Homemade Pie Crust

... and of course then some pumpkin pie! 

This recipe originated from the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook but was then completely perfected by my amazing sis that lives halfway around the world! She has been the source of my inspiration on more than one occasion and she NEVER ceases to amaze me. A few weeks back I was running low on ideas and quite frankly motivation, in need of a little extra help plugging away at my 365 list, I was chatting with my her on our almost weekly chat {this can definitely be a challenge due to the 10 hour time difference} and had the idea to do some collaborative thinking! Best idea EVER!

So we started brainstorming and before you knew it we had birthed this mini-fall series with all this pumpkin deliciousness and THE absolute best pie crust recipe I have ever used {credit goes 100% to her for perfecting this pie crust}. Back in the days {like pre-kiddos} when I had time to bake pies, I had a go-to pie crust recipe that was 'good', but this my friends is AaH...MAZING! Some absolutely, completely flaky goodness {so good I am thinking about taking this dough outside of the pie world ... croissantish even maybe}. But what's even more awesome than that ... is that my sister rattled off exactly how she made her pie crust is if it were an everyday conversation!


So here you have it, straight from the source-

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Homemade Pie Crust

Iced water

½ cup cold butter

1 ½ flour

½ teaspoon salt

Fill liquid measure cup with ice water and let it sit. Add flour and salt to a bowl. Add butter, cubed (cut stick lengthwise in quarters, then cube). Use hands to mix quickly (you don’t want butter to melt) until mixed thoroughly and the butter is pea-sized  or smaller. Using rubber spatula, mix 1 tablespoon at a time of cold water (up to 8 tablespoons). Mix until it sticks together with no flour left in the bowl but not too moist. Transfer to saran wrap and form into a hockey puck shape. Place in fridge for 10 mins or 10 min in freezer. With a rolling pin, round out with a little bit of flower. Put it in your pie plate and crimp edges. Put in freeze to shock for 5-10 minutes (you want the butter to be nice and cold when it goes into the oven). While the crust is getting chilly, prep your pie filling. 

For starters, I used Mrs. Sigg's Fresh Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Filling 

2 cups of pumpkin puree

1 cup brown sugar

12 ounces evaporated milk

2 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, beat all ingredients together. 

And now for the pie!

Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Remove pie crust from freezer. Pour in pumpkin pie filling. Bake at 400 for 45 -50 minutes. 

However, next time I am going to try as Mrs. Sigg's recommends and start at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 for an additional 40-50 minutes. 

Additional Pie Info - for future reference and fun facts. 

Also from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook for pies that use pre-baked pie crust. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Follow the pie crust recipe as detailed above. Cover the pie crust with a double layer of tin foil. Push it down (this will keep it from rising OR you could use pie weights). Make sure oven is hot and ready to bake the crust quickly so that your crust doesn’t get soggy. Bake for 8 minutes or until the pie crust looks dry and not moist. Remove the tinfoil and continue to bake for 6-8 minutes to make sure it’s cooked completely. Then use your freshly baked pie crust "aaaas yoooou wiiiiish." :) 

Random, I know but there are some phrases that NO matter how they are used, my brain only hears them one way and then gets sidetracked thinking about the movie it's from, like this one from The Princess Bride. And I think this is where I need to call it a night ... before my tangents get WAY to far off course! heehee.

Homemade Jalapeno Jelly

Last year's jalapeno crop did fairly well, but this year we've only had enough for the summer luxury of being able to walk out to our own garden and grab a jalapeno here diced for tacos, a few there for our delicious PB jalapeno burgers, and a handful every once in awhile for poppers.

only a small portion of the harvest :)

The in-law's garden, on the other hand, has been producing these about as readily as our garden has been producing cukes! So of course we have done some garden swapping; and I knew exactly what I was going to do with the first bucket full ... my MIL's borrowed recipe from Tried and Tasty.

Jalapeno Jelly

4 cups finely chopped jalapenos (2 dozen or so whole)

1 cup white vinegar

5 cups sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 box (1.75 oz) pectin

8 pint size mason jars with seals and rings

Halve and deseed peppers. Finely chop prepared peppers (food processor is an option, just be careful not to over chop). Combine everything in a saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat. Boil for 15 min or until 220 degrees (here's a great resource for when it comes to getting your jam to set correctly). Pour hot jelly into clean, hot pint jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Add seals and rings n. If water bathing is desired process for 10 minutes. 

