Dilly Beans

Are you tired of canning Green Beans yet?? Or freezing them, as I do?? Are you up for trying something new?? Here is a favorite way to eat Green Beans around here. Since my Hubby doesn't care for cooked green beans, this is one of two ways he eats them. I'll share the other way next week.

Dilly Beans

2 lbs Green Beans
1/4 C. Canning or pickling Salt
2 1/2 C. Water
2 1/2 C. Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper-divided
4 Cloves Garlic-divided
4 Head Dill or 4 Teaspoon Dill Weed-divided

Trim ends of beans and wash. Place length wise in jars. (I like using pint jars.)  Combine water, salt, & vinegar in sauce pan and bring to boil. In each jar put 1 glove of Garlic, 1/4 tsp cayenne and 1 head of dill. (We don't care for our dilly beans this hot, er, I should say my boys don't. So I only put in about an 1/8 tsp.) Then ladle hot vinegar syrup over the beans. Adjust two-piece caps and process in hot water bath 10 minutes.

Then eat like pickles.

From my 'Ball Blue Book of Preserves'.

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So for some reason Blogger is having problems and not allowing me to upload pictures. If you want to see a couple pics click on the printer version and see them there. I'll upload the pics when it co-operates!! And now I find out the printer version didn't upload the one pic at all and replaced it with a repeat and squashed it. grrrr!!

Trash Can Meal

This is a super yummy simple meal in one. Easy to make, easy to do and fun at the same time. The looks people give you when you tell them you are making a 'Trash Can Supper'. I had it for the first time soon after we were married. Then tried it myself a few years later, at a camp-out. It was a super hit!! We didn't have enough food, and there were many, many little children. They LOVED it.

You only need-

• Galvanized trash can with tight lid.
• 3 Empty Coffee Cans
• Wire rack
• Mesh Bags- (the kind you get onions n oranges in)
• Veggies of your choice
• Ham
• Charcoal
• Water

Set up for the charcoal. I just used 2 sillo staves from our fallen down sillo. But what ever rocks you have will work. The charcoal just gets better air flow if your trash can is not sitting directly on it. Athough we have done it that way, it works much better if there is air between.

Charcoal ready to be lit.

 

The inside of the can has 3 coffee cans (actually I think mine are formula) with both ends taken out, placed on bottom. Then put some kind of grates/racks on top of that. What you are doing is steaming the food. So you don't want the food touching the water at all!! Fill bottom of trash can, with water, up to about an inch below the coffee/formula cans rim.

Place your food in mesh bags. And place on the rack. Layering it with the longest cooking veggies on the bottom. And I like to put my onions on the top-let the flavor go through the rest of the food.


Veggies to do-potatoes, corn, beans, carrots, onions, whatever fresh veggies you have or wanna try. If doing broccolli, squash, ect, wait to add til last half hour.

Put the ham on the top of all the veggies... It is best to cut it in half . Or else it takes too long to cook. We like to use a smoked ham-that is precooked. So all it needs to do is be heated. The reason to put the ham on top is to let the juices run down over the food, flavoring it all.

Sitting on the fire... It takes right at 3 hours to do it. I light the charcoal right when I put the can on. And don't check it-as every time you lift the lid-it lets out all the steam. Then it needs to rebuild it back up-causing it to take much longer!! If you fill your can really full, it may take longer. Also you need a good, hot fire!

All done and ready to eat. Pull out the bags... And ENJOY!!!

Linked to-
--Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
--Tasty Tuesday
--Tuesdays At The Table
--Mom's 30 Minute Blog Challange

Homemade Noodles

I did a first the other week-made my own noodles!! Thankfully, I had Bev's expertise to help me. We actually went together to get the noodle maker. So now we'll probably about always make them together, which of course is way more fun then doing it all by yourself. And for me, I get babysitting services for free. (She has 4 girls who are a great help with my boys and there are 2 boys to play with as well.)

Now for the recipe...

Homemade Whole Wheat Egg Noodles

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 Cup All-Purpose Four

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

3 Large Eggs - Room Temp.

1 TBS Cold Water

Mix in stand mixer, until ball forms. Add more water or flour depending on need.

Then mix by hand, adding flour, until no longer sticky. And you can put through roller on the noodle maker.

We put ours through twice to get it to our desired thinness.

Then hang to dry-but only partially. The noodle maker can't cut it freshly made. Hanging them outside on a wooden clothes rack made for fast drying. Well, that is until it began to rain. Once inside they took much longer to dry.

