Seasoned Crackers

Seventeen years ago my daughter's preschool class had a Christmas party and this was one of the snacks served.  I have saved the recipe all these years and thought it would be a nice treat to put out for New Years Eve.  It's very tasty and very simple to make.

What you need is:
1 box of oyster crackers (approx. 14oz)
1 pkg of dry ranch dressing
1 tablespoon dill weed (I did not have any and it still tasted fine)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup oil (I used canola)

What you do:
Mix well.  Store in an air tight container

Peppermint Patties

So, sorry I didn't get a chance to post this recipe before Christmas.  We enjoyed these cookies so much we made them a few times.  My cravings are returning this very moment just thinking about them!  Thanks to my friend who gave some to me for a Christmas treat, so I can now pass the recipe on to you.  Enjoy!

The ingredients are pretty simple:

1 cup milk chocolate morsels
1 sleeve of Ritz (or Ritz type) crackers
1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil
parchment paper

I should mention that all these ingredients are approximate.  When we made them we kept melting more chocolate and adding more oil to use up all the crackers we had.  I should mention that a mini crock pot is a very handy appliance to have when melting chocolate for something like this.

Begin by melting the chocolate with peppermint oil.  Dip one cracker at a time in the chocolate.  I found these small tongs worked great for dripping the excess chocolate off.

After you dip the cracker, place it on a parchment lined cooking sheet.  When the sheet is full, place in the freezer for about 10 minutes.  The cookies will pop right off when they are done.

Homemade Fruit Snacks

"A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul..."-Proverbs 13:19

Ever since the whole licorice endeavor I have been on a candy making kick.  I don't even like candy so much.  Don't get me wrong, I have a taste for sugar- just in other forms, like chocolate or other desserts.  I have a son and daughter who love fruit snacks though and when I saw how seemingly easy they were to make I decided to give it a try.  Most importantly this recipe tastes every bit as good as what you would buy in the store.  Now if I could only figure out how to make them with juice I would be a little happier!

Here is what you need:

2 packages of unflavored gelatin
1 3 oz package of flavored gelatin
1/3 cup of water
molds-helpful, but not necessary

Here are a couple of different mold I used.  In pictures further down I will show you another technique I used not using any molds.  Another mold you could use is any empty styrofoam egg carton.  I had many trial and errors concerning the molds.  I found the smaller you make them the better.  The red mold you see pictured worked best by only filling it until the bottom was covered.  Making them too big was too sweet for my liking.  I got the clear mold from a cake decorating store and the red one from Walmart.  It's hard to tell from the picture but the clear mold are the shape of jewels.  The good news is whatever you choose to use the candy peels out with ease.

In a small saucepan combine the 1/3 cup of water, 2 packages of unflavored gelatin, and 1 3oz package of flavored gelatin.  Stir slightly and let sit for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, put the pan on medium heat and stir until all the gelatin is dissolved.  This only takes a couple of minutes

Start pouring the liquid into the molds.  You have to work quickly because it turns into gel rather quickly.  I made quite a few batches which is why my liquid is a different color in this picture.

Here is what I started doing just to see what would happen if I made little blobs on a parchment paper.  They lack a fun shape, but it still worked.

This was my experiment using the top of my egg carton.

After you have your molds filled, put them in the freezer for no more than 5 minutes.  After you take them out of the freezer just peel them out of the molds.  If it seems a little sticky put some corn starch on your fingers.

Now they're ready to eat!

Chewy Candy

                                                                                                             

"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth"-Psam 119:103

I had a request from my daughter to make homemade licorice.  This is something I had never done before, but the challenge was out there and I was determined to do it.  Since then I am convinced that you need a factory to make the kind you buy at the store.  However, my failed attempts tasted pretty good, hence, a new post!

What you need:
1/4 cup flour
pinch of salt (1/8 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon corn starch
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 cup light corn syrup
1 6 oz. package of gelatin (your choice of flavor)
a candy thermometer (helpful but not necessary)

In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup flour, pinch of salt, 1/4 teaspoon corn starch, 1/8 cup vegetable oil.  Mix until smooth.

In a small sauce pan heat 1 cup corn syrup until it is at the soft ball stage on a candy thermometer, stirring constantly.

Now, if you are like me, and do not own a candy thermometer you can still do this.  I remembered from my Home Economics class back in high school (thank you Mrs. Schley) that to test to make sure you are at the soft ball temperature you spoon a small amount of the hot liquid into very cold water.  When it is at the right temperature the liquid will be able to be formed into a soft ball that can be squished down  (I'm guessing that's where the name came from!)  As I mentioned earlier, I had a few trials of this and it seems to work best if the ball is slightly firm.  It changes very quickly so play close attention. If you wait to long it goes into the hard ball phase and then it will be too hard to work with.

Remove pan from heat and stir in 1 6 oz. box of flavored gelatin.

Stir in the flour/oil mixture.

Pour the hot liquid onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.

It cools very quickly.  1-2 minutes is all you need to be able to start forming it.

