Baking day!

Well today I plan on cooking and baking up a WHOLE bunch of stuff for the freezer for after baby comes!


I've got the house clean from yesterday, my sisnlaw on the way over, kitchen clean and ready to be totally demolished by our efforts, and the cooking show on to set the mood! (Btw she is making these chocolate donuts at the moment that I'm drooling over! Maybe that wil be on our menu soon! Despite the card factor and the huge sugar factor! LOL) :-D It's working to!


Here's what we plan on getting done today!

Chicken Pot Pie 2 pies

Mini Meatloaves 1 bag full

Pizza Pockets

Quiche Pie 2 pies

Large batch of Fried Rice to make 4 1qt bags

Large batch of Mex Rice to make 6 1qt bags

Large batch of Pinto beans to make 6 1qt bags

Banana Muffins 2 bags full

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Sourdough bread

About 2 months ago I tried to start my own sourdough starter for bread. But it was a flop! :) It smelled good but the dough never rose so I think it was not far enough along to use... anywho!
I am wondering if you have any great tips to starting your own starter! I am back at square one...... Any tips would be AWESOME! I really want to get this started and going because I LOVE sourdough bread. Share

My Fave Fruity Shake

I drink alot of shakes instead of eating a meal for breakfast or lunch.


Here's one of my fav's!







1 very full hand full of fresh spinach
1/2 a peach
1/4 cup of raspberries and blueberries
5-6 frozen strawberries
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup of milk if its to thick to blend
Give it a whirl till blended and smooth!
Drink up!
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Cooking ahead!

This morning I had some ground beef I needed to cook up and use before I forgot about it. lol

So I split in half and cooked the first part with all the seasonings for spaghetti and then the other part I just added normal seasoning so I could use it for anything. I got 4 meals out of it! Pretty cool, now all I have to do it pull it out and add to whatever I am making. I have thought in the past about doing it that way but I never would want to season past the normal salt, pepper, garlic, and onions because I am always fidgeting with our menu! LOL But this worked out pretty good. I might consider it doing it more often. Definitely doesn't take much time to do it all at once and it gets it done and out of the way for that meal!

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Oh Num.... lots of dark chocolate!

This last week I was heading up all the stuff for a baby shower
for a friend of mine. Shes due in less than 3 weeks! Woohoo!
So I decided to try my hand at a shower cake for her.
I haven't made one in YEARS! And it turned out VERY
nummy and actually kind of cute! :-D









And WALA! :-)











Here's the recipe:

CAKE

2 cups of sugar
1 3/4 cups of flour
3/4 cup of Cocoa (I used Dark)
1 1/2 teasp. of baking powder
1 1/2 teasp. of baking soda
1 teasp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup of oil
2 teasp. vanilla
1 cup boiling water

~ Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour pan (2 9'inch round or 1 13x9)

~ In large bowl: stir sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Ad eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on med for 2 mins.

~ Stir in boiling water. It will be a thin batter. Pour into pans.

~ Bake 30-35 mins for round pans and 35 to 40 mins for rectangular pan.

~ Cool and frost~


Frosting:

6 tablsp. butter
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa (I used Dark)
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp of vanilla

~ In mixer beat butter.
Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk.
Beat to spreading consistency (might need more or less milk)
Blend in Vanilla.
Frost cake!

ENJOY!!!!

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Num

A great, fast, good for you, easy, throw in the blender drink!

4-5 slices of frozen peaches (=about a whole peach)
1 whole banana (can be frozen but I use fresh)
1/2 cup of yogurt
Splash of milk to thin it a bit.

Whirl up in your blender.

Sip and enjoy till gone! :-D

A whoppin good drink if I may say so. Share

How to Freeze?

This week Super Target has a good deal on potatoes so I am wanting to get a few bags.
But I am not to sure as how to freeze them all. I have heard things over the years on what
you can and can't freeze. So I figure I will give it a try. But I need help in how to do it.
I wanna have some for soups, taco's (breakfast, or hash), baked potatoes, wedges, and maybe some twice baked.
Any tips??? Share