Mom's Kitchen - in Korea

My Kitchen has Moved!!!

2009-05-11T01:33:00.004-04:00

Mom's kitchen has moved, and I don't mean to a new website. I mean my actual, physical kitchen has moved. I guess technically, it wasn't the kitchen that moved but it was me that moved to a new kitchen. My husband had a great opportunity at work, and all it meant was that our family of six had to move from Canada to Korea in five weeks. Trust me, that was not as easy as it sounds.

Anyway, we have moved and are settling in to our new home. I have found a couple of markets and grocery stores, and thankfully there are a lot more English labels than I was anticipating. I don't speak Korean, and I don't read Korean, so I am grateful. The people we have seen are very friendly and helpful and forgiving of my blundering attempts. They are also fascinated by a family with four blonde kids.

I am trying many new things - both at home and in restaurants, so join me as I learn to shop, cook and eat all over again.

Goodbye Canada!!

Hello Korea!!

Basic Bread

2009-03-03T11:29:00.004-05:00

I have made this recipe so many times that I have it memorized. It is easy to adapt for things like rolls, cinnamon buns, etc.; and you can use different combinations of flour. This amount makes two loaves, which is the amount of dough that a Kitchenaid mixer will mix. It doubles or triples easily. It is a great beginner recipe.

Basic Bread

2 c lukewarm water

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tbsp instant yeast

2 tsp salt

1/3 c vegetable oil

6 c flour

Mix ingredients, kneading in the last of the flour. Knead until smooth. Let rise in a covered bowl until doubled in size. Punch down, then shape into loaves. Let rise in the pans, then bake 20 min at 400.

Oatmeal Cookies

2009-03-03T11:25:00.003-05:00

I got this recipe from an old church cookbook that my grandmother gave me when she was cleaning out her apartment. It's the best oatmeal cookie recipe I have found, and I have made it many, many times.

Oatmeal Cookies

1 c margarine

1 c white sugar

1 c brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 flour

2 1/2 c rolled oats

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Mix well in order given. Bake about 10 minutes at 400 for crispy cookies or 375 for chewy.

Makes about 6 dozen.

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

2009-03-03T11:21:00.002-05:00

This is a basic rolled cookie recipe. They are even better with icing and sprinkles. My husband likes them best frozen, because as a child he used to steal sugar cookies from the freezer.

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

1/3 c butter

1/3 c shortening

3/4 c sugar

1 tsp baking powder

dash salt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 c flour

Blend butter, shortening and sugar well. Add ingredients in the order given. Chill for 3 hours, or until easy to handle.

Bake 375 7 - 8 min.

Makes 3 -4 dozen.

A recipe for stew?

2009-02-10T07:25:00.004-05:00

I know a lot of people think it's strange, but I use a recipe for stew. I have used the same recipe for over ten years. Lots of people use the fridge-cleaning method for stew, which is fine, but then you never know what you're going to get. I like the consistency of knowing how it's going to turn out.

This is one of G1's favorite meals. It goes perfectly with biscuits and is good as leftovers.

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

1 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1/2" cubes

4 med carrots, sliced

4 or 5 med potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes

1/2 onion, diced

3 c vegetable cocktail (V8 or store brand)

3 tbsp quick-cook tapioca

3 tsp beef broth powder

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in a crock-pot. Cook on low for 9 - 10 hours.

About an hour before your going to eat, you can check to make sure the vegetables are cooking enough. If you like them softer, you may want to turn it to high for a bit. It depends on your preferences and the age of the vegetables.

Lightning McQueen Birthday Cake

2009-01-29T07:25:00.005-05:00

B2 just turned four. Since he is one of the biggest Lightning McQueen fans in the world (from the movie CARS), he wanted a Lightning birthday cake. I offered to do a cake that looked like Lightning, or try something fancy, but he just wanted a cake "exactly the same as last year."

So here it is, a great cake for any car fan, and very easy to make.

The grass is green icing made with the decorating tip with a bunch of little holes. It is my favorite for doing grass, hair, etc. It is just fun to use. The road is black sugar. That gives it a little sparkle, and it is a lot easier than trying to make black icing. Lightning is one of his toy cars, and the candle in the middle is the same one he used last year. I think I'd better save it for next year just in case. If CARS 2 comes out, this fascination could last for a long time.

The Hole in my Kitchen

2009-01-28T15:03:00.005-05:00

I'm finally back. It has been an interesting month. After Christmas, I got a hole in my kitchen. It is not all bad. My husband decided that he was going to put hardwood floor in. We have been planning on it for a while, and now he's getting it done. The only difficulty is that it's hard to cook when your stove and half your cupboards are gone.

