WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST or DINNER: BAKED PANCAKES in a cast iron skillet

Strawberry

If you're like my husband and can't make pancakes to save your life, well now you can!

serves 4

Preheat oven to 425°.

Blend in a blender until no dry lumps remain:

3 large eggs

3/4 C whole milk

1/2 t vanilla

1/4 C sugar

1/4 t salt

1/2 C flour

Melt 2 T butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Pour in batter.

Bake 20 - 25 minutes.

Remove and serve immediately.

Variations:

Sprinkle one of these on top of batter before baking:

1 C sliced fresh strawberries + add 1/4 C more flour to batter

1/2 C blueberries

1/2 C chocolate chips

Add one of these to batter in blender:

1/2 t cinnamon

1 T cocoa

Add one of these to cook in butter until golden brown:

1/2 apple, sliced and peeled

1 banana, sliced

Apple

WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST: STRAWBERRY BREAD

makes 2 loaves

Preheat oven to 350° and grease and flour loaf pans.

Put 2 C fresh, sliced strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix 3 1/8 C flour, 2 C sugar, 1 T cinnamon, 1 t salt and 1 t baking soda.

In the strawberry bowl, add 1 1/4 C vegetable oil and 4 beaten eggs. Blend well with strawberries. Add to flour mixture. Mix well.

Stir in 1 1/4 C chopped pecans.

Divide equally into the loaf pans.

Bake 45-50 minutes or 65-70 minutes at high altitude.

Let cool 10 minutes on wire rack. Turn out and cool completely.

WHAT'S FOR DINNER: MEXICAN DUMP SOUP

In continuing our Spring cleaning of the fridge, freezer and pantry, there are hundreds of recipes you could make up just by dumping things into a pot from your fridge, freezer and pantry.

Here's one I made up tonight:

In a pot over medium heat, saute the following until meat is no longer pink:

1 lb ground beef

1/2 chopped onion (fresh or frozen)

1/2 chopped green bell pepper (fresh or frozen)

1 t chili powder

Add:

2 cans diced tomatoes or Rotel, undrained

1 can white hominy or yellow corn, undrained

1 can black beans, undrained

1 can pinto beans, undrained

1 can ranch style beans, undrained

Bring to boil, then turn down to simmer for 20 minutes or more to meld flavors.

Serve with chips, tortillas or corn bread, shredded cheese, sour cream, slices of lime, jalapenos, etc.

WHAT'S FOR DINNER: MEATBALLS

1 lb lean ground beef

1 C bread crumbs

1 T parsley

1 T Parmesan

1/4 t pepper

1/8 t garlic powder

1 beaten egg

4 C tomato sauce

Mix all ingredients well and form into 12 - 24 balls, depending on how big you want them to be. Heat tomato sauce in a skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs, cover and simmer for 15 - 30 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Serve over rice or pasta or on bread to make a meatball sub.

MAKE IT! TURN CARDS & LETTERS INTO BOOKS

One of the four of Canaan's Adoption/baby shower card books. 

There's something about the cards and letters that I've received from loved ones my whole life that I cannot part with especially those from my grandparents and parents. And now that some of my grandparents and friends have passed on, I am so glad that I've kept them. 

For years I've been looking for a way to display them or at least that they would be accessible.

I've finally found an idea that works! 

Although I haven't gotten to ALL the years of letters and cards from my family and friends, I decided to start with my son's adoption. We were overwhelmed with several huge baby showers and an outpouring of love and gifts on us during that time. Canaan knows how special he is to us, but I wanted to show him how special he is to other people in our lives. 

We received hundreds of cards after we adopted Canaan. I was able to punch holes in all the cards and string metal album rings through the holes to form 4 different books. As I write this, Canaan's looking through them and pointing out all kinds of fun things to me.

It's a great way to to display cards and letters for:

Birthdays

Baby shower

Wedding shower

Engagement

from certain family members and friends

Adoption

Graduation

Christmas

50th Anniversary

Valentine's Day

and more...

It's also a great way to teach your small kids how to read and observe. We've been playing the game "Find the ???" So he looks through a book and finds whatever I've asked him to find. 

 Canaan's First Birthday card book

WHAT'S FOR DINNER: SPINACH TRIANGLES

This was inspired by wanting spanakopita but not having the ingredients for it so coming up with something similar in sticking with the "Clean Out Meals."

"That's just leaves." - Canaan talking about the spinach on his fork.

Place one bag of frozen but thawed spinach in a colander and sprinkle a pinch or two of salt on top. Let rest for 5 minutes then squeeze out liquid. 

