Tag : Recipes

April 4, 2013 / Leave a Comment

Baked Oatmeal Recipe

Baked Oatmeal

Baked oatmeal is requested multiple times a week in my house. Whenever I say we’re having oatmeal, the immediate response is “are we having baked oatmeal?”

A few months back I was desperate for some new, inexpensive, ideas for breakfast. We were getting tired of the three or four options, so when I came upon this recipe on Money Saving Mom‘s website I was thrilled. It’s so easy to make, and the best part is you make it the night before and just pop it in the oven in the morning. Most times Joel wakes up before me and puts it in for me allowing me time to wake up or feed the baby.

Baked Oatmeal

This picture shows just how much we love this stuff. Our family of five cleans the pan. I’m thinking I’m going to need to increase the recipe by 50% so we can have a little bit leftover, maybe.

Baked Oatmeal

1/3 cup Butter, melted

2 large Eggs

3/4 cup Raw or Brown Sugar

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4tsp salt

1 1/2tsp Vanilla

3 Cups Oats

1 Cup plus 2Tbs Milk

Beat Eggs, sugar, and butter together. Mix in baking Powder, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla.

Stir in milk and oats. Pour into a greased 9×13 baking pan and cover well. Place in frig overnight. In the morning bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes until set in the middle. If you want to freeze this for later you can either pour it into a greased foil pan and cover well before placing in the freezer or you can pour it into a freezer bag. When you are ready to use take it out the day before and place it in the frig. If it’s in a freezer bag you will need to dump it into a baking pan and cover before you go to bed.

Joel and I prefer it just by itself, but my girls like it served with milk. Either way you are in for a treat!

I’m linking this to Monday Homestead Barn Hop.

February 29, 2012 / 2 Comments

Recipe: (Not so) Refried Beans

I don’t know if you can really call these refried beans since they aren’t actually fried at all. They taste just the same, even better in my opinion, and are much healthier for you. Oh, and did I mention cheaper! I’m not giving exact measurements since the size of your family will determine how much you make (plus I buy my beans in bulk so I never really know how many beans I’m using). You can figure that a pound of beans with insure the beans aren’t too spicy from the taco seasoning. If you are going to do less I would suggest cutting the seasoning in half or making a full batch and freezing the other half.

Start with your dry beans and soak and cook as the package directs (I’ll do a tutorial on this soon).

Once the beans are fully cooked let them cool for a while so that you can work with them without burning yourself on the steam.

Scoop beans into your blender or food processor and add some of the water from the beans (start with a cup or so and add as you blend to reach your desired consistency). Blend until you’ve reached desired consistency (less if you want some bean chunks in there, more is you want a smoother texture).

Pour blended beans into a pan and add your homemade Taco Seasoning or a package of Taco seasoning from the store, and ½-1 cup of the bean water.

Cook on medium heat until it starts to bubble and then reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 5 minutes.

Viola!

 

Is your family a big refried bean eating family?


I’m linking this to Tasty Tuesday and Homesteader Blog Carnival!

February 16, 2012 / 4 Comments

Recipe: Sweet Quick Bread Mix

(Like my pregnant belly in the bottom left corner of the picture?!)

 

I have to say, I use this recipe all the time. It was the first recipe I every tried from the (More) Make-A-Mix recipe books and I am in love with it. My family LOVES fruit breads and muffins and this recipe makes it just as easy, if not easier, then from a box, and it’s certainly cheaper. The picture above is of the basic mix that you make a head (notice that it’s almost gone!)

 

Sweet Quick Bread Mix

6 Cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1-1/2 cups vegetable shortening

 

In a large bowl, stir flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar and brown sugar with a large wire whisk until blended. Use a pastry blender, a heavy duty mixer with a bowl cover or your fingers to blend in shortening until evenly distributed. Spoon into a 12 cup container with a tight fitting lid (or large zip bags if you don’t have a large enough container). Store in cool, dry place. Use within 10-12 weeks. Makes about 11 cups Sweet Quick Bread Mix.

