Freezer Basics Great Ideas

Posted on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 12:09

This is a must read great ideas..

Got the link here

Blessings sisterbrenda

Freezer Basics

Freezing food is both time-saving and economical. There’s nothing better than coming home from work and having a delicious dinner just waiting to be heated up. Here are some tips to help your frozen food taste fresh along the way.

FREEZER TEMPERATURE:
The optimal temperature of your home freezer is 0 degrees to negative 10. Turn the temperature down to the lowest setting for the quickest freeze. The rear center is found to be the coldest spot in a home freezer. Setting your casseroles there will ensure a fast freeze. To improve air circulation and to keep a low temperature, remove unwanted clutter in your freezer by clearing out old food. This will help things stay frozen and prevent freezer burn. Also keeping food away from freezer vents will help with the circulation.

FREEZING WHOLE INGREDIENTS:
It’s important to freeze vegetables when they’re at their peak of flavor. Wash the vegetables well and trim or cut into the desired size. Blanch them in a large pot of boiling water until bright green or slightly tender, depending on the vegetable. Shock the blanched vegetables in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove from ice water and dry thoroughly. Freeze in labeled freezer bags or freezer safe containers. Enjoy your summer harvest all winter long.

COOLING:
Completely cool casseroles and sauces for at least 2 hours before putting them in the freezer. Any residual heat will cause condensation and a layer of frost to form on the top. The flavor will fall flat after reheating. Also, the temperature will quickly rise if you add anything warm to the freezer, causing other foods to thaw and freezer burn to form.

STORING:
Wrap baking dishes tightly with foil and plastic wrap before freezing. Use airtight, small containers, leaving very little air between the packaging and the food. Using small containers guarantee that the food will freeze faster. Liquids, like thin soups and stocks, will need an inch of room since they expand when they freeze. Use freezer quality products, which will help your food from absorbing other smells in your freezer. Wrap baked goods, like muffins, in aluminum foil and then into freezer bags. Let pancakes cool completely then stack between layers of parchment and place in a freezer bag. For the best quality, store poultry for 6-9 months, beef 3-4 months, fish between 3-6, and fruits and vegetables for 8-12 months.

REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS:
For casseroles, let defrost in the refrigerator the night before you want to reheat it. Unwrap and loosely cover with foil. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake until the center of the casserole reaches 160 degrees. For large 13x9 casseroles, this should take about 35 minutes. Paula’s “Lots O’ Meat Lasagna” is a perfect freezer recipe.

For soups, stews, and sauces, defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop. You can also defrost in the microwave. Just check every minute or so to make sure you aren’t overcooking and to give it a stir.

Capture some summertime in your freezer with “Chef Jack’s Corn Chowder”.

Or for something to warm you up in the winter, try “Paula’s White Bean Chili”. Just remember to add the herbs after freezing and defrosting for a fresher flavor.

For baked goods, like muffins, let defrost for one hour at room temperature then toast, for best quality.

For pancakes, pop into your toaster oven still frozen to enjoy a quick breakfast.

Grandma Hannah’s Blue Apron Chocolate Heaven Cake ~picture~recipe

Posted on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 12:02

Ok you choc lovers here is on for us

Got the link here

Blessings sisterbrenda

by Cheryl Day

I come from a long line of bakers or “sweet tooths” as my mother used to say.
As long as there was butter, sugar and eggs in the house, we always had something sweet.
I can’t think of anything more delightful than making sweets. To this day when I put on one of my many vintage aprons, I am instantly transported to the sweet smells of my grandmother’s kitchen and my favorite blue apron. 

When we were young, every summer my parents would pack up my sister Natalie and I and Max, our dog, in the station wagon to drive across country from Los Angeles to “down south” Alabama for the family vacation. I can still recall how excited I would get to dig through her kitchen drawers to pick out one of her perfectly ironed aprons.  I knew that meant we were about to do some serious baking for family and friends.

I had never seen cakes like the ones my grandmother used to make.  All of the bakeries that I visited back home made fancy cakes, but Grandma Hanna’s homespun cakes were beautiful, moist, and delicious.

This is the very first cake that I learned to bake and I still make it at the bakery today. Learning to bake from scratch, she would say, is a life lesson of patience and perfection. Beginning with the process of gathering all of the ingredients, letting them come up to room temperature, measuring precisely, and mixing it with loving hands is what gives it the perfect texture rather than a tough cake. I loved watching her beat the batter by hand in a big ceramic bowl. I can still recall having to count the many turns of the big wooden spoon.

I suppose there is a certain mystique that comes with baking, but with a few simple techniques and the proper tools, it is the most comforting way to spend an afternoon.  I always love reaching into the pantry for just a few simple ingredients, and in just a short time enjoying delicious homemade treats that create comfort and joy.

