wow! It's been awhile.

Lots of new stuff.  I am enrolled in the Certified Nursing Assistant course at my local Tech college.  I will be done a week from tommorrow and I just have to pass the state exam and I will be a CNA.  Back to work in a couple months for this SAHM.  I will be easing back into work by working part time for the next couple years until my youngest is in school full time. 

I recently learned how to water bath can and have becoming a canning nut.  I have only canned applesauce, apple jams, apple pie filling, cranberry jam, cranberry sauce and cranberry juice so far.  I am enjoying the ability to preserve food for the coming months.  I hope to start blogging again more regularly. 

food storage

I picked a bunch of these up at the thrift store.  I LOVE these for storing dry goods. 

as you can see, I am working on moving all my baking supplies to hermetic glass jars. 

more storage!

Mirro storage canister. 99 cents at Goodwill.  1950 ish. 

storage!

I love these.  The biggest is flour, the next is sugar, then coffee and finally tea.  They are made by West Bend.  They show up copper colored in the pics but they are actually pink with white lids and black knobs.  I believe they are from the 50's.  I got them for Etsy.

Fire King Milk Glass set.

These two pictures are of my fire king milk glass set. I inherited this from my grandma.  I don't have an entire set yet but I am working on that.

I have:

3 mugs

1 sugar dish

8 tea cups

6 custard dishes

10 saucers

9 soup bowls

10 dinner plates

10 salad plates

I would like a set of 10-12 of each piece.  I found a thrift store that had oodles of this for really cheap.  I need to get back there and get the rest I need.

serving bowl

This is a neat serving bowl I picked up at the thrift store for $1.  I like it.

What the heck?

This is a pfaltzgraff piece.  Creamer?  I, at one time, had an entire set of these dishes that were given to me by my Aunt.  I HATED them.  I thought they were ugly!  However, I now know they are actually pretty valuable. This is the only piece I have left.  I use it as a gravy boat.  I don't want to replace the set.  I still think it is ugly but it works for me as a gravy boat.

something my grandma had

Aluminum tumblers.  Oh how I loved these.  They kept drinks sooo cold on a hot summer day.  These remind me sooo much of my Grandma.

Grandma also had some of these.  Wooden bowls and aluminum bowls. 

more kitchen things

100% solid copper pitcher. I have no idea how old this may be.  It was made by West Bend and has a wooden handle.  I thought it was neat.  Got it for $1

Not really old but one of my favorite kitchen things...my whistling tea ketttle.  It is signed Paul Revere on the side and made by revereware.  Got it for $1!

Osterizer blend container.  This is fairly old.Picked it up for a couple bucks. 

cute!

I came across these at a thrift store. They were marked $6 but were the tag color of the day so I got them for $3.  They are metal with plastic lids and wooden knobs. They are West Bend.  Early 70's I believe.  I am using them in the livingroom for organization above the computer desk. 

This is a mid century Lincoln Beautyware Cookie Canister.  I LOVE this.  I want the rest of the set.  It has a flour, sugar, coffee and tea canister as well as a cake carrier.  There are others made by the same company.  Some have a silver spot where the gold is on this one, some are just embossed.  I really love this gold set and have been stalking ebay to find the others. 
I got this for $1 at a thrift store!!  I was stoked to find it and hope to get the rest of the set.

new kitchen addition

We recently added more kitchen cabinets and countertop and it makes a huge difference.  I have also decided to decorate the kitchen in a vintage/retro/shabby chic type look.  In the next few weeks I intend to take pictures of my current decor and tell a little store about the pieces.  I am trying to replicate my Grandma's kitchen as best I can while also throwing in some of my own tastes. 

banana pancakes

1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 c. buttermilk
1 tbsp. butter, melted
1 very ripe banana, mashed

Sift flour and combine with next 4 ingredients. Combine egg, buttermilk and butter; add to dry mixture. Stir until smooth. Stir in banana. Use 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Pour onto hot griddle coated with cooking spray. Turn only once when edges look done. Serve with maple syrup and strawberry preserves.

buttermilk substitute

Ingredients:

• Milk (just under one cup)
• 1 Tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Place a Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.
2. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line.
3. Let stand for five minute. Then, use as much as your recipe calls for.

red velvet cake

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Bake in oven for about 25-30 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cake with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

just a tip

If you’re unsure of an egg’s freshness, see how it behaves in a cup of water: Fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.

meat wrapping

not a recipe but it fits in with the dinner I am cooking today.

I am cooking some bone in country style ribs that I packaged on 1/18/2010.  They got "lost" on our freezer.  I have our meats seperated with boxes in the freezer.  Apparently these ribs slipped to the bottom of the box during a rotation and I missed them.  I stuck them in the fridge a couple days ago to defrost and I opened them up today. They are as red as the day I packaged them.  I wholeheartedly believe that this is because of the way I package our meat for the freezer.  Pork is not supposed to still be good after a year in the freezer.  Ground beef is only supposed to be good for 3-4 months according to charts I have seen.  I have ground beef that is over 6 months in the feezer that we are using now that is just as fresh as the day I packaged it.  So I am resharing my meat wrapping tutorial from my other blog.

meat wrapping tutorial

At the bottom of this page is a freezer length chart

diet soda cake

Diet Soda Cake

1 box of cake mix (any flavor)
10 oz. diet soda
2 egg whites, lightly whipped

Combine cake mix and diet soda. Add egg whites and blend with beater according to package directions. Pour into sprayed cake pan or muffin tin and bake according to cake box directions. Watch times!  May bake quicker

funnel cake

• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• oil, for frying
• powdered sugar

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients.