This is how much the dough made.  You need to work quickly before the dough gets too hard.  It remains "chewy", but gets harder to work with the cooler it gets. For some of the dough we used mini cookie cutters to make some mittens and snow flakes.  My kids also made their initials.

The first batch I had little hands helping me.  The second batch I only had myself so I shaped them mostly into balls. This, by the way, seems to be the best shape for them to not stick together.  Toward the end the dough was getting harder to work with so I rolled it out and made a spiral shape out of it. The benefit of letting it get slightly firmer in the soft ball state is that when the candy is completely cooled they do not stick so much together, or at least you can separate them if they do.  I think I am going to make more colors and package them up for some gifts.
*An important side note I just discovered today (two days after I originally posted this) is that coating the candy in powdered sugar so that it doesn't stick together is a very good idea.  I had mine in a jar and they all stuck together.  It was a hassle getting it all out of the jar but after I got them out and coated them in the powdered sugar, it was fine.

Baked Oatmeal

Here is a great way to pull tired bodies out of their warm beds on chilly winter mornings.  The warmth and aromas of baked oatmeal can really get your day off to a great start.  I love this recipe because it is so versatile.  Different nuts, fruit, and extracts allow you to custom make it for the taste your family loves.  The recipe calls for dried fruit, but I have found that a fresh apple works great.  Some other ingredients I have added in the past are using maple extract instead of vanilla and adding nuts of all different sorts.  This morning I went less gourmet and used up the last honey crisp apple in my fruit bowl and didn't bother with any nuts.

Here is what you need:

3 cups rolled oats (instant or old fashioned)
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup dried fruit (or 1 apple)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl mix together 3 cups oats, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt.

Add in 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 3/4 cup dried fruit (in my case 1 apple).

Spread into a 9X13 baking dish.

Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes.  Serve warm.  YUMMY!

Best Bathroom/Kitchen Cleaner

I told you in my last post that I was going to be giving you recipes for homemade cleaners.  This is by far the most fantastic recipe I have for grout, and soap scum.  I am going to give you an alternative recipe too, but by far my favorite is the first one. It is well worth going to the health food store to have in stock the essential oils used.  Not only can you use them in homemade cleaners, but you can also add them to other recipes such as the body balms I have posted long ago.

1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup washing soda*
1/2 cup liquid castille soap**
25 drops tea tree essential oil
10 drops lemon essential oil
10 drops peppermint essential oil
2 tablespoon white vinegar

*Washing soda can be found in the laundry soap aisle of your grocery store.  It is usually located by laundry booster type products.

**Liquid castille soap can be bought at the health food store (usually Dr. Bronners is sold there).  A better option is Trader Joes brand.  Dr. Bronners brand has freakish literature on the label which I do not support!

All you do is mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container.  I find a Mason jar with the plastic lids they sell for Mason jars to work best.  To use, place a small amount of the cleaner on a toothbrush (for cleaning grout) or a sponge (for sinks).  Dampen it a little, and scrub away! It works and smells so good you will want to clean your bathroom every day!  O.K., maybe that's just me, but nonetheless it works great.

The alternative recipe is this:

1/4 cup baking soda
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/8 cup fine sea salt
2 tablespoons liquid castille soap or dish soap
enough white vinegar to make a paste

Mix and use just as the other.

Glass Cleaner

A big part of my day involves cleaning.  No big surprise there right.  I am a mother of four and I love to entertain so it basically comes with the territory.  A couple of years ago when I took the plunge into making my own laundry soap, I decided to buy as little other cleaning products as well.

My sister and I were so excited to share these cleaning products with others. We used the talent of my oldest daughter (a photographer and graphic designer) to make us labels, made lots of product,  rented a table at the local farmers market and stood in 100 degree heat.  I would love to say it went fantastic, but it did not.  In fact, we had so many left over products that I just recently ran out of cleaners and needed to make more.  

I would like to take the next few posts to give out some of the recipes my sister and I use to clean our homes.  I did post the laundry detergent quite a while ago.  You can search for it in the search bar along the side of this blog.  As for now, here is how I make my glass cleaner.

What you need:

1 spray bottle

1/4 cup rubbing alcohol

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 tablespoon corn starch (optional, but I really to include it)

2 cups warm water

Put all the ingredients in the spray bottle and shake it up (if you are adding the corn starch, shake before each use as the corn starch will settle on the bottom).  Now you have a couple of reasons to smile.  One, you just saved some money over buying traditional glass cleaner and you have a better product.  Two, you don't have to worry about breathing in the fumes! 

Marked

"And you were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having believed, you were marked with him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit..." - Ephesians 1:13

It was a crisp fall morning when I entered the house returning from a run.  My husband approached me with a smile and said he bought me something.  A little confused, knowing it was too early for him to have gone anywhere, I asked him what it was.  He winked and said he bought a "toy" and really wanted to keep it.  I knew exactly what he was talking about at this point and played along.  