I am used to baking at least two or three times a week, so I was going through withdrawal. It is different to run to the store for fresh rolls for supper, etc. I have been cooking creatively, using my crock-pot and new rice cooker a lot.

These are not complaints. The floor is looking good and my oven is now back.

Here's how it looked:

having fun in the empty cupboard!

Two funny stories

2008-12-12T07:27:00.003-05:00

#1 - Mis-heard Words

I was reading a story to G1 the other day and read the line "he lost an arm fighting Napoleon."

She startled and said "What?" When I started to explain about old wars and amputation, she said "Ohhh, I thought you said 'he lost an arm for writing a poem.'"

I know people that think poetry is a form of torture, but that would probably be a bit drastic.

#2 - Letter to Santa

We "sort of" do Santa at our house. My kids all know he is pretend, and we never tell them it's real. However, we do go see him at the mall, because my kids like candy canes and coloring books. When they ask for things, we say "you'll have to ask Santa." Then they say "You are Santa. We're asking you."

B1 decided he was going to write a letter to Santa, because he heard that if you write to him, he'll write back. Here's his letter

To: Santa, North Pole, Canada, H0H 0H0

Dear Santa,

I hope you have a great Christmas.

From _____

I thought that was the cutest letter I'd seen. Too bad I didn't mail it (oops)

That is his real address, in case you were wondering.

The never-ending ham, part 4

2008-12-12T07:02:00.003-05:00

This is what most people think of when you talk about using left-over ham. I used that ham bone with a lot of meat on it, and it turned out especially good this time. I made corn bread with it, because nutritionally it's good for you, and I thought all that yellow would be cheerful on a dreary winter day.

Crock Pea Soup

1 lb yellow split peas, rinsed

1 ham bone

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

2 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 qt water

Put all ingredients into a crock-pot. Cook on low 8 - 10 hours, or until peas are very soft. (If they are not soft, put it on high for a bit to speed it up.)

Before serving, remove bone and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Leftover freeze well.

Results:

Everybody liked it, but I knew it was time for a break from ham when my husband said "Is this pig dead yet?" The rest of the ham was in the freezer by then, so it could wait for another time.

Rolled Shortbread Cookies

2008-12-09T21:09:00.002-05:00

Christmas is coming, and I've started doing some baking. This is one of my favorite recipes that I make every year. They are shortbread cookies, so they melt in your mouth. Because they look like sugar cookies, that is usually a surprise. Saturday night I made a batch to take to church on Sunday evening. I had to take something else because they mysteriously disappeared. As my husband said "These cookies are the best that I've ever tasted that look like this."

Rolled Shortbread

1 c cornstarch

1 c icing sugar

2 c flour

1 1/2 c soft butter

Sift together the dry ingredients. Blend in butter with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. It will be quite soft. Chill 30 - 60 minutes. Roll 1/4" thick and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Bake 300 for 15 - 20 min, or until edged are lightly browned. Makes about 3 dozen cookies depending on size.

Decorate with icing after they cool, or sprinkly with colored sugar before baking.

The never-ending ham, part 3

2008-12-09T21:03:00.002-05:00

Day three of ham was just the kids for dinner, so I didn't feel like making something big. I used a trick we like of having breakfast for dinner. My husband is not a big fan of that, so I save it for when he's working. Day 3 with ham - Ham and Cheese Omelets.

I'll have to admit that I've never made omelets before. I do not eat eggs, so I am not really inspired. My kids, however all like eggs, so I thought I'd give it a try. I used directions that I found here. It was easier than I thought it would be.

Result:

"What did you do to the eggs?" "Hey, it tastes almost like quiche."

Everyone liked it again.

Another muffin recipe!

2008-12-08T21:13:00.002-05:00

For some reason, I always hesitated to make Peanut Butter Muffins. I expected that they would turn out dry. (I don't know why with all that oil in them.) This one turned out great. The whole time I was making them, I was thinking of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup commercial from the eighties with the robot saying "your chocolate - in my peanut butter." It really must really have made a big impression, since we didn't even have a tv in that era.

I guess it goes without saying that this is not a health food.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 1/2 c flour

1/2 c sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c peanut butter

1/4 c margarine

1 c milk

2 eggs

1 c chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Cut in peanut butter and margarine until crumbly. Add milk and eggs, and stir just to moisten. Fold in chocolate chips.

Bake 375 for 20 min.

The never-ending ham, part 2

2008-12-08T21:05:00.004-05:00

For day 2 (which really was the day after day 1, there was just a break in posting), I made biscuits with gravy. This is a variation on a dish that I usually make with leftover chicken.

Day 2 - Biscuits with ham gravy

Make a batch of these. (Once you've done that, you can't go too far wrong.)

