I Couldn't Help Myself...

I started my day hand mixing a double batch of farmhouse bread, and during it's first and second rise, I packaged my homemade brownie, cookie and corn muffin mixes. I was feeling quite accomplished already, and then I decided to make cinnamon rolls.

I made a double batch of rolls, and believe me, they're not all staying here! I'm going to surprise my overworked boss, Kim with some this afternoon adding a few extras for people I know will be at work when I drop by. (I don't work again until tomorrow.) I'm also taking some to Andy and Shelly when I drop off their bread, too.

The nicest part is that when I bake bread, I also make hamburger buns (believe me, they're not as big as they look in the photo!), and when the kitchen is finally closed after a full day, I can make a simple meal for Handsome and me using those rolls. Last night it was homemade hamburgers and American fries. 

All in all, it was a very productive and satisfying day. Even so, I never got to sit down to work on my bluebirds, so that's my plan for today. Sit and stitch. Period. Well, except that I'll take a break early afternoon to deliver cinnamon rolls to my favorite boss. I'll need to stretch my legs by then anyway. 

Happy May Day!!

 

Restocked Pantry Mixes...

I just love seeing stocked shelves. One of our favorite mixes is for homemade brownies. I think our choice of cocoa powder is important, so I spend a little more for Ghirardelli cocoa for our brownie mix. 

The jar on the left is the mixture, and when I have filled all the jars I can put on the shelf (and still be able to close the cabinet door), the extra is stored in the gallon jar. I'll pull from that first, adding nuts when I make up the mix to bake.

I also restocked my cornmeal muffin mix - which is soooo much better than Jiffy™ (sorry, Jiffy), so I'll be able to make cornbread muffins to go with chili once the weather turns cooler. I pressure canned beef with homemade chili mix, and I also pressure canned our own chili beans. Add some fresh celery, onions, and a jar or two of stewed tomatoes, and I've made an entire meal with the contents of our pantry. The best part is that I know every single ingredient that went into every single jar. Only the best for Handsome and our family.

I also made up a new batch of laundry soap. It makes a lot! If you'd like to check out the "recipe", I shared it HERE in this post. I haven't rechecked the price per batch or load lately, but I know it's less expensive than Tide™ or other detergents, and there's virtually no waste. All the containers (except for the OxyClean™) are cardboard. 

***I just tested the link within that post for the recipe, and it's not working, so I'll share her recipe here:

Stone Gable Laundry Soap

4 lb. box of Borax Detergent Booster

1 lb. box of Arm & Hammer™ Baking Soda

55 oz. box of Arm & Hammer™ Super Washing Soda

4 bars Fels Naptha Soap™ (grated)

3 lb. container of OxyClean™ 

After grating the Fels Naptha bar soap, mix all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container. (It makes a lot, so you may need more than one.)

Use as you would your usual laundry soap. I use one scoop per load. (You can use the scoop that comes in the OxyClean container. If you'd like, you can also add a container of scent beads, like Downy Scent Booster beads. I usually don't add them, choosing to add them to the water separately, if I want to use them.

I'll be at work today, so knowing that we have healthy, simple meals in our pantry assures me that I can make a great dinner for us when I get home - and it actually doesn't take more than a half hour from the time I pull jars until we sit down to enjoy it.

I have a few things I need to do before I go to work, so I'm going to finish my cuppa and motivate. I never want to be late. Enjoy your weekend, and I'll be back to chat on Monday. Of course, you don't want to miss a moment of inspiration and reflection with a Sunday Scripture.

I Promised Recipes Today...

 

I promised I'd share more recipes today, so here they are... 

 

EASY MAPLE NUT FUDGE

 

3 cups white chocolate chips

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp maple extract

1-1/4 c chopped nuts

pinch of sea salt *

            1. Spray an 8" x 8" pan with non-stick spray. I just lined my pan with parchment paper.
            2. In a saucepan over low heat, melt white chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk.
            3. Remove from heat. Stir in maple extract and nuts. (I used pecans or hickory nuts  in mine,

                but use whatever you like. I bet cashews would be tasty, too!)
            4. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle with more nuts and a pinch of sea salt (if desired)

                and gently press into the fudge.
            5. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Lift parchment with fudge out of pan and cut into desired size.

