Another neat one from HeavenlyHomemakers.com!

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

By Laura · Apr 01, 2010 · HEAVENLYHOMEMAKERS.COM

Save money by making your own taco seasoning mix.  It is SO easy!  And healthy!  And you can put it in a jar (my favorite part)!  Actually, even if you don’t have a jar obsession like I do, I recommend putting this mix in a jar as the flavors are strong and will absorb into a plastic container, or mingle with other items it may be sitting beside in your pantry.
Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
1/2 cup chili powder
1/4 cup onion powder
1/8 cup ground cumin
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 Tablespoon sea salt
Put all ingredients into a jar and shake!
Um, after you put a lid on…then shake.  The jar.  Shake the jar.  With the lid securely on the jar.

Three Tablespoons of Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix is equal to one 4-ounce package of taco seasoning mix.  I would recommend adding 3 Tablespoons of mix to one pound of browned ground meat for tacos.
I would also recommend shaking again before each use to make sure the spices are well distributed throughout the mix.
The jar.  Shake the jar.  You can shake all you want, but if you don’t shake the jar, your spices won’t be distributed evenly.
Just wanted to be sure I made the instructions clear in regard to the shaking.
Great.  I can see it now.  Husbands everywhere will walk into the kitchen and see their wives shaking (boogie down).
He will look questioningly at his wife, smile and say,
“Taco night again?!”

The Ice Cream Experiment: Take One

Yet another interesting post from  my favorite blog.... HeavenlyHomemakers.com!!

You have to read this post about the reality of store bought ice cream! Super eye opening! If ice cream doesn't ever melt, then what is it doing to our body?! hmmmm......

The Ice Cream Experiment: Take One

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Experiencing the Joys of the Kitchen

So I have posted all these great ideas and have yet to try any...so today was the day! I made applesauce bread (I'll post the recipe at the end of this post) and mini apple pies, which I  posted about a few weeks ago....yum yum is all I have to say about that! :) The boys loved it! And it was all made with whole wheat flour. Just a side note....both recipes called for some intersting ingredients....ie: the bread called for raparura or honey...I chose Honey. The Apple Pies called for sucanat, which after a quick internet search I found that it is similar to brown sugar...and so I supplemented brown sugar for sucanat.

Applesauce Bread:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup rapadura or 1/2 cup honey
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. sea salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
3/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix dry ingredients.  Make a well in the center and add applesauce, eggs and butter.  Stir well.  Pour into a buttered bread pan or stone.  Bake for 45-55 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

from: Heavenlyhomemakers.com

Healthy and Yummy!

Ok, ok!! I know I've posted like 3 things today! But I just fell across this fabulous website and I thought I'd share it and a few of its recipes with you!!!! I plan on a cooking day here soon where I will pre-make and freeze alot of these foods for quick grabs in the time of need! lol I hope you enjoy this website as much as I did!

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/



The following directions are for Mini Apple Pies:
Crust:
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 t. sea salt
1 cup melted butter
1 cup plain yogurt
Stir ingredients together until thoroughly mixed.  Use the dough right away to create pockets or pies…or let the dough sit overnight to break down the phytates and make the grains more digestable.  This dough is MUCH easier to work with if you work it like playdough in your hands a while before you try to roll it out.
Filling:
3 pounds of apples – about 11-12 smallish apples (any kind you like)
1/4 – 3/4 cup sucanat (your preference)
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Topping:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
2-4 Tablespoons sucanat
3 Tablespoons melted butter
To make Mini Apple Pies:

 

Peel apples and cut them into bite sized chunks.

 

Add sucanat and cinnamon.

 

Stir well and cook over medium heat until apples are
tender and a syrup has formed (about 10 minutes).

 

In the meantime, separate dough into 21-24 pieces.
Roll each piece into a little circle with a rolling pen.
As you can see, I am NOT a perfectionist.  If I was making these for a
ladies’ brunch or something…I might take the time to make them pretty.
But for my family of boys?
Do you think they really care if their pies are pretty?
They eat them in three minutes flat.  Thus my sloppy dough squishing.

Squish (or place nicely) your dough circles into well buttered MUFFIN PANS.  Using a muffin pan for these Mini Apple Pies eliminates the need to go buy 24 little mini pie pans.

 

Fill each (unbaked) crust with apple pie filling.

In a bowl, stir together topping ingredients until the dry ingredients are moistened.
I find that melting the butter and stirring it into the flour, oats and sucanat makes a great crumb topping…much less effort than “cutting in the butter”.

 

Sprinkle topping all over the top of your little pies.
Try if you can to be as messy about this process as I am.  Sheesh.

Freeze your pies in your buttered muffin pans for a couple of hours.

