Sunday, December 12, 2010

FHE Idea - Self Reliance in All Things


Teach your children the importance of self-reliance!



This recipe would be a great one to have after Family Home Evening!!

Skor Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 small jar caramel topping
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 8 oz. container Cool Whip
1/2 - 3/4 cup toffee bits or crunched up Skor bars

Mix cake according to package directions. Bake in a 9x13 baking pan. When cake just comes out of the oven poke holes all over it with a fork. Pour caramel topping all over top. Then pour sweetened condensed milk all over the top. Let cake cool. Spread cool whip over top and sprinkle with toffee bits or Skor bar pieces.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

"Instant" Pancake Mix

Instant Pancake Mix
by Alton Brown

6 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (check expiration date first)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar

Combine all of the ingredients in a lidded container. Shake to mix. Use the mix within 3 months.

"INSTANT" PANCAKES:
2 eggs, separated
2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups "Instant" Pancake Mix, recipe above
1 stick butter, for greasing the pan
2 cups fresh fruit such as blueberries, if desired
Heat an electric griddle or frying pan to 350 degrees F. Heat oven to 200 degrees F.

Whisk together the egg whites and the buttermilk in a small bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the melted butter.

Combine the buttermilk mixture with the egg yolk mixture in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until thoroughly combined. Pour the liquid ingredients on top of the pancake mix. Using a whisk, mix the batter just enough to bring it together. Don't try to work all the lumps out.

Check to see that the griddle is hot by placing a few drops of water onto to the griddle. The griddle is ready if the water dances across the surface.

Lightly butter the griddle. Wipe off thoroughly with a paper towel. (No butter should be visible.)

Gently ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle and sprinkle on fruit if desired. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the griddle-side of the cake is golden, gently flip the pancakes. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is set.

Serve immediately or remove to a towel-lined baking sheet and cover with a towel. Hold in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes.

Yields 12 pancakes

Friday, December 10, 2010

Recipes using Substitutions

TVP Tacos
(substitute meat with TVP)

1 1/3 cup TVP
¼ cup Taco Seasoning (or 1 pkg)
1 (14 oz.) can low sodium beef broth

In a large skillet, heat the broth over medium heat. Add TVP and stir well. Allow the TVP to reconstitute for 2-3 minutes. Add taco seasoning & stir well. Allow to cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve in place of ground beef in your tacos. Garnish tacos with refried beans, sour cream, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, olives and cheese

Soda Cake
(in this recipe, you can substitute eggs and oil with a diet soda)

1 chocolate cake mix (without “Pudding in the Mix”)
1 can Caffeine-Free diet Coke

Combine the box of cake mix with the can of diet soda in a medium mixing bowl. Bake cake according to box directions. Allow to cool in pans for about a half hour before you frost or try to eat your cake.

**You can also use a yellow or white cake mix with a can of diet 7-up

Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Jessica's family recipe

1 cup butter
¾ cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar (not packed)
2 eggs (or use gelatin egg substitute below)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups Semi-Sweet chocolate chips

Turn oven on to 375. Cream margarine first, while mixing, add granulated sugar, then brown sugar. Slowly add one egg at a time. Now add teaspoon of vanilla and cream together. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl and mix together with spoon. Turn on mixer, add slowly and cream together. Add chocolate chips and incorporate into cookie dough.

Use cookie scoop to shape cookies and place on cookie sheet, about 1 doz. Makes about 2 dozen large cookies. Bake for 8-11 minutes. Take cookies out of oven and let stand 5-10 minutes.

Gelatin Egg Substitute
(substitute an egg with this gelatin recipe)

1 tsp Knox unflavored gelatin (in the Jell-O section)
3 TBSP cold water
2 TBSP + 1 tsp warm water

Mix gelatin and cold water until dissolved. Then add warm water and mix. Substitutes for 1 egg!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Recipes with Milk (Powdered, Evaporated & Condensed)

Harvest Potato Soup

1 cup onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
4 cups potato, diced
½ lb bacon, cooked and drained
2 cups instant potatoes
½ cups dehydrated carrots
8 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

Simmer all vegetables, bouillon cubes and cream of chicken soup in 8 cups of water until vegetables are fully cooked. Add instant potatoes and evaporated milk to achieve desired consistency. Garnish with grated cheese and bacon bits.

