Does anyone love pay day as much as I do? Probably so, but I think I get the most excited! Most people get a pay check every other week, or twice a month, or some even get paid weekly or daily. In our home, we get a pay check once a month, in the middle of the month.
It has been a hard adjustment for us, but for 11 years now, we have lived this way. I get all my grocery money and spending money in one lump sum instead of breaking it up over a couple times. I have really learned to have to plan what that money goes to.
Our grocery budget right now is $450. That has to buy all food and non food necessities like toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo and soap, etc. At times I don't feel like this money stretches as far as I would like it to, but I also have a great supply of food storage and toothpaste that I won't run out anytime soon.
I shop with coupons a lot as well and that helps me to stretch my money farther. So today, I will sit down with my calendar for the month, put in my menu plan for the month, my grocery list for each week, and then decide what other things I need, like fruits, veggies, shampoo and deodorant and see what things I can get on sale.
I also want to do some freezer meals and items this month, so I need to decide what things I need to buy for that and put them into my menu as well. Freezer burritos on the top of the list this month, as well as things for Saturday and Sunday lunches that sometimes we can't seem to figure out, as well as things for snacks for my kids.
Have you ever made something that you eat one and just can't get enough of it so you have to have just one more and one more? Brownies are my biggest downfall in this area, but I also love a good muffin! And not just for breakfast! And more than that, I love homemade muffins! I will also take one from Maverik but I hate to spend the money sometimes.
Today I'm going to share a couple of muffin recipes that are my favorites, I have so many, but a couple are always my go to and these also freeze great! I will usually double my recipe and then put the leftovers in the freezer where my kids can have one another day and my hubby will also grab a couple and take to work to have as a snack.
My all time go to muffin recipe, because it is super easy and I usually have everything on hand, is Poppy seed mini muffins. I love these because I can make them lemon or almond flavored and they are so moist and yummy!
My other favorite, that I haven't made in a long time, takes a few more ingredients, but it is a great bran muffin that is light and super yummy is the Mormon Muffin. If you are ever in Ogden Utah and need a yummy place for lunch, go to the Greenery Restraunt. It is at the mouth of Ogden canyon and has very yummy food and is well known for their Mormon Muffin with honey butter. I got this recipe years ago from a friend and have made it a few times. I do not know for sure if this is the actual recipe or just one that someone made up themselves. In any case, it makes a huge batch and they are so good!
What kind of muffins do you like? I'm just sharing these two today, but have others like banana muffins and pumpkin muffins that I will share at a later time.
Poppy Seed Mini Muffins
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
2 TBS poppy seeds
2 TBS milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon or almond extract
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients, mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased mini muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400* for 12-15 minutes. Makes 3 1/2 doz.
I usually make these normal size and double recipe and bake about 15 minutes. Minis I usually cook about 10 minutes.
Mormon Muffins
Muffin mix must sit in fridge overnight before baking. Muffin mix will last one week, covered and refrigerated. Makes 6 dozen regular size tin cups or 3 dozen large tin cups.
2 cups boiling water
5 tsp. baking soda
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 quart buttermilk
5 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
4 cups All bran cereal
2 cups 40% bran flakes
1 cup chopped walnuts
Add soda to boiling water and set aside. Whip shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs slowly. Mix well. Add buttermilk, flour, salt and mix again. Add soda water very slowly. Gently fold in cereals and walnuts. Let sit in fridge over night. Spoon 1/8 cup into greased muffin tins. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes. You can freeze baked muffins.
I hope you enjoy these as much as we do. Now I am off to get my menu ready for the month and get my shopping list done for the week. Have a great day!
Friday, February 12, 2016
Thursday, February 11, 2016
I know I didn't blog yesterday. First I just couldn't think of anything to blog about, and second I just couldn't bring myself to do much of anything yesterday.
I don't know why I have those days where I do almost nothing. My Type 1 nature is so not like that! I should be bright and vibrant and busy all the time, but every now and then I have a gloomy day.
I don't have depression or anything like that, but yesterday I just had emotions so close to the surface I didn't know how to feel. I don't know what emotions I was feeling either. I can't describe exactly what I was feeling or going through.
I did get some cross-stitching done and some TV watched, but not much else. I tend to eat my feelings as well, and luckily what sounded good was a salad from Costa Vida and a caffeinated drink from my favorite drink place, which isn't so bad, but the fact that I was feeling so low, I took it.
Maybe that's all I really needed was a good lunch, but even after my kids got home from school, I was still feeling low. At those times I really don't want to do anything, and we did left overs and fried eggs and toast for dinner.
