Saturday's Super Supper

As previously mentioned on this blog, we really enjoy Mexican food.  Today was a fairly lazy day around the B house so, I decided to spend some time in the kitchen preparing an authentic Mexican meal.  Unfortunately, up here in the North I do not have access to many of the traditional Mexican ingredients that are readily available in Texas.  Thus, I had to improvise with the ingredients I could find.  Today's supper menu included, Guisado de Carne y Chile Poblano (Beef and Green Chili Stew), Mexican Rice, Pico de Gallo, homemade Four Tortillas and Flan (custard).

Here are my improvised recipes for Guisado de Carne y Chile Poblano and Flan:

Guisado de Carne y Chile Poblano

serves 8

2 tablespoon bacon grease or vegetable oil

2 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 pound grilled stew meat

2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

12 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 large ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

4 cups chicken broth OR 4 cups water & 4 chicken bullion cubes

5 4oz. cans diced green chilies

1 teaspoon. salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

lime wedges

Heat the oil in a large stewing pot over medium heat.  Heat and cook the onion, stirring until it begins to brown.  Add the grilled stew meat, celery, garlic, oregano, cumin, tomato, and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until stew thickens.  Add the chilies.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook an additional 10 - 15 minutes to blend the flavors.  Serve hot with lime wedges & flour tortillas.

Flan
serves 8

1 cup sugar
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 cups whole milk
5 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Warm 8 6oz. ramekins on a cookie sheet in the oven.  In a heavy saucepan, cook sugar over medium heat, stirring frequently, until melted and golden brown, 6-9 minutes.  Quickly pour equal amounts of caramelized sugar into the warmed ramekins.  Set aside.
Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees.  In another saucepan bring 2 - 3 cups water to a boil.  In a blender, put the sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, eggs, yolk and vanilla.  Mix on low speed 1 minute.
Pour equal amounts of custard into the ramekins.  Place them in a larger pan and place in the oven.  Carefully pour the boiling water into the larger pan until it reaches approximately 1 inch deep.  Bake the flan 20-25 minutes or until the custard is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the water bath and cool completely on a rack.  When room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight before serving.

These recipes are adapted from Marge Poore's, 1,000 Mexican Recipes.  If you and your family decide to try them, I hope you all enjoy them as much as we do!

Frugal Feasting Friday

There was a time when instant dry milk was all our family could afford. Times have changed and we are now blessed to be able to generally drink organic whole milk, sometimes we are blessed with raw milk - Mmmm the best.

However, I still find uses for the budget friendly instant dry milk. I like to keep a quart sized container of dry milk mixed up and ready for use in my fridge. I use it in baked goods, macaroni & cheese, cream type soups, gravies, puddings, custard type pies, etc.

Last evening we enjoyed our Thanksgiving early by celebrating with Mr.B who came home to assist me while having a wisdom tooth removed later today. Chocolate cream pie is Mr.B's favorite dessert, thus I HAD to make one for our early Thanksgiving celebration. Here's my chocolate cream pie recipe that, of course, uses instant dry milk.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

Pudding/Pie Master Mix:

5 1/2 c. sugar

2 3/4 c. all purpose flour OR 2 c. cornstarch

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. instant dry milk

Combine all ingredients and store in a air tight container in a cool dry place. Makes about 10 c. mix. (see additional recipes for master mix below chocolate cream pie recipe)

Chocolate Filling:

1 1/4 c. pudding/pie master mix

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. cocoa powder

2 3/4 c. reconstituted instant dry milk

2 eggs, well beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

3 tbsp. butter

1 baked 9-10 in. pie crust ( recipe here: http://herpeculiarlife.blogspot.com/2010/11/frugal-feasting-friday-belated-again.html )

Cream Topping:

1 1/3 c. heavy whipping cream

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

cocoa powder OR bittersweet chocolate squares (for garnish)

In a medium pan, combine master mix, sugar, cocoa powder and 1 c. reconstituted milk. Stir until smooth. Cook over medium heat, gradually adding remaining 1 3/4 c. reconstituted milk, stirring constantly until mixture begins to boil slightly and thickens. Remove from heat. Gradually add 1/2 hot pudding mixture to the beaten eggs while stirring constantly (this is called tempering). Slowly blend egg mixture back into the pudding mixture. Cook an additional 1 minute, stirring constantly until mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and butter. Cool and pour into a prepared pie crust. Refrigerate.

