Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Applesauce Puffs



 
 
Applesauce Puffs

2 c. Baking Mix or Bisquick
3/4 c. sugar (divided)
1/2 c. applesauce
1/4 c. milk
1 egg
5 T. butter, melted
2 T. oil
3 tsp.. cinnamon (divided)


      Mix together the Bisquick, 1/4 c. of the sugar, and 1 tsp. of cinnamon.  Now, stir in the applesauce, milk, egg, and oil until it is well mixed.  Spray or grease muffin tins and fill each spot 2/3  full of the mixture.  Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.  As it bakes, mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together.  When the muffins are done, and while they are still hot, roll the "puffs" in the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Allow to cool slightly and then enjoy!
 



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Sunday, October 23, 2016

Dehydrating Lemons

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        Preserving citrus fruits is not the easiest thing to do or doesn't produce the best results.  I found that dehydrating it is the best method.  By dehydrating it, you get the actual closest thing to the natural state of the lemon.  

       Lemons are high in Vitamin C and Vitamin A and they are also a good source of Potassium and Calcium.  

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        To dehydrate lemons, wash the skin thoroughly.   If you plan on dehydrating the zest (skin) then use a zester and do that now.  

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preserving lemons, how to dehydrate and use lemons, dehydrating lemons



       Now just slice your lemon with a knife or mandolin and lay the pieces out on your dehydrator trays.

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         Dehydrate for 10-12 hours at 125 degrees.  When they are done, they will be light and brittle.  
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Dehydrated lemons.


        Dehydrated lemon goes great in water, tea or lemonade.  
        The zest can be ground up and made into citrus powder.  The citrus powder can be used to flavor drinks, desserts, soups, salads, etc. or make a citrus cleaner out of it.  

dehydrating lemons, how to dehydrate and use lemons, preserving lemons
Dehydrated lemon zest.  You can grind it into powder or leave it in this form.

Be sure to check out my post on making Citrus Powder by Dehydrating Red Pomelo Grapefruit! 


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Friday, October 21, 2016

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

      The BEST cornbread in the world is made in a cast iron skillet.  It makes all the difference in the world.  We try to make this a few times a week and there is never any left over.  We eat it all.  It is great with meals and we often eat it as a snack.


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Perfect cast iron skillet cornbread

 
 
Cast Iron Skillet Corn Bread
 
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1 c. cornmeal
1 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter
1 T. oil
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs

                                         
                

    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Place your 9" cast iron skillet in the oven to warm it up.  It is important that the skillet is nice and warm first so that the cornbread cooks evenly.  

        In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk and cornmeal.  Let it soak for 10 minutes.

        In another bowl, sift the flour and stir in the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Beat in the cornmeal mixture, eggs, and butter.  Stir until you have a smooth batter.  

         Remove the skillet from the oven (careful it will be hot) and pour the oil into the skillet and make sure it is coated well.  Pour off the excess.  Now, pour the batter into the cast iron skillet.

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The cornbread batter in the cast iron skillet.


         Bake for 18-20 minutes.  It is done when a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.  Cut into wedges to serve.


   
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Wedge of cornbread.

This cornbread goes so good with Homemade Tomato Soup, Smoke Sausage & Radiatore Soup, a big pot of Southern Beans and Ham, or even Chili!
 


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Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Dehydrating Purple Cabbage

Purple Cabbage
Uses for red cabbage, purple cabbage, dehydrating cabbage, preserving the harvest, uses for dried cabbage, uses for dehydrated cabbage
Head of purple cabbage
        I harvested a lot of purple cabbage from our garden this year and it was just too much to eat it all so I decided to preserve by dehydrating it.  Yes, some people call it red cabbage but since it is purple, I call it purple cabbage. 
       Purple cabbage is so good dehydrated.  It not only preserves the cabbage and its shelf life but dehydrated cabbage makes a great snack.  Each little flake just explodes with flavor and it smells incredible.  It rehydrates easily, cooks well and is so easy to store.  To me, dehydrated cabbage is a must for any kitchen!
        Purple cabbage is low in calories.  It also is a vitamin powerhouse being a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, and Folate.  It also a great source of Potassium and is a good source of Calcium (80% of your RDA), Phosphorous and the trace minerals Selenium, Zinc, and Manganese.  It also contains Omega 6 fatty acids.  They have glucosinolates in them also which are a natural anti-inflammatory substance that are key to good health.
           Be sure to not boil the cabbage when you use it.  When you boil it the water will sap out the nutrients.  Sautéing it is the best way to use it and will be usable for most dishes this way. 
How to dehydrate Purple Cabbage
       It is super easy to dehydrate.  Just pull off the outer leaves and discard.   
 
