:: Food - grandma's pancakes

So, I'm not really a pancake person.  I'd rather have waffles. 

 {Although french toast would trump either of these.}

But since using this recipe, I don't remember the last time we made waffles!

My sister has been using this recipe for years.

It's a recipe that my Grandma used and was in a recipe book that she passed down to everyone.

Why had I not discovered this earlier?!

These pancakes are EASY to make and are the FLUFFIEST pancakes I've ever tasted.

I've The girls have talked their daddy into making these every Sunday morning.

That's how delicious they are!

Use it for your 4th of July breakfast. 

It will definitely be a hit.

Grandma's Pancakes

2 cups flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 eggs beaten

4 Tablespoons oil

2 Tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

:: Food - old fashioned apricot cobbler

This is one dessert that we ate almost every Sunday evening growing up
 or maybe it just seemed like it.
We would pick the apricots, then we'd usually watch my mother bottle them, and I think
almost all seven of us (yep, I'm one of seven!) learned how to make it.
Whenever we go to my parent's home, we try to sneak a few bottled apricots so that we can make this.
Looks like I need to learn how to bottle them myself!

Apricot Cobbler

1/2 c. butter or margarine

1 1/2 c. milk

2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 quart of bottled apricots

1.  Melt butter in 9x13 inch pan.

2.  Add milk to pan.

3.  Stir in with fork or whisk, flour, sugar, and baking powder.

4.  Empty apricots including liquid over top of batter.  Do not stir.  If needed place apricot chunks in places without.

5.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  

This is really tasty with vanilla ice cream.  Yum.

:: Food - thanksgiving rolls

For Sunday dinner, we went to my sister's place and I told her I'd bring rolls.

Well, I wanted to try out a new roll recipe . . . just using food storage.

I found this recipe here from Everyday Food Storage and it was so delicious!

So if your assignment this Thanksgiving is to bring rolls, try this recipe.

You won't regret it!

Naomi’s Rolls

1/2 C. Sugar
1 Extra-Large Egg (2 T. Dry Egg Powder + 1/4 C. Water)
1 T. Shortening
1 C. Milk (3 T. Dry Powdered Milk + 1 C. Water)
1 t. Salt
4 1/2-5 C. Flour (enough to make a sticky dough) I usually do 1/4 to 1/2 Whole wheat flour
1 pkg yeast (2 1/2 t. yeast), softened in 1/2 C. lukewarm water

Beat sugar and egg. Scald milk; cool. Then add to sugar and egg. Stir in shortening, yeast, salt, flour. Let rise about 2-21/2 hours. Shape, cut, rise again about 1/2-1 hour. bak. (400, about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 16 good sized rolls. You may want to double the recipe, as these rolls disappear fast!  Oh, and if you use Dry Powdered Milk, then you don't have to scald the milk!)

And she also has a tutorial on how to make perfectly round rolls.

It's easy and so fast to do!

Also, my sis-in-law is having a week of giveaways on her health blog!
Check it out at Simply Healthful.
I really want to win this necklace here.

Gorgeous.

:: Food - brownies

Today Julia Childs would've turned 100 years old.

And I found this yummy recipe.

I really want to try it . . . like right now.
Happy Birthday, Julia!

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Joyce on Pinterest

Julia's Best Ever Brownies

 (adapted from 'Baking with Julia' with Dorie Greenspan)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

8 ounces unsalted butter

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs, room temperature

Directions:

1. Put a rack in the center of the oven and pre-heat to 350 degrees.

2. Sift together the flour and salt; set aside.

3. Melt the butter and all of the chocolate together the in the microwave in a large bowl.

4. Add one cup of the sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in the vanilla.

5. Mix the remaining sugar and the four eggs in an electric mixer bowl for a few seconds until just combined.

7. Little by little, pour half of the sugar-egg mixture into the chocolate mixture, stirring gently but constantly with a rubber spatula so that the eggs don't set from the heat.

8. Whip the remaining sugar and eggs in the electric mixer until they are thick, pale, and doubled in volume, about three minutes.