Once my hubby came home, I was starting to come out of my cloud and seeing him go right to work with things around the house that need to be done, gave me a little energy and I was able to clean and vacuum my room, which was really needing to be done. I felt a little better knowing that that room was at least clean, since when I stitch, it's usually on the couch in my bedroom.
I can't decide if this is just the weather getting me down, we did have a few days of sunny and nice weather and now we are back to foggy and drab, or if there is something really wrong with me.
I read a post from someone that was shared on Facebook and it really hit home, especially about how I feel. It was mostly on depression and anxiety, but it also talked about when you just don't feel happy. I think this is the stage I'm in. I have just not felt happy.
Maybe it's because I feel like I fight with my kids every waking hour of the day, or because everything is my fault and they're not afraid to tell me so. Or maybe it's just my own insecurities about life and my calling and all the new people I have and need to meet, and try to remember their names. Or maybe it's that one person I'm concerned I offended by a comment that was not at all geared to her or said to offend anyone, but I'm still afraid it may have. Or maybe it's that I'm stuck at home all day not feeling like I contribute much to the family other than cooking and cleaning. Or being sad that in our move here, I have lost some great clients and friends that I miss so much. Or maybe it's just that I'm not living my truth and need to again to feel happy and love my body now, not 30 pounds ago.
Whatever the reason, I also have a choice in this matter! I can continue to have a pity party and stay in this slump I'm in, or I can get up and choose to live life!
Satan would have me continue on in my pity party hour after hour and day after day, but I need to make that choice to not let him in my life! I would much rather take the light over the dark and that's just what he is is darkness.
I need to look beyond myself and focus on others. How can I serve my kids, my husband, those I serve with, those I live near, those I miss and love so much, my extended family, friends I haven't seen in a while, etc? How can I reach beyond myself to touch others with the light of Christ that I know is in me, but on those darker days is harder to see?
We all have choices! What to wear, what to eat, what to drive, where to live, who to associate with, how to worship, who to love, forgiveness or not, repentance or not, service or not.
What will you choose?
I read this yesterday and on a day like yesterday, it hit me hard:
"Living for the sake of other, makes us most beautiful in the sight of God!"
Service and kindness and love for others is what matters most in this life! "When we are in the service of our fellow beings, we are only in the service of our God" (Mosiah 2:17). Who better to love and serve than God! And it is through our service and love of others that is achieved.
So on that day that I am feeling in a slump, I will serve and love more. Serve and love my family, the sisters I serve, the friends I have, those I see only occasionally, my neighbors, those with different beliefs than mine, those that I may disagree with.
I can serve everyone in even the smallest of ways: a phone call, a plate of cookies, a loaf of bread, a smile, a compliment, and in so doing, I am serving God, whom I love dearly, for He has blessed me with everything that I have, and will have, and I see his guiding hand in my life and I'm grateful!
We all have choices, I pray that we will make the right ones that keep us safe, and help us love and serve those around us!
I don't know why I have those days where I do almost nothing. My Type 1 nature is so not like that! I should be bright and vibrant and busy all the time, but every now and then I have a gloomy day.
I don't have depression or anything like that, but yesterday I just had emotions so close to the surface I didn't know how to feel. I don't know what emotions I was feeling either. I can't describe exactly what I was feeling or going through.
I did get some cross-stitching done and some TV watched, but not much else. I tend to eat my feelings as well, and luckily what sounded good was a salad from Costa Vida and a caffeinated drink from my favorite drink place, which isn't so bad, but the fact that I was feeling so low, I took it.
Maybe that's all I really needed was a good lunch, but even after my kids got home from school, I was still feeling low. At those times I really don't want to do anything, and we did left overs and fried eggs and toast for dinner.
Once my hubby came home, I was starting to come out of my cloud and seeing him go right to work with things around the house that need to be done, gave me a little energy and I was able to clean and vacuum my room, which was really needing to be done. I felt a little better knowing that that room was at least clean, since when I stitch, it's usually on the couch in my bedroom.
I can't decide if this is just the weather getting me down, we did have a few days of sunny and nice weather and now we are back to foggy and drab, or if there is something really wrong with me.
I read a post from someone that was shared on Facebook and it really hit home, especially about how I feel. It was mostly on depression and anxiety, but it also talked about when you just don't feel happy. I think this is the stage I'm in. I have just not felt happy.
