Banana-Oat Blender Pancakes

PANCAKES! I heart pancakes! I can eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner, I love them so much. They get made at least once a week in our house and the best part, they are a cinch to throw together. Especially these delicious blender pancakes. You literally, throw everything into the blender, pulse a few times and pour away. Add Homemade Pancake Syrup to complete this wonderful morning treat!

Make sure your oats are labeled gluten-free
if making these yummy pancakes for anyone with
a gluten allergy/sensitivity.

Banana-Oat Blender Pancakes
Ingredients:

• 2 medium bananas, peeled
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of oat flour*
• 1/4 cup oats
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Directions:
Place all the ingredients in the order listed into the carafe of your blender. Pulse blender 2-3 times, scraping the side once, pulse an additional 2-3 times. Pour batter into pan on medium heat. Cook for a few minutes then flip and cook an additional minute or two. Serve warm.

Yields: 8-10 pancakes (about 4in diameter)

*No need to go out and buy oat flour, you can make it in your blender as well. It's a 1:1 ratio of oats to oat flour, all you do for this recipe is place 1 cup of oats into the blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes then add the remaining ingredients.

Black Bean Soup

My husband spent two years in Brazil and ate black beans pretty much everyday...sometimes twice. One would think that after so many beans, one would be tired of them. Nope, not my hubby. He still requests them often! This is a simple soup that is awesome with rice and wilted spinach, and if you want to add a little Brazilian touch, top with thinly sliced banana. Weird, I know, but it totally works! The sweet and salty compliment each other perfectly.

I make this dish in the pressure cooker, but you can easily substitute canned beans and cook on the stove top.

Black Bean Soup
Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry black beans, soaked or 2-3 cans black beans if not using pressure cooker
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1/2lb stew beef, chopped or smoked sausage
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 cups broth
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (or 2 teaspoons white vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar)
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook onions, meat and seasonings in pressure cooker or medium saucepan until onion is soft. Add remaining ingredients.
Pressure cooker:
Cover securely and bring to high pressure (15 psi), cook for 15 minutes. Do a quick release of pressure according to your pressure cooker's manual. Serve with wilted spinach and rice. Don't forget the banana!
Stovetop:
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for 30-45 minutes, until meat is tender. Serve over rice and top with thinly sliced bananas.

Yields: 4 good sized servings

Note:
I use the leftovers for bean burgers the next day. I love it because I get two dinners in one!

February Menu and Grocery list

Here it is, my family's February menu and grocery list. I am hoping to have the first weeks recipes up before Feb. 1st, that way you can try the menu if you would like. Leftover days and clean the fridge days are different in our house. Leftover days are usually just the day before's dinner, clean the fridge days are a smorgasbord of everything that needs to be eaten, I hate throwing food out and this is one way of preventing that.

If you have any questions, please ask. If this helps even one person, I will be ecstatic!

Just for reference, my menu is made for 3.5 people (my husband, 3 year old son, 6 month old son and myself), so adjustments to the menu for more people will naturally increase your budget.

SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THUR	FRI	SAT
						1 Black Bean Soup
2 Bean Burgers	3 Leftovers	4 Fish Tacos	5 Chicken adobo and quinoa/rice	6 leftovers	7 Spicy Thai Noodles	8 Clean Fridge
9 Tuna Antipasto w/ Pita	10 Picante Chicken	11 Fish Tacos	12 Left overs	13 ravioli lasagna	14 leftovers	15 dinner at friends
16 Banana Oat Pancakes	17 grilled cheese w/ tomato soup	18 Fish Tacos	19 Breadsticks and salad	20 Spaghetti	21 BBQ pulled Pork	22 Clean Fridge
23 Sweet and sour pork w/ rice	24 Pancakes	25 Fish Tacos	26 Meat Loaf and potatoes	27 Leftovers	28 taco baked potatoes

I try to do one large grocery trip per month for all the non-perishables and the first weeks veggies and fruits. Then I go 1-2 times per week for the perishables and things like milk, bananas and eggs. I separated each weeks perishables.

Okay, I know the list is quiet large but I have not figured out how to input a better list...yet :-) I keep a number of my staple items in bulk(my food storage) so I decided to make two grocery lists, my list and a more comprehensive one. That way you can compare the two and see how having a stocked pantry can save you TONS. By having a surplus of my staple items, I can wait for them to go on sale before buying them, and yes, I include it in my monthly budget.

