I love bread.  I mean I REALLY love bread. 

I probably could look a lot less round if it were not for this love affair I have with the carbohydrate laden deliciousness.  Homemade bread is my special weakness, especially if it is at all sweet.  I have in fact been avoiding making my sinful Cinnabread for sometime (though I think the recipe book whispers my name each time I pass through the kitchen) because I cannot control myself around it, it is sinful. 

There was no escaping it today though, I had some bananas that were in bad shape.  What does that have to do with anything you ask?  Well, around here we try not to let much go to waste and since we currently have no pigs out back (they are now in the freezer) there was nothing left for me to do but to make some delicious quick bread.
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This is where it can get a bit tricky, I have a child who is dairy free due to allergies and our newest little babe who is nursing also shows signs of a dairy sensitivity.  I have to make many of our treats dairy free for my 5 year old so its always a welcome option when I can just avoid dairy and no one knows the difference.  Here is what I have come up with for a delicious, moist and sweet banana bread that is totally dairy free, but trust me, no one will know that there isn’t butter in there.
 

Main Ingredients

1 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup olive oil
1 egg
2 Tbsp water
1 - 1/2 Cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Large mashed bananas


Preparation

1 Preheat oven 325.
2 Mix oil and sugar, add egg and water and stir.
3 Add next 3 ingredients.
4 Smash the bananas then add to mix and pour into greased pan.
5 Bake for 1 hour- test with toothpick.

Printable recipe click here:  Delicious & Simple Dairy Free Banana Bread

If you like this one, check out these recipes:
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​Sinful Cinnabread
Best Iced Lemon Bundt Cake
​Depression Era Butterscotch Cookies

Find me on Instagram too as Incidentalfarmgirl

I have one kiddo that is dairy free and our newest babe is showing signs of dairy sensitivity with lovely patches of eczema everytime mom indulges in the delicious dairy department.  

What is a girl to do?

Milk is a favorite, and chocolate is a weakness, so I came up with this little treat to indulge my desire but not cause discomfort to our new babe.

After a long gardening season and hopefully a bountiful harvest it is almost sad to see the fall approach with its cooler evenings and occasional nippy mornings.  What does often happen this time of year is that previously stunted herbs begin to be revitalized and you may find yourself swimming in Basil, Oregano, Rosemary and some of the more hearty herbs. 
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                I don’t know about you but I often am mentally “finished” with the preservation process by this time and I have a tendency to feel slightly overwhelmed with more tasks on my plate than hours in the day.  However, never wanting to waste a beautiful harvest of herbs here is a fast and super simple way to preserve the hearty and savory herbs you may well use for cooking all winter.

I am not kidding when I tell you that this method literally takes 5 minutes of your time so even the busiest of us can manage it.  And yes, it really does work just as I explain it though I too was skeptical the first time I tried it.
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1.  Harvest your hearty herbs
2. Wash and pat dry
3.  Tear and stuff herbs into the molds (notice I did it backwards in the photos which led to some overflow)
4. Fill your containers (mini muffin molds or ice cube trays work fantastically) with Olive oil covering the herbs
5. Freeze for 24 hours
6. Viola!  You have success.  You can either remove the cubes and place in a freezer bag or you can leave in your container until you need to use them.

A word of caution, once frozen these will thaw quickly so if you are removing them to put into a freezer bag do so quickly.  You can then use these in your sautés, sauces, soups and savory dishes.  Anything that requires herbs and olive oil.  My favorite recipe is here: Tomato Basil Chicken

Though fresh is always best, this is a fantastic alternative in the winter months to use up that fresh herbal goodness!
 

We have some friends who, oddly enough like us, have a LOT of children (six to be exact).  We have five children (#6 is still in the incubator) so with all the adults and children that is a whopping 15 people.  Our friends were in town for a wedding and decided that our little homestead would be a great place to power up their camper and hang out.  We had fun, we snapped beans, we swam, we had a campfire, and we attended a wedding of a friend's daughter (wow am I getting old!)  But, trying to be a gracious hostess can be challenging with so many people, not to mention staying on budget.  

