REAL TIME COUPON FEATURES ON TRI-CITIES ON A DIME

Archived Recipies - Page 2 (2 of 2) (4-19-12 through 9-13-12)

September 13, 2012

When I was a kid, one treat I enjoyed was my grandmother's fudge. Somehow her chocolate fudge recipe was lost, however, I have found one that is very similar. This recipe comes from Mamie Eisenhower and was President Eisenhower's favorite. In fact, he is the one to name this recipe.
Shopping List:
  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • Sugar
  • Butter
  • Salt
  • Chocolate bits - 12 oz
  • Sweet chocolate - 12 oz
  • Marshmallow whip
  • Walnuts (2 1/2 cups)
Million-Dollar Fudge
1 can (13.5 ozs.) evaporated milk
4 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 package (12 ozs.) chocolate bits
1 bar (12 ozs.) sweet chocolate
[broken into pieces]
1 jar (8 ozs.) marshmallow whip
2 1/2 cups walnuts (personal preference I use almonds)
  • Mix evaporate milk, sugar, butter, and salt in a sauce pan and bring to boiling. Stir and boil for 7 minutes.
  • Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl, mix well. Pour boiling evaporated milk mixture over all. Beat until fudge is creamy. 
  • Pour into buttered 9 x 9 inch square pan to cool. Cut into squares when cold - Makes 30 squares.
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August 30, 2012

English Muffins, hmmm. I've often wondered how they were made, and finally I found a recipe. When you read the recipe, you will realize that it is very old and very easy to make.

Shopping List:
  • Milk
  • Salt
  • Sugar
  • Shortening
  • Yeast
  • Flour
English Muffins
1 cup HOT water
1 cup scalding hot milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons shortening
1 cake yeast (see I told you it was old)
[the equivalent is 1 package of yeast OR if you buy the jar of yeast you will use 2 1/4 teaspoon]
4 cups of flour
  • Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 large-size muffin cups.
  • Place in a mixing bowl the water and milk. Stir in the salt, sugar, and shortening. Then, cool the mixture to about 80 degrees. 
  • Stir in the yeast, which has been dissolve in 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water. Beat in - 2 cups at a time - the flour. 
  • Cover with a damp cloth and let rise at 80 to 85 degrees until 'sponge' falls back in bowl (about 1 1/2 hours). Spoon into greased muffin cups---filling each cup 1/2 full. Let rise to top of cups (about 30 minutes). 
  • Bake 30 to 35 minutes - yields 1 dozen large muffins.
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August 23, 2012

Want something sweet to eat without a lot of effort to make it? Would you like something that would taste good with a cup of coffee or tea? Then try this recipe…

Shopping List:
  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Baking powder
  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Shortening
  • Cinnamon
QUICK CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE
2 cups of flour
¼ cup of sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons shortening, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
 
  • Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square pan – 2 ½ inches deep.
  •  Mix together the 2 tablespoons of sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and set aside for the topping.
  •  Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking power. Stir in the egg and milk. Add the melted and cooled shortening. Put this mixture into the 8 inch greased baking pan.
  •  Sprinkle the top of the batter with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
  • Bake for 30 minutes and serve warm from the oven.
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August 2, 2012

My daughters would look at me strangely when I would tell them the that one of my most favorite things to eat as a kid was onion sandwiches…nice homemade bread with a little mayonnaise and some salt with thinly sliced onion. Loved it! Of course that would explain why most of my friends didn’t invite me to play on those days that I ate that particular sandwich. Anyway, since onions have to this day remained one of my most favorite vegetables, I think it is only appropriate to share this recipe…Glazed Onions. This recipe was one of President Washington’s favorites.

