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Oct. 13, 2009
A new way to prepare spaghetti squash
When I first decided to grow spaghetti squash three years ago, I hadn't ever eaten one before. But we decided to give it a try. I had to learn when to harvest them, and how to prepare them. I googled and asked around, and started preparing them by cutting them in half, placing olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic on the halves. Then I baked them with the cut side facing up. I had also read of baking them upside down in water, but I don't recall trying it that way.
This year, we decided to grow them again, and I had to remind myself of the cooking details. This time, I looked in my Betty Crocker cookbook and saw that she recommended cooking them with the cut side up, but sitting in water, and covered with foil. I tried that and it worked fairly well, but it was hard to do more than one spaghetti squash and have water in the pan. I used a bar pan and sloshed water everywhere when I put four halves into the oven.
We were giving away spaghetti squashes this weekend -- well, my husband was because I was home with some sick kids. Anyway, he was informed of two other ways to cook them. One lady said she microwaves hers. I haven't researched that option yet, but the other lady said she boils hers and it's faster and easier.
So we tried that last night. I washed the spaghetti squash, searched around until I found a stock pot large enough for it to fit in with water, and boiled it. Once the water reached boiling, I set the timer for 25 minutes. I checked it out when the timer went off, and saw that the shell had cracked open in several places. I pressed it with a wooden spoon and it dented in. I've never done this before, so I let it cook awhile longer, just to be safe.
When we took it out of the boiling water (we poured the water into the sink first) we were able to cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and peel the shell right off. It was easier and more tender than when I've baked them. We had to season it AFTER it was cooked, but that's no big deal.
We also tried a second spaghetti squash with butter, cinnamon and sugar, in the oven ... per another friend's suggestion. Most of the kids disliked that, so Steve and I have lots of leftovers to nibble on in the next few days. At least it's healthy.
Trusting In Him,
April
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Aug. 11, 2009
Molly Makes $5 Dinners and $3 Desserts e-book is HERE!!
Molly Makes $5 Dinners and $3 Desserts
Molly Green's ingenious, new, guaranteed-to-save-you-money recipe book!
Molly's $5 dinner cookbook is finally ready for sale! I was excited when I saw the email last week, because several of my family's favorite recipes are included in this e-book. It is really full of recipes for every taste and style, including fast-prep and slow-prep meals.
The price is a great value at $7.95, too. You can read more about it HERE.
Take joy,
April
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Jul. 1, 2009
WFMW: An easy crockpot meal
I had another WFMW post all written out, before I realized there's a theme today. So, I'll just post that one another week.
We don't have air conditioning, and we live in hot humid Kansas. We do have a wonderful all-house fan and an attic fan. Those combined with lots of carefully positioned fans (including window fans) make life bearable. Now when it hits 100* there's no way around it ... we will sweat and we will look like it. But it's still better than nothing.
Why did I tell you that? So you'll understand why I do NOT want to use the ancient propane stove/oven in my kitchen during the summer. Even using the stove top heats up the kitchen. And I definitely won't use the oven ... it can raise the house temp from 88* to 92* in just an hour. I spend lots of time looking up crock pot recipes during the summer instead.
One of the easiest crock pot recipes I have is one from my Mom's repertoire. I don't know that it even has a name. Potato Green Bean Sausage Casserole maybe?
It has just a few ingredients:
Potatoes
Onion (optional, my Mom doesn't use them)
Can of Green Beans with juice
Sausages (Italian, Smoked, or Polish)
Black Pepper (also optional, since my Mom doesn't use it)
1. You can peel your potatoes, or leave the skins on ... whatever your family prefers. I like the time savings and health benefits of leaving my skins on. Just wash them, and then slice them into 1/4 inch thick slices. Fill the crockpot 1/2 full of potatoes.
2. Slice your onion in rings. Layer them over the potatoes. (optional but I like them)
3. Sprinkle with black pepper ... paprika would also work. (optional but I like it, too.)
4. Open a can of green beans (or two if your family loves them) and pour over the potatoes, juice and all!
5. Slice the sausages (any variety except breakfast sausages) into 1 inch thick slices. Place them on top of the green beans.
