Christina's Pantry

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

2013-07-22T14:30:00.000-04:00

I am not strictly vegetarian or vegan, however, my diet tends to those foods. I am not afraid of those labels because of that so I frequently try out vegan recipes. Every now and then I find a gem that makes it's way into my every day cooking. These cupcakes are one of those recipes.

My kids loved these. Instead of frosting them I just dust them with powdered sugar. You could be creative and serve with fresh raspberries and whip cream or a decadent fudge frosting.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

makes 12 cupcakes or 24 mini's or 6 texas size

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup strong coffee
1/4 cup grapeseed oil (or canola)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons molasses
2/3 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
Confectioner’s sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line a 12-cup cupcake pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk coffee, oil, vanilla, and molasses. Pour the coffee mixture into the dry mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth and combined. Do not over beat. Mix in chocolate chips. Place batter evenly into cupcake pans, about 2/3's full. I use an ice cream scoop.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in the middle. Let cool completely in the pan.

Parmesan Peppercorn Salad Dressing

2013-07-22T13:11:00.002-04:00

90 degree weather has me staying out of the kitchen and wanting the convenience of fast food but on my ramen noodle budget.

Salads are a no brainer. An abundance of cheap fresh produce with a couple homemade sides makes this budget friendly, cool, and healthy.

Parmesan Peppercorn Salad Dressing.

Whisk together

1 cup mayonaisse
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

Pour into clean glass jar, cover and refridgerate for up to 2 weeks.

Playroom Storage Stools

2013-05-07T14:18:00.002-04:00

Ok I have time to post one more incredibly easy beginners project. The boys pulled the stuffing out of the padding on their 2 year old chairs from their table set. After my recent successes with beginner carpentry projects I starting cruising the web for some easy plans.

Shanty 2 Chic had some wonderful ideas. These stools were perfect minus the wheels. I had visions of toppling stools when they jump on them to sing! The boys picked out their own spray paint colours and had a blast painting them. Three stools took me about an hour minus sanding time.

I read all about how easy it is to stain and finish these but I have to admit I am becoming a spray paint junkie. They came out so good and dried so quickly I am considering giving a few other things a facelift. They match their new bookshelves and can be used as more book storage in a pinch as they outgrow them.

I have to say I would never even have considered doing any of these projects if it weren't for these really great instructables and blogs. These authors have been an inspiration to me. Living well on a very small budget is looking easier and easier. I have been looking at goodwill furniture and even junk in the garage with a new eye!

Shelves for Children's Books

2013-05-07T13:15:00.001-04:00

You would think I had tons of time right now with all these projects I have accomplished this spring.
Somehow I have managed to actually finish a few projects with the help of some great blogs and instructables.

By necessity we needed a place for the boys books after a new resident took up space on our bookcase. The books have been piled in a laundry basket for 2 weeks when I came across this blog.
Ana White has tons and tons of easy plans for simple furniture and I believe even has a new book out with great ideas as well.

These ledges were my inspiration. I changed the measurements to fit some unused hall wall space right outside the boys bedroom. I only spent $12 for the whole project.

Couldn't have been easier to make. One of these days the wonderful people at Home Depot will not be able to cut my wood and I will have to learn to use a saw. Until then I can put together these fabulous projects in a naptime!

Baking your own bread, part 2

2013-05-07T12:55:00.001-04:00

While looking for those fabulous build your own bed plans I came across this post from the same author.

I read it through twice and was shaking my head in disbelief. No kneading? Little rising? what kind of blasphemy is this? I tried it, fully expecting a horrible loaf that at best would be passable for croutons.

Crispy brown crust and light flaky bread reminiscent of those delicious artisan French bread loaves after a couple of hours! That big bucket of dough made a ridiculously easy pizza dough, a ciabatta for some toasted sandwiches, and a few crusty loaves to serve with salads.

