Raisin Bran Breakfast Muffin

This is a recipe I found on a friend's Pinterest board a few days ago.  They are so good!

Raisin Bran Breakfast Muffins
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups raisin bran cereal
• 1 cup milk, warmed (I forgot to warm mine...oops...still worked)
• 1 heaping cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (this makes the muffins!  it gives them a nice nutty flavor)
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Line muffin pan, or spray with non-stick spray
• Put cereal in a bowl with the milk and leave it for about 5 minutes, until cereal is soft.  Having milk warm helps with this.
• Combine flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a large bowl.  Stir in raisins.
• In smaller bowl beat egg, brown sugar and oils together.  Add to flour mixture.
• Pour in milk/cereal mixture and mix until smooth.
• Spoon batter into muffin pan and sprinkle a little extra brown sugar on top.
• Bake for 20 minutes, until firm.
• Allow to cool for 5 minutes in pan then transfer.

These last in an air-tight container for about 5 days....or keep a few out and freeze the rest for later!

Original post:  http://dreawood.com/2012/01/raisin-bran-breakfast-muffin/

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Bites

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Bites
Ingredients:

• 2 large bananas
• 1/4 peanut butter
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (we use Enjoy Life brand - dairy, nut and soy free)
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup milk of your choice (we use vanilla almond)

Directions:

• Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper or parch­ment. 
• Slice bananas into coins about 1/2–3/4 inch thick. 
• Spread a lit­tle dol­lop of peanut but­ter on top of each one. 
• In a small bowl, com­bine the choco­late chips and milk. Microwave in 15 sec­ond incre­ments until you can whisk them together. You want it to be a dipable con­sis­tency, not spread­able. Add a splash more milk if nec­es­sary.  (we did this on the stovetop since we are without a microwave)
• Dip the banana chunks using a fork as a lit­tle choco­late coat­ing fork­lift, dip­ping them into the melted choco­late. 
• Place choco­late coated bananas on the pre­pared sheet and place in freezer until com­pletely frozen (3–5 hours). 
• Remove frozen banana chunks from the sheet and store in a freezer container.

original source:  http://nomnomnomblog.com/2011/05/11/a-taste-of-summer-and-a-new-video/

Gluten and Dairy Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Gluten and Dairy Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Cream the peanut butter and sugar in a bowl.  Beat in the baking powder, and add the egg. Mix until it is all well combined.  (It might work best to hand-beat this instead of using an electric mixer)
• The dough will be sticky, so be prepared to get your hands messy. Roll some dough into a ball. (How big? That depends on you. I have found, however, that the smaller these cookies are, the better they hold together. Eat two instead of one!) Roll the ball into white sugar. Line a baking sheet, covered in parchment paper, with sugary balls of dough.
• Bake in the oven for about ten minutes. You will know the cookies are done when they feel coherent, but still a little soft. Take the tray out of the oven and let the cookies rest for at least five minutes. Afterwards, carefully transfer them to a cooling rack. After ten minutes or so, they will have hardened and be glistening with sugar.

I usually keep a few of these out and freeze the rest for later.

Gluten and Dairy Free Rice Krispy Treats

Rice Krispy Treats


Ingredients:

• 4 Tbs Earth Balance Butter (we buy the soy free kind) OR 4 Tbs coconut oil (YUM!)
• 4 cups mini marshmallows
• 4 cups crispy rice cereal

Directions:

• Heat dairy-free butter or coconut oil on low heat until almost melted.
• Add marshmallow and heat slowly in a large saucepan, with little to no stirring, until the marshmallows are almost melded together. Be patient.
• Stir gently until the marshmallows resemble marshmallow cream. The marshmallow cream should be light and fluffy. If you heat too quickly, it will become tough and sticky, making for a tough treat. If using coconut oil, it will seem like the oil is not stirring in at first, but gently continue to incorporate it in until you don’t see any more in the edges of the pan.
• When it is creamy and the butter or oil is blended in, turn off the heat, and pour the rice cereal into the pan, gently blending the marshmallow with the cereal until evenly distributed.
• Pour into any kind of greased pan and let cool .

We cut these into individual size pieces and wrap in freezer paper.  Having a stash in the freezer makes for a quick and easy snack.  Our kids will eat them frozen!