6. Cover and cook for either 4-5 hours on high, or 8-10 hours on low. (This depends on how hot your crock pot is. I have two, and the new one cooks faster than the old one.) It's ready when the potatoes are tender.
The sausages will flavor the potatoes and green beans quite well. It's delicious, and easy!
It works for me!
To read other Works For Me Wednesday tips, go to We Are That Family blog.
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Jun. 18, 2009
Bacon Potatoes Au Gratin (from the garden, in the crockpot)
It was 90* in our house last night, after a day of upper 90's temperatures and the use of the stove for supper preparation. Today is supposed to be about 95* again, and I am NOT going to use the stove or oven.
So it's a crock pot night! And to make it even better, this meal is mostly locally grown. The pork cured bacon is from a local pig (not ours) and the peas and onions are from our own garden! The potatoes and everything else came from the grocery store, though. Maybe later this year we can try it again with our own potatoes.
Bacon Potatoes Au Gratin
(this is my own recipe, combining ideas from several other recipes ... my favorite way to cook!)
Ingredients:
8-9 medium potatoes
1 lb. ham cubes or pork cured bacon
1 - 2 cups peas
1 large onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cream of mushroom soup (10.5 oz. can)
milk
pepper
Directions:
Peel and slice 4-5 potatoes into thin slices. Layer in bottom of crockpot.
Chop onion and layer half the onion over the potatoes.
Pour half the peas over the onion.
Sprinkle half the ham or bacon over the peas.
Sprinkle half the cheese over the ham/bacon.
Repeat layers (potato, onion, peas, ham, cheese).
Pour 1 small can of Cream of Mushroom soup over it all.
Pour 1/2 can of milk over the soup.
Sprinkle the top with pepper.
Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours.
I have no idea how many this would feed. Six is probably a safe assumption. I'd like to take this to a potluck sometime.
I hope my kids will all eat it, but many of them reject potatoes in all forms except fried.
Trusting in Him,
April
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Jun. 8, 2009
Easy Crockpot Baked Beans
I made baked beans for the first time yesterday. Usually, I either serve plain old Pork And Beans from the can, or I buy Baked Beans pre-made in a can.
But we needed to take a covered dish to our 4-H barbecue yesterday and I decided to use my crockpot to make something. I started looking for ideas in my Fix It And Forget It cookbook, but ended up tweaking the recipe to suit me.
Here is my tweaked variation for Crockpot Baked Beans
Ingredients:
6 cans (15 oz. size) of Pork And Beans
1 large can of French's Cheddar Fried Onions (the secret ingredient!)
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp. mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder
Mix all together in a greased 5 quart crock pot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
I received several compliments on this yesterday and the entire pot was eaten except one very small serving which was finished off at lunch today.
Trusting in Him,
April
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Jun. 5, 2009
Better Homes & Garden Junior Cookbook
10 yo C is always checking out cookbooks from the library's juvenile non-fiction section. So for her birthday this week we bought her the Better Homes & Garden Junior Cookbook, the original version reprinted. She loved it ... and last night she made us grilled cheese sandwiches for supper.
It turns out that my wimpy large burner that won't let a pot of water boil, is just perfect for making grilled cheese sandwiches without burning them. She did a great job.
The girls are requesting that I follow through on my original plan of having different kitchen helpers and letting them help with or cook supper different nights of the week. I really need to.
Trusting in Him,
April
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May. 18, 2009
I have a new best friend! A yummy one, too.
I have wanted the Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: Feasting with your Slow Cooker for over a year. I finally received a very nice copy of it from my Paperbackswap wish list last week! Yay!
I'm so excited because it's warming up, we have no air conditioner, and we will be using that crock pot as often as we possibly can. Our old propane stove heats up the whole kitchen, dining room, and master bedroom when we bake with it ... and to a lesser degree even when we use the stove top. (I really do mean old old old propane stove. Possibly from the 40s!)
