I baked!

Yes, believe it or not, I have been using some of the recipes on this blog!
Here, let me pause for a moment while you faint.

Tonight I tried jg's chili recipe (slightly modified) and the black bean brownie recipe. I have yet to try either, but they both look good, or at least like what they are supposed to be. I'll have to write another post as to my cooking skills.

Just before Labor Day I tried making the no-bake cookies. I think initially I managed to heat up the liquid for too long, because it didn't properly saturate the oats. So I added some extra water. At first the cookies still seemed gloppy. So I heated the mixture again until the consistency seemed better. They turned out alright, very sweet.

I've also used the bread recipe twice.

In addition to the post as to my recent cooking adventure, I will have to put my recipe for banana bread/muffins on here soon.

What's missing???

I've nearly got a recipe worked out for a really simple, fast and hearty cold oatmeal dish (perfect for summer) I had a few years ago, and I thought I'd share it and see if you guys could help me fine-tune it - and enjoy it, of course!

1 c. oatmeal (uncooked)
1 c. water
1/2 c. plain yogurt
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 green apple, diced
dried cranberries (?)
chopped walnuts
???

Mix the oatmeal and water together, and let it sit for a few minutes, while you dig out everything else and dice the apple. Mix in the yogurt, vanilla and brown sugar (vanilla and brown sugar to taste - it should be very slightly sweet) Then add in the diced apple, a handful of what I think should be dried cranberries (Craisins were too sweet), maybe a handful of chopped walnuts, and ???. There's at least one spice missing - something with bite. I've tried cinnamon, and that definitely wasn't what was missing. Any other ideas for my next batch?

Anyway, this is a really good recipe - you've got the brown sugar and the sour apple and the tart cranberries and whatever spice is missing really giving it a nice balance of flavors. You've also got carbs, dairy, nuts and fruit all in one go. Enjoy!!!

Chicken Tikka Masala Casserole

Chopped Veggies (whatever you have on hand)
1 can pinto beans
One can tomato sauce
2 cups cooked rice
4 chicken breasts
1 jar Tikka Masala simmer sauce

Mix veggies beans and tomato sauce. Spread in a thin layer on bottom of casserole pan. Spread rice over veggie mixture. Place chicken breasts over rice. Pour sauce on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Serve with pancakes (umm... I mean naan).

Enjoy!

The bread that wouldn't rise...

... or the dough that did not take over the kitchen.

Last weekend I made a trip over to Ft. Wayne. So naturally, there was baking. Due to the influx of candy around the house, we decided to bake bread.

The recipe was courtesy of the same website that brought us the "eighth of an egg" cookie recipe so long ago. This time we scaled from 24 servings to 12, because the smaller recipe required one packet of yeast. (We also discovered that 1 yeast packet is 2 1/4 teaspoons.) Oh, and we are uncertain just what constitutes a serving, because the bread went quickly after it was made, and there were definitely not 12 of us around to eat it.

Having followed the directions, we expected the bread to rise in an hour. One hour turned to several, and it was time to leave for the chili dinner and auction at the church hall (or hall next to the church). So, throwing caution to the wind, we left the bread dough to rise in our absence, figuring worst-case scenario was that the kitchen would be filled with bread dough upon our return.

Alas, the kitchen was not overflowing with dough when we returned. However, it had made sufficient progress so as to allow Shae to knead it some more (we need our kneaded biscuits plain) and then put it back for a second rising (which we were determined would not take as long as the first).

So, it was after midnight before the oven timer went off to tell us the bread was baked. Luckily, the oven timer was not mocking us, as was the wont of the ovens in the triplets (at least when I was the one checking the oven). Naturally, the first thing we did was sample some, since it was fresh out of the oven. Besides, we needed to make sure it wasn't toxic or anything like that.

Grocery Shopping Week #7

Well this was an expensive week. But one that will save us much money in the future. Keebler crackers were all on sale 50% off. And you know how Paul loves crackers. I bought some of just about every variety for him.

Groceries: $105
Date night: $5 (Hot 'n' Ready Pizza eaten at home)

Carryover: $30.50

Since I didn't go shopping until midweek, I might not have a week #8 grocery shopping. I'm not sure yet.

In case you were wondering, I've not really gotten my article written. I'm trying, but whatever I say just doesn't sound quite right.

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Since it's fall and therefore apple season...here's a yummy and really easy apple butter recipe for the slow cooker. The recipe as written is fairly sweet - I've put my adaptations to make it less sweet and more spicy in parentheses. Enjoy! -jg

3 lbs cooking apples, cored, left unpeeled, and cut into eighths

¾ c. brown sugar (I usually take this down to less than ½ c.)

¾ c. apple juice (I usually use about half that, and make up the rest with water)

Juice of 1 lemon

1 T. ground cinnamon (I tend to add extra of each of the spices)

1 tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cloves

1. Combine the apples, brown sugar, apple juice and lemon juice in a 4-qt slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the apples are very soft.

2. Remove the lid, turn the heat setting to high, and stir in the spices. Continue to cook, uncovered, for 2 hours, stirring once about halfway through, if possible, until the mixture thickens.

3. Press the apples through a metal strainer to remove the peels, or process the apples through a food mill.

4. Cool to room temperature and store. (Should keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. It also freezes well.)

Expensive Weekend

Dinner Friday Night: $25
Lunch Saturday: $13
Lunch Sunday: $8
Dinner Sunday: $15

$61

96.5-61= 35.5

So not too much left in the carryover budget. But still, I'd say we're doing well with the budget if we can do a weekend like that every so often. But now it's time to start building up the surplus again.