Shopping List:
  • 12 medium-sized onions (I use white or Vidalia if I can find a medium Vidalia)
  • Butter
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Honey
Glazed Onions
12 medium-sized onions
4 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
12 teaspoons of honey

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  • Cut onions in half crosswise, dot with butter and arrange in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Pour 1 teaspoon honey over each onion. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, until tender. Serves 5. NOW, how simple is that?
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July 26, 2012

Have you ever had little bits of vegetables and meat left over? Freeze them until you have enough to make this recipe. How about what you were going to do with all those type of leftovers from a big meal, like Thanksgiving or Christmas? Here’s a solution that will take care of both of those situations. My mother often made this recipe and it was one that the rest of the family loved. She never gave it a name, so I’ll call it Parsley Pinwheel Surprise. Plus, this is a good way to stretch that grocery dollar.

I will give you two options on how to make this recipe.

Shopping List:
  • Flour
  • Baking powder
  • Shortening
  • Milk
  • Parsley (fresh, if you have it, or dried)
  • Left over meat and vegetables
  • White onion
  • Carrots
If you don’t have any gravy you will need:
  • Celery salt
  • Paprika
  • Bouillon cubes or meat stock (enough for 3 cups)
PARSLEY PINWHEEL SURPRISE
OPTION ONE
[If you don’t already have leftover gravy do this – italicized]
3 tablespoons oil
5 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoons celery salt
½ teaspoon paprika
3 bouillon cubes or 3 cups meat stock
2 cups left over meat
1 large white onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup leftover vegetables (corn, peas, celery, etc.) optional
  • Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees, and grease a baking dish – 8” x 12”.
  •  Blend together the oil, flour, salt, celery salt, and paprika. Then slowly stir in the 3 bouillon cubes that have been dissolved in 3 cups of boiling water, or 3 cups of meat stock. 
  •  [NOTE: If you are allergic to garlic, like I am, then don’t use the bouillon cubes, or chicken or beef broth, they all have garlic; use the chicken or beef stock.] 
  •  If you already have leftover gravy, you can use it instead. You will need three cups. 
  •  Add the gravy to the 2 cups of leftover meat, the onion, carrots, and leftover vegetables, which I already mixed together and ran through my Handy Chopper. 
  • Pour this whole mixture into the greased baking dish. Place in hot oven (425) and heat until mixture bubbles. Meanwhile, mix up the parsley pinwheels. Quickly place pinwheels on top of hot mixture [3 across the short side, and 5 down on the long side] . 
  • Bake immediately for about 25 minutes, letting the pinwheels brown. This will serve 7 to 8 people.
PARSLEY PINWHEELS
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoon shortening
2/3 to ¾ cups milk (enough to make a soft dough)
  • Mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Using a pastry blender or knives, cut in the shortening. Stir in the milk, making a soft dough. 
  • Pour dough onto a floured board, if you have a pastry cloth, flour it and use it. Knead lightly. Roll out ¼ inch thick into an 8” x 15” rectangle. Then sprinkle with ¼ cup finely-cut or dried parsley.
  • Roll into a long roll and seal well by pinching the edges of the dough into the roll. Cut into slices 1” thick. You will need 15.
  • [NOTE: if you don’t want to make the dough from scratch, use the biscuit recipe on Bisquick]
 OPTION TWO
[I’m repeating the recipe for convenience sake]
3 tablespoons oil
5 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoons celery salt
½ teaspoon paprika
3 bouillon cubes or 3 cups meat stock

2 cups left over meat
1 large white onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup leftover vegetables (corn, peas, celery, etc.) optional
  • Use leftover gravy or mix the italicized ingredients together and then set the gravy aside.
  •  Mix together the meat, onions, carrots, and leftover vegetables and chop in the Handy Chopper. Add just enough gravy and/or gravy mixture to make a meat ‘paste’ (you are going to be spreading this on the rolled out Pinwheel dough). 
  • [HINT: with leftovers from Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, my mother would put in some stuffing with the meat mixture.]
  • Spread the meat mixture over the rolled out Pinwheel dough.
  • Carefully roll up the dough, pinching the edge of the dough into the roll. Cut into one-inch thickness for each pinwheel.
  • Place onto a greased cookie sheet or one that has been lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 to 375 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the pinwheels look like they are done in the center of the individual pinwheels. Serve withthe gravy over the top. Add a salad or another vegetable to go with the pinwheels.
  • You can freeze the remaining pinwheels, just be sure to keep them separated with waxed paper between them and then seal into freezer bags. Use within a month. 
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July 19, 2012

One of my favorite types of chocolate cake is one with white icing. Of course, chocolate says it all! This recipe is old…using chocolate squares and a double boiler icing. If you like to bake from scratch, then this is a recipe you will want to make.

