Normally, I have lots of spaghetti sauce awaiting me in the freezer. This year, I froze way over 50 pounds of peaches, so I had to forgo the tomato sauce. Tonight, I was panic'd to not find ANY so I had to become creative with my own. It turned out really good and I think it would also make a fabulous bruchetta topping!
2 can's of Italian tomatoes with onion, basil, and garlic drained
1 red pepper
1 handful of fresh spinach or a quarter of a box of frozen defrosed and drained
1/4 of an onion (I might add more next time, this is just what I had on hand)
a handful of shredded carrots
half of a jar of sundried tomato pesto
First, I sauteed the red pepper, spinach, onion, and carrots until tender. Then, I added that mixture plus the Italian tomatoes (drained) to the food processor. A few whirls and it was still chunky but a nice texture. I took it out and heated it up in a pot and added half of a jar of the pesto. It was so yummy! We had it on top of meatball subs but I am definitely think that next time we will have it on top of spaghetti noodles. It was great and the kids LOVED it.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes
2 c. Bisquick
1 egg
1-2 tablespoons of sugar (or 1-2 tablespoons of honey)
1 c. milk
1/2 c. canned pumpkin-not pumpkin pie mix
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup milled flax (optional)
Mix all ingredients and then cook like a regular pancake.
I made these for the kids today and they loved them and dipped them in unsweetened applesauce. I am thinking that next time I make them, I may add some chopped apple to give the pancakes a little more sweetness.
1 egg
1-2 tablespoons of sugar (or 1-2 tablespoons of honey)
1 c. milk
1/2 c. canned pumpkin-not pumpkin pie mix
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup milled flax (optional)
Mix all ingredients and then cook like a regular pancake.
I made these for the kids today and they loved them and dipped them in unsweetened applesauce. I am thinking that next time I make them, I may add some chopped apple to give the pancakes a little more sweetness.
Fabulous Pasta Salad
1 box of noodles (I like Barilla Plus Elbows)
1 bottle of italian dressing (I like Kraft Tuscan Italian)
cherry tomatoes halved
2 cucumbers peeled, seeded, and chopped
2-3 red, yellow, or orange peppers chopped
1 cup of shredded carrots
1 red onion chopped
1 jar of sliced black olives drained
Parmesan cheese
Cook noodles according to directions and rinse with cold water. Combine all ingredients except parm cheese in a bowl overnight. The next day, stir pasta salad and add the parmesan cheese on top before serving.
1 bottle of italian dressing (I like Kraft Tuscan Italian)
cherry tomatoes halved
2 cucumbers peeled, seeded, and chopped
2-3 red, yellow, or orange peppers chopped
1 cup of shredded carrots
1 red onion chopped
1 jar of sliced black olives drained
Parmesan cheese
Cook noodles according to directions and rinse with cold water. Combine all ingredients except parm cheese in a bowl overnight. The next day, stir pasta salad and add the parmesan cheese on top before serving.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Homemade Laundry Detergent
2 bars of Ivory soap
2 cups of Washing Soda (I got mine at Kroger)
2 cups of Borax
1 qt. boiling water
2 gallons boiling water
Bucket with lid or empty laundry detergent bottles
Essential oils if wanted (I didn't use any)
Grate soap on fine side of a cheese grater.
Melt soap in 1 qt boiling water (this takes awhile-like 10 minutes or so)
Add borax and washing soda and stir til mixed
Add borax/washing soda/soap mixture to 2 gallons of boiling water and mix well-add a few drops of essential oil if you want
If using a bucket-pour into bucket and let cool before putting the lid on
If using laundry bottles-pour into bottles and let cool before capping
Use 1-2 tablespoons per load
2 cups of Washing Soda (I got mine at Kroger)
2 cups of Borax
1 qt. boiling water
2 gallons boiling water
Bucket with lid or empty laundry detergent bottles
Essential oils if wanted (I didn't use any)
Grate soap on fine side of a cheese grater.
Melt soap in 1 qt boiling water (this takes awhile-like 10 minutes or so)
Add borax and washing soda and stir til mixed
Add borax/washing soda/soap mixture to 2 gallons of boiling water and mix well-add a few drops of essential oil if you want
If using a bucket-pour into bucket and let cool before putting the lid on
If using laundry bottles-pour into bottles and let cool before capping
Use 1-2 tablespoons per load
Crystal's Pumpkin Muffins
The kids love pumpkin and enjoying helping me make these yummy muffins. The recipe makes a lot of muffins!
3 1/3 c all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
3 c granulated sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2/3 c water
1 c vegetable oil
1 (15oz) can pumpkin
I add some of the following: chopped walnuts, pecans, raisins, chopped apple, wheat germ or milled flax seed, and a teaspoon of vanilla. I also omit the nutmeg because I hate nutmeg. I have also subbed 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the white flour and it worked great. They are ESPECIALLY delicious when topped with cream cheese icing.
In large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients.In a seperate bowl, blend wet ingredients with wisk until fully blended. Pour wet mix over dry and combine using and electric mixer. I always do this with a spoon first so the flour does not go everywhere!Once blended, ladel or pour into 2 rectangular size loaf pans or muffin pans.
Bake in a 350 degree oven.
mini muffins 10 min
reg muffins 20 min
mini loaf pans 25 min or more....
