Homemade Condensed Cream of Whatever soup Mix

I found a recipe recently for chicken that uses condensed cream of chicken soup. Recipe sounds good, uses crockpot, really it should be a no brainer. However that little can of soup is almost $2. What? Really?

So I scoured the internet for a recipe and tried a couple. This one came out good, substituted well, and you can make it up as you need it. Best of all, about 50 cents to make or even less.

I have added canned chopped clams or corn and some chopped potatoes for a fast chowder.

Condensed Cream Soup Mix

2  cups nonfat dry milk powder
3/4  cup cornstarch
2  tablespoons dried onion flakes
1/2  teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4  cup chicken bouillon powder
1  teaspoon dried basil (optional)
1/4  teaspoon dried thyme, more to taste


Using an air tight container combine dry milk, cornstarch, onion
flakes, pepper and chicken bouillon.If desired also add basil and thyme.
I use a widemouth quart mason jar. Mix well.

When using the mix, combine 1/3 cup of the mix with 1 1/4 cups of
water in saucepan. You could use chicken stock, vegetable stock, etc.

Cook and stir until thickened. Makes 1 and a half cups of soup.

Cole Slaw

The weather has turned warm and I am tweaking my menus to some inexpensive old favorites again. Cole slaw is ridiculously cheap but still ranks as a food that reminds you of seafood baskets at the oceanside and picnics. Some crockpot BBQ chicken, cole slaw, and garlic toast from the toaster oven and supper is on the table in 5 minutes after a long day outside enjoying the beautiful summer days.

Cabbage is easy to shred and much cheaper to do yourself but even I grab those 8 cup bags of preshredded for $1.99 when they are on sale or its a crazy week. However the dressings that you can buy for cole slaw are very expensive, most around $3.99 for only a few salads worth. The cheap bottles of dressing taste awful and I always just throw some together from scratch.

Cole Slaw

8 cups shredded cabbage
3 carrots, shredded
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vinegar
pinch salt
pinch pepper.

Whisk everything but the cabbage and the carrots in a bowl.  Toss the dressing with the carrots and cabbage and let marinate/ chill a few hours in the fridge.  

Yummy!

Stuff to do in Central Maine this summer 2014

Schools out for the summer next week and I am planning out the rest of this month's activites for the kids. Here's a few I know of, feel free to share any you like around town too.

 

Flagship Cinemas offers Camp Flagship, free movies for the kids during the summer months at several locations. The schedule is different at each location, the link is for Auburn. Showtimes are at 10am on Tues., Weds., and Thurs. Check out the schedule, there are some good ones.

http://flagship.retrieversites.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/Camp_Flagship_Flyer_2014_AUBURN_1.pdf

This local bowling alley offers a kids bowl free program in Lewiston. Personally we have never been because of sensory issues but a few friends have. While it says kids bowl free I would check it out and make sure shoe rentals etc are not extra. A great way to beat the heat though.

www.kidsbowlfree.com/

One of my boys LOVES berries, any berry really.  This small family owned pick your own has the best berries around and is only a 10 minute drive for us. I swear the boys eat their weight in berries before we leave!

http://www.gossberryfarm.com/

 

A biweekly trip for us is the Maine Wildlife Park, formerly the Gray animal farm.  If you haven't been in a few years you will be amazed at the changes. We spend $70 for a family pass that lasts for the entire year at the beginning of the season and go frequently .

  They have picnic areas and a small gift shop as well as the Snack Shack with some pretty inexpensive stuff if you are on a budget. Check the calendar at their website for special activities on Saturdays.

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/education/wildlifepark/

A really nice hiking trail just minutes from downtown Lewiston is the Thorncraig bird sanctuary. Theres a pond in the middle and tons of critters for the kids to sneak up on. It's rarely crowded and best of all, free.

http://alltrails.com/trail/us/maine/thorncrag-bird-sanctuary

 

The Auburn public library has a fabulous children's room. They have pre-assembled activity kits you can check out for a free afternoon of themed activities. I heard a rumor that they have tablets with educational apps preloaded but I haven't checked it out yet. Check their schedule for kids activities throughout the summer.

http://www.auburnpubliclibrary.org/childrens/juvservices.html

 

When I have a bit of extra money we go to the mini golf and ice cream place out Rt 4. The 18 holes are not very challenging which is nice for my unccordinated family but fun. The ice cream is great here too.

http://roysgolf.com/

 