In a medium COLD bowl (place it the refrigerator for 20 minutes) combine whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer on high speed for 3-5 minutes until cream stiffens into a whipped cream texture. Spread whipped cream over the chocolate pie filling. Grate bittersweet chocolate over the top of the whipped cream OR sprinkle with cocoa powder. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

makes 8 servings

This pie also freezes well. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator before serving.

*To make chocolate pudding: increase milk to 3 cups

*To make vanilla pudding: increase milk to 3 cups, omit cocoa powder and 1/4 c. sugar

*To make vanilla pie filling: omit cocoa powder and 1/4 c. sugar

*To make coconut cream pie: prepare vanilla pie filling, stir in 1 c. shredded coconut when adding vanilla and butter. Sprinkle additional coconut over whipped cream topping

*To make banana cream pie: prepare vanilla pie filling, stir in two sliced bananas when adding vanilla and butter

*To make a meringue pies: omit whipped cream topping and top with your favorite meringue recipe, bake until peaks brown slightly, cool and refrigerate.

Frugal Feasting Friday (Belated, Again)

Yes, I know ... I am "tardy" again with a Frugal Feasting Friday post ... What ever are we going to do with me?

Today's frugal feasting tip: Stretching a 2 pie recipe into 3 pies. Earlier this week I volunteered to donate a couple pumpkin pies to our church for a bake sale. Yesterday, I realized that I was out of the disposable aluminum pie pans that are perfect for bake sales. So, off I went to my local dollar store to purchase a 3 or 4 pack for, well, a dollar. However, my local store was out of 9 & 10 inch plates, all they had in stock were the 8 inch size. I purchased a three pack.

My pumpkin pie recipe makes two nice 10 in. pies, with only 8 in. pans what would I do with the left over pie crust and pumpkin filling? I decided to try "stretching" two 10 in. pumpkin pie recipes into three 8 in. pies tins. Guess what? It worked beautifully. By 8:00 am I had three beautiful, perfect pumpkin pies - no overages or shortages. So, I took two to the bake sale and the littles and I shared a LARGE slice of the third when we returned home this afternoon ... a Thanksgiving tease.

Here's my pumpkin pie recipe, it will make two 10 in. pies OR three 8 in. pies.

Pie Crust (from Amish Cooking pg. 182 - This is, by the way, the BEST pie crust recipe you'll ever find anywhere)

3 c. sifted all-purpose flour

1 c. shortening

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg, slightly beaten

5 tbsp. ice water

1 tsp. vinegar

Mix flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in shortening. Combine egg, water and vinegar. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture until a soft dough forms. (If necessary add more ice water 1/2 tsp. at a time). Divide dough into two or three equal portions. Refrigerate while making pie filling.

*When ready to roll out the pie dough, I have found using a floured pastry cloth and covering your rolling pin with a floured knit rolling pin tube (a clean stray sock with the toe cut out also works well) is a tremendous benefit - I highly recommend purchasing these - they are machine washable and can be reused for years.

*I've found the easiest method of transferring the pie crust from the pastry cloth to the pie plate is to roll the pie crust around the rolling pin and then un-roll the crust over the pie plate. I then trim and /or fold under the excess and flute the edges.

Pumpkin Pie Filling

2 15 oz. cans pumpkin

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

2 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk

4 eggs, slightly beaten

2 10 in. unbaked pie shells OR 3 unbaked 8in pie shells

Mix pumpkin, vanilla, and ground spices well. Add sweetened condensed milk and eggs. Stir until well combined. Pour equal amounts into unbaked pie shells. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake another 35 - 40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool pies completely before cutting. Refrigerate leftovers. This recipe freezes well; thaw in refrigerator.

Makes 2 10 in. pies / 16 servings OR 3 8 in. pies / 24 servings

Frugal Calorie Tip:

When each pie is sliced into 8 servings, the 8 in. slices result in a smaller serving than the 10 in. slices- thus, fewer calories.

Frugal Feasting Friday

This past Saturday I had the following conversation with my EJ.

Mom: "Hey EJ, would you like a treat after you finish cleaning the hen house and coop?"

EJ: "Oh Yes! What kind of treat?"

