Pennies A Plate

Instant Oatmeal Packets

2011-12-15T19:28:00.000-08:00

Instant Oatmeal Packets are undoubtedly very convenient. They are also full of sugar and very expensive. I like to set up an assembly line with my kids and we make a ton of these at once. We fill ziplock snack bags with one-serving portions and store them all in a bin in our pantry. The kids have all learned how to prepare the oatmeal packets on their own, and they love the fact that they made their own mixes.

In every baggie, place the following:

1/4 cup quick-cooking or instant oatmeal
2 Tbsp oat flour (Alternatively, you can put some oats into a blender and blend it to a fine consistency. Use that instead of the oat flour.)
1/8 tsp salt (optional)

Then, to each packet add one of the following options:

- 1 Tbsp raisins, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries and bananas
-1 Tbsp date sugar, 2 Tbsp dried apples, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 1 Tbsp chopped pecans (optional)
- 2 Tbsp dried blueberries, 1 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp orange zest, 1/4 tsp vanilla powder (optional)
1 Tbsp finely shredded coconut and 2 Tbsp chopped dried pineapple (This is a favorite in our house.)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp wheat germ
- 1 Tbsp milk powder and 2 Tbsp dried fruit of your choice

Options:
- Add 1 Tbsp milk powder to each packet for a creamier oatmeal and added nutrition
- Use maple sugar instead of regular sugar
- Experiment with other ingredients: dried cherries, coconut, chocolate chips; dehydrated pears, sugar, pinch of mace or cardamom; dried peaches with sugar and powdered milk, etc.

Muffin Mix

2011-12-14T19:25:00.000-08:00

This mix is the best basic muffin mix I've tried. It's very convenient to have on hand and makes it very quick to whip up a batch for breakfast or a spur-of-the-moment snack.

8 cups flour
3 cups sugar
3 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg

Combine all ingredients. Place in a large, airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6-8 months.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Muffins

2-3/4 cups muffin mix
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter or 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400*F; grease muffin pan. Combine egg & milk in a small bowl. Add all at once to the mix. Stir until just moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fill muffin pan. Bake 18-20 minutes. May add 1 cup dried fruit, diced peaches, blueberries, or 1/2 banana.

Country Pear Cobbler

2011-12-13T19:22:00.000-08:00

Filling:
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash of cloves
2 tbsp lemon juice
6 to 8 medium pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

Topping:
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp. margarine or butter, melted
1 tbsp. sugar, if desired
Light Cream, if desired
Combine all of the filling ingredients, except pears, in large skillet. Stir in sliced pears. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until hot and bubbly, stirring gently. Remove from heat and set aside.

Make topping. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in mixing bowl. Beat on low speed of electric mixer for about 30 seconds. Add buttermilk and melted margarine. Continue to mix on low speed about 30 seconds, or just until blended.

Pour hot filling into 8-or 9- inch baking pan. Top evenly with large spoonfuls of topping. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar, if desired. Bake at 375° for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pears are tender and bubbly and topping is golden brown. Serve warm with light cream, if desired.

Gingerbread Loaf

2011-12-12T19:19:00.000-08:00

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-1/4 tsp ground cloves
1-1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk, syrup and oil. Stir into the dry ingredients until just moistened. Batter will be thin. Pour into two greased 9x5-inch loaf pans. Bake at 325*F for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Cranberry Raisin Loaf

2011-12-11T19:13:00.000-08:00

2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Lightly coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, milk, brown sugar, and vanilla. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of the stand mixer or large mixing bowl and mix with the wet ingredients until the batter is smooth. Fold in the raisins and dried cranberries. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake the loaf in the oven for 45-55 minutes, reducing the oven temperature to 300*F for the last 10-15 minutes of baking. The loaf is done when a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Guacamole

2011-12-10T19:10:00.000-08:00

This is a super easy recipe and it tastes great every time. The key is ripe avocados.

