Frugal Kitchen: Easy Maple Granola!

Easy Maple Granola

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

2 TSP flax seed

1/3 cup chopped walnuts(optional)

1/3 cup Coconut oil

1/3 cup Maple Syrup

1 TSP Vanilla Extract

Directions: preheat oven to 350 degrees. I mix all dry ingredients together then mix all wet ingredients and add them into the dry mix and stir thouroughly. I spread the wet granola mix onto a cookie sheet and bake for about 18- 20 minutes till mixture is dry and golden brown. Stir it a few times during baking to make sure edges dont burn.

For this recipe I double to feed my family of 5.

Variations: After mix comes out the oven I add cinnamon and raisins. You add your favorite spices and dried fruits after it comes out the oven.

Homemade Dairy Free Milk Alternative!

Homemade Rice Milk

With me growing up lactose intollerant and my kids being raised on dairyfree milks I was happy to start finding ways to make them myself. I mean 1 quart of the least expensive Rice or Almond Milk cost me about 1.79 each so when I found this recipe on youtube I knew I hit the jack pot. It came out right too.So I think we areo going to keep this recipe in the family book.

Here is the video I got it from:

Frugal Kitchen: Barley Soup(vegetarian)

I made this delicious soup last night on the fly. I kind of just threw some things together that I had that needed to be used in the fridge and threw the barley in to bulk it up and make it more hearty. This was my first time cooking with barley as well. I have had barley bread when I made it into a flour but I haven't gotten around to using it as a grain. It turned out pretty good. Here is what I used:


Barley Soup(vegetarian)

2 cups pearl barley(hulled)
4 medium potatoes(yukon gold)
4 carrots(diced)
1/2 onion(chopped)
2 stalks of celery(chopped)
2 cloves of garlic(minced)
vegetable broth or water enough to fill pot
2 tsp thyme(dried)
2 TSP parsley(dried)
1 TSP garlic salt
2 TSP olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes(8oz)
1 can kidney beans(8oz)
1 can chickpeas/ garbanzo beans(8oz)
salt and pepper to taste

First I take all the veggies and  the fresh garlic and saute them at the bottom of the pot with the olive oil till the onions soften and they sweat a little. Then I add in the spices except for salt and pepper(save that for last). Then I add in the tomatoes, and beans and add the stock or water. Let it come to a boil and add the barley. I then covered the pot and simmered on medium low till the barley expand and all the veggies soften. Then I sprinkled in some salt and pepper to taste. I used a large pot so its enough soup for my family of 5 for 2 days.


I also served it with cornbread.

Cornbread

1 1/2 cup cornmeal( fresh mill popcorn makes cornmeal in the wondermill)
1 cup flour( used hard red but any all purpose will work)
1 TSP baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 TSP sweetener
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup melted butter


I mix all dry ingredients first then mix in all the wet. I take the butter and put in the cornbread pan to melt in the oven. I then take and pour the melted butter in the rest of the batter and then put the mix into my pan. I bake on 400 degrees for about 15- 20 minutes.

Birthday Cupcake Fun with my Big Girl!

My big baby turned 7 this past week. I can't believe how time flies right. But we just had a little family dinner and cupcake party. It was a very hot 90 degree weather day so we did all indoor things till the sun went down. Which is why you see the kids riding there bikes in the dark. But its funny cause I had a "You know you are a homeschooler when..." moment on her birthday cause she got a visa gift card from grandma and excitedly proclaimed she wanted to go to Barnes and Nobles! LOL! We are such geeks right! But she found a cute little art set and got a few chapter books for fun reading and got her brother and sister a book as well. My little man of course found a Star Wars easy reader and my baby girl got The Very Hungry Caterpillar. So when we got back to the house I was wiped out cause I am about 32 weeks pregnant now and just going from one chair to the next makes me tired. lol! But my birthday girl wanted baked pasta with red sauce and cheese with salad. This was her request. And by some miracle I manage to get up enough strengh to make her the best Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting ever.

Here is the Cupcake and Frosting recipe:

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cup flour( soft white wheat)

1 cup sucunant( cane sugar)

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 TSP vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all dry ingredients first. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Bake on 350 degrees for about 25- 30 min.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 8oz pk cream cheese(soften)

1/2 cup butter(soften)

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

optional: food coloring for to add color

whip all ingredients with electric mixer on high till smooth.

Loaf Bread or Bun Recipe!

So as you know I have been enjoying my wondermill for a few months now. Well I am trying things out and building up my recipe arsenal. I have finally came up with a great loaf or Bun recipe. The bread comes out soft and moist. Now keep in mind I am no kneading expert as of yet so I still use my Sunbeam bread maker to mix and kneed. But this is what I use:


Loaf Bread or Bun Recipe

4 cups  Flour( fresh milled hard white or hard red wheat )
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
2 TSP Honey\
1 packet Dry Yeast(not sure of exact amount cause I just buy packets)

Now once the bread is done kneading and rising I pour on the floured counter top and form into my loaf shape or hamburger buns. It makes either 2 loaves of bread or about 9- 12 burger buns. I then place in greased loaf pan or cookie sheet and place a damp cloth on and let it proof for about 20- 30 more minutes while I preheat the oven for 350 degrees. I just bake until golden brown which I think is about 25 mins or so. depends on your oven I guess. Delicious!

Frugal Kitchen: Left Over Oatmeal Bake!

So I was on a hunt for ways to save money in the kitchen and not be wasteful with leftover food. I came across a wonderful blog called New Life On A Homestead. She had a Baked Oatmeal Recipe on her site. I had never heard of baking oatmeal before besides making cookies but I thought it would be a great way to reuse my leftover oatmeal. You know how sometimes you make to much or people don't eat as much as you think they are. So here is how I tweaked the recipe a little.

2 cups left over oatmeal
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 stick melted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup raisins
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 TSP baking powder
1 cup milk( i use Almond milk)
Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

Bake on 350 degrees till brown on the top.