9. Using the rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped eggs into the chocolate mixture.

10. When the eggs are almost completely incorporated, gently fold in the dry ingredients.

11. Pour and scrape the batter into an unbuttered 9-inch square baking pan.

12. Bake the brownies for 22-26 minutes, they should rise a little and the top will look dark and dry.

13. Make a small cut in the the center of the brownies after about 22 minutes to check for doneness. They'll be perfect if they are just barely set and still gooey.

14. Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a rack before cutting.

Source: notesondesign.tumblr.com via Sarah on Pinterest

:: Food - grilled pineapple

We've been doing a lot of grilling this week.

And after seeing grilled pineapple all over pinterest, I was dying to try it!

I found this recipe here and loved it!

{and I especially love the name of this website}

The grilled pineapple was even better than I thought it would be.

Grilled Pineapple

- 1 pineapple

-1 T butter

- 1/2 c brown sugar

- 1 tsp. cinnamon

- lemon juice

Fire up the grill to medium heat.  Before placing them on the grill, sprinkle

the slices with a little bit of cinnamon and brown sugar.

In a small saucepan, heat the butter, brown sugar and the rest of the cinnamon.  

Heat until bubbly and the sugar is properly melted.

Grill the pineapple over direct heat for about 2-3 minutes per side, turning occasionally.

Each time it turns, baste with a brush of glaze.

Enjoy!!!

Oh, and I just have to share this cute picture of my girls.

I love these two little ones!

:: Food - fast homemade wheat pizza

It was 4pm yesterday and I hadn't even begun to think about dinner.

{let's get real . . . that's how most of my days are}

One of the blogs I follow had a recipe for some fast homemade wheat pizza.

It looked tasty and pretty easy for so late in the afternoon.

And it was.

By 6 we were all eating.

It may not look like The Busy Budgeting Mama's, but it sure was delicious.

Ava even told me I was "the best maker of pizza".

She ate it all . . . even the crusts.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

:: Food - easy breakfast

I'm normally a cheerios/raisin bran eater for breakfast.
It's not like they're super unhealthy, but I do know that I could do better.
At least they're not dunked in sugar, right?
I saw this on pinterest and have been wanting to try it.

Source: myfitnesspal.com via Amy on Pinterest

So, I tried it this morning and was actually pleased.
Now, I know people have different tastes.
You might not like it, but I didn't think it was too bad.
Healthy?  Yes.
Ingredients on hand?  Yes.
Reese was even begging for some tastes
and after her first she kept on coming back for more.
Try it!

1/4 c oats
1 egg
1tsp brown sugar
handful of blueberries/strawberries
splash of milk
dash of cinnamon

-mix it all up, stick in a mug and place in the microwave for 2 minutes

I didn't have the blueberries so I used strawberries we had.
It added the perfect amount of sweetness.

:: Party Details - frosting recipe

So remember the post about this yummy cake?

Well, it's been pinned more than 3000 times!

So . . . what does that tell you?

A lot of people have been deprived of some deliciousness.

And I've been really addicted to making it.

{not to mention, my skinny jeans are slowly getting too skinny}

These are the cakes I've made using this recipe . . .

{oh, and can you tell I love the rainbow and ombre cakes?}

for Reese's birthday party:

for Ava's birthday party:

for my sister's birthday:

for St. Patrick's Day:

So far, no plans to make anymore soon.

The hubby's birthday is coming up and he just wants a chocolate cake 

with store bought chocolate frosting. 

 Hmmm.  Boring. {just kidding all you chocolate lovers}

Anyway, a few people have asked me what frosting I've used.
My sister-in-law gave me this recipe and it's good.

But I would like to try different ones to find "the best frosting recipe".

For now, I've been using this recipe:

1 c. shortening

4 c. powdered sugar (1 lb.)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tablespoons of milk

Cream shortening, vanilla, and milk.
Then add the powdered sugar in the above mixture until mixed thoroughly.
{add 1 T. meringue powder if wanting the frosting to be stiff}

*I usually double this recipe

Do you have a certain frosting recipe that you think is the best?

I'd love to try it out!

:: Food - spinach smoothies

About a year ago, I was trying to convince Ava that spinach was delicious.

She wasn't convinced.

Until I made her one of these.

Now she's very convinced.

During the summer months, we buy a ton of strawberries when they're cheap.