2 ripe avocados
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
1 small tomato
1-1/2 Tbsp lime juice, or juice of 1 fresh lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Peel avocados and remove the pit. Peel and mince the onion and the garlic. Chop the tomato. Mash the avocado in a bowl and then stir in the remaining ingredients. This really needs to be made just before serving as it doesn't keep very well, even in the fridge. It helps if you store it with an avocado pit in the container, but unless it's got no contact with air, it will change color and look rather un-appetizing!

Boston Baked Beans

2011-12-09T19:03:00.000-08:00

2 lbs. white beans (Northern or Navy beans)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 onion, peeled and chopped
4-6 oz. of raw bacon, chopped

Soak the beans overnight in plenty of tap water. Or, you can bring them to a boil on the stove and then turn them off, cover them and let them sit for an hour or two. Then, boil the beans for about half an hour. Drain off the cooking water. In a very large casserole, combine the semi-cooked beans, salt, dry mustard, molasses, sugar and chopped bacon. Add enough hot water to barely come to the top of the beans. Put a lid on the casserole. Bake the beans at 300* for about 5-7 hours. They will be tender, fragrant and delicious. Freeze the leftovers.

You can also cook this in a crock pot. Boil the soaked beans for half an hour, as directed above. Then, instead of combining everything in a casserole, combine them in the crock pot instead. Put the lid on, and cook on high for about 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours. Put a folded dish towel on top of the lid if your crock pot doesn't get quite hot enough to cook beans normally.

Serve with corn, green salad, and muffins or bread.

White Chocolate Party Mix

2011-12-08T18:54:00.000-08:00

This is another holiday recipe that is not necessarily cheap. However, once again, if you plan ahead, use coupons, get sales, and use part of your gift-giving budget, you might be able to fit it in. It's good enough to give as gifts, for sure!

1 package (10 oz.) mini pretzels (7 handfuls)
5 cups Cheerios
5 cups Corn Chex or Shreddies
2 cups salted peanuts or mixed nuts
1 lb. M&Ms
2 packages (12 oz. each) vanilla chips, or bulk white chocolate (16 oz. = approx. 2 cups)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate and oil on medium-high for 2 minutes, stirring once. Microwave on high for 10 seconds; stir until smooth. Pour over cereal mixture and mix well. Spread onto 3 wax paper lined baking sheets. Cool; break apart. Store in an airtight container. Makes 5 quarts.

Nutmeg Cookie Logs

2011-12-07T18:41:00.000-08:00

This recipe has become my only definite annual Christmas cookie. A dear friend baked me a few years and years ago, and I never forgot them. They have such a distinct egg nog flavor! I love them! They are also easy to make and freeze very well. You can make them ahead of time and always be prepared with sweet treats for the holidays!

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp rum extract
1 egg
3 cups flour
1 tsp nutmeg

Frosting:
2-1/2 cups icing sugar
3 Tbsp butter
2-3 Tbsp half & half or milk
1 tsp rum extract
1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350*F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for cookie except flour and nutmeg. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup. Level off. Stir in flour and nutmeg. Mix will. Divide dough into 6 parts. On lightly floured surface, shape each part into long rope, 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut into 3-inch lengths. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool. In small bowl, combine frosting ingredients. Spread on cooled cookies. If desired, mark frosting with tines of fork to resemble bark. Sprinkle with nutmeg (very lightly). Makes 42-48 cookies.

Peppermint Bark

2011-12-06T18:50:00.000-08:00

A super-simple recipe that's quick to make. You can freeze this and have it on hand for the entire holiday season. I also like to put it into decorative cellophane bags to give as gifts. White chocolate is not cheap, but if you plan ahead and watch for sales, and if you consider it a part of your holiday/specialty/gift budget, maybe you can manage it! Be sure to look for it in the bulk section of your local grocery store. Last year, I bought mine at Superstore. BE CAREFUL WITH THE CANDY CANES. Last year I bought mine at the dollar store because they were so much cheaper, but they were gross! They were not crunchy. So either they were not fresh, or they were just poor quality. This year, I'm going to try buying the mini candy canes and see if that makes a difference. Those always seem to be super crunchy and hard.