1. Beat egg, milk, and vanilla together in a separate bowl.
2. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients beating until smooth. (may need to add more milk)
3. Fill 8" skillet with 1 inch oil and heat to 375 degrees.
4. Cover funnel hole with finger and fill with about 1/4 cup of batter.
5. Hold funnel over skillet and remove finger moving funnel around to form patterns with the batter.
6. Fry until golden brown, about 1 or 2 minutes.
7. Turn over with tongs and continue frying another minute or two or until both sides are brown.
8. Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
9. Serve hot.

Pineapple upside down cake (request)

1 yellow cake mix

1 can pineapple rings
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup or so of butter

Melt butter and pour into bottom of a cake pan.  Sprinkle on brown sugar.  Lay pineapple rings on top of the brown sugar. Make cake according to directions on box except add pineapple juice from the can instead of water.  I use 1/4 cup less liquid than what the recipe calls for because I use applesauce instead of oil.  Pour batter over pineapple and bake according to directions on box.

Let cake cool for 5-10 minutes and invert onto a plate or platter.

Peanut butter fudge

1/2 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth; pour into an 8x8 inch dish. Chill until firm and cut into squares.

oreo cookie balls

1 package oreos
1 8 oz package cream cheese
almond bark

1. Crush the entire package of oreo cookies in your blender until it resembles course crumbs. Do not grind cookies to a fine consistency, you still want a crunch in the finished product.
2. Once all cookies are crushed. Place in a medium sized bowl and combine room temperature cream cheese with this. After cream cheese is combined, melt almond bark in microwave. I recommended stirring almond bark in between heatings. This will cause it not to curdle.
3. Lay wax paper on cookie sheet. Coat hands with powdered sugar, roll oreo mixture into balls to desired size. Insert a toothpick into the top of oreo ball and dip oreo ball into almond bark. Drain off any excess and place on wax paper. Allow to dry for about 20-30 minutes. Almond bark will form a candy coating on the outside.

swiss steak

• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 1/2 to 2 lb. round steak, cut in serving portions
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 can tomato soup or a can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes
• 1/2 c. water (if using tomato soup)
• 1 1/2 tsp. vinegar

Combine flour, salt, and pepper; using a meat tenderizer or rolling pin, pound mixture into steak. Brown steak in butter with chopped onion. Add tomato soup, water, vinegar; transfer to crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

cream filling for cupcakes

2 tsp very hot water
1/4 tsp salt
1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow cream
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Dissolve the salt in the hot water and allow to cool.
Whip the marshmallow cream, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla until it begins to get fluffy. Add the water and whip well.

homemade chocolate frosting

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
In a large bowl, combine butter and cocoa; beat until well mixed. Add in the milk, vanilla and salt; beat until smooth. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until frosting is smooth and creamy. Add more milk if you want a thinner consistency.

black forest cupcakes

1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix

1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 egg

2 Tbsp.  sugar

1 can (20 oz.) cherry pie filling, divided

1-1/2 cups  thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

 

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare cake batter as directed on package; set aside. Mix cream cheese, egg and sugar until well blended.
REMOVE 3/4 cup of the pie filling for garnish; set aside. Spoon 2 Tbsp. of the cake batter into each of 24 paper-lined medium muffin cups. Top each with 1 Tbsp. each of the cream cheese mixture and remaining pie filling. Cover evenly with remaining cake batter.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 5 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Top cupcakes with whipped topping and remaining pie filling just before serving.

from Kraft website

easy oven fries

1. In large bowl, toss 2 pounds russet potatoes (about 4 medium; cut into ½-inch-thick sticks) with your choice of seasonings (play around with this to suit your families' taste buds. We like garlic on ours)
2. Lay potatoes on a cookie sheet lined with nonstick aluminum foil (you can use cooking spray as well).Roast at 425° F, stirring and flipping every 15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp, 35 to 45 minutes.

Peanut butter cookies

• 2 cups creamy peanut butter (not the all-natural variety)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the peanut butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in the eggs, baking soda, vanilla, and salt.
3. Roll heaping tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. With a sugared fork or glass cup botton , press the dough to a ⅜-inch thickness.
4. Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the edges are set, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

sloppy joe casserole

2 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated biscuit dough

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey

1 (15 ounce) can sloppy joe sauce

1 small onion, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Cut the biscuit dough into quarters and press to cover the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Place the ground beef into a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring to crumble, until no longer pink. Add the onion and bell pepper about halfway through, cooking and stirring until tender. Drain off excess grease and stir in the sloppy Joe sauce. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the biscuits and spread to cover evenly.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the biscuits are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese on top. Return to the oven until the cheese has melted, about 10 more minutes

For this I won't use the canned sauce.  I will make my own sloppy joe recipe and put that into the pan on the dough. 

oreo surprise cupcakes

1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix

1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 egg

2 Tbsp.  sugar

48 Mini OREO Bite Size Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

1-1/2 cups  thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

HEAT oven to 350°F.

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package. Mix cream cheese, egg and sugar until well blended.
SPOON half the cake batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Top each with about 1-1/2 tsp. cream cheese mixture and 1 cookie; cover with remaining cake batter.
BAKE 19 to 22 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 5 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
FROST with COOL WHIP. Top with remaining cookies. Frosted cupcakes can be stored in refrigerator up to 3 days

from Kraft website.

peach cobbler

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 peaches, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices (6 cups)

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 cup baking mix

2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

Sweetened whipped cream, if desired

 

DIRECTIONS

• Heat oven to 400°F. In 4-quart saucepan, mix 1/3 cup sugar, the cornstarch and cinnamon. Stir in peaches, water and lemon juice. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute. Pour into ungreased 8- or 9-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish.
• In medium bowl, stir baking mix, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the milk and melted butter until soft dough forms.
• Drop dough by 6 tablespoonfuls onto hot peach mixture. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over dough.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with whipped cream.