Italian Cream Cheese Cake Cake - Mentors and Miracles

This is a photo of the Italian Creme Cheese Cake my mom made the other night when we had dinner with her and my sister's family.  The recipe will follow in a minute.

It comes from one of Mom's treasured mentors.
"Mom, tell me a little more about Mae Lamb when she introduced you to this recipe," I say over the phone after Mom's given me the recipe.
"Well, when I was a young mother in Oklahoma, this older sister, and her sister-in-law, Bonnie, took us in and practically adopted our whole family; me, your dad, all your siblings.  Their husbands were brothers and family was all-important, but their kids were grown so they just took us everywhere with them.  We'd go out to their farms, to the lake, on all sorts of outings.  Mae's husband Tommy could play the harmonica and make it sound like a train, coming down the tracks.  Do you remember that?" she asks.
"Yes, and it's all I can do to hold back my little southern drawl just thinkin' of the memory. I was tiny, but I remember singing songs and lots of food."
"Mae and Bonnie both were phenomenal cooks.  They had bought their homes for just a few hundred dollars during the depression and had spent a lifetime making them centers of warmth and hospitality. They were kind, gracious, loving, and most of all, SO welcoming.  They just took me under their wing and shared so much more than recipes and good food."

I am struck.  Mom is the epitome of hospitality.  Her parents were, too.  But, here I have another set of benefactors to be grateful to for one of my favorite personal traits.  Every one of the miracles that Mae and Bonnie shared with Mom walks with her still, and I am thankful for the example, and the memory.

Note: The funny thing is that Mae wasn't even Italian, but we are.  I pass the recipe on to you with Mae's, and Mom's, warmest hugs and hospitality.  Enjoy!  And, before you go, please share.  What is your favorite cake mentoring memory?

Warning: This recipe is more complex than the ones I usually share.  Still worth it.

Italian Cream Cheese Cake
In a large mixing bowl, add:
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 c shortening
Cream these three together.  Next add:
5 egg yolks (set 5 whites aside)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup buttermilk (you can make your own with one cup milk and 1 tbs vinegar)
Mix these all well.  In a separate bowl combine your dry ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Add flour mixture to wet ingredients 1/2 cup at a time.  When everything is well mixed. fold in:
2 cups shredded coconut
Now beat 5 egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold into the rest of the cake batter.

Pour batter into 2 prepared cake rounds.  Preheat oven to 350*.  Bake for 23-28 minutes.  Don't over do it. When the cakes are done and cooled, remove from the pans and cut each layer into two layers.  Your finished product will be a four layer cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 2/3 cups powder sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Cream all ingredients together and frost your cake

Top cake and press into sides:
2 cups toasted coconut
1 cup toasted almond slivers (optional)

Here's a how-to video for frosting a layered cake.  It is only 1min 30sec.

50/50/50

Okay, we've had the weekend and now we have a name for this quarter's experiment. It is the 50/50/50 Plan - in which we each month's grocery budget of this final quarter diminishes by 50%. It's good timing because of the holidays and the wedding we are hosting. Who doesn't need to tighten their belt this time of year? Plus, everyone gets a little of what they want - I will stay out of the grocery store, kids will get to spend time shopping, planning and creating together, and Gordon will see the savings he's looking for, along with a well stocked pantry.

So this month we will spend 50% of October's grocery funds storing up our food storage (we haven't done that since we went through it during a one year stint of "self employment"). The other 50%will be split 50/50 between cash for kid planned and executed meals, and reserves for Bountiful Baskets/ Dairy&Herbs. Kids pocket any cash they don't spend on meals and I put any cash I don't use into a giving jar. Also, tomorrow is my last day to go to the store for the month. Kids are big enough to do the shopping, and after listening to conference this weekend, i decided I am going to let them.

Next month, our budget will decrease by 50%. Kids will get half of the cash to plan and prepare meals, and keep what they don't spend. The other portion will be used for Bountiful Baskets/Dairy&Herbs.

Finally, December's food budget will be cut to bare bones. We should have plenty of what we need, and if we've planned well, we will even have our favorite foods for Hanukkah and Christmas. The wedding lunch and dinner are not included in the regular grocery budget as I am not sure what we will be doing there, and that one day's needs will come from another category, like our life's savings or something. .

It looks like this:

October Grocery Budget for 7+ people $600

50 % Pantry Prep - $300

50 % Everything Else - $300

             (Kid meal planning - $150)

             (Bountiful baskets produce - $100)

             (Dairy, eggs, bread, herbs - $50)

November Plan - $300

              Kid meal planning $150

              Bountiful baskets - $100

              Dairy, eggs, bread, herbs, turkey - $50

December Plan Until Christmas

              Bountiful Baskets - $100

              Online grocery allowance - $50

Finally, Hannah planned her first meal.  I can't say she made it herself, but she did contribute.  It was Tomato Bisque and here is the recipe:

Tomato Bisque

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 bunch basil

2 cups soup stock

1 cup cream

1/2 cup grated hard cheese (Parmesan or Romano)

1 4 oz. can tomato paste

Salt to taste and pepper generously

In a medium stock pot, over medium heat, sauté garlic in olive oil until golden brown. Pulse tomatoes and basil in food processor or blender and add to stock pot cooking.  Add remaining ingredients, stir until cheese and tomato paste are incorporated.  Serve with croutons, basil and grated cheese as garnish.

Four Recipes - Ten Freezer Meals

10 Family Size Freezer Meals

 Chili: 4 Quarts

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped and sautéed

2 red or green peppers, finely chopped and sautéed

4 cans of tomato sauce

4 cans diced tomatoes

2 cans of black beans

2 cans of white bean

5 Tbs. chili powder

3 Tbs. cumin

3 Tbs. garlic powder

2 Tbs. salt

2 Tbs. pepper

3, 12ounce cans of chicken, with the broth

               

Instructions

Combine all and bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer. Taste, taste, taste.  Does it need more garlic or chili powder, salt or pepper.  Season to taste.  Simmer at least an hour for flavors to stew together. Allow to cool.  Measure into quart size freezer bags.  For added safety, put each quart size bag inside a gallon freezer bag.  Reheat in microwave.  Enjoy the deliciousness.

