Vegetable Soup & Amish Bread Recipe

Easy Vegetable Soup

(original recipe found here).....my version below)

Ingredients

• 35 oz. your favorite Spaghetti Sauce ( I used great value traditional sauce )
• 6 cups water
• 4 T. Knorr Beef Bouillon 
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 can corn
• 1/2 bag frozen green beans
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup frozen carrots
• 8 oz. whole wheat Rotini
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• I also added 1 T. dried basil, some onion powder, pepper, season salt, and
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• Emerils original.  Just sprinkled in to taste.  Also threw in 1 1/2 T. sugar
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• Directions

1. Place the spaghetti sauce and water in a large pot over medium high heat. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and add the mixed vegetables.
2. Bring to boil again, Add the pasta, and let simmer until heated through or until pasta is done, about 15 minutes.

Now I am sharing a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks!!! The Wooden Spoon by Miriam Miller.  You can purchase it for around $10 bucks on Amazon, link below. :)

White Bread

1 cup white sugar

pinch of salt

2 T. yeast

1 cup oil

flour

Combine sugar, salt, 2 cups hot water, and 2 cups cold water. Make sure water is warm. Add yeast and let set until yeast dissolves. Add oil and flour to make a nice dough, not too stiff. Let rise; knead and let rise again. Shape into 5 or 6 loaves and put into greased pans. Bake @ 350 for 15~20 minutes. Do not overbake.  For light wheat bread, add 1 cup of whole wheat flour.

A friend taught me that when I knead the bread the second time to do it on oil.  I really like doing this.  I added 2 cups of whole wheat flour to this recipe.  I got 2 round loaves, a braided loaf, and I made a pan of cinnamon loaves!!!!

Rising

The cinnamon rolls were super duper yummy!!! :)

This loaf went really fast!!!! Saving the braided loaf for supper!!! We are having left over veggie soup!!! :)

Scottish Shortbread and some yummy embellishments. :)

Traditional Scottish Shortbread

This recipe is soooo easy and makes a great tea time treat or late night dessert. I found the original recipe here.

1 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter

This is how I do it, melt butter and mix well with sugar and flour, press in a parchment lined 8 x 8 baking dish.  Sprinkle the top with granulated sugar.

To make it fun for the kids, okay it's really for me, I like to sprinkle chocolate chips on the top, this part is probably not traditional. :)

Bake @ 300 for 30 mintutes, Remove and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.  Cut, cool, and eat. :)

Comforting Potato Soup and Homemade Crackers

I grew up on this potato soup recipe, my mama made it and now I make it. We love it, and it sure warms your heart and soul on a cold blistery winter day. I hope you will enoy it too. Paired with homemade whole wheat crackers I think it will surely be a hit at your home.

Potato Soup

6 cups water

1 stick butter

5 to 6 potatoes

2 carrots

1 onion

6 Tablespoons Knorr chicken bouillon ( I love the powdered)

1 can evaporated milk

In a stock pot add water, butter, chop up potatoes in bite size pieces and carrots, chop up onion.  Add bouillon and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender.  When done turn off heat and add evaporated milk. Serve and enjoy. :)

Whole Wheat Crackers

I love this basic and easy cracker recipe and I got it from my favorite blog...Aspiring Homemaker

You can find my adaption below:

1 cup flour

1/2 whole wheat flour

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup oil

1/2 cup water

1 to 2 tsp. Italian Seasoning (optional)

Riverwalk Jazz Cafe Ozark, MO

(My hubby's Dad and wife own a Jazz Cafe and she gave me her Italian seasoning mix she sells in the cafe and I added 2 tsps. of her special blend. It makes the crackers just wonderful. Visit their website here Riverwalk Jazz Cafe)

1 egg, 2 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp vinegar

Mix flours, salt, powder, oil, water, and seasonings. Roll out thin on a baking sheet. Mix together egg, sugar, and vinegar and brush on crackers. Use a pizza cutter to cut strips or squares. Bake @ 350 for 10~20 min or until golden brown.

