about 2 tsp seasoning salt

about 1/2- 1 tsp black pepper

about 1 tsp dried garlic granules

First melt butter in large frying style pan. Add sliced onion and saute until soft. Add sliced squash and cover with seasoning, continue to cook until all is tender. Serve and enjoy!!

More Tasty Quesidilla Ideas!

After posting the last recipe I started thinking about how often my family eats quesidilla's and all the different varieties of them. Quesidilla's are very quick and easy, and kids love them(I think most adults do too!) But let's face it, the same old, same old can get quite boring after a while. The good news is there are so many different variations when it comes to quesidillas that this never needs to be a problem!

The most basic for my family is just plain cheddar cheese on a flour tortilla. I like mine browned crispy on the stove top while kids don't seem to mind them soft from the microwave. For a more adult version I often will put tomato slices and either green or red onion in mine. Sometimes I will add some canned diced green chili's.

Another favorite variety here is to use Jack Cheese between two corn tortillas again cooking on the stove top, then slice with a pizza slicer into four individual slices, yum! I will add the canned green chilies to these often as well.

You can use just about any cheese and either corn or flour tortillas and make up your own! I occasionally use mozzarella when I run out of the others. I have used black beans, red beans, and pintos. The possibilities are endless!!

If you happen to be a meat eater, you can add chicken(I used to like the fajita style!)

Cheese is the only thing that keeps me from being Vegan rather than Vegetarian. I don't drink milk, very rarely use eggs(and when I do, they're from my own chickens), and have found suitable replacements for most other dairy products. But Vegan cheese in my opinion, leaves ALOT to be desired! So for now I do eat regular cheese, and LOTS of it!!

If you have any favorite quesidilla recipes or ideas, or happen to know of a suitable vegan cheese, share here!

Easy, Cheesy, Black Bean Quesidilla's

This is another quick and easy but totally easy to make recipe! I like to use Monteray Jack Cheese and Flour Tortillas(preferably whole wheat)

Black Bean Quesidilla's

Black Beans(canned or preferably homemade from dried)

Salsa

Shredded Cheese

Tortillas

Mix your black beans with the salsa and cook together in pan to heat through. Put about 1/4 cup beans&salsa mixture onto a warmed tortilla and about 1/4 cup cheese, fold tortilla in half. Spray a fry pan with cooking spray and cook folded tortilla until crispy brown. Flip over and cook other side the same. Serve with sour cream and guacamole!

Seems too easy and simple to be as good they are, but these are good! These are also good for lunch!

Man Pleasing Vegetarian Casserole

I got the original recipe for this one from the very first vegetarian cookbook I ever purchased. It is still my favorite today:

I made a few changes to the original recipe though, to suit my families preferences. Even my meat eating husband and older two boys love this one!

Casserole

About 6 medium potatoes or 3 large

6 tbs butter

salt

4-6 tomatoes

dried basil

tomato paste(sm. can)

1 lb mozzarella cheese

6 boiled eggs

1/2 cup fresh parsley(I have used dried (about 1/4 cup) and it's turned out ok, better fresh though!

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese(again, fresh is better, but I've used dried in a pinch and it was fine!

I like to slice my taters thick then boil until just tender(don't overcook or you will have a "mush" rather than a casserole layer!) Meanwhile, melt butter and put 2 tbs on bottom of casserole dish. Put potatoes on top and spread with a small can of tomato paste. Sprinkle a little dried basil over the paste and top with tomato slices. Sprinkle with a little salt to your taste.

Shred/grate your mozzarella cheese and cover tomatoes.

Peel and dice eggs, mix with remaining butter and parsley. Spread this mixture over your cheese.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake in oven for about 30 minutes at 350-400.

My grandson who otherwise refuses to eat eggs cooked in any matter, LOVES the egg mixture in this casserole! Give this one a try if you're new to going veggie, and have resistant family members, this one usually wins them over!

The YUMMIEST Macaroni Salad Ever!!

Forgive the blurry photo, but my camera lens seems to be shot...but you'll just have to trust me that this is the absolute yummiest macaroni salad ever!

I think the "secret" ingredient must be the sour cream, but I may be wrong. No matter what it is just plain good, and it is a potluck pleaser for sure. It just so happens I whipped this up for our church potluck tomorrow.

The other secret is to make it plenty early, preferably the night before, so it has time to soak in all the flavor.

Macaroni Salad

This is for a large crowd, so feel free to cut in half or even thirds is it's just for your family!

24 ounces macaroni noodles

1 cup sweet pickle relish

4 oz jar pimientos

3 tablespoons grated onion

1-1/2 cups mayo

1-1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup milk

3 teaspoons or so salt depending on your preference.

Cook noodles according to package. Drain, mix all ingredients together and let refrigerate overnight if possible, but at least for several hours for best flavor!

As Promised....

I am not doing well keeping this blog up, I am sorry. I will do my best to be sure to post at least twice a week if not more from here on out.



Last time I had said I would share what we use for re-usable containers, and give you a couple of salad recipes.



I just LOVE our Laptop Lunches sets. Have you heard of them? Here's a photo:


What is so great about these, is not only are they perfect for you or your kids to use for lunches at school or work, but the little compartments come out and can be used alone to tote salads or other snacks, without having to take the whole thing.

For some reason kids also seem more willing to take snacks or try new things out when I serve them in this. These are also great for trips to the zoo or other outings. They have a handy carrying strap, and each person can carry their own, lightening the burden on mom or dad.

We use these on our hikes to carry our salads. We just take out the larger compartment with the lid and take those alone. These are so much better than baggies for the environment too!

One of my favorite salads is Tabouli. I use this recipe from Great Party Recipes. This is SO yummy! Kids might turn their noses up to it on first appearance, but if you can get them to try a bite, 9 times out of 10 they too LOVE it! So simple, and so yummy, and good for you too!

Kids and adults alike seem to like Cucumber Salad. It is kind of sweet and tangy.
3 Cucumbers(Peeled and sliced)
Salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar, preferably cider
1/2 red onion(sliced)
tomatoes(optional, but I like to add this!
fresh mint(just a touch, chopped).

Heat vinegar, sugar and onions in a pan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Put in a serving bowl and add the remaining ingredients! Easy and yummy! This one is great for barbeque's and potlucks, it is always a crowd pleaser!

Enjoy! I have a few more summer salad recipes I will share soon as well as a yummy vegetarian casserole recipe that even my meat loving hubby enjoys!

Fun, Easy, On The Go Meals...

My family has recently taken up hiking as a hobby again. It is a fun, healthy past time, and nothing beats being in nature!

The only two challenges for us have been toting a toddler along, and meals(we like to hike to a destination, eat, and go back) The meals were actually a pretty easy one to solve. For a main course nothing beats the ease of a wrap.

This past weekend I made one by spreading cream cheese over a whole wheat tortilla, then filled with chopped avocado, red onions, red peppers, alfalfa sprouts, shredded cheese, shredded carrots,and fresh spinach, and rolled it all up, sliced in two and wrapped in plastic wrap! Easy, and so yummy! I prefer not to use plastic wrap and opt for re-usable containers most of the time, but these wraps unroll and become messy, the plastic wrap keeps it all together!

Tonite we are going out again after hubby comes home from work. I am going to make wraps again, this time spreading smashed avocado over the tortilla, and filling with black beans, red onions, sprouts, salsa, and a little cheese.

The kids aren't always as thrilled with all the veggies, so I make a few extra with just the spread and cheese, or even PB&J!! You can also spread Almond Butter or other nut butter of your choice and thinly spread some thin sliced bananas, kids seem to like these!

There are no real recipes to these, just use your imagination and get creative! You can use cream cheese, avocado, hummus, or nut butters for your spread, and fill with what ever veggies, legumes or fruits you or your family enjoy!

Next time I will share some of our favorite salad recipes we like to take with us, and show you some of our re-usable storage containers!

Hits and Misses in the Kitchen

I've been cleaning out my kitchen recently and found some "had to have" tools that are now doing nothing more than collecting dust. Then of course on my over-cluttered counter-tops grace the tools I use most. I thought I'd share my "hits and misses" here and see if they match yours.

