Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

The Ultimate Food Shelf Life Guide

I love this Website! My Hubby was often dumping things when it hit their expiration date, will I was countering that they were still good. Now I have proof! According to information from the USDA, CDC, and other agencies, unopened or opened, Milk is good  for 1 week after the sell by date. After eggs are purchased, they may be refrigerated for 3 to 5 weeks - the "sell-by" date on the package, if one exists, will usually expire during that storage period, but the eggs will remain safe to use. Egg Salad — Homemade Or Store-prepared will keep 3 to 5 days in the Refrigerator. That open bottle of prepared Horseradish will keep 3 - 4 months if it's kept continuously refrigerated. An opened bottle of ketchup should stay at peak quality for about 6 months in the fridge and mustard for at least a year. And both will remain safe to consume for much longer than that, as long as they've been continuously refrigerated.

Keep it or Toss it, you just type in the name of your Food or Beverage, Store Bought or Home Made,  and it will tell you how long it's good for. Click Here to Check Out Their Website


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Monday, May 3, 2010

French Fry Cutter Love

Since I've been cooking from scratch, I've had lots of success's and lots of failures. I still haven't found a homemade bread recipe that will tantalize my Hubby and Son's Wonder Bread Wonder Bread Family Loaf Pack of 2taste buds. Needless to say I haven't been baking much bread because I was getting very fat since I was the only one eating whole loafs of bread by myself. They're not big fans of my switching their margarine to real butter either, but I'm sticking to my guns on that one.
Home made french fries are a big hit with them. Ironically my cooking status went up a lot of notches when my daughter brought me home this french fry cutter from a Thrift Store. My home-fries all of a sudden got a lot of Wow Honey/Mom these fries are delicious. Who knew that this simple, easy french fry cutter could make them taste so much better then just using a knife to cut a potato into french fries. I think it's because they now look more like the frozen store bought kind, but hey I'm not complaining. This cutter is so simple to use, and quick to. And maybe when the wire slices thru the potato it add some extra flavoring to the french fries. Who knows? I do know that if my house ever catches fire everything can burn but I'm grabbing the French Fry Cutter as I run out the door
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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Great Depression Cooking - Dandelion Salad


Another great video from 94 year old Clara.
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Great Depression Cooking

Peppers and Eggs with Fresh Bread
Part 1


Part 2

I have fallen in love with Clara's Videos. YouTube has her videos. Just click on this post title to go to the You Tube Page.
I also found her book on Amazon. It's #1 on my wish list.















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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Crackers from Scratch

Cheese Crackers – Make Your Own and They’ll Taste Like Cheese!
Can't wait to try this recipe I found at eating cleveland™
Sounds like the Grand kids will be in taste bud heaven!

Click Here to go to recipe

Olive Oil Crackers - This cracker recipe makes thin, snappy, rustic crackers, that are sturdy enough to stand up to a hearty dip.
I found this recipe at 101 Cookbooks, This should be just purrfect for my Hummus.

Click Here to go to recipe

Here's a Whole Wheat Sesame Cracker recipe that I found at RecipeLand.com. It's another that I can't wait to try.



Click Here to go to recipe


Monday, February 15, 2010

Homemade Hummus


I just love Hummus, our grocery store sells a hummus with roasted pine nuts to die for, but it also has a lot of additives in it. I did some searching and found a great tutorial for making Hummus at The Hummus Blog, Click here to see.

I just love this recipe for Hummus with roasted pine nuts at Epicurious, Click here to see.

And Chief Snow at Harvest Eating has this great recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Click here to see.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

My Living from Scratch Microwave Cake Quick Fix


I really love cakes and brownies. Problem is if I bake it I eat it and I mean eat it all of it. I loved the Betty Crocker Warm Delights. Those little microwave mixes that you just add water to and then microwave uncovered on High for about 1 minute and 15 seconds or until only a few dime size wet spots remain. There great for those late evening I want something cakey to eat. Problem is I needed a way to make them from scratch. Then I was looking at the Easy Bake Ovens in the toy department with my DGD and a light bulb went off. I found some scratch recipes online for the Easy Bake Oven mixes. Made the mixes up and stored them in the pantry. When I need a quick fix I just mix one up in a microwave bowl pop it in the micro, and I get my fix now from scratch.