This was the fun part!!!

And yes, we had to try the Spinach Noodles, MUCH to our husbands dismay!!!! But it was worth it, just to hear their stammerings and sputterings! I haven't tried them yet, mostly because I've been threatened that when I do, he'll be 'heading to town for supper'.

Let the noodles dry overnight, then store in an air tight container. We store most of ours in the freezer, and only keep some out for using before long. 

Oh, before I forget, we made many of batches of noodles. One batch makes 2 of those strips hanging on the drying rack, about enough for one meal for us. And what I love about this recipe is that it uses the whole egg, not just the yolks.

I LOVE homemade noodles. There is just nothing like them. And it just makes soups so much better.

Making Noodles is FUN!!!!

I had to add this picture... he was having fun with all the flour!! And somehow got a spot on his nose.

Linked to -Tasty Tuesday

                                    -Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
                   -Tuesdasy Tastes
                                 -Mouth Watering Mondays

                           -Tuesdays At the Table

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Mom's Chili Soup

My mom makes the BEST chili soup- Hand's Down!!! I maybe a bit bias, but I've tried many, many so called 'Chili Soup's', and they just don't come close. She got it from the Rose Dale Bible School in OH, for those that care to know.

Soup may seem a bit strange to be posting in the summer, but as rainy and cool as it's been around here, it's just seems a 'soupy' kind of day!! It's simple and fast to make. I often make a full batch, as it makes a lot for my little family, then freeze the extra for another meal.

Mom's Chili Soup

2lb Ground Burger
2 TBS Chili Powder
1 C. Flour
1/2 C. Onion Flakes
5 C. Water
4 C. Ketchup

1/2 C. Brown Sugar (or less)
1 can Kidney Beans

Fry burger until brown, with Chili Powder and Onions. Drain fat.
Then add flour, make sure kettle is away from heat.
Return to heat and slowly add water, while stirring.
Bring to a boil, then add Ketchup and Brown Sugar,
and kidney beans. Simmer until ready to eat.
Enjoy!!!

We also like to eat this with shredded cheese, or corn bread or freshly baked bread or rolls.
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Linked to-
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Homemade Body Wash

I had forgotten a cousin of mine requested this recipe a while ago, and I had told her I'd post it. Sorry, Marilyn.

Castile Soap Body Wash

2 Cups Castile Soap-1 Bar Grated

Add 1/2 gallon of Water

2 TBS Glycerin

Mix in large pot, over low heat, until soap is melted. Transfer to jars and cover tightly. And let stand over night to set up.

You may add water later to make as runny as you want. I didn't add water, as it is runny enough for me. I just shook it up a bit.

I made this batch in Nov. of last year. And I jusy opened my last bottle. So it stores very well. And lasted a long time for us.

I got this recipe from a friend of mine.

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Granola Bars

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup honey

Add-ins: 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped walnuts

other options include dried fruits, sunflower seeds, coconut, nuts…

Lightly butter a 9×13-inch pan. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients except add-ins. Beat hard until combined. Stir in add-ins.

Press mixture into pan — really jam it in there so your bars don’t fall apart. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or so, until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing and serving.

Variations- that I have yet to try, but plan too. Since the granola bars are already good, ya couldn't do wrong with some of these. (Unless you don't like Peanut Butter, like me!!)

 ■Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder and skip the chocolate chips

■Use 1/2 cup natural peanut butter in place of 1/2 cup of butter

I like to just sprinkle some chocolate chips on top, right after it comes out of oven. Allow to soften, then spread over the bars.

Not sure it will be a good idea in warm weather... they will tend to get chocolate all over, I'm thinking!

These are our favorite Granola Bars... Hands down!!! I've tried quite a few of them and they just didn't pass the general population of the house, until I made these. They are soft, chewy and so good. But they are a bit crumbly. So it can be messy, especially when a baby eats them. And yes, he LOVES them too!!!

They last great in the refrigerator, okay on the counter, and for sure in the freezer for a long time.

I found this recipe at Kitchen Stewardship in Homemade Granola and Granola Bars.

