Vanilla Yogurt

I never would have guessed you could make yogurt with your powdered milk, but thanks to Heather, I've tried it and it works. My girls love the yogurt (personally I still like yoplait better if I'm just eating yogurt) but I do like to mix it with granola. Mostly I'm just glad to know I can use all the powdered milk I have in food storage if I need to.

Warm 3 clean quart jars (or 2 quart jars and 1 pint jar) by filling them with hot water. Let sit.

Soften in a pan on the stove on low:
2 Packets Unsweetened Gelatin
2 T. Cold Water

Stir until dissolved:
2 c. Dry Powdered Milk
3 c. Warm Water (between 80 – 110 degrees)

Add:
1 ½ t. Vanilla
½ c. Sugar (or ½ c. Honey)
½ c. Plain Yogurt
4 ½ c. Warm Water (between 80 – 110 degrees)

Stir some milk mixture into the gelatin mixture then add all of the gelatin mixture into the milk mixture.

Empty the water from your quart jars and fill with the yogurt mixture.

Cover loosely with lids and put in crockpot lined with clean towels. Cover jars with towels to keep the warmth in. Turn the crockpot on for a minute or 2 every so often to keep it warm. Use candy thermometer to monitor temperature (between 80 – 110 degrees). Let sit undisturbed for 6-8 hours.

I have also been using this yogurt a lot in smoothies, and I have a couple muffin recipes that call for yogurt. I'll post the recipes I use the yogurt in soon.

White Grape Juice Chicken

I haven't made this one yet but plan too. I had this over at a friends house the other day and it was pretty good and sounds really easy to make.

   5 lg. chicken breasts
   Italian salad dressing

Fry chicken in salad dressing until it turns white, put in crock pot.

Mix in sauce pan until smooth and creamy.

   8 oz. cream cheese, softened
   1 can cream of mushroom soup
   1 cup white grape juice

Pour over chicken. Cook for about 3 hours.

Butter Pecan Bundt Cake with Caramel Pecan Topping

Cake
1 Butter Pecan Cake Mix
1 - 3oz pkg. Vanilla instant pudding
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
½ cup buttermilk (you can use water)
½ cup oil
Beat all ingredients on medium high for five minutes. Grease and flour bundt pan. Bake at 350* for 48 to 52 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert on a plate that can go into the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. While waiting, make topping.
Caramel Topping
½ cup butter
6 tbsp. Cream
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
Melt butter in med. saucepan over moderate heat. Add cream, brown sugar, and pecans and stir for 3 – 4 minutes. Take cake out of pan and with a spoon, drizzle topping evenly over the top. Broil cake, watching carefully, until caramel topping begins to bubble, about 2 minutes.
(I like to serve it warm, it’s so yummy!)

Basic Bread

1/2 cup milk

3 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp butter or margarine

2 pkgs active dry yeast (4-1/2 tsp)

1-1/2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)

5-6 cups flour (I use half white and half wheat)

1-1/2 Tbsp dough enhancer

Place milk, sugar, salt, and butter in small saucepan. Heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add lukewarm milk mixture, 4-1/2 cups flour and dough enhancer. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 1 minute.

Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix about 2 minutes (I ended up using about 5-1/2 cups flour), or until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on speed 2 about 2 minutes longer, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough will be slightly sticky to the touch.

Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in greased 8-1/2x4-1/2x2-1/2-inch baking pans. cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

Southwestern Egg Rolls

1 chicken breast fillet, diced *
½ red bell pepper, minced *
2 T. green onion, minced
¼ c. white onion, minced
1 can corn (or frozen about 1 c.) *
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained *
2 T. spinach, sliced very thinly (optional)
1 small can green chilies *
½ T. parsley *
½ t. cumin *
½ t. chili powder *
¼ t. salt *
dash cayenne pepper *
1 c. Ceddar Cheese, shredded*
Flour Tortillas *

Avocado-ranch dipping sauce:
1 c. ranch (any style) *
1 whole avocado, mashed (Or more if you like it!)
1 tsp. minced onion *
Salt & Pepper *
Blend together with blender.