Frosting with Evaporated Milk

6 tablespoons butter, softened
5 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat butter and powdered sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add evaporated milk and vanilla extract; mix until smooth. Makes 3 cups.

Orange Julius

2 cups orange juice (NOT concentrated)
½ cups powdered milk (dry powder, do not mix with water)
½ cup crushed ice
2 TBSP sugar
½ tsp vanilla

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until ice is totally crushed.

Magic Bars

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
(or use 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup butterscotch chips)
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees for glass dish). Coat 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with a fork.
Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature.

Ultimate Hot Chocolate
from Our Best Bites


2 1-oz squares of unsweetened baking chocolate
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
4 cups water
1 tsp vanilla

In your microwave or in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the chocolate and the sweetened condensed milk until the chocolate is completely melted (about 2-2 1/2 minutes in the microwave). Whisk in vanilla, combine completely, and set aside. In a larger saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate mixture. Serve in mugs with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired. Serves about 6.

Variations:

Mexican Hot Chocolate: Add 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper in with the vanilla.

Mint Hot Chocolate: Replace vanilla with 1 tsp mint (NOT spearmint) extract

Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Replace vanilla with 1 tsp peppermint extract. Serve with a candy cane instead of a spoon to stir.

Almond or Hazelnut Hot Chocolate: Replace vanilla with 1 tsp almond or hazelnut extract.

Whipped Topping

1 cup ice cold water
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup powdered milk

Whip at high speed until desired consistency is achieved. Store in refrigerator.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Substitutions with Powdered Milk

Whole Milk

1 cup water
1/3 cup powdered milk

Buttermilk

1 cup water
1/3 cup powdered milk
1 TBSP vinegar or lemon juice

Mix together and let stand for 5 minutes

Condensed Milk

1/2 cup hot water
1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered milk

Blend thoroughly in blender. Can be stored in refrigerator or frozen.

Sweetened Condensed Milk (Eagle Brand)

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup plus 2 TBSP powdered milk

Combine all ingredients. Heat to boiling. Cook until thick, this will take 15 to 20
minutes. **(Becky made this and said it only took hers 7-8 minutes to cook!!) This equals one can.

Evaporated Milk (or try this one using whole milk!)

1 cup water
2/3 cup powdered milk

Blend ingredients well.

or if you have butter on hand...

Evaporated Milk

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 cup powdered milk
2 tablespoons butter

Mix powdered milk and warm water together. Add butter. In a small pan, heat mixture together. Beat well, cool, and store in the refrigerator.

Here's a great page all about Powdered Milk!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

How to Be a Gourmet and a Mormon Too

Tired of finding a new recipe for the holidays, only to discard it when you discover that it calls for the use of wine? Gourmet cookery is the delicate blending of foods that makes use of the savors of one’s choice and need not include the use of liquors or wines. In recipes that do call for them, substitutions can be easily made.

Substitutions for Wine and Liquor in Cooking

In Soups and Entrees

Dry (unsweet) red wine:
  • Water
  • Beef broth bouillon or consommé,
  • Tomato juice (plain or diluted)
  • Diluted cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • Liquid drained from canned mushrooms
Dry (unsweet) white wine:
  • Water
  • Chicken broth, bouillon or consommé
  • Ginger ale
  • White grape juice
  • Diluted cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • Liquid drained from canned mushrooms

In Cheese Dishes (fondue or rarebit)

Beer or ale:
  • Chicken broth
  • White grape juice
  • Ginger ale

In Desserts

Brandy:
  • Apple cider, peach or apricot syrup
Rum:
  • Pineapple juice or syrup flavored with almond extract
Sherry:
  • Orange or pineapple juice
Kirsch:
  • Syrup or juice from black cherries, raspberries, boysenberries, currants, or grapes or cherry cider
Cognac:
  • Juice from peaches, apricots or pears
Cointreau:
  • Orange juice or frozen orange juice concentrate
Creme de menthe:
  • Spearmint extract or oil of spearmint diluted with a little water or grapefruit juice
Red burgundy:
  • Grape juice
White burgundy:
  • White grape juice
Champagne:
  • Ginger ale
Claret:
  • Grape or currant juice or syrup or cherry cider
Note: To cut the sweetness of the syrups, dilute with water. Also, there are many flavor extracts, such as almond or pineapple, that can be added for interesting flavors.

