Lemon-Poppy Seed Ricotta Pancakes

I was at my sisters yesterday and caught just a few minutes of the Martha Stewart Show. They were making these pancakes. I thought that they sounded good so I made them this morning for breakfast. They were really good! 3 out of 4 of my kids liked them - I thought this was pretty good; how often can you please them all. However, none of them likes the syrup. I think next time I will leave out the lemon juice. I really enjoyed it all!

INGREDIENTS: (Makes 8)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Pinch of coarse salt
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese, plus more for serving
3/4 cup milk
3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Unsalted butter, softened, for cooking
Honey Syrup, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, milk, egg yolks, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the cheese mixture and mix until batter is just combined. Stir in lemon zest and poppy seeds.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff. Gently fold egg whites into batter.
Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; brush surface with butter. Working in batches, ladle 1/3 cup batter for each pancake on griddle, leaving space as they will spread. Cook until golden and top begins to bubble, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently turn and continue cooking until bottoms are light brown, 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve immediately with ricotta and honey syrup.

Honey Syrup
Makes about 1/2 cup
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat honey in a small saucepan until warmed through. Stir in lemon juice and salt. Remove from heat and serve immediately over pancakes.

Work Gifts

Here is what I made for my husbands' coworkers. They are really yummy. I had a hard time not eating them all myself.
Here is the link to the recipe.
http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/recipe/buttermilk-cupcakes-in-a-jar?&backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/fancy-cupcakes?#slide_5

Not Your Average Spinach Dip

I really like spinach dip. The traditional spinach dip is always easy and yummy. Here is a hot spinach dip. Now, I really do not care for cooked spinach, but in this dip it is really good.


Hot Spinach Dip
INGREDIENTS:
10oz. Pkg. Frozen Chopped Spinach
1 ¼ C. Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
¼ C. Chopped Onion
1 - 3oz. Pkg. Cream Cheese, Softened
¾ C. Mayo
1 tsp. Hot Sauce
1 tsp. Dried Italian Seasonings
½ tsp. Garlic Powder
¼ tsp. Freshly Ground Pepper
1 tsp. Paprika
INSTRUCTIONS:
If you buy the frozen block spinach, press spinach between paper towels to remove excess moisture. Combine spinach, 1 cup parmesan and next 7 ingredients. Spoon into 1 quart baking dish and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup parmesan and paprika, bake an additional 10 minutes. Serve with crackers or bread.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Making homemade cranberry sauce is so good and it is better than anything that you get out of a can. Cranberries are a hard commodity to find any other time of the year than now. I usually stock up and freeze them . I can't eat turkey with out this yummy sauce and I love fresh cranberry baked goods. These little berries are very healthy for you!



This is so easy...
3 C. Fresh Cranberies
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Water
Put all ingredietns in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat. The berries will begin to pop. You will know when it is ready!

Peanut Buter and Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

This pie is so yummy and easy. It is my husbands favorite pie.

Peanut Butter- Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

INGREDIENTS:
35 Nilla Wafers, Finely Crushed ¼ C. Butter, Melted
2 Medium Bananas, Halved Lengthwise, Quartered ½ C. Peanut Butter
2 Squares Baker’s Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, Divided
2 C. Milk 2 C. Cool Whip Topping, Divided
2 Pkg. Jell-O-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding and Pie Filling

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven 350. Mix wafer crumbs and butter until well blended; press firmly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely; top with bananas.
Make chocolate curls from ½ square of the chocolate; reserve for garnish. Microwave remaining chocolate and the peanut butter and mixture is well blended. Drizzle over bananas; set aside. Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topped. Spread over bananas; top with remaining 1 cup whipped topping.
Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Top with chocolate curls just before serving. Store leftover pie in refrigerator. Make 10 serving.

Stocking Stuffers

This seems to be a hard task for me! I hate spending a ton of money stuffing these things, but the kidos love them. I really try to keep the candy down to a minimum. So, I have found some different ideas to share with you.

We do not have cable TV - nothing but FUZZ - so, my kidos always get a movie to add to our movie collection.

My kidos love Gum, so this is always a good idea.

Toothbrushes! We are always in need of new toothbrushes. I love the Firefly ones because they light up telling the kids how long to brush.

Flashlights - What kid doesn't like flashlights.

Rice crispies cut out with Christmas shapes and wrapped up special.

Hairbows are always great for that little girl.

A new Tie for the boys.

Traditional Orange.

A date night certificate with mom and dad.

Make a Paper Airplane book. My boys love making Paper Airplanes. If you type in How to make Paper Airplanes on line, a ton of different models come up. I want to make a special little book.

Homemade Playdough.

A certificate to the Home Depot Children's Workshop. This one is a great one. I looked into this. The workshop is free for kids ages 5-12. It is on Saturdays from 9-12 on every first Saturday of the month.

Bathtub Paint: Kids absolutely love making messes, and mom's like anything that keeps that mess contained. Even better if the mess actually helps clean up a bit, too! That is why this is a win-win stocking stuffer! Find a few small tubs to keep the paint in. Baby food containers, small plastic food containers and icing tubs work great. Start by mixing 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, and 1/3 cup liquid dish detergent (be sure to use something that won't irritate your kids' skin!) Keep mixing in cornstarch until it is the consistency you want. I use quite a bit of cornstarch for bathtub paint since if they are taking a bath the water will already dilute it. Separate the mixture into containers and add food coloring to the color you want and mix. Let the kiddo's enjoy!

Homemade holiday crayons: gather up all of those broken crayon pieces and make some use out of them! Cut them up into small bits, get a cute candy or soap mold from a hobby store such as Michael's, and make some new crayons! Preheat your oven to 150 degrees. Put the slivers of crayons into the mold (you don't have to do only one color, you can put more than one in each!) Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the wax is melted. Let the crayons cool, and pop out of the mold when cool. Wrap in cute little cellophane to keep other items from getting all colored on and stuff that stocking! (if you have a little helper, please make sure the adult is the only one handling the hot materials.