MY LIST Large trip: ½ lb steak, cheap cut big bag of fish sticks large bag of corn tortillas 3 lbs chicken breast or thighs** 1 bag frozen broccoli jar of capers 1 bag of frozen ravioli 1 – 16oz tub cottage cheese 2lb block mozzarella* 2lb block pepper jack* 2 gallons of milk apple cider vinegar** 1 – 8oz tub of sour cream bacon	Week 2: 1 bell pepper 2.5 lbs tomatoes apples milk bananas	COMPREHENSIVE LIST Large trip: ½ lb steak, cheap cut dry black beans** bag of onions white rice** 2 cans of garbanzo beans** big bag of fish sticks large bag of corn tortillas quinoa** 2 packages spagetti noodles** 3 lbs chicken breast or thighs** 1 bag frozen broccoli 2 cans od tuna** jar of capers jar of salsa (I make our salsa) 1 bag of frozen ravioli 2 jars of spaghetti sauce** 1 – 16oz tub cottage cheese 2lb block mozzarella* 2lb block pepper jack* 3-4 lb pork roast 2 ½ lbs ground beef** 2 gallons of milk apple cider vinegar** 1 – 8oz tub of sour cream bacon	Week 2: 1 bell pepper 2.5 lbs tomatoes apples milk bananas
Week 1: avocado 2 russet potatoes cilantro green onion bananas 1 bag coleslaw mix	Week 3: Zucchini 1 bag Cole slaw mix fruit	Week 1: avocado 2 russet potatoes cilantro green onion bananas 1 bag coleslaw mix	Week 3: Zucchini 1 bag Cole slaw mix fruit
*the 2lb blocks of cheese is on sale at Safeway/VONS this Friday for $5.00 **these items I usually have in bulk but need to replenish this month. I will probably get 6 lbs of chicken	Week 4: 1 bell pepper 5 russet potatoes bag of onion	**what I keep on hand in bulk	Week 4: 1 bell pepper 5 russet potatoes

Pesto Pizza Rolls

It's almost Super Bowl time!! Football fans of any team will love these Pesto Pizza Rolls. They are chock full of flavor and the best part...they won't break the bank. This recipe makes 20 rolls but can easily be doubled. They can also be made a day ahead, leaving you time to actually sit down and enjoy the game!

Pesto with gooey cheese and spicy pepperoni...
perfection in my book!

Pizza Rolls
Ingredients:
1 recipe for Pizza dough (found here)
1/4 cup of prepared pesto (more or less according to your taste)
4-6 ounces thin sliced pepperoni
4 ounces of shredded mozzarella
marinara for dipping

Directions:
Divide dough into two equal portions. Roll out one portion of dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to about a 12x6 rectangle.
Spread 2 tablespoons of pesto onto the dough then layer the pepperoni on and sprinkle half the cheese on top of that. Roll-up dough cinnamon roll style, pinching the seam to seal.
Cut into 10 equal pieces. Place on parchment paper. Repeat with second piece of dough. Let rise for 20-25 minutes.
Heat oven to 375, bake for 20-25min. Just until tops start to brown.
Serve with warmed marinara.

Yield: 20 rolls

Note: If making ahead, only cook for 15 minutes and let cool completely before storing in the fridge or freezer. When time to use, preheat oven to 350 and cook for approx. 7 minutes.

Sprouted Wheat Bread

You already know that there are tremendous health benefits of eating fresh vegetables and unprocessed foods on a regular basis. Eating natural, whole grains and eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables can help you feel and look great, but there are some specific foods you can add to your diet to increase the health quotient of every meal. Sprouts are one of these “superfoods”. By sprouting grains/seeds you end up with a whole food that contains an even richer source of high quality proteins, vitamin A, vitamin C and B-complex. During the sprouting process the enzyme inhibitors are removed, these inhibitors are chemicals in the grains/seeds that keep them in their dormant state until they are ready to bring forth the plant. With these inhibitors removed, your body can more easily digest these grains/seeds and absorb more of its goodness.

 

Trivia: Did you know that sailors in the 1700's ate sprouts because of their Vitamin C content to help prevent scurvy?

 

Wheat sprouts ready after 2 days!

Sprouting is super easy! I regularly sprout wheat, mung beans, alfalfa and lentils! Keeper of the Home has an easy sprouting How-to with tons of info on the benefits of sprouting.