Maybe it's because I feel like I fight with my kids every waking hour of the day, or because everything is my fault and they're not afraid to tell me so. Or maybe it's just my own insecurities about life and my calling and all the new people I have and need to meet, and try to remember their names. Or maybe it's that one person I'm concerned I offended by a comment that was not at all geared to her or said to offend anyone, but I'm still afraid it may have. Or maybe it's that I'm stuck at home all day not feeling like I contribute much to the family other than cooking and cleaning. Or being sad that in our move here, I have lost some great clients and friends that I miss so much. Or maybe it's just that I'm not living my truth and need to again to feel happy and love my body now, not 30 pounds ago.
Whatever the reason, I also have a choice in this matter! I can continue to have a pity party and stay in this slump I'm in, or I can get up and choose to live life!
Satan would have me continue on in my pity party hour after hour and day after day, but I need to make that choice to not let him in my life! I would much rather take the light over the dark and that's just what he is is darkness.
I need to look beyond myself and focus on others. How can I serve my kids, my husband, those I serve with, those I live near, those I miss and love so much, my extended family, friends I haven't seen in a while, etc? How can I reach beyond myself to touch others with the light of Christ that I know is in me, but on those darker days is harder to see?
We all have choices! What to wear, what to eat, what to drive, where to live, who to associate with, how to worship, who to love, forgiveness or not, repentance or not, service or not.
What will you choose?
I read this yesterday and on a day like yesterday, it hit me hard:
"Living for the sake of other, makes us most beautiful in the sight of God!"
Service and kindness and love for others is what matters most in this life! "When we are in the service of our fellow beings, we are only in the service of our God" (Mosiah 2:17). Who better to love and serve than God! And it is through our service and love of others that is achieved.
So on that day that I am feeling in a slump, I will serve and love more. Serve and love my family, the sisters I serve, the friends I have, those I see only occasionally, my neighbors, those with different beliefs than mine, those that I may disagree with.
I can serve everyone in even the smallest of ways: a phone call, a plate of cookies, a loaf of bread, a smile, a compliment, and in so doing, I am serving God, whom I love dearly, for He has blessed me with everything that I have, and will have, and I see his guiding hand in my life and I'm grateful!
We all have choices, I pray that we will make the right ones that keep us safe, and help us love and serve those around us!
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Beans, beans, the magical fruit!
Yep they sure are, in more ways than one! I have cooked with beans for a long time and love beans! I'm talking those dried beans that you can buy in the Hispanic food isle. Or the ones in cans are fine too. Pinto, black, red, pink, white, cannellini, garbanzo, kidney, etc.
Beans are so healthy for you! Not only are they a great source of protein, but they have half the fiber that you need for one day! They also have antioxidants, are low in sugar and are great for weight loss and insulin!! Does sound like a magical fruit, doesn't it?!
I realize for some people it's hard to cook your own beans, that's why they have canned beans that are already cooked for you, just open the can and rinse and put in whatever you want. Just be careful when choosing your canned beans. Some companies will add sugar or excess amounts of salt to make them taste better.
Sometimes I will just grab a can of beans for a meal when I don't have time to cook my own. Especially refried beans for burritos or 7 layer dip. I did notice yesterday when I opened a can of refried black beans that I didn't look at the label for, that it had more than just beans and salt, it had lard and partially hydrogenated lard! The latter ingredient is so not good for you! I was just a little upset! Why did my super healthy beans need to have such awful ingredients in it? Sometimes I don't understand why they have to do that!
Years ago when we were very poor, we couldn't afford meat very often. I didn't know how to stretch food very well as our family grew. My husband, on the other hand, was awesome! He would just say, throw a can of beans in it. I thought that was kind of weird, but the more I did it, the more we grew to love beans. We would have stroganoff with kidney beans, which sounds weird but is actually really pretty good!
Now I don't use beans quite as much, but I do still use only one pound of ground hamburger or turkey, or in our case now, ground elk, and add things to it to stretch it. I can feed all 7 of us on one pound of ground meat, mixed with rehydrated refried beans and some taco seasoning. This is how I make tacos. I always stretch it with beans of some kind.
Fresh refried beans are some of my favorite! We got an easy recipe from a friend years ago that I use often still. I usually double this recipe and freeze whatever I don't use for another meal. Here is the recipe I usually use:
Refried beans
1 cup pinto beans
1/4 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
3 TBS oil
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Wash beans thoroughly, remove any rocks or twigs. place in deep pot with 3 cups water. bring to a boil and slowly add baking soda to "de-gas" beans. Remove from heat, skim off foam, cover and let stand in liquid 1 hour.