We freeze many of them to use for our "spinach smoothies".

What you need:

- a handful of frozen strawberries,

- a handful of spinach

- one banana

- about a half cup of milk

- sometimes we put yogurt in it (depending on if we have it in the fridge)

And this is what we come up with.
We're both addicted.

:: Found on Pinterest - flakiest pie crust

Ya need to make a pie for Thanksgiving

and want to make a homemade pie crust?
{come on, you know you do}

Well, I've found the best recipe.

I tried it on Sunday and it's so flaky!

Yum! 

{but if you're not into flaky, then maybe don't try it}

I GET the opportunity to try to 

make a pecan pie.

I don't think I really even like pecan's that much.
You can tell I'm excited, huh.

Well, there's a first for everything?

Anyway, you can find it here.
Thank you Pioneer Woman!

Source: thepioneerwoman.com via Amy on Pinterest

Oh and I think I'm gonna make her apple pie, too.
It looks delicious.

What will you be making today?

:: Deliciousness - pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

I make these cookies every Sept/Oct/Nov.

Why do I do this?

Because they're delicious.

And these darn things are always calling my name.

Years ago I found this recipe.

{Laura Seitz from the Deseret News}

And I've decided I need to make these year round.

They're that good.

So try it.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. margarine

2 beaten eggs

1 c. pumpkin

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

1 T. baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 c. chocolate chip cookies

- Cream sugars and margarine in mixing bowl. Add eggs, pumpkin, vanilla and stir together. Mix in dry ingredients. Then stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonsful on greased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 12-15 min or until lightly browned.

** I usually bake mine for 15 min, store them in a container overnight and then they are yummy and moist the next day.

You can thank me later.

I'll be linking to these parties here.

:: food - Strawberry Jam

Teaching the girls at my church how

to make this tonight.

Yum.

Check here to find out how.

"What I'm Loving" Wednesday

So we finally started Reese on solids.

Which means it's time to get this book out

and start making baby food.

I was given this book before I had little Ava and

absolutely loved it!

It teaches you everything you need to know

about introducing solids to your little one.

Types of foods, when to introduce them,

how to make them, great recipes, etc.

I love this book! So, check it out!

You can also go here to learn more about it.

And that's what I'm loving today.

Sweet Tooth Obsession: Caramel Apples

{via Real Simple}

Fall's just around the corner and one thing I love besides crunchy leaves, the cool nip in the air, sweaters, a nice electricity bill, etc, are caramel apples. Love them! Especially when you dip them in white chocolate and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Hmmmm. Yum! I found a new recipe that I think we'll have to try. Found it over at It's So Very Cheri : Caramel Apple Baked French Toast. I love Caramel apples and French Toast so hopefully it'll be yummy. Check it out here for the recipe. Now I just need to find an apple orchard!

And I think I might have to make these mini caramel apples with little Ava. She'll love it! You can find that recipe here at Family Fun Magazine.

{via Family Fun}

Food Obsession: refrigerator garlic dill pickles

We planted a few cucumber plants this year and were amazed that the cucumbers keep on coming. So, we decided to make pickles out of them. I am pregnant, you know. What could be better. We were recommended this recipe here at dlynz.blogspot.com and decided to try it out.

And they're delicious!!! They taste like the real thing (although we didn't have the right kind of salt and so ours turned out way too salty - but if you wash them off before, they aren't terrible).

Happy pickling!

Dessert Obsession: Frozen Peach Pie Filling

Hope you're all having a wonderful Labor Day! We'll be going to a BBQ soon, but before we go, just wanted to post about this easy recipe.

Through my church, I was able to get 25 lbs of peaches for only $7.50. Talk about a great deal. They're very yummy. I love peaches and so does this little girl below.

What to do with 25lbs of sweet, yummy goodness. I decided to use half of them and make them into frozen peach pie filling. I checked out the internet for recipes and this one caught my eye. I mean, really. Who doesn't love Paula Dean's recipes?

So I was able to whip out 4 pie fillings while the little one was taking a nap. Not hard at all. Haven't tasted it yet, but can't wait! They'll be perfect in the upcoming cooler months (summer has ended way too soon, don't you agree?).