Cook chicken and dice. In large bowl mix all ingredients together.
Sauté all ingredients (including chicken) until warm. Remove from heat and add shredded cheese. Mix well. Warm tortillas. Place ½ c. or so of mixture inside a tortilla. Fold completely together so mixture can not escape. Place inside a panni grill or George Forman to grill and melt cheese. You can also make like a grilled cheese sandwich, just put something heavy on top of burrito to grill. Serve with dipping sauce.
From: www.myfoodstoragedeals.blogspot.com

Lemon Berry Muffins

2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 lemon, zested
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs, at room temperature
½ cup milk
1 cup fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, etc)
1 Tbsp flour

Glaze
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 ½ Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt.

Place sugar, lemon zest and butter in the mixer bowl. Using the flat beater set to speed 4 and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stop mixer to scrape down bowl. Set to speed 4 and add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Set to speed 2 and beat in flour mixture alternately with milk, making 3 additions of dry and 2 of wet. Remove the mixer bowl and scrape it down.
In a small bowl, quickly toss berries with the 1 Tbsp flour. Using a large spatula, carefully fold berries into batter.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake in middle of 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool in tin on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan.

Meanwhile prepare the glaze: In small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Brush on warm muffins.

Dutch Boy Pancake

Prep Time: 10 min

Total Time: 38 min

Makes: 8 servings

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs

Top with:
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 medium peaches, peeled, sliced
1 cup blueberries

Make It
PREHEAT oven to 450°F. Add butter to 9-inch pie plate; heat in oven until melted. Tilt pie plate to evenly coat bottom and side with butter. Beat flour, salt, milk and eggs with wire whisk until well blended; pour into pie plate. Place on lowest oven rack.

BAKE 18 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and marshmallow cream with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.

FILL pancake with fruit; top

Lasagna

15 Lasagna noodles
1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and drained
2 jars spaghetti sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar, optional
15 oz. Ricotta cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375. Cook noodles, drain and separate. In a large saucepan, combine cooked meat, sauce and brown sugar, simmer 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 3 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and eggs. Spray 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread a little sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Place 4-5 lasagna noodles over the bottom, slightly overlapping. Spread half of the cheese mixture over noodles and cover with meat sauce. Repeat layers. Cover last layer with remaining noodles and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes before serving.

**To make it a little easier, just exclude the ricotta mixture, only use mozzarella cheese and you have a basic lasagna.

Shepard's Pie

1 lb ground beef, browned
6-8 servings of instant mashed potatoes, cooked (if you have leftover mashed potatoes, even better)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Add cream of mushroom soup to the browned hamburger, season with salt and pepper and onion powder. Pour into a 1-2 qt casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes and cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until warmed through.

Pedro's Special

1 lb ground beef, browned
1 can tomato sauce
1/3 can water
1 can kidney beans
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
tortilla chips
cheese, lettuce, tomato, olives, sour cream

Simmer ground beef, tomato sauce, water, kidney beans, and taco seasoning for 15 minutes. Pour over chips and cover with cheese. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted. Serve with your choice of remaining ingredients.

December

For December please share your family favorite -EASY- meals. You know, the meals you always fall back on when you are busy and don't want to go grocery shopping. These will be perfect for our busy December schedules!!

Chicken Pot Pie

2+ cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (our favorites are corn, peas and carrots)
1 cup cut-up cooked chicken
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup milk

Crust:
1 cup Original Bisquick
½ cup milk
1 egg

Heat oven to 400. Mix vegetables, chicken, soup and 1/4 cup milk in casserole dish. **If I haven't thawed my veggies I'll stick it in the microwave for a few minutes at this point. If the mixture is too cold the biscuit crust doesn't get cooked in the middle** Stir remaining ingredients until blended for crust. Pour on top of veggie mixture. Bake about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Imperial Chicken

Mix all together:
2 c. bread crumbs
3/4 c. parmesan cheese
1/4 c. chopped parsley (fresh)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper

Melt 1 cube of butter. Roll 8 chicken breasts in melted butter (I usually cut them smaller - more like chicken strips) and then in bread crumb mixture. Place in greased baking dish. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

I love serving these with pasta and alfredo sauce - or with a good potato dish.