4 cups white chocolate
1 cup candy canes
2 tsp or more peppermint extract (optional)

Melt chocolate in double boiler. Mix with crushed candy canes. Pour into a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 45 minutes. Break apart. You're done!

Asian Dressing

2011-12-05T18:39:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup shallots, finely diced
1/2 tsp ginger, finely grated
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Salt, pepper, and sweetener, to taste

Add all ingredients to a blender or mini food processor and puree until everything is finely diced.

Everyday Favorites: A Lifetime Collection of Easy Home Cooking

2011-12-05T10:31:00.000-08:00

It's Finally Here!

Our (my mom's and my) new cookbook, with nearly 500 recipes, has finally arrived just in time for Christmas baking and gift-giving! This newest addition to our cookbook collection is all of our favorites, plus every recipe we've tried and liked since the last book was published (7 years ago)! It's packed with great recipes for dishes and treats from breakfast to supper and everything in between!

If you're interested in purchasing a cookbook, please let me know and I can arrange to get it into your hands ASAP! If you're outside of the Calgary area and require shipping, the cost of shipping will be extra.

SPECIAL LAUNCH and PRE-CHRISTMAS PRICING:
Buy 1 for $20,
Buy 2 to 4 for $15 each,
Buy 5 or more for $10 each

Mint Chocolate Shake

2011-12-04T18:33:00.000-08:00

Oh my. This sounds kinda weird, but trust me... it is DELIGHTFUL!

1 bag mint tea
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup ice
1 tsp cocoa
1 tsp sugar or other sweetener
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1-1/2 tsp flaxseed oil (optional, but adds nutritional value and makes it more filling)
1-1/2 tsp chocolate chips (I like dark chocolate, so if I have a bar of dark chocolate, I just put a bit of that in instead.)

Steep mint tea bag in hot water for 5 minutes. (I put it into a teacup and cover it with a saucer.) Squeeze remaining liquid from tea bag and discard. Add ice to the tea. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a tall glass and serve!

Quinoa, Apple & Walnut Salad with Sausage

2011-12-03T18:24:00.000-08:00

1 cup water
1/2 cup quinoa
8 oz. sausage (turkey is the best)
2 cups diced apple (skin on)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
6 cups fresh spinach

Bring water to a boil in a small pot on high heat. Add quinoa. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside to cool. Cook sausage in a large pot of simmering water for 10-20 minutes, depending on the thickness. Remove from water and preheat a nonstick pan on medium heat. Lightly coat with spray and add sausage. Saute sausage until lightly browned all around. Set aside to cool, then slice into medallions. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle your favorite dressing on the salad. (Spicy Apple Vinaigrette is best.)

Spicy Apple Vinaigrette

2011-12-03T18:15:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup walnut oil (or a mild-tasting oil of your choice)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Gala apple, peeled, cored and cut into small pieces
Pinch paprika
Pinch cinnamon
Salt and pepper, to taste

Add all ingredient to a blender or mini food processor and puree until everything is finely diced.

Asian Scrambled Eggs

2011-12-02T18:20:00.000-08:00

This is my all-time favorite egg recipe for breakfast! This recipe is for one serving only.

1 clove garlic, chopped
1-1/2 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
1 tsp peanut oil (*See Note below)
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
5 snow peas, quartered
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
3 medium scallions (green onions), chopped
1-1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 eggs

In a skillet or wok on medium-high heat, brown garlic and ginger in half of the oil. After a couple of minutes, add mushrooms, snow peas and pepper. Stir-fry until mushrooms start to brown and lose most of their moisture. Add chopped scallions. Stir-fry for another couple of minutes while drizzling half off the soy sauce over the mixture; remove vegetables from skillet. Add remaining oil, then eggs. When eggs start to bubble around the edges, stir them with a spatula until scrambled. Just before eggs are completely cooked, add vegetables and mix thoroughly. Serve warm, with remaining soy sauce drizzled over top after cooking.