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Head of purple cabbage
Stem and core the cabbage. 
 
Uses for red cabbage, purple cabbage, dehydrating cabbage, preserving the harvest, uses for dried cabbage, uses for dehydrated cabbage
Cabbage after the stem was removed.  Still need to core it.
 Rinse the cabbage and begin slicing it up as you would if you were making coleslaw.   
 
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Sliced cabbage.
Now, put the cabbage on your dehydrator tray. Turn on the dehydrator to 125 degrees.  Let it dry for about 8-10 hours.  I generally just turn on my dehydrator when I go to bed and it is done in the morning.  When done, the cabbage will be brittle to the touch.  
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Dehydrated cabbage.

     Store your dehydrated cabbage in a mason jar.
Uses for red cabbage, purple cabbage, dehydrating cabbage, preserving the harvest, uses for dried cabbage, uses for dehydrated cabbage
Jar full of dehydrated cabbage.
 How to use dehydrated cabbage
       There are many uses for dehydrated cabbage.  It rehydrates very quickly and if your recipe contains plenty of liquid, you don’t even have to rehydrate it before adding it in.  I toss mine into casseroles, soups and stews.  They add some lovely color, nutrition, flavor and texture to soups and stews.  If you plan on making a coleslaw, just soak the dried cabbage in warm water for about 10 minutes and then strain and use it as you would use fresh cabbage. 
            Animals love dehydrated cabbage too.  We feed some to our dogs and our goats as a treat and they can’t seem to get enough of them.  Dry some today and you will love it as much as we do!
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Saturday, October 15, 2016

Adaptable Cookie Recipe

       This may sound like a silly name for cookies but I didn't know what else to call them.  This cookie recipe can be adapted and made your preferred way so hence the name.  No matter what mix-in you add, these turn out lovely and delicious.  Use your imagination and have fun.
 
 





   Adaptable Cookie Recipe
 
 3 c. flour
1 c. butter
1-2 c. mix-ins
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
2 lg. eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
                  
                    
 
       Mix-ins:  chocolate chips, M&M's, sprinkles, nuts, dried fruit, etc.


       Mix all the ingredients together (except the mix-ins) and blend well.  Once it is mixed good, gently stir in whatever mix-ins you want.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for 11 minutes.  

Makes 4 dozen.


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Chocolate chip cookies

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Cookies with M&M's in them


Other great cookie recipes include:  Classic Sugar Cookies & Mexican Wedding Cookies
 
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Thursday, October 13, 2016

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

      This is a family favorite for sure.  My oldest teenage son could not get enough of this and my hubby said he could eat this every day.  For those of you whose first thought is pumpkin and chocolate together does not sound appealing, give it a shot.  You'd be amazed how well these two flavors compliment one another.







Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake


2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. sour cream 
3 eggs
15 oz. pumpkin puree
1 T. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cloves

               

    Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, blend together your oil, baking soda, salt, sugar, sour cream, pumpkin and spices together.  Once well blended, stir in the eggs one at a time.  Then stir in the flour and finally the chocolate chips.

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  Pour the batter into a well-greased 9"x13" cake pan.  Bake for 40-45 minutes.  It is done when a toothpick comes out clean after checking the center of the cake.  

       This is great when served with a dollop of whip cream on the top or just eat it plain.  Great with a nice, hot cup of coffee on a cool morning!  Also check out my Pumpkin Snickerdoodles




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Thursday, October 6, 2016

Death by Chocolate Cake

            This is one of my husband's and my boys' favorite cakes that I make.  We call it "Death by Chocolate" because there are so many layers of chocolate.  It is too much for me but as my hubby says "you're weird babe".  He is a firm believer that there is no such thing as "too chocolatey".  This cake will take 2 batches of homemade chocolate frosting or 2 full cans of chocolate frosting from the store.  It also needs a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips and a chocolate candy bar.
 