Tub-Time Bath Crayons

You will Need:
1 cup grated Ivory Soap
1/4 cup warm water
Food Coloring
Plastic Cookie cutters
How to:
Mix water, soap & food coloring together in med. size bowl. Stir the crayon
mixture until it begins to stiffen. Remove the mixture from the bowl and knead
until it is the consistency of a very thick dough. Spoon Crayon Mixture into
plastic cookie cutters or other plastic molds (playdough molds work great too!).
Press down firmly. Place the plastic cookie cutters in your freezer for 10 mins
or in your refrigerator for 30 mins. When firm, Pop the bath crayons out of the
cookie cutters (or other molds) and allow them to air dry overnight or until
hard.
Ideas for Molds:
Ice Cube Trays
Playdough Molds & Cutters
Tupperware Cookie Cutters
Plastic Cookie Cutters
Plastic Guest Soap Molds (buy at local craft store) The Plastic divided tray
that comes in choc. candy boxes and so forth!

Homemade Finger Paints

2 cups of Plastic Liquid Starch
1 cup of Ivory Snow Detergent Flakes
Food Coloring
Beat with rotary beater or mixer until the volume is tripled. Divide and add in
food coloring as desired. Store in covered containers in refrigerator. Freezer
paper is GREAT to let the kids finger paint on!

Homemade Blowing Bubbles for Kids!

1/2 cup of handwashing dish detergent
5 cups of tap water
1 container with lid
1 bubble blowing wand
Mix Water and dishwashing liquid together well but dont over stir it!


Matchbox cars are $.98 and are always a big hit with boys.

Crossword puzzles or Sudoku

Small Puzzles are always a good idea.

Lip Balm or Lotions.

Certificates:
1. Good for 2 hours of Lego building with mom.
2. Good for 1 homemade meal of choice.
3. Good for 1 dessert dinner.
4. Good for 1 cookie baking session
5.Good for 1 video rental and a friend over
6. Good for late, late bedtime
7. Good for 1 lunch out with mom

There are so many ideas. I hope that these help with some frugal ideas.

You're Gettin' Muffin For Christmas

I thought that this idea was really cute. This came from Budget101.com

What you will need:
1 Dish Towel
1 Package Muffin Mix & Gift Tag
1 Wooden Spoon

Fold dish towel and place wooden spoon on folded towel. Place muffin mix package on utensil and tie all together with ribbons and attach a tag.

A store bought muffin mix would be cute, but here is a recipe for muffin in a jar...

Breakfast muffins in jar
1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 C. rolled oats
1/2 C. brown sugar
3 T. finely minced candied lemon peel (I would omit this, or add dried lemon peel instead.)
1/2 C. finely minced dried cherries, apples or apricots
1/3 C. chopped almonds or walnuts
Combine all ingredients in Jar (in Layers) Or vacuum seal bag.
Add Tag:
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 c. milk or vanilla yogurt
1 egg
1 Jar Mix
Combine the above, mix well, Batter will be slightly lumpy. Spoon into 12 greased or lined muffin cups. Bake at 400° F. for 20-25 minutes.

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix(12 servings)
1 one-quart wide-mouth jar
2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chip
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour half of this mixture into the jar and pack it down.In a small bowl, mix together the sugars and cinnamon. Add this mixture to the jar. Follow this layer with the rest of the flour mixture. Pack down the layers and add the chocolate chips.Seal the jar.Note From Mr Breakfast:When I created my jar, I layered the the chocolate chips between the flour and sugar layers. Next time, I'll put the chip at the top. The smaller ingredients tend to sprinkle down and obscure the chips layer. Good luck with your jar!
To Prepare:(Attach these instructions to your gift of breakfast.)

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Muffins(12 servings)
1 jar muffin mix
2 eggs - beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare 12 muffin cups with cooking spray or muffin papers.Pour the muffin mix into a large bowl and stir to combine. In a seperate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the mix and stir until just moistened.Distribute the batter evenly into muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.


Mini Pumpkin Muffin Mix in a Bag
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup raisins, sweetened dried cranberries, or chopped nuts (optional)
1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin
Combine all ingredients, except pumpkin, in large bowl. Pour into 1-quart resealable plastic bag; seal. Set bag of muffin mix and can of pumpkin in a paper sandwich-type bag. Tie top of bag with raffia or ribbon.
Attach the following recipe:
Mini Pumpkin Muffins
Pour muffin mix into large bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup vegetable shortening with pastry blender until mixture is fine. Add 1 cup pumpkin, 1 cup milk and 2 large eggs; mix until just moistened. Spoon into greased or paper-lined mini-muffin pans, filling 2/3 full. Bake in preheated 400 degree F oven for 15 minutes; remove to wire racks. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.Makes about 60 mini muffins.

Christmas Potpourri

I received this one year for christmas from my friend Caitlyn. It will now be forever a tradition in our home. This makes your whole house smell so good.
Here is her recipe:
Ingredients:
½ Orange, sliced
1/2 Lemon, sliced
3 sticksCinnamon
10 Fresh Cranberries
22 Whole Cloves
2 Bay Leaves
1 sliceGinger Root
1 sprig Pine needles
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients and give in clear cellophane bags for Christmas with tag saying “fill your home with the sweet smell of Christmas”,
2. Add all ingredients to 1 quart of water and bring to boil; don’t eat!


***I have made this with oranges, cranberries, cloves and cinnamon sticks and it still smells great.

Texas Two Step in a Jar With Corn Bread

A few years ago I gave out this mix for Christmas. It was a jar with the chili mix in it and a cellophane bag with a cornbread mix in it. I ties the cornbread mix with twain. I placed both items inside of a red bandanna and closed it up with twain. It was pretty cute. Sorry I don't have a picture, but here is the recipes:

Texas Two – Step in a Jar
This yummy mix will have ‘em dancing in the streets!
1.6 – oz. Pkg. Brown Gravy Mix 1 tsp. Garlic Salt
2 Tbs. Mild Chili Powder 2 tsp. Cumin
2 tsp. Dried Oregano 1 tsp. Dried, Minced Onion
10 to 12 Tortilla chips, Corsley Crushed 1¼ C. Pasta Wheels, uncooked
Pour gravy mix into a one-pint, wide mouth jar. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, oregano, cumin, onion and garlic salt; pour on top of gravy mix. Add tortilla chips and pasta to fill jar; secure lid. Tie on a gift tag with instructions. *You can put the chips in a seperate little bag and place inside of the jar.
Instructions:
Brown ½ pound ground beef in a large saucepan. Add jar contents and 5 cups of water; bring to a boil. Stir in 15 ounce can corn and 16 ounce can chopped tomatoes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until pasta is tender. Garnish with tortilla chips and shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Serves 8.