Shopping List:
  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Baking Soda
  • Shortening
  • Vanilla
  • Milk
  • Eggs
  • Sweetened chocolate squares
  • Corn syrup
  • Cream of tartar
CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH WHITE WONDER ICING
THE CAKE
3 Squares of sweetened chocolate
1 ¾ cups flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup milk
2 medium eggs
  • Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Shortening should be soft. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and dust with flour two 8 inch round layer cake pans (1 ¼ inches deep).
  • Just before starting to mix cake, pour 1/3 cup BOILING water over the three squares of chocolate. Stir until a paste is formed.
  • In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda. Then add the shortening, vanilla, and milk. Beat well (if doing by hand, beat for 2 minutes 150 beats a minute…if using a mixer, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides frequently).
  • Add the eggs and beat one more minute. Then add the warm chocolate paste and beat one minute more.
  • Pour batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool before icing. (see below)
WHITE WONDER ICING
2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoon white corn syrup
1/16 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • Mix together the egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, and cream of tartar in the top of the double boiler. Place over boiling water for about 6 minutes, stirring with finger (this is really an old recipe) until you can no longer keep your finger in the mixture (150 degrees). I use a wooden spoon and a cooking thermometer. The whole point here is DON’T let it boil. 
  • Remove from heat. Beat vigorously with rotary beater (I use my immersion beater) until icing will hold shape (about 10 minutes). For those of my readers that remember when the rotary beater was the only deal in town, you know at this point your arm feels like it going to fall off! THEN, blend in ½ teaspoon vanilla, or almond extract.
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July 12, 2012

If you like peanuts and peanut butter, then you will want to try this old time recipe – Spiced Peanut Bars. They’re chewy and spicy.

Shopping List:
  • Shortening
  • Peanut butter
  • Brown sugar
  • Eggs
  • Molasses
  • Flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Cloves (ground)
  • Nutmeg
  • Milk
SPICED PEANUT BARS
½ cup shortening
¼ cup peanut butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
¼ cup molasses
1 ½ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves (ground)
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ cup milk

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a shallow pan (10 x 15)
  • Cream together until light and fluffy the shortening, peanut butter, and brown sugar.
  • Stir in the eggs and molasses.
  • Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg. Stir into creamed mixture alternately with the milk.
  • Mix thoroughly, then spread into greased pan. If desired, sprinkle over batter ½ cups chopped roasted peanuts.
  • BBake 25 minutes. Cool. If desired, spread ½ the bars with Thin White Icing (recipe below). Cut into bars 1” x 3”.

Thin White Icing. Blend together ½ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar, few drops of vanilla, and 2 to 3 teaspoons ½ and ½ or cream…using just enough to make icing easy to spread.

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July 5, 2012

If you haven’t already figured out, I love any recipe that includes apples. Here is another really old recipe using apples and I am going to type it just the way my grandmother wrote it down.