Just a few disclaimers: 

1 - When working with jalapenos I would strongly encourage the use of rubber gloves. Now, I usually am TOO lazy to take note of my own tip although I'm fully aware of the hazards that can come with cutting up jalapenos; however, after the fact I almost always regret my lack of caution. You can be careful enough to maintain the oils from the jalapenos by touching NOTHING other than the jalapenos until you are completely done handling them AND wash your hands umpteen times while using a scrub brush to make sure you have gotten ALL of the oils out from under your nails (otherwise you will oh so be in pain the next morning when you go to put your contacts in) as wells as a final rinse using some milk and vinegar OR you could just use gloves. Needless to say, but after a few times of suffering to consequences I know have a pair of gloves specifically for cutting up jalapenos {SO much simpler and smarter}. 

2 - If you are dead 'set' :) on having your jam turn out, well, like jam, then the resources link in the above recipe is VERY helpful. The last two batches of jam I have made have not set as well as I would have liked primarily due to (again getting lazy or quite possibly because I didn't want to take the few extra minutes when it was already hours past my bedtime ... zzzz!) and not cooking it long enough. While I followed to time suggested in the recipe, I didn't follow the tale-tell sign that the jam has passed the sheet test. Both of these batches have not and will not go to waste and honestly we have become quite fond of the not-so-set jalapeno jelly as it allows for a few more options as a dip, as a topping, and as a spread.

<insert picture of final product ... not sure how I forgot to grab this one at the time, the final product pic is the easiest one!>

COST COMPARISON: homemade 8 oz jar - $0.70 vs. store bought 10 oz. jar - $4.49 ... yeah it's definitely worth it! Even if you buy new jars it's still only about $1.80 for a 8 oz. jar. 

Homemade Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

I would love to sit here and small talk with y'all but this lady is beat and I can't get to my bed quick enough ... how many others are with me! :) Three days into the week and I've been two 6 ballgames ... eek! Busy but there's really nothing better!

Sure glad I saved this post until tonight so it could be simple and quick.

Homemade Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

2 cups homemade marshmallow fluff

4 ounces cream cheese (I really need to try making my own)

Whip ingredients together. Enjoy. 

EASY PEEZEY, LEMON SQUEEZEY!

We have completely indulged in the homemade marshmallow fluff this past week ... oh favorite way to eat it is with graham crackers straight out of the jar. YUM!

Marshmallow Fluff

Well, for the wife of a high school baseball coach and mother of 4 with 2 playing ball themselves, rain sometimes offers a much appreciated break in the evening schedule which is what today brought! I love spending nights at the ballpark watching one of my favorite past-times but it sure does feel good to come home straight from work, have a home cooked meal on the table by 6:15, and be giving good night kisses and tucking 4 squeaky clean munchkins into bed at 8:20.

And for the home cooked meal ... I'm not much of one to toot my own horn, but if I do say so myself ... it was a home-run tonight! Some cashew chicken on top of rice drizzled with a not-so-low calorie seasoned butter sauce with a side of fresh, streamed green beans. And for dessert some strawberries and homemade fruit dip. 

If you are familiar with a fruit dip made from marshmallow fluff, cream cheese, and a little bit of vanilla ... you now know one of my kryptonites {peanut butter by the spoonful is a close second, but THIS stuff definitely takes the cake every time in my book}! And don't you worry, if you've never experienced this little bit of heaven, I'll be sharing the very simple recipe for the fruit dip next.

For my first attempt of this fluffy white stuff, I followed a recipe I found on the kitchn. 

some heavenly fluffiness right here!

Homemade Marshmallow Fluff

6 tablespoons water

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

3 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

pinch of salt

1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

candy thermometer

Heat water, sugar, and corn syrup in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it reaches 240°F on the candy thermometer. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes. {It will slowdown around the 220°F, but then should pick back up ... I wasn't patient enough for this and it still turned out amazing, so I can't wait to try it again}. While sugar mixture is heating, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Increase speed and add cream of tartar and salt. Continue to beat eggs until soft peaks form. Once the sugar mixture reaches 240°F, carefully remove and allow the mixture to cool for 20 seconds. With the mixer on high, slowing drizzle the sugar mixture into the stiff egg whites. Continue to beat for 7 to 8 minutes or until the mixture returns to room temperature. Add vanilla and mix until it resembles marshmallow fluff {YUM!}. Makes about 4 cups. Use right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks {if it last that long :)}.

fresh off the press ... before all the little fingers came in for a snitch!