Enchilada Casserole: 2- 9X13 pans

Ingredients

5, 16ounce cans tomato sauce

2 Tbs. cumin

¼ cup chili powder

1 Tbs Garlic powder

½ Tbs. salt

½ Tbs. pepper

36 corn tortillias

6 cups shredded cheese

3, 12ounce cans of chicken, drained and broken up

Instructions

In a large sauce pan, combine tomato sauce, spices, salt and pepper for the sauce.  Heat to a boil, then simmer for ten minutes.   Spoon a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 cake pan.  Add a layer of corn tortillas, overlapping and broken to fit in corners.  Crumble chicken on top of tortillas, top with cheese, then sauce.  Begin the layering process again.  Repeat until you have three layers ensuring sauce is the final layer so the cheese won’t stick to foil when baking.  Make both casseroles.  Cover well with heavy duty freezer foil.  When ready to eat, bake in a 350 oven for about an hour or until piping hot through the center.  Top with cheese if you wish.

Chicken Ala King: 3+ quarts sauce, three bags rice

Ingredients

3 cans of chicken with broth

1 sautéed green or red pepper

2 lbs frozen broccoli, chopped

2 cans of cream of chicken soup (This recipe can be made gluten free by omitting the cream of chicken and adding a little more of your other wet ingredients and chicken bullion. With a little extra lemon and garlic you can't tell)

2 cups of sour cream

1 cup of mayo

1 8ounce pkg of cream cheese

2 cups shredded cheese

¼ cup lemon juice

1 Tbs garlic

1  Tbs. salt

2 Tbs. pepper

1 Tbs cornstarch dissolved in 1 cup of cold milk

Keep separate: 12 Cups Cooked Rice

Instructions

In a large soup pan, combine all ingredients.  Bring to a low boil being careful not to scorch the bottom of the pan.  Once a low boil is reached turn the heat to a low simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir until the cheese is melted and worked in.  If your sauce still seems stringy with cheese, dissolve a little more cornstarch in cold milk and add to the sauce.  Stir until it a thick, smooth sauce.  Taste, taste, taste.  Does it need more garlic or lemon, salt or pepper.  Season to taste.   Measure into quart size freezer bags.  Measure rice into separate quart sized bags.  Put one sauce bag and one rice bag into a gallon size bag.  When ready to serve, heat sauce and rice in their bags, separately in the microwave.

Fried Rice: 2 - ½ gallon size meals

Ingredients

3 Tbs vegetable oil

2 Tbs sesame oil

1 lbs carrots, thinly sliced

1 lbs broccoli, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

10 oz cooked crumbled bacon

10 cups of cooked rice

3 Tbs soy sauce

4 tsp of granulated bouillon or 4 ramen flavor packets

1 Tbs garlic powder

1 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp salt

1 Tbs pepper

Instructions

In a large sauce pan or wok sauté carrots, onion and broccoli over medium-high heat till tender.  Add bacon and sauté for another minute or two until the bacon has a nice crisp to it..  Turn heat down to medium, add rice, soy sauce, seasoning, salt and pepper.  Taste, taste, taste.  Does it need more garlic or soy sauce, sesame oil or pepper.  Season to taste.  Stir thoroughly till all rice is well coated with seasoning and light brown in color.  Cool and measure into gallon size freezer bags.  To serve, reheat in the freezer bag.

Homemade for the Holidays - Ricotta Cheese Anyone

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/homemade_ricotta_cheese/

Last week I had a Christmas wish for a favorite treat from Italy.  The dessert I planned included a hefty amount of ricotta cheese.  Have you priced ricotta cheese lately?  It's almost $8 for 32 oz.  Well, for the price of a gallon of milk I can make ricotta that tastes better than anything I've ever bought in the store and is less than half the cost.  Plus, it is SO easy.  Here's how you do it:

Homemade Ricotta Cheese
I always use whole milk because everything I've read says this produces the best quality cheese. Please let me know in the comments if you do something else.  Sometimes I also add a cup of heavy cream for a dessert cheese. This recipe is the perfect amount for a 9x13 pan of lasagna or stuffed shells, but it can easily be halved.

Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk
3 Tbsp + 1 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp salt

Instructions
1 In a large pot, over medium heat, bring the milk, vinegar, and salt to a near boil.  Be patient, it takes about 30 minutes and looks like lots of steam and foam.  If you want to use a thermometer, your looking for a temp around 180 degrees.  Don't let the milk scorch or your ricotta will be ruined.  Very gently boil for one to two minutes, until the milk is curdled.
2 Meanwhile, line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl. Save your whey. Put it in a few freezer bags.  I'll have some recipes for how to use that soon.
3 Pour the milk mixture into the strainer and let drain for 15 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid.
Makes 4 cups.

Use immediately for lasagna, pizza, salads, cannoli or any other Italian treat.  Or, store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for several days.

Thanksgiving Leftovers - Part 2 - Croquette Anyone

image credit: http://edwinahart.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/184/

I love the images of friends and family in idyllic settings, so couldn't resist this one.  You may wonder what it has to do with Thanksgiving leftovers, and why I'm still sharing now that that we are closer to Christmas than Thanksgiving.  Well, above, you see a striking young Victorian woman readying for her turn at a match of croquet.  Here at my house, we are readying to make a batch of croquette - potato croquette that is.

image credit: foodnetwork.com

In our house fried food is a favorite this time of year.  As if we need more fat and calories to wash down our holiday meals with.  But, we are getting ready for Hanukkah and these little tasties are perfect practice for the latkes we will make.

Here's Paula Deen's recipe and instructions:

Potato Croquette
2 tablespoons milk
Salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped green onion
2 egg yolks, beaten
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups mashed potatoes
1 egg, beaten
Panko bread crumbs (or gluten free option see note below)
Veggie oil, enough to fill pan 1/2-inch

Directions

Add milk, salt, pepper, chopped onion, beaten egg yolks and flour to mashed potatoes. Chill and then shape using an ice cream scoop. Dip in the beaten egg, then roll through bread crumbs. Fry each croquette in shallow oil until brown on all sides.

Cook's Note: Cook in small batches, giving each croquette at least 2 inches of space around it to not overcrowd the pan. This prevents the croquettes from crumbling while frying.  Also, try adding a couple of minced garlic cloves, cilantro or cheddar cheese for a different twist.

Gluten Free Note: To make these gluten free, follow all the instructions above, but put the croquettes in the freezer for 30 minutes before you dredge and fry them.  This will keep them from falling apart in your pan. Use corn meal or gluten free "all purpose flour" instead of flour.

Homemade Personal Pizzas

photo credit:http://comfortbites.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html

The procedure I use for these creates several meals and makes having pizza super cheap and easy, just the way I like most things. 