       For this cake, you will need to make 2 round cake pans of chocolate cake.  I use my own homemade chocolate cake mix.  Click here to get the recipe.  I gently oiled the pans and gave them a light dusting of flour as you see here.


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    You will also need one round cake pan of chocolate brownies.  I use my brownie recipe but just omit the marshmallows and caramel from the recipe for this cake.  Click here for the brownie recipe.  

      Once you have 2 round cakes pans of chocolate cake cooled and removed from their pans and one round cake pan of brownies cooled and removed from their pan, we will stop assembling the cake.  

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      The first layer is one of the chocolate cakes.  You place it in the center of a plate and now frost it with your favorite chocolate frosting.  You only need to do the top because the sides will be done at the end. 


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     Now, take semi-sweet chocolate chips and sprinkle it generously over the frosting.

Death by Chocolate cake, ultimate chocolate cake recipe, triple chocolate cake recipe,



      The next layer is the brownie.  You frost it and sprinkle it with chocolate chips too.  As you can tell, it doesn't have to be perfect or fit perfectly.  Any "gaps" can be filled in with frosting later.


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The last layer is the other cake.  Now, frost the top and down sides. Until everything has a good covering.  


Death by Chocolate cake, ultimate chocolate cake recipe, triple chocolate cake recipe,

     Take the chocolate bar (we used a milk chocolate one) and shave it.

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Sprinkle the top of the cake with the chocolate shavings.

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     Now, just slice and enjoy!  

Death by Chocolate cake, ultimate chocolate cake recipe, triple chocolate cake recipe,




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Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Dehydrating Jicama


Jicama

          Jicama is a plant that’s indigenous to Mexico.  It’s a vining plant but only the root is edible.  It looks like a really large, light brown turnip. 

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 Inside of the root, it has a creamy white interior with a real crisp texture, almost like a raw potato.  People eat Jicama both cooked and raw.  Either way is all right and tasty.  It has a light sweet taste.  

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          Nutritionally, Jicama is one of the finest sources of fiber.  It is also rich in Vitamin C.  It is extremely low in sodium and hardly any fat.  One small Jicama has about 4mg of iron which is over 20% of the RDA.  It also has about 980mg of Potassium.

            The smaller the root, the sweeter it tastes.  If you want a starchier taste instead of a sweet taste, choose a larger one.  If it is too large, it tends to taste a bit woody but still fine to eat. 

        Once you have the Jicama you want, you need to scrub the root well.  I use a vegetable scrubber and cold water to get all the dirt off of it.  Once it is clean, then use a paring knife or a peeler and peel off the skin.   Now, it’s time to slice it up.  You can cut it into chunks, wedges, or even small disc shaped slices.  It really depends on your own preference or for whatever recipe you will be using it in. 

        When I dehydrate Jicama, I prefer to cut them into the disc shapes so I can make Jicama chips or I shred it.  If I am making the chips, I cut them and then sprinkle them with a bit of chili powder and a bit of salt.  Or another great flavor is a bit of paprika and sea salt. 

Dehydrating Jicama, what is Jicama, how to use dried jicama, making Jicama chips, Hickama

 Either way, these chips, when done, might even replace your craving for regular potato chips.  One added bonus, these have no fat!  Anyway, once they are seasoned, place them on the dehydrator for about 14-16 hours.  They should be nice and crunchy when done.  

 
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Dehydrated Jicama
        If I plan on using the Jicama in a soup, a stew, or having mashed or boiled Jicama, then I just shred the Jicama and then dehydrate it.  It takes about 12 hours to dehydrate in this form.   Boiled Jicama is a great alternative to mashed potatoes.  
     Store the dehydrated Jicama in a sealed mason jar.  It can be stored this way for up to a year or if you put in an oxygen absorber, it can last about 7 years.  

We also like to snack on Butternut Squash Chips.

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I shared this on the following blogs:
Our Simple Homestead 
Blogghetti 
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

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