Veggie Bake

My refrigerator is not operating corrrectly. I have been shopping for a new one, but our snowy weather has kept me from finalizing my purchase. In the mean time, we are doing our best to eat up what is in the fridge and freezer. Last night we had this Veggie Bake. It is a great cold weather, comfort food recipe. 

Hopefully, we are able to keep most of our food from going to waste in the transfer from the old refrigerator to the new one. In the mean time, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the old one will hold out until I can have a new one delivered.

Veggie Bake

16oz. pkg. frozen vegetable mix, steamed (we like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot mix)
4 oz. cream cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
15 crushed crackers 

Stir together steamed veggies, cream cheese, and half of the parmesan cheese. Spread mixture into an 8x8 pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with crushed crackers and remaining parmesan cheese. Bake at 350º for 30-35 minutes. 

Peanut Butter Bars

Every Sunday afternoon we visit with some friends from our church. Our time together is a great encouragement and support to us. And each week I bake a dessert to share. Recently I brought these Peanut Butter Bars. They are similar to brownies in texture and can be eaten by hand like a cookie. Although I like to put a thin layer of icing on top, they don't really need it. 

Peanut Butter Bars
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
½ cup oats
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a bowl, stir together butter and sugars. Add peanut butter, egg and vanilla and stir until combined. Add flour, oats, baking soda, and salt and mix until thouroughly blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into a greased 9X13 pan. Bake at 350º for 18-22 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Icing:
½ cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. milk

Stir together all ingredients and drizzle or spread over warm bars. Cool completely and serve.

French Toast Sticks

My last loaf of Bread Maker Bread did not turn out well. It did not rise properly and was too dense for sandwiches. So, to keep it from going to waste, I made French Toast Sticks with it. I cut the bread into one inch slices and then cut each piece into four sticks. I dipped the sticks into an egg and milk mixture and then cooked them on a griddle just like traditional French Toast. My kids really enjoyed eating the sticks with their hands and dipping them into syrup. (Two of my kids dipped theirs in Cinnamon Syrup and my little one dipped hers in Chocolate Syrup.)

 

I refrigerated the leftovers and reheated them in the toaster oven for my little one to eat for lunch the next day. Next time, I would like to try an oven version instead. Seems like it would be simpler and I wouldn't have to stand over the griddle tending to them. If you have tried making homemade baked French Toast Sticks, I would love to hear about it.

Snow Ice Cream

We are home from school again for the third day in a row. I think that I am starting to get a little stir crazy. But, my kids are thrilled to be home to play in the snow another day. Yesterday I mentioned to my neighbor that I planned to try out a recipe for Snow Ice Cream that I had seen floating around on Facebook. He said to me, “I was always told, don't eat the first snow.” I grew up in Maine and I had never heard this before. But, yesterday afternoon when I spoke to my Aunt Shirley, who lives in Deleware, she said the same thing. So I did an internet search on it. Some people say that the first snow contains lots of germs, etc. However, I wasn't able to find any real proof of this.

We made the Snow Ice Cream anyway and we all loved it. We just stirred together the ingredients with a spoon and ate it immediately. I have a feeling my kids will want to make it again today.

Snow Day!

My three kids along with one of their best buddies.

Snow is rare in North Carolina. So, when there is a prediction of a flurry, people get excited. So excited in fact that yesterday school was cancelled without a flurry in sight! Very disappointing. However, we woke up this morning to a blanket of snow and thankfully our second day off is justified. 

My kids wanted to go outside immediately this morning, but I insisted on breakfast first. I put some Mandarin Muffins in the oven, and while they baked, we gathered together all of our winter gear. Sadly, only my two younger kids had the correct clothing, but this didn't stop my oldest from going out to play. (She is hot natured at least.) 

 

Over breakfast, I learned that my son got up in the middle of the night and looked out the window and saw all the snow. He then woke up the girls to show them too. All of this happened while I was sound asleep!

I anticipate a day filled with outdoor play and hot cocoa. And, that sounds just about perfect to me. 

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is by far my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and the one that I told you about a few days ago. I photo copied it out of a book several years ago, but I did not make note of the name of the book. The paragraph written about the cookies along side the recipe claims that this is the original “Neiman Marcus” recipe. But, I'm not sure that this is true since I have tried other recipes that have been quite different from this one over the years that have claimed the same thing. 

I think that the reason I adore this recipe so much is that it has a slight coffee flavor. I am a huge coffee lover and coffee flavored desserts, ice creams, and baked goods are my weakness.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 stick butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. white sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ tsp. instant coffee powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

In a mixer, cream together butter and sugars. Add egg, vanilla, and coffee powder. Mix until fully combined. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour. Once dry ingredients are incorporated, stir in chocolate chips. Drop onto cookie sheets. Bake at 375º for 8-10 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Then, move cookies to a cooling rack. Yield: 24 cookies.

Happy Birthday!

This week my oldest celebrated a birthday. For her birthday dinner she requested hot dogs and chips with nacho cheese dip. Not exactly “real” food choices, but I was happy to comply for my birthday girl. And, instead of a traditional cake, she asked for Chocolate Chip Cookies, which were homemade. (I will share my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe soon.) I think that this was the most simple birthday meal I have ever prepared! And, my birthday girl was thrilled.

New Year's Kitchen Goal

Photo Credit

 

Last year I shared with you my New Year's Frugal Kitchen Goal. Overall, I feel like I have achieved that goal. However, I have to admit that I abandoned the part of my goal where I aimed to prepare more homemade convenience foods. Although this had worked for me in the past, I felt like it was unrealistic concerning my new family dynamic. 

This year, my goal is a bit different. In 2014, I plan to simplify my time in the kitchen. This means that I would like to cook meals with fewer ingredients, cook/bake less often, and provide school lunches with minimal fuss. Plus, I want to maintain my current grocery budget and my commitment to serving “real” food. 

I have already been prowling around my grocery store looking for new options. Over the last couple of months, I have introduced some new things to my kids and they have been pleased. For example, I have found that my kids really like natural cashews and pistachios. In the past, I had only bought peanuts, almonds, and pecans. 

Do you have some simple recipes or "real" food solutions that your family loves? If so, please share! 

Happy New Year!

Photo Credit



A Very Big Christmas Cookie!

My little one loves to bake. She is always underfoot in the kitchen and she especially loves cookies. So, when I saw this gingerbread cookie shaped baking pan set including decorator frosting and candy, I knew that she would LOVE it! On Christmas morning, when all of the gifts had been opened, my little one was more than ready to get baking immediately.

So, we made our way into the kitchen, still in our PJ's, and with our aprons on to make a giant cookie. We used this Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that I found at Fake It Frugal. It turned out perfectly and my little one decorated it all by herself. Well, mostly by herself. Big sister did the bow. I'm sure we will be making many more big cookies in the near future. 

By the way, when you check out the cookie recipe at Fake It Frugal, you may notice that several of the recipes there have been featured at You-Can-Make-That. In the past, I have told you about Fake It Frugal's Sugar Cookies, Oatmeal Cookies, and Brownies. 

Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:10-12

 

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Cracker Candy

The other day, a friend called to get a recipe from me. While paging through my book for the recipe I saw one for Cracker Candy. It looked so simple! So, I thought that I would give it a try. Although I strayed from the recipe a bit, using ingredients I already had on hand, I am very pleased with the outcome. This candy is going to make great gifts. And, you can make it up ahead of time and store it either in the refrigerator or freezer for later. 

I think that this may be the treat that we leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve. What do you like to leave out for Santa?

Cracker Candy

Club Crackers (about 1 sleeve)
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line an 11X15 cookie sheet with foil. Evenly cover the surface of foil with crackers. In a sauce pan, melt butter and sugar. Boil for 3 minutes stirring constantly. Pour over crackers, covering them evenly. Bake at 400º for 3-4 minutes, or until bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes. Spread melted chocolate chips over the crackers. Refrigerate until firm. Break into pieces. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. 

Today I Am...

… home with a very sick little girl. This is the second time in two weeks she has gotten this stomach flu.

 

 

… sipping on freshly ground coffee with Homemade Peppermint Mocha Creamer. I love this stuff!

 

… pleased to have a few more gifts ready to give. I made these yesterday using a half recipe for the Chocolate Cookies I told you about earlier this month.

… looking forward to sharing a new recipe with you for Cracker Candy. 

 

Aunt Shirley's Macaroni and Cheese

We drove to Delaware for Thanksgiving to visit my Aunt Shirley and Uncle Bill. Aunt Shirley is an excellent cook and we enjoy talking about recipes and sharing cookbooks. One of Aunt Shirley's signature recipes is Macaroni and Cheese. She makes it for every holiday meal and takes it to church suppers. It is not only good hot from the oven, it is also still delicious warmed up the next day.