Recipe: Children's Chocolate Cake Mix Easy Bake

Children's Chocolate Cake Mix - Easy Bake Oven

1 cup Sugar
3 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Vegetable Shortening

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, flour, baking soda and
salt. Stir with a wire whisk until blended. With a pastry blender,
cut in shortening until evenly distributed and mixture resembles corn
meal.

Spoon about 1/3 cup of the mixture into each of 11 small containers
with tight fitting lids or zip-lock bags. Seal containers. Label with
date and contents. Store in a cool dry place. Use within 12 weeks.

Makes 11 packages of Children's Chocolate Cake Mix for Easy Bake style
oven.
To Use:
1 package cake mix
4 tsp. water.

Mix together and stir with a fork or spoon until blended and smooth.
Pour mixture into greased and floured 4 inch round miniature baking
pan. Follow directions for child's oven, or bake in mom's preheated
375* oven for 12 to 13 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan on a
rack for 5 minutes.

Invert onto a small plate and remove pan. When cool, frost with
Children's Chocolate Frosting.

Serves 2 children.



Recipe: Children's Cookie Mix Easy Bake Oven

http://www.massrecipes.com/recipes/05/02/childrenscookiemixeasybak290558.html
Children's Cookie Mix - Easy Bake Oven

1 1/2 cups Quick-cooking Oats
3/4 cup Flour
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
3/4 cup Brown Sugar -- packed
1/2 cup Vegetable Shortening

In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda and brown sugar.
Stir to blend. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture
resembles cornmeal. Spoon about 1/2 cup mixture into each of 8 small
containers or Ziploc bags. Seal bags tightly. Label with date and
contents. Store in a cool dry place. Use within 12 weeks.

Makes 8 packages of Children's Cookie Mix. Each package makes 9
cookies.



Recipe: Children's Lemon Or White Cake Mix

http://www.massrecipes.com/recipes/01/08/childrenslemonorwhitecake313289.html
Serving Size : 10

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon flavored unsweetened drink powder -- (like
Kool-aide)
1/3 cup vegetable shortening

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and drink
powder. Stir with a wire wisk until blended. With a pastry blender, cut
in shortening until evenly distributed and mixture resembles corn meal.
Spoon about 1/3 cup of mix into each of 10 small containers or ziplock
bags. Seal containers tightly. Label with date and contents. Store in a
cool dry place. Use within 12 weeks. Makes 10 packages Children's Lemon
Cake Mix.

To use:
1 pkg. Children's Lemon Cake Mix
4 teaspoons water

Preheat mom's oven to 375f. If using child's play oven follow
manufactories directions for baking cakes.

Grease and flour a 4 inch miniature cake pan. In a small bowl, Combine
Children's Lemon Cake Mix and water. Stir with a fork or spoon until
blended and smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake 12 to 13
minutes in Mom's oven or as directed in play oven. Remove from oven.
Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes. Invert cake onto a small plate;
remove pan. When cool frost with Children's White Frosting if desired.
Serves 2 children.

NOTES : It takes no genius to see that ANY flavor of unsweetened drink
mix powder can be used for a wide variety of flavors. For a White Cake
Mix omit the powder. If you like, a drop or two of vanilla might be
added at the time the cake is prepared.



Easy Bake Oven Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix Recipe #275539

http://www.recipezaar.com/Easy-Bake-Oven-Chocolate-Chip-Cookie-Mix-275539

A mix you can store for Easy Bake fun!

by yibbityibbit

20 min
10 min prep

12 Portions of Mix

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Combine all dry ingredients.

Add shortening and flavorings; either cut in with pastry knife or use the whisk attachment on your stand mixer. Mixture should resemble corn meal.

Store in air tight container. If you are really dedicated, you can store in 1/3 cup portions, but I just put it in a big Ziploc bag and measure out when needed.

To Use: Combine 1/3 cup of mix with 2 tsp of water. Roll into little balls and cook, three at a time, in Easy Bake oven that has been pre-heated about 15 minute Bake for 8-10 minute.