 

My Sprouted Wheat Bread is a staple in our home. I make this bread about every 5 days, sometimes sooner. It makes great sandwich bread and also toasts up well! Try it with peanut butter and this pear butter for your next lunch.

 

 

Honestly, the best 1lb loaf bread pan EVER!

 

Roll each half into a rectangle the same length
as the bread pan you are using.

 

Don't forget to pinch the seams.

 

Place loaves, seam side down. Let rise.

 

Ready for the oven!

 

Cool on racks. I like to cover with a kitchen towel
while cooling, gives it a softer crust.

I always have a warm slice with butter, gotta enjoy the
 fruits of your labor :-)

 

 

Sprouted Wheat Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 3/4 cup luke warm water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 3-3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup of chopped sprouted wheat (I use the food processor)
• 2 tablespoons powdered milk
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened or oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a small bowl mix water, molasses, sugar and yeast, let sit 5-10 minutes, just until it starts to bubble.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flours, the sprouted wheat, powdered milk, butter and salt. Pour liquid mixture into mixing bowl and turn mixer on lowest setting to prevent flour from flying everywhere.

When most of the flour has been moistened, turn mixer up to next fastest setting. Let mix/knead for approx. 5-7 minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic. Place in oiled bowl and let rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size.

Punch done dough and knead 2-3 times. Divide into to equal portions. Shape loaves according to preference. Place in oiled loaf pans and let rise 45 minutes, until peak of loaf is approximately an inch above loaf pan.

Bake at 375 for 20-25minutes. Tops should be brown and when loaf is tapped will have a very hollow sound.

Cool on racks, covered with a kitchen towel for a softer crust. Or serve warm with butter, my favorite!

 

Yield: 2 - 1lb loaves

Notes:

• The more sprouted wheat you add to the dough, the gummier it will become. I find that 1/2 cup is perfect for my family's taste. If you would like to experiment, change the amount by 1/8 cup increments, a little goes a long way.
• The chopped up sprouted wheat freezes very well. I usually freeze it in 1/2cup sizes. Just thaw before using in the recipe.
• Making sprouted wheat flour is just a few extra steps. Instead of putting the sprouted wheat berries into the food processor, spread on the trays of a dehydrator. Set the dehydrator to approx. 120 degrees and let dry about 12hrs, they need to be very DRY before putting them through a grain mill. Mill the dried sprouted wheat berries, store in an airtight container.

 

 

Fish Taco Tuesday

I challenged myself to feed my family for under $250 per month this year and have been going through my go to recipes and seeing how I can revamp them to make them more affordable. I have to be honest, I have enjoyed doing this very much. I get a secret thrill in finding ways to make our food for less, I know, I am a bit crazy.

Right now Tuesday is our designated taco day, and our go to taco is fish. We love them with all the fixings...avocado, salsa, cheese, sour cream, limes, etc. But it adds up fast! I wanted to find a way to keep our tacos cheap but just as delicious. What I came up with may seem so sacrilegious to the fish taco enthusiast but it works for us, and you know what, we have had these tacos every Tuesday for the last 2 months and have not gotten tired of them.

These tacos keep the tang, heat and flavor of the original but for far less moolah!

Fish sticks (trust me!), tangy slaw and salsa!

If you are a bit weirded out by the fish sticks, I'm daring, no, triple dog daring you (yes, I went there) to try it just once. If you still don't like them then substitute whatever fish you would like.

Fish Tacos
Ingredients:

• 18-21 fish sticks (we love these)
• 1/2 bag of coleslaw mix or a small head of cabbage shredded
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
• pepper to taste
• your favorite salsa, we enjoy salsa verde (will post recipe soon)
• 6-7 corn tortillas

Directions:
Cook fish sticks according to directions, usually 425 for 15-17 minutes, flipping half way.
While fish is cooking, place the vinegar, mayonnaise, sugar, mustard, celery salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth, add coleslaw mix (or cabbage) and stir until well coated.
Heat corn tortillas, I like to wrap all the tortillas in foil and add it to the last 3-4 minutes that the fish is in the oven.
Assemble tacos, by putting fish, then coleslaw and last the salsa, in the tortilla.

Yields: 6-7 tacos, about 3 fish sticks per taco

If the budget allows it, we like to splurge on some yummy shrimp (broiled with a little butter), the slaw and salsa compliment the shrimp very well.

