Enjoying the recipes of days gone by.... This blog chronicles my evolutionary journey of  cooking.  The memories of nights spent in the kitchen to have a bounty of treats for the manclan

A friend signed up for surgery requested "your blueberry muffins".  I knew the recipe she was asking for.... Blueberry with the undertones of nutmeg.... It's really dear, Mrs Coffey's recipe.  She brought them to a bridal shower nearly 20 yrs ago.

The breakfast casserole that awaits the sleeping manclan is one that years ago showcased the wonders of Demarle....now rebranded as BonCook.  I now bake according to new knowledge, new food freedom for my "everyday fare", but every now and then revisiting those nostalgic recipes of sweet home making days to a manclan much younger leaves me just a bit sappy cooking at nearly midnight after working a 12 hour shift😍  

PEAR BUTTER

 

Fill large, family sized crock pot with pears, peeled and sliced

4 cups filtered water

3 cups of white grape juice

4 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. ground allspice

1 heaping tsp. of stevia powder (Nu Stevia brand is what I recommend can purchase online or at healthfood store.)

 

1.    Peel and slice pears.

2.    Fill crockpot and cook until tender with water and white grape juice.’

3.    Transfer cooked pears to blender.  Add spices at this time.  (Liquid from pears may be reserved, seasoned and canned to drink hot as mulled cider.)

4.    Return pear puree to crockpot to “cook down” .  This crockpot method works for me, because it cooks while unattended without risk of scalding.  The secret to make this work is using a splatter guard like you can get at a dollar store to cover your skillet when cooking bacon. This allows the necessary evaporation to take place. 

5.    As the pear butter cooks, occasionally stir it, pulling the thickened sauce away from the edges. 

Savory Meatballs

Due to numerous requests here is my newly developed meatball recipe.  We are loving this one!  Full of flavor and gluten free....so good!  I would love some feedback!

Savory Meatballs 

1 small to medium sweet onion

4-5 cloves garlic, peeled, cut in half

1 medium carrot, peeled, cut into several pieces

1 pound of organic grass fed ground beef or buffalo- either works

1 pound of organic ground turkey

1 sm can tomato paste

1 tablespoon organic molasses (this helps bind the mixture)

2 TBS Italian seasoning

1 cup oats

2 eggs

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Olive oil, as needed

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Pulse onion, garlic, carrot in food processor until in is pureed

In a large mixing bowl, briefly stir together the ground beef and pork. Add in the processed onion, garlic and carrot mixture, tomato paste, molasses, Italian seasoning, oats, sea salt and pepper flakes. Mix gently to combine. Try not to over-mix (over-mixing makes a dense meatball). Your hands really are your best tool in making these.  If you have a raw meat aversion.....you may resort to letting your Kitchen Aid mixer do the job for you.

Form the meatball mixture into balls. You should end up with about medium 20-24 balls or 10-12 large meatballs

Brown the meatballs in a large skillet, using olive oil.

Transfer to baking dish for later use.

These can be covered with brown gravy.   Bake until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees.  Serve over rice.

Another dining option is transfer meatballs to crockpot about 3 hours prior to serving.  Cover with marinara sauce of choice.  Serve over a bed of fresh spinach or over pasta of choice.  Top with a sprinkling of cheese.  I prefer a freshly grated parmesean.  Enjoy!!

The man clan loved the marinara style as toasted meatball slider melts.  

Pumpkin Cheesecake....Gluten free if you wish

This recipe makes 2 family size pies or 1 bakery spring-form huge impressive cheesecake.
I like the family pie plate sized cheesecakes, because I can keep one for the family and share one.
Or.....keep 2....or share 2....you get the idea.
I made this recipe for our annual Wellness Center Thanksgiving Luncheon....best reviews ever!  This is a keeper!!!

Crust:
1 1/4 cups of ginger snap cookie crumbs If baking for gluten free friends, I use gluten free cookies found at publix.  Also there are some great organic cookie options as well.  (give them a whirl in a food processor)
1/4 of sugar (optional)
4 tablespoons of melted butter

Cheesecake amazingness:
4 packages (8oz each) cream cheese (room temp and soft)
1 cup sugar (I use Zulka cane sugar.)
6 large eggs
3 Tablespoons oat flour or wheat flour (both have proven successful)
2 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of canned pumpkin

 Preheat oven to 350. Bake these on the center rack.

