Table Food for Baby

This little food grinder has been with me for all 4 of my kids. Before I had Lita, I looked into getting and electric Magic Bullet grinder or something similar. Then I realized I would have to find a place for it on the counter or in a cupboard. I would also have more little pieces to wash and find a place for all of them. It was also more money than I wanted to spend when I already had a blender. I quickly decided to use my little Happy Baby Food Grinder again. It's easy to use, easy to wash (in the dishwasher), easy to store and easy to bring with me when we go to eat out. The best part is that she can eat whatever we're eating and I know that she's getting good nutritious food. Yes, I do break open a jar of food every now and then when were having hamburgers or something like that. I'm pretty sure she already knows the difference. ;)

Happy Weekend everyone,
Alison

Colter Toast

It's his favorite breakfast. One morning he made it all by himself and surprised me. Now we call it "Colter Toast". The recipe is well known but his is special for other reasons. Here's the recipe...
Here's the reasons this recipe is special. The heart cookie cutter shape is for Valentines day coming up. And this toast is extra yummy when made with homemade bread. And we use coconut oil! If you don't know about coconut oil... take 5 minutes and google it! It's worth the time and I think you'll understand why! We're using it in all our cooking these days!

Oh, and I love our little chef's 'almost laugh' in this picture. He really didn't want to smile but I got it outta him in the form of making him laugh! :)

Hope you'll try this easy, quick, nutritiously loaded breakfast soon,
Alison

Apple and Cinnamon Muffins

Kyla and I made these mini-muffins this morning for a little class reading party today. They turned out great and weren't too sweet. Maya and I went along for the party and I noticed her classmates loved them! Hope you enjoy them too!


2 and 1/3 scant cups all purpose flour
3 teas. baking powder
2 pinches of salt
2 teas. ground cinnamon
scant 1/2 cup sugar
3 apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1 cup milk
2 eggs beaten
1 stick of butter, melted

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teas. ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place 12 muffin paper liners in a muffin pan*.

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in the sugar and chopped apples. Place the milk, egg, and butter in a separate bowl and mix. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. Mixture will be thick and lumpy.

Divide the batter evenly between the paper liner. To make the topping, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle over muffins. Bake in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until risen and golden.

Remove the muffins from the oven and serve warm or place on a cooling rack and let cool.

Enjoy!

* you can use the small little muffin tins and papers like I did in the picture above. Instead of 12 large muffins, you will have 48 mini muffins.

Oat Flour. Agave Nectar. Apple Delight with Walnuts.

I brought this to a potluck recently. I had a couple requests for the recipe so here it is. It is made with oat flour and agave. I adapted it from one of my favorite Apple desert recipes.

4 medium, tart cooking apples, pealed and sliced. ( I used granny smith this time)
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup quick cooking or old fashioned oats
1/3 cup stick butter, softened
3/4 teas ground cinnamon
3/4 teas ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Heat oven to 375. Grease bottoms and sides of square pan with shortening.

Arrange apples in pan. Mix remaining ingredience. Spoon over apples. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

Bake about 30 minutes or until topping looks golden and apples are tender. Enjoy the smell. Serve warm alone or with cream or ice cream.

I doubled this recipe and put it in a 9 by 13 inch pan for the potluck and I actually used lots more apples. I just heaped my pan up with apples because I wanted to use then up. They always shrink down quite a bit!

Hope you enjoy this like we did,

Yours Truly,

Berry Coffee Cake

Our neighbor lady brought over this coffee cake one day this fall. She made hers with huckleberries. It was so good. I had to ask her for the recipe. She said it is the easiest coffee cake recipe that she has. So here it is...

Berry Coffee Cake

1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
4 oz cream cheese

1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

1 to 2 cups fresh for frozen berries*

Mix first 5 ingredients. Add next 3 ingredients and mix well. Fold in berries. Batter will be very thick. Place in a 9 inch round pan.

Sprinkle 1 tsp cinnamon and 2 tsp sugar on top.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

*I have used raspberries and marion berries. You could also use blueberries, strawberries, huckleberries, and maybe even cut up rhubarb(?)...

Jumping On The Chuckwagon and White Chili Recipe!

I've seen some posts lately about 'make ahead and freeze' meals. So, I'm jumping on the 'chuckwagon', so to speak. I think it's a great idea and whenever I take the time to do it, it always serves me well!

So far, I have these two meals frozen in the freezer. Gallon Ziplock bags of regular chili and white chili...
Here is the recipe for this wonderful White Chili...

White Chili
1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1 med onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
2 cans great northern beans
1 pound grilled or cooked chicken, cubed
1 14 oz. can chicken broth
1 14 oz. can niblet style corn
1 4 oz. can green chilis
1 teas cumin
1 teas salt
1/2 teas pepper

Saute onion and garlic in oil. Add all the rest of the ingredience. Stir and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in...

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
parsley (optional)

Serve over frito chips and top with chopped avocado if desired.

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

And here's what I have going on for tomorrow morning...
I thought I would start small with mashed potatoes and rice pilaf. So that way, I can take out one or the other early in the day and add it to my supper for the evening. You know what that means right? No rushing to peal potatoes at 5 o'clock and no stressing over the 45 minutes it takes to cook brown rice! It's all done and I just have to warm it up in the oven along with my meat. Then I throw together a fresh salad, cook some beans or corn from the freezer and voila! Supper's on at 5:30-right as my husband walks in the door from work! Chows On! Well, maybe...

Anyway, wish me luck. I will let you know how it goes and keep you updated on more recipes that I try. I have heard of several moms getting together and doing this all together in one day. Any of you local Mom's up for that sometime? Let me know! ;)

Have a super weekend,

Pumkin Spice Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Spice Bars

4 eggs
1 cup agave nector*
1 cup vegetable oil
1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teas baking powder
2 teas cinnamon
1 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1/2 teas ground ginger
1/4 teas ground cloves
1 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inches, lightly with shortning.

2. Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin in large bowl until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves. Stir in raisins. Spread in pan.

3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost with cream cheese frosting (below). Sprinkle with walnuts. Refrigerate any remaining bars.

*may replace 1 cup agave nectar with 2 cups sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese , softened**
1/3 cup stick butter, softened
1 teas vanilla
1 cup agave nectar***

Mix cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and agave in medium bowl with hand mixer. Beat until smooth and creamy.

To make with powdered sugar in place of agave nectar,
** replace the 8 ounce package of cream cheese with a 3 ounce package of cream cheese
*** replace 1 cup agave nectar with 2 cups of powdered sugar

Scalloped Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 5 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• Paprika

DIRECTIONS

1. In a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish, layer potatoes and onion.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add broth, mayonnaise, salt and pepper; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika.
3. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours or until tender.

To make this a meal dish, I add diced ham or sausage to it. Enjoy!

Refrigerated Dill Pickles

8 pickling cucumbers* sliced
1 medium onion sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vinegar
4 tsp. salt
3 tsp. fresh dill weed

Place onion, garlic, sugar, water, vinegar, and salt in sauce pan. Stir and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in dill weed. Put cucumber slices in a jar or other container with lid. Pour the hot syrup over cucumbers. Store in refrigerator. Will store for quite a while.

*if cucumbers are large and bitter, peel off the skin for best results.

Farmhouse Barbecue Muffins

Well... when I went to look up this recipe in my book they are called muffins, not biscuits. So call them whatever you like. Here is the recipe...

1 tube (large size) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 lb. ground beef, venison or elk burger
1 diced onion

1/2 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp chili powder
(these 4 items can be replaced by one can of Hunt's Manwich Sloppy Joe sauce or Barbecue Sauce)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Separate dough biscuits and flatten. Press into bottom and up the sides and a little over the top of greased muffin cups in a muffin tin. Set aside.
In a skillet brown meat with onions and drain. In a small bowl, mix ketsup, sugar, vinegar and chili powder and stir until smooth. Add to meat and mix well. Divide the meat mixture among biscuit lined muffin cups. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375 for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 min before removing from tin and serving.

Enjoy like my little farmer boy!


This favorite recipe comes from my sister-in-law Aleta!

Raspberry Sauce

Pick Raspberries from the garden. Gently wash berries in a sink filled with cold water. Scoop berries out into colander to drain.

Measure 6 cups of berries into 4 quart pot. Mash berries with potato masher. Add 1 cup of sugar and stir together. Begin heating on Medium high heat stirring occasionally.

In a shaker, add 4 tablespoons of corn starch to 1 cup water and shake together until smooth. Poor mixture into berries and stir until bubbles and thickens.

Cool and serve on cheesecake, icecream, angel food cake or just dish up a bowl with cream. I have also added it to my Italian Soda! It will make your tastebuds sing! Enjoy

(This recipe has had high reviews from everyone that has had it here in my Country Kitchen so wanted to share it with you)

Have a berry nice day,

Creamed Potatos, Carrots & Peas

In Loving Memory of Grandpa John and his abundant garden.

Wash and cut new red potatos into bite size pieces. Enough to cook in 4 quart pot. Cook until potatoes are tender but not mushy.

Peel and cut up about 8 carrots. Shell and wash about 3 to 4 cups of peas. I place my carrots and peas in separate bowls in my steamer and steam them for about 15-20 min while potatoes are cooking.

Meanwhile put 1/4 cup butter and 2 very heaping tbs. flour in 2 quart pot on medium heat. Beat butter and flour together with gravy whip until melted and smooth. Pour and beat in 1/2 cup of whipping cream. Then whip in around 2 cups (more or less depending on thickness) milk while butter mixture is hot and bubbling until sauce thickens. Add Lowry and Salt to taste.

Drain potatoes and add carrots and peas and sauce. Gently mix until everything is coated with sauce. Garnish with Paprika and serve hot.

Thanks Mom for the recipe,

King Salmon on the Grill

Slice 1 or 2 sweet onions (depending on size) and saute' in 1/4 cup of butter or more until tender. Set aside and begin heating grill to medium heat.(around 350 degrees) Make a long narrow 'tray' with heavy duty tin foil by folding up little edges and pinching the corners together. Spray or butter the bottom of the tray. Lay salmon fillet skin side down on tray and layer onions and butter drippings on top and then sprinkle Celtic Sea Salt and dill weed on top. Grill with lid mostly closed until meat becomes flaky when pried with a fork in the thickest part of the fillet. Don't flip and try not to overcook! Remove tray from grill and serve on platter. Enjoy!

This Fabulous Recipe comes from Ryan and Jeannie! Thanks!

Agave Sweetened Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I have been trying our some recipes lately with Agave in them. Agave nectar is a low-glycemic sweetner and it comes from the agave plant, a desert succulent native to Mexico. Agave nectar is sweeter than sugar and can be used more sparingly. To read more about agave, click here. I recently made this carrot cake for my sons birthday and it was very moist and delicious. With ingredient like this, pineapple,walnuts, coconut, and of course carrots...

Without Further Ado,

Carrot Cake

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teas. baking soda
1/2 teas. salt
2 teas. ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups agave
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 teas. vanilla
1 teas. almond extract
1 3/4 cup grated carrots
1 8-oz can crushed pineapple (drained)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup walnuts or pecans (chopped)
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe to follow)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour 2-9" round cake pans.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In medium bowl, beat eggs, agave, oil, buttermilk, and extracts with an electric mixer. Add to flour mixture. Beat on medium speed until blended.
4. Fold in carrots, pineapple, coconut, and nuts. Pour into prepared pans.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Check center for doneness with knife.
6. Place pans on wire rack to cool. Cool completely before removing from pan and frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2-8 ounce packages cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup agave (use light agave for lighter frosting)
2 teas. vanilla extract
1 teas. almond extract

1. In a medium bowl beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer.
2. Gradually beat in agave, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth.
3. Chill before using.

These recipe comes from Everyday Agave by Anne Astle

Five Minute Salsa Guacamole

2 ripe, medium size avocados
1/2 cup salsa
1 green onion sliced
1/2 teas. lemon or lime juice
1/2 teas. Celtic sea salt
1/8 teas. garlic powder

Cut avocados in half. Remove pit and then scoop out avocado meat from the skin with a spoon. Place on a plate and mash until chunky/smooth. Put in a bowl and stir in remaining ingredient. Garnish with cut green tops of green onions. Enjoy with taco's, chips, quesadilla's, etc.

Panini Sandwiches

Chocolate Sheet Cake

Yet another great recipe from my mother. We grew up enjoying this moist, chocolaty cake. This is a great last minute desert option as I usually always have the ingredience on hand. Enjoy this today!

Cake

In a mixing bowl, mix well:

-2 cups white sugar
-2 cups flour
-1/2 teas. salt

In a saucepan, mix and bring to a boil:
-1/2 cup butter
-1/2 cup oil
-1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup water

Add the first mixture and beat well. Then add:
-2 eggs
-1 teas. vanilla
-1/2 cup buttermilk* mixed with 1 teas. soda

Mix well and pour in greased jelly roll pan. Bake 20 min in 350 degree oven.

Frosting

Mix in saucepan:
-1/2 cup butter
-2 Tbs. cocoa
-3 Tbs. milk
-1 teas. vanilla

Bring to barely a boil, add powdered sugar, just enough to spread well on cake as it comes from the oven.

Nuts may be added.

*If you don't have buttermilk on hand just use 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 Tbs. lemon or vinegar. Then add the teaspoon of soda.

Bacon-Cheddar Deviled Eggs

Here is one of our favorite snacks! And it's fun for the kids to help make. First we hard-boil 12 eggs. It takes about 12 minutes on the stove.

Then the kids get to peel the eggs in the sink. How fun...

Little hands at work...

Eggs are easy to cut with just a table knife. The kids love cutting them in half and digging out the yellow yolk...

Then we add 1/2 cup mayonnaise, about 1/4 to 1/2 cup bacon bits, 2 tablespoons finely shredded cheddar cheese, 1 tablespoon mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (optional). Have the kids mash and mix the ingredients together...

Then place mixture in a ziplock bag, seal the top, cut a corner off and squeeze out the air. Now they can squeeze the yellow yolk mixture into the center of the egg whites...

I didn't say anything about it not being a little messy... ;)

Then I sprinkle a little paprika on the top for extra color and garnish with greens. Isn't it a pretty snack?...

Just in time for aftenoon snack when Big Sister gets home from school. Then we put the rest in the fridge for a snack tomorrow and the next day...

Try is today. It's not only good and fun, but it'll give you and them the protein and energy you need to get through the rest of your day!