Shopping List:
  • Apples (enough for 5 to 6 cups of sliced apples)
  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Eggs
  • Butter or shortening
APPLE CRISP
5 to 6 cups of slice apples
2 cups flour
1 to 1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 unbeaten eggs
1 cup butter or shortening
(you know me, I use the butter)

Here we go, this is the way she wrote it down:

  • Put in bake dish 5 to 6 cups sliced apples(I use a 2 quart round casserole dish)[parenthesis mine]
  • Mix together with fork until crumbly and sprinkle over apples:
    • 2 cups sifted flour -(this was before the days of pre-sifted flour)
    • 1 to 1 ½ cups sugar - depends on tartness of apples and sweetness desired.
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1½ teaspoons salt
    • 1 teasponn cinnamon
    • 2 unbeaten eggs
  • Pour over this mixture and then mix 1 cup of butter, which has been melted and cooled.
(Pour the whole flour, sugar, cinnamon, butter mixture on top of the apples)
  • Bake 35 to 45 minutes in moderate oven (350 degrees)
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June 28, 2012

If you like to have a meatloaf that is moist, then you will want to try this recipe. Also makes great sandwiches.

Shopping List:
  • Ground chuck
  • Ground pork
  • Bread crumbs
  • Sour cream
  • Ketchup
  • Eggs
  • Canned capped mushrooms or fresh mushroom
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Shallots or white onion
  • Thyme
  • Roasting bag/wrap
GOURMET MEAT LOAF
2 pounds of ground meat
(I use 1 ½ ground chuck, ½ pound ground pork. If you like you can cut the ground chuck to 1 pound and add ½ pound veal)
1 cup fine breadcrumbs
½ cup sour cream
½ cup ketchup
2 eggs, beaten
3 oz can of capped mushrooms (not the stems and pieces) or use the equivalent in fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of chopped shallots or white onion
1 teaspoon sea salt (can use 2 depending on your taste)
¼ teaspoon thyme leaves, crushed
  • Combine all ingredients and mix well. 
  • Place in one of those disposable roasting bags/wraps after you have sprinkled the bag with one tablespoon of flour. 
  •  Put the whole thing into a roasting pan that is at least 1 ½ inch deep and long enough to accommodate the loaf. 
  • Bake at 400 degrees for 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand in the roasting wrap for 15 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8.

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June 21, 2012
Are you getting ready for the 4th and planning your menu? Then this recipe will fit right in with your cookout. It doesn’t take a lot time to prepare and you just ‘heat’ it up on the stove. The recipe given only serves 4, so if you are having a crowd, double or triple accordingly.

Shopping List:
  • Bacon
  • White onion
  • Cornstarch
  • Salt
  • Dry mustard
  • Can of cut green beans
  • Brown sugar
  • Vinegar
  • Eggs
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH STYLE GREEN BEANS
3 strips of bacon
1 small white onion sliced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon mustard
1 can of cut green beans
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 hard-cooked egg, sliced
  • Fry bacon in skillet until crisp. Remove bacon and crumble. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
  • To the drippings add the onion and brown lightly. Stir in cornstarch, salt, and dry mustard.
  • Drain the beans, reserving ½ cup of the liquid. Stir the reserved liquid into the skillet. Cook, stirring, until mixture boils. Blend in the brown sugar and vinegar. Add green beans and heat thoroughly.
  • Turn into a serving dish and garnish with egg and crumbled bacon.
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June 14, 2012

If you like ginger snap type cookies, then you will love this cookie recipe. I remember my grandmother making them, and we would eat them as fast as she could get them off the cookie sheet.
Shopping List:
  • Shortening
  • Brown sugar (I like to use dark brown)
  • Eggs
  • Molasses
  • Flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Cloves
  • Cinnamon
  • Ginger
  • Parchment paper
  • Medicine-type dropper (if you have young children or grandchildren, snag one of the medicine droppers from something like liquid Tylenol and thoroughly clean it. OR use one of your empty food dye bottles that you have cleaned)
MOLASSES CRINKLES

Mix together:
¾ cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
¼ cup molasses