**Note: Peanut oil is not cheap. HOWEVER, if I see it on a good sale or get a free grocery card or something, I will sometimes splurge and buy a small jar of it. I don't use it often, but there are a few recipes where the flavor of it really makes a huge difference. This is one of those recipes. If I don't have peanut oil, I do just use whatever other oil I have on hand and it works just fine.

Snow Ice Cream

2011-12-01T18:30:00.000-08:00

Making and eating snow ice cream was always a huge treat when I was a kid. The tradition continues in our family.

2 1/2 quarts clean snow
1/2 cup milk or cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar

Stir together lightly and eat immediately.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

2011-11-30T18:16:00.000-08:00

This recipe is only enough for one serving, so multiply it as needed for your family size.

1/4 cup milk
6 Tbsp water
1/4 cup old-fashioned (rolled) oats
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1/8 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/8 cup sliced almonds
Sweetener of choice, to taste
1/8 cup water
Splash of vanilla

In a small pot, bring milk and water to a boil over medium heat. Add oats, cinnamon and nutmeg. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the liquid is absorbed, stir in pumpkin, almonds, vanilla, and sweetener (if desired); set aside.

Veggie, Rice & Cheese Supreme

2011-11-29T18:08:00.000-08:00

I'm always surprised by how much my family likes this meal. I'm equally surprised by how filling and satisfying it is! Also SUPER fast!

2-1/2 cups water
1 cup brown rice (It's easy to modify this recipe for other types of rice.)
1 tsp oil (I use olive oil.)
1 small zucchini, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 small yellow squash, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheese (Monterey Jack is best, but I've used cheddar and mozza, too.)

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice, lower heat and cover. Simmer until rice is done, about 25 minutes. When the rice has 5 minutes of cooking time remaining, pour olive oil into a nonstick skillet and place over medium heat. Add zucchini, yellow squash and garlic to the pan. Sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper, and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked rice on top of vegetables, cover with lid, turn heat to low and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir veggies and rice together and top with cheese. Replace lid for about 1 minute until cheese is melted.

This is also a good recipe to use for leftover rice, and it's super quick! Just start by cooking the veggies as directed, then add your leftover rice and continue with the recipe. It probably takes no more than 10 minutes!

Ukrainian Meal

2011-11-28T08:04:00.000-08:00

This is my own concoction based on a dish we were served at a dear friend’s home. It is reminiscent of the kind of food my grandma used to make. If you’re not a fan of cabbage or sauerkraut, give this a try anyway, but just double the rice. You might be pleasantly surprised!

3/4 head of cabbage, shredded or one large jar of sauerkraut, drained
1 large onion, chopped
bacon or sausage (you decide how much – it adds the flavor)
1 cup rice, uncooked
2 cups water, or more

Fry cabbage and onion in large pot with bacon or sausage. When onion and cabbage are soft, add rice to pot and cover with the water. Put a lid on the pot and let it simmer until the rice is cooked. You might need to add water as it cooks.

Serve with: Corn and cooked carrots

Balsamic Glazed Black Pepper Salmon

2011-11-27T19:33:00.000-08:00

If you happen to fall upon an incredible deal on some fresh salmon, this is the recipe you should use to enjoy it!

1 Tbsp olive oil
4 salmon fillets (about 5 oz. each)
Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of salmon with salt and cracked pepper. Add salmon to skillet and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and honey or maple syrup. Add vinegar mixture to skillet and simmer until fish is fork-tender and liquid reduces and thickens, about 2 minutes. For a thicker, reduced sauce, simmer for 3 to 5 additional minutes.

Serve with brown rice or rice pilaf.

