~*~*Baking*~*~ (and shameless plugs)

Baking.....

Everyone who reads this blog, will do one of the following....

1) Fall in love with baking so much that you will be calling me begging me to LET you put things in the upcoming bake sales....
2) Have a burning desire to bake everything you can possibly imagine and surprise the bake sale with oh so many homemade goodies
3) Care less about baking and have to endure my shameless plugs on baking things for the bake sales I am going to organize.

I am going to guess #3...but pretend that it is going to be #1 or #2. (*crosses fingers*)


Baking... it is easier than people want it to be. I hear time and time again that it is "hard" to bake, or some people just can't bake.
That is all a self-made LIE!

Let's do an exercise.....

Simply follow these directions....

Stand up.
Walk around your computer chair.
Jump on one foot.
Say your ABC's.
Sit down.

Was that easy??? Could you follow the simple instructions? Okay, well if you could do that, you can bake.
How are those two things related you ask? Well, because all baking is, is following directions.
That is it. No creativity, no "kitchen suave" needed..... just get a recipe and follow the directions. Easy Peasy.

Here are a few projects for you, no real measuring needed for the first one....

Dump Cake. (I was told this is the way to any man's heart....)

1 box of yellow cake mix (any brand)
2 cans of pie filling (any flavor, cherry is really popular with this, but I like apple)
1 stick of butter (in this recipe, butter and margarine can be used, but be careful, sometimes when it says butter it means butter....and sometimes it says unsalted butter, this is where things get tricky!)

Take a regular cake pan (9x13 pan) pour both cans of pie filling in it.
On top of the filling, you will evenly pour the dry cake mix.
Make sure that all the pie filling is covered, and it is even.....
Take the butter, cut it into small pieces (I leave them in squares just slice it thinly)
Put the butter on top of the cake mix. Spread them out all over the cake. The butter will melt and make the cake mix turn into a crust.
Bake in oven at 350* for about 20 or 30 minutes. (You will know when it is done when the butter is completely melted and the top is golden brown)
Let the dump cake cool for at least 15 minutes and serve with ice cream, whipped cream etc.



Did you make this? No.....go do it real quick, then come back and finish the blog.


Okay now that was easy wasn't it? Not so bad. You can make something new now, a little more complex?

Bon Bon Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 bag Hershey's Chocolate kisses

Preheat oven to 350. Cream together shortening and sugars. Add egg and extracts and mix well. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Place 1 unwrapped kiss in the center of small amount of dough and roll into a ball. Place in cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. You don't want the dough to be golden brown, just cooked all the way through so watch carefully.

Don't.Be.Scared.

Here are my baking tips for the week:

• Take it one step at a time.
• Measure exactly as the recipe says. Keep a full set of measuring tools handy, they are less than a dollar at Wal-mart.
• Keep a timer handy to keep the goodies baking as long as the recipe says.
• Do not try to substitute any of the ingredients until you get familiar with the items that can be substituted (like butter and margarine).
• Remember the KISS method (Keep It Simple Silly) Do not try to bake creme brulee when you don't know how to bake a frozen pot pie.
• And remember.......it is ok if you burn something, just try it again.....it is only food...

Now that everyone has a new love and confidence for baking....I don't want to see any store bought items at my bake sale....we all can bake....we can...and we will.....and you will do great. I just know you will!! Now chop chop...off to the kitchen you go....bake bake bake.....I will announce tonight at church when the first bake sale is for the kid's camp fundraiser.......I want you to be prepared!!

You still love me right? he he he he

Till next time....or tonight when I bug you to sign up to help...

Layla

In The Kitchen Wednesday!!!!

Welcome to...

In The Kitchen Wednesday

this is where we will share ideas/tips/recipes/stories and our love for food......

I think Sister Duvall asked me first because I am the Oreo Truffle Queen....or because I already have a food blog....or maybe it is because I LOVE food.... either way, I am happy and honored to get to do this!

I get the whole month of May.....sooo here we go....

Today the Food For Thought is...... saving money.