15 Minute Meatloaf!

Between work, school, my kiddos and housework, its sometimes hard to get dinner on the table at a decent hour. There have been nights where its been granola and fruit, and you know what, that's okay. But with recipes like this one, its been much easier to have a heartier choice available.

The magic behind this meal is my most favorite tool in my kitchen, a pressure cooker! With the newer electric pressure cookers available its much easier to set it and forget it too! So with this magic pressure cooker, you can have your favorite meatloaf with potatoes and carrots in 15 minutes...add another 3-5 minutes and you also have gravy.

What you need:

• a 5 quart or larger pressure cooker
• about 1 1/2 pounds of your favorite meatloaf mix
• 2 - 3 medium russet potatoes, cut into large pieces
• 4 - 5 large carrots, cut to 2 inches in length
• 1 cup beef broth
• ketchup or BBQ sauce (optional)

Directions:

Add the potatoes, carrots and broth to pressure cooker.
 

A trivet or cooking rack that fits into your pressure cooker is
best but is not needed.

Form loaf onto rack, top with ketchup or sauce.

Place directly on top of potatoes. Cover pressure cooker,
 making sure it seals. Cook on high (follow the directions of your manual)
for 15 minutes, do a quick steam release.
 

Remove meatloaf and vegetables from pan, reserve
the juices for gravy if desired.

Note: When making meatloaf, I usually make 2-3 times as much meat mix. I just freeze about 1.5 pounds of mix in each freezer bag, that way all I need to do is defrost the meat, cut the vegetables and set the pressure cooker, THE BEST!

Brown Sugar Kettle Corn

It's movie night and you can't have movie night without popcorn! This treat is addicting, before you know it, the whole batch it gone and everyone is asking for more. It has just the right amount of sweet and salty with a bit of a caramel surprise from the brown sugar. And with this Whirly Pop the kiddos will be asking to help. Popcorn is a whole grain full of fiber making this snack a bit guilt-free.

Never leaves our stove top!

Ready for the movies

Brown Sugar Kettle Corn
Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup popcorn kernels
• 2 tablespoons oil (I like coconut oil)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• salt to taste

Directions:
Put the sugars, butter and cinnamon in a small bowl. Heat oil in Whirly Pop (or large pot with lid), put 2 to 3 kernels into pot. When those pop, add the rest of the kernels. Start to crank the Whirly Pop slowly (or swirl the pot), as soon as those kernels start to pop quickly add the sugar mixture. Continue to crank the Whirly Pop (or swirl pot) to prevent the sugars from burning.
When popping slows down to 2-3 per second, remove from heat. Caution, it is very hot!
Pour half into a large bowl, lightly sprinkle with salt, pour remaining popcorn into bowl, sprinkle with salt.
Toss to coat and to break up into small pieces. Enjoy!

Yields: 12-14 cups popped

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

My husband knows that it is hard for me to study when our boys are awake and in full force so every now and then he kicks me out of the house and sends me to Panera. Their free wifi is awesome...and so is the broccoli cheddar soup! I love it, I get it every time I go. It was during one of my Panera study sessions that I came up with a brilliant idea, I'm going to make this soup myself! It took several okay batches (and one awful batch) to finally create the soup at home. I think the key is using the steaming liquid and sautéing the onions and carrots before adding the rest of the ingredients.

The star of the show

 

Perfect for the snow days we have been having.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients:

• 3 cups broccoli
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 3 cups broth + steaming liquid
• 1 cup milk (whole preferred)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 8 slices of American cheese
• 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
Steam broccoli for 6 minutes, reserve the steaming liquid. Chop broccoli into small pieces.
Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and carrot, sauté for 2-3 minutes, just until onion is soft.
Add enough broth to steaming liquid to equal 3 cups, add to saucepan. Mix flour and milk together, also add to saucepan. Add broccoli and remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens slightly. Do not heat at too high a temperature or cheese may curdle.

Yields: 4 servings

One Pot Pasta

I finally decided to see what all the hype was about regarding the One Pot Pasta dish that's been making its way around Facebook and, you know what, I was pleasantly surprised! Not only was it easy, it was delicious. It had a creaminess that I was not expecting and the pasta cooked perfectly, not the least bit soggy. I can see this dish making normal rounds in my monthly dinner menu. It makes quite a bit too, we had tons of left overs for lunch the next day.

Tasty with some crumbled goat's cheese.

