Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

from Renae

My sister sent these cookies. They are delicious! I'm so glad she included the recipe.

Ingredients

• 2/3 C butter, softened
• 2/3 C brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 C old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 C flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 (6 0z.) package sweetened dried cranberries
• 2/3 C white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix well.
2. Combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition.
3. Stir in cranberries and chocolate chips.
4. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 min. or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Makes 2 1/2 dz.

Birthday Cake

from Renae


Ingredients

• 2 C flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 C butter
• 1 3/4 C sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 egg whites (I usually add the yolks)
• 1 1/3 C buttermilk or sour milk (add a 1 Tbls vinegar to the milk)

Directions

1. Sift dry ingredients.
2. Beat butter. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until mixed. Add egg whites and beat one at a time.
3. Add dry mix and milk alternately.
4. Pour in a prepared pan and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Makes 2- 8 1/2 inch cakes.

Tip: I tried many ways to prevent the finished cake from sticking to the pan. Nothing worked well. The butter and flour baked into the cake, and the wax paper pulled the cake apart. It's not ideal because of the ingredients, but baker sprays work the best.

Do you know of another way keep cakes from sticking to the pan?

Orange Julius

from Renae

My mother used to make this as a treat for breakfast. It's refreshingly cool on a hot summer day.

photo: itchy's

Ingredients

• 3 oz. frozen orange juice
• 5-6 ice cubes
• 1/2 c milk
• 1/2 c water
• 1/4 c sugar
  
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Makes 4 small servings, but is easily doubled.

Menu Planning

from Renae

I try to simplify my responsibilities as homemaker, so a list of recipes hangs on the refrigerator. The ingredients are stored awaiting their transformation into yummy goodness. It works well for me.

However, I knew there had to be an easier way than searching through cookbooks every two weeks.

Photo: brighterworld's

Then I discovered How to Menu Plan: A Guide at SimpleMom. Her idea to use Google Calendar revolutionized my menu planning. Her plan of having certain types of meals for each day of week is genius.

It took me less than an hour to set everything up, and the month and half of menus was worth it. Future plans will take mere moments. I am not a slave to paper, but the neatly printed calendar frees my mind for laundry and lesson plans.

Also, of interest is the article Make a Deli.icio.Us Coo.kbo.ok. Del.icio.us is a bookmarking site I use to store links for homeschooling, home management, craft tutorials, and a myriad of other interesting things. Now I'm adding recipes. Here is my recipe book.

Do you plan menus? If so, what is your method?

Taco Soup

from Renae

Using beans is an easy way to reduce the grocery bill. My family enjoys this simple recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cans (4 oz. each) chopped green chilies
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 pkg taco seasoning
• 1 1/2 c water
• 2 c frozen corn
• 3 cans stewed tomatoes
• 3 cans beans, any variety (or equivalent prepared dried beans)
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Tortilla chips

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven or kettle, cook onion. Add remaining ingredients except last two.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 min.
3. Serve with cheese and chips. Serves 10.

Sailboat Cake

from Julie

Teddy Bear Birthday Cake

from Renae

I created this cake for Sweet Pea's 1st birthday.

To make the body use two stainless steel nesting bowls for cake pans. The paws and ears are cupcakes. The bear is frosted with German Chocolate icing and decorated with Thin Mints, Junior Mints, and chocolate chips.

No Roll Pie Crust

from Julie

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 c flour (I use whole wheat and it turns out fine)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar (leave out if using for a savory dish)
• 1/3 c cooking oil
• 3 Tbsp cold milk

Directions

1. Whip oil and milk together, pour over dry ingredients.
2. Mix until completely dampened. Press dough with fingers to line a pie plate. No rolling necessary.
3. Brown crust at 400 degrees for 12-15 min. Cool. Makes 1 crust.

Tip: As an alternative to a rolled top crust on a 2-crust pie, sprinkle pastry crumbs over the top of a filled pie.

Credit: Campus Crusade's Delectable Collectibles

Whole Wheat Pie Crust

from Julie

My husband likes this because it's flaky and not dry like some whole wheat crusts. I hate rolling crusts, but it's a lot easier if you put it between two layers of plastic wrap.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 c butter, softened enough to work with
  
• ice cold water

Directions

1. Cut butter into flour until it forms crumbs. Add water one tablespoon at a time until it forms a workable dough.
2. Split into two halves, wrap in plastic wrap and chill before rolling.
3. Can be stored well-wrapped in the freezer and taken out later to use as needed. Thaw in fridge. Makes 2 crusts.

Chicken Barese

from Julie

The name Barese refers to a region that produces the finest of olive oils. If you use six lamb chops, fat trimmed, instead of chicken, the dish becomes Lamb Barese.

Ingredients

• 3-4 potatoes, peeled
• 3 lbs chicken pieces with bone in, or 1.5 - 2 lbs boneless
• 1 8oz can tomatoes, drained
• fresh garlic and parsley to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 c water

Directions

1. Cut the potatoes into French fry shapes, about 3/4 inch thick. Combine the potatoes and chicken in a 9X13 baking pan.
2. Break up the tomatoes and layer them over the chicken mixture. Season with garlic, paresley, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Drizzle the olive oil and water over the top.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender. Serves 4-8.

Credit:

The What Would Jesus Eat Cookbook By Don Colbert, M.D.

Beet Chocolate Cake

from Jodi

Ingredients

• 2 c pureed beets
• 1/2 c applesauce
• 1 1/2 c sugar or 1 c honey
• 1/2 c butter
• 1/2 c yogurt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 c flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 c chocolate chips or nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients, grease and flour a 9x13 pan.
2. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Tip: To make the beet puree, cut the beets and cook them in the oven at 200 degrees for 2 hours, and then puree in a food processor. You can also boil the beets, but the slow baking maintains more flavor and nutrition.

Credit:

Simply in Season: Recipes that Celebrate Fresh, Local Foods in the Spirit of More-with-Less By Mary Beth Lind & Cathleen Hockman-Wert

Slow Cooker Tapioca Pudding

from Julie

Ingredients

• 1 quart milk
• 1/2 c small pearl tapioca
• 1/2-3/4 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
  
• Whipped cream, diced fruit or chopped nuts (optional toppings)

Directions

1. Combine mile, tapioca and sugar in crock pot. Cook on high for 3 hours.
2. Beat eggs well with vanilla using a fork or hand whip. Add several tablespoons of hot liquid from the crock pot, but add them one at a time, beating as you add, so it doesn't make the eggs set up. Slowly add the eggs to the crock pot, beating as you add.
3. Cook on high 20 minutes.
4. Serve hot or cold with topping of choice. Makes 8-10 servings.