Spring Fruit Salad

Whenever I hear the words fruit salad my mind automatically sings yummy, yummy. If you are a mom of children who love or have loved The Wiggles you know exactly what I’m talking about.

This recipe is one that is worthy of singing Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy any day of the week. It is perfect to make for a spring get-together, whether it is brunch or dinner.

Spring Fruit Salad

1 (29 ounce) can sliced peaches in water
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks
1 (3 1/8 ounce) vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 pint blueberries
1 bunch of red grapes
1 carton strawberries, sliced

Into a large bowl pour peaches and pineapple chunks, including juice from cans.
Stir in vanilla pudding mix until well mixed.
Toss in fresh fruit.
Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serves 18.

 

A Cement Block Garden–Really!

I do not consider myself a gardener, just a want-a-be. For years, I have killed more vegetables in container gardening attempts than my family has eaten. Last year I stepped outside my comfort zone and did the unthinkable…planted a real vegetable garden.

A church in our community started a series of cement block gardens last year that were intriguing. After a couple of weeks of watching their progress, I knew this would be the perfect project. Using cement blocks, landscape fabric to control weeds, and a mixture of gardening soils– cheap dirt and Miracle Grow, the garden was ready in just a few hours time.

Cement blocks are not the prettiest, but they are the cheapest at $1.25 each. For someone who has wasted more money than I care to admit on gardening, they were perfect. Infact, I’m sure if the Homeowners Association knew cement blocks were in my backyard I would be getting a lovely little letter. However, going into year two, plans are in the works to dress the blocks up with either brick or stone. Another project I need to learn how to do!

This year I planted tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, romaine lettuce, and strawberries. The romaine and strawberries are planted in the cement block holes. Last year the holes would fill with weeds weekly and quickly became a dreaded chore. There is still some space available and I plan to squeeze in a few more plants and some flowers.

If you are considering gardening–go for it! It is a wonderful way to bless family and friends with fresh produce right from our own yards. If you are a natural green thumb or a beginner like myself, send us your photos and comment with your tips to a successful garden. I would love to know what you have growing success with and what you have planted this year.

* The links above will take you to Lowe’s. I am not being compensated or have I been asked to share these links–just the first home supply store that popped to mind.

Kale Chips

I’ve been hearing a lot about kale as a marvelous snack food lately. At a $1.69 a bunch, they are much cheaper than a bag of potato chips these days.  Health wise, kale is a super veggie filled with vitamins A, C, and K, a great source of minerals, and antioxidants. It even helps lower cholesterol! Check out WebMD for all the details.

As a snack food, it is cheap, easy to make, and delicious to munch on. In full disclosure, this was not a snack everyone in my family of six enjoyed. Everyone tried it, but only my 7-year-old and I actually liked it.

Kale Chips
Bunch of kale
Sea salt
Olive oil

Wash and dry kale leaves and tear into the size of chips. Spread on a baking sheet, toss with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

 

Heather’s Chicken Noodle Soup

Cold and flu season is here again and  for some reason nothing seems to taste as good as homemade or at least semi-homemade chicken noodle soup.  This is the one I make when the sniffles start in our house, I got it from a friend when we lived in Hartselle, Alabama several years ago. Here’s a little secret, it’s so good  I sometimes make it even when we’re not sick.

Chicken Noodle Soup
1 pound cooked chicken, shredded
8 cups chicken broth
2 medium carrots, cut in small pieces
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 stalk celery chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 12 ounce package wide egg noodles
1 tablespoon  dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in heated large stock pot add chopped vegetables and sauté until slightly tender (about 2 minutes).  In a separate pot, cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain and cool.

In your large stock pot add broth, chicken, herbs and seasoning to vegetables simmer for 30 minutes then add cooked noodles.  Heat thoroughly, remove bay leaf and serve. If you like a more brothy soup you can add additional water.

You can make this even easier by purchasing a precooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket deli. Another change I sometimes make (because my kids don’t enjoy the thought of onions they can see) is using onion powder rather than the chopped onion, it should be added along with the broth.