Add 2 more cups water to beans. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring once, until beans are tender. Save 1 1/2 cups bean liquid for use during mashing. Heat 3 TBS oil in skillet over medium heat. Add cooked beans and 1 1/2 cups retained bean liquid. Add 1 tsp. salt and 3/4 cup cheese. Mash until smooth and cook until liquid is mostly absorbed. Serve warm topped with 1/4 cup cheese.
Really easy recipe, but plan about 3 hours start to finish. I don't usually mash these beans, I have, but don't usually. I will just cook them and then scoop them out into quart size freezer bags and freeze for when I need them later. Or we will use them right away for chicken burritos. I will either leave them whole or mash them right on the tortilla if I don't want them whole. They work out great!
I also use this recipe for other types of beans as well. I have done black, kidney and pink beans as well and they all turned out great!
I also love soups and chili with beans! There are so many ways to use beans! Do you have any favorite bean recipes? Share yours with us!
Beans are so healthy for you! Not only are they a great source of protein, but they have half the fiber that you need for one day! They also have antioxidants, are low in sugar and are great for weight loss and insulin!! Does sound like a magical fruit, doesn't it?!
I realize for some people it's hard to cook your own beans, that's why they have canned beans that are already cooked for you, just open the can and rinse and put in whatever you want. Just be careful when choosing your canned beans. Some companies will add sugar or excess amounts of salt to make them taste better.
Sometimes I will just grab a can of beans for a meal when I don't have time to cook my own. Especially refried beans for burritos or 7 layer dip. I did notice yesterday when I opened a can of refried black beans that I didn't look at the label for, that it had more than just beans and salt, it had lard and partially hydrogenated lard! The latter ingredient is so not good for you! I was just a little upset! Why did my super healthy beans need to have such awful ingredients in it? Sometimes I don't understand why they have to do that!
Years ago when we were very poor, we couldn't afford meat very often. I didn't know how to stretch food very well as our family grew. My husband, on the other hand, was awesome! He would just say, throw a can of beans in it. I thought that was kind of weird, but the more I did it, the more we grew to love beans. We would have stroganoff with kidney beans, which sounds weird but is actually really pretty good!
Now I don't use beans quite as much, but I do still use only one pound of ground hamburger or turkey, or in our case now, ground elk, and add things to it to stretch it. I can feed all 7 of us on one pound of ground meat, mixed with rehydrated refried beans and some taco seasoning. This is how I make tacos. I always stretch it with beans of some kind.
Fresh refried beans are some of my favorite! We got an easy recipe from a friend years ago that I use often still. I usually double this recipe and freeze whatever I don't use for another meal. Here is the recipe I usually use:
Refried beans
1 cup pinto beans
1/4 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
3 TBS oil
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Wash beans thoroughly, remove any rocks or twigs. place in deep pot with 3 cups water. bring to a boil and slowly add baking soda to "de-gas" beans. Remove from heat, skim off foam, cover and let stand in liquid 1 hour.
Add 2 more cups water to beans. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring once, until beans are tender. Save 1 1/2 cups bean liquid for use during mashing. Heat 3 TBS oil in skillet over medium heat. Add cooked beans and 1 1/2 cups retained bean liquid. Add 1 tsp. salt and 3/4 cup cheese. Mash until smooth and cook until liquid is mostly absorbed. Serve warm topped with 1/4 cup cheese.
Really easy recipe, but plan about 3 hours start to finish. I don't usually mash these beans, I have, but don't usually. I will just cook them and then scoop them out into quart size freezer bags and freeze for when I need them later. Or we will use them right away for chicken burritos. I will either leave them whole or mash them right on the tortilla if I don't want them whole. They work out great!
I also use this recipe for other types of beans as well. I have done black, kidney and pink beans as well and they all turned out great!
I also love soups and chili with beans! There are so many ways to use beans! Do you have any favorite bean recipes? Share yours with us!
Eat healthy!
I have been thinking a lot lately about eating more healthy. With that said, it's easier said or thought, than actually done!
I eat pretty healthy. I try to get in fruits and veggies and cook lean meats and whole grains and water. It's just hard to on some of those days, when I decide I'd rather go out to lunch with my hubby than to make something more healthy at home.
I love going out to eat! I love the food, the fact that I don't have to make the food, and of course the social atmosphere. But it never fails, I always choose something that sounds so good, but is so not healthy! Add on the soda, since most restraunts have awful water, and I probably just blew my whole day.
We went out yesterday. Hit the pizza buffet, which I like, because they have a salad bar and I will always get a salad first and by the time I'm done with that, I can usually only eat one piece of pizza and a couple little breadstick knots, but I can't pass up dessert! It was nice to get out though and be with my hubby for sure!