In a separate bowl, mix together:
2 ¼ cup flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
  • Add the dry ingredients to the brown sugar/molasses batter. Chill the dough for about 30 minutes. 
  •  Remove from refrigerator and roll into balls about the size of a walnut. Drip the balls into sugar and place the cookie sugar side up on a cookie sheet that you have covered with parchment paper (you can reuse the paper throughout the whole baking process. This eliminates the need to have to wash the cookie sheet when done. If you don’t have parchment paper, you will have to grease the cookie sheet).
  • Place the cookies about 3 inches apart. Sprinkle each cookie with 2 or 3 drops of waters.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes – just until set but not hard.
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June 7, 2012

If you like banana bread, this week’s recipe is a variation you might like to try. The recipe calls for ripe bananas, however, I like to use them before they turn brown. Also, I use whole oats and not quick oats. Best of all there are no preservatives or added chemicals when you cook from scratch.

Shopping list:
  • Butter
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • 5 medium size bananas
  • Whole oats
  • Raisins
  • Walnuts - optional
BANANA OAT BREAD
1//4 cup butter
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cup mashed bananas (about 5 medium)
¼ cup milk
1 cup whole oats
½ cup raisins
½ cup finely chopped nuts - optional
  • In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a small bowl, mix together the bananas and milk.
  • Add to creamed mixture alternating with the dry ingredients and the liquid mixture. Stir in the oats, raisins, and nuts.
  • Turn into a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan. Bake in 350-degree oven 1 hour, or until cake tester inserted in the center come out clean. Cool 10 minutes, turn out of pan, and cool completely. Makes 1 loaf.
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May 31, 2012

Here is another wonderful recipe to serve with coffee or tea. Have friends come over and wow them with the Browned Butter Frosting on top of the Nutty Loaf Cake.

Shopping List:
  • Flour
  • Nuts – pecans, walnuts, or almonds
  • Butter
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Vanilla
  • Powdered sugar
NUTTY LOAF CAKE with BROWNED BUTTER FROSTING

THE CAKE
2 cups flour
1 cup nuts
2 sticks of butter
1 ¾ cups sugar
5 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

  • Flour the chopped nuts with ½ cup of the 2 cups of flour.
  • Cream together the butter and sugar for about 3 to 4 minutes until fluffy; add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
  • Add the flour alternately with the milk and vanilla; stir in the floured nuts.
  • Bake in a well greased loaf pan (9 ½ x 4 ½ x 4) in a preheated oven (300 degrees) for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Test the center of the loaf with a cake tester (see the picture) to see if the tester comes out clean. If so, the cake is done. Cool. Ice with the Browned Butter Frosting.

THE FROSTING
1 stick of butter
4 cups of powdered sugar
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
3 to 4 tablespoons hot water
¼ cup milk

Heat butter to golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, cool slightly and blend in sugar, vanilla and milk. Add hot water and stir until cool and of the consistency to spread.

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May 24, 2012

This week’s recipe would make a great addition to that Memorial Day weekend picnic you might be planning this weekend. Of course it’s a dessert and has one of my favorite fruits in it…Apples. The recipe is Apple Brown Betty.

Shopping List:
  • Apples (I like to use MacIntosh, Stayman, or Gala)
  • Brown sugar
  • Nutmeg
  • Cinnamon
  • Butter
  • Cracker or bread crumbs (I like to use whole oats that I briefly run though my Handy Chopper)
APPLE BROWN BETTY
6 medium apples, pared and cored
1 cup brown sugar (or to taste)
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup cracker or bread crumbs (or whole oats)
1 cup cold water
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter an oven-to table baking dish. 
  • Chop apples fine and spread half in the dish. Sprinkle with half of the brown sugar that has been combined with the nutmeg and cinnamon. 
  • Dot the top of this combination with 1 (one) tablespoon of the butter, cut up. 
  • Cover with a thin layer of crumbs. 
  • Repeat with remaining ingredients. Pour water over all, and bake 30 minutes or until brown. Serve hot or cold. 
  • Topping Suggestions: whipped cream, ice cream, caramel sauce.

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May 17, 2012

This week I am sharing a recipe that I just recently received from my sister-in-law. Since her husband is gluten intolerant, this is a gluten free bread recipe. It sounds wonderful and I plan on making it this weekend. Thanks Judy!