My son even expressed an interest in making it and was so proud of his first loaf. We left a bit of dough in the bucket for the next batch and got a beautiful sourdough flavor. I am thinking about getting that book the next time I have found money burning a hole in my pocket.

Aeray, seriously, why did you have to be already married.............

Easy Bed Frame to Build

2013-05-07T10:44:00.003-04:00

SO my bed frame broke.....yeah, one too many jumps from one of the boys (yes you Nicholas). I went to look at bed frames at a few stores and came to the conclusion that I did not have over $200 to spend on a new one. I store a ton of stuff under my bed so mattress on the floor was not really an option.

I googled bed frames plans and Holy Cannoli there's a pile of them. The one that caught my eye was " Cheap Easy Low Waste". Much Thanks to the author for this fabulous plan!

For $72.50 I built a queen sized bed and repurposed my headboard. Woohoo! The really bored guys at Home Depot cut my wood so essentially I just had to predrill holes and screw the pieces together.

This baby is incredibly sturdy and comfortable besides. I still have my storage space as well.

An unintended side benefit was that this bed takes up much less space, at least visually if not in actuality, so my room seems much bigger.

I am working on my saw phobia and plan to do a few more projects. My scrap pile is growing and I have bookmarked a few pages.
The low cost is wonderful and I am so pleased with myself. Yay!

Spring is coming!

2013-03-12T08:42:00.000-04:00

With the first warm weather I start dreaming of fresh salads and fruit desserts bursting with berries......

I have already been spending silly amounts of time at the seed racks picking out this years crops. Why do they sell all these seeds that don't have a prayer here unless you start them 2 months early and have a green house, cold frames, and a green thumb? I am going to be much more realistic this year.

I don't want to do all kinds of crazy seeds for plants that will never ripen in our short growing season here in Maine. I am going to concentrate on the basics this year. The stress of tiny pumpkins, green beefsteak tomatos and stunted melons is too much for me. I found a fabulous pick your own nearby for all kinds of berries so I am giving up on my rabbit ravaged strawberries too.

Spinach, lettuces, peppers, herbs I actually use, cucumbers, and grape tomatoes will be the largest crops I think. I want to do an entire small raised bed of carrots this year. Last years were sweet and crunchy and I got 2 crops even here. I've never done potatoes but I think I want to try them this year, if for no other reason than a learning lesson or the kids. I've heard they are very easy and hard to kill.

Coriander, dill, and cilantro are out, while double plantings of basil. thyme, rosemary and oregano will be fragrant and grace many of my dishes. I dont know why I always think I will start suddenly canning vast amounts of dill pickles but plantings of dill were always part of my routine. Why? Probably because of those fabulous pictures in gourmet and gardening magazines of beautiful feathery plants.

I saved my plastic milk jugs all winter and this weekend will poke small drainage holes and cut an opening from the top of each one, leaving the handle intact. These improvised pots will then grace my back deck hung with twine. Three times the space, much cheaper than pots, recycled, and easy care, what's not to love!? The kids are already thinking up what they will decorate the pots with too, so fab art projects as well.

If you aren't already doing it, rethink composting. It's really easy. The rich organic material you get is a great way to save money on fertilizers and in my opinion your veggies will be that much stronger and delicious. At our house its just a pile out behind the garage that I dump all our kitchen refuse and turn once in a blue moon. I'm sure there are much better ways but it works for me.

Revisit the roasted veggies and soup recipes before it gets too hot for these favorites. Salad days are almost here!

Happy Holidays!

2012-12-24T17:10:00.001-05:00

I have been making my gift baskets this year and have been much too busy to post. I hope to list and link everything after the new year to give some ideas for next year. I feel pretty safe listing because no-one in my extended family ever reads this! I also made these adorable little recipe books but I'm hung up on which to include so those may not get out.