Strawberry Ice Cream

This homemade strawberry ice cream is DELICIOUS!
The consistency is unlike any other homemade ice cream I've had before....even days later.
It's creamy and perfect. 

Strawberry Ice Cream Like Ben and Jerry's
Ingredients: 

1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar, divided
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup milk (we used whole)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 

Directions
1. Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup sugar in a mixing bowl, set aside in fridge for 1 hour.
2. In large mixing bowl beat eggs until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Gradually add 3/4 cups sugar, mixing well. Stir in milk and vanilla and mix well.
4. Add strawberries with juice and mix well.
5. Gently stir in whipping cream just until combined.**
6. Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions.

**I actually think Chris beat the whipping cream in and then folded in the strawberries. We believe this may be why it turned out so creamy.

Also, we made this and let it set in the freezer overnight. We didn't want to wait but it was definitely worth it. Do it....wait....you won't be disappointed.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

It's that time of year again!  We all love strawberries and prefer to eat them when they are in season.  They taste soooo much better.  We tried a new (to us) farm this year and were very pleased.  There were 3 different varieties of strawberries.  I can only remember the name of the smaller ones - sweet charlies.

My son prefers homemade strawberry jam.  He can tell if it's not "like mommy makes".  It's important that I make enough to get us through the year.  Today I prepared 17 half-pint jars using the Sure-Jell quick and easy strawberry freezer jam recipe.  It's so simple.


Strawberry Freezer Jam
Ingredients:
2 cups crushed strawberries
4 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1 box Sure-Jell pectin (we use the one in the yellow box)


Directions:
1.  Wash and rinse freezer safe containers with tight fitting lids.  I use half-pint canning jars.
2.  Wash and hull strawberries.  Crush using a potato masher.  (You want bits of fruit left in the jam.)
3.  Measure exact amount of crushed fruit into large bowl. 
4.  Measure exact amount of sugar and add to crushed fruit.  Mix well. (Do not reduce the amount of sugar here.  If you prefer a low/no sugar jam you'll want to buy the Sure-Jell in the pink box.)
5.  Let sugar and berries stand for 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally.
6.  Stir 1 box pectin and 3/4 cup water in small saucepan.  Bring to a boil on high heat, stirring constantly.  Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.
7.  Stir pectin mixture into fruit/sugar mixture.  Stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy, about 3 minutes.
8.  Pour into prepared containers, leaving 1/2 inch space at top for expansion during freezer; cover.
9.  Let stand at room temperature 24 hours until set.  Refrigerate up to 3 weeks.  Otherwise, store in freezer for up to 1 year.  Thaw in fridge. 

This recipe is included in every box of Sure-Jell pectin....along with recipes using several other kinds of fruits.

Have fun!  I'll be dreaming strawberries tonight.  We picked 44lbs today!  All but one flat is washed and I'm working on flash freezing them and getting them in bags.  Hope to finish before I head to bed tonight. 

Baked Spaghetti

Our simple kitchen is in business even on the go!  The kids and I tagged along on a Sr. High youth group trip Sunday night-Tuesday.  I told Chris I'd go and be the "food person".  You know, the one who gets the goods together, makes the meals, etc.  I love being able to minister with my husband in this way. 
 
Lunches were easy.  We were on the go and sandwiches were easy.  PB&J or ham and cheese.  Chips and trail mix bars or granola bars.  Fruit or applesauce cups.  Bottled water.

After a hard day's work we thought the kids would enjoy a big breakfast.  As I've mentioned before Chris is the breakfast chef so he fixed lots of pancakes, eggs and bacon.  There were bananas and oranges, apple juice, a few packets of oatmeal and toast with jelly.

Supper was an incredible casserole that the ladies on the trip threw together Monday night.  I'm happy to share it with you.  It's very budget friendly.  We made three 9x12 casserole dishes.  Adjust the recipe to feed fewer folks. 

Baked Spaghetti 
Recipe by oursimplekitchen and a few special helpers 

Ingredients:
2-3 boxes of pasta (I used one box of elbow noodles and 1 1/2 boxes of thin spaghetti noodles)
3 jars/cans of your favorite pasta sauce
2 lbs ground beef
1 bunch of fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
a few shakes of Italian Seasoning (or any combination of oregano and basil...fresh would be great too)
15oz ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
pepperoni slices
1-2 cups shredded Parmesan or Italian blend cheese


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Brown ground beef and drain.
In a bowl, combine cooked ground beef, spaghetti sauce, parsley and Italian seasonings.  Stir in noodles.