You see, my son loves Disney movies, especially Toy Story.  Sometimes when I enter a room he spontaneously plops down and stares off into space like he is Woody not wanting to be caught talking or playing by a human.  Well, Ron and I really started playing this up, pretending to pull a cord to hear him speak and soon the conversation came around to Ron putting his name on his foot so that everyone would know he had an owner.  To say RJ was pleased with this idea would be an understatement!  He giggled when Ron was writing his name and then looked more satisfied with the results than Woody did when Andy had done the same to him.  

My husband and I thought at the same time what an example this is of what Christ has done for us.  Ephesians 1:13 says, "And you were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having believed, you were marked with him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit..."

The word "DAD" has been washed off my son's foot after a couple of showers, but how comforting to know that our heavenly Dad has him marked with a permanent seal that will never be washed off.  When you trust all that Christ has done for you, you too have a seal, a promise from the Jesus who has never broken a covenant, ever.

Chicken Nuggets

Recently my sister told me she found a recipe for chicken nuggets.  My little guy loves chicken nuggets but I always cringe when buying them because who really knows what are in them?  I adapted this recipe from what I found from this blog.  My family really enjoyed them and I am sure you will too.  I advice three things after making these that I would like to pass on to you.  First, invest in a cookie scoop.  It will make the job go so much quicker! Second, double the recipe and keep some on hand in the freezer for a quick snack.  Thirdly, if you do not have a way to grind your meat at home, using already ground chicken that you buy at the store works just fine too.

Here is what you need:

Chicken Mixture:
 4 1/2 chicken breast cup up (or 2 pounds of ground chicken)
1 egg beaten
1 1/2 teaspoon salt*
1 teaspoon celery salt (I did not have any and likewise left it out, it tasted fine to us without!)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper*
*note that using Kosher salt and coarse black salt taste best, but use what you have on hand

Egg Wash:
2 beaten eggs

Seasoned Flour:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Frying:
I used canola oil in my deep fryer, but you could also pan fry them.

Grind up the chicken. Or, open your package of already ground chicken from the store!  Mix the chicken with 1 egg, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon celery salt (if using), 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Using a wire whisk, blend together 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.

Beat together 2 eggs for the egg wash.

Using a cookie scoop, or your hands, roll 1 1/2 tablespoon of the meat mixture into balls.  Dip the balls into the seasoned flour and flatten the balls down with your fingers.

Take the flattened balls and dip them in the egg wash.  Place them on a cookie sheet that is either sprayed or parchment lined because they will start to stick.

Place the chicken pieces back in the seasoned flour mixture.

Now they are ready to be fried.

I used a deep fryer for mine, but it would be easy to pan fry them also.  Just fry until they are golden brown on both sides.

Enjoy!

Pesto Sauce

This past Friday we were with our small group from church and the hostess made the most incredible pesto pizza.  That reminded me that I needed to gather my basil from the garden before the cold weather claimed it.  I had enough to quadruple the recipe so I thought I would show you a neat trick my sister taught me.  Using muffin tins you can freeze them in convenient portions.

What you need:
 4-5 cups fresh basil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts, almonds, or walnuts
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves crushed garlic

Gather approximately 5 cups of basil and wash it.  Combine all the other ingredients and place in a blender and blend until well combined.  If you are not going to use it right away, it can be frozen.  Follow the next steps to freeze.

Spoon the mixture into muffin tins.  No need to oil it first, there is enough oil in the mixture to keep it from sticking too bad. Place the filled muffin tins in the freezer until frozen through (a couple of hours).

After frozen through, run a knife around each circle of pesto and pop out with a spoon.  Take each pesto round and place in a freezer bag.  To use, defrost and store in the refrigerator.  Try using it like my friend did in place of sauce and cheese on a pizza crust, topped with tomatoes.

Origami Leaves

Fall is many peoples favorite time of year.  I am guessing it is not because we are one step closer to winter, but because of the beautiful fall colors.  I love the oranges and reds that this season of Autumn brings outside.  Gathering these warm colors into my home is something I look forward to every year.
 I was working on an origami project with my oldest daughter a couple of weeks ago and I had so much fun with it I decided to make these leaves to hang from my chandelier and place around my mantle.  I found this great website that has step by step instructions.  You can get to it by clicking here.  I should also mention that you use square pieces of paper to make origami.  To make the "maple leaf" I used pages from a garden book. I chose fall colored pictures.  You could also use magazine pages. If you go this route you only need color on one side of the page.  The size paper I used for this was approximately 9X9 which produced a 4X4 leaf.  For the "dead leaf" I took a 12X12 piece of scrapbooking paper and quartered it first (so I got 4 leaves out of 1 piece of paper).  It produced a leaf that was approximately 8X8.  If you choose to use a magazine page for this kind of leaf, you will see both sides of the page.
I hope you have a great time with this project.  Please post a comment and let me know how it went for you.  I would also love it if you became a member of this blog, it helps keep me motivated to post more things for you!