My first "hits" have to be my Crock Pot and Kitchen Aid Mixer:

If I had to pick just one of these to keep, I honestly don't think I could choose. They both get used nearly daily. With the mixer, I can also easily kneed bread dough and do numerous other tasks. The Crock Pot is great for keeping the kitchen cool in the summer as well as having hot soups or stews ready in the evening in the winters. Nothing beats the aroma of the food cooking all day!!

A third tool , I could live without if I had to, but really appreciate is my Rice Cooker:

Not only does this cook rice to just the right texture with very little effort, but it is great for steel cut oats or other hot cearls that take a long time to cook. I just stick the right amount of water and oats in when I get up in the morning, and by the time I am done with Yoga, it is ready to eat..."YUM!!

These next few, I am thankful I have, and use them fairly regularly, but could easily live with out if I had to are these:

I've shared before, that I pretty much just use my bread machine to mix and rise the dough then bake in the oven. I can pretty much do the same with my Kitchen Aid Mixer. But there are times where this is just more convenient.

My blender I use often to make smoothies or the Hillbilly House Wife's "Magic Shakes." Again, an appliance I could easily live without, but it is also one that when you do need it, there isn't much to replace it with.

The next one, I rarely use, but when I do I am so grateful I have it:

This is one that I bought for one specific purpose, and nothing else will suit that purpose, so I guess that makes it a hit. I use it to make cabbage juice. Cabbage juice heals my ulcers when they act up. I only need it once a year if that, but I wouldn't want to be without it. Cabbage juice is much more healthy than over the counter or prescription medications and seems to do a better job!

It is great for other juices, which are all good for you, but honestly, the clean-up makes it a hassle, so I rarely make anything else in it. If I didn't need the cabbage juice, this is something I wouldn't buy again.

This last one is my only real big "miss." I really regret this purchase:

It is my Kitchen Aid Food Processor. It is great for what it is meant to be used for, but honestly I don't use it enough to justify it. It was quite pricey, and I could easily live without this one. IT is great for shredding the 5lb blocks of cheese I buy easily and quickly, but the clean up in my opinion makes it not worth it. I find myself using my old fashioned cheese grater more often than not.

There are plenty of other gadgets that I don't have, that I easily live without. There isn't any gadget I don't have that I long for. Really all you need are the basic hand tools and you can do just about anything you need in the kitchen!

Speaking of hand tools, here is one I think everyone should have!

A hand operated can opener. I once thought I could never, ever live without an electric one, and you know what? I have happily been living without one for about ten years now!! Where I live ,we lose electricity often, leaving our electric ones useless. So when it finally broke, I invested in a good Tupperware hand operated one, and haven't missed the electric one since!! I also love that the Tupperware one removes the lid safely without the sharp edges!

Well, those are my hits and misses off the top of my head. Hope this helps you as you make purchases for your kitchen.

Feel free to share your own hits and misses here!

A Better Burger

No recipe today, but I just had to share this!



I have been a Boca Burger fan for years. Actually, never caring for meat much to begin with, it really didn't matter what was between the bun, what I liked was all the condiments: Pickles, tomatoes, avacados, alfalfa sprouts, lettuce, and red onion. If some really good cheddar cheese is available, I'll take that too, but forget that American Cheese stuff, no thanks...



Anyway after many rave reviews and recommendations, thanks to a new friends dinner invitation, I finallly got to try one of these:

This is SO yummy!! And unlike the Boca Burger, it actually has a taste! It is made from Sunflower Seeds, Black Beans, and other healthy, all organic ingrediants! Did I mention it was yummy? It really is!

I wont ever eat a Boca Burger again, it just wont stand up!

If you are looking to replace beef, this probaly isn't for you, doesn't resemble meat in the slightest, it has it's own unique quite yummy taste. I actually really love these, try them, I am sure you will too!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

While not the healthiest treat out there, this is by far one of the yummiest!! This is a great treat in the summer as it requires no oven. I have heard these referred to as Buckeyes as well. They are very similar to Recess Peanut Butter Cups, but much smoother, and quite frankly better! I use to be addicted to Recess until I made these, now I don't even like Recess!

8 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups peanut butter

4 cups powdered sugar

melted chocolate

I mix all the ingredients together in my Kitchen Aid Mixer(except chocolate) Then shape into balls and refrigerate for several hours.

