Crockpot Candy

December Greetings!
My, my, my, lots has happened on the Homestead since my last post, (most of which I don't remember!), the most recent being our trip into town yesterday to see the orthopedic surgeon.  Yup, my husband wrenched his ankle and took a dive down the stairs at work last week. After an initial inconclusive x-ray at the walk-in clinic, the final prognosis from the orthopedic surgeon is another week off of work and six weeks in an orthopedic boot while the tendons and ligaments heal.

Other fun stuff we've done in the past two weeks include:
*Taking down the fish filtration system to allow access to the Pineapple House / Seedling Room

* Built a new water system in the greenhouse
* Took Dixie to the vet

* Made bullets

* Fed honeybees (an ongoing task through the winter)
* Began making holiday gifts

My plan today was to post pictures and a recipe for Crockpot Candy - what I'd REALLY like to do is to post a gift idea each day for the next 10 days or so, but understanding that I have completely overbooked myself, we'll just have to see how that goes. The other glitch, aside from realistic time constraints, is that I have used up all my alotted free web space. Because I am as far from a computer geek as they come, it may take a day or so before I can get this worked out, so today, no pictures. Yesterday I fought with it, spending more time on the computer than was reasonable.  Did you know that if you delete photos (trying to free up space to be able to post blog pictures) from Picasa, an on-line photo editing and storage service, not only are the photos deleted from the service, but also from external hard drives connected to your computer? Right now I'm quietly freaking out.

Oh, another really cool thing we've done here at Homestead Life is to create a new group on Facebook. It's called HOMEMADE HOMESTEAD LIFE, - a place to showcase items, crafts, products and services to redirect a portion of our spending from giant corporations and overseas companies to local artists, tradesmen and craftsman. Do you bake? Make quilts, clean houses? weld? We all give gifts and need things from time to time - especially during this season. I encourage you to come join us to help support and promote one another and finance friends and neighbors.  Look us up and see what you think!

OK, Pictures are back (had to buy extra google space) so without further adieu...

CROCKPOT CANDY

1 16 oz container unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1 16 oz container salted peanuts (can also be dry roasted)
4 oz German Chocolate squares *
12 oz (2 cups) semi sweet chocolate chips
24 oz white chocolate bar *

Place ingredients in crockpot in order listed
Set on low for 2 hours
Stir and spoon onto wax paper
Let cool

* German Chocolate Squares substitute: 1/4 cup cocoa, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 TBS vegetable shortening
* I only use one white chocolate bar
* This year I made the mistake of cooking on high instead of low. To help the chocolate melt I added about 1/2 cup peanut butter to the mix. OMG'sh it was wonderful!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

(the BEST) Banana Bread Recipe

I know you probably have your own favorite banana bread recipe, most bakers do and will generally defend theirs as being the best, but that's only because they haven't tried this one yet.
Each year, after volunteering at the Ironman triathlon, (you can read about that HERE ) we are blessed with an overabundance of bananas. Not wanting them to go to waste I spend the next few days baking loaves of bread and trays and trays of muffins. I did this while the kids homeschooled around it all.

I had never even thought of freezing them - DUH! This year I made bread, muffins and also added dehydrated chips and Nana Puddin (I so dislike that name!) to the list. Here's the BEST Banana Bread Recipe I've found so far:

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mayonaise
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup mashed banana (2-3 bananas)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Combine:                                       In  Another Bowl Mix Together:
Flours                                                Mayonnaise
Baking soda                                       Sugar
Salt                                                    Bananas
set aside

Combine all  ingredients and pour into a greased and floured bread pan or muffin tin
Bake at 350 degrees
1 hour - bread
20 minutes - muffins

 Simple, easy. moist and delicious! My kind of recipe!

PS I just started  a Facebook group called HOMEMADE HOMESTEAD LIFE.  It's a place where members can post things that they make, services they offer or go to get creative ideas and gifts. My hope is to encourage one another to buy locally or from small businesses and indiviuals rather than huge congolerates. Come join us and let's turn this economy around!

Alice Springs Chicken

It's been crazy around the Homestead! Yesterday the sun finally broke through after 24 days of rain. My son and I filled two trailer loads of future compost ie. manure - who wants to shovel in the mucky rain?! I am so thankful we live in a predominantly sandy area. I can't imagine clay soil after so much rain: boggy, slippery, muddy with puddles to slop through everywhere!  Here, the water drains almost immediately. leaving just wet sand that tracks on our shoes - a minor grievance in comparison.  My biggest chore is keeping the feed buckets under cover so the hay doesn't get wet. Our barn space is limited so I try to keep the feed outdoors if possible. On days like these I find myself watching the radar and running to cover the troughs several times a day, but the bonus is - I haven't had to water gardens or planted pots or fruit trees or berry bushes for weeks - just the greenhouse.