I was thinking about a book that my in-laws gave me for Christmas a few years ago that I absolutely love! It's called "The homemade pantry: 101 things to stop buying and start making" by Alana Chernila.*
This book has been a huge blessing to us! With trying to get my kids to eat healthy and help out in the kitchen, we have used this book a lot! The author is a mom that lives on a farm and makes and uses everything she grows and raises. She is very inspiring! As you can see from the cover, she has a recipe for toaster pastries, yum! She also has recipes for graham crackers, cheese crackers, cakes, pies, drinks, marshmallows, sauerkraut, butter, cheese, vanilla extract, etc.
We haven't tried all of the recipes, but I have tried the graham crackers and sauerkraut and we love them both!
This is where we have gotten our kids to help out. We have let the kids pick which snack they want to make and then, with our help, they make them. Our youngest son loves to make the graham crackers, so we try to make those often. Add some yummy homemade frosting and you have a yummy dessert!
In making our own snacks and treats, we are also cutting out all the additives that our bodies don't need. Like high fructose corn syrup. Don't get me wrong, I like corn syrup as much as the next person in syrups and desserts, but not in my applesauce or things that are processed that need a sweetener.
If you are like me and want to start kicking the bad stuff out of your diet and start putting good fuel in your body, this is a great place to start and an awesome book to help you out! My family has loved it!
*I am in no way being paid to endorse this book. Everything said here is the opinion of the writer.
I eat pretty healthy. I try to get in fruits and veggies and cook lean meats and whole grains and water. It's just hard to on some of those days, when I decide I'd rather go out to lunch with my hubby than to make something more healthy at home.
I love going out to eat! I love the food, the fact that I don't have to make the food, and of course the social atmosphere. But it never fails, I always choose something that sounds so good, but is so not healthy! Add on the soda, since most restraunts have awful water, and I probably just blew my whole day.
We went out yesterday. Hit the pizza buffet, which I like, because they have a salad bar and I will always get a salad first and by the time I'm done with that, I can usually only eat one piece of pizza and a couple little breadstick knots, but I can't pass up dessert! It was nice to get out though and be with my hubby for sure!
I was thinking about a book that my in-laws gave me for Christmas a few years ago that I absolutely love! It's called "The homemade pantry: 101 things to stop buying and start making" by Alana Chernila.*
We haven't tried all of the recipes, but I have tried the graham crackers and sauerkraut and we love them both!
This is where we have gotten our kids to help out. We have let the kids pick which snack they want to make and then, with our help, they make them. Our youngest son loves to make the graham crackers, so we try to make those often. Add some yummy homemade frosting and you have a yummy dessert!
In making our own snacks and treats, we are also cutting out all the additives that our bodies don't need. Like high fructose corn syrup. Don't get me wrong, I like corn syrup as much as the next person in syrups and desserts, but not in my applesauce or things that are processed that need a sweetener.
If you are like me and want to start kicking the bad stuff out of your diet and start putting good fuel in your body, this is a great place to start and an awesome book to help you out! My family has loved it!
*I am in no way being paid to endorse this book. Everything said here is the opinion of the writer.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Who needs pumpkin?!
I love anything pumpkin! For my freezer cooking class tonight, I made my very yummy pumpkin chocolate chip bars! YUM!! And to make them even better, there is cream cheese frosting to go on top!
Maybe you are wondering why I made these for the freezer cooking class. Well, there are so many different ways to freezer cook and one of them is making your own ingredients to replace the more expensive ingredients that are in the recipe and freezing them to use anytime you want!
Pumpkin is one of my favorite things to cook with and one of the more expensive things to buy for pies, cookies, bars, etc. So I like to make my own!
Where we live now, we live right on the famous fruit belt of Utah. This is one of my favorite things about living here! In the fall during harvest time, we can get so many different fruits and veggies that are fresh from the field. Corn and peaches are two of the top things that Brigham City is known for. This is, in the past, where I have gotten most of my peaches. You can get a half bushel of peaches for $10 on up, it is great! Then I can all the peaches and have my years supply. I do also freeze some to use in smoothies.
Sweet corn is one of my most favorite veggies! Yes, in my book, it is a veggie! Utah has some of the best and sweetest sweet corn, you don't even have to put butter on it, I like to eat it steamed and warm, fresh on the cob! I'm getting hungry already! This also makes for some awesome freezer corn that tastes so good even out of the freezer!
Anyway, we are talking pumpkin today. Around the end of September through October, our fruit stands will start to sell pumpkins. Pumpkins of all sizes and shapes! Perfect for decorating, carving and eating! Not to mention, the one stand I go to, has killer prices on pumpkins and ones that cost about $5 in the store than are a good size pumpkin are about $2-3! And sometimes they have them buy 2 get 1 free! Even better deal!!