I wanted to say a word about those computer printing programs for making cards, labels, etc. I personally use Printshop. They may seem expensive to buy but they are essential if you are making gifts from scratch. Labels for your jars, gift tags, cards, and all kinds of other neat things are incredible easy. If you factor how much you get from these programs in, it's worth it.

I use the local Dollar store for 90% of my packaging. They have tons of great packaging and decorations for little money.

I hope everyone is healthy and happy and will have much fun in the new year!

The Aunt's Basket

French Vanilla Coffee Mix (in a jar)
Scone mix
2 boxes of tea from my grocery store
Candied Orange Peel
Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti

Uncle David's Basket

BBQ sauce
Spicy Rub
Double Fudge Brownie Mix (in a jar)
Peanut Brittle
Peanut Butter cookies

Uncle Peter's Basket

Handmade Laundry Soap
Reusable Cloth Produce bags
Lavender sugar scrub
Double Fudge Brownie mix(in a jar)
reusable travel coffee mugs
Homemade Granola

Candied Orange Peels

2012-12-17T08:13:00.000-05:00

I remember these little tidbits from when I was a kid but had totally forgotten them. I came across a recipe for scones with them and decided to check out making them. They were very easy and came out perfect the first time. I just made a huge batch for Christmas presents. I've seen them dipped in chocolate on my web forays for recipes, yummy!

Candied Orange Peels

3 oranges
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
extra sugar for dipping, I used about 1 1/2 cups

Peel oranges carefully. Cut peel into small strips. Using a paring knife remove extra pith from peels(the bitter white part). Leaving a little is OK. They don't have to be perfect.

Place peel in a saucepan in cold water to cover. Bring to a boil. Drain off water and repeat process with cold water. Do this a total of 3 times to ensure your finished product has no bitterness. Set aside. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.

Bring water and sugar to a boil in saucepan. Add peels and turn heat to medium low, just barely a low boil. Simmer for as long as it takes for peels to become translucent. Mine took 50 minutes, I had read it could take as little as 30 minutes or as much as an hour. Keep an eye on them after 30 minutes.

Working fairly quickly roll peels in sugar and lay out on either wax paper or racks set over cookie sheets(to catch drips). Let dry completely. 4 hours is what most people said, I let mine sit for a couple hours and they were fine.

Package in pretty jars or tins. I think these are delicious eaten the way they are but they really kick up a nice batch of scones. These below were dipped in the sugar.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

2012-11-22T12:57:00.000-05:00

There's a reason grilled cheese sandwiches are a classic. Crispy and buttery outside, rich and melted inside......how can this budget pleaser go wrong? Vegetarians everywhere who eat dairy are cheering!
I use homemade bread for these but a store bought loaf will do.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

8 slices bread
8 slices cheese, either American or Cheddar
1 TB butter.

Start heating up a fry pan or griddle over medium high heat.
Melt butter on pan.
Place 4 slices bread on pan.
Layer 2 slices of cheese on each slice of bread.
Top with second slice of bread.
Fry on one side until crisp and golden, then flip.
Fry second side until crisp and golden.
Serve with carrots sticks and sliced apples.

Variations
Add a slice of ham or turkey.
Spread Mustard on bread before cheese goes on.
Thin slices of apple sandwiched in with the cheese(my fave).
Thin slices of tomato added with the cheese on mayo.

Healthier Peanut Butter Cookies

2012-11-22T12:48:00.002-05:00

I make peanut butter cookies for the kids on Thanksgiving. They don't like pies and can carry them around while they are playing. Who doesn't like cookies?

I've been on the healthy eating bandwagon lately. The argument I hear most is the 'I don't have the time or money' excuse. I usually come back with the fact that a lot of little changes will make a big difference. So I have been tweaking some of my traditional favorites. Here's a new version of my Thanksgiving peanut butter cookies. The kids loved them and I had to slap away a few adult hands as well.