Saturday, January 2, 2010

Homemade Marshmallows


My Darling Granddaughter spent the night tonight, so this evening we made homemade marshmallows to go with our hot cocoa. I found the recipe at Cooking From Scratch. Ours didn't come out as big and pretty as her's did but they tasted fantastic in our hot cocoa. Besides the fact that I was cooking with a 5 year old, I think we were also hampered by the fact that I was using a hand mixer instead of the stand mixer that she recommended. I think I would of gotten the batter much stiffer so they would of held the puffy fat shape more. Ours are only about 1/3 of an inch thick. Also we used a plastic bag with a corner cut off instead of a pastry bag. But hey, As taste goes we agree with the Cooking from Scratch blog when she stated, "in a blind taste test, I'm not sure I'd be able to tell the difference." In fact I think these tasted much better than store bought marshmallows! And I love the fact that I know the ingredients in them and my GD and I had a ball making them together.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

INDEPENDANCE DAYS CHALLENGE, WEEK 10

1. Plant something –
*Enriching garden for the Spring
* Started with harvesting Llama poo and adding to the garden
2. Harvest something –
* Chives
3. Preserve something –
* Chives,
* Green peppers
4. Reduce waste –
* Recycling cans, using cloth napkins and handkerchiefs, using homemade laundry soap, saving old jeans to reupholster a chair with.
5. Preparation and Storage –
* Continuing my water storage.
6. Build Community Food Systems –
* Continuing to shop at a locally owned grocery store instead of the large corporate store and local fruit stand.
7. Eat the Food –
* Spaghetti Sauce
8. Learn something –
* Continuing to take the Preserving food at home online self study course offered thru the National Center for Home Food Preservation and the University of Georgia, Need to get off my butt and finish this.
* Reading about raising Llamas
9. Simple Living –
* DH and I attended an evening of celebrating Grandparent’s Day with DGD at her school. We had such a great time that she was mad the next morning because we couldn’t go to school with her for the whole day
* Celebrated DH’s birthday with a dinner of his favorites.
* Enjoying an ice-cream with DGD
* Reconnecting with family and friends out of town
* Reading
* Taking care of and enjoying our animals.
10. To Do –
* Finish sewing DGD school clothes
* Working on Christmas gifts

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Independance Days Challenge, week 2

1. Plant something - Nothing this time.
2. Harvest something – Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Green Peppers, Green Beans, Basil
3. Preserve something - Canned 2 batches of diced tomatoes, dried 4 batches of basil
4. Reduce waste – Accidentally ate the wrapper on a cupcake. Does that count?
5. Preparation and Storage – Stocked up on toiletries and paper products, double bought 1/3 of my dry goods
6. Build Community Food Systems - Nothing this time.
7. Eat the Food – Pickles, tomatoes, cucumbers, BBQ pulled venison sandwiches with home grown potato fry's

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Independance Days Challenge, week one

I’ve been seeing a lot of Independence Days Challenge participants on blogs and started to investigate it. It is a challenge started by Sharon Astyk, on her blog called Casaubon’s Book. In her blog she’s stated that it is “ desperately needed that we do declare our independence from the globalizing, totalitarian, destructive, toxic, dangerous agriculture” She then challenged herself and everyone else to participate in a Food Independence Days challenge that she started. “That all of us try to do one thing every day to create Food Independence.” She then goes on to explain the how to’s of the challenge at http://sharonastyk.com/2008/04/29/independence-days-my-first-challenge/


I couldn't wait to start so here's my first week:
1. Plant something - Nothing this time.
2. Harvest something – Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Green Peppers.
3. Preserve something - I made some Gherkin pickles, and 2 batches of Tomato Sauce
4. Reduce waste – Bought my Pepsi in aluminum bottles and will recycle them by using them as water bottles.
5. Preparation and Storage – Home baked bread, Pickles, Tomato Sauce, Bought an old metal drip coffee pot at a garage sale.
6. Build Community Food Systems - Nothing this time.
7. Eat the Food – Pickles, tomatoes, cucumbers, venison steaks from deer season.

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