Amish Friendship Bread Sugar-Free

Posted on April 26, 2012 | Leave a comment

My experiment with making Amish Friendship Bread Sugar-Free is complete. The results were outstanding.  I have been making Amish Friendship Bread for about 3 months and have used Splenda in the final stage.

I decided to see if you could use Splenda all the way through the process. I was not sure that the yeast would ferment properly without real sugar.

The start that I used back at the very beginning did have sugar in it. However, for the remaining steps calling for sugar, Splenda was substituted.

I was somewhat concerned with the start for the first 5 days. It seemed thicker and there was very little sign of fermentation. After adding the milk, flour and Splenda on day 6 I could tell that it was fermenting. It still was rather unusual in appearance. But I kept on with my experiment.

You can see the result above. Besides the Splenda, I also used Sugar-Free Chocolate Pudding. This recipe also has chocolate chips added.

Why don’t you try it if sugar intake is important to you?  If you don’t know someone who can give you a start, send me an email and I will send you the recipe to actually make the start.

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Posted in Amish Friendship Bread, Breads

A Kitchen Gadget: An Even Better Way to Peel Potatoes

Posted on February 14, 2012 | Leave a comment

Spent some time last night browsing Amazon after I got the plugin installed on my site.

I am addicted to kitchen gadgets — have been all my life. A trip to the fair always meant that I brought home at least one kitchen gadgets. Sometime I brought home things like special brooms but those kitchen gadgets were my downfall. I wasn’t even interested in pots and pans but oh those choppers, slicers and peelers.

This is electric. This is fantastic. I can’t wait to order it this weekend. My fingers that don’t want to grip are yearning already. Doesn’t cost much! Worth a Try! YES, it definitely has to be mine.

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Posted in A Timesaver, Potatoes

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An Easy Way to Peel Potatoes!

Posted on February 5, 2012 | Leave a comment

If you have read my blog for very long (or know me personally) you know I love potatoes. I have always said if I had to take one food to an island, it would be potatoes. Of course, I would also need some oil to fry them, some milk and butter to mash them and some butter to bake them. That would pretty much cover the bases except for the salt.

I don’t mind admitting it, I am getting old. That isn’t a problem BUT what I do mind are the frailties that creep up on you. One that is really bothering me right now is losing strength in my hands. It particularly bothered me night before last when I tried to peel some medium size potatoes. Had to resort to a knife and I don’t like to do that. I can remember when I was a girl and watched my great-grandmother peel potatoes with her pocket knife. She threw away at least half of the potato.

But I just watched a video that I can’t wait to try. Looks simple — hope it is. Watch the video and let me know what you think.

Peeling Potatoes — A Breeze

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Posted in Potatoes

Blackeye Peas and Mexican Cornbread Help To Greet 2012

Posted on January 3, 2012 | 2 Comments

New Years Day!! Of course we had to have blackeye peas. We wouldn’t want to have bad luck this year. Actually I should say we would like to have good luck this year. Best to be positive. I don’t really like them but I have my obligatory tablespoon.

Fried potatoes and ham were on the menu but the star for me was the Mexican Cornbread.

Mexican CornbreadINGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1 can chopped green chilies
  • 1 can ( 8 3/4 oz.) creamed style corn
  • 1 1/2 cup grated cheese

Stir together the cornmeal, baking soda and salt. Beat eggs slightly. Add buttermilk and oil. Beat to blend. Stir in corn then add to cornmeal mixture. Stir until moistened.

Spread half of this batter over the bottom of an ungreased 8 x 8 baking dish. Sprinkle with half the chilies and half the cheese. Add remaining batter, spreading it carefully and evenly. Sprinkle with remaining chilies and cheese.

Bake at 350 until golden brown — about 40 minutes.