Don't get me wrong, my friends had no expectations that I cook for them, but when you come to my house, I'm gonna feed you.  That's just how I was raised and its a little bit of southern hospitality transplanted from the roots of my mother and grandmother.

For this post I am simply focusing on 2 awesome big family breakfasts that I did, these would work well for anyone feeding a crew at breakfast and they ended up being pretty cost effective, so read on and let me share some wisdom with you.

1. PLANNING IS KEY
   You have to have a plan.  You can't wing feeding that many people so plan ahead.  My planning included baking 3 loaves of Zucchini bread and 24 banana muffins the day before my guests arrived.  Luckily both the Zucchini and the fruit were things I already had on hand as well as the ingredients for making the bread and muffins so it was easy, it just required planning.  The grocery list and menu for the meals I prepared were also key to plan for and shop ahead, you can't just feed 15 people on a whim without a plan.

2. ORGANIZATION IS IMPORTANT
    I not only planned a menu but organized when I would be making the meals up.  For the breakfast casserole, that was easy, it is made the night before and just popped in the oven the morning of.  The fruit needed a creative flair so I just arranged it on a plate and made it look pretty but I did wash it ahead of time as all those little tasks.

3. PAPER PRODUCTS MAKE LIFE SIMPLER
  I know it can be seen as wasteful but with many guests I am not going to put out my best dishes, or even my breakable dishes, or even dishes I have to wash for that matter!  It was paper and plastic all the way.

4.  EVERY FARMGIRL SHOULD BE A GOOD HOSTESS
    I learned years ago that being a good hostess is not about showing off your immaculate and magazine ready home for entertainment purposes (I would so fail in this area!) it is about making your guests feel comfortable and at home.

This was the easiest breakfast because I had made the banana muffins and zucchini bread  (recipes linked) the day before so when my guests were here I had little more to do than scramble 2 dozen eggs, arrange some fruit and pull the muffins out of the ziplock bag.  This breakfast was on the breakfast bar in about 25 minutes flat because of that prep work.  Interesting fact, when you make your scrambled eggs up simply put your crockpot on low while you are making them so it is warming up, after you add all the eggs add 1 tsp warm water to keep the eggs from drying out and you can keep the eggs with the lid on for 2-3 hours this way. I usually do turn the crockpot off after about 1 hour so as not to dry out the eggs.

Cleanup was simple too, I had a skillet and spatula from scrambling the eggs but since I used paper ware I only had the three items you see in the picture to take care of, no big deal.

I almost forgot, there was orange juice for both days, it didn't break the bank either as I used frozen concentrate and made it up right before serving, no one was the wiser!

This one pleased the adults (eggs, sausage & cheese) but left sweetened baked oatmeal mostly for the kids.  The prep time for the baked oatmeal was about 15 minutes in the morning but with having made the breakfast casserole the night before, and only having 2 casserole dishes to wash, this was another win.  It fed all 15 people too!  

These are some staple recipes around here: Overnight breakfast casserole (though I use 12 eggs instead of 4 and only 1-1/2 cups milk) and Baked Oatmeal.

With both of the breakfasts I was still able to keep the budget down.  I essentially only had to purchase a few things that I didn't already have in my farmgirl stocked pantry:
extra eggs
extra fresh fruit
sausage
cheese
frozen OJ concentrate

and the budget could remain fully intact.

What are some of your favorite recipes to feed a large group?

When I was younger I remember enjoying the rare occasion when I would get to slather my toast with either blackberry or raspberry jam. Those accompaniments to biscuits seemed downright exotic to me as a child. We never lived in the country then so my wisps of country knowledge came from visits to down home cooking restaurants or relative's homes. As I hit my teen years and would go to the local Cracker Barrel with my parents I always salivated over the candy-colored jars lining the shelves and filled with preserves and jams to caress my biscuits with. Fast forward to my adult years and we purchased a small farm, one of the first things I wanted to grow was berries, and LOTS of them.
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The first year was scant for raspberries but plentiful for blackberries, the second year was the opposite; this year, I have hit the berry lottery. I am in a race however, not only with the birds and critters who also want my berries, but also with the grubby, chubby little fingers that race to the patch ahead of me to devour like locusts and come to Mommy with purple and red stained hands and cheeks.