Top Ramen + Frozen Peas = ....

Well this is more of a parent hack/cooking tip.  

Cooking Tip Part:
I usually will throw a bunch of frozen peas in my Top Ramen for the last minute of it cooking, just to add a vegetable to the meal so I feel like I am being healthy (I know it is far from being healthy! I also know that a lot of people do this and this wont be new to most of you but the next part is why I posted it here!) :)

Parent Hack Part:
My kids have really liked it but this is where the parent hack part comes in. I tend to like my foods pretty hot but the kids do not. So now I wait to add the frozen peas. I just add them (still frozen) to the bottom of their bowl and then add just the noodles, not much liquid, on top of them. They stir it around for a little bit and by the time they have had their fun stiring it, the peas are warm and the noodles aren't hot.

Of course this would work with any frozen vegetable but peas tend to be my favorite for this. Also my mom got me hooked on adding cottage cheese to the Ramen noddles. I know that probably sounds gross to everyone, but I like it! Ha! :)

CREAM CHEESE PUMPKIN BREAD

This recipe adds a nice twist to pumpkin bread!

Batter:

  1 c. pumpkin
  ½ c. vegetable oil

  2 eggs
  1 ½ c. sugar
  1 2/3 c. flour

  1 t. baking soda
  ½ t. salt
  ½ t. cinnamon
  ½ t. cloves
  1 c. chopped nuts

Filling:
  1 package cream cheese
  1/3 c. sugar
  1 egg
  1 T. flour
  (May add orange zest.)

Layer batter, filling, batter in loaf pan.

Bake at 325 for 1-½ hours. Makes 2 large loaf pans.

(Bake 1 hour for small loafs, less than 1 ½ hour for med loaf)

Easy Creamy Pumpkin Soup

1 can condensed cream of potato soup
1 1/4 cups water
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 cup cream
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp ginger

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream of potato soup, water, pumpkin, butter and cream. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ginger. Stir until blended and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

(Jody)

Pumpkin Pie Dessert Squares

Crust:

1/2 pkg. yellow cake mix

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 egg

Combine and spread in bottom of 9x13 pan

Filling:

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 lb or 2 cups pumpkin

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Mix and pour over crust.

Topping:

1/2 cake mix

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Combine with fork and sprinkle over top.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Serve topped with whipped cream.

This is what it looked like as it came out of the oven. I think this is a great alternative to pumpkin pie. I also love the crunchy layer on the top and you don't get that with a pumpkin pie.

November Recipes

November's theme is Pumpkins. So gather up your recipes that include pumpkin - anything goes. And since Thanksgiving is just around the corner when you come across great Thanksgiving recipes make sure you take a minute to share them with us.

Go HERE to see all our pumpkin receipes that have already been posted.

Recipe Book Idea

Cara showed her book at her cooking group the other week and I was thinking that this might make for a good post here too.

These are half page sized recipe books. My mother in law made me one with their family recipes a few years back and I loved it so much I made my own with my recipes. I also made one for my sister in law when she and my brother got married that had recipes from both families which I thought was a fun idea. Could also make for a fun Christmas present too since that is coming up.

These tabs (below) are handy to mark with recipes I use a lot or with ones that I am planning on making that week.

Here are a few of the dividers:

Onions/Green Peppers Freezer Tip

Learned this from my mom. Dice a bunch of green peppers and onions at once and then freeze them to use later in your cooking. This wont work if you need fresh ones since they do tend to get a little soggy when frozen but they are perfect for hash browns, sauces, soups etc... anything that you cook.

Very handy. Also these dicer things (in the picture) are wonderful.

We store ours in cheap little snack sized zip lock bags and then put those in the freezer bags.

My mom also cooks and then freezes hamburger and chicken (shred the chicken before freezing) the same way. So if you were going to make tacos you could just pull out a small hamburger one, reheat in the microwave and then add your seasoning. Or with the cooked frozen chicken this makes it easy to do chicken salad sandwiches since cooking and shredding the chicken is half the battle.

This picture I just thought was funny with Addy cheezin' it in the background!