In the meantime I've been working on indoor projects; mainly rearranging the entire house.  Remember these?

Not a Christmas would go by without finding one of these in our stockings.  The object of the game is to shuffle the numbers around until they are in numerical order.  This is exactly what rearranging my house is like.  Our first step was to disassemble the bunk beds in the kitchen and move them into the scrapbook/reloading/guest room, but in order to have a place to put them we had to move the drafting table and a bookshelf.  The rolling paper trays had to be shuffled to the other side of the room and the reloading table had to be adjusted. Bob took off the closet door and cut open the entire closet framework to make a much larger alcove for a file cabinet, clothing and storage. The cheap paperboard dresser came out of the closet and is in the living room waiting to be thrown on the burn pile - really, it isn't even worth giving away.  I'll have before and after pictures once I'm done, but right now the house looks like a war zone, because, of course, I'm rearranging and clearing out my son's room as well.  School starts next week and I have purposed that he will begin this, his Junior year, in a peaceful, uncluttered environment, conducive for studying - or, at least, LESS cluttered.  I only wish I had started weeks ago!
 
Besides "reclaiming my scraproom" which was one of my goals on my summer manifesto list, last night I tried a new recipe (another item on the list), which was fabulous! Definitely a keeper and worthy of sharing.

When we lived in town, as soon as the girls were old enough to work they were both hired at Outback Steakhouse and worked there while going to school.  My son joined them when he turned 16.

A favored Outback meal was Alice Springs Chicken and I came across the recipe yesterday and decided to try it. It was quick, easy and besides being absolutely delicious, all the ingredients were things I most always have on hand - definitely a criteria when choosing new recipes to try. This is what it looked like:

Here's how to make it:

ALICE SPRINGS CHICKEN

Ingredients:
* 4 chicken breasts (I only had tenders on hand)
The recipe says "pound to 1/2 inch thickness".  If they're thick I just slice them in half.
* Lowry's Seasoning Salt
* 6 Slices Bacon (I use turkey bacon)
* 1/4 cup mustard
* 1/3 cup honey
* 2 TBS mayonaise
* 2 tsp dried onion flakes
* 1 cup fresh mushrooms  (I had dried, so I reconstituted a handful)
* 2 cups shredded Colby/Jack cheese  ( I had sliced Swiss and Cheddar so that's what I used)

Honey Mustard
Combine and mix:
mustard, honey, mayonaise and onion flakes in small bowl

Sprinkle and rub chicken with Seasoning Salt.
Cover and refrigerated 30 minutes
Cook bacon until crisp
Sear chicken in bacon grease 3-5 minutes per side until browned
Place chicken in 9 X 13 casserole dish
Spoon honey mustard over each piece of chicken (serve the remainder with the meal)
Layer: Mushrooms, Bacon and Cheese
Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted
ENJOY!

Gearing up for Independence Day

 You've probably seen this ad/recipe in magazines or online before, but in case you haven't and are starting to plan for your Fourth of July celebration, this cake is easy, refreshing and delicious! You can't go wrong with pound cake, jello, cool whip and berries!  Here's how...

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh strawberries, divided

1-1/2 cups boiling water

2 pkg.  (3 oz. each) JELL-O Gelatin, any red flavor

Ice cubes

1 cup  cold water

1 pkg. (12 oz.) prepared pound cake, cut into 10 slices

1-1/3 cups blueberries, divided

1 tub  (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

Directions:

* Slice 1 cup strawberries. Cut remaining strawberries in half 

* Add boiling water to gelatin mix in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved.   

* Add enough ice cubes to cold water to measure 2 cups. Add to gelatin; stir until ice is melted.         

* Refrigerate 5 min. or until slightly thickened. 

 Meanwhile, cover bottom of 13x9-inch dish with cake slices. 

* Add sliced strawberries and 1 cup blueberries to thickened gelatin; stir gently. 
* Spoon over cake.
* Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. 
* Cover with COOL WHIP. 
* Arrange strawberry halves on COOL WHIP for stripes of flag and remaining blueberries for stars.

 Recipe taken from Kraftrecipes.com

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY From our family to yours!

Zucchini Tots

I'm STILL working through the buckets of zucchini and I imagine you are too if you garden.  Tonight I tried a new recipe  - Zucchini Tots. I didn't make enough.

This recipe makes one mini muffin tin so be sure to double-triple-or more it.

1 cup grated zucchini
1 egg
1/4 onion minced
1/4 cup cheese - (I used cheddar but next time I'll try pepper jack for a little zing)
1/4 cup bread crumbs - I used Italian

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees
* Spray mini muffin tins with non-stick spray
* Grate zucchini and blot dry with paper towels
* Combine egg, onion, cheese, bread crumbs and zucchini
* Spoon into muffin tins
* Bake 15-18 minutes until brown and set
Enjoy!