Home Depot has a kid's workshop series that can be fun. Sometimes theres a small fee for materials. Definitely check with the store to make sure the website calendar matches theirs though.

http://workshops.homedepot.com/workshops/kids-workshops

A nice swimming hole with short hiking trails is Range Pond State Park. Its a short drive and has had some improvements the last few years. Bring a picnic lunch.

http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=11

Another short drive is Bradbury Mountain. They have several trails to hike and a small area for picnics as well. Freeport is just up the road for a walk around LL Bean, always popular with my kids. They love the indoor fish ponds. Freeport area has a ton of stuff to do also but we usually avoid too much in town because the urge to shop can be overwhelming!

http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=12

 

Here's a bunch to get you started. Have fun!

Cotton Pants for the boys

My boys are growing like weeds and seem to grow an inch every month. I certainly can't afford new pants for them every month so I make tons of pajama pants and shorts. I can make 2 pairs of shorts that fit them perfectly or 1 pair of pants with a yard of fabric.

I have been using a great printable PDF from Hammer & Thread with a little customization for length. Check out her post here.

I have a few sources for inexpensive fabric. We have a local fabric wholesale warehouse that sells fabric cutoffs by the pound and yardage as low as 3.99 a yard. I check there regularly as the bins change often of what is available.  I also check our local Goodwill often for .99 mens shirts I can cut down as well as sweatpants for fleece. Last but certainly not least is Joann Fabrics as a good source of novelty prints and denims. I signed up for the sale emails as well as the coupons they mail you. You can double up coupons as long as they come from different sources, i.e. internet, mail, instore. If you time it with a sale you can get great bargains.

I recently made a sizable purchase of fabric from Denverfabrics.com. The specials change there regularly so check back every now and again. I got shirt fabrics at $2.00 a yard as well as a beautiful rose colored knit for me.Very nice quality I must say. Check them out here.


 Happy Sewing!

Favorite Links

I started a new section today called favorite links over there on the right hand side. I plan to add a few links I find incredibly useful. Take a look, you might find some new inspiration.

Spice of Life (taco seasoning mix)

I am all about the spices. When you are cooking basic inexpensive food spices can fool your mouth into thinking you are dining at a fine restaurant on a mac and cheese budget. My children get spices from the time they can eat table food.

 A sprinkle of cinnamon, a dusting of chili powder, or a pinch of pepper can remake the bland into the gourmet.

Here's a basic taco seasoning that you can use on chicken, beef, or even sprinkled over potatoes before you roast them for a smoky flavor.

What spice mix can you not live without?

Chili Taco Mix

1/3 cup cumin
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup pepper
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
 1 tsp dried oregano


Mix all together and store in an airtight container. I use canning jars for my spices.

2 Tablespoons is enough to flavor 1 pound of ground beef.

Enjoy!

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

Every now and again I come across a recipe that includes sweetened condensed milk. which I very rarely have on hand. My friend Caroline gave me this recipe and it works great and saves me a trip to the store.

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 c. cold water
1 1/4 c. nonfat dry milk
3/4 c. sugar

Measure water into 2 cup glass container. Gradually stir in milk
powder
until smooth. Microwave on high 3/4-1 minute until milk is steaming
hot. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Allow to cool before using.
Substitutes for 1 (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk.

Fast Apple Coffeecake

Ever need to throw a cake together for company at the last second or need to feed a couple extra kids at snack time?
This cake is super fast and easy and sure to please.

  Upsidedown Apple Coffee Cake

1  18 oz. cake mix, prepared according to pkg. directions
or use your favorite homemade recipe for cake(May use spice cake or white or yellow)
3 - 4 cups Baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced, enough to fill
bottom of baking dish
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon of apple pie spice(if you use a spice cake mix leave this out)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon



 Pre-Heat oven to 350 *F. Grease a 9x13 pan.
Place apples in 9x13 cake pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon,apple spice,
and sugars and
stir to coat. Pour prepared cake mix over apples. Bake according to
directions on cake mix. Cake can be served warm or cold.

  ENJOY!!!

Applesauce Snack Cake

I kid myself that I make this for the kids but I really love this cake. Fragrant and yummy, it's a go -to any time of year. I dust it lightly with confectioners sugar or serve with ice cream for a treat.

                                                 

Applesauce Snack Cake

2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch cloves
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 c raisins

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease  or spray a 9x13 pan.
Beat all ingredients except raisins in a large  bowl.
Stir in raisins .
Pour into pan.
Bake for 25-30 mins. .
Cool  pan on wire rack.
Cool completely. before cutting..
Serves 16 ( 12 generously)

No Bake Cereal Bars

For some reason I am struggling for afterschool snacks these days. I pulled out some old but good recipes and thought this one would be good to share.

 It's highly customizable and has easy ingredients. Chocolate chips do not work well, they will melt, but any nut, dried fruit, or hard shelled candy works well. 

These are not the best for nutrition, though you can certainly boost it a bit with dried fruit and flax seeds. I can guarantee the kids will love them though and they are insanely easy.
 

No-Bake Cereal Bars

4 C. Cheerios
2 C. Rice Krispies
2 C. dry roasted peanuts
2 C. M & M's
1 C. light corn syrup
1 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients, set aside. 

 In a saucepan, bring corn syrup and sugar to a boil, stirring frequently. 

Remove from heat; stir in peanut butter and vanilla.

 Pour over cereal mixture and toss to coat evenly. 

Spread into a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Cool. 

Cut into 3x3" bars. Yield: 15 bars.

I have used a 12x17" jelly roll pan and got about 32
bars. You can use 2 9x13 pans, and make a couple  batches.

Yummy!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

The boys were home today from school with tummy aches. At about 3 in the afternoon they became ravenously hungry(I am thinking it was a " let's have a Phineas and Ferb marathon" flu). I made them chocolate chip muffins which have been their favorite for as long as they have been eating solid foods. It's comfort food, for sure, and pantry staples to boot, my favorite combination.

Chocolate Chip Muffins 

Makes 12

2 cups AP flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1TB baking powder
pinch salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips
 some extra sugar for sprinkling on top if desired.


Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line muffin cups with paper liners. I use a muffin top pan I got last year these days. If you don't use liners make sure you grease your pan appropriately.

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, oil, and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just moistened(still lumpy is ok). Gently stir in chocolate chips.

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with sugar if desired. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned.

Hide a couple if you want one after the kids get ahold of them.

Enjoy!

Microwave Baked Potatoes

Every now and again I get on a baked potato kick. They rank up there with pizza and sandwiches for being customizable. Healthy, cheap, and fast, what's not to love?

Fast? Fast? What is she thinking? Some of you may not be familiar with the potato bag. My best friend thought I was nuts when I said I would have baked potatoes on the table in less than 10 minutes.  For a wee tiny bit of fabric and batting you can make one of these bags in just a few minutes with very basic sewing skills. Here's a tutorial HERE and HERE.

Toppings can be as varied as your imagination. Here's some ideas to get you started.

• Ham and Cheese
• Chili ( with or without cheese)
• Salsa and sour cream
• Broccoli and cheese
• Tomato sauce and parm cheese
• Bacon bits, cheese, and sour cream
• Black beans, salsa, and cheese
• Chopped chicken and cheese
• Pesto 

Yummy dinner! Excellent way to use up leftover bits from supper the night before too.
And by the way, I am sure you could whip up a few extra potato bags for gifts now couldn't you?

Fruit Leather (AKA fruit rollups)

Fruit snacks, must be healthy right? Especially with the labels proclaiming fat free! gluten free! made with real juice! Wrong. Those little packets are basically fruit flavored sugar and preservatives. Don't get me wrong, there is a few brands that are a bit better. But why spend that much money on something you can make yourself that is less expensive, healthier, and only actually has fruit in it?

I have made these since I was a wee sprite and they taste great and hold up well to backpacks and gymbags alike.

Fruit Leather

4  c strawberries or whatever fruit is in season

Preheat your oven to 150°F (or as low as your oven will go). Line an 11-by-17 cookie sheet with a Silpat baking mat. If you don't have one, use parchment paper, although a Silpat will offer better results.

Wash, dry, and cut up four cups of strawberries (or other in-season fruit of your choice, such as peaches, bananas, or raspberries; frozen fruit works, too). Place in a food processor or blender.
Puree the fruit until completely smooth, about 30 seconds.

Pour the pureed fruit onto the prepared pan. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to spread it out evenly. Carefully slide the pan into the oven, and bake for eight hours (or six to seven hours if your oven is at a slightly higher temperature).

Remove the pan once the fruit is set and still slightly tacky. Be careful not to overcook, as you'll end up with fruit chips instead of fruit leather.

Once the fruit has cooled to room temperature, slowly peel it off the mat or parchment paper. Lay it on a cutting board, and use a knife to cut out 12 portions; store in an airtight container

I have used a dehydrator for these too, especially if you have the solid tray for wet foods. Times vary depending on season and humidity where you are but you will get the hang of it quickly.

I think they taste much much better and are packed with energy and vitamins. 

Old- fashioned Sugar Cookies

When I am stuck in the house with the kids every now and again we like to make a project out of baking something. These cookies are easy and delicious and pretty much foolproof. The boys help make the little balls and flatten them. They are smooshing experts, believe me. At holidays we get fancy with different colored sugars to sprinkle on top but usually just a sprinkle of regular white sugar will dress them up.

 

Sugar cookies

makes 3 dozen

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour
pinch salt


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.
Add baking powder,salt, and flour 1 cup at a time.
Do not chill dough.
Portion into small balls.
Flatten on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 8 minutes or until light golden brown.
Let cool a couple minutes before moving to a cooling rack so they don't fall apart.



Not the healthiest snack but the occasional treat is a nice indulgence. Enjoy!

Handmade Gift Bookmarkers, sweet and inexpensive.

I have a huge button bin that I've been collecting for years. When I found this post I had a serious "AHA!" moment. I made up a handful for some older ladies I know who love to read that I will tuck into their gift bags.

By the way, the blog I found it on is worth at least a half hour of exploring...budget your time accordingly! Visit them HERE.

Not the best picture on my Android but you get the idea. Very fast and very simple to make and look very luxurious. My 4 year old wants a trip to the button store to make his own after Christmas.

I will try to throw up some blogs with this year's Christmas bag contents. Not having much money never means you can't show your loved ones you care, it just means you have to be more creative! Sounds trite but true. Who doesn't like handmade thoughtful gifts?

I have had several Christmas seasons where I had to use food stamp money to buy cookie making ingredients to make gift bags. Do I let it get me down? Hell no. When they toss that department store gift basket back under the tree and sit noshing on my (best cookie ever!) peanut butter chocolate chip cookies I feel proud and content.


Happy Holidays!

Slow cooked Baked Beans

I find that one of the corner stones of my diet is beans. Seriously. I know you dont believe me because no one eats beans anymore in this fast paced eat out of a can or bag world right?

They are nutritionally a powerhouse. Beans are incredibly filling and inexpensive. While they are not a 5 minute meal they are also incredibly easy to make.  Dust off that crock-pot and come make some with me.

Slow Cooked Boston Baked Beans

1 pound ( about 2 cups) small dry white beans like navy beans
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup mustard
1 medium onion, chopped
a pinch of cloves
3 cups hot water


First you have to soak the beans. The night before I put them in a pan and cover with hot water from the faucet before I go to bed. There are other ways you can do it but really to me that's the easiest way to do it. Pick out any floaters and run a spoon through to look for little pebbles too.

The next morning drain the beans. Put half of them in the crock-pot. Place the chopped onion on top of beans. Cover with remaining beans.

In a separate bowl mix together the hot water, molasses, brown sugar, mustard and cloves. Pour over the beans in your crock-pot.

Cook for about 8 hours on low.  Check occasionally and make sure beans are covered with liquid. If not, add a bit to cover.  When they are tender enough to eat they are done. They may seem a bit soupy at first but will thicken a bit on standing.

The next day they are even better. This recipe will serve 6 as a main dish. I make these once a week and put in canning jars in my refrigerator so I can pull some out for a fast dinner. My teenager loves these on toast, I have them over rice frequently. They are a natural combo with Irish soda bread too.


Now a word about cooking times. There can be huge variances in cooking times depending on how old your beans are. If they have been in your cabinet for a year they may take a couple hours longer. I buy beans every week so they are relatively fresh. 

Pizza Night

Pizza night is a mainstay in our house. I make dough and I can customize everyone's pizza to their needs. No cheese on one, no sauce on another, all veggies on one is a snap this way. The kids make their own pizzas and we all eat together.


Gluten free came along and threw a wrench in the works though. How do you make a pizza crust without flour?  Thank God for the internet and Jeanne at 'The Art of Gluten Free Baking'.  She has a great recipe for pizza crust that actually tastes like pizza. I throw the ingredients in the food processor for 20ish seconds and use the parchment for that pizza.I have tried a few premade mixes but darn it they are so expensive. I make up Jeanne's baking mix and make pancakes regularly too from it.

You can find an easy crust recipe here that does have gluten but is dairy free. I will share a secret to make this go very fast. I have been making the dough in the food processor. Put all the ingredients in and process for about 20 to 30 seconds until it's a smooth dough. That's it. Let it rest and use as you would dough you spent 10 minutes kneading. The first time you may have to experiment with time and a drop or two of water to get a smooth dough but after that its easy peasy. If it still looks crumbly add water a teaspoon at a time until the dough comes together, pulsing a few seconds after each admission. I can crank out four crusts in no time this way.

My regular dough recipe makes some wonderful bread sticks as well.  Divide each recipe into 8 pieces and roll out thin with your fingers into pretzel rod shapes. Lay flat on cookie sheet. Sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. Let rise for 20 minutes. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.
 If you aren't dairy free you can smear butter on them and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese for some very similar to the pizza stores. We have them with pizza sauce. Yum!

Dinner Time Insanity

So seriously I am considering a dinner time strike. For REAL this time.  Dinner time as become more of a challenge than I can deal with some days. Ever try to make one meal that encompasses gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian yet will still manage to please children and the occasional guest? Throw in 2 Autistic kids and whewwww.

My budget is screaming, not to mention the sheer amount of time it takes to make 3 or 4 separate meals every night. All the rules I grew up with about meal time have gone out the window. Feel my pain?

Now that I got that off my chest, I hope in the future to share with you how I manage to get everyone fed. Maybe someone will not feel so overwhelmed and under appreciated. OK that probably won't happen but at least we can commiserate together.

OK I am off to throw some salads and pizza at the heathens. See ya later.

Easy Grilled Flatbread

It is 95 degrees out and I have no intention of starting my stove today. Not even the toaster if I can avoid it. A big pile of salad greens and veggies will be the star on my dinner table tonight.  Need a side dish to make it a heartier meal? I will be grilling a couple chicken breasts as well as a flatbread for the carnivores.

Super easy and fast. Once you have made these they will be a summer favorite.

Grilled Flatbread

1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cups AP flour
2 teaspoons butter or margarine


First I'll tell you how I make it, then give you an alternative.

Put warm water in bowl of food processor. Mix in sugar and yeast. Add flour and butter. Process until dough comes together into a nice springy ball, about 2 minutes.  Place dough in greased bowl to rise. Let it sit while the grill heats up. I cheat and use an electric grill.

Divide dough into 4 pieces. I use a rolling pin to roll each piece out into a rectangle. If you are feeling brave pull and stretch into shape.

Carefully place dough rectangle onto hot grill and cook for 5 minutes each side. Slather with butter and parmesan cheese for bread sticks or munch  plain.

Note:    Don't have a food  processor or even a grill? No problem. Mix the ingredients for the bread in the same order in a large bowl. Knead about 5 minutes until you have a smooth elastic dough. Sometimes I can talk my kids into doing this while I prepare the rest of supper. After a 20 minute rest, roll out the dough as described above. You can bake in the preheated oven or toaster oven at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes.

I make all 4 flatbreads and use the extra for pizza shells. Yum!

My Favorite Sweet Pickles

The bins full of pickling cucumbers are starting to show up at the farmer's market. I made my first  batch  of the season this morning of my favorite sweet pickles, also known as bread and butter pickles. You can't buy  the homemade taste of pickles and the recipe is simple. Enjoy!

Bread  and Butter Pickles

makes about 3 pints

8 cups of sliced pickling cucumbers
1/2 cup of salt

4 cups vinegar
2 cups brown sugar( I have used white sugar)
1 tablespoon pickling spice
2 inch stick cinnamon
6 whole cloves
1 teaspoon mustard seed
pinch turmeric

Note:  If you can't find pickling spice you can make your own. Recipe follows the pickles

Place cucumbers in a large bowl or plastic container. Sprinkle with the salt and cover with cold water. Let stand overnight in the refrigerator.

Drain cucumbers and rinse with cold water.

Combine everything else in a heavy pan. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add drained cucumbers. Bring back to boil and cook another 5 minutes.
Pack into clean jars carefully and let cool.
Store in the refrigerator.

Pickling Spice

makes about 2 1/2 cups

1/2 cup mustard seeds
1/4 cup ground coriander
1/4 cup fennel seed
1/4 cup whole cloves
1/4 cup celery seeds
1/4 cup cinnamon sticks, crushed
1/4 cup black pepper corns
2 tbsp. dried ginger, coarsely chopped
6 dry bay leaves, crushed

Combine all. Store in a cool dry place for up to a year.
I make a fresh batch every year when I start pickling again.