Lemon (Berry) Crepes...

My family said they think crepes should be served 3 times a day. ... I said, I think it's time for a mom-led cooking class and for them to learn how to make them! :)

CREPES:

2 eggs

pinch salt

1 cup flour (unbleached here)

1 1/3 cup milk

2 T melted butter

Beat eggs well. Add salt and flour and about half the milk.

Beat well until the lumps are out, beat in the butter.

Add remaining milk, beating well to break up any flour lumps.

Cook in very lightly butter pan on low-medium heat. Pour about 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter in the center of the pan and hold the pan up off the eye, and swirl to form circle (while you're pouring). Cook until set, use spatula and fingers to flip. Cook just until light. Store between waxed paper. Can be frozen or refrigerated.

FILLING:

1 8oz package cream cheese at room temp

juice and zest of one lemon

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat until smooth and spread about 2 T in each crepe.

Top with berries of your choice and whipped topping if you like.

Or serve without toppings and only a light dusting of powdered sugar.

Vanilla-Cinnamon Quinoa Pudding

I've read that the secret to good quinoa is really in the rinsing. 

You will need to rinse this grain about 3 times before using it. And no lazy stuff ;-)- 

you gotta work for this grain! 

Dump it in a bowl of water and rub it together between your fingers. Yes, 3 times.

This is the 3rd time below. Can you see the water is still a little cloudy?

1 cup quinoa

3 cups milk

1 1/2 t vanilla*

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 cup cane sugar
2T butter

After cleaning the quinoa, mix all ingredients in a sauce pot. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat if necessary to keep at a low simmer. Cook for 40 minutes until thickened and milk has absorbed.

*I took a vanilla bean out of some steeping vanilla and used it instead this time. Yummy!

My youngest loves this pudding since he's not altogether fond of the texture of regular pudding. 

He likes the chewy 'stuff' in this one ;-)

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday!
A Bowl Full of Lemons!

White Chip and Walnut Muffins

I decided to change these up a bit and add some nuts. Too yummy!

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 t salt

3/4 t baking soda

1 cup cane sugar (or white)

1 cup white chips

1/2 cup walnut pieces (or more)

1 t vanilla

1 3/4 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

Mix flour, salt, soda, sugar, chips, and nuts. Make a well in the center for vanilla, buttermilk, and eggs. Beat the wet ingredients lightly, then stir into flour until flour is well moistened.

Bake at 375 for 12 to 14 minutes.

Whole Wheat Triple Chocolate Braided Bread

Chocolate and wheat- these are two of my favorite things!

This bread is a little dense and will require some patience. But- good things come to those who wait!

For the dough:
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 t instant yeast
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 t salt
1/4 cup melted butter
1 large egg
1/8 cup plain flour for kneading and rolling

For the filling:
1 8oz pkg cream cheese
1/3 cup melted semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup cane sugar (or white)
1 egg yolk
1 t vanilla

For the glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream (or milk)
several T warm water (about 3 or 4)

Directions for the dough:
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add salt, sugar, and cocoa. Blend in half the flour and melted butter. Stir in the egg. Add remaining flour slowly. You will want to leave this dough on the slightly sticky side. Allow to rise for about 40 minutes.

For the filling:
Allow cream cheese to come to room temp and whip until fluffy. Blend in melted chocolate chips and vanilla. Mix in the egg yolk and sugar. Add flour and scrape the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.

Assemble dough and filling:
Divide dough into equal thirds. Roll each piece out into a rectangle; about 6X15.
Spread one third of the filling in each rectangle, keeping it within one inch of the edges. Roll each rectangle up and pinch closed. Lay the three rolls on baking sheet and braid. Pinch and tuck under both ends. Allow to rise 1 hour. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes on light colored baking sheet.

For the glaze:
Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and cream. Add warm water, one tablespoon at a time until you have the glaze thin enough to drizzle. Tuck a sandwich baggie into a cup with the top open and pulled over the edges of the cup. Spoon the glaze into the baggie, pull the baggie out and twist, forcing the glaze down into the corner. Snip the corner with a pair of scissors and drizzle over your loaf once it has cooled for 15 to 20 minutes. Slice and serve! (For best slicing, use an electric knife or one with a jagged edge.)

***This post is linked to:

Raising Homemakers
HandyManCraftyWoman
Lil' Luna 
SavvySouthernStyle 
TheThrifyHome 
WeAreThatFamily
Grocery Cart Challenge 
While He Was Napping 
Fingerprints On the Fridge

Just Chat....Pumpkins, Dentists, and Swagbucks

This week has been catawampus! I had to take dd to the dentist on Monday after knocking something loose. The kids had a bug on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Thursday I had to take 16 year old to the dentist because we could no longer find a filling that used to be in a tooth and the tooth had become a weapon...against his tongue! Oh and....the ladies at the dentist's office think I should just take up room and board around there! It would save me some gas $$$!!

There were other crazy things that happened but they might bore you to tears so I'll skip them. You're welcome. ;-)

Presently-

I'm baking 2 large pumpkins that came from Aldi (@ $1.99 each). I will puree and freeze them for pies, cookies, glazed cookies, cakes, pancakes, bread, and muffins.
I'm also roasting the seeds which are usually gone as soon as they cool enough for everyone to eat them. 

I also just won 6 swagbucks and wanted to remind you about Swagbucks!

I make $5 in Amazon gift cards about every 3 to 4 weeks with Swagbucks. (450 Swagbucks.) Every search that I do, including coming to my own blog, I do through my Swagbar.
The Swagbar works just like your Google bar, Bing bar, or any other search engine bar that you might have on your computer. You simply install it, and use it for your searches. (I even use the Swagbar to search for Google so I can "Google-It"!) But as you search, periodically free Swagbucks will pop up on the top of your search. Sometimes you can visit different places on their site and blog for free codes for more Swagbucks. 

There are also several places that you can purchase from, through Swagbucks, that will earn you free Swagbucks too. For example, you can sign up for Netflix through Swagbucks and earn Swagbucks.

It's super simple!

Pastillas de Leche....

*Welcome to Frugal Fridays, hosted by Life As Mom.*
Pastillas de leche means 'milk pellet' or 'pellet of milk'.

It is a Filipino candy that's super easy to make and you can store them in a  candy dish at room temp for several days or refrigerate even longer.

The ingredients are basic pantry items;

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

2 cups of powdered milk (sift for a smoother texture)

and half a cup of sugar or powdered sugar

(I used powdered sugar, but most use regular white sugar.)

You simply blend the milk powder and condensed milk by hand, allow to sit for about five minutes.

Sprinkle the sugar on a piece of wax paper.

Knead slightly and roll out into a rope, cut into 'pellets' or pinch off and shape into balls or pellets.

Coat them with sugar.

Allow pieces to sit for a couple of minutes until they stiffen up.

Then wrap each piece in a small strip of waxed paper, twisting the ends.

There are several varieties of this, including one with fresh milk like this.

You can also flavor them with cocoa, vanilla, etc.

They aren't too sweet and have a great chewy texture.

These are a nice alternative to store-bought candy!

Menu Plan:

 WELCOME TO MENU PLAN MONDAY!

My pinto beans are soaking, my yogurt is culturing, and I even have some Raisin Chutney fermenting- I'm ready week!

See recipe for Coconut Custard below and a tip for Once A Month Shopping.

BREAKFASTS: from the freezer- Gingerbread Pancakes, Breakfast Sandwiches, also- Peanut Butter Granola, oatmeal

SATURDAY:

-Pizza, sliced oranges
- Baked Hen, carrots, potatoes, spinach salad, Angel Rolls, Baked Chocolate Pumpkin Pudding
snacks: peanut butter granola and milk, homemade pickles

SUNDAY:

- Leek and Onion Soup, Angel Spelt Rolls,Coconut Custard*(below)
- Poor Man's Steak w/ mushroom gravy, brussel sprouts, spinach salad, sliced cukes
snacks: cookies and milk, Berry-green-smoothie(shh about the green part-gasp- they read over my shoulder!)

MONDAY:

- Pinto Beans w/ ham hocks, turnips and greens, green onions, corn bread, fermented cabbage, juice pops
-Oven-fried chicken thighs and livers, pinto beans, spinach salad, frozen cranberry slush
snacks: Fresh lemonade, buttered popcorn, Crepes with sweetened buttermilk cheese
 

TUESDAY:

-Chili from leftover beans, crackers, jello salad
-Turkey Hash, sweet potatoes, Romaine salad, Vanilla Cupcakes
snacks: Blackberry Smoothies, sliced apples

WEDNESDAY:

-Butternut Squash Soup, French Bread, Carob Custard
- Lemon Pepper Salmon, spinach salad, seasoned brown rice, Lemon-poppyseed Muffins
snacks: Homemade Peanut Brittle, Orange Sherbet, leftover French Bread toasted with cheese

THURSDAY:

-Bologna Cups, Romaine salad, home-canned applesauce, Honey-wheat muffins
-Tilapia, lima beans, green salad, Twisted Garlic Bread-sticks, leftover sherbet
snacks: Real Pumpkin Pie in Oat Pie Crust, almonds

FRIDAY:

-Bean w/ bacon (or whatever meat I have in the freezer) Soup, Cornbread, home-canned juice pops
- Salmon Patties, peas-n-carrots, salad, applesauce pudding
snacks: Apple-pie Smoothie, carrots and dip

***************************************************************

Custards are a cinch and make a great snack, or a protein with a veggie soup/salad, and a yummy breakfast!

Coconut Custard:

6 eggs

2 cups milk

1/2 cup plain or unbleached flour

pinch salt

1 T vanilla

1 cup cane sugar

Beat well and add 3/4 cup shredded coconut.

Pour into sprayed pie plates. (May grease and flour if you like a 'crust'.)

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

**************************************************************

Notes about Once A Month Shopping and this week's menu:

-I was able to buy a 25lb bag of pinto beans several weeks ago. As Brandy pointed out on this post, that can cut cost in half!  I also cook a huge pot of them all at once so I can use them as a main, then a side, then as chili, and maybe have leftovers for the freezer for quick fixes or to make chili beans or refried beans, etc.

Chocolate Almond Chunks....

This is SUPER easy and SUPER yum!

In a 9 1/2 x 91/2 glass baking dish (or similar size), melt;

2- 12oz pkgs chocolate semi-sweet chips in microwave.

Stir in;

3/4 to 1 cup of whole almonds.

Spread evenly and toss in the freezer until set or leave at room temp overnight.

Once set, allow it to stand at room temp for 5 to 10 minutes if you had it in the freezer, break in pieces with a knife. Store in air-tight container. 

Eat your heart out Hershey's!

Cream Cheese and Cherry Crepes....

This is my kids' favorite way to eat crepes- stuffed with cream cheese filling. (With lots of powdered sugar!)

Cream Cheese Filling:

2 pkgs cream cheese (8oz each)

blend with 2/3 cup sugar

add the zest and juice of half a large lemon

2/3 cup half and half (or heavy cream)

While whipping the cheese, sugar, lemon, gradually add the half and half. Continue to beat with a mixer until mixture is thickened and slightly fluffy. (Will remain somewhat runny.)

CREPES:

2 eggs

pinch salt

1 cup flour (unbleached here)

1 1/3 cup milk

2 T melted butter

Beat eggs well. Add salt and flour and about half the milk.

Beat well until the lumps are out, beat in the butter.

Add remaining milk, beating well to break up any flour lumps.

Cook in very lightly butter pan on low-medium heat. Pour about 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter in the center of the pan and hold the pan up off the eye, and swirl to form circle (while you're pouring). Cook until set, use spatula and fingers to flip.

Cherry Sauce:

4 cups frozen tart cherries

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 T cornstarch

Simmer cherries in water, covered, until softened. (About 5 minutes.)

Mix the sugar and cornstarch well. Add to cherries, stirring until thickened. Allow to cool.

Spoon filling into crepes, roll or fold (like blintzes). Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Spoon on cherries and add a little extra filling over the top if you like.

Yummmmmy!

Tip: I make the crepes during a 'downtime' and store them between waxed paper in the fridge until ready to use. This cuts way down on prep time.

Ricotta Stuffed Crepes with Cherry Sauce-

 I'll start by sharing the recipe for the ricotta filling...mmmmmMMMMmmmm!

The whole time I was making it..I kept muttering..."oh ricotta, mmm...love ricotta". The kids said "what's so good about ricotta?" I said- ''YOU'LL SEE!'' (Ricotta is kinda pricey so its rare that I get it, but I LOVE IT in these! It's wonderful!....So will you- YOU'LL SEE! :)

Ricotta Filling

30 oz container of ricotta

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 t vanilla

pinch salt

1/4 cup half and half (or cream)

1/4 cup semi-sweet choc. chips pulsed in the blended for several seconds (it will chop some and dust others but it's okay...leave some in chunks)

Blend ricotta, sugar, vanilla, salt, half and half, adding choc chips last, stirring just until mixed through. Chill.

Cherry Sauce:

4 cups frozen tart cherries

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 T cornstarch

Simmer cherries in water, covered, until softened. (About 5 minutes.)

Mix the sugar and cornstarch well. Add to cherries, stirring until thickened. Allow to cool.

CREPES:

2 eggs

pinch salt

1 cup flour (unbleached here)

1 1/3 cup milk

2 T melted butter

Beat eggs well. Add salt and flour and about half the milk.

Beat well until the lumps are out, beat in the butter.

Add remaining milk, beating well to break up any flour lumps.
Cook in very lightly butter pan on low-medium heat. Pour about 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter in the center of the pan and hold the pan up off the eye, and swirl to form circle (while you're pouring). Cook until set, use spatula and fingers to flip.
*I made a double batch of them to use for the next day!

Topped with whipped heavy cream-makes them even better!

Tip: I make the crepes during a 'downtime' and store them between waxed paper in the fridge until ready to use. This cuts way down on prep time.

A new (old) cookbook with my Swagbucks...

This is an old cookbook, a little like More with Less.
It has lots of recipes with 'basics' and it also is a diet/way of life cookbook,
full of tips about lifestyle changes and even some tips on feeding children.
It has over 350 recipes.



BTW, Swagbucks is simply a search bar- you get rewarded just by doing searches! Save up and buy! I ordered this book by saving up my swagbucks and buying a $5 Amazon gift card!

Buying from my winnings from Swagbucks!

This is what I've been able to buy with my accumulated, non-worked-for, Swagbucks! (We've checked these out from the library before but they are very worthy of our home library!!)

Swagbucks are earned simply by using their search engine. You load it to your computer and it will show up right above or below your google, MSN, or other search bar. It won't slow down your computer or get in the way. Its just sorta there!

As you use it to search for recipes and other things on the internet, swagbucks are given away sporadically, they will just pop up! You can win and buy various items with your Swagbucks.

I bought $5 Amazon giftcards. With 3 of them, I was able to purchase The Story of the World Volume One and pay for shipping!

It doesn't make me a ton of money/Swagbucks, but for doing nothing other than searching the internet, I earn enough each month to redeem one $5 Amazon card, on average!

There are other ways that you can earn more. You can sign up friends, turn in old cell phones, etc.


By clicking on the banner, you can enroll and I will earn a few extra Swagbucks! You can include links and banners on your site and in your emails too! There are no strings attached to Swagbucks...you don't owe them anything, or give your personal information, etc. You simply use their search bar! Easy Peasy!