Cowboy Cornbread Mix
½ C. Yellow Corn Meal 1 ½ C. all Purpose Flour
2/3 C. Sugar 1 Tbs. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Salt 3 Tbs. Melted Butter
2 Eggs 1 ¼ C. Milk
1/3 C. Vegetable Oil
Mix all dry ingredients in bowl. Add vegetable oil, melted butter, eggs, and milk. Mix. Pour into greased 8-inch square pan, or muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees – 20 minutes for the muffins, 35 minutes for the pan.

***Just put dry ingredients in a small bag. Write on a tag the we ingredeints needed along with the instructions.

Gift Ideas for the Budget Minded

We had an Enrichment in our ward about different gift ideas. Here are someof the ideas that were shared. *Thanks Christa!!
Gift Certificates/Service
-For babysitting
- For lunch or ice cream with you
- For caregivers, shopping time or even time to themselves in their own home while you care for their loved ones
- For something you are good at: painting a room, re-organizing, haircuts, story time, preparing and planting a garden, prep and run a garage sale…
- Give an experience: trip to the zoo, hike, picnic, afternoon fishing…
- Write a letter of appreciation and deliver and read it in person
- For a school teacher, write a LOA and send copies to the principal and superintendent
- Instead of gifts to each other, perform service and share the experience & feelings with your families
Simple Sewing & Craft
- Rice bag with flannel casing
- Fleece scarf-cut strips 7-8 inches wide and fringe ends (no sewing)
- Lap quilt from fleece or flannel
- Fun pillowcases for kids. Get a couple of coordinating prints and trim and it's all straight line sewing.
- Homemade ornaments
- Homemade jewelry
- Ceramic tiles with vinyl letters
- Felt finger puppets- use hot glue
Food- always a hit
- Frozen bread or cookie dough with instructions for baking later
- Pretty pie plate with homemade pie
- Dip your own chocolates; it can be as expensive or inexpensive as you want
- Apple or pumpkin butter
- Homemade cocoa/cookie/brownie/soup/chili… mix in a pretty jar
- Purchased or homemade preserves
- Pound of pistachios
- Bottle of sparkling cider
- Giant cookies
- Home baked bread, include recipe
- Basket filled with deli cheese and fruit
- Fancy chocolate bars tied with a ribbon
- Gourmet popcorn and flavored oil
- Locally made barbeque or steak sauce with basting brush
- Pancake or waffle mix and a bottle of real maple syrup, or fun syrup flavors

- Jar of sourwood or pure honey & biscuit mix
- Basket w/ ingredients & recipe for taco soup
- A nuts and trail mix gift bag (could go with hike)
- A six pack of a specialty root beer, can be dressed as reindeer with a few pipe cleaners, goggle eyes and pom-pom noses
- Pasta Lovers' Bowl : fill a colander with different pastas & sauces, pasta ladle, parmesan cheese
- Chocolate spoons: dip spoon in melted chocolate with a little butter. Can add flavorings.
- A pitcher filled with lemons, bright curling ribbon and a cup of sugar in a baggy
- Pick a theme, brainstorm and build a basket
Other ideas
- Winter garden seeds started in fun containers ready to plant in the garden
- Cuttings from an indoor plant planted in their own attractive container
- A board game with bag of treats as prizes
- Deck of cards and book of card game rules
- Homemade play dough & cookie cutters
- Recipe box with favorite recipes inside
- Homemade cards or plain stamped paper and envelopes tied in bunches with pretty ribbon or raffia could include stamps
- Framed photos or an inexpensive album
- Child’s artwork, framed
- Collage of special photos
- Gel pens and pretty stationary
- Disposable camera& gift card for processing
- Set of dish towels and dish cloths
- Nail polish kit
- Travel size toiletries
- Winter skin care kit (small lip balm, hand lotion, etc.)
- Pretty night shirt
- Pepper mill and fresh peppercorns
- Flashlight & batteries or 72 Hour Kit items
- For pet lovers: pet treats and a chew toy
- Flash drive for computer
- Puzzle book & nice pen
- Homemade geoboard: Tap 1 inch nails into a flat board using graph paper for spacing. -make sure they are level. Add colorful rubber bands for making patterns.
- Make CDs of family photos or videos for grandparents screensavers
- Copies of family history stories and genealogies for family members
- Bag of birdseed in a container with lid
- Something goofy just to make them laugh!

The Most AMAZING Cheesecake ever!

Layered Turtle Cheescake
By Melissa Maseda
INGREDIENTS FOR 12 SERVINGS:
1 C. Flour

1/3 C. Packed Brown Sugar
¼ C. Finely Chopped Pecans

6 Tbs. Cold Butter
Filling:

4 Pkg. Cram Cheese, Softened
1 C. Sugar

1/3 C. Brown Sugar
¼ C. plus 1 Tbs. Flour, Divided

2 Tbs. Heavy Whipping Cream
1 ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract

½ C. Milk Chocolate Chips, Melted and Cooled
1/3 C. Chopped Pecans

¼ C. Caramel Ice Cream Topping
Ganache:

½ C. Milk Chocolate Chips
¼ C. Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Tbs. Chopped Pecans
Garnish:

Pecan Halves
Caramel Ice Cream Topping
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and pecans; cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 12-15 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugars until smooth. Beat in 1/4 cup flour, cream and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Remove 1 cup batter to a small bowl; stir in melted chocolate until blended. Spread over crust. Combine caramel topping and remaining flour; stir in pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls over chocolate batter. Top with remaining batter. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
Bake at 325° for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. For ganache, place chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chips; whisk until smooth. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Spread over cheesecake. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate until set. Garnish with pecan halves and additional caramel topping if desired.
COMMENTS: I left out the pecans out of the filling and did not use them for garnish. Though we may be nuts, my family doesn’t enjoy eating a ton of nuts.

Monkey Cupcakes

Here are the cupcakes that I made for my daughters birthday. She had a monkey party. We had these cupcakes and banana splits.

Pumpkin Recipes

Tis' the time of the year for pumpkin. Canned Pumpkin is usually on sale and so I stock up for the year. Pumpkin is very healthy for you --It is a Super Food. Here are some of my pumpkin recipes...