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Aunt Evelyn's Whole Wheat Bread

Aunt Evelyn's Whole Wheat Bread
3 1/2 Cups Water
6 TBS. Oil -I use butter
6 TBS. Honey
1 1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 TBS Vinegar
2 TBS. Wheat Gluten
4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour-freshly ground
2 TBS. Yeast
2 TBS. Lecithin

Let sponge until bubbly, not more then 10 minutes or so. Then add about 4 to 5 more cups of flour. And knead well, it should be soft but not sticky. Let raise until double, about an hour, then shape into 3 loaves and let raise half hour-just to top of bread pans. Then bake 350* for 30 minutes or bread is done. Pop out of pans and butter tops.

Cut yourself a slice, butter it and enjoy a slice of fresh, homemade bread!!! We love it!!!! I freeze 2 loaves, and they are just fine when I thaw them.

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Shea Butter Lotion

I know it's the same picture, but it LOOKS the same as the other stuff.

Here is the first lotion recipe I tried way back last year. And it is the one I plan to use from now on. The lotion recipe I posted a while back, turned out to just be so greasy. Not sure why. I miss that hint of honey smell, that is in that recipe.

 For this recipe I did make changes from the original. But it was because the ingredients I used are better for your skin. They maybe a bit more expensive, but I know my skin needs better care. So I chose to use what I think is best. You may do your own study on the oils, and what oils are best for the human skin.

Shea Butter Lotion
Oil Phase
3 oz. Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter
2 oz. Jojoba Oil
1 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
1.5 oz Emulsifying Wax NF
Melt in double boiler, until all is liquid, about 5 min.

Water Phase
16 oz. Water-warm to your wrist
1 TBS. Glycerin
Mix together.
Then slowly pour your Oil Phase into your water phase, as you mix with a stick blender. (Yes, a stick blender is a MUST!! I tried it with just a hand mixer and it just does not do the job!! So I went a bought one just for my lotion making.)
Once all the oil phase is in the water phase, continue to mix for 2 more minutes. It will be white to off white in color and fairly thin. It will firm up as it cools.
Pour into containers and allow to cool. I like to use old lotion containers or containers with wide mouth openings, making it easy to reach in.

• Original Recipe

You may want to watch that video, as I watched it before linking, I realized some things I forgot. I changed a few of the ingredients too. And I don't use a preservative. Mainly because we use it fast enough, it won't spoil. And because I am not selling it. (My hubby thinks I should not be freely giving out my recipes. :) Since I am the one going to the work of finding one that works for me. But do remember, what works for my skin may not be the best for yours.)

You may also find it interesting to read this. It is about lotion making, but also contains info on what the ingredients are, in the lotions you buy. If you feel like educating yourself, it's a good place to start.

• I wanted to know how much I was spending per batch of lotion I am making, so I broke it down. Here they are, I thought you might be interested too.

I'll post in the amounts I buy them in, all purchased at Mountain Rose Herbs.

1 lb Shea Butter - $11.00 - $2.20/batch
8 oz Jojoba Oil - $11.00 - $2.27/batch I will probably get this in a bigger amount next time, so it should make it a bit cheaper.
16 oz Almond Oil - $8.75 - $.55/batch
1 lb Emulsifying Wax - $6.50 - $.62/batch
Glycerin - I'm not even going to figure that out. I bought it by the Gallon a long while ago, and don't even remember what I paid for it. And it only takes 1 TBS!! So it's probably only pennies.
Water - FREE - :)

Total - $5.64 for 22 oz of lotion -Almost 3 cups!!! Not a bad deal, considering you made it, and you KNOW what's in it. And that it's ALL good for you!

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Whole Wheat Pancakes

We love these simple whole wheat pancakes. When we first were married, I tried making pancakes, and to my dismay, found out my new hubby did not like them. So I tried added frozen blueberries, and yippee, he loved them that way. Now that is the only way I make them.

Lately, I've been wondering how to eat pancakes without slathering them with so much syrup (sugar)!! I have never cared for the pure Maple Syrup flavor, and love 'Log Cabin Syrup'. I was pleased to find it without High Fructose Corn Syrup in it. (I am still experimenting with making my own.) Well, this morning I decided to try putting yogurt on the pancakes, then just a bit of syrup. It was VERY, VERY good. My boys loved it. I make my own yogurt, so it was one of those 'good for you meals'.

When my hubby came in, I told him of our experiment... To say the least he was very sceptical of it. But he consented to trying it on one pancake. And he liked it too!! So we have a new official way of eating them!!