So the season for crock pot meals and quick stove top meals is here. 12 yo R and I just keep flipping through it, thinking and planning. She has appointed herself as my food organizer and meal helper. She knows what's in the pantry just as well as I do. She organizes the shelves for me, and likes to help me make the meal decisions. Although I have had to tell her that she can not be my only helper. There are other girls who need to learn their way around the kitchen, too.
I need to make a list of the meats I have in the freezer and then make a list of recipes I'd like to try and any ingredients I'd need. Once I have the ingredients we can start trying new recipes. Yummy!
Trusting in Him,
April
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May. 1, 2009
Friday Show & Tell at ElCloud Homeschool
These are some pictures taken around our house this week.
First, we took pictures of our two Persian kittens we're trying to sell. Aren't they beautiful?
Trouble 1 and Trouble 2
Then I just had to take a picture of our very first egg at ElCloud Homestead! Of course it came from the lone survivor guinea. I guess we can't call her "Last Man Standing" anymore ... "Last Gal Standing" maybe. And, we don't know how long it was out there before we found it, so we will be tossing it later today. Literally. We're going to go out and see how far 8 yo J can throw it toward the burn pit. PE class anyone? I can't wait until our Ameraucana chicks actually start laying eggs for us.
yes, that is the color of my kitchen counter top
I guess we'll need to start watching the guinea enclosure more carefully to try to collect her eggs each day. Trouble is, it also has fencing on top of it; so when I go in, I have to walk all hunched over. I guess it's a good thing I've got little kids to do the dirty work for me. *wink*
And the last picture was last night's supper. I was so proud of myself for making home made chicken pot pies for the very first time, that I just had to take a picture of them. They look beautiful to me!
the kids just don't know what they're missing!
Of course, half the kids hated them because the frozen veggies didn't get tender enough for their liking ... but they sure looked beautiful. Steve and I (along with the oldest two girls) thought they were delicious. I felt so "domestic" making home made pot pie ... kind of like the first time I made meatloaf successfully. Don't ask me why, other than the fact that they are considered classic American meals.
I didn't use a recipe for it. I just made up my own -- with chicken, cooked frozen veggies, cream of chicken soup, cheese, and onion. One of them just has frozen mixed veggies in it, but the other one also has broccoli in it.
I did cheat, though. I used two rather old frozen pie crusts from my deep-freeze for the base, and then layered refrigerated crescent roll dough on top for the top crust. It was yummy, and since the kids didn't like it that much, there's plenty of leftovers for lunch today!
You can see more Friday Show and Tells over at Mary's (Canadagirl) @ Raising 4 Godly Men.
Trusting in Him,
April
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Mar. 19, 2009
Molly Makes $5 Dinners and $3 Desserts e-book is coming!
If you've been reading my blog, you know I love Molly Green, Econobusters, and Molly's Money-Saving Digest. When I found out they were going to make a Molly cookbook full of $5 dinners and $3 desserts, I was very curious. Steve and I agreed that this was an e-book we wanted to own. We try to cook frugally most of the time, but we can always use more ideas for inexpensive meals, especially if they're healthy and can feed the whole family.
I'm so glad I got the chance to review an advance copy of Molly Makes $5 Dinners and $3 Desserts. I wasn't disappointed with the cookbook at all! There are a wide variety of recipes to enjoy with your family, including some of my own recipes. *wink*
Some of the recipes sound elegant:
- Chicken Piccata
- Greek Spinach and Rice with Black Beans (vegetarian)
Others are obviously family favorites:
- Uncle Bob's Potato Soup
- Grandma's Stovetop Tuna and Noodles
- Rice Stuff (love the name)
Some of the recipes make your mouth water with their name alone:
- Yummy Chicken Legs
- Spicy Vegetable Beef Soup
Then there are the comfort foods:
- Broccoli Cheese and Chicken Soup
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Fearless Fried Chicken
The luscious desserts:
- Cherry Chocolate Dessert
- Favorite Chocolate Pie
Health-conscious recipes:
- Gluten Free Donuts
- Healthy Brownies
- Broccoli and Pasta (vegetarian)
- Mixed Bean Soup
Those are only sixteen of the delicious and frugal recipes you'll find in the Molly Makes $5 Dinners and $3 Desserts e-book. I counted over 70 recipes in all. I'm personally looking forward to trying the "Cherry Chocolate Dessert", "Minute Minestrone", and "Fearless Fried Chicken"!