Mom: "How about a banana split?"

EJ: "OH!! Yes, Yes, Yes!!"

This very excited response is immediately followed by a sudden pause of silence. Then ...

EJ: "Mom, what's a banana split?"

How's that for terrible parenting? My poor, deprived, little EJ has lived a long life of 8 years and doesn't even know what a banana split is!! How, oh! how can this be?

It is because poor, deprived, little EJ's mom is a MAJOR TIGHTWAD. I realistically can not bring myself to spend $3 or more on a banana split Sunday at Dairy Queen, Sonic, Baskin Robbins, Marble Slab or any other specialty ice cream shop. Especially when we lovely folks down here in S.E. Texas have all the Blue Bell ice cream those folks at the Blue Bell ice cream factory can not finish eating. Why, there simply is not a store bought ice cream better than Blue Bell. (for those of you who don't have the privilege of Blue Bell, I extend my sympathies... everyone down here knows that at Blue Bell, "they eat all they can and sell the rest" - they really do ... employees can literally eat all the ice cream they want for free directly before their shifts, on breaks or directly after their shifts).

I usually have only one flavored dessert sauce on hand at any given time hence, usually a plain old Sunday not the extravagance of a banana split. However, this past Saturday I felt industrious and made three, yes THREE flavors. The total costs of all three homemade sauces & whipped cream, the ice cream, and the bananas is a little more than $12. However, by making the sauces and whipped cream myself and purchasing the Blue Bell and bananas from the grocer, I can make around 10 banana splits. That's only a cost of about $1.30 each vs. the $3 ea., or more, from the specialty store.

So, this Frugal Feasting Friday I'm going to share recipes for homemade dessert sauces with you. Please remember these sauces are also very yummy over pancakes, waffles, French toast, brownies, etc. Best of all these sauces take less than 10 minutes from start to finish to make :-)

Homemade Hershey's Chocolate Sauce

2 c. granulated sugar

1 c. water

1/2 c. unsweetened Hershey's Cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

In a large sauce pan whisk together the sugar, water and cocoa powder. Heat, stirring constantly over medium heat. When mixture comes to a full rolling boil stir and boil for a full 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Allow to come to room temperature before pouring into a pint size jar. Store in the refrigerator.

Homemade Butterscotch Sauce

1 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. milk

1/3 c. butter (do not substitute margarine)

1/4 c. corn syrup

1/8 tsp. salt

In a large sauce pan combine all ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Boil and stir for a full 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour into a pint jar. Store in the refrigerator. This sauce will thicken up while in the fridge. Just scoop some out into a small bowl and soften either in a hot water bath or in the microwave.

Homemade Strawberry Sauce

2 c. sugar

1 c. chopped strawberries

1/3 c. water

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is melted. Remove mixture from heat and pour into a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Return mixture to pan and bring mixture to a boil stirring frequently. Once the mixture begins to boil stir constantly and boil for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour into a pint sized jar, store in the refrigerator. NOTE: with the exception of bananas, you can substitute any of your favorite fruits (fresh, canned or frozen), in this recipe.

Today's Frugal Feast

... Sounds like a good blog title, doesn't it? ( Hmmm, looking over my archived posts, realizing how many recipes I've posted, AND admitting that I am a MAJOR foodie, maybe it is time to change my blog title. ) Oh! sorry, just thinking out loud ...

Aside from cooking and eating good food, what do I like to do best? Save money while cooking or eating good food! Eating well doesn't have be expensive. It does, however, take a little time, imagination and creativity.

The daily food budget for our family is $13.15 per day. This amount feeds my family breakfast, dinner, supper, desserts, snacks, special meals with guests and holiday meals. But I am always trying to come in well under the $13.15 plan. Let's take a look and see if I came in under budget today.