 

Remove your muffin pans from the freezer and allow them to sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes.  Use a fork to gently pry the pies out of the pan.  Place them carefully into freezer bags and put them bag into the freezer.

To bake your Mini Apple Pies:
Take desired number of pies out of the freezer and place them on a baking pan.  Bake in a 375° oven for 35-45 minutes.  You can let them thaw first if you want…but I find that the frozen pies bake just fine!

And now I’d like to point out that (depending on how much you use) there is about 1/2 cup of sucanat divided by 24 little pies…making this a very healthy, very low in sugar breakfast.  Much less even than my Applesauce Bread or something otherwise considered a breakfast food.
Bring on the Breakfast Pie!  Shucks…maybe we should even serve it with Ice Cream!

 Healthy, Homemade Pizza Pockets
These Pizza Pockets are a perfect treat that you can make ahead put in the freezer…then throw in the oven at lunchtime.

Here’s how I made these:
I used my regular pizza recipe…
Crust
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 t. sea salt
1 cup melted butter
1 cup plain yogurt
Stir ingredients together until thoroughly mixed.
Pizza Sauce
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 1/2 t. oregano
1 1/2 t. basil
Stir together and simmer for a few minutes.
Pizza Pocket Fillings
Grated mozzarella or white cheddar cheese, cooked hamburger, pepperoni, olives, peppers, mushrooms
To form a Pizza Pocket
Roll a small ball of dough into a circle.  Place one tablespoon of pizza sauce in the center.  Put in a small amount of your choice of toppings.  Fold the dough in half.  Use a fork to pinch the edges together.
Lay Pizza Pockets on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Freeze for about one hour.  Pop them off the cookie sheet and put them into a freezer bag…and back into the freezer.

Bake your Pizza Pockets
For frozen Pizza Pockets, bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.  If the Pizza Pockets are thawed, bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
I love the convenience of this nutritious ”fast food”!  Serve them with fruit and veggies(God’s fast food!)…and you’ve got yourself a quick and easy lunchtime treat!!

Going Green Craft Projects

Quick and Easy Half Apron - Great way to use old scraps. 

Quickly sew up a half apron in your favorite fabric with this easy tutorial from Ashley Johnston of Make It and Love It. The pocket is a cute touch and a handy place to stash those teaspoons. This simple sewing project is great for beginners, but also makes a quick gift for Mother's Day, birthdays and more. For a touch of personalization, try embroidering the monogram of your recipient.

Materials:

• 1 piece of fabric 18 x 25 inches (main piece)
• 1 piece of fabric 4 x 25 inches (waistband)
• 2 pieces of fabric 4 x 35 inches (ties)
• 1 pieces of fabric 6 x 8 inches (pocket)
• coordinating thread
• scissors, sewing machine, etc.

Use 1/2 inch seams unless otherwise noted.

Instructions:

1. Start by making the ties. Sew along the long side, with right sides together. Curve your seam at one end, if you want, to give it a more finished look.
   
   
    
2. Like this. Then trim. Turn them both right side out. Iron flat.
   
   
    
3. Top-stitch really close to the edge, all the way around both ties.
   
   
    
4. Next, fold over the long edges of your waistband, about 1/4 inch. Iron. Then fold over the ends a 1/4 inch and iron.
   
   
    
5. Then fold the whole waistband in half lengthwise and iron.
   
   
    
6. Next, your going to sew around 3 edges of the main piece. The 2 sides (shorter sides) and the bottom (one of the longer sides). Turn under each edge a 1/4 inch, and then 1/4 inch again. Sew.
   
   
    
7. See all 3 sides that are sewn?
   
   
    
8. Next, lay your main piece right side up with the unfinished edge at the top. Align your waistband up at the top.
   
   
    
9. And fold the other half of the waistband over the top. Pin in place and sew close to the bottom edge, leaving the 2 ends open.
   
   
    
10. Next, your going to attach the 2 ties to each end. But first, you'll need to fold each unfinished end just a little bit so that it will fit nicely into the opening. If you'd rather not do this, just make your strips 4 x 34 inches (instead of 4 x 35) and they should slide right in without folding. I just like the look of it.
    
    
     
11. Then sew close to the edge to secure the ties in place. Cute, right?
    
    
     
12. Lastly, the pocket. Fold over the top edge (one of the shorter ends) 1/4 inch with wrong sides together. Then flip that sewn edge back and fold over 1 inch with right side together. Sew along the edge, 1/4 seam allowance. Trim the corners.
    
    
     
13. Then turn that section right side out. This is the top of your pocket. It makes it all nice and neat looking.
14. Now fold the 2 sides in 1/4 inch and then fold the bottom up 1/4 inch. Iron into place.
    