So, let's begin with the crust. You can make your own from scratch, but I generally don't..  I buy Rhodes frozen rolls and work with about a dozen at a time.  If I thought ahead, I have them thawing on the counter.  If not, you will be thrilled to know that it takes less that 20 seconds in the microwave to thaw one roll.  So, if they are all frozen I thaw one, and put the next one in while I'm rolling the first out, and so on.

These make small 4 in pizza.  If you use 2 rolls in one crust, you are more likely to get a 7-8 in. crust.  I like the 4 in size for a few reasons:

1. You get a dozen little pizza crusts out of a dozen rolls
2. It's perfect for a lunch bag
3. If it's dinner time and someone wants more than one, they can choose a variety of toppings

Before I start rolling dough out I prep the oven.  I line one full rack with foil and spray it with cooking spray.  Then I set the oven to 500F. Once I've rolled 6-8 balls of dough into circles (they are more a collection of odd shapes than circles), I poke them 3-4 times with a fork and put them in the oven for about 2 minutes.  Just long enough to cook the dough into a par-baked crust.  I pull them out, still white, but not doughy and cool them on the counter.

If you are planning on making and eating all of these pizzas now, the previous step is unnecessary.  Just top and bake at 500F for 4-5 minutes depending on how you like them done.  Otherwise, cool your par-baked crusts (flip them once or twice to avoid moisture build up) and put them in a freezer bag to freeze and enjoy later. 

When you are ready to use them, pull as many crusts as you need from the freezer, top and bake for 8-10 minutes on 500F.  Keep an eye on them if you want them less done.  These make SUPER easy lunches.  When we have them for dinner everyone gets to choose their own toppings and everyone is happy.

Thanksgiving Leftovers - Part 1 - A Bone to Pick

Photo credit: cooking-spree.com 

One of my last posts was also about leftovers, a mostly failed attempt at incorporating the morning's oatmeal into a batch of cookies.  When that didn't work I tuned the batter into muffins and that was the key to my success, trying something different.  So, this year, if Grandma's leftover recipes aren't doing it for you, try something new.  And no offense to Grandma, she's one of my favorite cooks.

After feeding fifteen of us this year, we have the usual suspects as leftovers; turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes.  The thing is, right after Thanksgiving, I don't feel like doing lots of cooking, so all of these recipes must be low maintenance.  Aside from the typical line-up of turkey sandwiches, turkey casserole, or just straight up reheating everything, here are some great recipes you can try.  Some of them are great for my vegetarian friend, some will work for the gluten-free folks, all of them are great for stretching your holiday-week food budget.

Let's start at the top - Turkey

Note: If you're a vegetarian, you may want to skip this part, it's not pretty.

"Are you gonna throw those bones away?" my husband asks our hostess after enjoying a great dinner of broiled chicken and vegetables.

"Yeah, what else would I do with them?" she asked.

"Well, you make soup.  You throw those bones into a pot and make chicken stock, then you can turn that into chicken and dumplings or anything you want."

"I'm not going to do that, but you're welcome to take them."  He was amazed that she felt the effort to throw the chicken into a stock pot was more than it was worth.  It seems to me we left that meal with a bag of bones in tow.  Again, waste not, want not.  It's coming to be a mantra around here.

Another note: I know this recipe looks super involved.  It's really not. 

Turkey Tortilla Soup
Part 1: Submerge and simmer in 2 quarts of water any "spare" parts you retrieved from the turkey before baking (neck, giblets)
Part 2: 1 leftover turkey, demeated (is that even a word?)
1 bunch celery, cut bottom off and throw stalks into the pot
2 large onions, halved but not peeled (the peel turns the soup a rich brown)
10 garlic cloves, don't bother peeling these either
2 Tbsp season salt or Mrs. Dash
salt and pepper to taste
Part 3: soup veggies and turkey meat
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 can black beans (if desired)
Part 4: 3 cups cooked rice
fresh chopped tomatoes, peppers, onions - or use a can of seasoned tomatoes like Rotel
cilantro, avocados chopped and set aside
1 cup shredded cheese
1-2 cups crushed corn tortilla chips

Part 1 of this soup begins before the turkey even gets into the oven by removing the "extra" parts from the bird and putting them in a pot with all of the above ingredients (except the turkey bones and meat, obviously). I add about two quarts of water, bring it to a boil and then let it simmer for the day while the turkey is baking and the festivities are underway. If you don't do it that way, don't worry, just move on.

Part 2 After dinner is over and dishes are done we turn our attention to the turkey carcass and strip as much meat as we can from the thing.  I know, sounds disgusting.  It is serious hunter-gatherer work, and not for the faint of heart.  When we've carved and pulled as much meat away as we can get, we bag it up for later use and put the whole pile of bones into a stock pot with the Part 1 items.  Then we add a bunch of celery, some onions halved but not peeled, a handful of garlic, salt and pepper.  We cover it all with water, set it on a high heat until it starts to boil, then turn it down and let it simmer for several hours.   This part is super easy, no baby-sitting or watching the pot.  Just let it do its thing. This can also be done the next day if it's late and you need to go to bed.

Part 3 Once your stock is ready, (at least 4 hours later) pour it through a strainer into a large bowl.  With a fork, pull off any remaining meat you can get, and retrieve any garlic or onion pieces you may want (they should be out of their skins now).  You should have LOTS of stock and could freeze half of it for later and use half for now.  Once you've divided it up, pour your stock back into the pot (at least 6 cups) and add any chopped veggies (carrots, potatoes, anything else) you want, as well as the turkey meat, beans and spices.  The veggies should only need 20 minutes on a medium boil to cook.  When they are tender your soup is done.

Part 4 Serve soup piping hot in the following fashion - Lay down hot cooked rice on the bottom of a soup bowl.  follow that with a sprinkle of cheese and a few generous ladles of soup.  Now add all the fresh cut veggies and finally top with corn tortilla chips.  This is NOT your Grandma's turkey soup.  It's SO savory and tasty you will want to have it every time you have leftover poultry bones to grapple with.

Question: What do you do with your leftover turkey?
Tune in next time for potato croquettes, stuffing fritatta and sweet potato muffins.