Breakfast $0.84 per person
(served 2 people, I wasn't hungry this morning)
peanut butter & jelly on a large slice of toast, orange wedges, 8oz. glass of milk
slice of homemade bread = $0.04 ea.
homemade jelly = $0.10 tsp.
peanut butter = $0.07 tbsp.
oranges = $0.34 ea.
milk = $0.29 per serving

Dinner $1.40 per person
(served 3 people)
BBQ chicken sandwiches, cowboy beans, dump cake, water
homemade bbq sauce = $0.07 tbsp. (I used 2 tablespoons per serving)
leftover roasted chicken = $0.45 per serving
homemade cowboy beans = $0.27 per serving
thinly sliced onion = $0.04 per person
bread & butter pickle slices = $0.16 per serving
dump cake = $0.34 per serving

Supper $0.61 per person
(served 2 people, Sunday is my Sabbath & I do not eat an evening meal on Sundays)
garden salad, leftover cowboy beans, water
garden salad = $0.34 per serving
homemade cowboy beans = $0.27 per serving

Grand Total for today = $7.10 including dessert!
How would a family of four fared today if everyone ate every meal? $11.40, OR $1.75 under budget. What will I do with the leftover funds? Well, apply it to another meal later in the week or month (or maybe I could add it to my shoe fund ...), OH! sorry, I was thinking out loud again.

I am sure many of you are familiar with the old standard cherry pie filling and crushed pineapple dump cake recipe. However, as part of today's Frugal Feast, I decided to use what I had on hand vs. purchasing additional items, ie. canned cherry pie filling and canned crushed pineapple. As you know, I am always frugal minded while in my kitchen.

Frugal Feast Dump Cake
(12 servings)

1 box yellow cake mix
OR
2 c. cake flour, 1 1/2 c. sugar, 3 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt

1 qt. homemade pear pie filling
2 peaches, pitted and peeled & tossed in 2 tsp. lemon juice to prevent browning
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
zest of one orange



In a greased 9"x13" baking pan spread pear pie filling. Evenly distribute sliced peaches over pie filling.

Evenly sprinkle cake mix over pie filling and fruit mixture. Do Not stir.

Evenly drizzle melted butter over cake mix.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

ENJOY!

Please take the liberty of substituting any combination of fruit filling, like I did with my homemade pear pie filling and peaches - you never know, the combination just might be a blue ribbon winner. Note: if you really want to WOW your family serve dump cake warm with a dollop of homemade vanilla ice cream, Mmmmmm!

Pantry Cooking

After 20 months of Mr. B working and living almost 2,000 miles away from home, Mr. B and I have decided to go ahead and sell our house here in S.E. Texas, move the family close to his employment, and rent while continuing our search for the right home. Since our house is officially up for sale, I have been and will continue to cook from my pantry stores. I'd like to use up as much of our "stock" as possible before packing up to move. With this in mind, today, I decided to use up one of the quarts of pear pie filling I have stored and bake a beautiful pear pie.

I have gleaned several resources for this pear pie. For the decorative top crust, I was inspired by the stunning fruit pie photo found on pg. 63 of "Taste of Home's" Aug./Sept. 2010 publication. My pie crust recipe is adapted from the 1st recipe found on pg. 182 in "Amish Cooking" by Pathway Publishers - this is , by far, the BEST pie crust I've ever eaten. The pear pie filling is adapted from the Apple Pie Filling recipe found on pg. 91 of the "Ball Blue Book of Preserving". Below is my pear pie recipe:

Pear Pie Filling (adapted from Apple Pie Filling pg. 91, Ball Blue Book of Preserving)
Yield: about 3 quarts

6 lb. pears, peeled, cored and sliced
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tbls. lemon juice

Toss pear slices in a small amount of lemon juice to prevent darkening. Combine the sugar, flour and spices. Drain the pears; stir into the sugar mixture. Let stand until juices begin to flow, about 30 minutes. Stir in 2 tbls. lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken. Ladle pie filling into sterilized quart jars, leaving 1/2 in. head space, remove air bubbles, top with lids and screw on bands. Place in boiling water canner, fill with hot water 2 in. over lids. Cover and bring to a rolling boil. Boil 45 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Place hot jars on cooling racks and allow to cool down to room temperature. You should hear the "ping" of the lids sealing as the jars cool down. Label, date and store in a cool dry place for up to one year.

Pie Crust (adapted from pg. 182, Amish Cooking by Pathway Publishers)
Yield: 2 single crust pies OR 1 double crust pie
2 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. vegetable shortening
1 egg
5 Tbls. ice cold water
1 tsp. white vinegar

Sift the flours, spices and salt into a medium sized bowl. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture until mixture forms course crumbs. Beat the egg; add the water and vinegar. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Stir with a fork until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured pastry cloth. Gently kneed the dough, 3-4 times (DO NOT kneed the dough excessively). Divide the dough in half. Form the halves into disks and roll out, using a cloth covered rolling pin, until it is about 2 inches larger than the lip of your pie plate. "Roll" the dough around the rolling pin, transfer to the edge of the pie plate and "unroll" the dough into the pie plate. Repeat with other half of dough.