For melted chocolate, I put 1-2 cups of chocolate chips in microwave bowl for intervals of 30 seconds stirring in between. Like many recipes, the secret here is the timing. If you over melt, it will become thick and unworkable. Wait until they are just starting to melt but still have a little shape, then take out and stir until smooth. Now it is ready to work with! I find it takes about 3-4 cups of chips to coat all of the balls, but I only work with 1-2 cups at a time as it may thicken if you take to long!

Dip each ball in chocolate and enjoy! Store refrigerated.

Bread Tricks

As gas prices continue to rise, so does the cost of everything else. One thing I've noticed in the store is the price of bread! I used to always make homemade bread, but as our lives got busy with our oldest son training for the Jr. Olympics and acquiring custody of an infant(now toddler!) grandchild, I started making short cuts in our lives including store bought bread. But at $4.99 and up for a decent loaf of whole grain bread, it's back to the grain mill for us!!

With the modern convenience of the bread machine, just about anybody can make a decent loaf of bread in little time at all. While I do use my machine often to make the dough, I rarely bake in it. The loaves come out shaped in such a way they aren't very usable for sandwiches. So what I do is either use my bread machine or my Kitchen Aid Mixer(one of my favorite appliances coming in 2nd only to my crock pot!) to mix and knead the dough, then I shape myself and bake in the oven.

I have found(thanks to great advice from my friends over at the Sonlight Forums!) that adding in extra gluten helps the breads texture for sandwich use as well.

Lately I have been experimenting with different shapes for hamburger buns, sandwich rolls, etc.. These are great for your Boca Burgers or Veggie Meatless Balls for Meatless Ball sandwiches, top with a little homemade spaghetti sauce and YUMMY!!

There is nothing better than a good homemade foccacia bread topped with tomatoes and served with a salad!

You can practically create a whole meal around a good loaf of bread. I prefer whole grains, but even if you use white flour, you are still making a far healthier loaf than what you could buy in the store(see my other blog for details of corn in our bread and other food products!)

While I really love soup and bread in the winter, it is also great in the summer if you utilize your bread machine for the baking, and crock pot for the soup, keeps the house from getting too warm!

You can experiment with different grains, or slowly switch grains until your family gets used to the taste and texture of whole grains. Most of the time, after they get used to the difference, they prefer it!

So, if you too are becoming alarmed and overwhelmed at the food prices these days, get out and dust off some of your appliances and experiment and see what you can make for yourself, that you have been buying up to this point. Not only will you find it more cost effective, it will be far more healthy guaranteed! Not to mention much tastier!

Biscuit and Bean Bake

As promised last week here is a totally easy and yummy recipe using canned or fresh biscuits and canned or homemade baked beans. The kids LOVE this one, and it is so easy it's laughable. I can't vouch for it being very healthy, but it is sure yummy!

The first thing you need is some baked beans. I will be honest and say I opt for Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans, as I have yet to come up with a successful homemade vegetarian variety. If any of you have a recipe for some, feel free to share here!

Just pour them in a casserole dish and top with biscuits. You can use canned if you're in a hurry but I prefer these:

1 3/4 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tbls butter or margarine

3/4- 1 cup butter milk(you can add 1tbs vinegar to regular milk to make your own version of buttermilk)

2 tsp honey

mix baking powder and flour into large bowl. Cut in butter using pastry blender or fork until it resembles coarse meal. Combine honey and milk and stir into the flour mixture. Knead lightly in bowl for three minutes until no longer sticky. Turn onto lightly floured board and roll out and cut into biscuits.

So, top your beans with these and sprinkle with a little cheese and bake until biscuits are golden brown(about 20 minutes at 375)

The kids think this is great, and it couldn't be easier! I would love to share a photo, but we ate it up so quick we forgot! I'll add one later, next time we make these.

A Neat Recipe Resource

I have been trying to get back to eating healthier again, whole grains, less processed foods, etc... I came across this link recently and thought I'd share it with you. They have all sorts of healthy recipes broken down into categories such as "Vegetarian" "Kid Friendly" and more.

Check it out and see what you think. I have learned from similar recipes many items can easily be replaced with similar ones based on your preferences or availability. For example many of the snack recipes call or "Organic" Chocolate or Carob, which I prefer either, but right now my budget doesn't allow for that, so I just substitute with good ol Hershey's. But to be sure we are making some improvements to our diet, I make every effort to use whole grains or Sucanut rather than sugar.