    
     
15. Then pin your pocket onto your apron. (You'll notice my ties aren't sewn on yet. I did it in a different order.)
    
    
     
16. Now, sew around the sides and bottom of the pocket to secure it to the main section.
    
    

Magazine Holder

Don't throw away your kids' old cereal boxes--turn them into attractive magazine holders with this handy craft.

What you'll need:

• Empty cereal box
• Scissors
• White acrylic paint or spray paint
• Light green and dark green acrylic paint
• Sponge or leaf shaped foam stamp
• Thin paint brush
• Sand paper or gesso/craft medium (we used Liquitex Basics Gesso)

How to make it:

1. Cut off top of cereal box. Halfway across top of box, cut at a 45 degree angle down to front of your magazine holder, cut straight across then back up other side at the same angle.
2. Lightly sandpaper outside of cereal box. (They are usually shiny, coated paper.) Alternatively you can paint a layer of gesso all over the box. Either one of these methods will help the paint adhere to the box.
3. Spray paint the box white, or paint on with inexpensive sponge brush. Let dry.
4. Cut out leaf shape from sponge or use a leaf shaped foam stamp.
5. Pour out small amount of green paints.
6. Use thin paint brush to add a swirled line all over the box, this is the vine. (See photo.)
7. Sponge paint (or use foam stamp) green leaves on front of box leading to sides of box. First the darker, for background leaves, then lighter for foreground leaves. (See photo.)
8. If painting more than one box, try to connect vines on each box so when set together they will match. (See photo.)

Tips:

• Any kind of decorating technique can be used. (Decoupage, glued fabric scraps, children can do this!)
• Try to decorate the front of the boxes so when lined up they all coordinate with each other.
• Use heavier detergent boxes so the boxes will be sturdier and hold up to younger children messing with them.

 Green Crafting Gift Wrap Bow

Don't throw out your old magazines, do some green crafting with them. Having a lot of patience and time you can create this amazing-looking multi-looped gift bow. Magazines have never been so crafty until now.

Materials:

• 1 magazine page (or 8 ½ x 11” paper of your choice)
• Small hole punch (or a sharp object for poking a small hole)
• 1 metal brad
• Scissors

Steps:

1. Cut across the magazine page to make nine 3/4 to 1 inch strips.
   
   
    
2. Start with one strip and make a loop at one end.
   
   
    
3. Turn the strip and make a loop at the other end.
   
   
    
4. Use the small hole punch (or sharp object ~ be careful!!) to make a hole through all 3 layers of paper.
   
   
    
5. Place the brad through the hole.
   
   
    
6. Repeat with the remaining 8 strips. (I find it best to hold the prongs of the brad between my teeth while I loop the next strip, but do whatever works for you.)
   
   
    
7. Open the brad to hold all the strips in place.
   
   
    
8. Attach your finished bow using double sided tape.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Muslin Snack Bags
   
   
   These little muslin snack bags are the perfect size for all your snacking needs and perfectly environmentally friendly saving all those plastic bags! Follow these instructions for sewing your own snack bags for everyday use.
   
   Materials:
   
9. Muslin Fabric
10. Embroidery Floss

Steps:

1. To make one cut out a 5”x12” piece of muslin fabric.
    
2. Fold the end of the fabric a 1/2”down on one of the 5” sides and hem leaving the ends open. Repeat on the opposite end.
    
3. Fold the cloth in half so the hemmed ends meet (stitching side out)
    
4. Sew around the edges first with a running stitch, than with the zigzag stitch.
    
5. Slip a 16” length of embroidery floss through the shaft to work as a drawstring and tie a knot.
    
6. Leave the stitching on the outside so food doesn’t get caught in the thread.
    
7. Fill the bag with yummy snacks such as nuts, dried fruit, pretzels.  

A few recipes and do it yourself kitchen ideas!

Article courtesy of http://www.econobusters.com

Bread Crumbs. . . Who Would Have Thought?