So I like to decorate with them for a couple weeks and then I start cutting and cooking! I know they have pie pumpkins that are supposed to be sweeter than a normal pumpkin, and I bought a couple to see, and I didn't notice a difference, so I just use normal pumpkins, yes they are edible!
First I wash the outsides really good, then cut them in half and scoop out all the seeds and membranes (which you can dry and cook the seeds if you like pumpkin seeds), then I cut each half into quarters and fit into a 9 X 13 baking dish. Put some water in the bottom and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes or more at 375*. Check after 45 minutes and then check every 15 minutes after that until they are soft and puncture easily with a fork all the way through.
Take out of oven and left cook until you can easily handle them. Scoop all the fruit away from the skin, if it is cooked long enough it should come away from the skin really easily. Then I put the pumpkin into the food processor or a blender and puree until it's smooth.
Scoop out two cups into each freezer container or quart size freezer bag. Label pumpkin 2 cups on the outside and put into freezer.
I do 2 cups each because most recipes call for 16 oz, which is approximately 2 cups. Sometimes I have smaller containers and will do 1 cup in each as well, but mostly I do 2 cups in each.
Voila! You now have lots of pumpkin puree to use in your most favorite recipes! Just thaw in the fridge or in the microwave and add! One thing with homemade puree though, it does have more liquid than store bought canned stuff. It still turns out great, but if it is a problem for you, just drain in in some cheesecloth and that will thicken it.
So that's the scoop on my yummy pumpkin puree. Question? Leave them in the comments and I will answer you back! Thanks for stopping by!
Maybe you are wondering why I made these for the freezer cooking class. Well, there are so many different ways to freezer cook and one of them is making your own ingredients to replace the more expensive ingredients that are in the recipe and freezing them to use anytime you want!
Pumpkin is one of my favorite things to cook with and one of the more expensive things to buy for pies, cookies, bars, etc. So I like to make my own!
Where we live now, we live right on the famous fruit belt of Utah. This is one of my favorite things about living here! In the fall during harvest time, we can get so many different fruits and veggies that are fresh from the field. Corn and peaches are two of the top things that Brigham City is known for. This is, in the past, where I have gotten most of my peaches. You can get a half bushel of peaches for $10 on up, it is great! Then I can all the peaches and have my years supply. I do also freeze some to use in smoothies.
Sweet corn is one of my most favorite veggies! Yes, in my book, it is a veggie! Utah has some of the best and sweetest sweet corn, you don't even have to put butter on it, I like to eat it steamed and warm, fresh on the cob! I'm getting hungry already! This also makes for some awesome freezer corn that tastes so good even out of the freezer!
Anyway, we are talking pumpkin today. Around the end of September through October, our fruit stands will start to sell pumpkins. Pumpkins of all sizes and shapes! Perfect for decorating, carving and eating! Not to mention, the one stand I go to, has killer prices on pumpkins and ones that cost about $5 in the store than are a good size pumpkin are about $2-3! And sometimes they have them buy 2 get 1 free! Even better deal!!
So I like to decorate with them for a couple weeks and then I start cutting and cooking! I know they have pie pumpkins that are supposed to be sweeter than a normal pumpkin, and I bought a couple to see, and I didn't notice a difference, so I just use normal pumpkins, yes they are edible!
First I wash the outsides really good, then cut them in half and scoop out all the seeds and membranes (which you can dry and cook the seeds if you like pumpkin seeds), then I cut each half into quarters and fit into a 9 X 13 baking dish. Put some water in the bottom and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes or more at 375*. Check after 45 minutes and then check every 15 minutes after that until they are soft and puncture easily with a fork all the way through.
Take out of oven and left cook until you can easily handle them. Scoop all the fruit away from the skin, if it is cooked long enough it should come away from the skin really easily. Then I put the pumpkin into the food processor or a blender and puree until it's smooth.
Scoop out two cups into each freezer container or quart size freezer bag. Label pumpkin 2 cups on the outside and put into freezer.
I do 2 cups each because most recipes call for 16 oz, which is approximately 2 cups. Sometimes I have smaller containers and will do 1 cup in each as well, but mostly I do 2 cups in each.
Voila! You now have lots of pumpkin puree to use in your most favorite recipes! Just thaw in the fridge or in the microwave and add! One thing with homemade puree though, it does have more liquid than store bought canned stuff. It still turns out great, but if it is a problem for you, just drain in in some cheesecloth and that will thicken it.