Assembling the Pear Pie

Prepare the above pie crust recipe. Line the pie plate with bottom half of the pie crust. Pour 1 quart of pear pie filling into bottom crust. Top the pie filling with other half of the crust. Trim and crimp edges, cut vent holes, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 -40 minutes or until pie crust is golden brown.
Note: to make the decorative top shown in the above photo, after rolling out the top crust, cut it into 4 1/2 inch and 2 1/2 inch long "petal" shaped strips. From the middle of the pie, fan the 4 1/2 inch strips out to the edge of the pie plate. "Fill in" the spaces by fanning the 2 1/2 inch strips around the pie. Cut a few small round "disks" and place them on the center to resemble the center of a flower. There is no need to cut steam vents into this decorative top crust as it is not a "solid" crust. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake as directed above.
Yield: 6 large slices, 8 medium slices, or 10 small slices

A Taste of Summer & Weekly Menu

It is the height of summer down here in S.E. Texas. Our fruit trees are full of some, oh! so good!, fruit. Our fig tree is producing well and we've already harvested enough figs to make 2 fresh fig cakes.

Our peach tree is only 5 years old and this is the first year it's really produced anything to speak of. Mmmmmm, our tree ripened peaches are sweet and drip down your arm juicy. We've collected about 30 lbs. so far this summer, resulting in a reduction in the grocery bill. I've made a peach cobbler and we've been eating several peaches a day.

Peach Cobbler

4 lb. sliced, pitted and peeled peaches

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 c. sugar

3 Tbls. flour

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

In a medium bowl combine the peaches and lemon juice, mixing well. In a small bowl combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir sugar mixture into the peaches. Pour into a greased 8"x8" baking pan. Set aside.

3 Tbls. shortening

1 c. all-purpose flour

2 tbls. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 c. milk

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Cut shortening into flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk until just moistened. Drop by spoonfuls onto peach mixture.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees until top is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Serve warm and if desired, topped with homemade vanilla ice cream.

6-8 servings

Fresh Fig Cake w/ Caramel Icing OR Cream Cheese Frosting

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. unsalted butter, softened

3 eggs, room temperature

1 c. sour milk (add 1 tsp. lemon juice to sweet milk and let sit until curdled, about 20 min.)

1 c. pecans, chopped

1 c. fresh figs, chopped

Grease and flour a 9"x13" baking pan. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar, beat until mixture is almost white. Beat in eggs one at a time until well blended. In a medium bowl sift together flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Alternately add flour mixture and sour milk to butter mixture, beating well. Remove bowl from electric mixer and using a rubber spatula fold in chopped figs and pecans.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 300 degrees for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting with Caramel Icing or Cream Cheese Frosting (below). Note: This recipe can be halved and baked in an 8"x8" baking pan, just remember to also cut in half the icing or frosting.

Caramel Icing

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. evaporated milk

1/2 tsp. baking soda

In a large saucepan mix together butter, sugar, milk and baking soda. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is melted. Cook without stirring until mixture turns brown. Remove from heat and pour into a heat proof small bowl. Beat until mixture thickens to spreading consistency. Very quickly spread icing onto the cooled cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

4 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbls. milk

Beat cream cheese, milk and vanilla in a medium bowl on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 c. at a time, until smooth and of spreading consistency. Refrigerate leftover cake.

On This Week's Menu:

Breakfasts

scrambled eggs, toast, fruit

muffins, fruit

birds on nest, fruit

brown sugar & pecan oatmeal, toast

fried eggs, hash browns, toast

honey grits, fruit

Dinner (for you city folk, lunch)

macaroni & cheese, buttered bread, grapes

meatloaf sandwiches, fruit

grilled cheese sandwiches, salad

various leftovers

Supper

tamale pie, salad

cheese enchiladas, Mexican rice, black beans

meatloaf, mashed potatoes, carrots

pinto beans & rice, cornbread, salad

elk burgers, macaroni salad (for a July 4th potluck)

leftovers

The Supper Menu & A Recipe

I've been a little out of sorts during the past few weeks, hence the absence from posting on my blog. With little league softball and baseball seasons beginning to wind down and a few other things coming to an end I hope I'll get sorted out and begin posting more regularly.