A few more loaves of zucchini bread and I will have finished these,

but yesterday we went to get a roll of hay and visited with Buttercup and the Beauchamps for a bit and came home with this blessing...

I foresee more squash recipes in the near future.
What's your favorite way to cook squash?

Zucchini Bread

I'm still working through the squash, but I love this recipe so much I just may grate the rest of the zucchini and freeze in 2 cup increments to have on hand for instant baking!

 I remember the very first time I was introduced to Zucchini bread. A sweet friend came to see me in the hospital after the birth of the twins 24 years ago - has it been that long?!  and blessed me with a loaf of this delicious bread. I'd never heard of it before, and I agree, it doesn't sound so appealing. As a matter of fact, I hesitate to tell kids the name of the bread before I serve it. Once it gets gobbled down, then I break the news. I know that if I tell them beforehand they might not eat it, but once they've tried this bread they'll wait in line for more!

So, if you've never tried Zucchini Bread and can get past the sound of it, I guarantee that this will become your go-to recipe for delicious, sweet bread all squash season long...and beyond!

This recipe makes 2 loaves and it freezes well too!

ZUCCHINI BREAD

In a bowl combine:
* 2 cups grated zucchini
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup oil
* 1 TBSP vanilla

Mix dry ingredients separately:
* 2 3/4 cups sugar - which is Way Too Much! - I use 2 cups sugar
* 3 cups flour
* 1 TBSP cinnamon
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp baking powder
* 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix wet and dry ingredients and pour into two greased and floured bread pans (or two muffin tins, or 1 Bundt pan)
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Zucchini Salsa

Recently I was blessed with three buckets of squash. I hate to see things go to waste so I was compelled to find new ways to use zucchini. One of the recipes I found was Zucchini Salsa - what a great idea! So here's how:

Ingredients:

• 10 cups zucchini, peeled & shredded
• 4 onions, chopped
• 2  green peppers, chopped
• 2 red peppers, chopped
• 1/4 cup pickling salt
• 1 tablespoon pickling salt
• 2 tablespoons dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 5 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 12 ounces tomato paste 

*  In a large bowl combine zucchini, onions, peppers and salt.  Mix together, cover and let stand overnight.

*  Next day - Rinse, drain well, add remaining ingredients
*  Place in a large pot, bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes.
*  Ladle into hot, sterilized jars.
*  Carefully wipe rim and add lids.

*  Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.



*  Makes 8 pints

Stay tuned for more ideas on what to do with all that squash!
Hint: Zucchini Bread, Zucchini lasagna...

If you have a favorite recipe that you'd like to share I'd love to try it!

Amish Friendship Bread

It's the end of a school year and time to take my Amish Friendship Bread starter out of the freezer and be sure that it's viable.  This sweet bread is a staple in our home; versatile, delicious, fun to make and perfect for get togethers, meetings, and gifts!

Typically introduction to Amish Friendship Bread is made by a friend who will approach you with a ziplock starter bag and a typed sheet of instructions.  I've posted requests for starter bags on line, but recently I've found that it's very easy to start your own batch of bread from scratch.

Here's how:

Amish Friendship Bread Starter
1 pkg dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp or 1 TBSP)
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup milk

Dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes.
In a 2 qt glass, plastic or ceramic container mix flour and sugar thoroughly.
Slowly add milk and yeast mixture.
Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly.
This is your starter. Day 1.
Transfer to a one-gallon Ziplock Freezer Bag.


INSTRUCTIONS:
*  Do NOT refrigerate
*  Do NOT use metal bowls or implements - use plastic, glass, wood or ceramic.
*  Release gas from bag as the starter ferments


DAY 1:
You receive (make) your starter - DO NOTHING

DAY 2:
Squish Bag periodically

DAY 3:
Squish Bag 


DAY 4:
Squish Bag

DAY 5:
Squish Bag

DAY 6:
Add to bag: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. Squish

DAY 7:
Squish bag

DAY 8:
Squish Bag

DAY 9:
Squish Bag

DAY 10:
FOLLOW INSTRUCTONS:

*  Pour entire contents into a NON-METAL bowl
*  Add: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk 
* Mix with NON-METAL utensil. 
*  Measure out 1 cup starter into three separate bags - 1 to keep and two to give away with instructions.

 
Instead of giving away starter bags I bake three batches and keep a starter for another time.