We all like to go out to eat, and a lot of us eat out at least three to four times a week (especially after church with all of our church family). However, it isn't pocketbook friendly to spend $40 4 times a week....that is $160 a week on food that you don't finish, take it to go, then forget to eat the leftovers before they go bad....(well that is how it works at my house) Do you know what kind of damage I can do with $160 a week!!?!?!?!

Here are a few of my tips (tried and true) to saving money in the kitchen.

Coupons Coupons Coupons!

They DO work people...you just have to know how to work them. I have done a written a blog on this before about how I saved double what I paid just on things I use everyday.
There are many many many ways to organize and use coupons. The way I do it is I go to http://www.thegrocerygame.com/ and there it will let you know which exact coupon to use and how to best use the sales....the website will give you directions and such.. The basics are

clip the coupons
file them according to where they are located in the store
get the weekly circular of your grocery store
find the sales (note some stores double and triple coupons)
match the coupon to the item on sale and go have a good time saving cash!

Leftovers

Make sure you use your leftovers! Especially the meats because in a meal that is what is most expensive (most times) Here are a few things that are made for dinner, and how they can be turned into a leftover/new meal.

Meatloaf = Sloppy Joes / Spaghetti

Roasted Chicken = Chicken Salad Sandwiches / Chicken Tortilla Soup

Roast = Hash / Smothered Beef and Rice

That is just a few things I can think of off the top of my head...but I will share more if you need them.

Snacks

Kids snacks are oh so important.. but something I learned early on is this...make sure you get your kids and yourself snacks you WILL eat. Not ones you HOPE to eat because you want to be healthy or eat better. I have wanted the kids in my home to eat more healthy. So I bought all sorts of fresh veggies and fruits. Come to find out they only like to snack on peaches and green apples and sometimes grapes. So all the celery, carrots and other things I would buy would go to waste (that is if I can't incorporate them into my dinners). It is important to get the kids to try new things so pick a theme each week, buy that item and go for it, don't try a billion new veggies this week and waste your money on it. In fact look at the sales ad at your local store, and start with the things on sale. This week strawberries, next week melons....prepare them different ways, (on top of yogurt, sliced, in a smoothie etc.)

A few random tips of the trade ..

Don't go aimlessly to the store with your coupons. This is the way to actually spend more. Going without a gameplan will cause you to use a coupon because you have it rather than bargain shopping for cheaper namebrand or storebrand item. Just because you have a coupon doesn't mean it is the best deal.

Read up on the double and triple coupon rules. Some stores require you to have a "card" specifically for their store in order to get double and triple coupons. Some store will only double and triple one coupon and the rest are at face value...be educated.

Buy some things bulk. You can go to Costco or Sams Club and get a membership. (you can put two people on a membership at both places, so go in with a friend and that way you just have to pay half.) I buy most of my canned veggies, dinner meats, and paper products in bulk. I can still buy this stuff if it is on sale, but when I buy bulk I know I won't run out.

Also buying bulk, if the bulk is too bulky for just your little family, again take a friend, make a list of things you both need, buy it and split it, that way you won't waste what you don't use, and you save money too.

when out to eat.... get two side salads, one for you and one for your honey....then split a main dinner. You can do this also with your kids...two or three small kids can split an adult meal/appetizer and it comes out cheaper.

Bring an after church snack with you, and on your way to dinner or lunch after church, munch on it, that way when you get to the restaurant, you can order a small appetizer, split the meal, or even just snack on chips and salsa and save money as you socialize.

Don't forget there are coupons and deals at restaurants as well. Like Don Pablos has a Habeneros club you join and you earn free food, and dollars off on a meal.


With all of this, you can save your family money and utilize your refrigerator to it's fullest capacity! Use the coupons, use the leftover, snack smartly, and remember random money saving tips will leave extra dollars in the bank...and because we are talking about the kitchen...here are a few products you can save the saved dollars for....

Kitchen Aide Mixer

Gidgets and Gadgets to help you bake

Aprons

New Dish Set

OH WAIT....that is MY wish list....nevermind, think of your own use for that saved cash!

Have a great Wednesday, see ya next week!

Layla :-)