 

One Pot Pasta (loosely adapted from Martha Stewart's One-Pan Pasta)

Ingredients:

• 1 - 16 ounce box of spaghetti or linguine pasta
• 1 - 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
• 4-6 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 2 handfuls of spinach, frozen is fine
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flake
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 cups of stock
• 2 1/2 cups water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in large saucepan, add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook until onion is soft, 3-5 minutes. 

Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and let cook for 8-10 minutes, stir a couple times to prevent a clump of noodles from forming on the bottom of the pan.

When noodles have reached desired doneness, turn off heat and let set for 5 minutes tossing one to two times to let the sauce evenly coat the pasta.

Serve warm sprinkled with your favorite cheese.

 

Yields: 4-6 large servings

 

I'm going to try this dish with different flavors, maybe with shrimp and peanut sauce...I'll keep you updated!

Marshmallow Bark

Marshmallow bark is a fast treat to whip up. My little guy loves to help with this dessert, I think he just likes to lick the bowl and spatula, can't blame the guy!

I have been making this for awhile now but was just recently informed that this is a Weight Watchers approved recipe!

 

Marshmallow Bark

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of good quality dark chocolate
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 3-4 cups mini marshmallows*
• any additions you desire, try almonds, dried fruit, different cereals, etc.

Directions:

Line a 9x9 square pan with foil, spray lightly with cooking spray.

Melt the chocolate and butter in either a double boiler or in the microwave at 20 second intervals.

Add marshmallows and any other additions (if not adding anything use 4 cups of marshmallows) and mix thoroughly.

Pour into prepared pan, chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Slice into 9-12 squares.

 

If you prefer thinner bark, pour on a foil lined cookie sheet and spread to desired thickness.

 

Yields: 9-12 squares

 

*these are fun to make for Easter using the pastel colored marshmallows.

 



Pizza, Pizza!

There is something about snow days that brings on the pizza cravings. The smell fills the house and the oven warms the kitchen, I LOVE it!

This dough recipe makes enough for two pizzas but I usually double the recipe and freeze the extra two pizzas. To freeze the pizzas all you have to do is roll the crusts out to desired thickness, bake for 8 minutes at 425 then let cool before topping with your favorite toppings, wrap in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil and freeze. I write the cooking directions on the foil with a permanent marker before freezing (12-15 minutes at 425). Its perfect for those quick dinners on weeknights.

Sprinkle a little cornmeal before rolling out the dough. This gives a nice texture to the bottom of the crust and also prevents it from sticking to the cooking surface.

Top with whatever your heart desires. Our go to toppings are pepperoni and bell pepper pizza on the left and skillet bacon and pineapple on the right.

 

Bake for 20 minutes at 425, cheese should be melted in the middle and crust a light brown.

Enjoy!

 

Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of luke warm water
• 1 Tablespoon of sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons of yeast (or 1 packet)
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 Tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions:
Place ingredients in stand mixer bowl in the order listed. Attach dough hook and mix/knead the dough for 5-7 minutes until smooth, starting at the lowest speed increasing after the first 2 minutes or so. Dough should be slightly tacky but not stick to fingers.
Place in a greased bowl and let rise in a draft free spot for 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
Dump dough onto lightly floured surface, divide into 2 equal pieces.
Roll out to desired thickness. Top with favorite toppings.
Bake at 425 for 18-20 minutes, cheese should be melted in the middle and crust light brown.

Bread machine:
Place ingredients into bread pan according to manufacture's direction. Select the dough cycle. When dough cycle is complete continue directions from the point of rolling out the dough.

By hand:
Place everything but the flour in a bowl, mix with a wooden spoon adding the flour one cup at a time. When it becomes too hard to mix with the spoon, dump on a well floured surface and knead in the remaining flour. Continue to knead until dough transforms from a lumpy mess to a smooth, elastic dough (3-7 minutes).

I think its important to actually be familiar with and feel how the dough changes while kneading it, that way you can recognize it by sight when using a mixer.


Yield: two 14" pizza crusts

Whip up a batch of marshmallow bark while the pizzas are baking, they will be set and ready to devour by the time you have finished eating your pizza!

Homemade Pancake Syrup

My husband brought home some extra corn muffins from his swim meet this weekend, like the huge Costco corn muffins! I hate wasting food and basically borderline obsessive about finding ways to use leftovers/extras/refrigerator odds and ends. So instead of changing one of my monthly menu dinner items to accommodate these muffins, I decided to have corn muffins for breakfast. We indulged in some yummy corn bread french toast with some warm homemade pancake syrup.