Flambés or Flaming Desserts

The only substitute that might be used is a sugar cube soaked in lemon extract, then set atop a dessert and burned.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Herb Substitutions

Basil - Oregano or thyme
Chervil - Tarragon or parsley
Chive - Green onion; onion; or leek
Cilantro - Parsley
Italian Seasoning Blend (of any of these) - basil, oregano, rosemary, and ground red pepper
Marjoram - Basil, thyme, or savory
Mint - Basil, marjoram, or rosemary
Oregano - Thyme or basil
Parsley - Chervil or cilantro
Poultry Seasoning - Sage plus a blend of any of these: thyme, marjoram, savory, black pepper, and rosemary
Red Pepper - Dash bottled hot pepper sauce or black pepper
Rosemary - Thyme, tarragon, or savory
Sage - Poultry seasoning, savory, marjoram or rosemary
Savory - Thyme, marjoram or sage
Tarragon - Chervil, dash fennel seed or dash aniseed
Thyme - Basil, marjoram, oregano or savory

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Spice Substitutions

Allspice - Cinnamon, cassia, dash of nutmeg or mace or dash of cloves
Aniseed - Fennel seed or a few drops anise extract
Cardamom - Ginger
Chili Powder - Dash bottled hot pepper sauce plus a combination of oregano and cumin
Cinnamon - Nutmeg or allspice (use only 1/4 of the amount)
Cloves - Allspice, cinnamon, or nutmeg
Cumin - Chili powder
Ginger - Allspice, cinnamon, mace or nutmeg
Mace - Allspice, cinnamon, ginger or nutmeg
Nutmeg - Cinnamon, ginger or mace
Saffron - Dash turmeric (for color)

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Quick & Easy Substitutions in Cooking

Egg Substitute

1 tsp Knox unflavored gelatin (in the Jell-O section)
3 TBSP cold water
2 TBSP + 1 tsp warm water

Mix gelatin and cold water until dissolved. Then add warm water and mix. Substitutes for 1 egg!

Egg Substitute

1 TBSP ground flaxseed
3 TBSP warm water

Mix together, substitutes for 1 egg

Buttermilk

milk (just under one cup)
1 TBSP white vinegar or lemon juice

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

Self-Rising Flour

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Mix together and use.

Butter - Use olive oil, measure for measure for sauteing and cooked dishes.

Cream or Half and Half - Evaporated Milk

Cake Flour - 1 cups cake flour = 1 cup minus 2 TBSP all-purpose flour

Fresh/Dried Herbs - 1 TBSP fresh herbs can be substituted with 1 tsp dried herbs

Sour Cream - Use yogurts, measure for measure, add a dash of salt if desired

Friday, December 3, 2010

Milk Results are In!!

Thank you all so much for participating in our fun little taste test. I received 19 surveys back and just finished calculating the results!! Remember that most of these milks have 3 versions - Original, Vanilla and Chocolate. I only bought one version for our taste test. Shelf-Stable milk has a shelf life of approximately 2 years and only needs to be refrigerated once opened, or in the case of Powdered Milk, once reconstituted.

We have a surprising winner!! It's Powdered Milk! Most everyone thought that the powdered milk tastes most like "real" milk.

Powdered Milk - 3.75
There are many different companies who make powdered milk, but I just used the Wal-Mart brand. Powdered milk only received 1 "disappointing" and had the highest amount's of 4's and 5's! Powdered milk's average was a 3.75


Almond Milk - 2.70
Almond milk had 6 "disappointing". We tried "original", but there is also Vanilla and Chocolate as well.

Shelf-Stable - 2.75Shelf Stable milk received 7 "disappointing". We tried the Vanilla flavor, which was very sweet and rich. Comments were "It's like drinking ice cream" and "It's too sweet". Even my 5 year old didn't like it. She does LOVE the chocolate version. I am sure that the Original flavor is not at rich as the Vanilla.

Soy 2.50
We did not try the Silk brand, but I can't remember which brand we did try! I LOVE Silk soy milk, however most people didn't share my sentiments. Soy milk only received a 2.50 and the most "disappointing" (8 total). I'll gladly share my Silk brand if anyone wants to give Soy milk another try :)

Rice - 3.25We tried original :)

SR Newsletter - "I Dare You to Milk It... Fake It"

Our meeting this month covered everything about milk and substitutions. We had a great time and ate some amazing food. Posts set to publish will cover everything in the newsletter and more! If you want to download a hard copy for your records, click the link below.