Start the morning out right with yummy pancakes. --Pumpkin Pancakes--2 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 Tbs. Brown Sugar
1 ½ C. Milk
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 Can Pumpkin Puree
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 Egg
1 tsp. Ground Allspice
2 Tbs. Vegetable Oil
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
2 Tbs. Vinegar
½ tsp. Ground Ginger In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt; stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine. Hat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop batter onto griddle, using approximately ¼ cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot with maple syrup.

You can never go wrong with cream cheese.
Ribbon Pumpkin Bread
6 ounces Reduced Fat Cream Cheese
¼ C. Sugar
1 Tbs. Flour
2 Egg Whites
Batter:
1 C. Pumpkin
½ C. Unsweetened Applesauce
1 Egg
2 Egg Whites
1 Tbs. Vegetable Oil
1 2/3 C. Flour
1 ¼ C. Sugar
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp. Ground Cloves
1/3 C. Chopped Walnuts (optional)
1 tsp. Baking Soda
Pumpkin Ribbon Bread Continued:
For filling, combine cream cheese, sugar, flour, and egg whites in a bowl; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the pumpkin, applesauce, egg, egg whites and oil. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves; add to pumpkin mixture. Stir in walnuts.
Divide half of the batter between two 8 in. x 4 in. x 2 in. loaf pans coated with nonstick cooking spray. (You can use four mini loaf pans if desired.) Spread each with filling; top with remaining batter. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate leftovers.

I made this today. It is really a yummy bread. My kidos had it for afterschool snack.
Pumpkin Bread
3 C. Sugar
1 C. Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs
1 ½ tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Nutmeg
2/3 C. Water
2 C. Pumpkin
3 1/3 C. Flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 ½ tsp. Salt
Combine Sugar and oil in a large bowl. Add Eggs and beat thoroughly. Combine dry ingredients and add alternating with water, mixing well after each addition. Put into greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Makes about 3 large loaves or 6 mini loaves.

This is a traditional recipe in our family. We have it once a year - usually around halloween.
Pumpkin Soup
1 Sm. Can Pure Pumpkin
1 Can Chopped Tomato
½ Onion, Sautéed
2 C. Heavy Cream
1 Cube Butter
1 C. Broth or Water
3 Tbs. Brown Sugar
¼ tsp. Cinnamon
¼ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper
Combine all ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. When cool – puree in a blender. Reheat and serve. Can be in a crock-pot on low.

I prefer this next recipe over regular pumpkin pie.
Pumpkin Pie Cobbler
1 Can Pumpkin (29 oz.)
½ tsp. Salt
1 Can Evaporated Milk (12oz)
½ tsp. Cloves
3 Eggs
½ tsp. Ginger
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
2 tsp. Nutmeg
1 C. Melted Butter or Margarine
1 C. Chopped nuts (optional)
1 ¼ C. Sugar
Combine all ingredients except cake mix, nuts, and butter. Pour into a 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle nuts on top. Drizzle butter over cake. Bake 350 for 60 minutes until knife comes out clean. Cool. Serve with Whipped cream.

I found this one last year. If you like gingerbread, it is good.
Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle
2 Pkgs. (14½ oz. each) Gingerbread Cake Mix
3 C. Milk
1 Pkg. (4.6 oz.) Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding
1 Can (29 oz.) Packed Pumpkin
½ C. Packed Brown Sugar
1 (12 oz.) Container of Cool Whip
Thaw Cool whip. Prepare and bake gingerbread according to package directions, using two- greased 9-inch round baking pans. Cool completely on wire racks. Meanwhile, for pudding, in a large saucepan, combine pudding mix and milk; stir until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature. Combine the pumpkin and brown sugar and stir into pudding. In a glass serving bowl, crumble one gingerbread cake, gently press down. Top with half of pudding mixture and half of the Cool whip. Repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate over night.
COMMENTS: I used a homemade gingerbread recipe.

Hobo Stew

Kids love anything with meatballs in it. My kidos really enjoyed this on. It was quick and easy too!

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1-1/2 teaspoons salt or salt-free seasoning blend, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
4 medium carrots, cut into chunks
1 large onion, cut into chunks
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
1-1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Directions
In a bowl, combine the beef, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Shape into 1-in. balls. In a skillet over medium heat, brown meatballs on all sides; drain.
Place the potatoes, carrots and onion in a 3-qt. slow cooker; top with meatballs. Combine the water, ketchup, vinegar, basil, and remaining salt and pepper; pour over meatballs.
Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until the vegetables are tender. Yield: 4 servings.
I found this recipe on tasteofhome.com

Savory Sweet Potatoe Soup

Savory Sweet Potato Soup
INGREDIENTS FOR 6 SERVINGS:
1 C. Peeled and Shredded Russet Potatoes
4 Tbs. Butter
2 C. Finely Chopped Onions
1 C. Heavy Cream
6 C. Chicken Broth
2 tsp. Ground Cumin
5 C. Peeled and Cubed Dark Sweet Potatoes
1 tsp. Dried Parsley
5 C. Peeled and Cubed Russet Potatoes
¼ tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium –high heat. Stir in the onions
and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and sweet potatoes.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes,
return the soup to simmering and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 15
minutes. Stir in the cream, cumin, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat,
stirring often, until heated through. Serve.

Batty Bats

Here is the pictures of the cupcakes that I made for my kidos classes. It was a crazy day. I went to Pilate's and then baked and decorated 80 cupcakes. They turned out really cute.

Rainy Day Soup

We had some of our first rainy days this week. I love the first rain of the year! It was a perfect day for soup. Here is a yummy recipe that my family loves.



Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
5 Tbs. Butter
6 Tbs. Flour
1/3 C. Diced Celery
½ C. Diced Carrots
1 Sm. Onion, Finely Chopped
¼ tsp. Poultry Seasoning
1 ¼ C. Half-and-Half
2 Tbs. White Wine
1 Lb. Bacon, Cooked and Crumbled
¼ tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
4 C. Chicken Broth
1 C. Water
¾ C. Wild Rice
2 C. Diced Cooked Chicken
Melt 1 Tbs. butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots, and onion, sautéing until softened-about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, water, wild rice, and turkey. Bring to a boil; then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 4 Tbs. butter
In a saucepan over medium heat. Mix the flour and poultry seasoning together in a small bowl and then add to the butter; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the half-and-half and cook until slightly thickened – about 1 minute. Stir the sauce into the soup. Stir in the white wine, bacon, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 more minutes and serve.