Good recipe I’m sure but the fact that no flour was included bothered me. I keep cornmeal as well as cornbread mix which simply means it has all the dry ingredients included. I use Shawnee Mills Cornbread mix and cornmeal from a local Oklahoma company. I decided to use the mix in place of the dry ingredients listed above. Other than that I followed the recipe. I baked mine in a cast iron skillet.

Changes I will make next time:

Add cheese and green chilies to the mix so it will be dispersed throughout. Save some cheese for top. It makes a beautiful golden finish.

Bake in a rectangle baking dish, approximately    9 x 13. This will make the cornbread thinner, easier to eat and more crispy.

It is worth giving it a try. Let me know how yours turns out. Did you make any changes?

 

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Posted in Bread

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Eggnog Bread Says Happy Holidays

Posted on December 21, 2011 | Leave a comment

I had not tried this recipe before so I just had to try my hand at it.

I will give you the recipe and then I will tell you what I did with it after it came out of the oven.

Sometimes I think I made a mistake even if I can’t figure out what it was. I followed the recipe exactly but there are always adjustments you can make to improve on the final product.

Ingredients

  • 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 2 3/4 cups canned or dairy eggnog
  • 1/2 cup cooking oil
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 3/4 cup snipped dried apricots

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in large mixing bowl. Combine eggs, eggnog and oil; add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Stir in chopped pecans and snipped apricots.

Turn into 2 greased 8 x 4 x 2 loaf pans. Bake in preheated 350° for 55 to 60 minutes. Cover with foil after 40 minutes if the bread browns too quickly.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan; cool on wire rack. Wrap bread; store overnight in refrigerator. Drizzle Eggnog Icing over bread.  (Eggnog Icing — Stir together 2/3 cup powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tsp. canned or diary eggnog to make an icing of drizzling consistency.

What Went Wrong (In My Opinion)

First of all, I do not have loaf pans. Ever since I downsized I am constantly finding things that I have gotten rid of that I want to use. So, I used a 13 x 9 Pyrex baking pan.

Because of this, the bread was thick but very dry and dense. So — my solution:

I sliced the bed in half horizontally. I made the icing a little thicker. I put icing on the top of each. I then put the pieces in the microwave for about 25 seconds. After removing from the microwave, I stacked the pieces back on top of each other.

In making the icing, I substituted regular milk for the eggnog.

Widely diverse opinions on the Eggnog Bread. I am not too fond of eggnog so that definitely probably swayed my opinion. But there were plenty that thought it was great. Make it yourself and form your own opinion.

 

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Posted in Christmas, Eggnog Bread

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Recipes for A Visit From the Best

Posted on December 20, 2011 | Leave a comment

While I was anticipating a visit from two of the best students around, I had to bring out the recipe files. Tim called a few days before their visit to tell me he and Cheryl were on their way. Of course, he told me that they didn’t want me to bother with cooking. However, I don’t mind well.

Thought you might enjoy a look at some of the recipes.

Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers

My family has always made Stuffed Peppers in a slightly different way. We use a lot of rice with the hamburger meat as stuffing and also surround the peppers with the “stuffing”. In the last couple of years I have been making what I call “Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers”.

This is one of those recipes that I don’t measure so you will find below ingredients and general instructions.

Brown hamburger and onion. I use about a pound of meat to a cup of chopped onion.

Clean 3 green bell peppers. Chop into medium pieces. Saute in a couple of tablespoons of margarine.

Cook rice according to your favorite method to finish with between 4 to 6 cups of cooked rice.

Combine all of above ingredients in a large roasting pan. Add a can of petite diced tomatoes and tomato juice and water until the moisture is fairly mushy. Remember that it is going to dry out in the oven.

Cook covered in 350° oven for about an hour. It may be 

Although I was somewhat apprehensive about whether they liked green bell peppers, they definitely seemed to enjoy them.

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Posted in Casseroles, Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers, Uncategorized

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The Difference Between Sugar or Splenda in Banana Bread

Posted on December 18, 2011 | Leave a comment

Experiment time today — I’m making two batches of banana nut bread. One of the batches I will use Splenda and for the other one sugar.