On the occasion when I can beat all the other entities to the patch, I love to recreate that delectable jam. I often don't have pectin on hand, and it can get pricey, especially if you are putting up loads of berries like I hope to be doing a bit later in the season. I discovered a solution though, and the pectin is not even missed. It is so simple really I ponder why all jam is not made this way.I have canned with this recipe, frozen jam with this recipe, and also made the occasional refrigerator jar. All the techniques work very well.

On to my secret ... simply gather 3 cups of berries. Raspberries are bubbling up all around her so that is my berry of choice but blackberries work just as well. (NOTE: This recipe does not work well with strawberries). Once your raspberries are cleaned and rinsed this will take only 10 minutes, seriously, 10 minutes. It takes longer to pick the berries than to make this jam. Pull out your saucepan and toss in the berries, then use either a fork or pastry cutter to smash away and squish those little baubles.
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​Once you have a finely smashed saucepan of berry remnants simply add your sugar. For 3 cups of berries use 1-1/2 cups sugar. Stir over medium heat for 3-4 minutes to completely dissolve the sugar and then bring to a bubbling boil over medium-high heat. It is VERY important to stir constantly during this step or you will burn the sugar and your precious hard-won berries. Stirring constantly, boil for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for refrigerator or freezer jam, or pour into hot waiting mason jars if you intend to can.

NOTE: Depending on the water content of your berries you may want to cool a small amount and make sure that it is jelled to your desired consistency, if not, no worries, you simply add a bit more sugar (start with 1/4 cup) and return to a boil.
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At our house it is a rare day when this jam makes it to the canning stage, I usually have to hide some berries away to pull that off as we can devour an entire jelly jar in one sitting with our family of 7. This recipe has worked every time for me and even a few jars of blackberry jam that I canned from 2 years back still have the perfect consistency.

It really is that simple.

You've heard it said that we should eat a healthy diet full and rich in a rainbow of colors.  Here is a recipe that is sure to fulfill that requirement.  I made it up on the fly with some fresh produce and a hearty appetite for something savory, here you go!

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded Carrots
1 cup shredded yellow squash
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 medium red onion, shredded

1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 T flour
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients, drop by the spoonful pancake style into a frying pan on medium high and fry in olive oil, lard or coconut oil.

​DELICIOUS!

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 One of my favorite parts of summer is the cool and refreshing beverages that will quench a gardener's palette.  Few rank as high for me as sweet tea, lemonade, and limeade (preferably with crushed berries).  But, what about that tell-tale sludge of gooey sweet sugar residue that is always present at the bottom of your homemade lemonade or sweet tea?  What about when you make a batch of sun tea but want to offer your guests the option of making it sweetened or unsweetened.  What about then, what do you do?  You make a delicious batch of simple syrup and keep it on hand for just such occasions.  No more sugar sludge at the bottom of your glass, no more excessive stirring while trying in vain to get the sugar to dissolve into an iced beverage, nope, this is easy and quick!

What is simple syrup?  It is, simply put, sugar and water.  Sugar dissolves very well in water, but only when the temperature is raised.  Who wants hot sugar water? Not me.  The best way to do this is to make your simple syrup on the stove top and then store it in a mason jar in your refrigerator to use on a glass by glass basis or in larger batches when making homemade lemonade or limeade.

HOW TO:
1 cup Sugar
2 cups water

​Simply stir the two ingredients together over medium heat and watch as your water turns clear without the sugar crystals (if you use pure cane sugar your water will turn a slightly brown clear but still delicious and perfect).  Once the water is void of crystals simply let it cool and then store in a mason jar in your refrigerator.