Healthier Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup (non transfat please) margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch cinnamon
pinch salt
1 1/4 cup quick rolled oats ( not steel cut)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the sugar, peanut butter, and margarine until smooth.
Add egg, soda, salt and cinnamon.
Stir in the oats and the flour. The dough will be thick.
Drop by spoonsful onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Let cool. Makes about 2 dozen depending on how big they are.

Basic Bread and French Toast

2012-11-22T12:07:00.001-05:00

My local bakery thrift store closed on Wednesday. It saddens me for a few reasons and even makes me angry to see the employees I have known for many years lose their jobs a few weeks before Christmas and the day before Thanksgiving.

I'm digging out some bread recipes to try to keep my budget from being totally destroyed. Here's a couple basics that are tried and true in my house.

White Sandwich Bread

3 cups AP flour
2 Tsp active dry yeast
2 Tb sugar
pinch salt
2 Tb butter
1 1/4 hot water

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the hot water and let sit while you get the rest together.
Put flour and salt into large mixing bowl. Add butter, which you have cut into little pieces. Dump in the yeast mixture. Stir until a dough forms.

Sprinkle some flour on a counter or table top. Knead the bread dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. On humid days I find the dough a little sticky, just knead in a bit more flour until its workable.

Shape into your preferred loaf shape and place in a pan( I make a traditional egg shape and put on a flat 1/4 sheet pan).You can use a standard loaf pan if you prefer.

Let rise until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes for a nice crusty outside.

Let cool on a cooling rack before slicing or you will have a mess. I use an electric knife for easy even slices.
Makes 1 standard sandwich loaf, about 1 1/2 lb

note: for breadmakers put your ingredients in your maker in the order specified by the manufacturer. For my maker its the water mixture followed by the flour and salt topped with the butter.

French Toast

3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
6 slices slightly stale bread
optional: maple syrup, jelly, whipped cream and berries

Whisk together all ingredients but the bread and optional ingredients. Soak bread in the milk mixture for a few minutes while your griddle or frying pan heats up.

I use a pat of butter or a dollop of olive oil to grease my pan which I have heated to medium high. Fry your bread slices until nice and golden on both sides.

I heat up a bit of strawberry jam on the stove until its melted then use that for syrup usually. Maple syrup is awesome also. Be creative!

Shepherd's Pie ( 2 kinds)

2012-09-04T18:55:00.001-04:00

Shepherd's pie is a classic around here. Everyone has some version of it and I have seen it called a few different things. Here I have 2 versions, a meat lovers and a veggie one. These casseroles are great for batch cooking. I try to always make 2 and freeze the extra one for a crazy day supper. Very inexpensive, hearty and delicious, this is one of my favorite casseroles. I serve it with some carrot and celery sticks.

I buy burger once in a blue moon on sale and cook, storing 1 pound portions in quart freezer bags in my freezer. To freeze made ahead casseroles, line your baking dish with foil. After the dish has frozen, lift it out and over wrap with more foil. Don't forget to write on it what it is and the date!

Hamburger Shepherds Pie

1.5 lbs Hamburger, cooked and crumbled
1 cup salsa
1.5 cups whole kernel corn
6 large potatoes
4 TB butter
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste.
gravy(optional)

Quarter the potatoes, cover with water and put on to boil. I don't peel mine but you can if you wish. Boil until soft and mashable. Add the butter and milk. Mash out any of the lumps. Set aside.

In a 9x9 baking dish put the cooked burger across the bottom. Spoon the salsa over the burger. Next layer is the corn. I buy the big bags of frozen corn at the wholesale club. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Heat in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

If you want to, you can serve with gravy. Everyone has their own thoughts on gravy, packets, cans, jars or, if you are really brave, homemade. I don't serve gravy but my mother-in-law always does.

Portabella Shepherd's Pie

16 oz package of baby portabellas, quartered
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 TB butter
1.5 cups whole kernel corn
6 large potatoes
4 TB butter
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste.