Whole Wheat Pancakes
1 Egg
1 C. Buttermilk I use whole milk when I don't have buttermilk on hand.
2 T. Oil/Butter
1 1/4 C. Whole Wheat Fresh Ground Flour Recipe calls for only 3/4 c. but we don't care for ours that runny. So I add flour 'til it's the consistancy I like.
1 T. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
Beat egg, add remaining ingredients in order listed. Then beat until smooth, with wire whisk. Pour on hot griddle. Makes 10 4 in. pancakes.
We like blueberries in our pancakes. So I put 4-6 on top of each pancake after I pour on griddle. They are frozen, and most times are fry ok. Now and then I will have unfried batter around a berry.

Serve piping hot, with yogurt and a bit of syrup.

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Linked to 8 Muddy Boots From Scratch
               Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
               Tasty Tuesday
Check out these blogs for more great recipes.

Whole Wheat Honey Graham Crackers

I am slowly making more and more of my own conventional foods... foods I would never have given thought to making myself a few years ago. But as I mentioned the reasons in this post, I keep looking for recipes to make our own foods most families would buy. I found this recipe here and here-with natural sugar. And I would like to try the Chocolate version sometime. I've made my own Graham Crackers twice now and my boys just love them!!! (Don't all children??!!) And I admit, I like them too. So far they have kept very well, in my cookie jar. And boys seem to enjoy helping themselves when ever they feel like a little snack.

They are very simple and easy to make... Enjoy!!

Whole Wheat Honey Graham Crackers

2 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
½ cup sugar
1 t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
¼ t. cinnamon
4 T. honey
¼ c. water
1 t. vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
Add the liquids: honey, water, vanilla and melted butter.
Stir well until a nice ball of dough is formed.

Cut two pieces of Parchment paper the size of the cookie sheet. Lay one piece of parchment paper on the cookie sheet. Place the ball of dough on the parchment paper. Lay the other piece of parchment paper on top of the ball of dough. Squish dough down a little with your fist. Use the rolling pin to roll the dough between the pieces of parchment paper. Roll until the dough covers the whole cookie sheet. Remove the top piece of parchment paper.

Cut dough into 2 inch squares, or cut shapes with cookie cutters, being sure to separate the shapes from the surrounding dough a little. (I actually just cut them after baking. And it worked just as well.

Bake in oven for 18 minutes. Turn oven off, but leave crackers in the oven to get crisp. Remove from oven after 30 minutes to one hour. Break graham crackers apart. Store in an air tight container.

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Butterhorns

I've been making these Butterhorns for quite a few years now. It all started soon after I was married and my Aunt asked me to make them for a family get together. Then another friend wanted me to make them for a work day to go with her meal. I think I tripled the batch and ran out. Every one LOVES them!!! I never make just one batch, I do at least 2 and often 3. They freeze well, just warm up a bit and they taste fresh!!! They are my Brother-in-laws favorite... Try it, you won't be sorry!!:)

Butterhorns

1 C. Lukewarm water

1 pkg. Yeast or 1TBLS bulk

1/2 C. Sugar

3 Eggs

1 tsp Salt

1/2 C. Soften Butter

5 C. Flour

Dissolve yeast in water. Add rest of ingredients. Kneed well. Let rise until double. Punch down. Divide into small chunks, and roll out, into a rough circle. About 12-15in. in diameter.

Then cut into wedges-like a pie.

Then roll from wide edge to point.

And put on greased cookie sheet or pan of some sort.

Let raise until double. (I generally turn my oven on at this point and when it's heated up, put the first pan in.) Bake at 350* for 15 min. Butter the tops and let cool on dish towels/racks/whatever. (I use a towel.)

Enjoy!!! They are super good while still warm too!!!

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Linked to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Tasty Tuesday

Homemade Toothpaste

Photo Credit

I have been making my own toothpaste for a while now. And we have learned to really like it. (Yes, it did take a bit to get used to it.)

And it's super simple to make...

4 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Water

Peppermint Flavoring-to taste

Mix all together and store in a container. I have a container for each person. And yes, eventually, we will need to lable each persons. :) Right now, Mom still supervises. This amount last around 2 mths. But it does depend how heavy you use it. My Hubby used it up MUCH faster, I told him he's a heavy user. I just wet my tooth brush, shake off the excess water, then dip in the tooth paste/powder. And brush away!!

Linked to From Scratch.

Mom's Banana Pudding Dessert

Mom's Banana Pudding Dessert

Cool Whip

Graham Crackers

Butterscotch Pudding

Bananas

You can use instant Butterscotch Pudding, but there is nothing better then

homemade!!!! And it is very simple too.