Morning Madness and Leftover Oatmeal

Mornings at my house have such great potential.  I get up before everyone, make a hot breakfast, wake everyone, and wait....Some days it's an idyllic scene.  All the kids and their Dad show up in their jammies, or ready for the day, blankets in tow.  The fire is going, hot chocolate is served in little cups with lids and straws to prevent the sleepy spills that are inevitable when 4 out of 6 of us are drinking with our eyes closed.  Usually there's also eggs, breakfast potatoes, hot cereal, toast or fruit (ONE of the above).  We pray, read a few verses of scripture, the biggest of the kids leaves.  All is right at the dawn of the day.

Then there are days like today, when madness is more a reference to my frustration than to the chaos of getting four kids and a husband out the door in the morning.

"Brennan, you are going to miss the bus.  Breakfast is getting cold and EVERYONE is waiting for you."
I shout through the bathroom door for the third time.

"Well, for some reason, my alarm didn't go off," he answers back. I won't go into the details of the rest of the conversation. He makes it down in time for a quick nod to heaven and dashes out the door.  "Sorry, Mom.  No time for breakfast.  Love you guys." Slam.  I don't think he meant that as an insult.

Now I'm left with two sleeping kids and three of us eating the steel cut oats that took 40 minutes to prepare.  There's a trick to it, and they are hardy, but not hard to make, you just have to watch your heat or they will boil over, no matter how big your pan.   I think there is a life metaphor there.  Anyway,   I'll give details on that business in a separate post.  Needless to say, with one of our biggest eater gone, there were lots of leftovers.

Google what to do with leftover oatmeal and one of the first recipes you come to is for Leftover Oatmeal Cookies.  I made these.  They were not great.  When I tasted them what I thought was this, "These poor little ugly cookies really just want to be muffins."  So, I add some extra sugar, a little more cinnamon, vanilla and a cup of milk to my remaining batter and pour it into muffin tins.  They turned out delicious.  How do I know?  Because when Bren tried them he said, "Mm." 

Here are some other reactions, "Can I have another one, Mom?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah, go for it."

Four bites later, "Can I have another one?" he asks again.

"Last one for now," I say.

When the girls are eating I ask, "So, Hannah, you like those muffins?"

"Yes, can I have another one?"

"Uh huh.  How about you KC, are they good?" I ask.

"Yeah, they're so good," she says, then with a slightly suspicious tone. "Why?"

"Because I made them with leftover oatmeal from this morning.  What do you think."

"I think you shouldn't tell anyone that until after they've tried them, cause that's just disgusting to think about."

"Can I quote you on that?"

"Yes, as long as you get it right."

I hope I did.  When Don came home he saw the cookies first.

"What are these?" he asked picking one up.

"Those are not as good as the muffins."

He disregarded what I said thinking I was being modest or picky.  He took a big bite and said, "Your crazy.  These are great.  I'm glad you guys don't like them because I'm going to eat all the rest of these."

He never even made it to the muffins.

So, here's the recipe on both items, in case you want to try them.  This is as best as I can record it, considering I used a third of the batter to make yucky (in my opinion) cookies.

Leftover Oatmeal Cookies
2 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. sugar
2/3 c. butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. cooked steel cut oats

Sift dry ingredients together. Add butter, sugar and eggs and beat until creamy (about 2 minutes). Stir in oatmeal. Drop from teaspoon onto greased baking sheets.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 10minutes.
Yield: 4 dozen.

Leftover Oatmeal Muffins
2 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. butter
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1 1/2 c. cooked steel cut oats

Sift dry ingredients together. Add butter, sugar and eggs and beat until creamy (about 2 minutes). Stir in oatmeal. Drop from teaspoon onto greased baking sheets.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 15minutes.
Yield: 2 Dozen +

Month 2 - Day 1

Today I took our cash out of the bank,  $250.  I left $50 in the bank to cover our Bountiful Baskets for the next month.  I went to Costco and raided the dairy shelves.  I like to call that place the Hundred Dollar Store, as in the antithesis to the Dollar Store, because it's tough to get out of there without giving up at least a hundred dollars.  Thankfully, today, I did it for $67.

So, now I have $183 in cash, and a lot of food in my house.  Saturday's $15 Basket o' Bounty provided us with about 15 lbs of fresh produce.  Add to that a well stocked pantry and a freezer full of food and you won't be worried about us this Holiday Season. 

Tonight's dinner was simple and delicious.  We ate red meat two days in a row, which rarely happens for two reasons:

1. We don't generally have red meat in the house because it is more expensive and less healthy than other meats, and
2. When we do have it, we tend to eat it ALL gone in one meal.

However, when I went to donate blood last week I was DENIED because my hemoglobin was low.  Because I want to try again tomorrow, the phlebotomist recommended red meat, spinach and a few other key foods to beef up my red blood cell count.  Thankfully, I happened to have a large roast in the freezer.  And, yesterday I was smart about stretching the meal.

I'm sure lots of you have already stumbled upon the concept of portioning out certain foods before you bring it to the table, but I hadn't.  Plus, we have company almost every Sunday and we generally eat most of what is prepared.  But, as I was looking at this big piece of meat, and knowing it was just the six of us, it occurred to me that if I filled one serving plate, and put the rest aside, no one would really notice.  When I brought the plate to the table, no one did notice and everyone ate their fill.  I even had a little left over on the plate to add to the other I had set aside.

So, tonight's meal was shredded beef tacos with fresh spinach salsa.  Take that Mr. Blood Draw Man.  I better pass that darn hemoglobin test tomorrow or it's going to really make me mad.

Here's the recipe on the salsa.  I figure everyone who wants to know already knows how to make a roast in a crock pot, and if not, there are entire websites devoted to that sort of advice so I'll spare all my vegetarian friends the gory details about that.  Here's a feel-good veggie recipe instead.  Also, in the winter when tomatoes from the store taste disgusting, I omit them and use spinach as the main bulk in this salsa.

Fresh Spinach Salsa

1/2 medium onion, finely diced
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 jalepeno, finely diced
2 large handfuls spinach, finely chopped
2 Tbs. lime juice
1 tsp salt

Sizzling Summer Squash

This recipe is brought to you by my first experience with Bountiful Baskets and a long-standing request for more ideas on how to use powdered parmesan in recipes.

Of course, we have to begin with back story. I have to say, that when it comes to parmesan, romano and other hard Italian cheeses, some people might call us snobs. I prefer connoisseurs. Or, you could call us purists. Snob just sounds so harsh.