 

 

Pancake syrup is something I will never buy again. It is so simple to make and is dirt cheap! Sugar, water and flavoring is all that is needed.

 

Homemade Pancake Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon maple extract
• 1 teaspoon molasses (optional)

Directions:

Place all ingredients into small saucepan. Bring to a boil, do not stir but slowly swirl the saucepan a few times. Not stirring the mixture will help prevent crystallization when stored. After a boil is reached, reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 3 minutes. You can simmer another minute or two if you prefer a thicker syrup. Serve hot or place in a container for later uses. Stores indefinitely in the fridge.

 

Yield: 1 1/2 cup

 

This is an easy recipe to experiment with. Try different flavorings, I have tried almond extract with lemon zest that was delicious. Adding a tablespoon of butter to the mixture adds a little richness to the syrup as well.

 



Pear Butter

We are a family of peanut butter & jelly lovers and go through jars of the stuff like nobody's business! While club stores like Costco carry peanut butter that we enjoy for a great price, jelly was another story. Don't get me wrong, Costco does carry huge jars of jelly but we go through so much of it that I started worrying about our sugar intake. I decided to start using in season fruits to make our own jams, jellies and our fave, fruit butters! Since the fruit is in season, I can get it for cheaper and the fruit is much sweeter so I don't need as much sugar to prepare it. What's so awesome about this Pear Butter is that the sugar is adjustable to your taste and it cooks in the slow cooker, no babysitting needed.

Slice the pears

 

Blend the pears and add the sugar and spices.

 

Cook in slow cooker with lid resting on butter knives. This allows the steam to escape.

 

When the pear butter mixture has reduced by about half, you can transfer to jars to can or freeze. If canning, fill jars leaving 1/2 inch of headspace and process in a water bath for 20 minutes. The canned pear butter keeps for 12-18 months...but it never lasts that long at our house.

 

 

Ingredients

• 6 lbs of pears (16-20 pears)*
• 1 cup of liquid (juice or water)**
• 1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (you can use white as well)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

Wash, core and slice the pears. You can peel the pears for a smoother butter but I like to keep on, there is tons of flavor in the peel. Blend pears in batches, using the juice to help get the puree started. Pour all the pear puree in the pot of your slow cooker.

Add the sugar and spices, mix thoroughly.

Set slow cooker to high for 4 hours, stirring 2-3 times. Make sure the lid is elevated so that the steam can escape. Sitting the lid on two butter knives works perfectly (see picture above).

Now set on the low setting for 8-10 hours, you can stir if you like, but is not necessary. The mixture will reduce by about half. We like it on the thicker side so I usually leave it in the slow cooker overnight. Store in jars in the freezer or can them to be used later.

 

Yield: 3-4 pints

 

*This recipe works great for apple butter, but you will need to cook the apples first. I use my pressure cooker to do this because it only takes 2 minutes, it can be done on the stovetop as well, just cook them with the liquid for longer.

 

**The liquid is a place to have a little fun with flavors. I have used both apple and pineapple juice with great results. Try water and lemon for an added bite, or guava nectar for a tropical treat.



DIY Almond Milk

I'm going simple for my first blog post, like, stupid easy simple. A few ingredients, a good blender and some cheesecloth is all that's needed.

 I enjoy the clean taste of this almond milk and since its a cinch to make, I don't mind making it in small batches for freshness. And don't throw away the almond pulp that's left over, set it aside for that next batch of granola!

What's needed

• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 2 cups water
• water for soaking
• cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve
• dash of vanilla (optional)
• a date, prune, or sweetener of choice (optional)

What to do
Place almonds (and date or prune if using) in a jar or container and cover with water. Let soak for at least 4 hours, I prefer overnight, the end result is much creamier.
Drain almonds and place in blender with 2 cups of water, sweetener and vanilla (if using). Blend for about 2 minutes. While almonds are blending, place a double layer of cheesecloth or the sieve in a bowl. 
Pour almond slurry into cheesecloth. Gather the loose ends and twist it tight to extract every last drop of almond milk goodness. If using a sieve, press the pulp with the back of a spoon.

Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate. Use within 4-5 days.
Yield: approx. 2 cups (recipe can easily be doubled)