There are lots of great recipes there, many of them are fairly easy to make and quite affordable if you buy grains and such in bulk or know when and how to substitute the more expensive items.

Cheap and Healthy....Beans!(yummy too!)

With food prices continuing to rise it seems more and more of us are "beans and ricing" it. I don't mind in the least as beans are pretty common fare for us being vegetarians. You can't go wrong with dried beans at $.59 to $1.00 or so a pound you can really make them stretch!

One of my favorite Bean and Rice recipes is this one:

Red Beans and Rice

2 cups dried small red beans(or regular dried kidney's)

4 cups boiling water

6 cups veggie broth or chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 large onion diced

2 stalks celery diced

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp olive oil

1 can diced tomatoes with juice

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

I soak the beans in the morning in the crockpot. In the evening I drain and rinse and add back to the crockpot adding the water and broth. I cook on low overnight. In the morning I saute the onion and garlic in olive oil and add to the beans. I also add the remaining ingredients and cook on low all day.

This even taste better the next day as left overs after all the flavor of the seasonings mix in!

If you're a meat eating family, you could add in some ham for a nice flavor!

When ready to eat just serve with white or brown rice in bowls. A good crusty bread or corn bread goes great with this. I like to round it out with a salad on the side.

These freeze well if you have left overs!

Next time I will share a quick and easy recipe for a casserole dish using canned beans!

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

I didn't realize in my last post that I gave a recipe for the muffins that I had already given a recipe for just in the previous post! Oops!

So to make up for it, here's one of my other very favorite cookie recipes:

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

1 1/2 cups melted butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour( I use bread flour in all my cookie recipes, but you can use regular)

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

I mix the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together first, then add dry ingrediants. Drop by spoonfulls onto cookie sheets(I spray with olive spray or pam)

cook for 8-10 minutes in preheated oven at 350.

Like the peanut butter cookies in the previous recipe, the secret to these is timing. If you overcook they will be crispy. They should look undercooked when you take them out, just starting to brown at the edges. They puff while baking and flatten as they cool. Store in ziplock bags or wrap with plastic wrap immediatly after cooling or they will get crispy. These are chewy like fudge brownies, and oh so yummy!

Cookies and Muffins

These are actually recipes I posted on my other blog some time back, but they are family favorites so I thought I would share them here as well. The only drawback to these is that it is summer, and these require the oven, but they are so good it is just about worth working up a sweat to have them! If it weren't from these cookies, I'd still be a size 2!!

Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS:1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened1/2 cup chunky or smooth peanut butter1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed1 egg1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION:Preheat oven to 375°.Cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light. Add the egg and mix until fluffy.Blend the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together well. Add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°.
The secret to these is the timing. If you cook them even minutes too long they end up crispy rather than chewy, yet if you don't cook long enough they fall apart. Ten minutes seems just about right. When the edges just start to turn golden, pull them out! YUMMY!!!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 cup canned pumkin
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tbls ground flaxseed
1 tsp vanilla
1 2/3 cup flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup chocolate chips
mix together and pour batter into grease muffin pan. Top with cinnamon/sugar mixture(3/4 cup sugar and 2tsp Cinnamon, save left overs for the next few times!)
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Delicious!

Breakfast Ideas...

Breakfast can be a hard one, unless you're satisfied with boxed cearl and willing to pay the high price per box. I do occasionally get cearl for a very good price(60 cents to a buck a box!) with sales and coupons, and stock up as much as I can we I can find those deals. With a family of six, even 10-20 boxes doesn't last long, we can easily go through a box a day, and more often than not two boxes! OUCH!!

Cearl can also get quite boring after a while, and in most cases cearl is highly processed, loaded with sugar and not very healthy.

So what's a mom to do? I take the same approach with breakfast as I do with pre-made frozen lunches. I make large quantities of pancakes, muffins, rolls, and breakfast sandwiches and freeze them. Then the kids can just help themselves to what they like in the morning.