In a medium saute pan melt the 6 TB butter. Add the onions, mushrooms and garlic. Cook another few minutes until mushrooms have reduced and are starting to brown. Remove from heat.

Quarter the potatoes, cover with water and put on to boil. I don't peel mine but you can if you wish. Boil until soft and mashable. Add the 4 TB butter and milk. Mash out any of the lumps. Set aside.

In a 9x9 baking dish layer the mushroom mixture in the bottom. Next is the sweet corn. Lastly is the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Heat in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Appliances that will save you money

2012-08-30T08:25:00.004-04:00

There is no doubt about it, our lives today are hectic when you have kids. Soccer practise, debate club, PTA meetings and a ton of other activities we work into already full days. My life is just as insane if not more so. These appliances can be life savers for getting an inexpensive dinner on the table.

Breadmaker

Breadmaker? What? How does that get dinner on the table you ask? I use mine a couple times a week to make pizza dough. I through everything in, set it on dough and run out the door to whatever activity we need to go to. When we get home I have dough waiting to be stretched and thrown in the oven. Voila! A 20 minute pizza when we get home for a fraction of the cost. Before you complain about the high cost of a breadmaker let me tell you I have 3 breadmakers that I got at my local Salvation Army store for $5 each. They were missing manuals but I never read those anyway. One of them is a $200 machine with enough buttons to be in the space program. I visit my local thrift store once a month on half price days just to poke around and frequently find something dirt cheap and useful.

Rice Cooker

Another machine that I love is my rice cooker. What can be cheaper than rice? My rice cooker runs 4 or 5 times a week for both side dishes and main dishes. My favorite main dish that I make in it is Chinese Rice. Rice, frozen mixed vegetables, burger crumbles( or precooked hamburger for you carnivores), vegetable broth and 20 minutes of watch free cooking and I have a fast beef rice dish on the table while I try to finishing writing a paper or folding laundry. I also make a big pot of plain rice once a week I portion into quart freezer bags and freeze for super fast stir frys and mexican dishes, as well as a rice dish I make for breakfast on the weekends. I did buy my rice cooker new for about $20 on Amazon.

Crockpot

What's not to love? Throw food in your crockpot in the morning and come home to a great smelling house and instant supper. Mine gets heavy use for cooking a large batch of chicken legs for chicken meat for other dishes, chili or beans for Mexican dishes, various soups and chowders. We love corn chowder, another inexpensive dish that is heavenly in the winter. Just add the milk or cream a few minutes before serving so it doesn't curdle during the long day of simmering. Chances are you have a crockpot in a box somewhere your mother gave you for Christmas a few years ago. Dig it out, I promise you will love it.

Food Processor

Bread crumbs, mixing spice blends, chopping veggies for salsa, slicing onions for onion soup, making quick work of slicing chopping all kinds of veggies....... enough said!!! Mine gets daily use and is easily cleaned in the dishwasher. Pesto, salad dressings, mixing up homemade biscuit and cake mixes, making homemade gourmet coffee mixes, there is a ton of things you can do with it to save time.

All of these can save you money and make it less likely to grab either drive through food or convenience foods that are expensive and unhealthy. Rethink your preparation and dishes and you may be pleasantly surprised at how cheaply you can get fast nutritious food on the table.

Meal Plan! What Meal Plan?!

2012-08-29T13:00:00.000-04:00

I have resisted writing down a definitive meal plan because our life is so chaotic that frequently we change dinner plans at the last minute. But realistically I have 14 meals I make regularly and use as a template for my shopping list. Hopefully these will give you some ideas for a quick dinner. My goal is to post the recipes for these over the next couple weeks but don't hold me to that!

Side dishes are almost always one of three things, oven roasted vegetables, seasoned rice, or some form of garlic/cheese bread. I always serve fresh vegetables, usually what is in season and cheap. By March we are sick of carrot sticks and celery to be sure but in the summer we uually have a good sized platter.