Shepherds Pie

I saw a recipe on All-recipes tonight for an easy Shepherds pie found here but I couldn't help but tweak it a bit. I picked this recipe because I had everything on hand.

What I did and what you will need:

1 lb. ground beef

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 can milk

1 can corn

1 can green beans

1 cup frozen carrots (or canned)

5 to 6 potatoes

Cheddar cheese

I fried my ground beef with seasonings like onion powder, garlic, season salt, etc.  Then mix the ground beef with 1 can cream mushroom soup, and fill half the can with milk and pour in mixture.  Stir in the veggies.  Pour in greased 9 x 13 baking dish.  Meanwhile cook mashed potatoes (I added some milk and butter to my tators). Pour over beef mixture, top with lots of cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

I made whole wheat cinnamon rolls for dessert and will post the recipe for that soon!!!

Make your own Laundry Soap

Is it really cheaper to make your own???  Well I finally did the math.  I realize that making your own soap is not for everyone, but if this is something you have been interested in, then this post is for you!!! I have posted on this before, found here......but I have changed the recipe a bit and made 5 times more here so I have a lot on hand.

If I figured correctly this makes roughly 

about 2 gallons of laundry detergent...it cost me $7.81 in supplies....it will make 512 loads, and if I figured right that's $.015 cents per load. 

So let's get started!!!

In a 5 gallon bucket add:

5 bars of Ivory soap (grate each bar into the bucket, I liked the small grate better.These are $1.07 for a 3 pack....I used 5 bars, so that is $1.77 for 5) 

I am sure that those who coupon, could get these much cheaper for great savings!!!

Pour in 1 box of Borax...this cost me $2.98 at Wal Mart.

And 1 container of Sun oxygen cleaner, only $1.96 at Wal Mart.

2 lbs. of baking soda, I could not find Washing soda at Wal Mart, I was told to check out my Dillons or Ace Hardware, if I end up finding some I am going to add washing soda to this mix.  It seems to work find for me even so without it.

Mix all this together and store in a 5 gallon bucket with a tight lid, I have a cute glass container I keep on my dryer with some of the solution in it for convenience. Add 1 Tablespoon per load.  We have hard water here, so I like to 1/4 to 1/2 cup of vinegar in each load of my clothing. It's a natural fabric softener as well.

I am hoping that this amount will last me 6 months to 1 year.

And of-course we've already added the Ivory soap, but I love the motto on the bar:

"If you want to be free, learn to live simply."

I added some to a brown paper lunch sack, added a label and topped it with a clothespin just for fun!! :) 

Hope you all enjoy making your detergent!!!

CCC's

A good friend of mine would talk in code to her hubby when she had several of her younguns listening.  For example when it got close to bed time she would say to her DH, "How about some frozen dairy product after the kids go to bed." Instead of saying ice cream.  And their code for chocolate chip cookies....CCC's.  

Tonight while I was checking out my favorite blog...Brown Eyed Baker and found her post on the best Thick and Chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe.  Tell you what, I LOVE IT!!!!

You can check out Brown Eyed Bakers post here, and I have posted the recipe below as well. Pictures are my CCC's after I took them out of the oven. :)

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Source: Baking Illustrated, page 434)

Makes about 18 large cookies.

These oversized cookies are chewy and thick, like many of the chocolate chip cookies sold in gourmet shops and cookie stores. They rely on melted butter and an extra egg yolk to keep their texture soft. These cookies are best served warm from the oven but will retain their texture even when cooled. To ensure the proper texture, cool the cookies on the baking sheet. Oversized baking sheets allow you to get all the dough into the oven at one time. If you’re using smaller baking sheets, put fewer cookies on each sheet and bake them in batches.

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste.

4. Roll a scant 1/4 cup of the dough into a ball. Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough’s uneven surface. Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.

5. Bake until the cookies are light golden grown and the outer edges start to harden yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a side metal spatula.

These were so easy to make!!!  Be sure to have a tall glass of milk nearby!!!

Herbs

I am so thankful that we have the freedom to treat our own illnesses, and sicknesses if we please/choose to!  Using herbs (the plants God gave us) is very important to me and it's exciting to see the benefits.

We of course used herbs when Heidi had cancer and were so thankful for her healing, but through the years I am learning there are SOOOO many more varieties that can benefit even more.

This last year we learned the benefits of red clover tops, we make it as a tea and when we get sick we start drinking it, that with some rest, we come around without using antibiotics. But, the owner of Queen of Trees has shared with me some herbs (that she sells in her shop) that I can add to the red clover to make it even more potent!!!

Last week I was looking on Etsy for some herbs for arthritis, and and sleep aid for my grandmother who suffers dearly....and that is when I found Queen of Trees.  I sent her a few questions and she was so informative, helpful and kind.  I had received such good reception from her that I sent a few more questions of which she answered so nicely without seeming overwhelming to me.

I settled on an order with a few things for my grandmother, mother, and our family. And cannot wait to start using everything, not to mention I have several items I still want to get.

You can visit her shop: I know she will be happy to answer any questions you may have!

Queen of Trees

One purchase I am so thrilled about is her Herbal Penicillin Syrup!  You can read more about here.

Here is some info from her site about one of the herbs used in the syrup

"**Usnea (Usnea barbata): (Anti-bacterial, Antibiotic, Anti-fungal, Anti-viral, Astringent, Diuretic, Parasiticide, Tonic, Tuberculostaic.) The name “Usnea” may have originated at the time of the Arabian school of medicine and pharmacy. Usnea is used both internally and externally for fungus infections and for viral and bacterial infections. An excellent anti-biotic and anti-fungal. Used for the treatment of pneumonia, tuberculosis, lupus, internal infections, strep, staph, Trichomonas, and other infected wounds. May be superior to the drug Flagyl (metronidazole). Better then Penicillin. "

The real exciting part for me is the kiddos don't mind the flavor, which is a HUGE plus for us Mommies!!!  And I love knowing I am helping in healing their bodies without chemicals and medications that will just bring them down.

As she says in her shop:

"Remember, Herbs Work... Love Your Body-Love Your Life.."

Oh yes and before I forget, if you have children don't forget to check out her Chidren's section in her store.

We LOVE to give our children a cup of chamomile before bed at night, we make it about an hour before bed  and it really helps to calm and relax them for bed.  QOT has it in a convenient tincture found here.

But it's not just for the kiddos, hubby and I love to drink it before bed as well, really calms the nerves for a peaceful evening and night!!!

Coffee & Zucchini

As I sit here to write about my recent happenings and things I've been cooking, I am enjoying a delightful cup of fresh ground coffee from Copper Canyon Roasters, picked up at my local farmers market.  

This cup is the Breakfast Blend: A careful selection of several coffee beans from Central America to Indonesia. This coffee has a little bit of a bite to it and will  get you up in the morning and on your way. A well balanced cup. I enjoyed it also this evening with some lovely zucchini brownies! WOW!

Our garden is pretty small this year, my second year to have a real garden but we are getting loads of zucchini so I am using them in all sorts of ways! 

Today I made Zucchini Salsa.  I really like this recipe a lot, found here.

If you like some heat to your salsa then follow the recipe exactly, however if your like me and like a milder salsa, I recommend instead of using 2 Tablespoons of crushed red pepper as it calls for, instead maybe just a teaspoon or two.  I am looking forward to adding a can to chili this winter, and stews.

Tonight I threw a pint on some chicken breasts and baked it in the oven.  Very tasty!

Ingredients:

• 8 1/2 cups zucchini, peeled & shredded
• 3 1/2 onions, chopped
• 1 3/4 green peppers, chopped
• 1 3/4 red peppers, chopped
• 1/4 cup pickling salt
• 1 tablespoon pickling salt
• 1 3/4 tablespoons dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 3/4 cups white vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 3/4 tablespoons red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 4 1/4 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
• 1 3/4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 (10 ounce) tomato paste

Directions:

Day one:In a large bowl combine; Zucchini, onions, green pepper, red pepper and the salt Mix together cover and let stand over night.

Day two:

Next day rinse, drain well and put into a large pot then add mustard, garlic, cumin, vinegar, brown sugar, pepper flakes, salt,cornstarch, nutmeg, pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Pour into sterilized jars and seal

Water bath jars for 15 minutes if they have not sealed properly.

What are some of your favorite canning recipes this season?

Tea Anyone?

Happy Time Tea

We love having tea time, and one of my favorite blends of tea is Birthday Blend from Shady Gables Tea Room in Versailles, MO

It is so wonderful hot or cold.  Hot we add a little milk and sugar and iced I make a big pitcher and sweeten it, absolutely delightful.

Last week I made the best drop biscuit recipe I have ever tasted. Very light and airy, sweet and dainty perfect for tea time, I also used them for dumplings in chicken in dumplings.

Drop biscuits

2 cups of flour

2 T. raw sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cream of tarter

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter cut into cubes

2/3 cup milk

1 egg

Mix first five ingredients, then cut in the butter, stir in milk and egg. Drop by large tablespoons onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Lovely with honey butter.

Pioneer Week

I am hoping to do a  pioneer week with my girls soon, I do not have everything planned out as of yet, but so far I want to do our laundry outside with the washboard (I have actually done this before for three months straight when I sold my washing machine), bathe in a wash tub, cook outside on an open fire, and use our oil lamps.

I will turn off the computer for the week as well and I plan on logging and taking pictures of it all to share.

Each day I hope to do some new project with the girls like making candles, making a willow branch broom, or a new pioneer type recipe.

If anyone has any websites, books, or ideas for our "pioneer week" we would love it!

Here are some books we recently checked out

Buy here

Buy here

Buy here

Buy here

I really like the "Inside Laura's House Book" and would love to have that one in my own private collection!

Cheesy Omelet

We eat a lot of eggs, we have chickens and they are a good source of protein.  I created this omelet last week and then made it for Steve this morning and thought I would share it.

In a bowl scramble together two eggs, heaping teaspoon of miracle whip, 1/2 cup of mexican shredded cheese or taco cheese from aldi. Pour this into a non stick skillet with a light spray of canola oil spray.  Cook on medium heat, when it is close to being done take the juice from your salsa about 2 tablespoons and dribble all around one half.  Then gently fold over with spatula.  Sprinkle the folded side with a little Parmesan cheese, when it is ready to flip sprinkle the other side.  oh yum, the flavor in this omelet is wonderful!!!!

You have never tasted chocolate until you've tasted Calabasas......

I was beyond thrilled when Everything Etsy informed me that i was the winner for the Blog Party Giveaway from Calabasas Candy Co.   I could taste the chocolates in my mouth up until I received them in the mail yesterday.  And let me tell you, I was NOT dissapointed!!!  You can find their Etsy shop HERE!

Oh my goodness I am just a country girl so I had never tasted chocolate with salt on the top, and the sweet and saltiness goodness that occurs is just..........unexplainable.  My favorite was the Peruvian Dark Chocolate Fleur de Sel Caramel and the Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels found in the  Sampler Box.  The prices are so reasonable and I think these would make WONDERFUL mothers day gifts!!!  My husbands favorite was the Vanilla Fleur de Sel Caramel.

Here is what the shop owner has to say

"Calabasas is located near the California coast, and famous for a relaxed, health consious attitude. We work closely with a local chocolatier who selects only the finest exotic cocoa beans from around the world. Our cocoa beans are all organic and are ethically traded.

♥Our caramels are made from our own exclusive recipe using only the finest fresh ingredients. So buttery and delicious, they melt in your mouth! Check back soon for new and exciting flavors! Try our marshmallows, so light and creamy, almost like a dense mousse!

♥We are so excited to be featured in L.A. Magazine's February issue under their "L.A. List"!"

And homemade marshmallows, imagine eating a smores with one of these babies, you haven't lived until you have! ;-)  When you order make sure and get enough for friends because once you taste  them you WON'T want to share! And that is no joke!!!

Calabasas Candy Co.