In a separate bowl mix ricotta and mozzarella cheeses with one beaten egg.  (Use your fingers.  It's kind of therapeutic.)

Now you're ready to assemble!
Spoon some of the noodle/sauce/beef mixture into each baking dish.  Top with a thin spreading of the cheese and egg mixture.  Add another layer of noodle/sauce/beef mixture then one last spreading of cheese and egg mixture.
Sprinkle with Parmesan or Italian blend cheese, top with pepperonis.

Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.  It won't take long.

Serving suggestions:
You can't go wrong with serving a salad and hot garlic bread!  Your family will be pleased and your house will smell delicious.

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I'm certain this would freeze well.  So, instead of changing the amounts above to make enough for just one night, go ahead and make the whole thing.  Stick the two extra in the freezer and enjoy later or share with a friend.

This can also be easily altered to include other things your family loves or exclude those they don't.  Some ideas:  Add in mushrooms, roasted garlic, spinach.   Use Italian sausage in place of the ground beef or use half of each.  Leave out the pepperoni.  Switch up the shape of pasta.

Hope you enjoy!

Homemade Bread....Attempt #1

This weekend I received an email from a friend we met at church when we lived in Virginia.  Several years have passed now, we live in North Carolina and she lives in Wisconsin.
She saw my request for a homemade whole wheat loaf bread recipe and sent this one my way:


To make 3 loaves:  Actually I ended up with 2 big loaves
Have ingredients at about 75°.   
I just set them out on the counter this morning and let them come to room temperature.  It worked fine. 

Dissolve:
1 package yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons) and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1/2 cup 85° degree water (I used the microwave to heat mine up a little...it doesn't take long!) Let this stand in a warm place for about 10 minutes.

Add in:
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup melted shortening
2-1/2 cups lukewarm water
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup sugar
Mix with paddle attachment until well incorporated.

Sift in:
4 cups white flour (I used unbleached all purpose)
4 cups wheat grain flour (I used whole wheat)
Mix with paddle attachment until dough begins to form.

Cover dough with a tea towel or plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm place (I use my oven...turned off, of course.) for about an hour.

Divide dough into greased or buttered loaf pans and allow it to rise in a warm place for another hour or so.

To Bake: 
Place loaves in a cold oven.
Turn the heat to 400° degrees.
After 15 minutes reduce heat to 375° degrees and bake 25 minutes longer.
Remove the loaves from pan and cool on a rack before storing.

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My thoughts:
The bread has a great crust and texture.  It tastes a little bland when eating it plain but very good with a little butter or as a sandwich....which is how we usually eat it.  It rose beautifully and made a nice looking loaf.

I'm not satisfied with making this my "go-to" recipe because of the addition of the shortening.  I'd also prefer to use our local honey as the sweetener instead of sugar - and I could make the switch in this recipe without altering the outcome too much.  

Thoughts?  Suggestions?  I'm all ears.

Soft, Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

A good chocolate chip cookie recipe is important.  We started making this one back in the Fall and fell in love with it.  The dough is good, the warm cookies are good, a day later (if there are any left) they're good!

Original source:  Tasty Kitchen user "nwmama"
Prep time:  15 Minutes
Cook time:  9 minutes
Makes:  24 cookies (or more depending on how much you spoon out)

Ingredients:
1 cup Butter, Softened (2 Sticks)
1/4 cups Sugar
3/4 cups Light Brown Sugar, Packed
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 package Vanilla Instant Pudding, (small Box)
2 whole Eggs
2 1/4 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 package Chocolate Chip Morsels

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

I use my Kitchen Aid stand mixer and it works great on making this batch up.  A hand mixer or a strong arm and a spoon will work as well!

Add softened butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and pudding packet into a large bowl, mix well. Add eggs and mix well. Add flour and baking soda and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and mix well.

Put by heaping tablespoonfuls (I usually make mine smaller) onto a cookie sheet and bake for 9 mins. (you may have to adjust your time based on your own oven but 9 minutes should get you close) Cool on wire rack and store in airtight container to keep cookies fresh and from drying out.