Our favorite pancake recipe is this one:
2 eggs
2-1/2 cups buttermilk(I use regular milk with 2-1/2 tbls vinegar)
1 tsp baking soda
2-1/2 cup flour
2 tsp sugar
4tsp veggie oil
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

I usually double or triple the recipe and mix it all together and cook them all and freeze the extras in individual servings. These are also good to make the batter and store in a container to take camping!!

I will also make large batches of a variety of muffins and sweet breads to freeze. On of my favorites is Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins:


1 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tbls ground flaxseed

1 tsp vanilla

1 2/3 cup flour

1 1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

3/4 cup chocolate chips

mix together and pour batter into grease muffin pan. Top with cinnamon/sugar mixture(3/4 cup sugar and 2tsp Cinnamon, save left overs for the next few times!)

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Delicious

Not the least expensive option, but one of our favorites are breakfast sandwiches. You can use biscuits(home-made or store bought), bagels, or English muffins.

On each stack with cheese slices, meat or veggie sausages and eggs. I freeze these in individual servings as well.

It takes a little work to make such large batches all at once, but it is worth it to have ready made items on hand when the kids start complaining of being hungry. You could buy all of these pre-made, but I guarantee you these are MUCH cheaper and healthier!!

Spag. and Pizza, and Pizza Pockets!!

This one is another easy and tasty idea. With this one you get at least two meals from one night of cooking!

In the morning I put 2 medium sized cans of tomato sauce along with a small can of paste into the crock pot. I also add a tablespoon of soy sauce(sounds odd, but it gives it extra flavor!) a teaspoon of salt, a small handful of brown sugar and half a handful(1-2 tablespoons maybe?) of the following: Basil, Oregano, and a bit less Thyme. A couple good shakes with the garlic powder finishes it off.

I let it simmer on low all day and at dinner we have spaghetti along with homemade garlic or foccacia bread and a salad!

The next day I make pizza and pizza pockets using the leftover sauce. For the pizza I use a recipe included with my bread machine for the dough and top with cheese and veggies. Sometimes I will add pepperoni or veggie meatless balls ground up.

For the pizza pockets I make a the dough in the bread machine using a recipe for white bread (NOT pizza dough for these!)

I separate the dough into eight pieces and roll each one into a round shape. I add a big slice of Mozzarella Cheese, a tablespoon of Ricotta and a tablespoon of the spaghetti sauce from the previous night. I fold over and pinch edges with a fork to seal. Let rise for an hour and bake at 350-400 for 20-30 minutes.

When cool, I put in individual freezer bags and again, the kids have ready made lunches to heat in the microwave. These are WAY yummier than any store bought varieties and healthier too.

You can add anything else that suits your fancy, pepperoni, veggies, etc....

My son came up with a good variation the other night: Rather than separate the dough he rolled it all out into a rectangle. He spread with mustard and topped it with sliced ham and pepperoni and cheese. He folded the top over and baked right away. After it cooled a little he sliced it into individual servings!

I like cooking this way, cooking one night and getting 2-3 meals out of it! Saves time, money and the temptation to order out!

Beans, Beans, Beans!!!

Once every other week or so I make a big pot of refried beans using my crock pot. I then use some that night for Enchilada's, and maybe set some aside for nachos or bean burritos for lunch and/or dinner the next day, and finally with the rest I prepare as many bean and cheese burritos as I can. I then wrap these and freeze them. Then during the week when the kids are hungry and I am too busy to stop what I'm doing and start lunch, they can just go to the freezer and grab one and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes each!

My husband also takes these to work for lunch many days a week!

We do something similar with pizza pockets, which I will share a recipe for next time. For now here is how I make the beans. I get rave reviews on these from young and old alike, and they are SO easy and SUPER cheap!!!

First, in the morning, I put about four cups of beans covered with water to soak all day in the crockpot. That night I drain the water and recover with water and cook on low all night. Then the following morning, I add:

4 tbsp. Flour
4 tsp. Chili Powder
3 tsp. Dried Minced Onion Flakes
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Sugar
2 tsp Garlic Powder
I also add a pinch or two of dried red pepper flakes. I then use a potato masher to smash them all up and cook for several hours longer on low. I will turn them off late afternoon to let them cool before I separate them for their various uses.

These are so much tastier than store bought canned beans, and much cheaper as well, not to mention healthier!! Enjoy!