Meanwhile, saute half a chopped onion with 3 t olive oil and 3 t pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat for approx 5 minutes or until onions are clear and nuts are toasted.

Ad spinach, 1 T lemon juice or a couple of drops of lemon essential oil, 1/4 t pepper and 1/8 t salt to saute. Cook 5 minutes more. Drain off liquid, if any.

Melt 1/4 C butter in separate bowl. I used the microwave.

Using 1 package of refrigerated pie crust, unroll onto a flat surface. Brush with melted butter. Cut into 4 pieces each like a pie. Place a tablespoon or more of filling centered at top. Fold right corner across and down to make a point. Press edges with fork. Place on greased baking sheet. Brush each with butter. 

Cook in a preheated oven of 400° for 12 - 15 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately. 

Ever wonder what my notes look like when I'm making up a recipe?

Trying to clean out the fridge, freezer & pantry...and a "recipe" for FREEZER SOUP

Do you ever realize you just have too much food? My husband did so I've been using and making up recipes just from what I have in the refrigerator, freezer and pantry for the past week. 

If you're not into making up your own recipes, there are some great tools like the Betty Crocker Cookbook App and Allrecipes.com where you can put in ingredients you want and don't want that will find you recipes to use up what you have instead of running to the grocery store just for a recipe or two. Save those recipes for another date.

The easiest type of what I call "A Clean Out Meal" I've found so far in this week long journey is what I call "FREEZER SOUP." Yep, it's just that simple. Take whatever you have in your freezer that might sound good together and put it in a pot with water and cook. 

Remember all those vegetables that I froze this past Fall?

I made this vegetable soup with frozen broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, onions, green beans, etc. 

I wanted to add squash and beef but the size of my pot wouldn't allow me to.

I also used a couple of spices from the pantry like a little curry to enhance the flavor.

You could add oregano, thyme, curry, make a roux with flour and butter, basil, etc.

Some of the recipes to follow in my blog will be just from adding only things from what I have and making up something great. Sometimes it works...and other times it bombs. 

WHAT'S FOR LUNCH or DINNER: ROTISSERIE CHICKEN SALAD

1/2 or more rotisserie chicken, chopped or shredded, store bought or homemade

4 T Mayo

3 to 4 t sweet or dill relish

1 large apple or pear, cored and chopped

(I used an Asian pear.)

1/2 C chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients well. Chill until serving.

WHAT'S FOR LUNCH or DINNER? DUTCH OVEN SLOW ROASTED PORK

3 1/2 - 4 lb pork shoulder

(boneless is easier, bone-in is usually cheaper)

several cloves minced or slivered garlic

2 C dry white wine or dry vermouth

2-4 T olive oil

2 T butter

Make slits all over the meat with a knife. Insert garlic. Place in Dutch or French oven. Pour wine over. Place lid on and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight. ONLY if your Dutch/French oven is enamel coated. If not, place in another pan to marinate.

Drain & discard liquid. Put meat on a plate. Wipe out the Dutch oven with a paper towel. Place over a medium heat burner and put in oil and butter. When heated, add meat and brown on all sides for 12 minutes. The liquid will turn brown.

Put lid on top and place in a preheated oven of 325°. Bake for 3 to 4 hours or until pull apart tender. Shred before serving.

WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST: EASY HOMEMADE MUFFINS with options

BASIC MUFFIN RECIPE

makes 12

1 3/4 C flour

1/2 C sugar

2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1 beaten egg

3/4 C milk

1/4 C oil

Spray muffin tin with non stick spray.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well then add egg, milk and oil. 

Stir until just moistened.

Spoon batter into tins, about 3/4 full.

Bake in preheated oven of 400° for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden.

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from tin.


BANANA NUT
Prepare as above but reduce milk to 1/2 C. Stir in 1/4 C mashed banana and 1/2 C chopped nuts with the egg mixture.


BLUEBERRY
Prepare as above except fold in 3/4 C fresh or frozen blueberries.

CHEESE
Prepare as above except stir 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese or other cheese in.

CRANBERRY
Prepare as above except fold in 1 C chopped cranberries and 2 T more sugar.

MIXED BERRIES
Prepare as above except fold in 3/4 C fresh or frozen mixed berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.).

OATMEAL
Prepare as above except reduce flour to 1 1/3 C and add 3/4 C rolled oats.

POPPY SEEDS
Prepare as above except increase sugar to 1/2 C and add 1 T poppy seeds.

STRAWBERRY
Prepare as above except fold in 3/4 C fresh, coarsely chopped strawberries.

I made fresh blueberry muffins today.