Butter’em Up

Homemade butter has been popping up on my Pinterest feed lately and then when my soon-to-be-sister-in-law was sharing about her own butter making experience at our family Easter gathering, I knew exactly what I was going to try out this week!

This was so simple to do in my KitchenAid stand mixer, but of course my brain started overflowing with all the possibilities for some super fun science experiments. I came across an article from Scientific American that outlines a great activity that the kids would love to try sometime! To all you teacher friends out there this could be a great interdisciplinary activity … science {molecules}, history {how we used to make butter}, math {measuring}, writing {write your own story or poem about butter}, and I’m sure you could find a good book for any level that could be related!

Enough with the lesson planning J

Homemade Butter

1 pint of heavy cream

½ teaspoon of salt (optional)

Stand mixer

Pour cream into mixing bowl with flat beater attachment. Cover stand mixer with towel {unless of course you thoroughly enjoy cleaning up cream that has splattered EVERYWHERE}. Beat on high for 15 minutes checking periodically. Once the butter and buttermilk has separated, drain off the buttermilk and reserve {this would work great in some homemade ranch dressing}. Knead and wash butter in a bowl of water to remove any remaining buttermilk, replacing water periodically until the water remains clear {this step is optional but will prolong the shelf life of your butter}. Press clean butter into a bowl with lid. Refrigeration not required. Makes about 1 cup.

Cost Comparison: Homemade butter about $3.65 for 1 lb vs. store bought about $3

Although it’s not a money saver, there is something about seeing the cute little bowl of butter sitting out on the counter that is quite satisfy. And then there is the pure deliciousness of this freshly made butter melting on a piece of warm bread … yum!

And of course I cannot go without wondering how this would all work if I had my own cow? I’m considering trying to butter up the Mr. J!

on this idea … hehee

Homemade Granola

Tonight's going to be a short, sweet, and to the point post! While I realize should have waited until the kiddos were in bed so I could hear myself think, I decided to just sit down quick and push through all the noise while they are entertaining themselves with basketballs, spoons and garbage cans, let's just say loud doesn't describe it!

Granola is not a staple grocery list item or one that I'd consider as 'needed' but this is something I really need to make more of! The process takes a little time but is extremely easy and really the options are endless with what you want to put in it as well as how you could use it.

Natalie at Super Health Kids offers a great list of ways to use your granola. My recipe was inspired by Alton Brown but that was only the start!

Homemade Granola Recipe

4 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)

1 cup slice almonds

1 cup pecans

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Mix oats, nuts, coconut, and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix honey, oil and salt. Pour honey mixture onto of oats mixture. Stir until well coated and combined (use your hands if needed). Spread granola onto a cookie sheet with edges. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until evenly toasted and to your desired crunchiness (keep in mind it will get crunchier as it cools). Stir every 15 minutes. 

This would be great with any kind of dried fruit or your favorite nuts or seeds added to the mix! Ultimately all you need is your base (rolled oats), something sticky to hold it all together (honey or syrup), an oil (I'm sure any kind would do) to thin out your sticky to make it coat everything easier, your favorite extras (fruit, nuts, seeds, coconut, etc.), and a little sweet and salty to your liking. 

Now I just need to make some more yogurt! J

Homemade Frosted Cut-out Cookies

The All-Occasion Homemade Frosted Cut-out Cookie

I was a Lofthouse Cookie lover UNTIL I found and tried this recipe . These became my go to treats for all occasions and what inspired me to try taking my kids' birthday cakes to the next level. I've been making and perfecting these cookies for about 5 years. 

The dough recipe that I use is from Margo on allrecipes.com and the frosting recipe is from P. Oakes on allrecipes.com also.

Christmas cookies for the teachers, #1's class Christmas party,
and family Christmas dessert!

Cut-out Cookie Dough Recipe

6 egg yolks

4 eggs

4 sticks of butter, softened

2 1/8 cup white sugar

7 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

plastic wrap

cookie cutters (less intricate designs work best)

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg yolks and eggs, one at a time until thick and fluffy. Add vanilla, mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to mixing bowl until all the flour is incorporated. Once all ingredients are combine, place three to four pieces of plastic wrap on counter and divide the dough evenly between them and then wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour.  