You guys are going to laugh at me this morning about this frugal find! Since I have been a wife I have been buying store bought bread crumbs for EVERYTHING! It was only this past weekend that I learned how to make them homemade. Had I know how simple this was from the beginning, I would have never wasted my time or money on those pre-packaged, sometimes tasteless bread crumbs.
Before I share the recipe with you, I want to share with you about the cost comparison. A 15 ounce can of bread crumbs can cost you anywhere from .99-$3.00 depending on the brand that you buy. After a while those bread crumbs will get stale and lose their flavor.
However, if you make your own bread crumbs from leftover slices of bread, you are not out any money, because most of the time those are the pieces that wind up getting thrown away anyway! You are basically just  out your time–which only takes a small amount.
Here is the recipe that I use:
Tear up two or three pieces of bread and place in a blender or food processor. Pulsate until the bread has completely dissolved into tiny crumbs. Place these on a baking sheet, turn the oven on to 200 degrees, and bake them until they are crispy. It took me about an hour to get them to the crunchy consistency that I wanted. During that time, I moved them around about every 15 minutes or so, so that all sides would get crispy.
Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. If you want an even finer consistency, put them back in the food processor or blender. Store them in a bag in the freezer and use them any time you need bread crumbs!
If you do not have a blender or food processor, toast your pieces of bread first, then put them in a bag and using a rolling pin, you can break them up that way.
To make seasoned Italian Bread crumbs for recipes like Parmesean Chicken, you can use the following:
To one cup of bread crumbs add:
2 tablespoon of parsley flakes
1 tablespoon of dried basil
2 teaspoons of dry rosemary
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon of salt
Combine herbs and crush well, or use powdered herbs. Sift the bread crumbs to remove any large pieces. Stir in remaining ingredients. Store in a tightly sealed container. To use, Put 1/4 cup of crumb mixture into a bag or onto a plate. Shake meat one piece at a time, or roll in crumbs. Discard any leftover crumbs. Add more if needed.
No more store bought bread crumbs for us frugalites!


Articles Courtesy of http://www.recipelion.com:

Garlic Cheese Bread

Description

These Bisquick cheddar biscuits are legendary. This basic biscuit recipe is divine. Bisquick recipes shouldn't taste this good. Learn how to make biscuits with this recipe.

Serves: 10

Cooking Time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 2 cups Bisquick
• ²/3 cup milk
• ¹/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon chives, dried
• ¹/4 cup butter, melted
• crushed garlic

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
    
2. Melt butter with the garlic. Set aside and keep warm.
    
3. Mix Bisquick, milk, chives and cheese until a soft dough forms and beat vigorously 30 seconds.
    
4. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
    
5. Brush garlic butter mixture over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Description

This is probably the best tasting cupcake recipe you'll ever find! Naturally, anything with chocolate is good, but these really taste the best. Make a batch for your sweetie for Valentine's Day - or any other occasion - and watch them disappear.

Yields: 18

Cooking Time: 35 min

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 egg
• ¹/3 cup sugar
• ¹/8 teaspoon salt
• ¹/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips (the mini chips are nice)
• 1 ¹/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• ¹/4 cup (generous) cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¹/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• ¹/3 cup oil
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
    
2. Mix cream cheese, egg, sugar, 1/8 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla together in a small bowl until smooth.
    
3. Stir in chocolate chips.
    
4. In a separate bowl, blend the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and the half teaspoon of salt.
    
5. Add the water, oil, vinegar and the tablespoon of vanilla to the dry ingredients; stir until blended.
    
6. Fill 18 paper-lined cupcake cups half-full with cake batter.
    
7. Drop a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into each cup. For the best looking cupcakes, after dropping the cream cheese mixture into the batter, just use a spoon to lightly cover the cream cheese with the cake batter (it makes the tops more rounded).
    
8. Bake at 350°F for about 30-35 minutes.

 Cheesy Spinach Triangles

Description

Creamy, herb-infused cheesy spinach triangles will be a hit at your next gathering! They go fast, so consider a double batch!

Yields: 96

Ingredients

• 8 ounces package softened cream cheese
• 5 ounces frozen spinach
• 2 tablespoons milk
• garlic & onion powder, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste

• Italian seasoning, to taste
• bacon bits, optional
• 1 medium egg
• 3 tubes refrigerated crescent rolls

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
    
2. Mix the cream cheese, spinach, milk, Parmesan/Romano and spices (include bacon bits, if desired) in a small, coverable bowl.
    
3. When seasoned to taste, add egg and stir until well mixed. Cover, and refrigerate while working with the dough. 
    
4. Open the first package of dough and unroll. There should be 4 rectangles, each sliced down one diagonal. For each of these 4 rectangles, slice from corner to corner, and across from edge to edge. This will result in 8 triangles of dough (or a total of 32 per package of crescent rolls).
    
5. Place 1/2 tsp. of the spinach mixture onto each of the small triangles, pull one point of the triangle over the mixture, and tuck under the bottom on the opposite side.
    
6. Place triangles onto a non-stick cookie sheet, and bake for 10 min. or until tops are golden.
    
7. Remove from oven, and allow to cool 2-3 min.

If you're anything like me, you know nothing about herbs and spices. I just tend to use pre-spiced cooking ingredients or the tried and true garlic and onion powders. So I did some research and came up with some interesting websites and links for herbs and their uses! So enjoy!!!!....


http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Herbs

http://www.chef-menus.com/herb_and_spice_chart.html
so this website is great because it lists the herbs and spices and exactly what kind of things would taste good with them! Couldn't be easier! Can't wait to try it out! Next step is a herb garden....well maybe!! lol