So that's the scoop on my yummy pumpkin puree. Question? Leave them in the comments and I will answer you back! Thanks for stopping by!
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Cooking Stock
As I am typing this, I have chicken cooking in the pot! Not for stock, but for chicken burritos. I am teaching a freezer cooking class tomorrow night and am going to demo how I do chicken burritos. This is seriously my all time favorite and go to recipe for freezer cooking! You can do so many things with them, make them so many different ways, and they are super yummy!
Anyway, I'm not talking burritos today, I want to talk cooking homemade stock. There's nothing like a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup! And if you have the homemade noodles to put in it, it is even better, but even with just store bought noodles, there is nothing like a pot of chicken noodle soup! What's even better is when it is made with homemade chicken stock!
Stock is actually really easy to make! A couple Sundays ago, I cooked a turkey. Just a normal old turkey cooked in the roasting pan. It was super yummy and made for awesome sandwiches and turkey noodle soup!
Anyway, after that dinner, I cleaned all the meat off the bones, as best I could, then put the rest of the bones into my crockpot dish with all the drippings and put it in the fridge until I could cook it down.
The following Friday, I decided I needed to cook down that turkey. I pulled it out and put the dish into the crockpot, added enough water to cover all the bones, which was almost to the top of the crockpot dish, and turned it on. It probably cooked for about 6 hours or so on low.
I decided to use the rest of the turkey and made a yummy creamy turkey and rice soup. It was especially nice that I could just use the turkey stock that I just cooked! I ladled out 4 cups of stock and then added 6 more cups (I have a large family that loves soup), added my veggies and about 1 TBS chicken bouillon for a little more flavor and cooked!
When the veggies were tender, I added the creamy roué I had made with butter, flour and 4 cups of milk, added the chopped turkey and about 2 cups of precooked rice (left over from a previous meal). My kids loved it and my hubby raved about it all night! That's when I know I've made something really good!
Well, back to our turkey...When it has cooled enough to handle the turkey, you can finish cleaning the bones, there is usually more meat still on the bones. I just put this meat back into the turkey stock, poured it all in a bowl and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
The next day, you will notice it has kind solidified. This makes it much easier to handle! Skim the layer of fat off the top, mine didn't have much, since there wasn't any skin on the bones when I cooked it down. Then I ladled 3-4 cups of stock into 1 quart freezer bags. Labeled and froze! When I want to make soup next, I will just pull one out and add about 8 cups of water and have my broth for soup!
There are many different ways to make stock and with many different items! Make stock from any kind of animal bones: chicken, turkey, beef, pork. Or make some veggie stock with water and a variety of veggies. You can also add veggies to you turkey or chicken and it will add more flavor to your stock. It's not too hard, and with the crockpot, it's super easy!
Please share how you make your stock and how you use it in recipes! I would love to hear from you!
Anyway, I'm not talking burritos today, I want to talk cooking homemade stock. There's nothing like a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup! And if you have the homemade noodles to put in it, it is even better, but even with just store bought noodles, there is nothing like a pot of chicken noodle soup! What's even better is when it is made with homemade chicken stock!
Stock is actually really easy to make! A couple Sundays ago, I cooked a turkey. Just a normal old turkey cooked in the roasting pan. It was super yummy and made for awesome sandwiches and turkey noodle soup!
Anyway, after that dinner, I cleaned all the meat off the bones, as best I could, then put the rest of the bones into my crockpot dish with all the drippings and put it in the fridge until I could cook it down.
The following Friday, I decided I needed to cook down that turkey. I pulled it out and put the dish into the crockpot, added enough water to cover all the bones, which was almost to the top of the crockpot dish, and turned it on. It probably cooked for about 6 hours or so on low.
I decided to use the rest of the turkey and made a yummy creamy turkey and rice soup. It was especially nice that I could just use the turkey stock that I just cooked! I ladled out 4 cups of stock and then added 6 more cups (I have a large family that loves soup), added my veggies and about 1 TBS chicken bouillon for a little more flavor and cooked!
When the veggies were tender, I added the creamy roué I had made with butter, flour and 4 cups of milk, added the chopped turkey and about 2 cups of precooked rice (left over from a previous meal). My kids loved it and my hubby raved about it all night! That's when I know I've made something really good!
Well, back to our turkey...When it has cooled enough to handle the turkey, you can finish cleaning the bones, there is usually more meat still on the bones. I just put this meat back into the turkey stock, poured it all in a bowl and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
The next day, you will notice it has kind solidified. This makes it much easier to handle! Skim the layer of fat off the top, mine didn't have much, since there wasn't any skin on the bones when I cooked it down. Then I ladled 3-4 cups of stock into 1 quart freezer bags. Labeled and froze! When I want to make soup next, I will just pull one out and add about 8 cups of water and have my broth for soup!