Chocolate Heaven Cake

Yield: 12 big slices of heaven

Ingredients:
3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½  teaspoons baking soda
4 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup oil
9 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups strong, fresh brewed coffee

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of three 9” cake pans.
In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
In a medium bowl place chocolate and pour hot coffee and vanilla.
Let stand about 2 minutes to melt the chocolate then stir until smooth.

ln another bowl whisk together eggs and oil until well blended and light in color. Whisk in sour cream, then melted chocolate mixture.
Add chocolate sour cream mixture to dry ingredients and mix on low speed while gradually adding in thirds. Mix until just until incorporated scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fill prepared pans two thirds full. Bake cakes 40-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool then decorate as desired.

Chocolate Heaven Frosting
Ingredients:
3 sticks unsalted Butter at room temperature
2 TBL milk
1 teaspoons vanilla
9 ounces melted semi sweet chocolate
2 1/2 to 3 cups sifted confectioners sugar

Directions:
Mix butter and milk until smooth and creamy
Add vanilla just until incorporated
Add melted chocolate until completely mixed
Gradually add sugar until you reach the consistency of frosting.

Dude’s Pasta~picture and recipe

Posted on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 11:57

Pasta is one of my favorite dishes

Got the linkhere

Blessings sisterbrenda

Jamie’s Chili ~picture and recipe

Posted on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 11:48

I just love chili and this looks good and I'm sure it taste wonderful will have to try it.

This recipe is good for all those that are on the fly

Got the link here

Blessings sisterbrenda

Ingredients:

shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped green onions, for garnish
1   (14 1/2-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1   (14 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1   (14 1/2 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
ground cumin
1   (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes
2 cup chopped celery
chili powder
1   package chili seasoning mix
1   small can tomato paste
1   can chili beans
2   (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1   green bell pepper diced
1   medium onion, diced
1 lb mixed ground beef and sausage, browned and drained

Directions

Brown ground beef in skillet and drain.  Spray large pot with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper, and celery and saute briefly. Stir in the diced and whole tomatoes. Add cumin and chili powder, to taste, and cook for about 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the beans, browned meat, and chili seasoning. Partially cover, and let simmer for 4 hours.

Serve with Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

Recipe courtesy Jamie Deen

Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 4 hours 20 min
Difficulty: Easy

Show: Paula's Home Cooking

After School Treats~picture and reicpe

Posted on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 11:39

This is a wonderful idea..I'm all for the kids helping in the kitchen when they can..

Got the link here

Blessings sisterbrenda

by Katie Goodman

Kids can be so strong willed when it comes to what they will and will not eat. It’s a daily struggle for almost all mothers (and fathers too!). If this doesn’t ring true for you, consider yourself some of the lucky parents of adventurous eaters. As a mother of a picky child, I want to make sure I put the best possible food in my children’s mouths, especially the one who is least likely to touch a vegetable with a 10 foot pole. I feel that every calorie, every bite, every snack really needs to count. I try to find creative ways to turn the foods I know he loves into something a little nutritious, though still enjoyable to his palate.

Baking is something that my son and I both enjoy doing together. It’s been a great way for me to introduce him to new ingredients in a casual atmosphere, without the pressure of trying a bite. At the same time, I’m sharing my interests with him and teaching him valuable skills. We have fun together and he’s learning. It gives us a chance to spend some quality time together creating a treat that we’ll both enjoy eating, and maybe even trying something new.

Now that school is back in session, kids are usually ready for an afternoon snack after an exhausting day of learning. Baking with your children can be a fun after school activity for those who are fortunate enough not to be bogged down with homework assignments. Or, maybe just a special activity with mom on the weekend because weekdays schedules are so packed.  They’ll love the idea of these granola bar cookies even if they aren’t able to appreciate how much healthier they are for them. This may look like a cookie, be called a cookie, and even taste suspiciously like a cookie, but it’s packed with, grains, fruits, seeds, and nuts. Rather than a sugar crash leading to a late afternoon cranky spell, the eater will have enjoyed a nice dose of fiber and protein to carry them till dinner time.

This is a “cookie” that mom won’t mind her kids eating for breakfast on occasion. She might even have one for herself!

Granola Bar Cookies
Yields 4 dozen

• 1/2 cup butter, softened


• 1/2 cup olive oil


• 1 cup brown sugar


• 1 cup white sugar


• 2 eggs


• 2 teaspoons vanilla


• 2 1/4 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour


• 2 1/4 cups old fashioned oats


• 1 teaspoon baking powder


• 1 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 12 ounces dried fruit (I used 6 ounces each of blueberries and chopped strawberries)


• 1/3 cup whole flax seeds


• 1/3 cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds


• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped, or sliced, almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until combined. Slowly pour in olive oil, beating continuously until fluffy and smooth. Add eggs and vanilla, beating an additional minute.

Measure the oatmeal into the bowl of a food processor. Grind until oatmeal has become a fine powder. Sift oatmeal, flour, baking powder and soda, and salt together in a medium sized bowl.

Stir the flour and oatmeal mixture into the butter mixture until well combined. Add in the fruit, seeds, and nuts, stirring until contents are evenly distributed.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form golf ball sized balls of dough, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Remove and cool on a cooling rack until cookies are cool enough to handle.

Note:
Don’t be afraid to mix up the add-ins to create a whole new cookie and a variety of flavors. For some fun variations consider the following add-in substitutions:

• Tropical Granola: chopped dried mango, papaya, and/or pineapple for the fruit and chopped macadamia for the nuts


• Triple Berry Granola: equal amounts of dried strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry for the fruit


• Cranberry Orange Granola: dried cranberries for the fruit, walnuts for the nuts, and add in the zest of 1 orange


• Cherry Chocolate Granola: 8 oz. dried chopped cherries for the fruit plus 4 ounces dark chocolate chunks.

Clementine Spice Cake ~rcipe and picture

Posted on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 11:33

Oh I bet this cake would really make the house smell good. I beleive in some parts of the country clementine are in season now.. I know wal-mart has them around $3.50 I saw them yesterday..

I will all so be making this cake..

Got the linkhere

Blessings sister brenda

by Katie Goodman

Winter is most definitely not my favorite time of year. Correction. It is probably my least favorite time of year in terms of the season. Night falls early, the air and ground are cold, and the landscape is either brown or hibernating. I love being outside and enjoying the fresh air, trees, and the beautiful flowers. I love the laughter of my children while swinging in our backyard or running free at a park, and that doesn’t happen as often when it’s cold outside. After a while I start to feel cabin fever coming on. Instead of dwelling on the lost beauty of fall or counting the days until spring finally arrives, this year I want to surround myself with loved ones and focus on the good that happens in my home.

Though winter may feel as if it drags, it seems shorter when I am reminded of how many of my favorite things take place within these few months. During the winter months of November, December and January I have the opportunity to enjoy so much: celebrating my favorite holiday, listening to my favorite seasonal music, spending time with family during visits, cooking and baking some of my favorite recipes, sharing joy and peace with others during the holiday season, giving (and receiving, I won’t lie!) gifts and greeting a brand New Year at the door. The more I think about it, the bigger the list gets.

Another favorite that is brought to mind when thinking about food during this time of year is the Clementine, a beautiful and tasty fruit to cherish during the cold winter months when most of my favorite produce is long out of season. Without competition from the delicious summer berries or the crisp fall apples, winter gives this citrus a much deserved chance to shine.

This year I have combined two of my winter favorites into one fantastic dessert: holiday baking and the Clementine, typically in season from November through January. It isn’t often that you see the Clementine highlighted in its own dessert, but why shouldn’t it be? They’re sweet and juicy, easy to peel and separate, full of that delicate citrus flavor, and perfect for snacking. Not to mention high in vitamin C, something our bodies could use a little extra of this time of year.

This cake shows off the popular winter fruit in its spicy cake batter, creamy citrus cheese topping, and in the garnish. Clementine Spice Cake is beautiful to look at and will surely be a hit at your holiday table with its moist and delicious taste.

Though the world around may be covered in frost or snow, warm your home and soul with this delicious Clementine Spice Cake. It is sure to brighten your winter. Even more so if you share it with the people you love.

Clementine Spice Cake

Cake:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup molasses
1 cup fresh squeezed Clementine juice
zest of 2 Clementine

Creamy Citrus Cheese Topping:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
zest of 1 Clementine

Garnish:
2 Clementine, peeled and sliced into rounds
whole cloves, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugars in a medium-large bowl. Beat for 2-3 minutes, until butter and sugar is creamy and combined. Scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed.

Add the eggs and vanilla, beating for 1 minute. Stir in the molasses, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed.

Add half of the flour, stirring to combine, followed by half of the Clementine juice. Repeat using remaining amounts. Stir in the zest.

Spray a spring form pan with spray oil to grease. Pour cake batter in pan, set aside.

Using a whisk or electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and Clementine zest. Pour cream cheese mixture over top of cake batter. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the top, leaving a half inch border.

Lay slices of Clementine a top the cake, studding the center of each slice with a whole clove. Bake cake at 350 degrees F for 50-65 minutes, or until cake is set. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove outer ring of spring form pan and cool an additional 25 minutes.