Pancake recipe and some cooking mumbo jumbo

In case you can't tell...

I've been on another cooking push lately.

I have a bunch of frozen meats out in the freezers, which I am grateful to have.

But, a turkey, frozen solid, when dinner time comes a rollin' around, is not much help.

I did an inventory of all my meats and planned on how to best use them. I also figured out how much frozen bananas, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini and squash puree I have left. I don't want any of them left when the new crop comes on so I formulated a baking plan.

I am planning on cooking a bunch of our favorite recipes and some new ones too, and then checked my cupboards to see what I already had for ingredients.

Then, a shopping I went, to grab the ingredients that I was lacking.

I'm full steam ahead cooking.

One of the things that I cooked up was pancakes.

These freeze really well and can just be popped in the toaster for a quick breakfast.

I use the extra large ziplocs and cut a bunch of freezer paper to fit in between layers. When the bag gets emptied, it is put back in the freezer for storage until I need it again. I use them for french toast too.

Here is the recipe, which I have modified a bunch of times. The quantity feeds my entire family with leftovers, just so ya know. In other words...it's a whole lotta hotcakes.

Our Favorite Pancakes

8 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. honey
1/3 c. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
2 t. salt
8 eggs
6 c. milk (I make instant milk for this, it's cheaper)
4 c. plain yogurt
1 1/3 c. bean puree

You can substitute:

Sugar for the honey and then omit the baking soda
Sour cream for the yogurt
Butter for the bean puree

You can also add blueberries, either fresh or frozen.


Also, I want to thank you all for your sweet, funny and informative comments. You guys seem like such a fun bunch and I can't wait to finish my cooking so I can check out your blogs.

Happy Cooking!

Magic Mix

Remember when I said that I use Magic Mix to make my own Cream of Chicken soup?

Not only is it better for you...

It tastes de-lish too!

Here is how you make it (from the Utah State Extension office/Every Day Food Storage)

Magic Mix

2 1/3 cups powered milk OR 4 c. instant nonfat dry milk

1 cup flour

1 cup butter (room temperature)

Combine in a large bowl until it resembles cornmeal. My beater attachment on my KitchenAid mixer works like a charm. Store, sealed in the refrigerator until ready to use.


Cream of Chicken Soup

(Equal to one can condensed soup)

1 c. Magic Mix

3/4 c. chicken broth

1 t. dry parsley

dash onion salt

Put all the ingredients into a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wire whisk until mixture just comes to a boil.

That's all there is to it!

**You can use the liquid from a can of mushrooms for cream of mushroom soup. Add a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet for a darker color to this soup.

Blond Brownies

As I've mentioned before...

Blond brownies are good.

I will whip up a double batch and send extras with my kids to share.

The teenage boys especially love these.

So much that yesterday I was presented with a poem.

An ode to Blond Brownies written by a 15 year old boy who is in the twins English class.


Blond Brownies

My love for blond brownies is as strong as
The triple bonds in a molecule
I don't know how I survived in the past
For their taste, I would face ridicule.

Those amazing brownies give me the chills
And I don't think straight, they give me shivers
Without their presence, I'd have to take pills
I would risk my life for just a sliver.

Baked fresh, I could eat an entire pan
Every crumb would completely disappear
Nothing could stop me, but that kids mom's van
I would eat it all without any fear.

No forces can stop what is meant to be
All I want is a blond brownie for me.


That totally cracked me up.

No one has ever written my food a poem before.

I am going to share the recipe with you...

because they are that good.

Blond Brownies with Brown Sugar Frosting

1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. butter (do not use margarine), softened
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat sugars, butter, vanilla and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Spread in ungreased rectangular pan, 13 x 9 inches.

Bake 20 to 23 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.

Frost with Brown Sugar Frosting. Immediately sprinkle with pecans.

Enjoy! These are a gut buster but oh so good!

Brown Sugar Frosting

1/3 c. butter (do not use margarine)
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
3 T. milk
2 c. powered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in milk; cook until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in powered sugar and vanilla, mixing well with spoon after each addition, until smooth and spreadable. If necessary, add more milk, a few drops at a time.

Frost brownies immediately as this stuff sets up right away.

Enjoy!

The Bestest Pumpkin Muffin Recipe Ever

My recipe makes 24 muffins but you can cut it in half in case you are not feeding a small army like moi.

Although they do freeze really well, so maybe you'll want to make a whole batch? I made eight batches of these the other day and after they had cooled, I put them in baggies and then out in the freezer.

I just went out and looked in the freezer and they are all gone...

Sigh...


4 c. whole wheat flour

2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

4 t. ground cinnamon

2 t. ground ginger

1 t. ground cloves

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, either dark or light

6 T. unsulphered molasses

1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce

4 large eggs

2 cups canned pumpkin

2 t. vanilla

1 1/2 c. buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat (2) 12 muffin pans with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, applesauce and 2 eggs until combined. Add the other eggs and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pans. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen then and then place them on a wire rack to cool.

**I never use buttermilk but instead add 1 T. lemon juice to 1 1/2 c. non-fat milk OR I use coconut milk if I have any**

**Also great use of your frozen squash puree from the garden, I just substitute that for the canned pumpkin**

Enjoy! We all love these, with the exception of Matthew. But he is almost 6, which explains it all.

Homemade Granolie Bars

Ever looked at the list on ingredients on a box of granolie bars?

Nope, that's not a typo.

Gra.no.lie bars

That's what we call them around them here parts.

Anywhoo...

Some of the granolie bar ingredients I can't even pronounce.

Not yummy.

So, I found this recipe. (Click on the word "this" to take you there.)

I have mixed it up with different nuts. Peanuts, filberts or almonds. All good.

The last time I made these, I made eight batches and I added some flax seed just because I can do sneaky mom stuff like that.

Delicious!