Breakfast Phyllo Bites

2011-11-26T19:22:00.000-08:00

These are finicky to make, and they are not very filling. However, I absolutely love them for myself and they are freezable. So I make a big batch and keep them in my freezer to pull out when I need a quick breakfast for myself. They would also be a fine accompaniment to a hearty smoothie for a family breakfast. This recipe doesn't only makes 16 individual phyllo bites, and 4 is considered to serve one, so if you want to make enough for a large family, you might want to double or triple it.

3 eggs
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp olive oil
12 cups spinach, thoroughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, finely diced
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
8 sheets phyllo dough

Preheat oven to 400*F. Heat medium nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. In a bowl, whisk eggs and oregano. Pour egg mixture into pan, stirring gently until set, about 2 minutes. Place scrambled eggs on a plate to cool.

Wipe saute pan clean, add oil and heat over medium heat. Gradually add spinach and garlic until spinach is wilted (you should be left with about 1 cup cooked spinach). Place spinach mixture in a bowl and set aside to cool, about 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, gently toss together scrambled eggs, spinach mixture, tomato and feta; set aside.

Working quickly, roll out a sheet of phyllo onto a clean work surface. Mist with cooking spray. Place a second sheet on top and mist again with cooking spray. Cut phyllo lengthwise into 4 strips (each about 3-1/4 inch wide). Place 1/4 cup filling onto one end of one strip. Fold corner over filling to opposite side of strip, making a triangle. Fold triangle up to meet straight side, then across again. Continue folding over triangle until you reach end of phyllo strip. Mist with cooking spray. Repeat this procedure with remaining three strips and 6 phyllo sheets, assembling a total of 16 phyllo bites.

Transfer phyllo bites to baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 10-11 minutes, until golden brown around edges.

To freeze, place phyllo bites on a sheet pan in a single layer and place in freezer for 20 minutes, until solid. Then gently transfer them to a freezer bag and seal tightly, removing as much air as possible.

Magic Stew

2011-11-25T14:41:00.000-08:00

This is definitely my favorite stew recipe. It definitely pays to double it, and it's nice that you don't have to brown the meat first.

2 lbs. stew beef, cubed
2 onions, sliced or diced
2 stalks celery, cut in chunks
6 carrots, cut in chunks
3 potatoes, cubed
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp minute tapioca
2 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup tomato juice or V8

Place meat in large casserole or medium roaster. Arrange vegetables on top of meat. Combine salt, pepper, tapioca and sugar; sprinkle over vegetables. Drizzle tomato juice over all. Cover tightly with foil so no steam escapes. Bake at 250 F for 5 hours or at 300 F for 4 hours. Don't peek! Yield: 4 to 7 servings.

Baked Apple Pastry

2011-11-24T19:19:00.000-08:00

This is a surprisingly light and relatively healthy dessert. This recipe only makes one, but it's also a bit finicky, so I double it and only make it for a special occasion when I'm wanting a treat for a tea time with a friend or something.

2 sheets of phyllo dough
Cooking spray
1 apple
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Spray phyllo dough with cooking spray and fold in half (totaling 4 layers). Peel, core and slice apple. Place apple in center of phyllo and sprinkle with honey and cinnamon. Fold in sides and roll. Bake at 350*F for 35 minutes.

Tortellini, Spinach and Tomato Soup

2011-11-23T14:33:00.000-08:00

My sweet neighbor brought me this soup when she heard I had been struggling with sickness for two months earlier this year. She said this is the soup her family knows will appear the minute someone gets the sniffles or the flu. It has become one of our family's favorites! And the great thing is that it's so very quick and easy to make!

2 Tbsp butter
6-8 cloves garlic
4 cups chicken broth
6 oz. fresh or frozen tortellini
14 oz. canned diced tomatoes, with their juice
10 oz. spinach, washed, stemmed, coarsely chopped
8-10 basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Parmesan, grated

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Add tortellini and cook halfway, about 5 minutes for frozen pasta, less if using fresh. Add tomatoes and juice, reduce heat to simmer and cook just till pasta is tender. Stir in spinach and basil and cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan.