But First, We Have Coffee » Food

Easy Peach Cobbler

Ruth — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:00:17 +0000

I am excited to share this recipe with you today. Not only did my mother make this when I was a kid, but better than that, it is so simple, so fast and so good! It will knock your socks off! Let’s get started!

My family knows I am a caption kind of gal, but let me be sure to start with a couple things:

Please do us all a favor and wash your hands.
Tools you will need: Cutting board, knife, a large bowl for the slices, a smaller bowl for the garbage, a glass bake pan (9×13)
Ingredients you will need: One yellow box cake mix, about 8 large peaches, one cube of butter (1/2 cup) chilled, shortening to grease pan (spray oil will do).
A nice hot oven preheated to 350º.

Let's wash about 8 large peaches.

... and slice them.

See how nicely that pit comes free from the peach meat? That's what we call "free stone." It makes life so much easier when handling these lovelies! Be sure to choose free stone peaches.

Peel. If the peach is nice and ripe, the peel will come off easy as you please.

If it is not ripe, it will be stubborn and more difficult to work with and you may have to use a paring knife to cut the peeling off.

Slice 'em up!

Now try to have self-control not to snitch them!

Grease up your baking pan. I especially like glass for this dessert.

Pour the peaches into the prepared dish.

Time for the yellow cake mix. Any brand will do. In my opinion, the least expensive, the better in this case!

Evenly sprinkle the cake mix over the peaches.

See how easy this is so far? Even a small child could help with this project.

Don't let the lighting fool you! It's the same dish LOL

Let's get that butter from the refrigerator. Here it is in all its glory.

Slice the butter.

Lay the pats all over the dessert.

Can you imagine trying to do with with soft butter? Not!

Oops! This piece is a little too large. Let's just divide it... then conquer!

Make sure the pieces of butter are not too big. Lay them out evenly.

Ohhhh this is gonna be good!

Time to go into the preheated oven.

Bake 20 minutes or until it is golden.

Enjoy it warm or save it for later when it is cooled down. Vanilla ice cream is great with this, as well.

I think I missed sharing the photo op on my plate. My mind was elsewhere…. focused on eating! We will be getting some peaches in tomorrow, so maybe I will come back with a final photo… if I can control myself.

Post from: But First, We Have Coffee

Easy Peach Cobbler

Bread Machine Figures For Experimenting

Ruth — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:36:37 +0000

I am not sure where I found this, but it might be helpful for those of you with bread machines that would like to play around to make your own recipes.

# For each cup of flour used in recipe, use: 3 ounces liquid (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)
# 1/2 teaspoon salt
# 1/2 tablespoon sugar
# 1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine
# 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast or 1/2 teaspoon bread machine/fast-rising yeast

* For example, for a bread recipe using 3 cups of flour, start with: 9 ounces liquid (1 cup + 2 tablespoons)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast or 1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine/fast rising yeast

Another example:
4 c. flour
12 oz. liquid
2 tsp. salt
2 T. sugars
2 T. oils
3 tsp. yeast

Q. My loaves of bread are short. How can I get them taller?

Short loaves seems to be the number one problem in bread machine baking. It’s cause is directly related to the measuring technique used for both liquid and dry ingredients.

* Keep these points in mind when measuring.Always measure liquids in a see-through measuring cup with graduated markings. Liquid should reach the markings at eye-level, not above or below. Set the cup on the inside of a kitchen cabinet for easier measuring.

* Always spoon dry ingredients into solid, nesting type measuring cups, and then level off with a table knife.

* Never scoop measuring cups into dry ingredients. This will pack down the ingredients and cause the dough to be dry and the loaf to be short.

* Always use a set of measuring spoons to measure small amounts of dry and liquid ingredients, measuring level, not rounded or heaping.

* Bread made with 100% whole wheat bread will be shorter. To help improve the height try the following suggestions:

Add 1 whole egg for better bread structure. When doing this you must reduce the liquid amount by the amount of egg being added. Most large eggs are 1/4 cup.

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten for better bread structure. When doing this you must also add 1 tablespoon additional liquid.

The Most Important Tip of All – Check the Dough

Another very important tip to follow is to check the condition of the dough during the knead cycle, especially when making a recipe for the first time. After 8 to 10 minutes of kneading, open the machine to check the dough. It is alright to open machine during the knead cycle. The dough should be in a soft, tacky ball. If it’s too dry, add 1 teaspoon of water. If it’s too wet, add 1 tablespoon of flour. Always allow any added water or flour to be blended into the dough for a minute or two before making any further adjustment. The dough is just right when it is soft to the touch, smooth in appearance and the bottom of the pan is clean.

Q. Why does my bread collapse as it’s baking?

This may indicate the dough is too wet. Next time reduce the liquid amount by 1 tablespoon.

Make sure you are using the recommended amount of sugar, yeast and salt being used. Salt especially cannot be eliminated.

If you are at high altitudes you may need to make some adjustments. Reduce yeast by 1/4 teaspoon at a time. You may also need to reduce liquid by 2 to 3 teaspoons. Some experimentation on your part will be needed.

Post from: But First, We Have Coffee

Bread Machine Figures For Experimenting

85 Ways To Save Money

Ruth — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:27:21 +0000

Use a long distance calling card. I have found Costco’s card to be the best buy. You can refill it, as well.

Make your own baking mix like Bisquick and bake lots of biscuits, muffins, coffee cakes and pancakes.

Turn lights off.

During the winter, bundle up and keep the house at 65 degrees. (Maybe warmer if you have a baby)

Get rid of either cell phones, or the land line. Sometimes paying the fee to stop a contract is cheaper than fulfilling the contract. If you do use cell phones, get rid of extras like texting.

Get rid of credit cards and lines of credit.

Get rid of cable.

Eat more rice and beans.

Don’t even look at the store ads, only go to the store to buy what you need and stick to it.

Don’t run to town all the time. Consolidate trips.

Don’t buy a new vehicle.

Pray about each purchase that each dollar you spend is being used wisely.

Use the dollar store for purchasing gifts.

Stay away from the mall.

Wash your vehicle by hand as opposed to running it through a car wash

Shop thrift stores (with a list of needs). You can find some very classy clothing at very good prices if you shop around.

Pay bills online.

Keep a notebook with you to write down all purchases, even little ones. (See price book sheets on right under freebies) This will help identify the problem. Compare. Find out the best place with the best buys and shop there the most.

Use only cash when grocery shopping. Leave the checkbook and debit card at home.

Plan a menu and shop off that.

Incorporate a meatless dinner into your menu.

Incorporate a couple casseroles and soups into your menu. These usually tend to be stretchers and are less expensive than individual helpings of a veggie, meat, and bread.

Cut out sodas and expensive coffees. Consider making your own specialty coffee drinks at home using your blender.

Cut down juices to just breakfast unless fruit is served.

Make granola and yogurt or baked oatmeal for breakfast.

Change out light bulbs with fluorescents

Learn to change the oil in the vehicle, as well as the air filter.

Make your own cocoa mix, instead of buying it or mix half and half.

Don’t buy prepared gravy mixes, hamburger helpers, etc. Make your own from scratch.

Cut out prepared snack foods like chips and fancy crackers, unless for special occasions. Make popcorn in a good old pot on the stove or in an air popper. Make your own crackers. There are several recipes for crackers and snacks in the More With Less (on right).

Seek out marked down bananas. Let the kids eat the best ones. Peel and freeze the rest in a gallon zip lock bag. Pull out and make smoothies or banana bread.

Shop egg prices. Sometimes buying a large 3 dozen container is less expensive than the smaller containers. They will last for a very long time and are an inexpensive food.

Find a co-op for bulk foods like dried fruits, nuts, seeds, oatmeal, herbs, spices, vitamins and supplements, etc.

Buy generic when possible.

Make your own laundry soap.

Cook from scratch.

Make your own baby wipes.

Buy your cleaners at a janitorial supply store. They are so much cheaper and really good.

Try sharing postage with a few neighbors who have to mail the same utility bills to the same places.

Make your own envelopes instead of buying new ones by forming them from scratch paper. Take apart an envelope to use as a template.

The Tightwad Gazette (on right) suggests there are three ways to save (in a nutshell). They are: Buy it cheaper, make it last longer, use it less.

Wash out sturdy zip types bags to reuse. Just remember not to reuse any that stored meats or grease.

Use leftover rice by making a crust for a quiche. Do this by combining 1 1/2 c. of cooked rice, 1 oz of shredded cheese, and an egg. Pat out in a pie plate. For a larger quiche dish, increase rice and cheese portions slightly. Do not Pam or grease the dish. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes.

For cheap return address labels, cut out all of the mailing labels from your junk mail that has your address all nicely preprinted. Attach them to your envelopes with a glue stick, white glue, or tape.

Turning bulbs on and off wears them out. Since compact fluorescents are the most expensive type to replace, when leaving the room for less than half an hour, you should leave them on. When leaving for less than 15 minutes, leave tube fluorescents on, and when leaving for less than 5 minutes, leave incandescent on.

An inexpensive gift, if you can do calligraphy, might be to write a favorite Bible verse or saying then place it in a yard sale frame.

Buy and use a battery charger and rechargeable batteries.

Do not buy pre-processed potatoes (wedges, mashed, fries). Make them from scratch.

Make your own baking powder by mixing 1 part baking soda, 2 parts cream of tartar, and 2 parts arrowroot.

Make your own cream soup mix instead of buying premade, precanned soups.

Take shorter showers.

Insulate the attic.

Air condition one or two rooms, as opposed to the whole house. Likewise, in the winter, close off rooms that don’t need to be heated.

Hang your laundry out.

Put lids on all pots while cooking

Bake more than one item at a time.

When doing dishes, try filling the sink only half way.

Stop eating out or picking up something quick, especially if it means a fast food restaurant.

Learn to cut hair instead of paying someone else to do the job.

Add a little extra dry milk powder to baked goods to boost protein.

If you dine out, only drink water.

Less expensive snack foods would be popcorn, pretzels, Costco corn chips, or home made cookies.

The least expensive vegetables are cabbage and carrots

Get yourself a farmer’s guide from the extension office. Find out when the produce your family enjoys the most comes ripe. Go pick it. Put it up. It’s not that difficult, really.

Buy from produce stands in bulk. Sometimes you can order ahead of time how much corn you want. Freeze it the same day you get it.

Eat before you go shopping

Have a planned list ahead of shopping time.

Make a master grocery list.

Try living on beans and rice for a week.

If you have little ones in disposable diapers, I have found Costco’s to be the best buy.

Stop using paper towels and use kitchen hand towels, instead.

Buy your tp at Costco in a large amount and just store it somewhere. It’s a good buy and good quality.

Bake. Fresh bread will fill a tummy like nobody’s business and makes hearts happy.

Take cash with you when you go shopping or purchase a gift card and just fill it with the amount you have limited yourself. Plan on keeping a little in there for incidentals, especially when you start this.

Don’t cater to picky eaters, unless it is your husband.

Eat hot cereals in the winter. You don’t even need milk.

Stop buying tooth paste. It’s not good for you, anyway.

Use borax and oxy mixed together instead of laundry soap or dish soap for the dishwasher.

Buy inexpensive Suave shampoo and dilute with water to use in your pump soap dispenser

Eat leftovers for lunch.

Powdered milk works well instead of real as a substitute. I make my yogurt with it, even.

Find a dent and nick store.

Ask your grocer if you can purchase old bananas at a discount.

I’m sure this list is incomplete. Perhaps you have some ideas up your sleeve that I have not come up with. Please share!

Post from: But First, We Have Coffee

85 Ways To Save Money

No Fail Yeast Bread

Ruth — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:13:20 +0000

This came out of a student book and was the ONLY whole wheat bread I could make.

1. Blend in glass measuring cup: 1/2 c. warm water, 2 T. yeast, 2 T. honey or sugar, 1 vitamin C tablet, crumbled.

2. In large mixing bowl w/wooden spoon, mix: 4 c. very hot – not boiling – water, 4 tsp. salt, 2/3 c. honey or sugar, 2/3 c. vegetable oil

3. Blend in: 6 c. whole wheat flour

4. Blend in order then turn out on lightly floured surface: Yeast mixture, 6 more cups of flour (white or whole wheat) (seeds may be added – about 1/2 c.)

5. Knead 5 to 10 minutes (great time for prayer!)

6. Place in greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover & let rise 1 1/2 hrs. or until doubles in size. Punch down, cover, and raise 45 minutes.

7. Punch down and grease pans.

8. Divide and shape into loaves.

9. Place in pans. Let rise 30 minutes.

10. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes.

11. Turn out on sides to cool.

Post from: But First, We Have Coffee

No Fail Yeast Bread

Making Sauerkraut

Ruth — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:27:06 +0000

Since cabbage is a deal right now, and because we like sauerkraut and I have heard it is quite simple to make, I have decided to try my hand at it. (See update below) I looked on YouTube to find some how to’s. I thought the first one below was very helpful, but found the bottom one to be more entertaining. Let me know which you like best. I will let you know how the sauerkraut turns out!

Update: I did try making the kraut. After sitting on our counter for some time, it began to show signs of molding. I would like to try it again, but need a better system that can keep out the air.

Post from: But First, We Have Coffee

Making Sauerkraut

Menu For A Month

Ruth — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:07:56 +0000

Since we make up our menu for a whole month (Middle of one month to the middle of another month), I thought it would be more expeditious to share our menu all at once, instead of weekly, which I am terrible about posting, anyway.

February

15th through the 21st
Sunday – Chili
Monday – Spaghetti
Tuesday -Potato bake with fried eggs
Wednesday – Nachos or burritos
Thursday – Cabbage soup
Friday – Home made pizza
Saturday – Krab bagels

22nd through the 28th
Sunday – Deer roast dinner
Monday – Spaghetti
Tuesday – Chili
Wednesday – Lasagna
Thursday – Home made pizza
Friday – Cabbage soup
Saturday – Leftovers

March

1st through the 7th
Sunday – Mashed potatoes with meat gravy
Monday – Chili
Tuesday – Spaghetti
Wednesday – Turkey quesadillas
Thursday – Nachos or burritos
Friday – Turkey soup
Saturday – Home made pizza

8th through the 14th
Sunday – Egg burritos
Monday – Leftovers
Tuesday – Chili
Wednesday – Cabbage Soup
Thursday – Pancakes
Friday – Enchiladas
Saturday (This is Pi Day!) – Turkey pot pie and several kinds of pie for dessert

Some of these meals may change or be swapped, if necessary.

Post from: But First, We Have Coffee

Menu For A Month

Baking Day!

Ruth — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 23:13:19 +0000

Last week was our baking week for CHRISTmas. Below are photos of most and recipes:

Aunt Barbara’s Mexican Wedding Cakes. See recipe here.

These are light but taste similar to shortbread

Dipped Pretzel Sticks

These are easy for even the smallest child.

Super easy and super good, creamy fudge. See recipe here.

Anne

Peanut Butter Cookies With Kisses. See recipe here.

Peanut Butter Cookies With Kisses

We also made:

Molasses Cookies (See recipe here)
Peppermint Bark (See recipe here)
Martha Washington’s Bon Bon’s (See recipe here)

All the cookies laid out for the neighbors

After the plates were wrapped, we drove around town caroling and handing out these lovelies to our dear friends and neighbors. We had a couple neighbors gone, so those will probably be distributed tonight.

Post from: But First, We Have Coffee

Baking Day!

This and That

Ruth — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:10:21 +0000

As many of you know, I have been away visiting my dad in his last days. Originally, I went out to Oregon to see him in the hospital. By the end of that week, the decision was made to place him in a hospice. He was in the hospice for about ten days. After that, it was the preparation for the memorial service.

Below is a photo of my dad with me on the left, my sister on the right and our half brothers. He will be missed by many, indeed.

My husband wrote an email to friends and family. Here is a small part of that email.

While we had a time of sad parting at Grandpa’s internment and then latter memorial, you might be wondering how it’s possible we can be so lighthearted after a memorial;

I Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

It’s like I explained to Rase when Grandpa died; Grandpa laid aside the dead part, his body, so he could grasp real life, Jesus. Our body is subject to the curse of sin and has to die, but for those who have placed their trust and obedience in Jesus, their bodies die, but their spirits are made more truly alive in a way we can’t understand now because in Jesus;

Colossians 3:3-4
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

What is truly sad are the partings we make that are eternal because people choose to remain in their sins as opposed to accepting the grace of God available in Jesus to grasp what is truly life. Jesus said;

John 14:6
I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father but by Me.

Fortunately, we will see Grandpa sooner than we think.

We drove home Saturday and arrived here at 2:30am Sunday. Sunday, we celebrated Eric’s 17th Birthday by having a feast of egg rolls! Here is a tutorial on how to make these.

Homemade Eggrolls

Today is catch up day with the checkbook, bills, and my forum. I hope to get back into the groove of things here.

Thanks for stopping by! Lord bless the rest of your day as you serve Him!

Post from: But First, We Have Coffee

This and That

Homemade Hamburger Buns

Ruth — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:20:19 +0000

A couple weeks ago, we enjoyed hamburgers made with homemade buns. They were fabulous! The recipe used was from the Tightwad Gazette for Cuban Bread.

This a quick yeast bread. It takes half the time than normal yeast breads and it is super easy!

Ingredients
5-6 cups flour
2 T. dry yeast
2 T. sugar
1 T. salt
2 c. hot tap water
1 T. sesame seeds, oats, or poppy seeds (optional)

Mix 4 cups of the flour with the yeast, sugar, and salt.
Pour in hot water and beat 100 strokes, or 3 minutes with a mixer.
Stir in the remaining flour until the dough is no longer sticky.
Knead 8 minutes.
Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with damp towel.
Let rise 15 minutes.
Punch down.
Divide into 2 pieces, shape into loaves and place on baking sheet.
Cut an X 1/2 inch deep on top with sharp knife.
Brush with water and sprinkle with oats.
Place on the middle shelf of a cold oven.
Place a cake pan of hot water on the lowest shelf.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake 40-50 minutes until deep golden brown.

Post from: But First, We Have Coffee

Homemade Hamburger Buns

Hunting Camp Menu

Ruth — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:48:53 +0000

We are getting ready to send off our hunters. Here is the menu I have come up with:

Breakfast
Choice of the following:
Egg Muffin (English muffin, cheese, sausage, egg)
Egg casserole (shredded potato, bacon, egg, cheese)
Yogurt with granola

Lunch
Choice of the following:
Cup O Noodles
Meat sandwich
Cheese sticks and/or carrot sticks

Dinner
1. Steaks and scalloped potatoes
2. Stew and biscuits
3. Hot dogs and chips
4. Hamburgers
5. Deer backstraps and cubed potatoes

Snacks
Marshmallows
Cookies
Muffins
Cocoa
“Emergency rations” (candy)

We will prepare most of the items ahead of time so they can simply be heated. The exceptions would be steaks and backstraps.

Post from: But First, We Have Coffee

Hunting Camp Menu