A few years ago, we hosted a cooking class in our home and taught a crowd of women how to make pasta from scratch with several sauces besides. Brennan, our oldest, is a local legend for his famous alfredo, in which he uses heavy cream, butter and the best pecorino romano we can get - from Costco.  When one of our guests asked him, "So, can we just use something like powdered parmesan?" He wrinkled his nose, shook his head and said, "Why would you use that when a hunk of pecorino romano is the same price and it tastes WAY better.”

I think he was 12 at the time. And, he was right. Costco and other specialty stores have great prices on fresh hard cheeses. Additionally, hard cheeses still in their wedge last a LONG time in the fridge. But, not everyone can get to Costco, or wants to grate their own every time they need it. And, sometimes all you may have on hand is powdered parmesan. Well, no shame in that, and actually, there is a lot you can do with it. So, stick with me and I’ll give you a great recipe you’ll want to try as soon as you can.

On Saturday we got our first Basket o’ Bounty (see the link if you are still wondering what this is) and it was full of great stuff for $15. On the veggie side we got potatoes, onions, celery, yams and summer squash. For fruits we got a little gem case of huge blackberries, 5 kiwi, a bag of apples, 2 pounds of grapes, 2 persimmons (I don’t know what to do with those yet), 4 grapefruit and a bunch of bananas. It was all in good shape.

The summer squash was the one thing I thought my kids might be picky about. I decided if I cooked it right, they’d love it. As I pondered what “cooking it right” would look like for them I thought about the grilled veggies we’ve enjoyed at a local Brazilian grill. I fired up the barbecue, tossed the squash in a mixture of olive oil, minced garlic, powdered parmesan, salt and pepper.

It was a huge hit. They came off the grill sizzling with savory crumbs of cheese crusted to them. When I brought them to the table, this is what happened:

“You guys are gonna love these. They turned out so good. They are spicy and salty and the cheese makes an awesome coating.” I serve them all a few.

First Heba, our honorary family member from Egypt says, “Perfect. They are perfect.” I’m always pleased when Heba likes something because she’s an excellent cook and her opinion is highly valued.

Next, my husband, Don, “These are so delicious. It’s like eating a piece of meat. How did you do that?”

KC responds, “Well, it’s ‘cause she grilled it on our grill and we have so many charred meat remnants on it, of course it tastes like meat.” I shoot her a quick look, because the last thing I want is for Heba, an observant Muslim, to worry about is what kind of meat may be contaminating our veggies. That would NOT be Halal,
Heba only eats meat that is slaughtered and prayed over in a certain way.

Don picks up on my concern right away, “No, I scrub that thing off after every time we use it. There are no meat bits on these.” Nice save, partner. And the gospel truth.

Caleb, however, is inspired by the “meat” theme, and takes it to a new level “Yeah, these taste like you could make an awesome burger out of them.”

Brennan is out late acting as assistant stage manager on a big production at his school. When I pick him up, I have a warm plate of food in the car with me. He unwraps it and wordlessly devours the entire meal. When he is done he says, “Thanks, Mom. That was really good.” He usually has more to say about his food, but it was 11pm, he’s been up since 5:45am hasn’t eaten since lunch, so I take it as a high compliment.

The littlest among us takes one look and says. “I am not eating that. Please pass the rice.” She missed out.

Sizzling Summer Squash
2 medium summer squash, cut in ½ inch coins
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons powdered parmesan
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Toss together in a large bowl.  Place on a plate and be sure the parmesan coating is even on both sides of the squash. Grill over medium-high heat until golden all around, maybe 5-7 minutes per side.  Keep an eye on them.

A New Family Favorite - Sabanekh

Photo from: http://theactorsdiet.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/ahhhh/

Our Sabanekh turns out just a bit more red/brown than this.

People have asked what we are eating on this here experiment of ours, wondering if rice and beans are our main staples, or maybe ramen noodles.  Well, actually, I have a recipe that incorporates some of those elements, but is far from the "poor people food" we're used to.  See what you think and I promise, next month, to give a better play-by-play of each meal.

Today KC and I made a big pot of Egyptian Spinach Sauce, a hearty, new family favorite. This is a recipe we learned from our favorite resident Egyptian, Heba.  She's living with us for the school year and teaches Arabic at our school.  I was introduced to this dish a few days after she moved in.  It was our first real culinary expedition together, and it ended so beautifully, my whole family frequently requests this awesome one dish wonder.

"Heba, do you know any recipes for spinach?" I asked as I peered in shame at the bunch of spinach in the fridge on the brink of going bad.  I felt ashamed because, since Heba moved in, I realize how much food we still waste, even though we try to be diligent and careful.  Egyptians waste nothing. 

"Yes.  I have one." She reported.  Then she got a gleam in her eye, "It is called Sabanekh and I think you will like it."  Just so you know, Sabanekh is easy for her to say, but not me.

I had made several of our favorites for Heba previous to this, and she had gotten to know the spices and variety we enjoy in our cooking, but this was her first time to show me something new and she was excited. 

"It's very quick and I think you have everything.  You have tomato paste?" she asked.

"Yes."

"You have vegetarian soup stuff, what is this called?  The water from the soup?" she mimes ladeling broth from a bowl of soup and bringing it to her lips.

"You mean broth?"

"Yes, broth."

"The only vegetarian soup stuff I have is some seasoning packets from ramen.  Will that work?"  Everything we make together starts out vegetarian because all of her meat has to be Halal, which is a Muslim form of Kosher.  Heba eats plenty of meat, but it has all been slaughtered in a specific way, prayed over and purchased in a Halal market.

"Yes, that will work." 

Heba smiled and went to work, so excited to bring us one of the great Egyptian comfort dishes.  It takes about an hour, tops, to prepare, and truly it is the soul food of Pharaohs.

Sabanekh – Egyptian Spinach and Rice

This recipe comes is borrowed from egyptianfoods.org, with some adaptations. 

Ingredients
1 bunch fresh spinach (cut into small strips)
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped fine
2-3 bouillon cubes (or ramen packets)
3 tablespoon tomato paste
1 T coriander
1 T cumin
1/2 tsp. hot chili powder (cayenne is great)
3 cups water
salt
pepper

Directions

Wash spinach well and cut into small sized strips. I usually take a few leaves, and slice them together into strips, leave the stem, not problem. (This technique is called a chiffonade. It does not have to be perfect, you just want to get them into longer, smaller strips.) Set aside.

In a large pot or stirfry pan add chopped onion, garlic and butter and sauté until soft.