2C. Brown Sugar

8TBLS Cornstarch

1/2tsp. salt

6C. Milk

Mix the brown sugar and cornstarch and salt together, then add milk. Stir well and cook on high,

in Microwave 10-14 minutes. Stirring twice during the cooking time. It should be smooth and thick

when it's done.

Scramble 4 eggs and then add a little bit of hot pudding at a time, til eggs are warm. Then add to

rest of pudding mixture.

Cook 4 more minutes, again stirring twice during the cooking time.

Add 4TBS Butter and 2tsp Vanilla. Stir.

I allow it to cool, and use syran wrap right on top of pudding to keep a skin from forming.

When ready to make the dessert-

Layer crushed Graham cracker, then pudding, then banana's, then cool whip

Repeat, until your bowl is full. Garnish with cracker crumbs.

ENJOY!!!

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-Tasty Tuesday

-Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays

-From Scratch

Elderberry Syrup

1/2 C. Dry Elderberries
1 Cinnamon Stick
4 Whole Cloves
1 Grated Ginger
2 C. Water
Stir together in sauce pan. Bring to boil and let simmer over medium heat, until water is half gone. About 30 min.
Then strain and add 1 C. Pure Honey, stir thoroughly. And store in the fridge. (I should add, that I have never added the ginger, as I'm not sure my boys would like that flavor.) Photo Credit

I love this very simple immune boosting syrup. This past winter we have seen very few colds and only one bout of a flu bug. And that bug, I'm pretty sure was the H1N1 virus, as a lot of friends and family around here had it. Jevan had it the worse, Collin never really got it, except for a day of saying he didn't feel so great. And Rylen a touch of fever.

We've had a minimum of colds. And I give the credit to giving my boys this 'Elderberry Syrup'. I don't give it to Rylen, because there is honey in it.

It is very easy to make and store. I just keep it in a glass jar in my fridge. So far it's never went bad on me. And it's been in there close to two months now.
Photo Credit
I give them a teaspoon roughly every other day. But if I know we are going somewhere 'germy'-shopping, out to eat, social crowds, ect, I'll boost them with more that day. Also, if I hear of a flu bug going around, I'll give it every day. And for myself, I take a tablespoon when I feel I need to boost my immune system.

We LOVE this stuff, not only does it taste good, but it is good for you too!! And we are all much happier without being sick so often!!
Linked to-
-Things I Love Thursday
-Just for the Joy of it

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Laundry Soap Recipe

Laundry Tips-Part 2
I had started a series on Laundry Tips... Well, last week was a blur and the week before I was posting Our Love Story. So it was shoved off... Sorry!!

This time I'll share my Laundry Soap Recipe. My cousin had used this recipe and I thought her strange for going to the work of making it, when it was so easy to just buy it!! She made it because all her babies would get bad diaper rashes when using store bought stuff. How times have changed and now I make my own ALL the time!! For one it is MUCH much cheaper!

Ingredients & Things You Need

• 
  
  1 Fels Naptha Bar Soap
• 
  
  1 1/2 c. Borax
• 
  
  1 1/2 c. Washing Soda
• 
  
  5 Gallon Bucket with lid
• 
  
  Water

Shred the Fels Naptha bar. I use my food processor, so fast and easy.

Put in kettle with 12 c. of water. On Med. heat - heat til soap is dissolved.
Add Borax and washing soda. Then stir until dissolved.

Pour 8 Cups HOT water into your bucket. Add the soap, Borax, soda mix to the water and stir.

Then add 2 Gallons and 12 Cups of water. I generally just do cold.

Then stir really well. And let sit 24 hours.

Then use a whisk or mixer to make smooth. A mixer works much better then the whisk. It is very glumpy!!! I use a long handled spoon, and make sure I get all the lumps worked up to the mixer, and yes, my arm gets half way down the bucket too. The one time I made it, I didn't get to the bottom very good, and when I got down to that point, I could tell it, it was more watery and not mixed so well.