I usually make a larger batch and keep it in the refrigerator for the endless parade of children that are swarming through my home on a daily basis, that way as long as I have lemon juice I can whip up some lemonade in about 3 minutes flat and serve the masses.  The larger batch I use is typically 4 cups of sugar to 8 cups water then I store it in a half gallon mason jar like these in the refrigerator (I also store my sun tea in these as well).

The process is so simple and the quick ease of access is wonderful to have on hand as an easy sweetening solution.

In case you were curious about my lemonade recipe, ​HERE it is and now it is so much simpler because I no longer have to wait for the simple syrup to cool!

The other morning I got up only to realize that a trip to the grocery would need to be in my immediate future.  Hubby loves a big breakfast, he loves eggs and breakfast meat.  We were running low on the eggs, out of the meat and down to the last of the last.  So, what do we ladies do?  We whip something up and hope it turns out good!  This time it did (I have had plenty of failures doing things this way too).  It was actually so good I wanted to share.  You could certainly add meat to this recipe and I am sure it would be divine too, I will probably try that this weekend, but here is what I came up with on the fly, we've repeated it twice so far and it has gotten rave reviews!

Quiche (Man Pie as hubby calls it)

RECIPE:

6 eggs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar
1 can potatoes grated
1 sliced onion
dash of salt and pepper
oil to grease pans

I first turned a skillet on to medium high and tossed my onion rings in to carmelize, once this step as almost complete, I then added the shredded canned potatoes (don't try to shred a regular potato for this unless you want to spend a lot longer cooking, the canned potatoes are already boiled so they cook very quickly). 

Once potatoes and onions are done I whisked the 6 eggs, salt, pepper, and cheeses together in a bowl adding the potato mixture last.  Pour into a greased pie plate and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.

This also reheats VERY well!  Enjoy!

**NOTE** I just made this same recipe again this morning but this time I browned 1/2 pound of sausage and did not cook the potatoes, just shredded them, I also omitted the onion...it was FABULOUS!

I remember well the first time I went to my husband's grandmother's home.  She lives in southern KY and is a good down home cooking kind of grandma.  We woke in the morning to a full on breakfast with homemade biscuits, bacon, eggs and this sweet smelling, rich looking brown "gravy" that I saw hubby ladle all over his warm butter crusted biscuits.  I was intrigued and he nonchalantly told me that it was his grandmother's chocolate gravy.  

I had never heard of such a thing, I, being like any woman, (a chocolate lover) was curious, I quickly ladled myself some of this delectable deliciousness and it was game on.  I spent years trying to get the exact recipe from grandma, but alas, just like my mother-in-law, she uses no recipe.  Its just all in the "feel" of the sauce.... well and good unless you are trying to learn to make the stuff!

I have played with this over the years and made some good, some not as good batches.  I too rarely use a recipe these days, its all in the "feel" but I did pay close enough attention when my daughter began asking how to make this goodie so that she was able to re-create it as well.
 
Here is the coveted Chocolate Gravy:
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1 can evaporated milk (can sub whole milk or cream but it won't be as rich)
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
dash salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 T real butter

The trick is to heat the milk very slowly so it won't curdle.  This is a labor of love because the longer it takes to make the gravy, seriously, the better it tastes!  Allow at least 45 min for good gravy.  First add the milk, sugar and baking cocoa, heat slowly then increase heat until a low boil for 3-4 minutes.  Slowly cool down at at the last add a dash of salt, the tablespoon of butter and vanilla.  Be sure to start this process ahead of the waffles but stir often!

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There are a billion waffle recipes out there, this is just the tried and true simple one that I use for every day, it works for us.

Waffles:

3 eggs
3 cups flour
2 and 1/4 cups milk
3 T sugar
6 T melted butter or olive oil
3 T baking powder
1 and 1/2 tsp salt

Mix all together and pour by 1/2 cup measure into hot waffle iron.
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There you have it, your kids will definitely be happy, sugared up for sure, but happy!