* Preheat oven to 325 degrees
* To the remaining  starter add:

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs
1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla


Mix together:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 pkg powdered instant pudding mix - any flavor

Add dry ingredients to wet


Pour into (2) greased floured bread pans, or 1 bundt pan or 2 muffin tins.
Bake 1 hour


This is a very versatile bread - here are some flavor options:
* Chocolate pudding mix and 1 cup chocolate chips
* Vanilla pudding mix and 1 cup craisins
* 1 cup raisins and 1 diced apple
* Butterscotch pudding mix and 1 cup butterscotch chips
* Lemon pudding mix and 1/4 cup poppy seeds
* Banana Cream pudding mix and chopped nuts
* Cheesecake pudding mix, white choc chips, macadamia nuts
* Dates
* Walnuts or pecans
* Cranberries 
* M&M's
* Coconut
* Pineapple
* Blueberries
Obviously you can use your creative imagination! 
Keep this recipe on hand - the holidays will be here before you know it!

Note: starter can be placed in the freezer for another time.







































 

So EZ Strawberry Jam!

This is the easiest Strawberry Jam ever!
3 ingredients
No Pectin
No Canner necessary

*  2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled (green tops cut off) = 4 cups mashed
*  4 cups sugar
*  1/4 cup lemon juice
(see notes at end)

Step One:
Combine 4 cups mashed berries, sugar and lemon juice in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.

Step Two.
Increase heat to high and bring to a full, rolling boil. Boil, stirring often until mixture reaches 220 degrees F. (105 degrees C.) (10-20 minutes)

To test for jelling:
Place a plate in the freezer. After 10 minutes of boiling put a tsp of the jelly liquid on the cold plate. Put back in freezer for a minute.  Run your finger through the jelly. If it does not run back together and you can make a line through it - it's done.

Step Three:
Ladle into hot, sterile jars leaving 1/4 - 1/2 inch headspace.

Step Four:
Wipe jar lids with a clean cloth to ensure sealing.

Step Five:
Process in hot water bath for 15 minutes
OR
Turn upside down for 10 minutes to seal!

Notes:
*  4 cups of sugar was a little too sweet. I'd use 2-3 cups next time.
* I'd never inverted jars to seal before. I started using a canner, but the house was too hot (we were still spinning honey and hadn't turned on AC yet) so I tried this method - LOVE IT!
*  Initially the jam will be like syrup - it takes up to 48 hours to "set"
* Makes GREAT gifts! Think end of school gifts for teachers, and the holidays will be here before you know it!

How To Make Mozzarella (String) Cheese

You're not going to believe how easy it is to make delicious Mozzarella cheese. All you need are THREE ingredients!

*  One gallon milk - be sure it is not UP (Ultra Pasteurized) this is a new technique of heating milk to an even higher temperature which destroys ALL bacteria and extends shelf life from 18 days to 60 days (You can imagine how devoid this milk must be of any thing good and healthy as well!) This is done because of the prevalence of disease in current commercial milk producing herds. Look careful for the UP code - it can be placed anywhere on the milk container and only has to be half the size of current pasteurization labels.
  Whole milk, 2%, 1%, skim, raw, or goat milk all can be used for making this cheese. Whole milk is your best choice if using cow's milk.

* Citric acid
*  Rennet - both of these ingredients I order from New England Cheesemaking Company .

* measure 1 1/2 tsp citric acid and dissolve in 1 cup cool water
* dissolve 1/4 tab or 1/4 tsp rennet in 1/4 cup cool water

* Pour citric acid mixture into pot. Add 1 gallon cold milk quickly to mix well with citric acid.
* Heat slowly to 90 degrees.

* Remove from heat and slowly stir in rennet mixture. Stir in an up and down motion for 30 seconds.
* Cover and let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.

* Check for curd and whey separation. The curd will look like custard and the whey will be clear. If there is not a clean break let sit a few minutes longer.

* With a knife that reaches to the bottom of the pot, carefully cut the curds into 1 inch squares.
* Return pot to stove and heat to 105 degrees while stirring slowly.

* Remove from heat and stir an additional 2-5 minutes.

 

* ladle into a colander and then into a bowl

 

* Pour off whey

* Heat in microwave for 1 minute  The cheese should be almost too hot to handle.
* Knead cheese, microwave two more times at 30 seconds each, kneading between each heating, folding it over itself. The cheese will become shiny and smooth. Pour off the whey as you go.
* Add salt if desired. I added 1 tsp cheese salt. Do not use Iodized salt. Non-Iodized sea salt or kosher salt is fine.

* Now it's time to stretch your cheese like taffy. Stretch again and again - This is what will give the string cheese it's trademark texture.

* Now form into a ball and pinch off pieces to roll into string cheese. Or grate. Or eat as is!

* Drop finished pieces or ball into ice water to cool
* Refrigerate
* Enjoy!

Be sure to visit New England Cheesemaking Company for everything you ever wanted to know about making cheese: facts, recipes, supplies, help and much more.