Apple Pie Bar Cookies

Autumn is finally here and I always get the need to bake things that are warm and full of spices.  I love the way it makes my house smell and am greatly rewarded by praise from the family.

One simple recipe I am naming  Apple Pie Bar Cookies because they taste just like a slice of apple pie with the yummy struesel topping. 

They are apple-ie, buttery, and crunchy all at the same time.  And most of all they are EASY!  Ridiculously easy!  You must try them because you will be rewarded!  I'm thinking you could change these up with any fruit jam or butter.  Can you imagine how yummy they would be with strawberry, cherry, or peach?  I have to make double batches of this because otherwise they are gone in an instant. I use musselman's apple butter, but use what you like.


Apple Pie Bar Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 c flour
• 1 c old-fashioned oatmeal
• 3/4 c light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 8 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 c MUSSELMAN'S Apple Butter
• 1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced thin.  Only use granny smiths because they hold their shape and have better texture!

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8 x 8 baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Line with heavy-duty foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to facilitate removal of bars from pan. Coat foil with cooking spray.

Mix flour, oatmeal, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in butter with a fork until well mixed and clumps form, and then spread half the oatmeal mixture over foiled pan bottom, pressing to form a thin crust. Spread butter over crust  and then put sliced apples in a single layer across that. Then sprinkle remaining oatmeal mixture on top.

Bake until crisp and golden brown, 30 to 40 min. Cool to room temperature. Use foil “handles” to remove bars from pan. Cut into squares and serve.

Makes 16 servings

Fried Apples - Old Fashioned Cooking

After reading the Little House books I was interested in trying out the idea of fried apples.  This was an accompaniment to dinners and breakfasts in the book Farmer Boy.  So I looked it up on the net and then added my own tweaks. Fried apples are really delicious and are perfect for cold evenings.  This is really good with pork or chicken or with a hearty breakfast.  Easy to do too, as long as you have lots of apples.  I buy my apples in bulk from an orchard for 50 cents a lb. and got 125 lbs. so I have lots of apples to play with.  The cooking time varies depending on how many apples you use and what variety. You want to use a cooking or baking apple like galas, granny smith, etc..  I use a mixture of them.  Here's the recipe

Take 10 large apples or less if your feeding less but this reheats well

Peel

Then slice into 1/4 in slices

In your skillet melt 1 stick of butter and add apples and then cook over medium high heat adjusting if apples are burning

When apples start to get soft grate over some nutmeg if you like and add one teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 cup brown sugar.  Mix up well.  When the apples start to caramelize and get brown they are done.  Serve with breakfast or a dinner of chicken or pork.  Serve warm or hot.

Healthy Homemade Kool Aid

During the heat of summer I try to get my children to drink water or liquids as much as possible to ward off dehydration.  The problem is that they want flavor in their drinks and as I don't buy pop and juice is so expensive!  I have used Kool-Aid but always feel very concerned about what exactly is used to make it?  Plus Kool-Aid needs allot of sugar to make it palatable.  So I have found a way to make my own homemade Kool-Aid from herbal teas!  You can find many of these herbal teas at the grocery store, but ours didn't have a good selection so I ended up ordering from amazon which I find has the best prices and the best selection.  I chose teas that I thought would be good cold.

I ordered

Country Peach Passion

Wild Berry Zinger

Cranberry Apple Zinger

Black Cherry Berry

For a half gallon of drink I used six tea bags and poured half a jug full of boiling water over it.  Then I let it steep for 15 minutes.  These are caffeine free and made from herbs and fruit.

After steeping I filled the rest of the way with cold water and added about 3 tablespoon of sweetener, I used honey.  Compare that with a full cup of sugar for standard koolaid!

Then I just pop the jug into the fridge until cold and serve over ice.  So far the favorite for our family is the Country Passion Peach which is amazing!  If you like peaches you will love this one.  It has an intense peachy flavor.

Recipe

6 standard bags Celestial Seasoning Fruit Tea of your choice

4 Cups Boiling Water

Sweetener To Taste (honey, sugar, stevia)

Additional fruits such as lemon/lime slices, crushed berries

4 cups cold water

Instructions:  Pour boiling water over teabags in a large pitcher, let steep 15 min. at least.  Remove tea bags and add fruits, sweeteners, and cold water.  Chill in refrigerator and serve over ice.  Keep refrigerated.

Easy Summer Breakfast that's high in protein and kids love!

photo credit- Allrecipes.com

Right now I am trying to shift from store bought easy breakfasts like cereals for my family to more healthy home made ones.  Not only are store bought expensive, but they are highly processed with doubtful ingredients, preservatives, and GMO's!  It has been a challenge because I am NOT a morning person.  It takes me a good hour plus coffee to get up to par. Our mornings start horrifically early as our children are extreamly early risers.  Fortunately I wake up at 5 am every morning without fail or alarm clock.  Years of breastfeeding babies has trained my internal clock to wake up like that so I usually have an hour to get primed for the morning rush.  My children do not like things that would go into a crockpot like oatmeal or cornmeal mush.  But I think I have finally found a winning recipe that not only is easy, but healthy, delicious, and filling.

The recipe of course is German Pancakes, also called Dutch Babies.  Could we love it because I am part Dutch :) ?  This is simply a puffed oven pancake that serves a family of 6 easily.  I like it because while my coffee is brewing I simply throw the four ingredients into my mixer, melt the butter in my cast iron skillet and preheat the oven.  Then throw it in and 1/2 hour to 45 min later I have a hot filling breakfast for my children.  I love it topped with powdered sugar and berries.  It can also be topped with maple syrup, honey, molasses, stewed fruits, or plain powdered sugar.  Because it has 6 eggs in it the protein helps my family feel full longer and helps with energy in the morning.  If I were to make just eggs and toast for breakfast we would need about 18 to feed our family.  The other reason this is a time saver for me is because while it is baking I can get on with other morning chores such as making lunches, starting laundry, and assisting the kids get ready for school.

I found the recipe on all recipes, but also have found another recipe that calls for less eggs if you need to stretch them and has a much more detailed instruction.  Eggs are not an expense for us because we have chickens that lay 7 a day.

My children absolutely LOVE these and literally have pleaded with me to make them.  Talk about a hit!  So if your looking for a easy and healthy recipe for your family breakfasts try the one I posted below. Click HERE to go to the allrecipes post.  Or go HERE to see the alternative recipe for less eggs at a great sight called Recipes From a German Grandma.  Love the name :)

As you really MUST have a cast iron pan for this consider investing if you don't already have one. The higher the sides the puffier the pancake so a dutch oven would be perfect! Click on the picks for buying options. Scroll down for the recipe!

German Pancakes/Dutch Babies/Oven Pancakes

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 6 servings        

                       

1/4 cup butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

 1 cup milk

6 eggs, lightly beaten

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Melt butter in a medium baking dish (best if you use cast iron).
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, milk, eggs and salt. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
3. Bake on center rack in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve while still warm.

Country Morning Coffee Cake-Easy and Healthy

This is one of our families favorite foods for breakfast. The kids love it as does DH.  It is also a quick and easy breakfast and rounded out with milk and fruit is less expensive than store bought cereal.  Now I have to make a batch every week to keep up with the demand from my kids and husband.  We have it for snacks and for breakfast. It's probably much healthier than store bought cereals or snacks and uses up things I have tons of.

It makes a gigantic pan and lasts about  a week for us with 6 people. It is moist and fluffy and doesn't go stale as long as you wrap it up.  My children love it so much that at snack time they plead to have some.  This is a great recipe for feeding a crowd and goes well with coffee, tea, or big frosty glasses of milk.

Housewife  Tweaking:

OK you will notice that I tweak allot of recipes to suit my tastes or needs.   This recipe was originally not as healthy but I have changed it by cutting back the sugar, using applesauce as a sweetener instead, using yogurt, and using olive oil or coconut oil, putting in some whole wheat flour and wheat germ for added nutrition.   It turns out even lighter and moister in my opinion.  Also I like not just Cinnamon in the topping but nutmeg because I'm a nutmeg addict.  I do not add the nuts because all the kids hate them.

Country Morning Coffee Cake

cake

1 c. light olive oil or coconut oil (adds essential fatty acids)
1 c. sugar
1 cup no sugar added applesauce or home canned applesauce (makes a moister cake, cuts on sugar, adds fiber and fruit)
4 eggs, beaten
2 c.  plain yogurt
3 c. flour
1 c. whole wheat flour (adds fiber and is good for you)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs. wheat germ  (adds vitamin E and folic acid)


Cinnamon-nut Topping:

2/3 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c. chopped pecans or almonds if you like

Use a fork to mix all ingredients together.


Combine fats, apple-sauce, sugar, eggs, and yogurt  in a large bowl.  Stir in remaining ingredients: mix thoroughly.  Pour into a greased  10 x 14 pan baking pan and sprinkle with the Cinnamon-nut topping.  Bake at 350 for  45 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean. Cut into squares.  Serves 18 to 20



Old Fashioned Ice Box Desserts for Spring - Fast, Easy, and Impressive

I have lived most of my life in areas where summers reach the 100's on a regular basis. I HATE IT!  I do not like the heat and the last thing I want to do is cook over a hot stove or oven.  So a few years ago I came across old fashioned ice box cakes and desserts.  They are mainly no bake or bake for very little time and are so easy!  Here are some of my faves that you must try out.  Once you make these you will wonder why you go through the hassle of regular desserts at all!  The only thing I change is to use real homemade whipped cream instead of cool whip.  They are basically inexpensive so enjoy being thrifty!

4 Layer Lemon Icebox Delight

No-Bake Banana Split Cake Dessert

Éclair Icebox Cake

Ice Box Cake

Grandma's Icebox Cake

Heartwarming Autumn Meals and Treats!

I love baking and the smells of spices and cider.  Autumn is my favorite time of the year and this year I am looking forward to it more than ever.  This summer has seemed endless with it's blasted heat and smoke.  I thought I would share some recipes that look to good to pass up for this fall.

My favorite fall activities is decorating, baking, going for walks to admire the colors, hot cider next to a burning hearth and candle lit rooms.  Enjoy!

Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze

Free Printable Cookbook - Slow Cooker Fall Favorites

As a busy mom I love my slow cooker.  There is nothing better than having dinner ready after a long busy day.  Especially these hectic fall days! I found this great printable book for fall slow cooker meals.  It includes desserts, beverages, mains, and side dishes.  I was in no way compensated for this post.  If you like seeing my frugal tips and freebies please share, like and follow me!

 

Slow Cooker Fall Favorites

 

 

Amazing Quick and Easy Icebox Cake

I have just been introduced to icebox cakes and have to say I am in love!  What an icebox cake is, at least most of them, is like an American trifle. Just layers of some cookie or cake like food with a cream, pudding, or custard between and sometimes fruit added.   Then refrigerated for awhile to allow the layers and flavors to soak into each other a bit.  They are super easy, delicious, and fast.  Not to mention cool for those hot summer days when you don't feel like  a hot dessert.  I just tried this one simply called  Icebox Cake from over at Live Love Pasta.  She has some amazing recipes over there so be sure to bop over and check them out.

It is so simple but looks very fancy and tastes like heaven.  You really must let it sit in the fridge for at least 5 hours so the cookies absorb some liquid and become soft and cake like.  I like to make this in the morning and it is ready in time for dinner.  Even my picky teenager loves it.  Now this recipe makes a huge quantity so I halved the amounts and it was perfect for our family of 6.  Next time I am invited to a party or BBQ I am bringing this!

Icebox Cake

          Ingredients

1. 6 cups heavy cream
2. 6 tablespoons sugar
3. 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4. 2 (9-ounce) packages chocolate wafer cookies (Nabisco brand)
5. 1 chocolate bar, for shavings

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer on high speed, beat heavy cream, sugar and vanilla . Beat until soft peaks form.
2. On a flat serving plate, arrange 10 wafers side by side forming a circle. You can vary the number of wafers depending on the size cake you want.
3. Spread with whipped cream, not going completely to the cookie edges. Repeat with remaining cookies and cream, making 11 layers of cookies and ending with a layer of whipped cream (there may be a few cookies left over). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. To serve, dust top lightly with chocolate shavings.

  

Easy Homemade Yogurt and Then Super Easy Yogurt Cheese

With a good source of raw milk I now have lots to play with and I love making my own yogurt.  I use it in lots of cooking recipes as it can be used as a substitute for sour cream.  Then I like to make yogurt cheese because it's delicious and somewhat like cream cheese.  I eat it on crackers, celery sticks, bagels, and in recipes.  It's so easy you can make it at home in a snap.  First I make the yogurt in my roaster oven by filling the roaster with warm water and turning it barely on.  You can also use a crockpot set on the "warm" setting.  The roaster is bigger for me though so I can make more yogurt at one time.  To make the yogurt you simply warm a gallon store bought milk till just warm and then mix in a cup of store bought plain yogurt with a whisk until fully dissolved into the milk.  Then pour into sterilized glass jars.  I like using half gallon mason jars but other sizes of mason jars would work.  Cover top with plastic wrap and set into your crockpot or roaster filled with warm water.  The key is to not let it get too hot because it will kill the culture.  Depending on several factors your yogurt will be done in 2 to 8 hours.  Try not to disturb it or jiggle it.  I test mine by using a spoon and when I get to the desired thickness I pull the jars out and put them right in the fridge to cool.

 

To make yogurt cheese simply pour your yogurt into a cheesecloth bag or a colander lined with cheesecloth and suspend above a container to catch the whey that will separate out.  I put mine into a cheesecloth bag and then suspend it on a sturdy spoon in a gallon glass jar.   The gravity pulls the whey out and in about a day you have the finished yogurt cheese.  I always keep it in the fridge to keep it cold as the whey strains out.

 

You can see the whey here dripping down.  After the cheese is ready I store it in Tupperware in the fridge.  You can mix in all sorts of things like lemon juice and chives, garlic, mint, tarragon.  Or whatever seasoning please you.

Home Made Hot Buttered Rum Mix Recipe -non alcoholic or alcoholic

Now I'm not a fan or rum or any hard liquor really, first off even the good stuff tastes like the base for cold syrup to me and second I have an inability to metabolize alcohol so a little bit effects me.  But this recipe is something from my childhood.  Every year my mom, sister, and I would mix this up when really cold weather hit.  I have memories of having it all the time after playing outside for hours in the winter. Actually my parents rarely used it, it was us kids that made it all the time (without alcohol).  And in fact my kids love it after playing out in the snow (without alcohol! ). It really is so good mixed with just water, or as I like it milk.

The flavor reminds me of chia tea without the tea added. Every time I make it for someone outside the family they rave and ask for the recipe so it must be good compared to the store bought stuff which I have never tried.  If you are going to add rum I would say don't go cheap, get the more expensive stuff, the flavor is better.  And I would encourage you to use whole spices and grind them in a coffee grinder nice and fine.  It really does make an amazing difference in the flavor.

This makes a lovely and unusual gift for someone like a neighbor this holiday season!

Hot Buttered Rum Mix

1 lb softened real butter -  do not use fake butter
1 pt. vanilla ice cream softened - the better the brand the better the flavor
1 lb brown sugar
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon nutmeg ground
1 tablespoon cinnamon ground
1 teaspoon allspice ground

Mix the sugars and butter until light, then add the spices and vanilla until combined well, then add the ice cream.   Keep in an airtight container in the freezer.

To use add desired amount (start with a tablespoon and add more if needed) to a cup of boiling water or milk.  Add rum, brandy, or whiskey if desired.

Natural Homemade Koolaid for your Family With Celestial Seasonings Herbal Teas!

During the heat of summer I try to get my children to drink water or liquids as much as possible to ward off dehydration.  The problem is that they want flavor in their drinks and as I don't buy pop and juice is so expensive!  I have used Kool-Aid but always feel very concerned about what exactly is used to make it?  Plus Kool-Aid needs allot of sugar to make it palatable.  So I have found a way to make my own homemade Kool-Aid from herbal teas!  You can find many of these herbal teas at the grocery store, but ours didn't have a good selection so I ended up ordering from Vitacost.com which I find has the best prices and the best selection.  I chose teas that I thought would be good cold.

I ordered

Country Peach Passion

Wild Berry Zinger

Cranberry Apple Zinger

Black Cherry Berry

For a half gallon of drink I used six tea bags and poured half a jug full of boiling water over it.  Then I let it steep for 15 minuets.  These are caffeine free and made from herbs and fruit.

After steeping I filled the rest of the way with cold water and added about 3 tablespoon of sweetener.  Compare that with a full cup of sugar for standard koolaid!

Then I just pop the jug into the fridge until cold and serve over ice.  So far the favorite for our family is the Country Passion Peach which is amazing!  If you like peaches you will love this one.  It has an intense peachy flavor and it really does taste like fresh peaches.  Even our youngest son likes it, and my hubby drinks so much of it that I'm having to order more!

My Families Favorite Tilapia Recipe

I

 recently discovered tilapia at our local walmart. It comes in a huge bag individually sealed at a great price so I just bought one to try.  Little did I know what a hit it would be.  My eldest son who is very picky loved this and asked for thirds.  My first venture was to make a recipe I got off of the site called AllRecipes which I love!  The tilapia recipe is easy and really fast and goes great with salad and french bread.

Blackened Tilapia with Secret Hobo Spices

Original recipe makes 4 servings

4 tablespoons reduced salt Old Bay Seasoning  or make your own below

 3 tablespoons paprika
 1 tablespoon onion powder
 1 pinch garlic powder
 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
 1 teaspoon dried oregano
 1 teaspoon dried thyme
 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste

 1 pound tilapia fillets
 1 lemon, cut into wedges
 4 slices white bread
 1 tablespoon coconut or olive oil



Directions

In a small bowl or jar with a lid, make the spice blend. Mix together the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, celery seed and kosher salt. Coat the fish fillets with the spice mixture, and allow to sit at room temperature for no longer than 30 minutes.
Heat a heavy cast iron skillet over high heat. Add oil, and heat until it is almost smoking. Place the fillets in the pan, and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until fish is opaque and can be flaked with a fork. Remove from the pan, and place onto slices of white bread. Pour pan juices over them and squeeze lemon juice all over. Do not underestimate the white bread. It gets quite tasty soaking up all the juices.

Pies! Tips for making great pie crusts

I really like making pie.  Mainly because they are easy when compared to the accolades you will receive   Honestly people think if you made a pie that you spent hours in the kitchen slaving away.  Also baking pies makes me feel all homey and housewifey.  But pie making in general is easy.  The hardest part is the pie crust, or I should say making a good pie crust.

The first thing to making a good pie crust that is flaky and tender is having a good recipe.  My favourite comes from a 60 year old cook book called Farm Journals Pie book.  It is last word on pies.  Pie crusts are pretty simple.  Just fat, flour, salt, and water. .

But my number one tip for making pie crusts is rolling the dough out between two layers of Saran wrap.  Not only does it not stick, but you don't need to add more flour to keep it from sticking which will make your crust tough.

I made two pies this time.  Both are pies I've never had so it was an adventure.  The first was a plum pie made with my home canned plums.  The other was shoofly pie.  Both turned out good, but I think I over baked the shoofly a bit.  The plum was a success so I know what I can use those dozens of quarts of plums I canned for.  Below is the recipe from my farm journal cookbook.

One Crust Pie

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
2 1/2 Tablespoons ice water 

10 inch 2 crust pie

3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons shortening
6 tablespoons ice water


For all pie crusts: Whisk together the flour and salt, cut in the shortening until small pea size pieces. Add ice water a spoonful or so at a time, how much water will vary with the weather. Just enough to make the dough stay together.

Roll out between two layers of Saran wrap, one underneath and one on top working from the middle out until desired size.

All ingredients except water

cutting it in with my trusty pastry cutter

the dough between the two saran wrap

my little helper who was rolling his own pie dough.  I couldn't get him to do a normal smile!

I put the pie plate on top to make sure the dough is big enough, by the way the best pie plates are glass or stoneware

The pie dough.  I just remove the top layer of plastic and then pick up the bottom layer of plastic with the rolled dough on top and then carefully flip over and lay over the pie plate.   Then there is no breaking of the dough.

the plums I canned, it took three jars

draining the plums

the plum mixture

crumb spice topping

the finished pies

below is the kind of pie plates I use, just plain ol pyrex, but they are awesome   This one displayed is much prettier than mine though.

I also like stoneware and have one that is similar to this one below.