Desert is a -whatever I had time to bake- thing in our house. I am not a big believer in a sweet after every dinner. It's a high calorie finish that really isnt necessary. A couple times a week its a nice treat though. Cupcakes, cookies, and biscotti are our favorites. This time of year homemade ice cream is at the top of our list.

Here goes.......

Fish Tacos
Omelets
Pizza
Roast Chicken Thighs
Vegetable Quesadillas
Chinese Noodles
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Chicken Soup
Shepherds Pie
Calzones
Macaroni and cheese
Burritos
Vegetable Sandwiches
Spaghetti

No, there is very little meat here. I am a vegetarian and, besides, meat is expensive. Surprisingly in our house the real budget breaker is lunches and snacks. Goldfish crackers, fruit snacks and juice packs for lunch boxes are hard to economize on. So I save where I can on breakfast and dinner.

Blueberry Muffins

2012-08-29T12:36:00.002-04:00

Most weekends we hop over to Goss Berry Farm to pick some delicious berrys for eating out of hand or baking into scones and muffins. Of course our blueberry pancakes wouldn't be the same with bought berries. Here's my favorite muffin recipe.

Blueberry Muffins

3 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tb baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
6 Tb melted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup blueberries, lightly coated with flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I use paper muffin liners usually, but if you won't, grease your tin's cups well with the butter wrapper.
In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients. In a separate small bowl mix together your wet ingredients. Add to dry ingredients and combine until just mixed. A few lumps is fine.
Gently fold in your blueberries. Fill your muffin tins about 3/4 full. You can sprinkle a bit of sugar on them for crunch at this point if you want.
Bake for 22 minutes for regular sized muffins, until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.

No Cook Play Dough Updated

2012-08-29T11:38:00.003-04:00

We tried this recipe this morning and my 3 year old adored it. I'm not sure it will make it to a second play session, he's eaten so many nibbles there's a wall missing from his castle!

Peanut Butter Play Dough

1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all in a large bowl. Mix until dough comes together. That's it, no cooking or letting cool.
How cool is that?

Another favorite of mine....

Gingerbread Play Dough

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 tbs ground ginger
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 cup water

Mix and knead until smooth. Smells delicious and non toxic ( not as good a snack as previous recipe!!) Add more flour if it's too sticky.

Store either recipe in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Don't go out and buy those playdough kits with the little cutters and tools. My kids use various things they find in my kitchen drawers and love them. Old cookie cutters, a whisk, small rolling pin, german cookie presses, plastic knives from takeout( shh, even I do takeout once in a blue moon, lol) and anything else that catches their eye. I think of it like when you buy a big expensive toy and they spend 2 hours playing with the box it came in! So look around your house before you resort to spending your money on toys and art kits.

Taco Seasoning Mix and Potato Wedges

2012-08-29T11:08:00.004-04:00

This seasoning mix is good for seasoning beef or chicken for almost any Mexican dish, soft tacos, burritos, quesadillas or even just sprinkled on roast veggies before cooking for some extra flavor.
My boys like this on potato wedges too that I roast for a side dish frequently.

Taco Seasoning Mix

2 Tb Chili powder
2 tb flour
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne or chipotle pepper

Combine in a ziptop bag and shake until mixed.You can definitely leave out the cayenne if you like.

Christina's Potato Wedges

Cut 6 potatoes into wedges. Place in a zip top bag with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add 1 tsp taco seasoning mix. Close bag and shake to combine. Pour onto ungreased baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. The time varies depending on the size of your potatoes and how crispy you want them. Start checking them at 35 minutes. Serve with ketchup or ranch dressing.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

2012-08-29T10:49:00.001-04:00

OK OK I finally got a second to post this. Detergent prices are on the rise and more people are willing to explore alternatives. Here is a fast easy powder detergent I've used for years.