Chop a bit of onion and as much meat as you want. Brown the onion in butter in a medium saucepan. When it starts to soften up, add the meat to heat. Sprinkle in a couple of tbsp of flour. Cook and stir for a minute, then add 1 c broth and 1 c milk (or more depending on how many you have to feed.) Season with salt and pepper and other spices that you like. Serve the biscuits on a plate, and ladle gravy on top.

One or two vegetables on the side make a great meal.

Results:

Everyone REALLY liked it. (but we all like biscuits)

The never-ending ham, part 1

2008-12-02T10:47:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, we went to a gathering of extended family. We had a great time of games and visiting and a delicious meal. When we were packing up the food, there were a lot of leftovers. My dad was packing up the meat and asked "Can your family take a whole ham?" Sure we could take a whole ham. It was a big ham - more than enough for our family for a week.

So that was the challenge. Could we eat the leftover ham every day for a week without getting sick of it?

Day One - Scalloped Supper

This is a leftover meal that is especially good with ham. It is basically scalloped potatoes with other stuff thrown in.

potatoes, peeled and sliced - enough to fill your pan, I use a 9 x 13

leftover meat

carrots, peeled and sliced (optional)

other vegetables - frozen, leftover, whatever you have (optional)

Layer the potatoes, meat and vegetables in the pan. I usually have three layers of potatoes with meat and vegetables in between.

Sauce

1/2 onion, chopped - or more, depending on your taste

butter

flour

milk

salt

pepper

cheddar cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

In a medium saucepan, saute the onion in butter. When it is starting to go soft, sprinkle in some flour, and then make white sauce with onion. Make more or less depending on what size of casserole dish you have. Stir in cubed or shredded cheddar cheese and mushroom soup.

Pour sauce over potatoes and cover with foil. Bake 350 until potatoes are soft, 45 min - 1 hour. Remove foil for the last 15 minutes so the top can brown.

Results:

When I was making this, G1 told me that she doesn't eat anything with the word casserole in the name, so I didn't use that word. Everyone liked it.

White Sauce

2008-11-28T07:18:00.002-05:00

Making a basic white sauce is a necessary skill for any cook. It is so versatile, and has many different variations. Every time I make white sauce, I remember the time when my husband and I were invited to a friend's for dinner. He was a single guy living on his own, and he was cooking. He was pretty good cook, and he wanted to make cheese sauce for something. His mom gave him directions, so he figured it was no problem. We were standing around in the kitchen as he was making it. First, he put in butter. "I know my mom said this much, but that doesn't seem like enough, I'll put in some more." Then flour. "I know my mom said this much, but I think I need more." Last he added milk. "This doesn't look right. I think there's a problem." He asked me to take a look and see what I thought. I told him it needed more milk. "But I used the amount my mom said to use, it should be okay."

Once you've made this a couple of times, you won't need a recipe. It is a great thing for experimenting with and adapting on the fly. Keep in mind that all these measurements are approximate. I can't remember the last time I measured for white sauce.

Basic White Sauce

3 tbsp butter or margarine

3 tbsp flour

2 c milk

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. When it is liquid, sprinkle in the flour and stir with a spoon or whisk. Cook for about three minutes. This is called a roux ("roo") and can be used to thicken gravy, soup, etc.

Pour in milk and cook, stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken up.

To make cheese sauce, just add cubed or grated cheese (cheddar is great) and stir to melt.

Stay tuned for many variations of white sauce.

Keeping Kids Busy

2008-10-31T15:03:00.002-04:00

Yesterday afternoon I had eight kids in my house. Since I usually only have four, that was a lot for me. Luckily, play dough came to the rescue. We haven't had any in a while, so I whipped up a new batch, and it kept the kids constructively occupied for hours. Of course, nothing feels better than warm play dough.

Play Dough

2 tbsp oil

1/2 c salt

2 c hot water

2 c flour

1 tsp alum

Heat oil, salt and water in a medium saucepan with food coloring. Stir over medium-high heat until all the salt is dissolved. It should almost come to a boil, but not quite.

Remove from heat and stir in flour and alum. When it is cool enough to handle, knead to the desired consistency.

I've seen other recipes for play dough that had kool-aid in them. These look and smell great, but personally, I don't want my play dough to smell good enough to eat.

Secret to perfect pie crust

2008-09-23T07:14:00.004-04:00

ssshh ... I am about to reveal an old family secret.

My mom is pretty famous for her pies. They always have a perfect flaky pastry that doesn't always come with pie. Lots of people that are excellent bakers have trouble with pie crust. Luckily, my mom passed on her secret recipe to me, and now I can share it with you.

The secret to perfect pastry:

Crisco shortening. (don't use lard or butter)

Use the recipe that's on the box.

Leave big chunks of shortening in mix.