When the food was served on Thanksgiving, Aunt Shirley made sure to place the Macaroni and Cheese in front of me at the table. She knows that it is one of my favorite dishes and she wanted to make sure that I had easy access to it. I definitely ate way more of it than I should have over the Thanksgiving weekend, but I'm not complaining!

Macaroni and Cheese

2 cups elbow macaroni
12 oz. can evaporated milk
2-3 cups grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook and drain macaroni according to package directions. Spread half of the macaroni into a 9X9 casserole dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Repeat. Pour evaporated milk of the macaroni. Bake at 350º for 25-35 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Chocolate Cookies

My oldest was supposed to march in our Christmas parade today. But, the weather did not cooperate and the parade was postponed. So, I used my time wisely and made some cookies! I rarely make cookies because I don't have the patience to stand over my oven batch after batch. But, it is always worth the effort. 

Today I made a batch and a half of these Chocolate Cookies to share with friends tomorrow. This is a great basic chocolate cookie recipe. It works well with chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, and mint chips. I have tried all kinds of variations over the years and they are always tasty. Today I used semi-sweet chocolate chips and my kids have been trying to sneak them like crazy. I hope that there are still plenty left for my friends tomorrow!

Chocolate Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour (white or white whole wheat)
2/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Slowly add flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375º for 9-11 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and remove to cooking rack. Yield: 4 dozen cookies.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

 for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 106:1

Another "New" Cookbook

Once a quarter, my local library has a book sale. They sell books that are no longer popular, duplicate books, and promotional books. These are gathered from all over the county and are compiled at the main branch library to sell to the public. My kids especially look forward to these sales.

Over the weekend we attended another one of these sales. We purchased 38 books for only $20.75. This Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen Cookbook is one of those books. I picked it up for only $3.00. It looks brand new and never went into circulation so it is free of library markings.. There are over 650 pages of recipes and many of them have full color pictures. I have really enjoyed reading through it over the last few days and I have several recipes picked out to try. 

Have you scored any new-to-you cookbooks lately?

Cheddar Dill Muffins

I made a roast in the slow cooker the other night for dinner. And, to me, a roast is just not quite perfect unless it is served with homemade bread. So, I choose Cheddar Dill Muffins. I used to make these all the time, but I got tired of them and stopped making them for a while. My kids were glad to see them on the table again! 

These muffins are a cross between a biscuit and a muffin. And the cheese makes for a nice “crust” on the bottom. 

Cheddar Dill Muffins

2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 ¾ cup white whole wheat flour
1 ½ Tbsp. sugar (raw or white)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. dried dill
½ tsp. salt
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Stir together all ingredients. Scoop into greased muffin pan. Bake at 400º for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan, and serve with butter.

Cinnamon Sugar Biscuits

We really love cinnamon at our house. It is definitely a comfort flavor for me. And, on Saturday I was craving some sticky-sweet cinnamon Monkey Bread. However, my kids had no intention of waiting hours for their breakfast so I decided to jazz up some regular biscuits with some cinnamon and sugar as a quick substitute. 

They turned out beautifully and my little one gobbled almost half of them all by herself! I used my favorite Sour Cream Biscuit recipe to start, but I am sure that you could use your tried and true recipe if you prefer. 

Cinnamon Sugar Biscuits

Biscuits:
2 cups white whole wheat flour
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. baking powder
¾ cup sour cream
Milk or water (enough to form biscuit dough)

Stir together all ingredients, adding enough milk to form desired consistency. Drop onto a 9X13 baking pan with a medium sized scoop, about ½ an inch apart. Flatten slightly. 

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
½ cup melted butter
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
½ cup white sugar

Drizzle melted butter over biscuits. Stir together cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle over biscuits. Bake at 450º for 10-12 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then serve. Yield: 20 biscuits.

Cheesy Ranch Spread

While looking at Facebook over the weekend, I saw a recipe for a ranch flavored cheese ball that looked good to me. Although the recipe called for a package of dry ranch seasoning mix, I substituted my Homemade Ranch Mix with great results. And, because I wanted to serve mine right away for lunch, I did not want to form it into a ball and wait for it to chill. Instead, I served it as a soft spread. 

We have eaten this twice now, both soft and chilled. Either way it tastes great! And, I love that it is made with ingredients that I always have on hand. Do you ever try out the recipes that you see circulating on Facebook?

Cheesy Ranch Spread

1 tsp. dried parsley
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ cup sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Whisk together all ingredients. Serve immediately as a soft spread with crackers.

This recipe was adapted from the one found here.