I have made the dough well ahead of time and thrown it in the freezer until the day before baking them. SO easy and convenient, and as an added bonus #1 is always more than willing to help make the dough! The best part about this recipe is if you have a stand mixer it is a great, throw in and walk away, and just let it whip-it, no harm done just a little extra air and fluffiness, which in a cookie NEVER hurts!

BAKING the cookies. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pull the dough from the fridge and allow the dough to set out for about 15 minutes prior to baking. If using frozen dough, thaw in refrigerator overnight, then bake. Once the dough is pliable but not too soft, rough dough out onto a floured surface until about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. (My thickness really depends on how many cookies I want to make, ideally I prefer the thickness to be right in the middle of these at about 3/8 of an inch.) Use a cookie cutter to cut your shapes on place cut-outs on greased cookie sheets about 1 to 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the pan for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely prior to frosting.

Frosting Recipe - updated 12/23/15

2/3 cup butter, softened

4 cups confectioners' sugar 

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In large mixing bowl, cream the butter. Gradually add 1 cup of confectioners' sugar at a time and a little milk until all the sugar and milk are incorporated. Add vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy about 3 to 5 minutes, another step where you can walk away if you have a stand mixer, the longer the better. Color however suits your fancy. One batch frosts about 5 dozen cookies. 

Updated 12/23/15 - I usually make 1.5 batches at a time and there's enough (with a little leftover) to frosting a whole batch of cookies dough from the above recipe. If you plan on doing detailed decorations on your cookies, I'd have a little back up frosting available for all the different colors. I am still perfecting how to eye the amount of frosting I need to color for a specific detail so we usually just make plenty of frosting to be safe ... added bonus who doesn't like to have extra frosting to like from the bowls! Also, as for the food coloring, I prefer Wilton's gel. I know there are lots of choices but I have been please with these and the colors I end up with.

#1's 11th birthday school treats

Decorating the cookies. Fresh frosting is handsdown the best way to go, whether you spread in on or pipe it on. As for keeps this frosting does do very well out on the counter for upto a week, in the fridge for upto a month, and in the freezer ... well I don't even want to know how long some of my things keep in the freezer :) With the amount of sugar that is in the frosting it acts as a natural preservative. A tip for you plan-a-headers, I have baked fresh dough, frosted, and frozen cookies for later use and they turn out great every time, which means this is a great way have the fun cookie without all the last minute prep!

FYI - I use this frosting for ALL of my cakes!

#2's 6th birthday school treats

#2's 8th birthday school treats ...
WE ARE METS fans, seeing this
pic again only brings sadness :(
Nice job KC Royals!

faux pumpkin pie cookies for Thanksgiving  

#2's 7th birthday school treats 

#1's 8th birthday school treats ... sorry for the blurriness,
instagram pics don't have very good resolution OR
I just am not tech-savvy enough to figure it out :)

As I tried finding as many pictures of the cookies I have done, either I didn't do a very good job taking pics throughout the years or they are saved on our other computer that has decided it is done working. Really wish I could find a pic of some of the other Christmas cookie designs I have done ... SO cute and SIMPLE if I say so myself! Also, I feel the need to put a disclaimer out for #3 and #4, their preschool doesn't allow homemade treats so they haven't had the privilege to take these homemade cookies for their birthday. 

Homemade Caramels

How to Make Homemade Caramels

Those ooey, chewy, caramely, melt-in-your-mouth pieces of goodness that always seem to make their way into the holidays are something I have never attempted because I thought they would never turn out like they were suppose to and I didn't have the time to try just any old recipe to figure it out. And then THE BEST caramel maker shared her recipe on Facebook .... HALLELUJAH!!! She's been making, gifting, selling at the Christmas Auction these caramels for years and they are literally the talk of the town!

However, I must admit, even after seeing her recipe I still needed a little nudge to give it a try because I was sure they were never going to be as good as hers! Thanks to the Mr.'s persistent requests (he knows my love language is through my cooking and baking so how can I resist!) I decided I would give them a try and keep my fingers crossed they would turn out and hope I could use them in my Christmas goodie baggies.  