It took about 2 months to use this amount of laundry soap. And I average 2 loads of wash a day!! If not more!!! And we really like it. You use 1/3 c. soap per load. I often throw in a bit more when washing Delvyn's barn stuff. There isn't really any smell that I can tell. But there is when you are heating it to melt the bar soap. Makes your whole house smell like you cleaned it from top to bottom!!! :)

A breakdown of the costs-

Fels Naptha bar of Soap- $.99
Borax-$4.99                6 buckets can be made from 1 box
Washing Soda- $2.49  4 buckets can be made from 1 box

So it costs $2.45 per 5 gals of laundry soap.
If I figure 2 loads a day on average-30 days a month, beings it lasted me 2 mths, would be 120 loads
= about $.02 a load!!! About $15 a year for your Laundry soap!!!:)And it really doesn't take much time at all to make it.

Just a note-Washing Soda IS different then Baking Soda. You can find washing soda at Walmart and most grocery stores. Same with the Borax.

Happy Laundry Day!!!:)

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Cinnamon Rolls

A favorite around here is Cinnamon Rolls. And the last few weeks my son has been asking for them. So last week while my Mom was out of town, my sisters and I made a batch. Not even half of them went in my freezer... my sisters took some home and I shared a bunch with friends & family!! My 80 yr old Grandparents made a surprise visit that afternoon. And we thoroughly enjoyed their visit. They live 2 hrs away, and know their trips are numbered!! We sent a bunch of rolls with them too.

Cinnamon Rolls

3T. Yeast

1/2C. Warm water

1C. Butter

3C. Milk-scalded

5 Eggs

1 C. Sugar

2 tsp Salt

11-12 C. Flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Put butter in milk after it is scalded. Set aside until it is lukewarm. Beat eggs and sugar. Add salt, yeast and milk. Add the flour, only put in enough to just so loose it's stickiness.

Let rise 'til double in size. Roll out dough into large rectangles. (I just keep dividing the dough into managable sizes.) Pour on butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up and cut into 1/2-3/4in. slices. I use thread to neatly cut them.

Place in pans and bake at 350* for 20-25 min.

Frosting

1 C. Butter

2 C. Brown Sugar

2/3 C. Milk

Powdered Sugar

Melt butter, and brown sugar & milk. Heat just enough so sugar disolves. Set aside til cool. Add powdered sugar, to the consistancy you want. Then frost your rolls.

Very, very Yummy!!!

I'm linking to Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays
with Blessed With Grace.

And Tasty Tuesday with Beauty and Bedlam.

Taco Soup Recipe

Our FAVORITE Soup around here is Taco Soup!! My Boys love it too!! Yes, even the beans in it.

11/2lbs Hamburger
1pkg. Taco Seasoning
1 sm. Onion
1 pint Corn
1 Quart Water
1 Quart Pizza Sauce
1/2 c. White Sugar
1 (15oz) can Chili Beans
Brown burger and onion. Add remaining igredients. Simmer 15 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and taco chips. I like to serve with corn bread too.
Now for what I do-(I rarely leave a recipe just the way it is.) I don't add so much water-my Hubby likes his soup thick, not runny!!! And I use only about half the amount of sugar. For the pizza sauce I use my homemade canned stuff.
It's super fast and simple to do!!!

Linked to

•  Tasty Tuesday
•  Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Homemade Granola

I was asked for this recipe, by Momma Bird in my Menu Plan post, so I thought I'd just post it here. My Boys LOVE this stuff and would eat it everyday, if I'd let them!!:) And I like knowing it's pretty much healthy. I also like to add their Primadophilus to it, along with my homemade yogurt, making it even better. And sometimes we add crushed strawberries to it, making a Yogurt Parfait.

I'll post the recipe and then share what I do different. It is originally from my Mom, I grew up with it.
 Update: I decided to link up with Tasty Tuesday, at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam. And Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, at BlessedwithGrace.
Homemade Granola
4 C. quick rolled oats (I put 1 cup of this as reg. oatmeal. It makes it a bit more chewy.)
2/3 C. Wheat Germ (I like using Honey Toasted Wheat Germ, but regular stuff works just great too.)
1/2 C. Brown Sugar (I've cut this back almost in half. And we love it way better. Maybe that's because I've been cutting back on sugar in everything, so we are getting away from so much sweets.)
1/2C. chopped nuts (I use pecans.)
1/2C Honey
Extras you can add- 1/2C coconut (I always add this)
Raisins sunflower seeds, flax seed... whatever you want.
Stir very well.
Microwave on high 2min. Stir. Mic again for 2 min. I have found though that 3 1/2 min. are better for my mic. So just experiment with it.
I should mention too, that this is more of a chewy granola, not crunchy. I think it is due to microwaving it instead of baking. And some really like it, while others don't.
Enjoy!!!!