Although my children would love to eat the same favored meals weekly (at least they think they would), my husband and I appreciate more variety. I'm thankful to have Molly's cookbook of frugal meals to choose from, so we can add to our repertoire without raising our grocery bill. I won't have to dig through my cookbooks trying to figure out the costs of the meals, either. With the Molly Makes $5 Dinners and $3 Desserts e-book, the costs are already listed for me.
If your grocery bill is just too high, and you need to lower it, then this e-book can help! You can't lower a grocery bill unless you lower the cost of each meal you're cooking. I know I can't make lasagna from scratch using my Mother-in-law's recipe every week, because it's too expensive! (Not to mention really time consuming.) Not only can you find new recipes to try, you can also find cost-cutting ideas for changing your own recipes.
Watch for Molly Makes $5 Dinners and $3 Desserts at the Econobusters Store later this Spring. It's another bargain -- over 70 frugal recipes for your family's enjoyment, for only $8.00! It's scheduled to release around May 1st, so stay tuned!
Trusting in Him,
April
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Jun. 14, 2007
Tip of the Day -- A Favorite Children's Book & Recipe
One of our family's favorite children's books is The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman. We enjoy the whimsical story since some of our children are finicky eaters. We enjoy reading about another large family. We enjoy seeing Mrs. Peters serve her family, and her children choosing to bless her for her birthday.
The warm and inviting illustrations of Marla Frazee truly bring the book to life. They're rich with details and the beauty of family life. I love that when you look around the Peters' family home, you don't see a TV, or any video games, or a multitude of toys. You see books, wooden blocks, more books, and a cello. It makes me wish I could see what books they're reading. You see a family that loves being together, and serving each other. You see laundry being folded on the table. You see the natural mess that a large family in a small home creates during the day. And in the end, you see a family working together to take care of their home and family.
The book is humorous. The artwork is humorous. I enjoy reading it as much as my children enjoy hearing it. And I love to sit and look at the pictures. The book doesn't mention school at all, but I like to imagine they're a homeschool family like us.
I was excited when I found out that the author, Mary Ann Hoberman, had created a recipe for the Famous Mrs. Peters' Birthday Cake. We will be baking it for Father's Day this weekend, even though it was originally designed to bless the mother in the story. We're all looking forward to trying it.
I hope you can find a copy of this book at your library, or book store, to enjoy with your family.
April E. (ElCloud Homeschool) is a Homeschool Mom of 6. She has homeschooled for over 7 years, and enjoys sharing the things she's learned in her homeschool journey with others.
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Jun. 12, 2007
Our Favorite Bread Recipe
sponge ingredients:
2 cups water -- 110 degrees
1 tablespoon yeast
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour
additional ingredients:
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
1 500 mg vitamin C tablet, crushed
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour
whole wheat flour for kneading
In mixer bowl (Kitchen Aid or Bosch), dissolve yeast in water. Then, stir in 2 tablespoons honey and 3 cups flour and let "sponge" 30 minute until big and bubbly.
After it has "sponged", add 1/4 cup honey, oil, salt, egg, vitamin C, gluten, and 2 cups flour. Mix until well combined.
Add additional flour by 1/2-cupfuls, until dough cleans the sides of the bowl and holds together in a mass. Let machine knead for 6-8 minutes.
Remove dough to a lightly-greased bowl, turning once to coat top. Cover and let rise until double, about 45 minutes.
Punch down in the bowl. Remove the dough from the bowl onto a floured counter top. Divide into two equal pieces, and form into 2 loaves. Place the loaves in 2 greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise until 1.5" above rims of pans. I set the oven to the lowest temp possible, toss two ice cubes in the bottom of the oven, put my bread pans in uncovered, shut the door, and then turn off the oven after a few minutes. So it rises in a warm, moist oven. Check after 30 minutes.
Bake in preheated oven (350*) for 25 minutes. Since my bread has already risen in the oven, I don't preheat the oven, I just turn it on to 350* and set my timer for 25 minutes.