It is definitely not on your "diet" but this Cinnabread is a hit and with its mouthwatering buttery sweetness, you will be begging for more.  I once had a friend say she just might sell her children for some, I am not sure I need anymore children in exchange for bread, but it really is THAT GOOD!

Basic Ingredients:

3 packages active dry yeast (or 2T plus 1 -3/4 tsp)
2 cups warm water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1-1/2 tsp salt
2 beaten eggs
7-3/4 to 8-1/4 cups flour

(additional 1 cup sugar, 1 cup butter and 1-2 T cinnamon for filling)

1.  In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add the sugar, butter, salt and eggs as well as 4 cups of flour.  Beat until smooth and then add enough flour until a soft dough forms.

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2. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.  Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (approx 45 minutes)
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3. Punch dough down.  Turn onto a heavily floured surface and divide dough into 3 pieces.   Roll each piece into a long narrow oval (the longer the roll the more swirl you get in the cinnamon bread).

4. Smooth melted butter and cinnamon sugar mix (I don't really measure this part, but the more butter the better, usually 1-2 sticks for the total 3 loaves) over the rolled oval.  Once the area is covered simply start at one end and tightly roll up jelly roll style.  Be sure to do so TIGHTLY and avoid air pockets as this will leave holes through your finished loaf of bread.

5. Place each roll into a loaf pan that you have melted butter into the bottom of.  Let rise a second time (approx 45 minutes) in a warm place.  

Every girl has a quick go-to recipe that is just a help because it saves time, and effort.  This one is mine.  My children and hubby love it when I make potato skins, but they are pretty labor intensive, hence the birth of this quick and easy side dish that still has most of the flavor of the potato skins, with a fraction of the work involved.

Ingredients:

5-6 large potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
pre cooked and crumbled bacon
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Garlic powder
Salt 
Pepper

Step #1: Cut your potatoes into medallions and toss into a large bowl
Step #2: Toss potatoes in the olive oil and generously sprinkle salt, pepper, and                         garlic powder over them before laying them single layer on a foil lined 
                 baking sheet.
Step #3: Bake the potato medallions at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until fork 
                tender.
Step #4: Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese and bacon then return to oven 
                to rewarm. (just for a few moments so you don't burn your cheese)

Viola!  You have achieved the Lazy Potato!

We love apples around here, but it seems this time of year when the bushels I purchased in the fall are gone that it is rare to find good apples.  Most of the apples showing up in stores have been overwintered too and they are starting to get mealy and often "go bad" quickly after purchase.  So what to do when you buy a bag of apples and find that they are going bad on you and no longer please your palette for fresh eating?  When life gives you bad apples...make desert!  (how ya like my cliche' pun?)

My kids were all complaining about the bad apples so I decided to make them a surprise desert, fried apples.  I do things like this with the mindset of older generations and not our wasteful current generation.  Most would toss the apples, feed them to animals or just be disgusted...not me.  Here were the apples, all were slightly soft to the touch and obviously there were bad spots too.

But just look what happens when you cut the bad spots off, and don't you dare throw out the bad spots, they go in the compost bin!

Once they are all cut I just sprinkle them with some sugar and cinnamon and then start cooking them in a tablespoon or two of butter.

I didn't get a picture of the finished product, it was devoured too quickly!  Just think like your grandparents would have when you see overripe fruit, they didn't waste anything, we sure could learn a lot from them!

What things have you re-purposed into edible delectables?

 (I recently did a series on 30 days to more natural living and in it, a few of the days were devoted to making foods from scratch.  As in, no boxed recipes allowed.  If I think back to my own transformation to from scratch cooking, brownies were the first thing I decided I would no longer buy in a box.  I discovered that I only needed items I already had on hand to make delicious brownies, and they tasted amazing to boot!  I know this may sound funny to some, but really, there was a time when almost all the things I bought were convenience type, boxed foods.  Thankfully that was a long time ago and I have made major progress since then making almost everything from scratch at this point.