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Want to have cookies ready to bake at a moments notice?  This dough freezes beautifully!
Mix dough and spoon out onto cookie sheet but instead of baking, stick in the freezer for 15-30 minutes, or until cookies are individually frozen.
Place in freezer bag and toss in freezer.
When you get the urge for a fresh baked cookie run to the freezer (to get your pre-cookie workout in) place desired amount on cookie sheet and bake 9 minutes at 350!

Homemade Hamburger Buns

This was my second attempt at making homemade hamburger buns.  The first try was a failure.  This is a different recipe and we all really enjoyed the results.  They are very easy to put together and they taste so much better than anything you buy from the grocery store!

Warning:  After success at these you may be overwhelm with a desire to make more breads from scratch!  Embrace it.  Your belly will thank you.


Preparation Time: 20 minutes, divided
Rising Time: 2 to 3 hours, divided
Baking Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 12 large hamburger buns or soft sandwich rolls

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups all purpose or bread flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 tablespoons butter, soft or melted
1 tablespoon active, dry yeast (dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water)
1 1/4 cup warm milk

flour for kneading
oil for greasing the bowl and baking pan - I use olive oil
egg wash made from one egg and one tablespoon milk (optional) didn't do this

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnishing the sandwich rolls (optional) didn't do this1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted butter, for brushing on the hamburger buns  I used butter

To Make the Dough: 

Blend the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the butter, yeast mixture and milk, and mix by hand to form a dough. Knead five minutes with an electric mixer with dough hook, or turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for seven to nine minutes by hand.

As the dough kneads, add small amounts of additional flour or warm water as necessary to achieve a dough that is light and slightly sticky .    

The more you make bread the easier it will be for you to tell when the dough "feels right"....it comes with time.

When the dough has been kneaded until smooth, transfer it to a greased bowl and turn over the dough once to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with a towel, and leave the hamburger roll dough to rise until doubled in bulk, about one to one-and-a-half hours.Shape and Bake the Hamburger Buns

I place my covered bowl of dough in my oven.  It's a nice, warm, draft-free spot that the yeast, sugar and flour love.  Just make sure you don't accidentally turn on the oven!

 

Shaping the dough:

Turn the dough out of the bowl and divide it into 12 portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball and place the dough on a greased baking sheet. Lightly pat the tops of the balls of dough to flatten them slightly.

Cover the tray with a towel, and leave the dough to rise again for another hour to hour-and-a-half.
 

Preheat an oven to 425.  If garnishing the hamburger buns with sesame seeds, brush the rolls with the egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Bake the hamburger rolls until rich golden brown, about 20 minutes. Immediately upon removing the rolls from the oven, brush their tops lightly with melted butter or vegetable oil.
 

Transfer the sandwich rolls to a rack and cover them loosely with a towel to trap steam and keep the crust soft as they cool. Store thoroughly cooled rolls in a plastic container or plastic ziploc bag. Freeze any rolls which won't be used within a day.

So, who's having burgers this weekend?! 

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

My friend, Amanda brought these to us the night we brought Savannah home from the hospital.  My first reaction was that they tasted like nuggets from Chick-Fil-A.  Go ahead, make them and see for yourself!


Original Source:  A. Avery
Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breasts or tenders, cubed 

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese  The powdery stuff in the green canister works better than shredded!
1 package onion soup mix
a little bit of melted butter for drizzling

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix bread crumbs, Parmesan and soup mix into Ziploc bag or bowl with tight-fitting lid.
Add cubed chicken and shake to coat.
Place coated chicken on greased cookie sheet.
Drizzle melted butter on top.
Cook 5-7 minutes per side.


These nuggets can be frozen for later use.  If you choose to do that, here are a few tips...

• It's best to use fresh chicken.  I've read some mixed thoughts on refreezing chicken that's been frozen once already.
• Cook nuggets 3-4 minutes per side.  Let cool on cookie sheet.  Once nuggets are cool transfer entire pan to freezer.  Once nuggets are frozen individually place them in labeled freezer bag. 
• No need to thaw before baking.  Place in 400 degree oven and bake a few minutes on each side, until done.