Note: You can use turkey instead of the chicken. This would be a perfect meal to make with thanksgiving leftovers.

Canning Pears

Tis' the season for pears. I had about 40 pounds of pears to can. We now have canned pears to last for a year. Pears are easy to can at home and can be inexpensive. Around here, you can get them for as cheap as $0.39 a pound. I like to can my own pears because they are just better. I can wait until they are ripe and are at their sweetest.

These are Bartlet Pears

Wash Ripe Pears
I place all of my jars in the dishwasher and run them trough a cycle so they are hot. Then place a small pan of hot water on the stove and place your lids in it so you can be ready to go. Select what kind of syrup you would like to use, make it ahead of time. I used medium for less sugar I added 2 C. Sugar for for every 4 C. of water. heat to boiling and then turn down so syrup stays hot but do not boil down. Peal and quarter pears and remove any seeds. I used and apple slicer to cut mine.
Place in jar. I like this funnel that you can get in the canning section at any store. It makes things much easier.
Add 1 Tbs. Lemon juice for pints and 2 Tbs. for Quarts.

After the pears are packed in the jar, add the syrup with a ladle.
Here is a big key to making sure that you jars seal - Make sure the rim is wiped off.
Place in caner. There are several different types - a Pressure caner, and Waterbath, and a Steamer. I have a steamer. It can only be used for fruits and high acid things such as tomatoes. Canning time in a waterbath and a steamer are the same: 25 minutes for Pints and 30 Minutes for Quarts.
Remove from caner and place of cooling racks and allow to cool. Be careful removing them - they are so hot! I have special tongs that fit around the top of the jar and I use a hot pad. After cooling, check the lids to make sure that they sealed. The lids should not pop up when you touch them. Label with a Sharpie Marker with the date and contents. Place on the shelf for delicious pears all year long.

Here is a recipe that I have from my sister in-law Elizabeth. We have these every General Conference and sometimes on birthdays for breakfast. They are yummy..

Pear Blitzes

1 ¼ C. Bisquick 3 Eggs
2 C. Milk ¼ C. Melted Butter

Mix together with a rotary beater until smooth. In a skillet make pancakes using 3 to 4 Tb. Batter per pancake. Set aside on paper towel.

8 Oz. Cream Cheese 2 cans pears drained
4 tsp. Light cream or milk cinnamon\ sugar mixture

Mix Cream Cheese and Cream and spread on pancakes. Sprinkle with Cinnamon\sugar. Roll up and place in lightly greased pan seam side down. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.

Butter Sauce:
½ C. Butter ¾ C. Cream or Milk
1 C. Sugar

Cook in small saucepan until butter melts. Continue to cook on low for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Bring to Boil. Remove from heat and let thicken. Serve Sauce over Blitzes

An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

It is true - An apple a day is so healthy for you. It is nearing apple season. Apples are usually very inexpensive this time of year. I usually make apple sauce and homemade apple cider. The smell of baking apples is so good.

Here is a recipe that we tried that everyone really liked.

Apple Puff Pancake

Place the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a 9-inch glass pie plate. Heat in the oven until the butter is melted and bubble – 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven, stir well and mix in the apple slices. Return to the oven and bake for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the eggs, milk, flour, and salt in a blender and process until frothy – 1 minute. Pour over the apple mixture. Bake until the cake is puffed and the center is set – 18-20 minutes.

Serve warm with maple syrup or sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Apple Puff Pancake

INGREDIENTS:
¼ C. Unsalted Butter

½ C. milk
¼ C. Packed Brown Sugar

½ C. All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Cinnamon

Dash of Salt
1 Apple, Peeled, Cored, and Thinly Sliced

5 Eggs
Maple Syrup or Powdered Sugar for Serving
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat the oven to 425. Place the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a 9-inch glass pie plate. Heat in the oven until the butter is melted and bubble – 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir well and mix in the apple slices. Return to the oven and bake for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the eggs, milk, flour, and salt in a blender and process until frothy – 1 minute. Pour over the apple mixture. Bake until the cake is puffed and the center is set – 18-20 minutes. Serve warm with maple syrup or sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Pumpkin Waffles

Have you ever heard of a Super Food? Well they are very good for you. AND, pumpkin is on the super food list. Pumpkin is very healthy for you. However, how many recipes do you have that have pumpkin in it? The catch is finding ways to use the pumpkin. Every year when pumpkin is on sale, I always stalk up. When fall is nearing and the air beging to become crisp, I always crave pumpkin; pie, muffins, pancakes - all recipes will be on thier way. But for now, here is a yummy waffle recipe that my kids really liked.


Pumpkin Waffles
INGREDIENTS:
2 C. flour
3 Eggs, Separated
2 Tbs. Sugar
1¾ C. Milk
4 tsp. Baking Powder
½ C. Butter, Melted
1 tsp. Salt
½ C. Canned Pumpkin
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
¼ tsp. Ground Nutmeg
Vegetable Spray for Waffle Iron
Maple Syrup for Serving
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat waffle iron. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the egg yolks, milk, butter, and pumpkin in a medium bowl. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until combined. Beat the egg whites in a chilled bowl until stiff and fold into the batter. Make waffles by spraying the waffle iron and spooning in about ½ c batter per waffle into the waffle iron. Serve hot with warm maple syrup.
*this recipe came from The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen - It is a wonderful cookbook.

Chicken Pot Pie

I was looking through my food pictures and I found this picture:

I had a really hard time figuring out what it was of. I went to my dinner calendar to figure out what it was. I realized that it was the start to an amazing pot pie. Sorry - no more pictures. I realized that my camera battery died and my kids were so eagar to eat that I didn't get a picture of the finished product. Take my word, it was yummy. My husband doesn't like any kind of por pie. He was out of town for a week and so the kids and I had a kitchen party and had pot pie. I thought that I was going to have left overs for the next night, but the ate it right up. Here is the recipe:
Chicken Pot Pie
2 Sheets Pastry Puff
1 Med. Potato, Cubed
1 Lg. Carrot, Cubed
5 oz. Fresh Broccoli
1 Tbs. Oil
1 Onion, Finely Chopped
1 Red Pepper, Cubed
3 Tbs. Butter
1 Tbs. Flour
1 ½ C. Milk
1 C. Grated Cheddar Cheese
2 Egg Yolks
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Preheat oven to 415. Place oil in a pan. Add onion and red pepper. Cook until soft. Meanwhile, steam remaining veggies. Spray an 8 X 8 pan with cooking spray. Combine veggies. In a saucepan, heat butter until melted. Add flour and stir over low heat until lightly golden. Add milk gradually, stirring until smooth. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until boils. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat and cool slightly. Add cheese and egg yolks. Stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Combine with veggies and stir. Top with pastry puff. Can mix 1 egg with 1 tsp. poppy seeds and brush over pastry puff. Bake for 30 minutes.
COMMENTS: I use 1 container of Cressant rolls. I lattice them across the top. Omit the egg and the poppy seed. Cook as directed.

A Zucchini Avalanche

I am back at it again. For anyone who has ever grown Zucchini, you know that a family of 6 only needs 1 plant. Well I have several - NOT SURE WHAT I WAS THINKING!!
Everyone seems to have their own zucchini - so who do you give it all to. Everyone, it appears, already knows what to do with it: Leave it on a neighbor's porch in the middle of the night. I haven't tried this yet. We have just tired to use it up, which has been hard since I am the only one that will eat it as a vegetable at dinner. I do have a husband that will eat a few bites to set an example to our kids and I have 1 daughter that just tolerates it. We have to get creative with our uses.
So here are some new recipes:

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
1 ½ C. Shredded Zucchini
2/3 C. Sugar
¼ C. Milk
1 Egg
2 Tbs. Honey
2 Tbs. Oil
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp. Ground Cloves
1 1/3 c. Flour
¾ tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Baking Soda
1/8 tsp. Salt
½ C. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
½ C. Chocolate Chips
Powdered Sugar, Optional
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Pat shredded zucchini dry with paper towels. In a bowl, combine sugar, milk, egg, oil, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Add the zucchini, milk mixture and chocolate chips to the flour. Stir until moistened. Scrape into loaf pan and bake until a wooden pick inserted comes out clean, 33-45 minutes depending on the oven. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely on a rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar on top, if desired.

My kids LOVED this recipe.





Pineapple Zucchini Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
1 ½ C. Flour
1¼ C. Sugar
½ C. Sweetened Flaked Coconut
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Cinnamon
3 Tbs. Canola Oil 2 Large Eggs
1 Tsp. Vanilla
2 C. Grated (unpeeled) Zucchini
1 (20 Oz.) Can Crushed Pineapple In Juice, Drained (reserve In Case You Need It For The Cake Batter Or The Frosting)
FROSTING :
2 Tbs. Butter, Softened 2 C. Powdered Sugar
8 Ounces Low-fat Cream Cheese, Softened (can Use Full-fat Cream Cheese)
2 Tsp. Vanilla
Splash Of Milk Or Pineapple Juice, If Necessary
Preheat oven to 350°. To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Combine oil, eggs, and vanilla; stir well. Stir egg mixture, grated zucchini, and pineapple into flour mixture. Batter will be stiff and dry but keep folding it and it will all come together. If it still seems too dry, just add a little splash of the pineapple juice.
Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for about 33-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and cake is pulling away from sides of pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare frosting, combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla just until smooth. Add a splash of milk or pineapple juice if necessary. Spread frosting over top of cake. You can garnish with chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired.
NOTES : If your zucchini are huge, scrape the seeds out of the center before you shred it so it’s not too watery. Also, I spread it all out on layers of paper towel to drain it and dry it off a bit. Then I measure out 2 cups. Not sure if this is critical though. Nuts can also be added to the cake batter if desired. This recipe makes a very generous amount of frosting.
And this recipe can be turned into a Carrot Cake just by substituting shredded carrots for the zucchini.

This recipe came from The Tasty Kitchen - The Pioneer Woman's recipe web sight. You should check it out.

Cafe Rio Knock Off

So I have heard of this great Cafe in Utah. I have never been there, but have heard several people talk about it. So for all of you who visit Utah or live there and love this popular cafe - This one is for you!!






LIME-CILANTRO RICE
1 Tbsp. oil
2 c. long grain rice (4 c. water)
½ bunch cilantro, finely chopped
juice of 1 limes
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 tsp. salt

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add rice, cilantro, and garlic. Saute 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water, lime juice and salt and bring to boil. Then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed by the rice (about 15 minutes).

“CAFE RIO” PORK
4 lbs. pork roast (I used Pork Shoulder from Costco -- $1.45 lb.!)
1 ½ cups of salsa (I used Pace Picante sauce)
1 can coke (I cooked it down until the coke was syrupy and reduced by half) No Diet!
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt

Place pork in crock-pot and fill it half way up with water. Cook roast on high for 5 hours. Drain off water. Shred pork with forks. Mix together ingredients (salsa, coke, brown sugar) and put on top of pork. Cook an additional 3 hours on high. Leave it on low until ready to serve.

CREAMY TOMATILLA SALAD DRESSING
1 packet hidden valley ranch dressing (not the buttermilk kind)
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. mayo
2 tomatillas (peel off outer leaf/shell)
1 clove of garlic, crushed
¾ bunch fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded for less spice
juice from 1 lime (about 2 tsp.)
1 tsp. sugar
salt & pepper

Blend all ingredients in the blender. Refrigerate.

To Serve:
For Café Rio Salad – tortilla, then beans (black or pinto), rice, pork, chopped lettuce, and the dressing. Finally, garnish your salad with shredded cheese (or cotija cheese), pico de gallo, & guacamole.
The pork is really good in burritos and tacos. We use the uncooked tortillas that you can find in the refrigerated section at both Walmart (by the Mexican cheeses) and Costco (by the eggs). I just heat up my griddle and cook them on it.

Back to School Recipes

Get kids off to school in the morning with our grab-n-go breakfast recipes and easy ideas for healthy school lunches. Then keep everyone moving with tasty after-school snacks and fast family dinners. Don't forget the classroom treats!
To see recipes go to taste of home at this link:
www.tasteofhome.com/back-to-school-recipes
Here are my Lunch Box Ideas:

Main Lunch Dish-
-Chicken and Craisin Sandwich on a roll (chopped chicken breasts, chopped green onion, mayo, and craisins.)
-Good old P&J Sandwich, cut into squares – kids love this
-Bagel & Cream Cheese w/ or w/o fresh fruit in the middle
-ABC Soup –make a large pot and freeze into individual servings so you just have to thaw and heat
-Homemade Lunchables -Ritz crackers, lunchmeat, cut up cheese (my kids love Salami for this)
-Hot Dog – place warm hot dog in thermos and wrap bun in Ceran wrap.
-Chili Dog – place warm chili and cut up hotdog in themos, top with shredded cheese
-Meat and Cheese Sandwich – My kids like these on hamburger buns for a change
-Honey & Peanut Butter Sandwich
-Chicken Nuggets-Warmed and placed in thermos
-Tuna Fish Sandwich – change up the bread on sandwiches for some variety
-Ramen Noodles-Cooked and placed in thermos
-Nachos – Place nacho cheese in thermos and chips in a lunch bag
-Egg Salad Sandwich
-Two Hard Boiled Eggs
-Pasta Salad
-Muffins –A good muffin is Meal in a Muffin Recipe, it is loaded with healthy stuff
-Pinwheels – Cut crust off a piece of bread and flatten with a rolling pin. Spread cream cheese and place a piece of meat. Rollup and freeze until firm. Cut into slices.
-Tortilla Roll-Up-Place desired ingredients on a tortilla and roll it up – there are many recipes on the internet for these.


Sides or Snack Ideas-
-Yogurt and Fresh Fruit- Save money and buy large containers of yogurt and cut up fresh fruit
-Celery and Peanut Butter
-Fruit Kabobs- I string cut up fruit on a kabob stick (make sure to cut off the pointed end after stringing fruit.)
-Chex Mix – the recipe is on the back of the chex mix box
-Popcorn
-Black Olives
-Graham Crackers with cream cheese spread in the middle
-Cheese Cubes and Grapes
-Homemade Trail Mix – Lots of ideas on the internet

Special Night

We have restarted doing something in our family that I thought that I would share. When I was young and babysitting for a family who had like 6 kids, I remember them talking about a special stay up night. I have remembered it for many years. We started this several years ago, but recently we started again. Once a week there is a special night that a child gets to stay up a half hour longer past the other kids. They love this part - everyone else is in bed and they are up alone with mom or dad - In our case usually mom because dad is often at meetings at night.
The catch is they have to go to bed and not come out when it is another siblings night or they will miss their night. It works great. I do whatever they would like to do in the half hour that they have up. Last week I was creamed several times playing the Wii.
When I had my second child, I really struggled with the guilt that my first child was not going to get my time like before and that my second would never get my time like the first - if that makes sense. Well, now I have 4 and it seems as though after I am finished cleaning up the mess after mess that they make and make meals and clean up some more - that we are out of time. Now we have sports that have started again along with school and homework. There is never enough time in the day. This seems to really help me feel like each child gets me and my undivided attention.

If anyone else has tips that they would like to share, please leave it in the comments area.

Bounce Cleaning Tips

I received this email from a friend and thought that I would pass it along.

Bounce This Along!

The US Postal service sent out a message to all letter carriers to put a sheet of Bounce in their uniform pockets to keep yellow-jackets away.

Use them all the time when playing baseball and soccer. I use it when I am working outside. It really works. The insects just veer around you.

All this time you've just been putting Bounce in the dryer!

1. It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them. It also repels mice.

2. Spread sheets around foundation areas, or in trailers, or cars that are sitting and it keeps mice from entering your vehicle.

3. It takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened too often.

4. It repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.

5. Eliminate static electricity from your television (or computer) screen..

6. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling.

7. Dissolve soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a sheet of Bounce.

8. To freshen the air in your home - Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang in the closet.

9. Put Bounce sheet in vacuum cleaner.

10. Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew.

11. Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing.

12. To freshen the air in your car - Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.

13. Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agent apparently weakens the bond between the food and the pan...

14. Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket.

15. Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the lose hairs.

16. Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.

17. Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like attack cloth.

18. Eliminate odors in dirty laundry. Place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.

19. Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight.

20. Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees away.

21. Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and storing them. It will keep them smelling fresh.

22. Wet a Bounce sheet, hose down your car, and wipe love-bugs off easily with the wet Bounce.

Summer Science Experimants

This summer we have done several science experiments a week. I just wanted to share a few that my kids have enjoyed.
We sprouted Pumpkin Seeds in a lunch baggie. Take a paper towel and place it in the baggie. Put the seeds in the bag and place a staple on each side. Dampen the paper towel with a spray bottle and tape to a sunny window. Watch the seeds sprout.
My kids love to garden but they can't see what is going on under ground. This is a great project that the kids love.

We also did an several experiments with gasses. They learned that a gas can be mixed with a liquid - Carbon Dioxide. We opened a bottle of soda and placed a balloon over the opening. We were able to watch the balloon fill up. They thought that this was great.



With the left over soda, I poured some in a cup and placed an egg inside. They were able to see what soda can do to your teeth. Give it a try!

Zucchini Bread With Dried Cranberries

1 ½ C. Flour

1 ½ C. Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tbs. Ground Flax Seed

1 Tbs. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Baking Powder
¼ tsp. Baking Soda

3 Eggs
1 Tbs. Vanilla Extract

½ C. White Sugar
½ C. Brown Sugar

½ C. Applesauce
½ C. Canola Oil

¼ C. Shredded Carrots
2 C. Shredded Zucchini

1 C. Dried Cranberries
½ C. Chopped Walnuts
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Whisk together the flour, whole wheat flour, flax seed, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and soda in a bowl until evenly combined; set aside. Beat the eggs, vanilla, sugars, applesauce, and oil in a mixing bowl until smooth. Fold in the flour mixture, carrots, zucchini, cranberries, and walnuts until not dry spots remain. Divide batter between the two prepared loaf pans. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Blueberry Lemon Squares

These are so good. A perfect dessert for a picnic. Fresh or frozen blueberries work well.