Use lots of flour.

Be gentle and roll it out the first time - if you use lots of flour it shouldn't stick. DON'T KNEAD THE DOUGH. IT IS NOT BREAD.

It's okay if it doesn't work out the first time. Practice makes perfect. If your family gets sick of pie, you can always give them away. This will make you popular.

Old-fashioned Peach Pie

2008-09-23T07:09:00.002-04:00

We are still eating peaches, and I still have a few more peach pies to make. Here is a good recipe for an excellent, old-fashioned double crust peach pie. Sorry the picture isn't that great, but it didn't last long enough to take another one.

Peach Pie

pastry for a double-crust pie

3 c sliced peaches (for 9" pie)

1/2 c white sugar

3 tbsp cornstarch

3 tbsp butter

Mix the sugar and cornstarch together, then stir in peaches and pour them into the pie shell. Dot with butter and cover with the top crust.

Bake 425 for 15 min, then 350 for 30 min.

How a car guy learns the alphabet

2008-09-20T16:40:00.005-04:00

Getting info to the brain

2008-09-20T16:38:00.002-04:00

The 5-year-old way to do it.

Baby Quilt

2008-09-16T15:59:00.003-04:00

I enjoy hand-quilting and I get great satisfaction out of seeing the finished product, but with home schooling four children, I don't get much time to do that (and there's not a lot of space in my house for a quilt frame). Last year for Christmas, my husband bought me an even-feed foot for my sewing machine (it's what I asked for), and now I'm getting a lot of practice using it. I can finally finish all the quilt tops that I have pieced and not gotten around to finishing!

My sister-in-law just had a new baby, so I made a quilt for them. It was a quilt top I had previously made, and it was quilted in under an hour! I know it is not authentic for quilting purists, but it probably will be spit up on by a baby. I was pretty happy with how it turned out. It is backed in flannel.

Back-to-School Muffins

2008-09-16T15:54:00.003-04:00

As we jump back into our school schedule, I often don't have time for muffins from scratch in the mornings. That's where Pail Bran Muffins are handy. The batter can stay in the fridge in a big bowl for up to six weeks. When you need them, just scoop into a muffin tin and bake.

Bran Muffins in a Pail

5 1/2 c flour

2 1/2 c white sugar

3 c natural bran

2 c All-Bran cereal

4 c buttermilk

3 tbsp baking soda

1 1/2 c vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/2 c molasses

2 c raisins

In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk and baking soda. Let sit for 5 minutes. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add oil, eggs and molasses to buttermilk. Mix well, then pour into dry ingredients. Stir to moisten, then fold in raisins. Store in a tightly covered container for up to 6 weeks.

Bake 375 for 20 min.

knit hat

2008-09-13T23:17:00.002-04:00

I have been very busy making things lately. Here is a hat that I knit for my daughter from Bernat Baby Jacquard yarn. I just loved how the design turned out. It was great yarn to work with. Isn't she cute?

My cooking skills are quite amazing!

2008-09-06T13:15:00.002-04:00

My two boys LOVE porridge. They actually cheer when I say they can have it. (I guess it's such a nice break from fresh hot waffles with strawberry sauce.) Since I don't feel like eating oatmeal every day, and usually B2 is hungry at least an hour before B1 is awake in the summer, I have been making single servings in the microwave, or using instant oatmeal from a recipe on the family homestead.

Now that we are back on a school schedule B2 has to get up in the morning and the baby is big enough to eat it as well, I started making it in a pot on the stove. The first time I did this, both boys just stared at me. "What are you doing?" "Can you really cook porridge on the stove?" (and this is from boys who have never seen little packages of instant, flavored oatmeal)

Now they get excited when they see it. They think "stove porridge" is a special treat!

How can that be wrong?

2008-09-03T17:17:00.003-04:00

I am teaching my 3-year-old about days and calendars. This morning we had this conversation:

Mommy: If yesterday was Tuesday, what is today called?

B2: Threesday

(It didn't help that there was a number 3 on today on the calendar.)

I think I've outgrown the sink!

2008-08-29T19:05:00.002-04:00

Kitchen Tip - Peeling Peaches

2008-08-26T15:09:00.004-04:00

It's peach season, and to me that means one important thing - peach pie. That is one of my favorite pies, although I do like most fruit pies. The hard thing with peach pie is deciding which recipe to make because I have a few really good ones. The easy thing is peeling peaches. The trick is to have peaches that are really ripe. They should feel slightly soft to the touch (but not mushy, that's too ripe.) If they are hard, let them sit on your counter for a day or two - NOT in the fridge. They will ripen up nicely. Freestone peaches are easier to slice because the peach falls right off the pit. Get it - free stone.

Here are the three easy steps to peeling peaches:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop peaches, a few at a time into boiling water. Leave in 30 - 60 seconds. Not too long, you are not cooking them.

2. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the peaches out of the boiling water, and immediately place in COLD water.

3. When they have cooled enough to handle (a minute or so depending on how tough your hands are) take them out and the skin slides right off leaving a naked peach.

4. (I know I said three easy steps, but technically this comes after it has been peeled.) Slice around the peach pit, and drop them into a bowl. If you are doing a lot, place them in water with lemon juice until you are ready to use them so they don't turn brown.

Looks good - peach pie coming later.

Say this ten times fast: Penny Penner peeled peaches in Pittsburgh.

Mmmmm ..... Peach Muffins

2008-08-25T16:30:00.002-04:00

It's peach season! Fresh peaches are great this time of year, but these muffins can be made any time with canned peaches.

Peach-Brown Sugar Muffins

2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

2/3 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp allspice

1 beaten egg

1 c sour cream or plain yogurt

1/3 c packed brown sugar

1/3 c milk

1/4 c oil

1 c chopped peeled peaches

Topping

3 tbsp flour

3 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

4 tsp cold butter

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and allspice. In another bowl, combine egg, sour cream, brown sugar, milk and oil; stir in peaches. Add peach mixture all at once to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.

In a small bowl, cut butter into other topping ingredients until it resembles crumbs.

Scoop batter into muffin tins and sprinkle with topping. Bake 400 for 20 - 25 min.

G1's Favorite Brownies

2008-08-14T06:45:00.004-04:00

G1 loves brownies. She is always asking to make them. I don't blame her - I like them myself (but then, I like anything with sugar.) I try not to keep them around all the time because I will eat too many. Last week, she had a sleep-over with four friends. (Five girls in one small room was interesting. I'm glad I don't do that every night.) In honor of her guests, we made brownies. These are easy and delicious.

Double Fudge Brownies

1 c butter or margarine, softened

4 eggs

2 c sugar

1 c cocoa

1 c flour

1 c chopped nuts or coconut

1 c chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add remainder of ingredients and mix until smooth. Spread mixture into a greased 13 x 9 pan and bake at 325 for 40 - 50 min.

You could add chocolate icing if you're really a chocoholic, but then the name would have to be changed to Triple Fudge Brownies - who would want that?

Oatmeal Pancakes

2008-08-12T07:12:00.002-04:00

I will not eat something that I don't like just because it is good for me. I would rather have a little bit of something that tastes really good than a lot of something that I don't enjoy. These pancakes are not only healthy, they are delicious.

Oatmeal Pancakes

1 1/4 c whole wheat flour

3/4 c rolled oats

1/4 c wheat germ

1/4 c dry milk powder

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 c buttermilk or sour milk

3 tbsp vegetable oil

optional: fruit such as blueberries, diced apple, etc.

(If you want to counteract any health benefits they may have, add chocolate chips!)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Cook on a hot griddle like normal pancakes.

Back to Monday Muffins

2008-08-11T13:16:00.003-04:00

These muffins are a nice side dish to stew or soup in place of rolls. They are also good with jam, but they are not a sweet dessert muffin. If you are from the south and make real corn bread these are probably a travesty, but in my world "y'all" is not a word and these are pretty good.

Corn Muffins

1 c flour

1 c cornmeal

2 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 can (14 oz) cream corn

1/2 c buttermilk

1 egg

2 tbsp melted margarine or oil

1 can diced green chilies (optional - I never use these because I am a spice wimp, but since it is written on my recipe card, I'll include it here.)

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl, then pour into dry all at once. Stir to moisten, then scoop into muffin tins.

Bake 20 min at 375.

Muffins for Dessert?

2008-07-28T19:21:00.001-04:00

These delicious muffins certainly don't qualify as "health food", but blueberries are very good for you. They look beautiful, but my kids ate them before I could take a picture.

Blueberry Muffins

1/2 c margarine

1 1/4 c sugar

2 eggs

2 c flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 c milk

2 c blueberries

Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time and beat well. Combine flour, salt and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in berries. Makes 12 large muffins.

Bake 375 for 30 min

Fishing with Grandpa

2008-07-25T09:48:00.002-04:00

Recently, my kids had a great time fishing with Grandpa.

It's okay. I'll touch it.

Now what do I do?

Look at this!

Just hangin' out on the pier.

Monday Muffins

2008-07-21T07:20:00.003-04:00

These are our favorite banana muffins. I'm suspicious that sometimes my husband lets bananas get extra-ripe on purpose just so that I will make these.

Banana Nut Muffins

1 1/3 c flour

1/2 c brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c oat bran

1/2 c walnuts (or chocolate chips!)

1 egg

1/3 c vegetable oil

1 c mashed banana (about 3 medium bananas)

2/3 c buttermilk or sour milk

Mix dry ingredients, including nuts or chocolate chips, in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl, being sure to lightly beat the egg to mix thoroughly.

Pour wet ingredients into dry, stir just until mixed. Muffin batter should be lumpy. Scoop into muffin tins and bake.

15 - 20 min at 375

Think they're related?

2008-07-17T07:26:00.000-04:00

G1 (in 1999)

G2 (in 2008)

Kitchen Tip - Freezer Inventory

2008-07-15T07:07:00.000-04:00

I love my freezer. It is an investment that has saved a lot of time and money over the years. When meat is on sale, I can buy a lot and use it over the course of a few months. I can make meals ahead for when I know I will be busy. I can keep produce from our garden to eat in the winter. A freezer is a great tool to have.

Like most tools, however, it only helps if it is used correctly. If I buy something and it migrates to the bottom of the freezer for a couple of years and then gets thrown out, it has not saved me any money. The trick to using a freezer efficiently is to KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE. I do this by having a freezer inventory.

I have five pages in my freezer inventory - meat, produce, meals, other and canning (which I know is technically not freezer.) Each page has three columns - item, date, quantity.

Under item, I write what I have and the quantity it is packaged in (ie. 2 c strawberries, 6 c strawberries, single chicken breasts, 4 chicken legs, etc.)

Date is the date it is put in the freezer.

Under quantity, I write hash marks for the number of unit I have (ie. seven would be like this - l l l l l l l)

When I use something, I cross off the hash marks for what I used (if I used three of seven, it would now look like this - X X X l l l l )

As long as I remember to write in my book when I take something out or put something in, I know what I have in the freezer. Then, even if I can't see it immediately, I can look deeper. (I KNOW I have a pan of lasagna in here somewhere.)

Once a year, on a hot summer day, I take everything out of the freezer and count it and start my sheets from scratch. This keeps them pretty accurate. It's also a good way to cool off in the summer.

Things like ice cream I don't bother to track in my inventory. My family does a good job keeping track of that without my help.

More Muffins on Monday

2008-07-14T11:39:00.001-04:00

It is currant season, and we have a couple large currant bushes in our garden. My husband's favorite thing is red currant pie and my favorite is black currant jam, but there are many other things you can do with currants. These red currant muffins are yummy.

Red Currant Muffins

2 1/4 c flour

2/3 c sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

3/4 c milk

1/2 c vegetable oil

1 1/2 c red currants

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix egg, milk and oil in a measuring cup, then pour into dry ingredients all at once. Stir just until moistened. Gently stir in red currants. Scoop into greased muffin tins.

Bake 20 to 25 min at 400.

Garden Fresh Produce

2008-07-14T09:27:00.001-04:00

We are starting to enjoy the fresh food from our garden. The first couple of beans didn't even make it into the house. I guess I could put my foot down, but saying to a five-year-old "stop eating those beans" just doesn't feel right to me.

We are getting a lot of spinach and beet greens right now, so spinach salad is being served several times a week. Here are two of our favorite recipes.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

(when everything has been freshly picked, this is one of the best salads in the world)

spinach

sliced strawberries

1/2 c slivered almonds, toasted

1/4 c sweet onion, diced

dressing:

1/4 c sugar

1/4 c oil

2 tbsp white vinegar

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1/4 tsp worcestershire sauce

Wash and dry spinach. Mix with strawberries, almonds and onion.

Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then toss into the spinach mixture.

Spinach Apple Salad

(because apples last longer than strawberries)

spinach

other greens, if desired

1 c diced, unpeeled apple

walnuts, optional

dressing:

4 tbsp cider vinegar

4 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

Mix salad ingredients in a large bowl. Mix dressing in a small bowl, then toss with salad.

Tastes great and it's healthy too. Just look out for Popeye.

Peanut Butter Cookies

2008-07-10T15:18:00.001-04:00

I'm really glad that no one in my family has a peanut allergy. This is one of the big reasons why. These peanut butter cookies are addictive! It's the same recipe my mom used when I was a kid.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 c margarine or butter

1 c brown sugar

1 c white sugar

1 c peanut butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 1/2 c flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

Mix in the order given. Place balls onto a greased cookie sheet and flatten with a fork.

Bake 10 min at 350.

Try not to eat them all before they cool.

Kitchen Tip Tuesdays - on-line recipes

2008-07-08T07:34:00.000-04:00

I love recipes. I'm the kind of person who checks cookbooks out of the library to read them. Obviously, I also get a lot of recipes on-line. Since my computer is in my kitchen, that works well for me.

When I see a recipe on-line that I like, I cut and paste it into a Word file called "recipes". Then I can zoom in about 500%, so that I can read it from across the room where I cook. After I've tried it, I can decide whether it's worth printing or not. This saves on paper, printing and storage.

Since my recipes file is over 60 pages by now, I find the recipe I'm looking for by using the "find" feature in Word. One day I may format them all nicely and print them off for my printed recipe collection, but for now, using the monitor works for me.

mmm... Muffins on Monday

2008-07-07T07:59:00.000-04:00

This is my favorite bran muffin recipe. They have a light texture and a nice flavor. I just have to watch B2 when I make them, because he would eat 3 or 4 if I let him, and then we have a problem later...

Honey Bran Muffins

1 c natural bran

1 c buttermilk or sour milk (regular milk with 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar)

1/3 c margarine

1/2 c brown sugar

2 tbsp honey

1 egg

1 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Soak bran in milk while preparing the rest.

Cream margarine and brown sugar. Beat in the honey and the egg. Add the bran mixture.

Stir in dry ingredients until moistened. You can add any extra add-ins that you like: raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, etc.

Bake 375 for 15-20 min.

First Foods

2008-07-07T07:54:00.000-04:00

G2 has started eating baby cereal now. It is fun to try to get it in her mouth and not anywhere else.

What's this?

I think I like it.

More please!

I thought only boys liked frogs!

2008-07-04T08:16:00.000-04:00

My nine-year old daughter is not a tomboy, but probably a normal girl. She doesn't mind getting dirty, and she likes playing soccer. She also likes getting dressed up and painting her nails. She is a huge help to me and I don't know what I'd do without her.

Apparently she also likes toads. (I hope she didn't kiss it.)

What to do with strawberries!

2008-07-04T08:02:00.000-04:00

We went strawberry picking twice this year, so ended up with five of the baskets that you can see in the pictures. What do we do with all the strawberries? We freeze a bunch, make jam, a really yummy strawberry sauce, strawberry-rhubarb pie filling and of course EAT THEM!

Here is our special breakfast treat. We only have waffles this way during strawberry season.

I have a few different waffle recipes that I use, but this one is our favorite "treat" waffle. (It's probably also the least healthy, so we only have it occasionally.)

Traditional Waffles

1/2 c melted butter or margarine

3/4 c sugar

2 1/4 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 c milk

3 eggs

pinch of salt

twist of lemon (I use bottled lemon juice)

Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add eggs and milk and beat thoroughly. Add butter and lemon and mix until smooth. Cook 4 - 5 minutes in a hot waffle iron.

Strawberry Picking!

2008-07-02T07:34:00.000-04:00

Strawberry picking is one of our favorite family traditions. This year the weather was great - not too hot for picking, although that made the berries a bit smaller.

B1 picking

G1 with a berry

Look at the cool tractor!

Everyone posing for a picture (B2, B1, G2, G1)

Tuesday kitchen tip - muffins

2008-06-24T08:01:00.000-04:00

To put muffin batter into the tins, use a large ice cream scoop. It is fast, it makes them uniform size, and it gives them a nice rounded top.

Mini muffins could use a small scoop, the same one you would use for drop cookies.

For more great tips, check out one of my favorite sites, Tammy's recipes.

Yummy Muffins

2008-06-24T07:56:00.000-04:00

I love muffins. They are a great breakfast or snack and there is such a variety - from savory to dessert. I make muffins at least once a week. Here is a great versatile recipe.

Rhubarb muffins

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 c white sugar

1/4 c brown sugar

1 1/2 c diced rhubarb

1 egg

1/2 c milk

1/4 c oil

1 tsp almond flavoring

Mix dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl, beat egg, add milk, oil and almond flavoring.

Pour wet ingredients over dry and stir to moisten. Fold in rhubarb.

Bake 20 minutes at 375.

This is equally delicious with other kinds of fruit - peaches, blueberries, I've even tried red currants.

Rhubarb Season!

2008-06-20T07:22:00.000-04:00

I'm so glad that it's rhubarb season. I love the tangy taste of rhubarb. Unfortunately for my waistline, one of the best ways to eat rhubarb is in pie. Here's a good basic rhubarb pie recipe.

Rhubarb Pie

pastry for a 9" pie

2 cups pink rhubarb

3 tbsp flour

1 egg, beaten

1 cup sugar

Cut the rhubarb in pieces and distribute it evenly in the unbaked pie shell.

Mix the flour, sugar and egg; beat the mixture and pour it over the rhubarb.

Cover the top with pastry. A lattice top is very pretty if you have the time and ambition.

Bake for 10 minutes at 450, then 35 minutes at 350.

Strawberry Cream Roll-ups

2008-06-20T07:10:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday, my 5 year old son (B1) came home from Sunday School with his usual Sunday School paper. He was very excited because this week it had a recipe in it. Yesterday he finally got to make it for the family. He was proud to serve us his own cooking. This is a great recipe for kids. Thanks, Regular Baptist Press.

Strawberry Cream Roll-ups

soft tortilla shells

spreadable cream cheese

strawberry jam (if your child made the jam, it's even better!)

Spread cream cheese on a tortilla shell, all the way to

the edges.

Spread jam over the cheese.

Roll up the tortilla.

Cut into slices.

Enjoy!

Kitchen Tip Tuesday

2008-06-17T06:57:00.000-04:00

Use a potato masher to crush fruit.

This is useful for making jam. Soft fruits like strawberries and peaches crush easily.

It is also good for bananas for bread and muffins.

I suppose you could do that to make chunky baby food, but by the time my babies can handle lumps in food, I just let them gum it and make a big mess.

My Little Cutie Pie

2008-06-16T07:19:00.001-04:00

Here is my little cutie pie in a new outfit I made her. She is five months old, and is really getting active.

I guess she has to be able to get away from her big brothers!

Ultimate Tea Biscuits

2008-06-16T07:05:00.000-04:00

Many years ago, when I was eight, my mother decided to teach me how to cook. She got me a spiral notebook to write down all my recipes. I have a suspicion that it may have also been a sly attempt to get me to have extra handwriting practice, but she hasn't admitted anything.

"Biscuits Supreme" was the first recipe that I copied into my notebook. I made them to go with chile. Today, it was one of the first recipes that I taught my daughter, and I still make it often. These are the best tea biscuits, great for a tea party or with soup or stew for supper.

Biscuits Supreme

2 c flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2 tsp sugar

1/2 c shortening

2/3 c milk

Sift dry ingredients into a bowl. Cut in shortening with a knife or a fork. Leave pieces of shortening so it looks crumbly - this is what makes them flaky. Add milk. Mix lightly, knead gently 10 - 12 strokes. Roll on a floured surface and cut.

Place touching each other on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 - 12 minutes at 450.

Yum Yum

How does your garden grow?

2008-06-13T06:33:00.000-04:00

Our family garden is off to a good start. We have a medium-sized vegetable garden. This year we have tomatoes, beans, peas, peppers, onions, leek, cucumber, eggplant, pumpkins and maybe some other things that I am forgetting. Calling it a "family" garden might be stretching it a little. It should be called the "family except for mommy" garden. The garden is my husbands domain. The kids love to work outside with daddy but I don't have a green thumb and I don't like mosquitos or hot sun. I just say that I "don't want to intrude on quality father-kid time".

Once the vegetables come in the door, then they're in my domain. My husband has no interest in doing anything with the produce besides growing it and eating it fresh when he's picking it. That's not bad, but it's hard to eat half a bushel of tomatoes at a time.

Canning Time

2008-06-13T06:24:00.000-04:00

It's the beginning of canning season. Canning is a great way to preserve food. It doesn't take up freezer space and is relatively simple once you know the basics.

The spring time is time for jam. Yesterday I made rhubarb jam, and today I think I will try strawberry freezer jam with my kids. Certo freezer jam is a great recipe for children. Even a preschooler can make it almost independently. They feel great to say they made it all by themselves.

Making jam does not necessarily save money, especially if you buy your fruit, but I think it is fun, and good for children to learn the process. Most children today just know that jam comes from a jar (or squeeze bottle!) and the jar comes from the store. Besides, homemade jam is always a nice gift - even better with a loaf of homemade bread.

How I do it

2008-06-11T07:39:00.001-04:00

People often ask me how I do it. I think they have the idea that my house is always spotless, I always cook gourmet meals from scratch, I never raise my voice, and I have a miniature school room in my house where my children line up for recess and a washroom break. In reality, I always wish my house was cleaner, I sometimes yell at my kids, and we learn things all around the house - usually the kitchen, but sometimes even the laundry room will do.

There is no way to do it all - unless you have paid staff to do some of it for you. One of the things I say is "it's not worth the effort." If I am going constantly and am always exhausted, then it's not worth the effort. If my kids sit in front of the tv all day so they don't make a mess with toys, then it's not worth the effort. I always look at how much I have to invest (time and effort) and what my return on my investment will be. Sometimes it's not worth it.

Lately the biggest question I get is "How do you ever homeschool with a new baby?" I always say that when it snows a foot during the night, the last thing I want to do is get up, shovel the driveway, bundle up two kids, a toddler and a newborn and get everybody to a school by 8:30. Lots of days I'm happy to stay home and let the kids sleep later knowing I don't have to go anywhere. Of course, by the time the nice spring weather arrives, we're already done school, so we can just go to the park and play.