Enjoy! 

 

HOMEMADE BROWNIE MIX 

                        Ingredients:

                        3 c flour

                        6 c sugar

                        2 c unsweetened cocoa powder

                        2 t. sea salt

                        2 t. baking powder

                        Directions:

                        Preheat oven to 350º F. and grease an 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" baking pan.

 

                        Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container in a cool, dark location

                        (pantry).

                        To Make Brownies:

                        In a large bowl, mix 2 1/4 c. brownie mix with 1/2 c melted butter, 2 eggs and 1 tsp of 

                        vanilla extract. Mix until batter is smooth. You can add chips, peanut butter or nuts at this

                        point, if you'd like.

                        Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on your oven),

                        or until toothpick comes out clean.

 

    Enjoy! 

 

 

BULK MUFFIN MIX

 

4 1/2 c. a/p flour

2 1/4 c. granulated sugar

2 Tbsp. baking powder

3/4 t. salt

 

Mix well and store in an airtight container.

 

When you're ready to make muffins, measure 2-1/2 c. mix, 1/3 c. melted butter or oil, 3/4 c. milk, 1 egg, and 1-1/2 c. of your favorite berries. Blend all ingredients together and spoon into greased muffin tins 

(or muffin papers). Bake at 375º for 25 minutes or until fully baked and lightly browned. Enjoy!!

If you want to package the brownie mix in individual batches like I did (2 1/4 cup of mix per jar), 

click on my original blog post for the link to the jars I used. Just click HERE to go to that post.

 

 

LIKE "JIFFY" CORNBREAD MIX

 

For each batch of cornbread mix:

2/3 c. a/p flour

1/2 c. yellow cornmeal

3 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

 

Mix together and store in pint size jars in a cool, dry place.

 

If you're making cornbread or corn muffins, add:

2 Tbsp oil, 1/3 c. milk and 1 egg

Blend until just mixed. Don't overmix.

Bake at 350º until golden brown and toothpick comes clean.

Enjoy!

 

 

HOT COCOA MIX

1 20 oz box of Instant Milk

1 2# box of Nestles Quick Mix

1 16 oz. jar of Coffee Creamer 

2 1/2 c. Powdered Sugar

1 - 1/2 c. Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa

Mix well and store in an airtight container.

Note: I always add about a cup more coffee creamer to make it creamier.

To make cocoa, boil hot water (or milk) and add 3 heaping tablespoons per mug.

I packaged my gifts into wide mouth quart size jars, adding mini marshmallows 

either into the mix or on top of it once I had the mix in the jars.

                   

 

 

Herb Cheese Spread

 Yield: about  1 1/2 c. spread

(This tastes almost identical to Alouette™ Herb Cheese Spread)

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. butter, softened

1-1/2 Tbsp. milk

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. ground savory

1/8 tsp ground oregano

1/8 tsp dried dill weed

1/8 tsp. dried basil leaves

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

 

                            In a small gowl, beat all ingredients with an electric mixer until well blended. 

                            Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Can add a bit more to make it 

                            creamier, or let it sit out for a few minutes before serving to allow it to soften.

                            Serve with crackers, vegetables, or even over hot pasta.

Enjoy!

                    

On the left are the goldfish crackers I made. I'm not going to share the recipe for those at this time, because I'm not happy with the texture after a day or so. They're not very crispy at all, so I'm going to play with the technique a bit before I share (or write off the recipe).

The Kitty Litter Bites were simple this time. I put about 2 c. of quick Quaker Oatmeal into a food processor and ground it into a flour consistency. Then I mixed that with enough unsweetened applesauce for the mixture to hold together. I added a little more oatmeal just to give them more texture. Drop by small spoonfuls onto parchment paper and bake at 300º until crispy brown, but not burned. If they're too moist, they'll mold in the container. You want to make sure they're completely dry when you take them out of the oven. The dogs will love them! 

Hope you'll add these recipes to your arsenal for year round gift-giving occasions. I made the brownie, muffin, and cornbread mixed to stock my own pantry, too, rather than buy prepackaged mixes with all the "extra" additives. Fresher always tastes better, and I don't have to run out to the store when I want to make those things.  

Whew! That was a lot. I hope you'll try a recipe or two and let me know what you think. See you again tomorrow.