Powder Laundry Detergent

1 cup grated soap
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup Borax

I whirl it in the food processor to take out lumps and mix well but I have tossed around a ziploc bag when I am in a hurry. For the soap I use either Ivory or Dial plain soap and grate it on an old cheese grater.(the kids love to help) Don't use a moisturizer or heavily perfumed soap but I've used whatever was at the local dollar store.

This recipe is easily doubled or tripled. I use the scoop that came with an old Oxiclean tub to portion it but it's around 2 Tablespoons or 1/8 a cup for a smallish regular load.

I splurge on Mrs. Meyers Clean Day laundry soap to use as a pretreater. Its expensive but it lasts forever a dab at a time and works great. I get mine at Drugstore.com.

When I'm feeling decadent I put about 10 drops of lavender oil in the detergent to give it a very light scent but you can certainly leave that out.

Leftover graham cracker crumbs?

2012-08-09T12:37:00.001-04:00

If you are like me you always have a bit of crumbs leftover when I crush them for pies or have a box that's been on the shelf for forever waiting for something to be used in after I make a holiday cheesecake. I found this recipe tucked away in a pile of old recipes I got from a recipe sharing club years ago. I made some up and my boys adored these bars. It got rid of that lonely baggie of crumbs in my freezer too!

Graham Bars

1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbs milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease an 8 inch square pan.
Cream butter and sugar until smooth.
Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla.
Stir in crumbs, coconut, and chocolate chips.
Spoon into baking dish and lightly pat flat if needed.
Bake 25 minutes until lightly browned.
Cool. Cut into bars.
Yummy bars! Perfect for a lunch box treat or afterschool snack.

Italian Sandwiches

2012-05-03T10:42:00.001-04:00

'Italian' Sandwiches From Maine

I made some of these for a friend the other day and she was completely baffled. 'Don't get me wrong but I don't get the whole 'Italian' thing? They aren’t Italian at all!’

These sandwiches are a favorite here in Maine in the summer and I have no idea where they got their name. If you have never been here, you have never had one. They are fabulous, a crisp salad in a roll and very customizable for your picky eaters. The mixture of sweet and salty along with the fresh crunchy goodness makes this a sandwich to try at least once.

Mine are vegetarian but you can add ham, turkey, tuna, or whatever you prefer in the bottom before you layer the vegetables.

If you can’t find sub rolls you can use a bulky or sandwich roll. My son uses hot dog rolls in a pinch if I haven’t made any rolls recently.

Italians

6 inch sub rolls

2 slices cheese per sandwich (cheddar, American, provolone)

1 Thinly sliced raw sweet onion

1 thinly sliced sweet pepper

2 tomatoes, cut in half then sliced

Pickles, either sandwich or chips

1 small can sliced black olives, drained

Olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper

Assembly

Cut open rolls. Lay 2 slices of cheese across bottom, overlapping to cover the entire bottom. Spread onions in bottom. Layer the tomatoes, overlapping them to cover bottom. Next up is a couple pickle slices then a few pieces of the sweet pepper. A sprinkle of the sliced black olives followed by a swish of good olive oil, a couple grinds of pepper and a pinch or 2 of sea salt.

BBQ Chicken

2012-04-18T09:36:00.002-04:00

Barbecue Season is here!

Even though I am a vegetarian a lot of my friends and family are not. A girlfriend asked me to make this for her and I was happy to oblige. Its a grill recipe but I use it in the crockpot more often than not and it comes out melt in your mouth fabulous. I dont have to watch it and the kids and it doesnt heat up my kitchen on hot days.
This is the time of year to stock up on chicken for your freezer too for all your summer cookouts when you see those barbecue weekend specials. Depending on where you live, pork and beef can be inexpensive now as well.

A quick word about barbecue sauces and rubs.......
Do you really know what goes in those sauces? High fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors? Yikes, no thank you. Barbecue sauce is insanely easy to make and very forgiving. My next post will be some of my favorites.