Add spinach, tomato paste, bouillon, spices, and stir around until well coated.  This is actually such a rich sauce that you can hide all kinds of pureed veggies in it, I espescially like carrots and zucchini.

Add 2-3 cups of broth. (You can add or decrease broth, depending on how thick you’d like it to be, check while cooking and add more or less broth. End result should be thick, but watery enough to be like a thick sauce — hope that makes sense.).

Bring to a boil, and simmer for 20- 30 minutes on low heat.

Serve next to (or on top of) rice or browned fideo noodles and with pita bread for scooping.

Where We Stand Today

The Live On What You Give Experiment is running from October 20 through January 20th.  I draw cash for groceries and other food purchases on the 20th of each month.  The amount of cash we allow ourselves is set and equal to the amount of cash we donate to help individuals and families in need right in our own area.  You can read more about where our cash contributions go, here and here.

For this particular experiment I did not stock up.  I did not inventory what I had and decide what I might need in order to make it to the end of the month.  I also didn't plan any contingencies for camping, Halloween, or birthday parties (we have one tomorrow). Those all had to fall into the budget.  So, here's where we stand.

We went camping with cousins and I scrounged up all the granola bars and snack items I could find in our food storage.  I also brought hot chocolate, cereal, paper cups, bowls and spoons, all from food storage.  We bought french bread and soda on sale and made other meal contributions from our garden.  It was amazing, because in the past I remember spending upwards of $50 for a simple over night camping trip.  This time we pretty much only brought what we had.

For Halloween, I bought the big bag-o-candy.  I considered taking it back since we were going to our friends' neighborhood, but we ended up with a few of our own trick-or-treaters before we left, so the candy stays.  I hope I can make it last through the holidays. 

Earlier in the day Don had a party at work.  Food storage and garden items came in handy for the seven+ layer dip he brought.  We had beans, el pato hot sauce, and olives from the pantry.  Our garden was prolific with onions, peppers and tomatoes this year.  Only three items came recently from the store: cheese, sour cream and cilantro.

Before trick-or-treating, we had a big chili party with our friends.  There were three families and three pots of chili.  I found a white chili recipe on allrecipes and made it my own, using canned turkey instead of chicken breasts and only 2 cans of beans instead of 5 (who uses that many beans?).  I also added one cup of cream.  The cream and the cheese were the only items that did not come from food storage.  It was delicious and we ate most of it.

So, I have made a handful of trips to the store in the last 10 days and am left with less than $100 to get us through to November 20, when I can draw cash again. It may not sound that hard, but we are foodies, and there are six of us. I have to say, that in order to make it, I think I'm going to have to implement "No More Grocery Shopping" again and stay out of the store.  Costco is like a death trap in this experiment. 

I'll update again soon to give details on where we are.

Wings and Things

Brennan's meal this week was hot wings. He is a bit of a wings connoisseur and is picky about the spice and tang applied to his favorite pieces of poultry. KC and Hannah don't prefer the spice, but love a little teriyaki on their wings, so we made two batches along with a bunch of corn on the cob, free from a friend's garden.

Sorry I don't have any photos, the battery on the camera is dead and the battery pack is in an undisclosed location (in the car, in the shop, getting some warranty issues resolved - the car, not the camera). But here's what we did:

Bren's Barbecue Wings

Spicy Wings start with a dry rub - Here he used a Cajun seasoning mix along with paprika, cayenne, chili powder, garlic and salt. He dumped this generously over the wings and coated them all with the seasonings. Then he let them sit for about two hours.

Asian Wings Marinate -1/4 c. Soy sauce, 1/4 c. rice vinegar, 2 tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. sesame oil, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. ginger powder. Pour over chicken, mix and marinate for two hours.

After the wings have sat in their seasoning for a couple of hours, throw them in a 500 degree oven for about 20 minutes. If you really need the crisp and crunch of fabulously fried wings, get your pan and oil heating and cook them up that way, but similar results can be had by another method. I coat the wings with a bit of olive oil (on top of their rub or marinate) and then dredge with flour (that means I coat them with flour on all sides). I still bake them, but the little bit og oil and flour creates a nice crust you don't get otherwise.

Bren likes to baste the spicy ones with a bottled wing sauce he's doctored to make even zestier and spicier. We serve them with veggies and dip. The cool of the dip is a nice contrast to the hot of the wings.

Soup Kitchen

Today, kids came home to pumpkin pancakes, a favorite fall-time after school snack. I mixed 'em up and Don cooked Here's how you do it:

Pumpkin Pancakes
Make your favorite pancake recipe and add 1/2 cup pumpkin for ever 2 cups flour. Mix and make like you would normal pancakes. Serve with syrup.

Later, Caleb (8) made Chicken and Dumplings for dinner. He cut potatoes and carrots, opened cans of chicken and chicken broth. He also measured ingredients for dumplings and added dollops of dough to the boiling broth when it was time. All-in-all, I'd say he and I spent a total of 30 quality minutes preparing dinner together. Here's the recipe:

Easy Chicken Soup

1 12 oz. can chicken breast
2 medium potatoes, cubed
2 cups cubed carrots
1 can chicken broth
8 cups water
4 tsp. chicken bullion
2 tsp. garlic powder
Seasoning salt to taste

Put all ingredients into a medium stock pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Cheater Dumplings

2 1/4 cup baking mix
1 Tbsp. dry milk powder
2/3 cup water

Stir with a fork until all dry ingredients are moistened.

When soup begins a rolling boil, drop dumpling dough about the size of an extra large egg (don't you love the precision of my measurements) into the boiling soup. When all dumplings (you should have gotten about 8 of them) are in the pot, turn temp. down to medium-low and start a timer for 10 minutes. Leave to slow boil, uncovered for 10 minutes. Then, cover the pot, start the timer for 10 more minutes and continue to boil. After 10 minutes remove from heat and serve.

