(No. I did not forget about my "dessert of the month" promise. Yes. I do realize that it's the last day of the month. I work best on a tight deadline! Translation: I am one giant procrastinator.) A match made in food heaven... Lime. and. Pistachios! I made this earlier this month when we had some friends from church over for dinner. I made the angel food cake the night … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Batch Cooking: The Super Supper Saver
Having that ground meat, already cooked and ready to pull out of the freezer is a super supper saver. It's a strategy that works with busy toddlers under foot, hungry teens hovering and all those in between. (that's us!) For about two years now I’ve been batch cooking with my slow cooker every shopping trip. My friend, Little Sanctuary, shared how she cooks ground meat in … [Read more...]
Storing Yeast in Your Freezer
If you bake bread regularly, or you are thinking about starting, here's a little tip for you... Store your yeast in the freezer! It is certainly cheaper to purchase a jar of yeast than to purchase the strips. If you are planning to make more than 3 loaves of bread or 3 batches of dough for rolls, pizza crust, cinnamon rolls or other yeast bread, then … [Read more...]
Corn and Sausage Casserole – Vintage Recipe (with a modern twist!)
So we're just going to jump right into this one. So I can show you were we went from vintage to modern! But first.... The Alternate Title: Upside Down Cast Iron Skillet Pizza Chop the green peppers. Do the same to the onions. Brown a pound of sausage in a cast iron skillet. Set aside on a plate. (Drain off any juices if you like.) (But keep a … [Read more...]
Homemade Baked Beans Recipe
We are going through a bit of a beans phase. Ryan is still learning to like them. (And these sweeter beans were a great start). Charlie has always loved beans. Tyler can't get enough of beans. How to Make Baked Beans From Scratch! Add the molasses. The ketchup. The sweet chili sauce. The worcestershire sauce. And some … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Make Meatballs
Up next in the "5 Ways" series...meatballs! These are another versatile food that do really well with "mixing and matching!" Here are a few options for your meatballs... 1. Herbed Meatballs 2. Spinach Meatballs 3. Asian or Sweet and Sour Meatballs 4. BBQ Meatballs in the Slow Cooker 5. Meatball Subs OK...here's a question for you! How many eggs do you … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Creole Chicken
A simple variation of chicken and rice. It's simple to make. It calls for simple ingredients. And is simply delicious! This is the last of the recipes that was on my "pantry challenge" list from December and January. And how fitting that I'm making it on the last day of January! I had the chicken thighs in the freezer and knew I wanted to use them in the slow cooker … [Read more...]
Herbed Meatballs Recipe
This recipe is featured in the 21 Freezer Cooking Recipes from Costco Meal Plan #5. This recipe was originally posted in 2011! A few weeks ago, I shared what I like to do when I get ground meat from the grocery store. (See Batch Cooking - The Ground Beef Edition!)Â This is part 2, if you will. Last week, I purchased 2 packages of ground chuck and 2 … [Read more...]
How to Freeze Meatloaf
Want to freeze that meatloaf, but you need your pan later in the week?! Or want to make double (or triple) batches on meatloaf night? Simply line the pan with foil and then add your meatloaf. Fold the foil around the meatloaf. And pop it into the freezer! After the meatloaf has frozen, take it out of the pan and place the foil-wrapped … [Read more...]
Maple-Walnut Muffins
When signing books in Minneapolis last week, the lovely folks at Barnes and Noble asked if I'd like to take a book with me, as a thank you. My "dessert of the month" challenge came immediately to mind, and I knew that I had to get a baking cookbook of some sort. After careful deliberation, and much drooling, over at least 20 books about baking, each with stunning photographs, I … [Read more...]