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. backing soda
  • can (15 oz.) pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetables oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped nuts

Combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl. Blend pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, egg, egg white and oil in large bowl. Add flour mixture, mix just until moistened. Pour into greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes in preheated 350° oven or until wooden pick inserted in center comes own clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

You can see above that the recipe turned out pretty much as you might hope–light, moist and flavorful.

Next I substituted Splenda for the sugar.

The flavor was there this time but this bread was dryer and most dense. The reason for this was I mistakenly used the packets of Splenda and not the type that measures 1 to 1.

This comparison makes the difference obvious. The fact is that I will learn from this mistake. I am sure it won’t be my last opportunity to learn in this manner.

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Posted in Banana Nut Bread with Splenda, Sweets

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Tis the Season to Bake: Gooey Butter Cake

Posted on December 13, 2011 | Leave a comment

Christmas season for me means time in the kitchen. I have always been the one that did all of the candy, cookies, bread and sweets in general. I’ve started this year with cakes and breads.

This recipe for GOOEY BUTTER CAKE is very similar to Nieman Marcus Cake. It is rich but “Oh So Good”.

Mix a Golden Butter Cake Mix, 1 stick of melted butter and 2 eggs thoroughly and spread in a greased 9 x 13 pan.

Mix 1 lb. powdered sugar, 8 oz. cream cheese and 2 eggs. Pour over mixture in pan.

Bake in preheated 350° oven for 35 to 40 minutes. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Posted in Cake, Gooey Butter Cake

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Catoosa PTA Cookbook 1978

Posted on December 1, 2011 | Leave a comment

ABOUT THIS BOOK

During the time I spent as a teacher at Catoosa High School, the most meaningful experiences were undoubtedly the many students it was my privilege to teach, help and love.

There were also some accomplishments of these great students that were truly above and beyond the “call of duty”. Yes, there were trials and tribulations. They were teenagers after all. But in their classes (Graphic Arts, Photography, Newspaper and Yearbook) they:

  • Published a weekly high school newspaper (the only one in the state at the time), a monthly magazine, and a senior special.

  • Completed ALL of the work on these publications – writing, editing, photography, printing and distribution.

  • Produced the content for the yearbook – design, photography including darkroom, advertising, and layout.

  • Did ALL of the printing for Catoosa Schools. This included everything from letterhead to report cards, purchase orders to envelopes and all printing of teaching materials as requested by elementary to high school teachers.

  • Printed for other organizations, including Tulsa Public Schools.

The above is a very limited list of what these talented students did during the years between 1973 and 1991. However, this book is about a cookbook that they laid out, printed, and assembled.

This reproduction is being done in honor of all the students that spent many hours on this project. There have been some changes in arrangement to make it easier to access electronically. Index has been added.

This book is more than 100 pages and includes indexed recipes from main dishes to ice cream and cookies.

A pdf version is available for $5 here. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to various Catoosa Schools organizations.

Interested in making a hard copy of the book, just print the book and take it to a local copy shop. They can bind it for you. Or contact me at the address on the order page.

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Posted in Catoosa PTA Cookbook

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Coca-Cola Salad

Posted on August 29, 2011 | Leave a comment

Another “Vintage Recipe”. This one was taken from a book apparently created around the 1980″s. It was “Our Favorite Recipes” and was published by the Women’s Guild of the First Lutheran Church in Ponca City.”

I was unable to find a date on the cookbook but the book did contain a number of recipes clipped from newspapers with these dates varying in the early 1980s.

Ingredients:

  • 2 coca-cola bottles
  • 1 pkg. red jello
  • 1 cup nuts
  • 2 cup celergy, diced
  • 1 can black herries
  • 1 cup white grapes.

Combine all ingredients. Place in refrigerator

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Posted in Coca Cola Salad, Salads

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