Recently, I have been preparing and freezing meals for a little surgery scheduled within the next couple weeks. OG will be responsible for the kitchen while I recover. I've managed to put 4 meals into the freezer for her to thaw and prepare.

tuna casserole ( http://herpeculiarlife.blogspot.com/2008/08/tuna-casserole.html ), green beans, salad
tacos w/ Mexican rice and beans
lasagna, garlic bread, salad
homemade pizzas, salad

During the next couple weeks, as I cook meals that freeze well, I will continue to make double batches so OG will be able to manage the kitchen with ease.

While sleeping Saturday night I cooked a pound of dried pinto beans in my crock pot. Yesterday, I turned them into Mexican beans and chili. Using my crock pot to do some advanced prep will make this week's supper plan quick, easy and economical. One pound of dried pinto beans, much more economical than canned refried pinto beans and canned chili, makes up enough Mexican beans and chili for three of this week's meals.

stir fried noodles ( http://herpeculiarlife.blogspot.com/2008/05/stir-fried-noodles.html ), egg rolls
fish tacos (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/crispy-fish-tacos-recipe/index.html), Mexican rice and beans
beef stroganoff, green beans, salad
chili dogs, French fries
chili mac, steamed broccoli & carrots, salad
homemade pizzas, salad
leftovers

I found the following cookie mix recipe in a Taste of Home Magazine years ago. It has proven to be one of the best "go to" mixes I keep on hand.

Quick Fix Cookie Master Mix
(makes 5 batches)

3 c. flour
2 1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. shortening
3 c. oats

Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. Cut in shortening. Stir in oats until well mixed. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place or in freezer.

TO PREPARE COOKIES
pre-heat oven to 325 degrees

2 c. cookie mix
1 egg
1 Tbls. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. add-ins (nuts, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, raisins, coconut, etc.)

Combine cookie mix and egg, milk and vanilla mixing well. Fold in add-ins. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto GREASED baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 min. or until lightly golden.
For quick oatmeal cookies, eliminate add-ins and stir in 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg to dry cookie mix.
makes about 2 doz. cookies per batch


So, what's cookin' in your kitchen this week?

Recipes To Share

This week I have two delicious, fast and easy recipes to share. The first, Spinach, Orange & Pecan Salad w/ Honey Vinaigrette Dressing, pictured at the right, was inspired by the 5 lb. of spinach we harvested from our garden last week.
Spinach, Orange, Pecan Salad w/ Honey Vinaigrette Dressing

6-8 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 110z. can Mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 purple onion, thinly sliced & separated into rings
1/2 cup pecan halves
Dressing:
1/4 c. olive oil
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh OR 1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of pepper

Place spinach leaves in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with Mandarin oranges, purple onion rings. Top with pecan halves. Add all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously until combined well. Drizzle over salad, serve immediately.


The second, Cracker Candy, is not my recipe at all, but comes from my dear friend, Mrs. M, over at Evening Shade and Morning Latte (http://frugalhomeliving.blogspot.com/2009/04/cracker-candy.html), please click on the link for her easy to follow recipe. For my version, I was out of saltine crackers, so I substituted graham crackers and took the liberty of sprinkling finely chopped pecans over the melted chocolate. I then proceeded to refrigerate as directed in Mrs. M's instructions. This treat was a HUGE hit at my house and I urge you to try it for your family.

Menu Day

It is still baseball and softball season around the B house. That means this week's supper menu will again consist of quick, easy and frugal meals. Mr. B grilled quite a bit of chicken this past weekend and we have enough left over to prepare three additional meals.

I also have two wonderful sugar free recipes to share, honey banana nut bread and honey almond cookies. I hope you and your family enjoy them as much as we did.