I have to say that as I began this journey, I found that old cookbooks became my friends, the older the better, I love anything prior to about 1970 cookbooks and when I can get my hands on more antiquated ones, I smile.  I even have one that is so old it talks about using wet yeast lumps in your bread...I'm not sure you can even buy that any longer.

Auctions and garage sales are also some of my favorite places to locate these gems.

So, what do I make from scratch?  Some of our family's favorites are:

Egg Noodles (Grandpa's old family recipe)
Brownies
Breads
Rolls
Teas
Syrups
Jams
Gravy
Cakes
Cookies

How about you?  Do you have a favorite that you make instead of buy?  Care to share or link up to your favorite recipe in the comments below. 

I recently had the opportunity to have a slumber party with my grandmother, we stayed up late, laughed and chatted.  I cherish these times I get to spend with her and they become sweeter, and more special, the older I get.  

I had a goal in mind to pick her brain about things she remembered from her youth, as you my readers know, I have a bit of a romanticized view of the way things used to be and I don't seem to tire of learning more and more about those times.  While I was there, we came across a recipe that belonged to my great grandmother.  My grandma shared remembering this recipe as being a delicious one that she and her siblings enjoyed (back before they had refrigeration even!)  I brought this home and gave it a try right away, it was a HUGE hit!  

I had to laugh out loud as one of my daughters said, "mom, I wasn't sure about these as sometimes older recipes were thought to be good only because there wasn't much extra so it was a treat, but these were REALLY good!"  I have to concur.  What makes it even sweeter is that I believe this is actually my great grandmother's handwriting on this slip of paper I photographed.  It seems like a connection to the past when I can whip up a favorite recipe from days gone by.
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Grandma said that there was not refrigeration so this would have likely been put in some cool place overnight, I wrapped up the log and placed it into the refrigerator, even slicing thinly though, I have to wonder how in the world grandma got 70 cookies from this recipe!  I think I may have gotten 36, and they didn't last long at all!

They were an absolute hit and will definitely be made again and again in this house!

Want to try? Printable recipe link HERE.

So the buzz word of the moment is the "Paleo" diet.  What does this mean and what is this diet all about?  Basically the idea is to eat like a hunter-gatherer would have, I will simplify this for you though...if it comes from nature and not from a box, you are getting healthier!  Paleo eaters typically avoid dairy, gluten (anything that comes from wheat has gluten and it shows up in weird places too like soy sauce!) and anything that isn't a whole food.  So a paleo diet may look like this...

Breakfast: mushroom & onion omlet
Lunch: Tuna & veggies 
Snack: almonds, dried fruits, an apple or maybe some sunflower seeds
Dinner:lean meats and veggies

I started eating exclusively like this just before Thanksgiving because I was trying to naturally manage some major arthritis issues that were rearing their ugly head all over the joints in my fingers and hands.  I had read a lot about changing one's diet to avoid sugar, dairy and gluten as a help to manage arthritis and inflammation symptoms. I found that by cutting out processed sugars, gluten and dairy I have seen a SIGNIFICANT improvement in my joints.  No more red and inflamed sore joints on my fingers, no more dull ache and stiffness in my hands, it is working. I am thrilled because I am not taking any medications to manage this problem, it is stemming from my diet...wanna know how I know this isn't a placebo effect?  Because when I cheated, just on Thanksgiving day, and had some pie, sweets and other things I had been avoiding for 2 weeks prior, my hands started to ache, my joints began to swell and I felt icky...I went back to avoiding these things again and BINGO, inflammation back down.

Healthy right?  Okay, but eating this way I sometimes miss my sweets.  Yes, I know that is part of the process but the other day I was in the kitchen and was wondering what could satisfy my craving for sweet and crunchy that wasn't processed and boxed from a store and would still be healthy.