Blueberry Lemon Squares
For The Crust:

1 C. Butter, Softened
1 C. Powdered Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 C. Flour
For the Filling:

½ C. Sugar
2 Tbs. Flour

Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon
1/8 tsp. Salt

3 Eggs
2 C. Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
Heat oven to 400. To make the crust, coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer on low to beat together the butter , powdered sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. Add the flour to the mixture and beat just until the mixture forms small crumbs. Press about two-thirds of the crumb mixture over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Set the remaining mixture aside. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Reduce the oven to 350. Meanwhile, make the filling in a medium bowl, mix the sugar, flour, lemon zest and salt. Add the eggs and lemon juice, then whisk until smooth. Spread the blueberries in an even layer over the crust. Pour the filling over the blueberries. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the top. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the crumb mixture is golden and the filling is puffed. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into squares. Serves 15.

Amazing Waffles and Syrup

My kids love these waffles and really love the syrup. They call it special syrup. We will top ours with fresh strawberries or leave them plain. Enjoy!


Buttermilk Waffles
2 Eggs
2 C. Buttermilk
1/4 C. Oil
2 C. Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
Beat eggs, add buttermilk and oil and stir. Stir in dry ingredients. Bake
in a hot waffle iron. Makes 6-8 waffles using 3/4 cup of batter.

Magelby's Fresh Amazing Syrup
1 Cube Butter
2 C. Sugar
1 C. Buttermilk
1 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Vanilla
Mix butter, sugar and buttermilk together and boil for one minute. Remove
from heat and add baking soda and vanilla. Stir together until well
blended. Serve. Refrigerate extra.
Hint: This boils up quickly and needs to be in a large saucepan to avoid
boiling over.

For the Love of Chocolate...

This recipe is for all of those women who love chocolate. If you don't, just stop now because this recipe is so amazing and rich. If you love chocolate, you will love these brownies.


Layers of Love Chocolate Brownies
3/4 C. Flour
3/4 C. Cocoa
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Butter, Cut into Pieces
1/2 C. Packed Brown Sugar
3 Large Eggs, Divided
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 C. Chopped Pecans (Optional - I didn't include these)
3/4 C. White Chocolate Chips
1/2 C. Caramel Ice Cream Topping
3/4 C. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and 8 inch baking pan. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Reserve ¾ cup of the batter. Spread remaining batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle nuts and white chips over batter. Drizzle caramel topping over top. Beat remaining egg and reserve batter in the same large bowl until light in color. Stir in semi-sweet chips. Spread evenly over caramel topping. Bake 30-35 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares. (I doubled this recipe and made it in a 9 x 13 pan).

The Process:

Add the first chocolate brownie layer and add white chocolate chips

Drizzle with Caramel Topping
Add Chocolate Chips to the reserved Chocolate Brownie mixture

Put in the oven and wait patiently...Not Easy!
Make sure you have a gallon of milk on hand

Too much Zucchini...

What to do with to much Zucchini?


One Zucchini plant is enough Zucchini for a family of 6. Well, bought a pack of seeds. I planted 2 plants in our back yard. We have had a few Zucchini from them. However, we have another garden out in the country on some friends property. I planted the rest of the pack of seeds. All of the plants seemed to all come up and are doing amazing. Which means we are already sick of Zucchini. I have already given away a ton. We are going to have people hiding from us when we go to thier doors because they don't want any more Zuccini. So if you have this problem or maybe would just like some ideas for your Zuccini, here are a few recipes to help you out.

ROASTED VEGETABLES
From The Kitchen of Jamie Hurren
Comments: use any variation of veggies
INGREDIENTS:
Cubed and chopped veggies of choice (red potatoes, carrots, zucchini, squash, broccoli, peppers, onions, etc)
Olive oil
½ tsp salt
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
¼ tsp pepper
lots of granulated onion or real onions
DIRECTIONS:
Mix all in bowl.
Transfer to 9x13 pan.
Bake 375 for 30-3 minutes or until tender.


Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake
From the kitchen of Julie Mustard
½ C. Margarine
4 Tbs. Cocoa
½ C. Vegetable Oil
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 ¾ C. Sugar
½ tsp. Baking Powder
2 Eggs
½ tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Vanilla
½ tsp. Salt
½ C. Butter milk
2 C. Grated Zucchini
2 ½ C. Flour
Cream margarine, oil, and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and blend again. Add dry ingredients, alternating with milk. Mix in zucchini. Spread into a 9 x 13 pan. Top with ½ C. chocolate chips, ½ C. Brown Sugar and ½ C chopped pecans. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Can be lightly dusted with powdered sugar.

Zucchini Bread
From My Grandmother who is my cooking inspiration.
Grease & Flour 2 loaf pans or 1 cake pan
Beat Together:
1 C. Vegetable Oil
1 C. Sugar
3 Eggs
Then Add:
2 ½ C. Washed and grated Zucchini
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
3 C. Flour
3 tsp. Cinnamon
¼ tsp. Baking Powder
Pour into pans and bake on 350 for 60 minutes.

I have also grated Zucchini in sloppy Joes and Spaghetti. My family never knew. Pretty sneeky - I know!

Spinach Pasta Salad

6 oz. Pasta Twists
1/4 C. Toasted Sesame Seeds
1/2 C. Vegetable Oil
1 tsp. Sesame Oil
1/3 C. Light Soy Sauce
1/3 C. Rice Wine Vinegar
3 Tbs. Sugar
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp.Ground Ginger
3 C.Shredded Cooked Chicken Breast
1/3 C. Sliced Green Onion
6 C. Baby Spinach

Cook pasta and drain. Set aside
Combine sesame seeds, oils, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar,and ginger in a small bowl.
Pour over pasta in a large serving bowl. Add chicken and chill for at least an hour
Add green onion and spinach and toss before serving.

Southwest Chicken Breasts

This is a great summer time recipe. It is one of our favorites. Enjoy!

Southwest Chicken Breasts

6 Medium Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 ½ C. Italian Dressing
2 Avocados, seeded, peeled, and chopped
2 Green Onions, Chopped
1 Tbs. Chopped Jalapeno Pepper
1 Tbs. Honey
1 Tbs. Lemon Juice
1 clove Garlic, Minced
2 Tomatoes, Chopped
Place Chicken in plastic bag with Italian dressing. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Meanwhile, combine avocados, tomatoes, green onions, pepper, honey, lemon juice, and garlic. Cover and chill up to 2 hours.
Drain chicken and grill uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes or till tender and no longer pink. Serve chicken with avocado mixture and, if desired, lettuce leaves.