Brush tops with butter or cover with a dishtowel while hot to prevent crusts from getting hard.
Sometimes, I replace 1/2 cup of the whole wheat flour with oat flour or wheat germ, but not always.
Blessings,
April
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Jun. 11, 2007
Tip of the Day -- Finding New Uses For a Common Item
Today's tip isn't about homeschooling. Today's tip is for our other job as homeschool parents -- housekeeper. But it can help with cleaning up after art projects gone awry.
One of the all-purpose wonder items I've grown to love is baking soda. It seems I am constantly finding new uses for it, besides baking. We use it for so many things, we've begun buying it in a 4 lb. box. Here are some uses I've personally tried:
- sprinkle it on my stove top and use a damp dish cloth to clean the buildup around the burners
- sprinkle it on my counters and use a damp dish cloth to clean away stains
- sprinkle it in my sink and use a damp dish cloth to clean away grease and other grime, or soap scum in the bathroom
- dissolve in boiled water and (after cooling) use it to swab out a baby's mouth when it has thrush
- dissolve it in water and use it like a mouthwash when I'm having gum problems
- make a paste with water and use it to brush my teeth, occasionally
- dissolve it in water and pour it over my hair to remove build up
- add it to a shampoo bottle to work as a clarifying shampoo
- mix it with conditioner or honey to form a paste and use as a scalp scrub
- mix it with water, facial cleanser, or facial moisturizer to form a paste and use to exfoliate my face
- sprinkle it in the diaper pail to absorb odors
- open a box and store it in the fridge to absorb odors
- sprinkle it on a carpet (house or car) and let sit awhile before vacuuming to remove odors
- sprinkle it in the cat litter box to absorb odors
- add 1/4 - 1 cup when washing my cloth diapers to help remove odors and soap build up
- make a paste with water and use it to scrub my dirty grimy light blue kitchen trash can -- and remind me not to buy a light colored trash can again
- and last week's new discovery!!
 sprinkle it on the maple dining room table and scrub gently with a wet wash cloth to remove permanent marker. I'm so glad it worked!
I'm sure that others have used baking soda in ways I have not yet tried, and I'm sure that I'll discover new uses for it over time, as well. For instance, I've heard that a little baking soda dissolved in water can help relieve indigestion, but I haven't tried it.
April E. (ElCloud Homeschool) is a Homeschool Mom of 6. She has homeschooled for over 7 years, and enjoys sharing the things she's learned in her homeschool journey with others.
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Feb. 5, 2007
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea ... my tonic!
Several pregnancies ago, I heard about Red Raspberry Leaf tea, and how it helps strengthen the uterus and prepare it for labor and delivery, and can help reduce bleeding. I ordered a lb. of pregnancy tea mix which included Red Raspberry Leaf. And I began drinking it iced. At first I always mixed it with a decaf spearmint or peppermint tea bag.
Eventually, my source quit selling the pregnancy tea mix, so I had to find a new source. I found one, but that tea mix included comfrey, which I began to hear some negative things about. We finished off that lb. of pregnancy tea, but didn't buy more.
Then we joined a health food co-op (buying club) and I found I could order some herbs in bulk. We ordered a lb. of Red Raspberry Leaf, 1 lb. of Nettles, and 1 lb. of Spearmint. I mixed them together to make a loose-leaf tea. It was 3/4 (or more) Red Raspberry Leaf and 1/4 (or less) of the Nettles and Spearmint. (I didn't really measure as I mixed them). Nettles for its health benefits and Spearmint for flavor.
We continued with that method for a couple years, but our buying club was coming to an end, so I decided to order from www.herbalcom.com. They have very good prices on bulk loose herbs. I was able to get Red Raspberry Leaf, Peppermint, Alfalfa (another wonderful herb for women), and Oat Straw. My new Red Raspberry Leaf mix is still mostly Red Raspberry Leaf, with nettles, alfalfa, oat straw, peppermint and spearmint added. Very yummy! I drink a 2.25 quart pitcher of it in 1.5 - 2 days. And it counts for water since it's unsweetened and decaffeinated.
So, why am I still drinking Red Raspberry Leaf tea daily, even though I'm not pregnant? Well, besides toning the uterus, I knew that Red Raspberry Leaf helps to balance a woman's hormones. Some even refer to it as "Cranky Lady Tea" or "PMS tea". And, there are times that I can use some help in that area. 
But recently I have read about a few other benefits of Red Raspberry Leaf tea. I was surprised a couple months ago to read that it was a recommended herb when fighting a cold or the flu. Although I'm sure hot tea is more soothing when sick than iced tea. But I tucked that information away in my mind as another benefit of one of my favorite teas.
Yesterday I was reading in another of my herbal books and read that Red Raspberry Leaf tea helps to suppress the appetite and increases your energy. Wow! With my history of over-indulgence, that is something I could use. I have relied on sugar and chocolate to give me an energy boost or deal with stress much too often -- an unhealthy habit!!
With all these benefits, I think I'll be drinking Red Raspberry Leaf tea for the rest of my life! I've also really come to enjoy my iced herbal tea, as an alternative to water.
EDITING TO ADD: that this is not the raspberry zinger style tea. It's not fruity tasting. It's the leaf that carries these health benefits. You have to look for Red Raspberry Leaf, not just Raspberry tea.
EDITED TO ALSO ADD: In order to get the full benefits of the herbs, bring water to boiling, pour over the herbs in a jar or pan, cover with a lid, let steep for at least 30 minutes. I often let mine infuse for a couple hours. I have a friend who lets hers sit overnight. I use a rounded 1/2 cup measure for 2 quarts of iced tea.
Blessings,
April
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Dec. 19, 2006
My Cheater Cookies
Our church has cookies served after services each week. Every week, two volunteers bring 7 dozen cookies each for this fellowship time. This quarterly commitment helped me develop my "cheater cookies".
Ingredients:
- Family Size Brownie mix (store brands work just as well as name brands)
- Oil, water, eggs required for brownie mix
- Your choice of baking chips (chocolate, caramel, peanut butter, white chocolate, etc.)
- Mini-muffin pan
I have two mini-muffin pans. They each make 2 dozen mini-muffins. A family size (9x13) brownie mix will fill both pans. 4 dozen "cheater cookies" in half an hour. 
I mix up the brownie mix per its instructions. Then I stir in whatever baking chips I have on hand and desire to use that time. I've used white chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate and peanut butter, milk chocolate and caramel, etc. Use baking spray in each mini-muffin hole and fill 2/3 full of brownie batter. Bake at 350* for about 9 minutes. Test with a toothpick in one of the middle mini-muffins.
Remove from oven and let cool in pan for a short while. Use a plastic knife to loosen the "cookies" from each mini-muffin slot. Set aside to finish cooling.
While these are still hot, you could add a candy to the top of each one. Yesterday, I pushed a caramel/chocolate chip into the top of each one. You could do the same with an M&M, a Reeses piece, or a Hershey's kiss. Hmm. Other add-ins could be mini M&Ms, crushed peppermint candy, Reeses pieces, etc.
I like that they're easy and quick. I like that I can change their flavor by changing the "add-in". I can dress them up by adding a candy to the top. Since we only buy brownie mixes and baking chips when they are on sale, they aren't *that* expensive, either. We stock up on those sale items whenever we can.
I also like using my Pampered Chef small cookie dough scoop. It's the perfect size for filling the mini-muffin holes in the pan. One scoop per hole.
I know this isn't a brilliant recipe. I know it isn't from scratch. But it is something that has made my life easier. It stretches the brownie mix further than a pan would, and it is easier to serve than cutting up the pan of brownies. (Am I the only one who usually butchers the brownies by cutting them while they're still too warm?) It's also easier than making cookies the traditional way, one dozen at a time on the cookie trays. And it's certainly cheaper than buying cookie mixes or cookie dough.
Tonight I'm going to a cookie exchange (barring any unforeseen circumstances between now and then). Yesterday, Baby L took a nap. I wasn't sure how long she'd sleep or how fussy she was going to be this week since she was so sick all weekend long. So, I decided to make the cheater cookies, and I prayed I'd get them in the oven before she woke up. In the long run, she actually took a very long nap, but my cookies were done. One less thing to worry about. And I actually was able to accomplish several other tasks while she slept instead of having cookie making take up the whole time.
I also like using muffin mixes in my mini-muffin pan ... 2 or 3 mini-muffins per child are less messy than one big muffin. Also, they work better for the Sunday Fellowship.
Just an idea that might make someone else's life easier.
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Jul. 28, 2006
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Jul. 27, 2006
Favorite Zucchini Recipes?
I confess I've never grown zucchini, although we are occasionally given
some. We were given 3 last week, and they shredded up to make 15 cups
of shredded zucchini ... most of which I froze.
Yesterday I made chocolate zucchini bread. And I have a zucchini
brownie recipe I want to try. But what I really want is to find a
devil's food cake recipe using zucchini. I remember eating a really
rich dark chocolate zucchini cake at church potlucks as a teen in
Maryland. I loved it!! The best I can think to describe it as is
Zucchini Devil's Food Cake. Does anyone have a recipe like that?
Here are the two recipes I have, but I'd love to try others. Please share if you have a favorite.
Chocolate Zucchini or Pumpkin Bread
3 cups shredded zucchini OR 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour OR whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa
optional 1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350* and grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans. Mix
zucchini/pumpkin, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs together. Stir in
remaining ingredients. Pour into pans. Bake 50-60 minutes or until
wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.
Loosen sides of loaves, remove from pans. Cool completely before
slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or
refrigerate up to 10 days.
Chocolate Zucchini Brownies
2 cups grated zucchini
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1.5 tsp. baking soda
1/3-1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2-3/4 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 350*. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake 30-35 minutes.
What's your favorite zucchini recipe? If you share it on your blog,
please leave a comment here so I can see all the yummy recipes.
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Jul. 11, 2006
The infamous meatloaf recipe
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Shurleen's Meatloaf Recipe
| 3 Lb hamburger |
| | 1 Can evaporated milk |
| | 1 -2 eggs (your preference) |
| 1 -2 pkg dried onion soup (your preference -- we use 2)
About 11 crushed crackers
1 cup oatmeal
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| You can use all oatmeal or all crackers. I like using both, but it doesn't matter.
Meatloaf - can be used for large meatballs with gravy or small meatballs, as well as meatloaf.
Now,
I followed her recipe using 2 eggs and one package of dried onion soup
mix. However, I also added some additional salt, pepper, and
onion powder since I skipped the second package of onion soup
mix. Then I goofed it up by using sweetened, condensed milk
instead of evaporated milk.
She didn't include baking
temps and time, but I put this in a 9x13 pan and baked it for 45
minutes at 350*, I believe. I set the timer for 1 hour and then
started checking its temperature using my meat thermometer after 30
minutes. I think I took it out after 45 minutes, when it reached
170* inside the meat.
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Jul. 10, 2006
Meatloaf Something Different
I decided to try a different Meatloaf
Recipe today. My children aren't fond of meatloaf, and I've been
trying to make them like it. They like my Mother-in-law's Hamloaf
recipe, which is similar to my meatloaf recipe. I just don't know
why they like hamloaf, but not meatloaf.
Anyway, I decided to try my friend Shurleen's recipe today. Her recipe is basically the same as mine, except one ingredient is different.
I
stood there at the pantry wondering why it calls for sweetened
condensed milk instead of evaporated milk or refrigerated milk. I
thought it was odd to use sweetened milk in a recipe like this, but I
did it.
Then it cooked and I tasted it. VERY SWEET!! Caramelized Meatloaf with Onion. 
So
I double checked the recipe again. Doofus me!! I always confuse
evaporated milk and sweetened, condensed milk. And I confused them
today.
The children said they actually missed my tomato sauce meatloaf recipe.  I thought they'd like it without the tomato this time. But I guess not.  I'm still going to try Shurleen's recipe again, but with evaporated milk instead!!
Go ahead, laugh at me. It's okay. I'm laughing, too.
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