Here it is...Paleo crack was born.  Watch out though, it is HIGHLY addictive and since the serving size is 1/4 cup for 158 calories you do have to watch how much you eat but it is packed full of protein, no preservatives and no weird ingredients that I can't pronounce, plus it is sweet and fits the bill for knocking out a sweet tooth without knocking me off my diet.

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Paleo Crack

1 cup whole oats (not the quick oats)
3/4 cup cashews chopped (I pulsed in the blender)
3/4 cup walnuts chopped
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup peanut butter (or any nut butter)
1 tsp cinnamon

First, add the honey, coconut oil and peanut butter into a microwave safe dish and melt then stir.

Add in the oats, cashews, walnuts and cinnamon and mix well (it will be kind of gloppy)

Spread into a thin layer on a foil covered cookie sheet and bake at 325 for 15 minutes, turn and stir and put back in the oven until crunchy (about 5-10 more minutes).

Let cool and store in air tight container.  Makes 14 servings at 1/4 cup each for 158 calories a piece.

​Enjoy!!!

The other day I got a call from my hubby pleading with me to please "make something yummy" as he had a carry-in at his work the following day.  With only a few hours before dinner I had to do a quick scan of the pantry to determine what delectable baked good I could whip up...this one won and was a HUGE hit!  It reminds me of the old soft lemon cookies that a company named Archway used to sell, they were my favorites growing up!!!

Cake:
1 cup butter (only the real stuff!) Softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups sifted flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk (or my fav, 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream!)
1 T grated lemon peel (or 5 drops Lemon Essential Oil)

Glaze:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 T. water
1/2 tsp lemon extract
3/4 powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Beat in extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, sift and add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk.  Stir in lemon peel.

Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan and bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Mix together glaze and drizzle over cake...voila!

All moms are thrilled to find a healthy and quick snack, right?  This one was shared with me by a good friend (Thank you Audrey) and it is a go-to at our house asked for by name weekly!  I did forget to get a pic of the peanut butter as that is the other ingredient in this recipe, we like Jiff Natural Peanut butter. 

I love that there is no refined sugar and that the ingredients are all natural, my kiddos love the taste of these little round bites of goodness!​​

These are so simple to make, I often have helpers who are less than 3 feet tall so it has to be simple.
Ingredients:
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup flax meal (I accidentally bought flax seed so I ground mine in the blender when I make these)
2/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa

I start by warming my peanut butter and honey in the microwave to make for easier stirring, then add all ingredients, mix well and form into nickel sized balls.  I store them in the fridge, but they sure don't last long around here!​​​​​​​​

You see, I have a helper!  Here are what they are supposed to look like when you are finished and they go fast!

When we began trying to eat healthier and less processed foods most convenience foods went out the window because of all the extra added junk that is in them.  Honestly we feel better and I can tell a BIG difference when I eat some of the common things (maltodextrin, added corn syrup, certain preservatives) that are in most processed foods because my stomach gets upset since we no longer eat these things.

Unfortunately, I do miss some of the easy to whip up convenience foods, pudding being one of them.  There is nothing like a chilled pudding dessert, its just...well delicious!  I was recently asked to make some pudding for a ladies' meeting at our church so I began the search for a good recipe.  After a few fails, this one came through but it does not taste like the Jello box you may be used to.  This is a rich, creamy, custard-like pudding.  It was delicious, the kids enjoyed the leftovers, and I know exactly what is in the recipe so I think it a win-win!

We also made the chocolate but since I was a bit heavy-handed on the cocoa powder it was more like chocolate fudge pudding...not that this is a bad thing!