Barbecue Chicken

4 pounds chicken thighs, drumsticks, and breast halves (Whatevers on sale or in the freezer)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1(15 oz) can tomato paste
6 garlic cloves minced
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon salt
pinch black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper

To make sauce, in a saucepan combine tomato puree, garlic, onion, honey, maple syrup, salt and peppers. Stir in apple cider vinegar and bring to boiling. Simmer uncovered about 30 minutes. It should be nice and thick.

GRILL: Brush sauce generously on chicken on a medium hot grill. Grill about 50 minutes until chicken is no longer pink adding more sauce the last 10 minutes.

CROCKPOT: Remove skin and extra fat from chicken. Layer sauce and chicken in crockpot. Cook on low for 7 hours.

Serve extra heated up sauce with the chicken for those who like to dip.

Quesadillas

2012-04-13T19:32:00.002-04:00

Farm Stand Favorites 2: Quesadillas

Another versatile, inexpensive , and fast meal in my house is simple quesadillas. I buy the whole wheat variety at my local grocer when they are on sale and put in my freezer.

There are 2 ways to make these depending on how many you need and whether you want to heat up the oven. In the summer I have used the grill to make these and once at a friends house I used her foreman grill for almost instant quesadillas.

To feed a crowd, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Place a tortilla on the sheet. On one half of the tortilla, place very thinly sliced peppers, tomato, onion, mushrooms, whatever you like and have on hand. Add a pinch of salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese ( I use cheddar the most but I'll grate whatever's on hand in a pinch) and fold over the tortilla, lightly pressing it down. Continue to fill as many tortillas as will fit on your sheet, how many depends on which size tortillas you are using. Bake for about 10 minutes until cheese has melted and quesadillas are golden brown. The oil from the sheet will make these crispy and golden brown outside.
Serve with sour cream and salsa.

To feed a couple, I do the same procedure but on a flat skillet over medium high heat. Perfect fast lunch for one or two people! They only take a couple minutes on each side to cook up nicely. To flip hold the open side together and turn or use pancake spatula.

This is one of my go-to summer meals as well as a low budget favorite in my house.
Enjoy!

Farm Stand Favorites: Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches

2012-04-12T13:08:00.000-04:00

Farm Stand Favorites: Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches

We go to the farm stand twice a week. I let the boys pick out their favorites that day and plan the next few meals around whatever is on sale.

One of my favorite ( and cheapest) veggie meals is grilled veggie sandwiches. I cheat and roast the veggies more often than not. I put whatever veggies I have on hand, peppers, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, asparagus etc., cut them into chunks and put in a bowl. A generous drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper goes on top. Stir to coat veggies with the oil. Dump onto a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes. Which veggies you roast can change the time a bit but I start checking at 30 minutes and they are usually perfect at 40 minutes.

Unless it bread baking day and I have made rolls, I put the roasted veggies into a whole wheat tortilla.( which I buy on sale and keep in my freezer) Depending on the eater the protein is a sprinkle of cheese or some canned white beans rinsed.

Variations could included a drizzle of balsamic vinegar if you have some, roasted garlic spread, or some chevre bits.

Hearty, inexpensive and good for you. It's amazing what vegetables kids will eat if they get to pick them out too!

Easy Toffee

2012-04-05T16:19:00.002-04:00

Heavenly Toffee for a Hostess Gift

I was having a nostalgia moment the other day and found this recipe I hadn't made in forever. It's incredibly easy and delicious and would be a perfect treat to take to someone's house for an indulgent treat.

Ingredients

2 cups butter

2 cups white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup finely chopped almonds

Directions

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil, and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally.

While the toffee is cooking, cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

As soon as the toffee reaches the proper temperature, pour it out onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the chocolate over the top, and let it set for a minute or two to soften. Spread the chocolate into a thin even layer once it is melted. Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate, and press in slightly. Putting a plastic bag over your hand will minimize the mess.

Place the toffee in the refrigerator to chill until set. Break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.