Combine cookie crumbs in a bowl with butter and optional sugar. Press into 2 9" pie plates or onto the base of the spring-form pan.   Bake until golden around edges, 10-12 minutes

Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth.  Add sugar.  Sprinkle the flour, spice  and salt into the creamy goodness.  Combine well.  Add pumpkin puree.  Mix just until smooth.  Add eggs.  Mix until they are well blended into the mixture.

Divide filling into 2 pie plates.  Or after placing the ring onto the spring form base pour onto crust base.  Smooth the top and place into oven.  Bake at 300 for about 30-40 minutes.  If baking large cheesecake, turn off oven and leave it in hot oven for an additional 2 hours.

Remove from oven and cool completely.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill completely before serving.

1.2.3. Cheesecake....Cheesecake simplified and always a fav!

1 cup of sugar (I have managed to decrease it to 1/2 cup)
2 (8oz) blocks of cream cheese
3 eggs

mix until creamy
pour into graham cracker crust, or I often make mini cheesecake bites with the crust being a gluten free ginger snap cookie or a vanilla wafer

Cookin' Days

Loving this thing that has evolved!  Great recipes, great friend and...

Sorry for the poor photo quality here,but it is all I have left to show you for our cooking efforts of week 2!  Starting at the lower left corner, Vita Top Muffins Chocolate Chip Muffins, Meatballs, Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits, Oatmeal Waffles, Almond Cookies,  Mock Organic CornDogs

Week 4: Bean and Beef Empanadas, Cheescake minis with a ginger snap crust, dozen egg and sausage crustless quiche, German Puff Pancake, Organic Whole Wheat Naan flat bread, Mock Corndogs (wrapped with biscuit dough...full coverage and spiral wrapped....the man clan prefers the spiral wrapped.)

sweet fellowship 

and sweet rewards for our labor!  

After posting links to the above lists, I see that several recipes need to be posted!  Will be working on it and will also plan to get better photos before everyone eats.....If there are specific recipes you may be interested in making, Text or email me your request or feel free to request that I post it first...

Lunch Box Trays

Am doing what I can to offer fruit, veggies, rotate grains, and not fall into the prepackaged, highly processed lunch food rut.  100 Days of Real Food has been absolutely inspirational as well as highly informational!  Once one starts doing the research to know what they are consuming and feeding their family, it is impossible to be indifferent.  For me it has become an issue of conscience, which has greatly impacted my health and the health of my man clan.
There is no denying that in this culture of highly processed foods and beverages we all need ideas to get beyond the sandwich and chips!  I did not get to this place overnight.  This is doable with a day of prep work.  Get those fruits and veggies washed and cut, a batch of muffins baked. Choose supper options like homemade deep dish pizza or chili that will transport well to school the next day. You can do this.

 If your children "don't like" anything that is not processed....start introducing fruits and veggies at home and remove the processed foods as home snacking options. I also sat down at the computer with my guys and looked through lunch ideas on PINTREST.  We made out a list of fruits, veggies, baked goods, entrees, snack treats.....it was a brainstorming session.

 I find that the trays shown here (purchased at Walmart, BPA free) work well, but only if you can find a lunch box they are able to fit in flatly. The lunchbox available at the above link has made these trays work well and other items still fit in the lunchbox easily.

Homemade flat bread (Naan) with pizza toppings to make a pizza-"lunchable"
Fresh veggies, granola bar, banana milkshake and a muffin as well.

Nitrite free hot dog
blueberries, strawberries
kids Cliff bar,
celery bites
cherry tomatoes

Snow Peas, Carrots
Hummus
Raspberries
Blueberries
Cheese
(Just snack)

chocolate chip energy bites
Hormel Natural Ham and cheese
gluten free crackers
PB Rice Crispy Treat
Blueberry Muffin
carrots and cherry tomatoes
honeydew and strawberries

Deep dish pizza
baby carrots
PB Rice Crispy Treat
Gluten Free Crackers
WW Chocolate Chip Cookie