There are many different ways to make stock and with many different items! Make stock from any kind of animal bones: chicken, turkey, beef, pork. Or make some veggie stock with water and a variety of veggies. You can also add veggies to you turkey or chicken and it will add more flavor to your stock. It's not too hard, and with the crockpot, it's super easy!
Please share how you make your stock and how you use it in recipes! I would love to hear from you!
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Freezer Meal Shopping
I love shopping! Really any kind of shopping is fun for me! I just don't like to try on clothes, so tend to go back to the store more often than I need to.
When I'm at the store, the first thing I hit is the clearance or discount racks. Know where your discount sections in your stores are, this will save you money!
I have scored on yogurt many times! Check the expiration, but most dairy products will be fine up to a week past the sell by date. Sometimes stores discount things just because they have too much and they can have sell by dates up to a month out, those are my favorite!
Be choosy with your meat. I like to shop the discount meat because it less expensive, but some are already turning funky colors and that is not when you want to buy them. Find meat that looks good and smells good. Even if the sell by date is that day, you can either take it home and cook it right away, or you can put it right in the freezer and save for another recipe you have in mind.
Just the other day, I happened to be at the store and looked on the discounts for bread. I was able to find two packages of whole grain hoagie rolls from the bakery on discount and I knew I needed them for the French dip we will do this week. I bought them both and brought them home, double bagged and put in the freezer and will pull them out the morning we do French dip.
I love when I can find what I need on discount!
Some people say that you should get your meat and frozen foods last. It is entirely up to you how you want to shop. I will usually get my fresh stuff first because it is right in the front of the store, and then hit the aisles for the canned and dried things and try to do dairy and meat and frozen last, but that's mostly how my stores are set up, so I just go with the flow.
If you have a budget you need to keep with, don't be afraid to put things back and tweak your meal plan for the week. Sometimes you don't know exactly what things cost until you get into the store. If you can plan your meals with a grocery ad, this will also save you money!
Most people don't like to shop multiple stores. I do, but I am also looking for the best price! I know that we have an Associated Foods store here that usually has their pork roasts on sale for .99-$1.25/lb, and chicken legs and thighs around .79/lb, so I will go there for my meat, but I also know that Smith's usually has meat and dairy and bread and other things on close out that I can get fairly cheap, so I will also go there if there is something on their sale I need, or if I want to check out their close out.
When you are done shopping, you are now ready to prep and cook the meals you have planned! Yay! The fun now begins!
When I'm at the store, the first thing I hit is the clearance or discount racks. Know where your discount sections in your stores are, this will save you money!
I have scored on yogurt many times! Check the expiration, but most dairy products will be fine up to a week past the sell by date. Sometimes stores discount things just because they have too much and they can have sell by dates up to a month out, those are my favorite!
Be choosy with your meat. I like to shop the discount meat because it less expensive, but some are already turning funky colors and that is not when you want to buy them. Find meat that looks good and smells good. Even if the sell by date is that day, you can either take it home and cook it right away, or you can put it right in the freezer and save for another recipe you have in mind.
Just the other day, I happened to be at the store and looked on the discounts for bread. I was able to find two packages of whole grain hoagie rolls from the bakery on discount and I knew I needed them for the French dip we will do this week. I bought them both and brought them home, double bagged and put in the freezer and will pull them out the morning we do French dip.
I love when I can find what I need on discount!
Some people say that you should get your meat and frozen foods last. It is entirely up to you how you want to shop. I will usually get my fresh stuff first because it is right in the front of the store, and then hit the aisles for the canned and dried things and try to do dairy and meat and frozen last, but that's mostly how my stores are set up, so I just go with the flow.
If you have a budget you need to keep with, don't be afraid to put things back and tweak your meal plan for the week. Sometimes you don't know exactly what things cost until you get into the store. If you can plan your meals with a grocery ad, this will also save you money!
Most people don't like to shop multiple stores. I do, but I am also looking for the best price! I know that we have an Associated Foods store here that usually has their pork roasts on sale for .99-$1.25/lb, and chicken legs and thighs around .79/lb, so I will go there for my meat, but I also know that Smith's usually has meat and dairy and bread and other things on close out that I can get fairly cheap, so I will also go there if there is something on their sale I need, or if I want to check out their close out.
When you are done shopping, you are now ready to prep and cook the meals you have planned! Yay! The fun now begins!
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