Monday - out
Tuesday - chicken & black bean whole wheat burritos, Mexican rice
Wednesday - bbq chicken sandwiches, potato salad
Thursday - chicken fried rice, noodle soup
Friday - toasted ham & cheese sandwiches w/ sauteed onions, bell peppers & mushrooms, tomato soup
Saturday - meatless spaghetti, garlic toast, salad (fresh lettuce & spinach greens from our garden)
Sunday - crock pot sausage & kraut, beer bread
\

Honey Banana Walnut Bread2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup olive oil

3 eggs, beaten

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Glaze (below) optional

Beat together the honey and oil; mix in eggs. Add mashed bananas, salt and vanilla, mix well. Sift together flour and baking soda. Gradually blend the flour mixture in with the banana mixture until the batter is smooth. Fold in the walnuts. Grease a Bundt pan OR a large loaf pan. Pour in the batter and bake at 350 degrees for 40-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Lower the oven temperature if the bread is browning to quickly. Cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes. Loosen edges with a knife, turn bread out onto a wire rack and continue cooling. Glaze: 1 cup confectioners sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1-2 Tbsp. milk. Mix confectioners sugar, vanilla and milk with wire whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bread.

Honey Almond Cookies

1 1/2 cup honey

1 1/2 stick butter, softened

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp. almond extract

2 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. almonds, finely chopped

45 - 50 whole almonds

In a medium mixing bowl, cream together honey, butter, egg and almond extract. In a smaller bowl sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into honey mixture. When flour mixture is almost incorporated into honey mixture add chopped almonds. Mix well. Refrigerate dough 30 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the greased baking sheet. Top each cookie with a whole almond. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden.

Menu Day

We continue to have leftovers from our wonderful Christmas in January celebration. All the meals I prepared last week were "make-overs" from these leftovers. After measuring out what I needed last week, I froze the remaining so I could continue our make-over madness through this week. I hope you enjoy these budget friendly and creative ideas.

I also have a wonderful Strudel Topped Pear Spiced Coffee Cake recipe to share. The girls group at our church held a bake sale this weekend and I donated this lightly sweet treat. I, of course, had to prepare two - one for the bake sale and one for us.

Monday - sausage jambalaya (from leftover Mexican rice), cornbread

Tuesday - Mediterranean baked flounder (a Gooseberry Patch Cookbook recipe), steamed spinach, steamed mixed vegetables

Wednesday - ham w/ raisin sauce (from leftover ham), green beans, corn

Thursday - split pea soup (from left over meaty ham bone), peppery cheese bread

Friday - baked ziti (from leftover spaghetti sauce), garlic bread, salad

Saturday - omelet, fried potatoes

Sunday - shredded beef taco salad (from leftover roast)

Strudel Topped Pear Spiced Coffee Cake

Cake:

3 1/2 c. baking mix (such as Bisquick / my homemade recipe is below)

3 egg, slightly beaten

1 qt. pear pie filling (homemade or large store bought can)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Strudel Topping:

1 c. baking mix

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3-4 pats cold butter

Combine cake ingredients until just moistened. Spread into a greased 9 x 13 in. baking pan OR two 8 in. round cake pans (this will make two small coffee cakes). In a small bowl combine strudel topping ingredients, cutting butter in with a pastry knife until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over cake batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before slicing.

16 servings

This lightly sweet cake is perfect with a cup of hot tea.

Homemade Baking Mix

5 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3 c. whole wheat flour

1 tbs. salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 c. instant nonfat dry milk

2 1/4 c. shortening

In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Blend well. With a pastry blender, cut in shortening until evenly distributed. Put in large airtight container. Store in a cool dry place or freeze. Use within 3 months. Makes about 13 cups of mix.

Collector's Cocoa Cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

Dad loved his birthday supper, especially the Collector's Cocoa Cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting. I found the original cake recipe (since I can't leave a recipe as is, I've made a few changes since then) on a can of cocoa more than 20 years ago and it has become my signature chocolate cake. The butter cream frosting has been adapted from my mother's Betty Crocker's Cookbook - the one she received as a wedding gift more than 40 years ago. This is, by far, the most requested dessert in our home.