Pasta From The Pantry

Sunday we sat down and from our master menu made a "buy nothing meal plan" for the week. Everything from here on out comes from the freezer or the pantry. Each kid chose the meal they wanted to make this week. Monday I did breakfast, kids made their own lunches and snack, dinner was made by KC (11) and dessert was courtesy of Caleb (8), both needed some small supervision from me. Here's Monday's plan:

Monday
Breakfast - cream of wheat, milk
Lunch - fruit & crackers, cheese stick & nuts
Snack - nachos
Dinner - Spaghetti Carbonara & salad (recipe to follow)
Dessert - Cinnamon Struessel muffins (from a mix)

Spaghetti Carbonara is one of our favorite pastas. It's quick and easy. It calls for cream and bacon. What more do I need to say. The eggs in the sauce itself is heated and cooked on the piping hot pasta. The heat from the cooked noodles is enough to sightly cook the eggs and thicken the sauce, but you have to work fast as everything comes together the minute you drain the spaghetti. KC made it mostly herself with a little help from me in crushing the garlic and her dad drained the pasta. So, here goes:

Spaghetti Carbonarra

1 lb. spaghetti
1 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated parmesean
1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups precooked bacon crumbs

2 cloves garlic, crushed

drained canned mushrooms and a cup of frozen spinach are optional

Start water boiling, add pasta when you have a rolling boil. Cook according to package directions. DO NOT overcook. While pasta is boiling prepare the cream portion of the sauce. In a medium bowl mix cream, milk, eggs, cheese and salt. Set aside and wait for pasta to finish cooking. Once the pasta has less than 4 minutes left to cook, add bacon crumbs and crushed garlic to a small, hot saute pan. Saute over medium heat (add optional ingredients once the garlic has a nice golden tan). Drain pasta and immediately pour cream sauce over it. Stir quickly and follow with sizzling hot bacon crumbs, etc. Stir until mixed well. Serve steamy and enjoy.

Peaches and Potatoes

Yesterday I bought a huge supply of potatoes to add to our cold storage. I got them from a fabulous local source, alpinefoodstorage.com. The proprietors drove to Idaho the day before to pick them up as they are being harvested. The potatoes come in 50# bags with the dirt still on them. That little bit of scrubbing time is worth it because the extra dirt helps the spuds stay fresh all through the winter.


Naturally, we had to eat potatoes for dinner, so along with some other exciting items we picked up at Alpine Food Storage (AFS), this is the recipe we made. Bren (13) did the slicing, boiling stirring and sauteing and I just watched to offer encouragement and advice. Here's the recipe:

Au Gratin Potato Casserole

6 russet potatoes, sliced (about 1/8 in. thick coins)
6 slices of bacon, bite size pieces (also shelf stable from AFS)
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups heavy cream (shelf stable from AFS)
1 can cream chicken soup
1 cup milk
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp pepper
Parmesan and cheddar cheese for the top (optional)

WARNING: This is not the healthiest recipe, but it is the height of fall comfort food.

Here's how you throw it together -

1. Slice and boil potatoes over med. heat. Cook until all crispness is gone, but potatoes are still firm. You should be able to stab them easily with a fork, but they shouldn't fall apart. Remove from heat and drain.
2. In a small saute pan, saute bite sized pieces of bacon along with minced garlic. Drain and set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl stir together remaining ingredients.
4. Butter a 9x13 baking pan and add potatoes. Pour cream mixture over potatoes and stir just enough to coat all the potatoes with sauce. Top with a little more cheese if desired.
5. Bake at 350F until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 min.

Honestly, Bren did this almost entirely on his own and it turned out deliciously.

For dessert we love a simple peaches and cream. We got these from the growers on the fruit belt in Northern Utah. Purchase, preserve and eat fruit in season and buy local whenever you can. These are my big sharing items right now because they are not expensive and they are prolifically available.

One final word that will bring you countless blessings of abundance when you make a practice of always buying a little more than what you need. Share. You'll be amazed at the things that come back to you when you need them.

Razzle Dazzle PlumBerry Jam

Photo from taste.com, I didn't have my camera handy, but of course my jam looked just like this.

So, one day this summer I went nuts and had 12 kids over for a big party and play day. Sometime during the afternoon a child managed to manipulate the remote well enough to order an on-demand movie that no one watched while two toddlers slashed in a kiddie-pool and 9 bigger kids ran in and out of my house in a grand water-storage rotation water fight. At one point I had six or seven extra sets of hands helping in the kitchen as I made what my girl KC calls "Razzle Dazzle PlumBerry Jam." Somehow we all lived. All the kids found the treasures I hid out in the yard and garage, all my water jugs got emptied and refilled and no one was cut, scalded or otherwise injured in the jam making process. The day was a success.

After distributing the jam around to a small test group (actually they were unsuspecting friends and neighbors) I had several requests for the recipe. Well, if you don't already know, requesting a recipe from me is often a hazardous prospect because I tend to alter as I go and not keep a lot of notes on the alterations. But, here's what I did as best as I can remember.

Razzle Dazzle PlumBerry Jam

3 pounds firm plums, cut into eighths, seeds discarded
2 pounds raspberries/blackberries
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoon lemon juice
8 cups sugar
1 (3-ounce) package commercial pectin

Preparation:Place plums, water, and lemon juice in a blender and pulse to chunky state. Add to a large non-aluminum stockpot with berries. Stirring often, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fruit is soft. You should end up with about 8 cups. Stir in sugar. Return heat to high and bring back to a rolling boil while constantly stirring. Add pectin and return to a boil while stirring. Continue to stir and boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Let rest for 1 minute, then skim off any foam. Pour even amounts into sterilized jars, leaving 1/8-inch of space at the top. Wipe rims and seal with sterilized lids. Process in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove, let cool, and label jars. Store plumberry jam in a cool, dry place.

Note: I used half the pectin and my jam turned out like a thick syrup, but it still works on toast and bagels and was well recieved with the fam. Try it out and see how you like it. Let me know.

An Unlikely Hanukkah Story - The Oil That Never Failed

My family observes Hanukkah every year. We aren't Jewish, but we light the menorah and share the miraculous story of the oil that lasted eight days in the temple when there was only enough for one night. Some would say that the miracle isn't just that the oil lasted, but that those rededicating the temple in Jerusalem had the faith to light it in the first place, knowing it had to keep burning until they could find more. I believe those faithful people drew from a deep well of hope, strengthened by stories of previous miracles. What follows is my own retelling of another miracle of oil, I won't moralize about this story, but this time of year, especially when things are stressful and there never seems to be enough time, money, resources, I think of all the stories of oil I know and let their wisdom fill me like a vessel. I've also included a recipe for the best latkes we've ever made.

The Widow's Oil

The widow’s oil never failed during the drought. She planned to use the last drops to make a meal for her self and her son. Months before, she stripped her home of the things she once cherished, sold all she had and rationed the little food she acquired, knowing she lacked the means to obtain any more. Storing up her strength, she, against all hope, believed; watching and waiting for an answer she felt sure would arrive. Care-worn and expectant she considered her young son as the days turned his round, rosy face pallid and gaunt.

