Hoe Cake

I have found heaven on earth...  Finally I have found a recipe for those elusive awesome, fluffy, buttery, soft as pillows biscuits and it's SO easy since there's no rolling or cutting!  Thank you so much Christy(Southern Plate)!!!!

1/2 Cup vegetable shortening

2 Cups self rising flour(or add 3 tsp baking powder and 2 tsp salt to regular flour)

1 Cup milk

Preheat the oven to 425.  Pour a thin layer of oil to cover the bottom of an 8 inch round cake pan(I used my cast iron skillet) and place in the oven to heat.

In a large bowl, thoroughly cut the shortening into the flour.  Pour the milk in and stir until wet.  The batter will be lumpy.  (don't overstir!!!!!)  Pour into the well-heated pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, until browned.  Invert onto a plate.  (I didn't invert it...we cut it and it was gone so fast there wasn't time)

Chocolate Pie

Mmm this was so good!  Now to try it out on my mom when she comes to visit next!  This is from Southern Plate.

1 Cup sugar
1/3 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 Cup self-rising flour
2 egg yolks
2 Cups milk
2 tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 baked pie shell

Meringue
3 egg whits
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 325.  In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa powder and flour.  mix well.  Beat in the egg yolks and add the milk  Place over medium heat and cook until thickened, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.  Stir in the butter, vanill and salt.  Pour into the baked pie shell and top with meringue, if desired, or whipped cream.

To make the meringue, whip the egg whits until foamy with anelectric mixer on high speed.  Add the sugar.  Continue beating on high speed until soft peaks form.  pour onto the top of the pie and spread to the edges to seal well.  Bake at 325 for 15 minutes or until the top is golden.  Allow to cool completely and refrigerate before serving if you like.

Paula Deen Cornbread

This is Paula's Deen's recipe doubled which makes the perfect amount for my cast iron skillet.  The BEST cornbread of all the recipes I've tried!

2 Cups cornmeal
1 Cup flour
1 1/2 Cups buttermilk
4 eggs
1/4 Cup vegetable oil
 2 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Oil cast iron skillet and put on stove on medium low while you mix together the ingredients for the cornbread.  Do not overstir--just until the mixture has no dry flour/cornmeal.  Pour batter into heated skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Serve with lots of real butter.

Cream Soup Substitute

I would have sworn I had this recipe on here but I can't find it by searching so I'm putting it on again.

Ingredients:
2 cups dry milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup chicken bouillon granules
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes, optional
1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil, optional
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, optional
1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram, optional
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 to 3 teaspoons butter
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients except butter together and store in airtight container. To use, mix 1/2 cup dry soup mix with 1 1/4 cups water and cook until thick; add butter. This is equal to one can cream soup. The mix makes enough to equal 9 to 10 cans. For cream of mushroom or celery soup, add chopped sauteé mushrooms or celery along with the butter while cooking.

Skillet biscuits

These were pretty good...still looking for the perfect recipe though. I used 1/2 cup whole wheat flour so they would have a small bit of nutrition...


Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, cubed
3/4 cup milk
Directions
In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Cut butter into mixture until it begins to look likecornmeal.
Make a well with flour mixture and slowly add milk into the middle.Knead dough with your fingers and add milk when necessary. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut with small biscuit cutter.
Butter bottom of skillet and place biscuits in pan. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Basic Corn Muffins

This recipe came from here and the only change I made was using free flowing brown sugar(coupon deal that I needed to use up).  It worked perfectly!

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin pan or line with paper muffin liners.
In a large bowl, mix together corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add egg, oil and milk; stir gently to combine. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
 

Jiffy Cornbread Box Mix Clone

This is the recipe I use when a recipe calls for a box of Jiffy brand cornbread mix.  It works out great:o)

2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp veg. oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes

Chocolate Popsicles

I've had my eye out for popsicle molds and finally found some I liked at Marshalls!  They are on Amazon for $10.40 right now(but I paid $7 hee)  See after the recipe for my price breakdown of making these at home...

I also have a set from Tupperware but they're quite tiny.  Those are perfect for the toddler and preschooler in the house though:)  I used cocoa since it's what I had on hand but these would be divine with a dutch or bittersweet chocolate!    Hunter wants to make these on his night to choose/cook dinner:)

This recipe comes from The Prudent Homemaker

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder OR 3 oz unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate

3 cups  whole milk ( or 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk plus 1 1/2 cups water)

3 eggs yolks, slightly beaten

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp butter 

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, cocoa powder and milk.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to boil. Boil one minute. Remove from heat.

Slowly add pudding mixture to egg yolks.

Return pudding to pan. Add vanilla and butter. Boil for one minute.

Let mixture cool slightly. Fill popsicle molds and freeze until frozen solid (about 3 hours).

Makes 8 popsicles, depending on the size of your molds. 

********************************************************************************************************************************

Price break down

Cocoa--2 cups in a normal 8 ounce container at $4.39= 1.10 for the 1/2 cup used

Sugar--9 cups in a 4 pound bag at $1.99=33 cents for the 1 1/2 cup used

Milk--16 cups in a gallon at $2.38=45 cents for 3 cups

Eggs-12 for 1.09= 27 cents for 3 eggs plus you can use the egg whites later

For the rest I'll figure 25 cents to make it easy but it would be less than that if you buy in bulk.

So for $2.40 or less you can make 9 chocolate popsicles with REAL chocolate!  Plus it's just fun to make it yourself:)  I don't buy these but from looking at pricebooks online you normally get 12 Fudgesicles for $3.99(and a long list of ingredients I can't pronounce).

Cheesecake

I got this recipe for "Chantal's New York Cheesecake" from allrecipes.  The only change I made was that I had graham cracker crumbs and I added in a little sugar to the graham crust.  This was AWESOME!!!  Mine cracked like crazy and I followed the directions to a T so not sure why that was but it tasted so good nobody cared!

Ingredients

• 15 graham crackers, crushed
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
•  
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.
3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Pigs in a blanket from scratch

This is a recipe off the zaar...now food.com I guess...but you can find it here.
Hunter made these tonight for dinner and is getting better at following recipes everyday!  As a matter of fact I took a shower as he made them:)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk
18 miniature hot dogs
Heat the over to 400ºF. Grease a large baking sheet. Sift the dry ingredients (flour through salt) into a mixing bowl (or dump them in one at a time, whatever).
2Rub the butter pieces into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly. Stir in cheese until evenly distributed.
3Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Let the dough sit for 3 minutes.
4Sprinkle the dough with flour and stir once or twice then turn out onto a well floured counter.
5With floured hands, pat the dough into a 15 by 7 inch rectangle, trimming the sides if necessary to get a true rectangle. (Handle the dough as little as possible for tenderness, yeah right).
6Using a pizza cutter, slice the rectangle into thirds horizontally then slice each third into thirds vertically, this will give you 9 small rectangles. Slice each rectangle diagonally into two thin triangles.
7One at a time, roll up the sausages in the triangles. Place pointy side down on greased cookie sheet.
8Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on the sheet for 3 minutes then tranfer to a wire rack.

Fry Bread Tacos

This was super good!  We used a cup of whole wheat flour instead of all white flour and it gave it a great hearty-ness(is that a word?).  8" circles are too big especially for the kiddos!

NAVAJO FRY BREAD

4-5 cups flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup instant milk
2 cups water
To make fry bread: Mix dry ingredients.
Stir in water.
Knead dough lightly; cover and let rest 15 minutes.
Heat 1" vegetable oil in a 10" skillet.
Pinch off dough in small amounts and pat dough into thin 8" circles.
In the hot oil, quickly brown on both sides.
Drain on paper towels.

Jiffy Box Mix Clone

I made our corn casserole to go with beans instead of cornbread last night and it calls for a box of Jiffy cornbread mix.  I have plenty of cornbread ingredients so I found a recipe to do it myself.  The Jiffy is cheap but this is still way cheaper!

If a box of Jiffy is called for instead use:

2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup corn meal
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

If you want to make it into cornbread then add:
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
And bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

Gingerbread Waffles

These were in the Family Fun magazine and I knew I had to make them.  The smell of gingerbread in the house was so warm and comforting!  We ate them without syrup(and with syrup and with only butter and...) and they were delicious!  

Ingredients
4 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 cup buttermilk
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Whipped cream and fruit, optional
Instructions
With an electric mixer, beat the eggs until they're light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, molasses, and buttermilk and mix until blended, about 1 minute more.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir until smooth. Stir in the butter.
Cover and refrigerate the batter overnight or cook immediately in a waffle iron until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve with whipped cream and fruit, if you like. Makes 14.

Pumpkin Muffins

I looked for a recipe online but didn't find any I really liked so I pieced together my own. These turned out great and I doubled it and made two loaves of pumpkin bread(no pictures) with pecans in those. For the tupperware spice you can just use cinnamon. (made these again 9-3-10 and I think this is too much spice.  I'll cut them all in half next time)

Pumpkin muffins
1 15oz can pumpkin

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, tupperware spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together pumpkin, vegetable oil and eggs.

Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.