Collector's Cocoa Cake

3/4 c. butter, softened
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. white flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. cocoa
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 c. water
1/2 c. whole wheat flour

Prepare 2 8in. round cake pans (greased, floured and lined with waxed paper) and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. In another bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Mix into butter mixture. Add water. Beat with a mixer for 3 minutes. Pour batter into 2 8in. round prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pans and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes on wire racks. Invert cakes on wire racks to remove from pan. Gently peel off waxed paper. Leave in an area free of drafts until completely cool. Frost with:

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

2/3 c. butter, softened
2/3 c. cocoa
4 c. confectioners sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
about 4 tbsp. milk

Mix butter and cocoa. Stir in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla and milk until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Almond Fig Cake

This very moist cake, made with fresh figs, is terrific with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

1/4 c. butter (1 stick), softened
1-1/4 c. sugar, divided
1 egg
1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
3/4 c. sliced raw almonds, divided
3 c. chopped fresh figs, divided
1/4 c. water
1 tsp. molasses
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8in. round cake pans. In a medium bowl, sift flours, salt and baking powder. In a large bowl, cream butter with 1 c. sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add four mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Add vanilla and almond extract. Fold in 1 c. figs and 1/2 c. almonds . Divide into two prepared 8 in. round pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Finish cooling on racks.

To make filling:
In a saucepan, combine 2 c. figs, 1/4 c. sugar, molasses, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer and cook until thickened, 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 c. almonds. When cool, spread between layers and on top of cake. Garnish with sliced almonds, if desired.

Delicious Homework - Homemade Ice Cream

Plain Vanilla Ice Cream

2 c. heavy cream (1 pint)
2 c. light cream (1 pint)
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt

Pour cream directly into cream can. Add sugar, vanilla and salt.

Stir with wooden spoon or spatula until sugar dissolves.
Insert cream can into ice bucket, layer ice and rock salt around cream can. Attach motor (yes, we cheat and have an electric ice cream maker) and process until motor sounds strained.
Scoop ice cream into storage container and put in freezer - work quickly as home made ice cream melts much faster than store bought.
Best part of home made ice cream ... licking the paddle!!!

My favorite literature curriculum for home schooling is Progeny Press. Why? Because from a child's perspective, it's fun! From an educator's perspective, it's not only comprehensive - it's also fun!

Each study guide covers vocabulary (can also supplement spelling curriculum), comprehension questions, analytical study of the genre, biblical applications and FUN projects. OG is currently reading Laura Ingles Wilder's Farmer Boy. She has really had some fun projects. Her most recent was making homemade ice cream - Yeah, I see the drool in the corner of your mouth.

Homemade Pie Crust

With very little practice, homemade pie crust is simple to make and literally costs pennies on the dollar when compared to store bought. For a two crust pie, all you need is:

1 c. all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)

1 c. whole wheat flour (I always add as much whole wheat as possible - it's healthier)

1 tsp. salt (I use finely ground sea salt)

2/3 c. shortening (I use all vegetable, non-hydrogenated)

5-7 tbls. ICE water (very important - I literally add ice cubes to the water)

Combine flours and salt. Cut shortening with pastry cutter or two knives into flour and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs, as pictured above.
Add water, one tablespoon at a time. Stir vigorously after each addition until dough begins coming together in bowl so you can form a ball. Turn the dough out onto a floured pastry cloth (the most valuable tool I have for making pies), divide dough in half to form two balls. Cover one with a damp cloth and flatten the other into a disk. Cover your rolling pin with cloth tube (an old, clean tube sock with the toe cut off works well) and begin rolling the dough to form a circle. Roll vertically, horizontally and even diagonally. If the shape isn't perfect, don't worry because you are going to trim and crimp the edges anyway.
When the dough is large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the pie plate, with a little bit of overhang, roll it up onto the rolling pin and unroll it over the pie plate. (If you are making a double crust pie, repeat the above procedures for the top crust. If not, just wrap the extra ball of dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1-2 days or freeze until you are ready to make another pie.) With your kitchen scissors, trim any excess dough to within 3/4 in. of pie plate, fold edges under and crimp. Remember to cut steam slits in the top crust if you are making a double crust pie. Follow individual pie recipe for oven temperature - usually somewhere between 350 degrees and 425 degrees.

Helpful Hint: If, while rolling dough out on pastry cloth you find it is cracking and not staying together then your dough is too dry. Simply return it to the bowl and knead in an additional 1-2 teaspoons ice water until it is pliable enough not to crack. On the other hand, if your dough is extremely sticky, then it is too wet. Again, return it to the mixing bowl and knead in 1-2 tablespoons flour until it is not sticky.