Finally, her grain was nearly gone, her cruse of oil all but empty. Exhausted by her need, overwhelmed by her lack, she surrendered her will and prepared to make her final meal. While she gathered sticks for a fire a holy man appeared and asked her for a drink. She regarded him curiously. She had not seen him in her village before. She wondered if he was the sign she waited for. As she drew the water he implored her, “And with it, bring me a little bread, that I may eat.”
Bewildered by his request, she gravely answered, “As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”

To this the holy man replied, “Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.”

Sometimes, to surrender is to trust, so she did as the holy man asked: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord.

Hanukkah Latkes

10 small-medium red potatoes

3 Tbsp. dehydrated onion

2 Tbsp. flour

2 eggs

season salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup oil (about 1/2 inch in the bottom of a large fry pan)

Sauce

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayo

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Par bake the potatoes until they are cooked firm, but not crisp. I did this in the microwave for about half the time I'd normally keep them in. Grate the potatoes and add the other ingredients. Heat the oil on a medium-high heat. Shape the potato mixture into pancake size round (like you're making a hamburger) and fry in the oil once it's hot. Fry on one side until golden brown and then flip. When both sides are browned put onto a plate with paper towels. This recipe makes about 10 latkes total in two batches. I serve them with the sauce above or straight sour cream.

Homemade For the Holidays - Ornamental Ideas

Applesauce ornament from allrecipes.com

Our tree is a patchwork of homemade ornaments. Needless to say, it isn’t elegant or beautiful and there is not a theme or color scheme. There are several homemade ornaments contributed from my childhood (my husband would love to retire them, but I‘m not ready for that). Some were made by extended family members, some by my siblings. The few store bought items came from distant lands or were found as a deeply discounted collection - imagine olive-wood angels next to stuffed-fabric Santas.

Each December at our house we sit down and makes new trimmings for the tree. My memories of Christmas ornament making go back to the year I turned 6. We lived on a farm in Missouri and everything we did to celebrate the season was homemade. That was the year I learned to:

1. Respect a needle while stringing popcorn

2. Coordinate my hands and eyes to make a Christmas count down chain with glue and alternating colored strips of paper

3. Consider services I could give as gifts for each member of my family. This was the year I learned about “Good Fors.”

This Christmas, our ornaments were made from a simple recipe of spiced applesauce. Last year we made origami ornaments, the year before that it was Christmas shapes in tin with a hammer and nails. Further back we used play dough, felt, and craft foam for our festive decorating ideas. You can imagine.

Click here for a tutorial on tin ornaments.
Click to get wrapped up in a fast and festive oragami lesson.

Above are pics of projects we've done in years past. Click the link for the site reference on the photo and step-by-step instructions. Below are photos and instructions for the applesauce ornaments we made this year. My advice:

Choose one good idea and make a bunch. Save the other ideas for another year.

Our tradition is to make our ornaments and send them to our extended family as well as use them for our own decorations. Over the years we’ve ended up with a mixed bag of interesting test projects - these are the ones my husband would love to find a new home for, and treasured homemade memories - the kids refer to them as “ornaments with history.”

Applesauce Ornaments

2 cups applesauce

2 cups cinnamon

Mix applesauce and cinnamon together until it is thick enough to hold a form when cut into cookie cutter shapes. Flatten the mixture on a flat surface and cut into cookie cutter shapes. Make hole with a straw before drying.

Place cookie shapes on a cookie sheet to dry for a few days depending on the size and thickness of the cookies. I sped this process up by drying for 24 hours and baking at 200F for one hour. Bulk cinnamon comes in handy. Add cinnamon, rather than flour to your rolling surface. Dough is stiff but workable. This recipe made 36 ornaments. Use a straw for the hanger hole. Dry for a day, bake for an hour.

Bulk cinnamon comes in handy.

Add cinnamon, rather than flour to your rolling surface. Dough is stiff but workable.

This recipe made 36 ornaments. Use a straw for the hanger hole.

Dry for a day, bake for an hour.

What are your great homemade ornament ideas?

A Promised Recipe with Powdered Parmesan

Don't try this at home.

Here’s what happened with that meal I mentioned in a previous post. After I committed to make a meal for 14 people, I realized I was out of some key ingredients. Since my No more Grocery Shopping experiment began a month and a half ago, I have gained a healthy disdain for the grocery store. So, I was determined not to run in to town for a few items when I knew I could make do with what we had.

Well, we did make due, but I have to admit, Bren’s Famous Alfredo was somewhat diminished in it’s deliciousness because we used canned milk. The powdered Parmesan wasn’t a problem, but evaporated milk did not create the greatest flavor. However, once we mixed the alfredo with a zesty marinara, the results were surprisingly good and the meal was a success, complete with compliments to the chefs from the entire family we shared with. We’re still in search of a fabulous alfredo recipe made entirely from food storage items, but until we find it, we’ll take what we got as good enough for now. Here are some photos of the fun, and recipes to go along with them.

Powdered Parmesan Alfredo
1 12oz. can evaporated milk
½ cup powdered parmesan
1 Tbsp. flour (I would omit this)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt (this is my favorite salt)
Since we aren’t using fresh garlic or sautéing anything, you pretty much stir this all up in a medium sauce pan over medium heat until it reached it’s desired thickness. I thought we’d need the flour for thickness, but ours ended up being too thick, so don’t do it, it will probably improve the flavor if you leave it out. Also, I think it would have been great to add some pesto spices to it, a little basil and maybe oregano, but we were going for the perfect food storage alfredo, so we stayed with our purist intentions on that.
Zesty Marinara
1 26 oz can spaghetti sauce
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 Tbsp. dehydrated roasted garlic slices (my new favorite additive)
1 Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning (not pictured)
1 tsp. kosher salt (not pictured)
½ tsp. red pepper flakes (not pictured)
Again, nothing to saute. I threw it all in a large sauce pan and brought to the splatter phase. Then I turned the heat down, covered it up and didn’t look at it again much until it was time to serve. I did taste it once or twice and was thrilled at how nicely the garlic softened and flavored the whole sauce with a lovely roasted flavor. Mmm. This is a simple and tasty food storage recipe.

Here are the two sauces side by side.

The final product garnished with fresh basil.

We stirred the alfredo into the pasta and then topped it with the marinara. It was a great combination. Even though the white sauce couldn't stand alone, my family was still happy with the results and would eat this meal again.