I have never tried this in loaf pansreg loaf pans 45 min to 1 hr
***Makes 3 dozen regular muffins which equals about a million mini muffins.
3 1/3 c all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
3 c granulated sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2/3 c water
1 c vegetable oil
1 (15oz) can pumpkin
I add some of the following: chopped walnuts, pecans, raisins, chopped apple, wheat germ or milled flax seed, and a teaspoon of vanilla. I also omit the nutmeg because I hate nutmeg. I have also subbed 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the white flour and it worked great. They are ESPECIALLY delicious when topped with cream cheese icing.
In large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients.In a seperate bowl, blend wet ingredients with wisk until fully blended. Pour wet mix over dry and combine using and electric mixer. I always do this with a spoon first so the flour does not go everywhere!Once blended, ladel or pour into 2 rectangular size loaf pans or muffin pans.
Bake in a 350 degree oven.
mini muffins 10 min
reg muffins 20 min
mini loaf pans 25 min or more....
I have never tried this in loaf pansreg loaf pans 45 min to 1 hr
***Makes 3 dozen regular muffins which equals about a million mini muffins.
2 Alfredo Recipes
This first recipe is the recipe that I got from our friends the Holten's from church. They brought it over after Sutton arrived and I couldn't believe how easy it is!
Jessica's recipe that is also super yummy with grilled shrimp:
I add some garlic/cumin/chili spices to chicken breasts and grill the breasts on the George Foreman, sliced and put in a large saucepan. I use 2 jars of alfredo sauce (rather than making it with cream), added some sundried tomatoes and mushrooms and simmer while a whole box of bowtie is cooking. Afterward just toss the bowtie in with the sauce. Super easy. Sometimes I cook the chicken with some chopped garlic on the skillet - I just like the G Foreman grilled stuff a little more.
This second recipe is how I have changed it a bit. I have fixed it twice with the squash and it is totally undetectable (important when your husband is a squash hater).
1 butternut squash, roasted and puree
1 jar of Bertolli Alfredo Sauce
1 jar of sundried tomato pesto (I think it is Bertolli too)
Parmesan cheese
Bowtie Noodles (I am currently loving the Barilla Plus)
Grilled or leftover chicken or turkey chopped (If I grill it just for this, I add a little extra seasoning)
1 grated onion
While noodles are boiling, sautee 1 grated onion until translucent. In a blender or food processor combine 1 jar of alfredo sauce, half of the jar of sundried tomato pesto, and the butternut squash. Once the noodles are done, add everything together. Top with the parmesan and either serve or broil until melted. It is super yummy and since Adam is a squash hater, I didn't mention it was even in it until after he told me he liked it. I was also thinking that I might add peas next time too.
Jessica's recipe that is also super yummy with grilled shrimp:
I add some garlic/cumin/chili spices to chicken breasts and grill the breasts on the George Foreman, sliced and put in a large saucepan. I use 2 jars of alfredo sauce (rather than making it with cream), added some sundried tomatoes and mushrooms and simmer while a whole box of bowtie is cooking. Afterward just toss the bowtie in with the sauce. Super easy. Sometimes I cook the chicken with some chopped garlic on the skillet - I just like the G Foreman grilled stuff a little more.
This second recipe is how I have changed it a bit. I have fixed it twice with the squash and it is totally undetectable (important when your husband is a squash hater).
1 butternut squash, roasted and puree
1 jar of Bertolli Alfredo Sauce
1 jar of sundried tomato pesto (I think it is Bertolli too)
Parmesan cheese
Bowtie Noodles (I am currently loving the Barilla Plus)
Grilled or leftover chicken or turkey chopped (If I grill it just for this, I add a little extra seasoning)
1 grated onion
While noodles are boiling, sautee 1 grated onion until translucent. In a blender or food processor combine 1 jar of alfredo sauce, half of the jar of sundried tomato pesto, and the butternut squash. Once the noodles are done, add everything together. Top with the parmesan and either serve or broil until melted. It is super yummy and since Adam is a squash hater, I didn't mention it was even in it until after he told me he liked it. I was also thinking that I might add peas next time too.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Great deal at Target
For those of you who live near a Target with a frozen foods section (except those who live in Kingsport), RUN don't walk and buy up the Kashi waffles. Our Target had tons of them on sale for 66 cents each. I love a good deal and my kids love waffles SO I bought them all. Around 20 boxes to be exact (sorry Kingsport folks-our Target is now out).
Of course, the kids HAD to have waffles for dinner. I rarely but them already prepared things so they are a special treat! They love waffles with applesauce to dip in. We made the mistake once of ordering syrup for Easton when he was a young toddler. We were at Cracker Barrel and I ordered him blueberry syrup. The waitress brought a BOWL of blueberry syrup and sat it down in front of Easton. Before Adam or I could even snatch it away, he was blue.
Now that we have learned that little lesson, we use pureed peaches (from the farmer's mkt), pureed pears (from FM), and applesauce (this is split between walmart no sugar added and homemade applesauce from apples at the FM).
Of course, the kids HAD to have waffles for dinner. I rarely but them already prepared things so they are a special treat! They love waffles with applesauce to dip in. We made the mistake once of ordering syrup for Easton when he was a young toddler. We were at Cracker Barrel and I ordered him blueberry syrup. The waitress brought a BOWL of blueberry syrup and sat it down in front of Easton. Before Adam or I could even snatch it away, he was blue.
Now that we have learned that little lesson, we use pureed peaches (from the farmer's mkt), pureed pears (from FM), and applesauce (this is split between walmart no sugar added and homemade applesauce from apples at the FM).
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