Shopping List:
  • Bean Flour
  • Tapioca Flour
  • Cornstarch
  • Xanthan gum
  • Brown sugar
  • Unflavored gelatin
  • Dry yeast
  • Eggs and egg replacer
  • Sesame seed
  • Butter
  • Vinegar
SESAME BEAN BREAD

Dry Ingredients:                      Wet Ingredients:
1 cup bean flour                      1 egg plus 2 egg whites
1 cup tapioca flour                  4 tbls. butter or margarine,
1 cup cornstarch                            cut into pieces
2 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum            1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt                                 1 1/2 cups warm water
3 tbls. brown sugar
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
2 1/4 tsp. (1 packet) dry yeast
1 tsp. egg replacer (optional)
        2 tbs. sesame seeds

  • Place all ingredients in bread maker according to manufacturer’s directions.
  • It is fantastic when it is warm, right out of the bread maker. It gets more crumbly as the week goes on and he makes a lot of toast with it. 
  • During the summer keep it in the refrigerator, as it tends to mold faster otherwise. The bean flour gives it a bit of a different taste.

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May 10, 2012

If you are like me I like anything with pumpkin in it anytime of the year. This week’s recipe is Pumpkin Bars.

Shopping List:
  • Flour
  • Baking Powder
  • Cinnamon
  • Baking Soda
  • Salt
  • Eggs
  • 16 oz can pumpkin
  • Sugar
  • Oil
PUMPKIN BARS
Mix together in a separate bowl:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
In a separate bowl combing and beat the following until well blended:
1 can 16 oz pumpkin
1 ½ cup sugar
1 cup oil
  • Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Beat until well blended. Spread batter in an ungreased 15 x 10 x 1 or a 13 x 9 x 1 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Cool. Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting or my French Coffee Icing posted in last week’s recipe. If you prefer you can just sprinkle with powder sugar or leave plain. Cut into bars and serve.
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May 3, 2012

When I was a kid growing up and would go to visit my grandparents in Altoona, Pennsylvania, I always looked forward to my grandmother’s cupcakes. To this day I have never tasted a cupcake as good as the ones she baked. So this week I am sharing with you a memory!

Shopping List:
  • Swans Down cake flour (using this make all the difference in taste)
  • Banking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Vanilla
  • Sugar
  • Shortening
  • Eggs
  • Milk
GRANDMOTHER’S CUPCAKES
2 cups of Swans Down cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup shortening
4 eggs
2/3 cup milk
  • Separate egg whites, putting the egg yolks in a mixing bowl. To the bowl, add salt, sugar, shortening. Cream this mixture well.
  • In a separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda. Alternate adding milk and dry ingredients to egg mixture.
  • Beat the egg whites until stiff and then add to mixture. Then add the vanilla. Pour batter into pan lined with paper cupcake cups.
  • Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove and cool, then use your favorite icing to top or my favorite – French Coffee Icing. (see below)

French Coffee Icing
3 1/3 cups Powdered Sugar
¾ cup butter
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons strong coffee
2 teaspoons vanilla

  • Beat the butter until soft. Then add the powdered sugar gradually, beating well between each addition. Then blend until creamy.
  • Add the salt and the coffee and beat for two (2) minutes and I mean 2 minutes not less, preferable more. This thickens the icing.
  • STIR in the vanilla and let stand for five (5) minutes. Then beat well – again you want the icing to thicken to spreadable consistency. I have been told you can add more powdered sugar, but I find that is not necessary if you really beat this icing well.
  • Will cover a two-layer cake or a 9 x 13 sheet cake.
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April 26, 2012

Since I work full time, I love to make meals in the crockpot. There is nothing like walking in the front door, and smell the aroma of food cooking. This week the crockpot recipe is almost everyone’s favorite, Pot Roast. What is great about this meal is you can individualize it to your or your family’s taste. So here are the basics:

Shopping List:
  • 2 ½ to 3 pounds of bottom round roast
  • Cream of Mushroom soup (2)
  • Red Bliss potatoes – 6 medium (these are a sweeter potato and hold their form when cooked for longer periods)
  • White onion (2)
  • Savory leaves
  • Marjoram leaves
  • Rosemary leaves
  • Sea salt
  • Pepper
  • Ketchup
  • Worcestershire
Pot Roast with Potatoes and Onions
2 ½ pounds to 3 pounds bottom round roast
2 Cans of cream of mushroom soup
6 medium Red Bliss potatoes that have been cut into eighths
2 white onions, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons of ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
¼ teaspoon each Rosemary and Marjoram leaves
1/8 teaspoon Savory leaves
½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
  • Sprinkle the bottom round roast with some sea salt and pepper, rubbing it into the meat. Place the meat into the crockpot.
  • In a bowl, mix the cream of mushroom soup, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Rosemary, Marjoram, Savory, sea salt, and pepper, mix together and then add ½ cup water. Pour mixture over the meat. Cover and set the crockpot on low. (I do this at 11:00 PM at night).
  • Cut up the potatoes and onions. Add any other raw vegetables you may want at this time and place all of the items in a well-sealed plastic bag, or cook a vegetable of choice to serve with the meal. Put the bag in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning (before I go to work) spread the vegetables over the top of the meat in the crockpot. Let everything cook until you come home.
Serve with rolls, a vegetable and/or salad.

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April 19, 2012

This week we are making a recipe that is garlic free and gluten free. As I played in the kitchen this weekend, I came up with a recipe for marinara sauce that tastes wonderful. What is really great is that it doesn’t take long to make. First, I looked for a tomato puree that didn’t have any additives in it. Red Gold is a brand that meets this requirement, just tomatoes, water, and citric acid. Then in order to keep it gluten free, I used spaghetti squash. If you haven’t tried this particular vegetable, you are really missing something. It is great by itself, but better with a sauce. So, lets get started:

Shopping List:
  • Spaghetti squash
  • Tomato puree – 2 16 oz cans
  • Ground pork – 1 pound (or can substitute ground chuck)
  • White onion
  • Olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Basil
  • Oregano
  • Marjoram leaves
  • Rosemary leaves
  • Thyme leaves
  • Savory
Spaghetti Squash with Pork Marinara Sauce
Two 16 oz cans of tomato puree (Red Gold Brand)
½ large white onion – chopped
1 pound ground pork or ground chuck beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon marjoram
¼ teaspoon each of rosemary, thyme, and savory
½ cup water
1 spaghetti squash
The Pork Marinara Sauce:
In a large skillet, cook the chopped white onion until translucent. Add the ground pork and cook until browned. To this mixture add the 2 cans of tomato puree. In one of the can add the ½ cup of water and slosh it back and forth between the two cans. Then pour the water into the mixture.
Measure out the sea salt, basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and savory into a separate bowl, and then add this to the mixture. 

Measure out the sea salt, basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and savory into a separate bowl, and then add this to the mixture.

Mix well. Cover and simmer on a low heat for at least 1 hour.

The Spaghetti Squash:
While the sauce is simmering for the last 30 minutes, prepare the spaghetti squash. Wash the outside of the squash and then taking a sharp knife puncture the rind about eight times.

Place the squash in the microwave on a paper towel and cook for 3 minutes. (this time will vary depending on the size of the squash)








Remove the squash from the microwave and cut in half.








Scrape out the seeds with a spoon.









Then, in a large baking dish, place the two pieces face down and add ½ cup water.









Place back in the microwave uncovered and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.









Once done, turn over and scrape out the insides with a fork.









Remove and put on plates (each half is one serving).
Top the spaghetti squash the Pork Marinara sauce. The squash make two servings and the sauce makes 5 to 6 servings. Serve with salad.



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