We just love biscuits!! I can make "good" biscuits from scratch and it doesn't really take all that long but anything to save me a few extra minutes during "rush hour" is worth an effort.
This biscuit mix is super fast, easy and most importantly CHEAP to make! The biscuits I make from this mix are super tender.
Biscuit Mix:
8 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cup dry milk
2 cups shortening
Mix together flour and dry milk. Cut shortening into mixture with pastry blender. Store in air-tight container.
To make biscuits use 2 cups biscuit mix and 3/4 cup milk. Stir together just until moistened, do not over mix! Turn out onto floured surface, pat out until dough is about 3/4 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter, place onto greased pan, sides touching. Bake at 500 degrees about 10 minutes. Brush with melted butter, serve piping hot with your best homemade preserves :)
You may also use this mix in any recipe that calls for biscuit mix.
I will be posting a recipe for my Easy Country Chicken and Dumplings later using this biscuit mix. You're gonna love 'em!!!
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Honey Whole Wheat Bread (BestEver!)
Soft, crusty and yummy! This is by far the best bread I have ever baked!
I have been trying to bake deliciously soft bread for like ever! I have learned a lot about what works and what does not.
I had given up on making homemade bread but when I went to the grocery my daughter told me I didn't need to buy bread because I make the BEST bread ever! Awwwww!
I decided to give it another go... Tweaked and combined several recipes... And this time I was happy with the results!
Hollie's Honey Whole Wheat Bread:
1 pkg dry yeast
1 cup warm tap water(105-110 degrees)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons honey
6 Tablespoons oil
1/4 cup dry nonfat milk powder
1/2 cup potato flakes
1/4 tsp absorbic acid
3 Tablespoons wheat gluten
2-3 cups wheat flour
Mix flour, water and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Allow to sit about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile mix together salt, powdered milk, potato flakes, absorbic acid and wheat gluten.
Add dry mixture, honey and oil to the yeast mixture.
Gradually add flour! (Each time I make bread it seems like it takes a different amount... :)
When you have added enough flour the dough should pull away from the edges of the bowl but will still be slightly sticky.
Knead in stand mixer for 6-8 minutes. Place in greased bowl in warm place until doubled in size (30 minutes to one hour.). Punch dough down, shape in loaf and place in well greased loaf pan. Let rise again until dough is 1 1/4 inch above edges of pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake for about 40 minutes, bread will sound hollow when tapped.
Remove from pan immediately, brush melted butter on top. As soon as bread cools place in gallon tie bags.
Enjoy!
NOTE: My flour and gluten were purchased at an Amish market, the honey was from a local bee keeper. You can purchase gluten (baking section) and absorbic acid (canning section) at our local Wal-mart.
Please leave a comment if you enjoyed or have any questions!
I have been trying to bake deliciously soft bread for like ever! I have learned a lot about what works and what does not.
I had given up on making homemade bread but when I went to the grocery my daughter told me I didn't need to buy bread because I make the BEST bread ever! Awwwww!
I decided to give it another go... Tweaked and combined several recipes... And this time I was happy with the results!
Hollie's Honey Whole Wheat Bread:1 pkg dry yeast
1 cup warm tap water(105-110 degrees)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons honey
6 Tablespoons oil
1/4 cup dry nonfat milk powder
1/2 cup potato flakes
1/4 tsp absorbic acid
3 Tablespoons wheat gluten
2-3 cups wheat flour
Mix flour, water and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Allow to sit about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile mix together salt, powdered milk, potato flakes, absorbic acid and wheat gluten.
Add dry mixture, honey and oil to the yeast mixture.
Gradually add flour! (Each time I make bread it seems like it takes a different amount... :)
When you have added enough flour the dough should pull away from the edges of the bowl but will still be slightly sticky.
Knead in stand mixer for 6-8 minutes. Place in greased bowl in warm place until doubled in size (30 minutes to one hour.). Punch dough down, shape in loaf and place in well greased loaf pan. Let rise again until dough is 1 1/4 inch above edges of pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake for about 40 minutes, bread will sound hollow when tapped.
Remove from pan immediately, brush melted butter on top. As soon as bread cools place in gallon tie bags.
Enjoy!
NOTE: My flour and gluten were purchased at an Amish market, the honey was from a local bee keeper. You can purchase gluten (baking section) and absorbic acid (canning section) at our local Wal-mart.
Please leave a comment if you enjoyed or have any questions!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Canned Chili Update! Yum!
We finally opened a can of my homemade chili... Drum roll please... It was wonderful! I was so happy with the way it turned out. Dinner was ready super fast and the family approved.
I am working on a weekly menu to use up these canned goodies.
Thanks for stopping by!
I am working on a weekly menu to use up these canned goodies.
Thanks for stopping by!
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Modern Chevron Afghan #4
White, gray, and pale yellow were the colors I chose for my first ripple afghan. I really enjoyed making this one even though my hands are still throbbing from all the crocheting! This one took about 10 days to complete, thankfully I completed last week's afghan a little early :) I worked very hard to get it finished but it was definitely worth it!
Pattern found http://allthingsbrightandbeautifulcrafts.blogspot.com/2011/11/chevron-blanket.html
I did a hdc instead of sc to make the project go faster. My afghan measured about 43" x 68" and I used 2 strips of accent color instead of just one.
Pattern found http://allthingsbrightandbeautifulcrafts.blogspot.com/2011/11/chevron-blanket.html
I did a hdc instead of sc to make the project go faster. My afghan measured about 43" x 68" and I used 2 strips of accent color instead of just one.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Afghan #3
Finally finished my third afghan, it is small, a lapghan or baby blanket but nonetheless it is finished! Very happy with the way it turned out I may go back and add a few colors to the granny edge.
The pattern? Well I didn't really use one, I just chained about 120, hdc in each row until blanket measured about 36 inches then single crocheted (sc) around entire blanket, 3 sc in each corner stitch. For the granny edging I did 3 double chains (dc) in one single crochet, then skipped 2. For the corners you do 3dc, chain 2, then 3dc in same corner stitch.
Next week's afghan will be a gray, white and pale yellow afghan.
Happy crocheting!
The pattern? Well I didn't really use one, I just chained about 120, hdc in each row until blanket measured about 36 inches then single crocheted (sc) around entire blanket, 3 sc in each corner stitch. For the granny edging I did 3 double chains (dc) in one single crochet, then skipped 2. For the corners you do 3dc, chain 2, then 3dc in same corner stitch.
Next week's afghan will be a gray, white and pale yellow afghan.
Happy crocheting!
Friday, January 25, 2013
Canning Chili
First off let me say that I'm new to canning. I have helped my mom can green beans during the summer but I was never allowed to actually DO anything except break and string beans. My kids have great appetites and aren't really picky but I just can't open a box of processed junk and feed it to them, so I cook most things from scratch. Scratch cooking takes a lot of time and there seems to be mountains of dishes to wash later! Instead of freezing food that will eventually freezer burn or thaw in one of our common winter power outages I decided to try my hand at canning.
Project #1
Chili
We love chili and it isn't very difficult to make but when you're in a hurry having something like this already prepared can be the difference in eating out or eating in ($$$$$ saved.)
Recipe:
4 lbs lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 green peppers, diced
1stalk celery, diced
1 lb kidney beans
1lb pinto beans
2 Tbsp. chili powder (or desired amount)
1 Tbsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. salt
6 cups water
Sort and wash beans, cover with about 4 inches water above top of beans. Bring to a rapid boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit for one hour.
Brown ground beef, onion, peppers and celery, drain.
Combine all ingredients (add beans with water cooked in) in large stockpot.
Bring to a boil, simmer.
Ladle into quart mason jars leaving 1" headspace from rim. Make sure to wipe edges of jars, add lids and rings.
Place prepared jars into pressure canner. Canner must be full, mine holds 7 quart jars. If you don't have enough jars to fill canner fill extra jars with water (1" headspace.) Add water to canner until it is about halfway up on the jars.
Process at 15 pounds pressure for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
When processing is finished turn off heat, let cool about 2 hours. I use a silicone oven mit to remove the jars from the canner, jars will be VERY HOT!!!!
It seems like a lot to do at first but the more you do it the easier it gets! Happy canning!
TIP: I have an 8 quart stockpot that I fill nearly to the brim, this makes one canner full of chili, stew, whatever. This is the easiest way I have found to make sure I have enough but not too much for canning. If your pot isn't quite full add some water or tomato juice to fill it about 2-3 inches from the top.
Project #1
Chili
We love chili and it isn't very difficult to make but when you're in a hurry having something like this already prepared can be the difference in eating out or eating in ($$$$$ saved.)
Recipe:
4 lbs lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 green peppers, diced
1stalk celery, diced
1 lb kidney beans
1lb pinto beans
2 Tbsp. chili powder (or desired amount)
1 Tbsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. salt
6 cups water
Sort and wash beans, cover with about 4 inches water above top of beans. Bring to a rapid boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit for one hour.
Brown ground beef, onion, peppers and celery, drain.
Combine all ingredients (add beans with water cooked in) in large stockpot.
Bring to a boil, simmer.
Ladle into quart mason jars leaving 1" headspace from rim. Make sure to wipe edges of jars, add lids and rings.
Place prepared jars into pressure canner. Canner must be full, mine holds 7 quart jars. If you don't have enough jars to fill canner fill extra jars with water (1" headspace.) Add water to canner until it is about halfway up on the jars.
Process at 15 pounds pressure for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
When processing is finished turn off heat, let cool about 2 hours. I use a silicone oven mit to remove the jars from the canner, jars will be VERY HOT!!!!
It seems like a lot to do at first but the more you do it the easier it gets! Happy canning!
TIP: I have an 8 quart stockpot that I fill nearly to the brim, this makes one canner full of chili, stew, whatever. This is the easiest way I have found to make sure I have enough but not too much for canning. If your pot isn't quite full add some water or tomato juice to fill it about 2-3 inches from the top.
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