• 3cups milk
• 1cup sugar
• 3tablespoons butter
• 3tablespoons cornstarch(massive tablespoons)
• 4egg yolks
• 1 1⁄2teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1pinch salt
• 1 -6tablespoon sifted cocoa powder (ONLY if you are making chocolate pudding)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a pot get all 3 cups of milk scalding.
2. While the milk boils; separate the eggs and discard the whites (if desired, you can set aside for an omlette or a meringue)and beat the cornstarch and sugar in the bowl with the egg yolks. It will have a hard time coming together at first; but keep whisking, it'll get there.
3. Keep milk very hot. Pour all of the egg yolk mixture into the scalding milk and beat vigorously until the mixture seems completely liquified. Add the salt, vanilla extract, and butter. Keep whisking until butter is well incorporated.
4. Keep warm and continuosly stir until the pudding thickens. Once thick (if making chocolate) add the sifted cocoa powder and stir until well incorporated.
5. Serve warm or refrigerate for 2 hrs (preferred) and serve with or without garnish.

In an effort to continue to battle the excess baby weight I have been carrying I have been really trying to keep to a healthy low calorie diet.  However, lunches seem to be the most difficult meal for me as I am usually running around like crazy and I often let myself get too hungry before making something healthy and therefore I begin stuffing my face because I am too hungry.

Recently a friend shared this recipe with me and it has become my new go-to favorite for lunches.  It is super low calorie, filling AND delicious...what more could you ask for?  I love to eat it on tortilla chips or even just plain with a spoon...enjoy!

Ingredients: (my pic is missing the corn & diced tomatoes)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 cucumber (diced)
1 onion (diced)
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup spicy salsa
salt and pepper to taste
optional...a few squeezes of fresh lime juice

So that's it!  You just mix the above ingredients together and let stand in fridge for a few hours before serving.  I have been making up a batch and eating it for a whole week at a time, fast, easy and delicious!

I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing...and I mean nothing...better then a homemade blackberry pie from freshly picked berries and from scratch crust.  The only problem?  When you have a family of 7 and most pies serve 8, there is only 1 savory, delicous, amazing serving out of all that work!

When the wild blackberries first came on this season we could tell they would give us an abundance this year.  I am starting to believe that wild blackberries really flourish in wetter summers which usually do not bode well for my vegetable garden. Last year was a great garden year (weather wise) and the berries were not much to speak of, this year the opposite is true, but oooohhhh the berries!  We started picking when we would only come home with a precious cup or two, that is when we made the first pie of the season.  My children helped me pick and then begged for a pie that evening.  We made our first and devoured it.  The next day they begged for the same and I obliged, but by the third day I decided my waistline could no longer handle the deliciousness so we started to freeze some of the berries.

Though we have now had Blackberry milkshakes, smoothies, cobbler and jam, the pie remains my #1 favorite.  It might also be because when I make it I always think of my grandmother as the crust recipe comes from her and I always think back to being small and helping her in her kitchen.

I think my favorite part about this crust is that it is pretty forgiving.  If it is too wet, add more flour, if you roll it out and mess up, just crumple it up and do it again.  And if you have scraps?  My grandma ALWAYS made me cinnamon and sugared pie crust strips.  She would just roll out the scraps and cut them into strips then place on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and viola! (If you have never tried this...you are so missing out!)

I really don't use a tried and true "recipe" for the berry part.  I just get a saucepan and toss in the berries (about 3-4 cups) then add some sugar (depending on how sweet you want your berries 1/3 to 1 cup.  When the berries are hot I start mashing them with a fork and then when I have quite a bit of liqued I add approx 2 T of cornstarch to a few tablespoons of water (to make a runny mix) then thicken up the berries with that.  That is the basics of my pie "guts" then I just dump it in the crust and top it with more pie dough, bake at 400 for about 20-30 minutes.

Fool Proof Pie Crust (Grandma's recipe):

(Makes 4-5 crusts)
4 c. flour
1 T. sugar
1 3/4 Crisco
1/2 c. water
2 T. cider vinegar
1 egg (beaten)
1 tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients together and cut in Crisco until crumbly.  Mix together the beaten egg, water and vinegar.  Pour over flour and Crisco mixture and mix until moistened but able to be handled (if too sticky, just add a bit more flour).  Then start rolling out your crusts!

Okay, no judgement here as this is definately not one of my "prettiest" pies, but I assure you, it didn't matter when we gobbled it up!