 

(Joel’s healthy breakfast, including cranberry Muffins made with the mix. Yes he does eat the carrots and green peppers for breakfast. Did you know Green peppers are high in Vitamin C?)


For Banana-Nut Bread

3-3/4 cups Sweet Quick Bread Mix

2 eggs, Beaten

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

2-3 Medium Bananas Mashed (about 1 cup)

½ Cup Chopped Nuts

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 C) grease one 9″x5″ loaf pan or two 7″x3″ loaf pans; set aside. In medium bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring to blend. Turn into prepared pan or pans. Bake 50 to 60 minutes in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out of pan. Cool right-side up on rack. Makes 1-2 loaves.

There are several variations, but I’m only sharing one with you today. If you are interested in purchasing the books you can buy the Make-A-Mix " target="_blank">Make-A-Mix, and More Make-A-Mix Cookery " target="_blank">More-Make-A-Mix (which is where this recipe came from) books at amazon.com for a great price.

 

On a personal note

If you don’t have lemon juice, don’t panic. It’s not the end of the world without it.

I use 3 medium bananas when I make this. It makes the bread extra moist.

My husband, sadly, is not a nut person so I omit the nuts.

If you are doing two 7″x3″ pans I would start with 40 minutes and go from there. Depending on the oven 50 minutes might be too much.

Also, I use the same recipe for muffins. I find it sweeter then the muffin mix. To make muffins you will need two muffin pans (24 muffins total). I place one pan on the top rack on one side and the other on the second rack on the opposite side. At 15 minutes I switch top rack and bottom rack and rotate the pans so that the back is now in the front and bake for 5 more minutes.

 

Do you have a favorite muffin recipe?

 

I’m Linking this to Homestead Barn Hop and Tasty Tuesday!

February 7, 2012 / 2 Comments

Recipe: Butter Milk Pancakes

I’ll admit that I used to be one of those girls that bought pancake mix. I didn’t grow up making things from scratch. I assumed anything made from a recipe was labor intensive. Obviously I have learned the error of my thinking. True there are some things that take more work then to buy premade, but pancakes are for sure not one of them. I have been whipping out the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook on Saturdays when we do pancakes for breakfast, but as I was thinking about what I was going to write for this post I realized that I could easily mix up the dry ingredients for the number of batches I use and put them in zip bags with the required wet ingredients written on the bag. FYI, I usually do a triple batch. This feeds 4 adults and 2 girls plus leaves enough leftovers for the girls and I to have a second breakfast later in the week. You can either store them in the frig if you are going to use them quickly or throw them in the freezer for a little later.

I will let you know that the recipe doesn’t call for vanilla, but I like to pour a little in and it makes a huge difference. I don’t measure it out, I just eyeball it. Also I don’t’ usually use butter milk. I just follow the instructions to use regular milk.

Butter Milk Pancakes

1 Cup All purpose Flour

1Tablespoon Sugar

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1Teaspoon Baking Soda

¼ Teaspoon Salt

1 Beaten Egg

1 Cup Butter Milk or Sour Milk (or reg. Milk)

2 Tablespoons Oil

Combine dry ingredients. Make well in center of mix, set aside. Combine egg, milk and oil. Add wet mix to dry mix. Stir until moist (batter will lumpy). For standard size pancakes use ¼ cup of batter into a 3 inch circle; makes 8. For dollar size pancakes use a1tablespoon of batter into a 1inch circle.

Substitute regular milk by omitting Baking soda and increasing baking powder to 2 teaspoons.

I am linking this to: Beauty and Bedlam and Homstead Barn Hop!

