Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Inspired to Cook and Bake


I spent yesterday afternoon looking at my cookbooks. "Deceptively Delicious," by Jessica Seinfeld reminded me of how I used to bake years ago. I would put fruit puree into our muffins; or blended vegetables into stews and over pasta.

I decided to do some shopping. I bought several bags of dried beans, a 10 pound bag of rice and lots of vegetables. It was time to get creative in making sure we all ate well around here.

Amy helped me make a lasagna. We used no-bake noodles. She mixed up one small container of ricotta cheese with one egg. This was set aside. We pulled out a large can of plain tomato sauce (28 oz.). Then we cut up one carrot and placed this into a pan, along with some frozen broccoli. She cooked this for a few minutes just to soften. Then it was drained and placed in a blender, along with some of the sauce. It was a lovely idea of "sneaking" healthy vegetables into our supper! (Even though we all knew it was happening!) Amy layered the ingredients, also using mozzarella cheese and garlic powder. It turned out delicious!

This morning, I used my "More with Less" cookbook to come up with ideas for using the beans. I planned to make a pot of chili. The boys love chili and it would be a nice treat for them. Even though I never made it before, It doesn't look too difficult. Last night, I soaked the kidney beans. They are now in a large pot simmering on the stove. I will add burger, tomato sauce and seasoning to it later. Then the boys can help themselves when they get hungry.

I also whipped up a batch of muffins. I did a little research online to find a way to substitute the butter (or oil) in the recipe so I could "sneak" some applesauce in there without too much of a difference in the final result.

------------------
Here is the recipe I created this morning:

Dry ingredients -

1 and 1/2 cups of wheat flour
1/2 cup of white flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients -

2 eggs (beat well)

2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup natural, plain applesauce
1 T melted margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix wet ingredients together. Then pour over the dry ingredients. Mix well, but do not over mix.

Add 1/2 bag of NESTLÉ® peanut butter and chocolate chip mix (One half of a 12 oz. bag.)

Mix, then put in muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes in preheated 400 degree oven.

When finished baking, place on a rack to cool. Don't forget to brush the tops with butter to keep them soft. (You can just use some plastic wrap, or a baggie to cover the tops with butter. It will melt instantly as you sweep over them.)

Copyright 2010 Mrs. Sharon White


----------------

I've had a busy, hectic week. There is so much stress that comes at the home and family from many sources. It is hard to calm the mind and find peace. Whether the troubles are financial, relationships, health or something else, the sanctuary of the home, and simple home duties can bring you comfort.

The muffins are baking in the oven. The scent is delightful. I will sit and rest for a bit. Then I will do a little housekeeping.

There is just something about creating things in the kitchen that bring joy to the family.

Blessings
Mrs. White

From the Archives -


Memories of Bible and Homemaking in - The Lesson of a Set Apart Life. 



- To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -




3 comments:

Michelle Smith said...

Mrs. White, your blog post reminded me of a cookbook I checked out from the library last year, The Sneaky Chef. I originally noticed the book on HSB Kristen's Shelfari and looked it up. It is about adding to the nutritious value of baked goods by adding fruits and vegetables (including beans). Here is the author's website: http://www.thesneakychef.com/

Several recipes are available free on her website. If you didn't already know about these books, I thought you might be interested. :)

Deanna said...

Dear Mrs. White, May you have a sweet day!

I like it when nutritious foods are sneaked into dishes...very clever and good for us.

Recently I bought this book and think the recipes are so clever. My daughter had this book, but wanted one for my Cook Book Collection.

God bless,
d from homehaven

Michelle said...

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and a recipe with us amongst your hectic day!

I just wrote a short post about how busy our day feel once home school begins and what truly remains important! Have a blessed evening!