Friday, August 15, 2008

Food Storage Friday!

Powdered Milk

You most likely have powdered milk in your food storage. Here is a little conversion cheat sheet to help when using!





Use this conversion chart to use powdered milk in any recipe
calling for milk! Simply look down the “milk” column for the
amount needed in your recipe then add the dry powdered milk
to your dry ingredients and the water to your wet ingredients.

1/4 cup Milk=
1/4 cup Water
1-1/2 tablespoons Powdered Milk

1/3 cup Milk=
1/3 cup Water
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Powdered Milk

1/2 cup Milk=
1/2 cup Water
3 tablespoons Powdered Milk

1 cup Milk=
1 cup Water
1/3 cup Powdered Milk

1 quart Milk=
3-3/4 cup Water
1-1/3 cups Powdered Milk

2 quarts Milk=
7-2/3 cups Water
2 -2/3 cups Powdered Milk

1 gallon Milk=
15-1/2 cups Water
5-1/3 cups Powdered Milk




Using more of your powdered milk in everday ways:

Sweetened
Condensed Milk




(14 oz. can)
1/2 C. Hot Water
1 C. Dry Powdered Milk
1 C. Sugar
1 T. Butter
Blend VERY WELL
in blender.

Evaporated Milk
(12 oz. Can)
1-1/2 C. Water
1/2 C. + 1 T. Dry
Powdered Milk
Blend VERY WELL
in blender.

Buttermilk



Add a tablespoon of
lemon juice or white
vinegar to a cup of
milk and let it stand
for 5 to 10 minutes.

Quick Whipped Topping



This recipe is best made if you have electricity. Put 1/2-cup of water into a large bowl and place it in your freezer. When ice crystals form around the edges remove it from the freezer. Add 1/2-cup instant dry milk powder. Whip the mixture with electric beaters until it is light and fluffy. This will take a couple of minutes. Add 2-tablespoons sugar, 1-teaspoon of lemon juice, and 1/2-teaspoon of vanilla. Beat until thick enough to spoon like whipped topping. Use immediately.


Come, ye thankful people, come;
Raise the song of harvest home.
All is safely gathered in
Ere the winter storms begin.
God, our Maker, doth provide
For our wants to be supplied.
Come to God’s own temple, come;
Raise the song of
harvest home.
Hymns, no. 94


Thursday, August 14, 2008

Summer Comfort Dinner



When I was planning the meal I would deliver to The Robinson's, I wanted to make something both comforting and fitting to the weather.
This is my version of a cozy comfort dinner, summer style:

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf




1 pound ground chuck
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (8-ounce) package sharp Cheddar, grated
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup bread crumbs, toasted
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 (3-ounce) can French fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck and next 8 ingredients, mixing well.

In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and mustard. Stir 1/4 cup ketchup mixture into meat mixture, reserving remaining ketchup mixture.

Press meat mixture into a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan, or shape into a loaf and place on a rack in a broiler pan. Spread remaining ketchup mixture over loaf. Bake 40 minutes. Top with French fried onions; bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink.

New Potato Green Bean Salad





1 (3-pound) bag new potatoes, quartered
1 pound fresh green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cup olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large saucepan, add potatoes to enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and boil for 8 minutes. Add green beans, return to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.
Place potatoes and green beans in a serving bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and next 5 ingredients. Pour over potato and green beans, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill


Cookies and Cream Icecream is Tom's favorite. Since it was Spencer's birthday on tuesday, I knew I wanted to include a "birthday cake" I intended on making it from scratch, but when I was at the grocery store today...they actually had one displayed for sale....I weighed my options and decided to save a little time and just buy the cake...I hope they like it! But here is the recipe for it:




1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1 cup chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
3 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg whites
12 chocolate sandwich cookies

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, water, oil, and 3 egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes. Gently stir in crushed cookies. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans. Remove from pans, and completely cool on racks.
To Make Frosting: In a small bowl, thoroughly blend the 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, shortening, vanilla, and 2 egg whites. Beat in remaining confectioners' sugar until creamy. Frost the cake, and garnish with remaining cookies

I think jazzing up dinner deliveries is a nice way to let the person know they are special, loved and worth the time. Any act of service is greatly appreciated--but if you have the time, why not make it pretty? Thats my way of looking at it. What I did was simple and fun. I just took a basket and filled it with mossy grass (I was going for a green/brown theme for this one) and some green/brown potporri pieces. I labeled everything with natural brown cardstock with a green font. I made a decorative sign "Families are Forever" adorned with ribbon and matching grass cardstock. Put it in a cello-bag and tied it with raffia. You dont have to have fancy schmancy things to make a friendly presentation!