January 31, 2012 / 8 Comments

Recipe: Homemade Taco Seasoning

I will admit that it took me a while to actually try this recipe. I kept meaning to but I’d be missing an ingredient or it just seemed easier to buy a packet of taco seasoning. Finally though, I did bite the bullet and boy am I glad I did! Not only do I love it but my family enjoys it as well! The recipe is for one serving but you could easily make up a bunch all at once. The bonus is that it’s something my girls can help with, and I will take anything they can help with (they looooove to help mommy in the kitchen). Not only do I use this for tacos, but I also use it for enchiladas and homemade refried beans. I love knowing exactly what is in my food.

Having said all that, here is the recipe. I got it from the Make a Mix cookbook. Someday soon I will do a review on these cookbooks. They are amazing!

 

Homemade Taco Seasoning

2 teaspoons instant minced onion

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Chili Powder

½ teaspoon Cornstarch

½ teaspoon crushed dried red pepper

½ teaspoon instant minced garlic (I use garlic powder)

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl until evenly distributed. Store in an air tight container. This recipe makes one package of taco seasoning. If you are planning on making a large batch, two tablespoons is one serving.

To make taco meat add ½ cup of water and seasoning mix to a pound of meat.

I am linking this to: and Beauty and Bedlam

January 11, 2012 / Leave a Comment

2012 Goals: Recipes

 

Along with reading and crafting goals, I am challenging myself in the kitchen as well. I figure if I try just one new skill or recipe per month (save April) I can overcome my fear of failure in the kitchen once and for all. Granted I have tried new recipes and different takes on recipes, but my biggest fear is waste. “What if it turns out badly and no one will eat it and I’ll have to throw the whole thing away or worse yet, I’ll have to suffer through eating all the leftovers myself because I can’t bring myself to throw it away?” That is over my friends! It has been a looong time since I have screwed something up so royally or picked such a terrible recipe that we had to scrap the whole meal. And even if it were a total flop, so what, you live and learn and do better next time.

With that, here is my list of skills/recipes for 2012 broken down into monthly goals:

January

Basic Bread Recipe

February

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

March

Homemade Crackers-" target="_blank">Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it

April

Homemade Mustard-" target="_blank">Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it

Homemade Ketchup-" target="_blank">Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it

May

Homemade Soda-" target="_blank">Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it (this one will be with the help of hubby since he’s the one who reeeally wants to try it!)

June

Chipotle Burrito Recipe

July

Homemade Salsa

August

Better then Panera Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

September

Homemade Tomato Sauce-" target="_blank">Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it

October

Homemade Pie Crust Recipe

November

Homemade Pitas (I want to make Gyros)

December

Homemade Granola

BONUS

Homemade Runzas (once I get the bread thing down I will be whipping up a batch of these babies! I made them with my mother-in-law once but she had already made up the dough. They are so good and are great to keep in the freezer and pull out for a quick lunch or dinner!)

How about you, do you have any recipes you are dying to try? How about that culinary skill you need to suck it up and try? Share with us below and we’ll give you lots of encouragement!

I’m linking this to Monday’s Homestead Barn Hop!

July 12, 2011 / Leave a Comment

Recipe: Sunshine Cake

This is a favorite family recipe. A family friend made it for a women’s get together for church when I was a girl. We got the recipe from her and the rest is history. So here’s to you Nancy!

SunShine Cake

What you’ll need:

1 Yellow Box Cake mix

3/4 cup Cooking oil

4 Eggs

1 11oz can of Mandarin oranges (juice included)

1 8oz container of Cool Whip thawed

1 20oz can of crushed Pineapple (juice included)

1 small box of Vanilla Pudding

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees

Grease a 9×13 pan

Mix cake mix, oil, eggs and Mandarin oranges together

Pour into greased pan and bake for 35 minutes.

Allow to cool completely

Topping

Thoroughly mix Cool Whip, pudding and pineapple together

Spread on top

You can serve immediately or place in the refrigerator to allow topping to firm slightly. Either way is fine but I like it chilled better.

I am linking to Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam!