Quick Cobbler

I forgot to get a finished product picture of this one, because we munched it up. But here is the pretty summer fruit:

This is such a simple recipe.  Take 32 oz frozen fruit (or enough to cover a 9x13), top with 1 box cake mix (or substitute), top with one can of sprite/7-up/fizzy drink, bake at 350 covered for 20 minutes, and then uncovered for 40 more.  Simple and summer yummy!

Cake Mix substitute

If you have a recipe that calls for white or yellow cake mix, and don't have one on hand, here is a quick substitute.  You can either just make enough for one batch, or make several directly into big baggies, to have ready for next time.  I use this in recipes like Applesauce Cake or Quick Cobbler.

MIX:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 cup dry milk
1 tsp vanilla (Only add if using right away, otherwise add the vanilla when preparing recipe.)

Cinnamon Coffee

To your normal coffee grounds in a standard coffee pot add:
1.  A few "dashes" of ground cinnamon
2.  One "dash" of salt
Brew coffe as usual.  This will make a sweet and flavorful coffee.  The cinnamon adds the flavor and the salt cuts the acidity of the coffee. You could also try using the ingredients separately.  I probably won't make this every morning, but it is a nice treat occasionally.

Baked Beans

This recipe is from the Pioneer Woman.  I'm usually on the fence about baked beans, taking some to be polite, and pushing them around a bit.  But these were so, so good. 

8 slices bacon, halved
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
1/2 medium green pepper, cut into small dice
3 large cans (28 ounces each) pork and beans
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup distilled or cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dry mustard or 2 tablespoons Dijon


Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.

Fry bacon in large, deep sauté pan skillet until bacon has partially cooked and released about 1/4 cup drippings.

Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels.

Add onions and peppers to drippings in pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add beans and remaining ingredients bring to a simmer. (If skillet is not large enough, add beans and heat to a simmer then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients).

Pour flavored beans into a greased 13-by 9-inch (or similar size) ovenproof pan.

Top with bacon, then bake until beans are bubbly and sauce is the consistency of pancake syrup, about 2 hours.

 Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.

CookBook Review

This is one of my all-time favorite recipe books.  The first half is money saving tips and the second half contains tons of great recipes.  This is the book that gave me Parmesan chicken strips, West african peanut chicken, and several other recipes that I make monthly!  Just last week I decided to re-read part #1, money saving tips.  I came up with a whole list of things to try.  Amazing what happens when you read a book twice!  Here was my action list:
-Try using cabbage instead of or in addition to lettuce in a salad.  Cabbage is cheap and lasts a long time.  Try a cabbage and shredded carrot salad with asian dressing, for example.
-Use cloth napkins!
-Check out the bulk section in the grocery store
-Get a bread machine
-Try harder to make cookies, rolls, biscuits, and breads at home
-Compare the prices of ground turkey and ground beef
-Re-do my master price list every year
-Compare prices of frozen chicken pieces vs. fresh
-Compare prices of bagged grated cheese vs. block
-Buy dry beans instead of canned and cook them in the slow cooker
-Try overnight or all-day roasts in the slow cooker, such as a pork roast
-Add veg oil to sesame oil for same flavor but lower cost
-Pre-cook whole fryers in slow cooker, then pull apart and freeze shredded chicken for future use, such as casseroles
-Post a list of seasonal fruits and veggies on the fridge for grocery list ideas
-Try oatmeal with ice cream at the chance picky eaters might like it!

Mint chocolate shortbread

Abigail picked this one out of a cookie cookbook and made them (mostly) all by herself.  They are so, so good.

3 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powered sugar
2 tsp mint extract
3 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup York peppermint patty bites (In the big bag.  This was Abigail's touch.) Mmmm
1 container frosting (or half a batch of frosting from your favorite recipe) --  Dyed green

• Preheat oven to 325.  Grease a 9x13.
• In large mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar.  And mint and mix again.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour and cocoa.   Blend into butter mixture.
• Stir in chocolate chips.  Dough will be stiff.
• Press into pan and back 18-20 minutes.  (It will start to look matte, and not shiny as it is done.)
• Cool completely
• Frost and sprinkle mint candy on top.

Oatmeal chocolate chip muffins

Abigail helped make these muffins last week.  We ate them while they were still gooey warm, and a dozen disappeared in one sitting.

1 1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Generous handful of chocolate chips (we used mini)

1 beaten egg
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup oil

This is a standard muffin recipe.  Mix the wet. Mix the dry.  Combine.  Pour into greased muffin tins.  Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until golden.