So batch #1, mix, stir, cook, compare my color to the color in her picture, stir, cook, compare, stir, stir, cook, compare, stir, compare, I think that's been about 30 minutes, done, pour ... this doesn't seem so bad ... this could be a blog post! But of course before I would share her recipe on my blog I would need to check to make sure she'd approve, oh off to Facebook again I go to send her a quick message. 

While I anxiously awaited her response and for my caramels to cool, I started batch #2. This time I paid closer attention to the clock and I think in the end I didn't cook this batch as long, but again it was mix, stir, compare, stir, (she'd be DELIGHTED if I shared her recipe, SWEET, so exciting!), compare, stir, timer, done, pour. 

Now for the hard part, waiting for them to cool so I can cut and wrap them. Let me tell you, this is brutal, like watching paint dry, ONLY because I am not very patient, especially when it's getting late and my bed sounds so endearing! I would try cutting a piece to see if it was cool enough to cut more and it wouldn't be so I would OF COURSE just have to eat the 'ugly' stretched out piece of caramel, and once I had one taste, there is NO way I could stop there. All in all I would have to say they aren't as good as when she makes them, but they are gift worthy and I will continue to make them because practice makes perfect. 

Once they were cooled and had the Mr's taste test approval, I was able to cut, wrap, and bag both batches before heading to bed. 

Homemade Caramels

1/2 lb butter - not margarine 

2 cups powdered sugar

1 can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

1 cup Karo white corn syrup
wax paper, cut into approximately 3" x 3" squares

Bring to boil over medium heat, #6 on electric burner, stirring constantly (soft ball stage, I am familiar with this phrase, but am very scared by these candy making terms and phrases which is probably why I have never attempted them). Takes about 30 minutes. Pour into buttered glass 9x13 dish. Cool. Cut. Wrap. Makes about 90 pieces. 

cookies and caramels for the kids' teachers

Batch #3 was needed to ensure every bag had enough and there were a few to spare ... and Batch #4 is already needed. SO GOOD. Each batch I have made has turned out a little different depending on how long I cooked them, but no matter what they all have turned out great. 

The recipe called for name brand, but I will inform you I used all Aldi products only because I am an Avid Aldi Shopper, 6 mouths aren't cheap to feed ... I couldn't imagine feeding 14 like my grandma. I would however be curious to try it with the name brand items and compare the difference. The total cost per batch was approximately $3.50 and made at least 12 goodie bags, which comes out to just under $0.30 per bag. I'd say it was definitely worth the efforts and I am really wishing I hadn't left the few remaining pieces at our family Christmas yesterday so I could indulge in them right now!

Birthday Season

This has consumed much of my free time over the past few weeks, between the Pinterest searches to get ideas, the baking, and the decorating. Making our kids' birthday cakes has been a fun tradition and I could have never imagined some of the cakes I'd be making! #4 has a June birthday, #1 has a September birthday, and #2 and #3 have October birthdays, so it really is always a season of birthdays around here from June through October.

The key through all of these birthday cakes is the element of surprise! The kids have loved coming up with a challenge for me but they don't get to see their cake until we are ready to blow out the candles. Since going back to work full time, it has taken a little more commitment to keep the tradition than it used to. Instead of being an afternoon project while the birthday kid is napping or at school, it has turned into a couple late nights after the kiddos go to bed, but it's all worth it!

Here's the cake that ended our birthday season in honor of the Mets playing in the World Series (so sad to be posting this after their loss in game 5). 

#2 turns 8

This is one of my favorites to date and I was pretty excited in how it turned out. Before I begin any cake I'm never quite sure if it'll turn out like I envision it and then as the layers go on and the detail gets added; it all comes together! Over the last few years, the kiddos have really stepped up their requests but I always like to think back and share where it all started.

Six years ago, when #2 turned 2, I got the idea to try my hand at cake decorating. Instead of a plain cake with fun candles, I attempted some tractors. I had no cake decorating experience, baggies served as piping bags, there was a complete absence of frosting tips, and I only had a basic 4 pack of liquid food coloring.  I distinctly remember being so frustrated with not being able to get my tractor tires black, but a hobby was started. A few things I learned on my first attempt were frosting does darken the longer it sits and it's worth the extra money to buy paste food coloring if there is a specific color you want.

a throwback picture from when #2 turned 2, 
this is where I started 6 short years ago! 

From amatuer looking tractors to a realistic looking Everest (the newest Paw Patrol pup), who would have thought. #3 has been my most challenging requestor due to the detail required alone. However, I wished I had taken step by step pictures of how this all comes together, because it really is easier than it looks and involves some minor cheating :).

#3 turns 5

And then they don't always turn out like you are hoping! #1's only request this year was whipped frosting, so I attempted. From the picture it's harder to tell, but I had made this the day before and let's just say by the next day my whipped frosting was starting to was loose its fluff. Still, I am bound and determined to find a whipped frosting that's better than store bought, easy to work with, and keeps for longer than 1 day. 

#1 turns 11

And then there's #4's. He couldn't decide on Baymax from Disney's Big Hero 6 or Superman, so we went with Baymax on top and a Superman inspired 3 on the the sides.

#4 turns 3

Each cake is a fun journey, I love the challenge and the excitement the kids show when they finally get to see their cake!

Freezer Meals Round 1

FINALLY ....

The freezer meal plan from last Sunday is up on the blog. Freezer meals aren't extra-ordinary and I have done a few here and there, but what I took on last Saturday was definitely a first for me! It's not necessarily in the "Homemade Day by Day" category but one of the purposes of this blog was to eliminate the unnecessary ingredients, cut costs, AND push me to try new things. I'd have to say even-though freezer meals aren't as "risky" as some of my health and beauty items, they for sure fit every other reason why I started this blog!

The plan in a nut shell - 5 families, 10 meals each = $80 for a family of 4

Italian Beef
Meatballs and Marinara
Sloppy Joe's
Grilled Meatloaf
Upside Down Pizza
Chili
Chicken Fajitas
Honey Mustard Chicken
Chicken and Sausage Kabobs
Loaded Potato Soup
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pizza Dough - still coming :)

Here's the link for the PDF version of the plans, it includes all the meals, recipes, and directions.

The plan will be to add an update and post each time we enjoy one of these meals from the freezer!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Now I know when it comes to a chocolate chip cookie recipe there are a thousand out there and I probably have never made the same recipe over and over again! Since the group of us girls that did the freezer meals ran out of time last Sunday, I had planned on making up the cookie dough with the help of my oldest daughter ... who bless her soul is becoming very much like her mother (SO SCARY!). However, I could NOT decide which recipe to use for our freezer cookie dough.

As my daughter and I were getting prepped to start our mass cookie dough making extravaganza, I happened to be on the phone with my sister who has an unbelievable taste for her sweets and since she lives overseas depends on most of her homemade recipes to fulfill her good-ole America treats! All of a sudden it dawned on me ... if anybody has a good go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies it'd be her! She is the master of tweaking and using what you have to make it exactly like you want!

And sure enough, she did with a few tweaks of course!!! Her inspiration came from Better Homes and Gardens recipe. Their recipe calls for shortening but for me personally I've never been a fan. I'm not a shortening snob and would never be able to tell if something was made with margarine, oil, or shortening, but there's something about adding a big glop of colorless greasy substance to recipes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup butter

½ cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups flour

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Beat oil, butter, sugars, and soda until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375˚ for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 4-5 dozen cookies. 

These are by far the best chocolate chip cookies I've made! They keep their shape and are so soft!

For the freezer, place three strips of plastic wrap approximately 12 to 18 inches in length on the counter. Divide the cookie dough evenly between the 3 pieces of plastic wrap. Form into logs and wrap up. Place in a gallon-size freezer bag. 

Homemade Whipped Topping

How to Make Your Own Whipped Topping

The Mr. asked while enjoying waffles this past Saturday morning if I had shared my whipped topping on my blog yet, which made me realize I haven't! This is something I remember one of my grandma's doing ALL the time and it is SO simple. Due to the simplicity of the process for making your own whipped topping, I have just assumed most people do this already. However, if this reaches one person who hasn't already tried this ... it will be worth posting! 

If you have a stand mixer it makes this even easier but a simple hand mixer will do the job just as good and you will get a small arm workout in the process ;). A step that will help with either type of mixer is chilling your bowl (metal is preferred) and whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. This just helps speed up the whipping process by keeping the cream colder longer. 

Homemade Whipped Topping

1 pint (2 cups or 16 ounces) heavy whipping cream

1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar (I usually just eyeball this, it's all based off preference)

Pour heavy whipping cream into chilled bowl. Whisk gradually working your way up to high speed. Whisk on high until thick and peaks can be formed. Reduce speed to low and gradually add powdered sugar. Scrape down sides and whisk to incorporate. 

Now it's time to enjoy ... on your waffles or pancake, in your coffee (my favorite), a top your favorite ice cream, you name it! It's simply sweetened cream and delicious. 

Be sure to check out my fruit topping to go with these waffles!

Cost Comparison: $1.89 (Aldi) for approximately 16 ounces of whipped topping VS. $2 for 6.5 ounces Reddi Whip (Meijer)

Today's Question: What's your favorite use for whipped topping?

Single-Serve Frozen Fruit Cups

How to Make Single-Serve Frozen Fruit Cups

This is a summer must-have around the Haley House. We eat this in the form of single-serve frozen cups or popsicles. The best part of this recipe is as along as you start with the crushed pineapple, orange juice, lemonade, sugar, and water, you can use whatever variation of fruit you want. 

I'm not sure exactly where the recipe origin came from, but it was passed along to me from one of my aunts years ago. 

2 oz. single-serve frozen fruit cups 

Frozen Fruit Salad

6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

6 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

10 ounces maraschino cherries, halved or quartered

1/2 cup red grapes, halved or quartered

10 ounces strawberries (frozen or fresh), quartered 

3 bananas, diced

20 ounces crushed pineapple with juice

11 ounces mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup sugar

2 cup water

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into 9 oz. cups. Freeze. Makes 12. 

We almost always double this and use the full can of frozen orange juice and lemonade concentrate (which there is a way to make your own ... so that may be one of these days, just to try it out). Can't you just see it, growing your own orange tree, juicing the oranges, and then making your own orange juice frozen concentrate so you can enjoy fresh orange juice even in the dead of winter from the very oranges you grew! 

I know I am a little extreme when it comes to thinking what all I could do, but I have come to realize maybe that's what I love about the covered wagon days. Most everything was made with what you had and there were no quick trips to the store because it was at least a days trip away. Or in terms of the Oregon Trail (ooohh now here's a fleeting amount of memories, as I think back to the computer game I played growing up), you had to be fully stocked with the bare necessities and prepared for weeks or months without being able to replenish it. 

Anywhoo, back to our frozen fruit cups. :) I used to use Dixie cups and popsicle sticks, but this does create extra grocery list items and extra waste ... plus in this form I preferred them to be eaten outside otherwise we had a sticky mess everywhere. Last summer, I started using cupcake pans (and Pampered Chefs brownie pan) as the alternative to popsicles. I ladle the fruit mixture into the pans and the place them in the freeze overnight (a double batch, makes about four dozen 2 ounces servings). The next day I use a knife to pop them out and then store them in a airtight container in the freezer. This not only creates no waste but it has made it very easy to serve. 

Now no matter the season, I love the idea of going to the freezer, pulling out our container of single-serve frozen fruit cups, plopping each one in a bowl, and enjoying a refreshing side of fruit! Most of the time I will heat them up in the microwave for about 20 secs to soften them just enough to break them into smaller frozen chunks for the little ones. These also make for a great addition to school lunches, I put a frozen puck (or two) in a sealed container and by lunch time it's thawed and ready for eating!

before going into the freezer

Cost Comparison: $0.52 per 4 ounce serving (2 pucks) VS. store bought at $0.56 per 4 ounce serving

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

A very blessed day today! The Mr. and his baseball staff and team continue their season as the Class 2A Sectional Champions. Just to give you an idea of how our life is between the Middle of March and end of May ... our calendar shows just under 60 games between 3 schedules and almost half of those have been in May alone (wowzeers, it's now wonder we are beat)! It's a crazy life being the wife of a varsity coach and raising 4 children and there are days I am just not sure what I have got myself into ;) BUT when each day is done, the house is quiet, and I can step back and reflect without an endless amount of requests it's with a full heart.

I am looking forward to the day when I can get back to posting these in the afternoon, but until then here is yet another late night one!

How to Make Your own Sweetened Condensed Milk

I have decided I will be using evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk more often now that I have taken the time to make it at home. To make this somewhat time consuming task doable for our lifestyle I can see myself  making a larger batch of evaporated milk and then use it when needed. This recipe is adapted from Just as Delish. 

thickness after 10 minutes of cooling

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tablespoon of butter

Heat milk over medium heat. Add sugar and bring to a slow boil. Stir every minute or two. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter. Allow to cool. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or use immediately. To use after being chilled allow to come to room temperature or whisk with a small amount of water. 

slow boil

simmer until you reach this consistency 

Looking forward to seeing how thick this is in the morning, but for now it tastes perfect and I am going to bed!

Today's Question: What is your favorite use for sweetened condensed milk?

Updated 5/31/2015 - This morning when I check on the sweetened condensed milk, I was relatively pleased with the thickness. It was not as thick as store bought but that I am this sure could easily be tweaked by simmering it a bit longer.

Although I didn't make something today I felt stood on it's own for a post, I did try a caramel dip recipe that called for sweetened condensed milk. The kids loved it but I will be making some changes or trying out a few other recipes. Tammy's Recipes is were I started, but since I only had 1 cup of evaporated milk, I made half a batch. 

Ours didn't turn out near as dark, but I am assuming this could be not using dark brown sugar. Since caramel is probably my all time favorite sweet (I'd choose caramel over chocolate anyday) I am a little picky and will keep working on this until I have it just right. 

This whole making everything homemade has made me realized I can treat the kids without breaking the bank. A small container of caramel dip (don't get me wrong the store bought it way better at this point, but not for long ,.. I am determined) at the local grocery store is $3.99.  1 pound of ground beef OR small container of caramel apple dip?!?!? Yes, I know you can buy it cheaper at other places but I could make the caramel dip way quicker than raising, butcher, and grinding my own beef! Sorry to all those that are vegan or vegetarian, we do eat meat around here. :)

Homemade Pudding

How to Make Your Pudding From Scratch

Well it hasn't been a sit-on-the-couch-and-do-nothing kind of day but is has been a relaxing Memorial Day after a very busy weekend. I will admit I almost decided not to post anything just out of pure exhaustion and needing a break, but I know myself well enough ... one day could turn into two or more and it will then no longer be a "perfect" challenge and which could give way to an end to a very good thing! 

I am always making something everyday but right now my focus has been on cutting down on my grocery list by replacing things I would normally buy with a homemade version. Homemade pudding was a first for me and although I made this last Friday for my momma bear's birthday cake, I am usually trying something new each day. Today I did try my hand at potato salad for the first time because the Mr. absolutely loved some German potato salad my sister made on Saturday and wondered "Why have we never eaten this?!?! It is SO good!" You see, the Mr. has always turned his nose up at potato salad so I just never attempted it myself and never wasted our money on it. So today I decided I would make some of this German potato salad for him and then realized it called for cornstarch which I am out of. Now if cornstarch was something I could make at home ... you better believe that would have been my post for today! :)

Instead, I tried a new recipe for a bacon potato salad. Through this we discovered the Mr. really doesn't like potato salad, just German potato salad! I even agreed the recipe was a "tweak-er not a keeper" but the real problem for the Mr. is the texture and cold potatoes. I will just stick with the German potato salad as soon as I get to the store for some cornstarch. Since I wasn't overly thrilled with the outcome on today's potato salad attempt, I decided I would try some homemade chocolate pudding and share both a vanilla and chocolate recipe, but guess what all the recipes called for? Yeap, cornstarch! So that'll have to be an update! I tweaked Lynn's Kitchen Adventures' recipe. 

Homemade Vanilla Pudding

1 1/8 cup sugar

6 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup cream

3 3/4 cups milk

5 egg yolks

1 1/2 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla

Combine sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Whisk in cream, milk, and egg yolks. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring continually for 3-5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and butter. Whisk until butter is melted. Transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap making sure to allow for the plastic wrap to touch the pudding to prevent a film from forming. Enjoy. Refrigerate any unused servings.

Momma Bear & Pappy with the cakes
Layered Cream Puff Dessert Cake & Ella Scharlach Cake

In closing for today, I would like to thank all of the family members who have lost their loved ones while they were serving in our country's armed forces. It's because of your selflessness and support they were able to serve and protect their's and our country! I am thankful for those who serve currently or have served in the past. God Bless You All for you courage!

Today's Question: Vanilla or Chocolate?