 

Favorite Valentine’s Day Desserts

Are you still thinking about what to make for a special family Valentine’s Day dessert? My criteria is simple: chocolate and easy to make.  Here are my top picks from MMCW’s Recipe Box for favorite Valentine’s Day Desserts.

Angela’s Caramel Mocha Truffle Cupcakes. Nothing sounds yummier than a truffle cupcake! Angela gives step-by-step instructions in photos to make this an easy dessert to make for Valentine’s Day.

 

Molly’s authentic Black Forest Cake is one of her family’s favorite desserts.  Using a basic boxed cake mix to save time, Molly also shares step-by-step instructions.

 

Any cake that includes candy bars is a winner in my book any day. Katharine’s Dream Cake combines angel food cake, candy bars, and whipped topping for a delicious dessert.

 

Diane’s old-fashioned Chocolate Chess Pie  is a perfect finish to any Valentine’s meal.

Are you planning a special dessert for tomorrow?

Cooking with Mushrooms

I didn’t always love mushrooms, but I do now.  I’m frequently buying fresh mushrooms, using what I can in salads, on pizza or on a crudités.  Leftovers are quickly dried and sit in a jar on my cabinet.  My children often throw a few into their Ramen noodles (as well as peppers, onions or other dried options).  The boiling water cooks them as it cooks the noodles.  I’m also happy to rehydrate a few and throw them on a pizza when I have no fresh ones.

Mushrooms are the famous ingredient in many recipes.  Think stroganoff, spaghetti sauce, rich gravies, Salisbury steak, chicken Marsala and you’ll remember the role mushrooms play.  But consider what a mushroom powder will do to add flavor to some of your favorite dishes.  And when you’d like that mushroom presence without the visual (think: “Mom, you know I hate mushrooms!”), add the powder.  Powdered mushroom equals my idea of the perfect compromise.

Now that you’re wondering what else can possibly be said about mushrooms, wait, there’s more!  When I rehydrate mushrooms, the liquid left behind is a flavorful broth not to be wasted.  Depending on what I’m cooking, I may choose to use it in the dish itself.  In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t believe in wasting.  “Waste not, want not” never goes out-of-date.

To prepare mushrooms for dehydration, gently clean and slice ¼” thick.  Spread on drying racks and dehydrate at 130 degrees for eight to twelve hours.  When mushrooms are dry they’ll bend slightly with no moisture present.  Store in an air-tight jar and have them handy for people who want to dress up something with extra flavor at the last minute.

 

 

 

Jan has a new book on how to dehydrate, Delicious, Delectable, and Dehydrated.

Breakfast: German Puffy Pancake

For those of you with more than one child, you know the feeling of success when all the children pronounce a recipe a keeper. Puffy German Pancake is that recipe in my home. A favorite breakfast request, it is fast, simple, and of course economical to put together.

It’s a favorite recipe across the internet with all kinds of names—and I have no clue whether it is an actual German recipe or not. I did read where it can be made in a muffin pan for individual servings. Something to try one day when there’s time. After all these years, I’m still enjoying the bliss of mixing ingredients in one bowl and dumping it all into a casserole dish.

The children and I enjoy watching the pancake, which is nothing like a pancake at all, puff up like a blow-fish.

The first five minutes in the oven are tricky—the first time we made it, we thought we had used the wrong type of flour. True to its word, puffing action began and did not stop until pulled from the oven. There were more ohhhs and ahhhs as the pancake became flat-as-a-flitter with tall sides.

Sprinkled with powdered sugar, drizzled with syrup, and topped with sliced strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries (my favorite), it is out-of-this-world delicious.

Puffy German Pancake

1/4 cup butter

5 eggs

1 1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Melt butter in 9 x13 pan in the oven while oven is preheating to 425 degrees. Mix eggs, flour, and milk with an electric blender. Add batter to dish and bake for 25 minutes or until center is set and sides are golden brown.

Top Recipes of 2011

In 2011, MMCW shared many wonderful recipes. Our top recipes are those most visited on our blog over the course of the year. Enjoy!

Tomorrow Molly will be sharing her 2011 favorites.

He Has Risen! Rolls
Guest blogger Janna Widdifield’s easy Easter dessert rolls top our list of reader favorites for 2011.

Crockpot Lasagna

 

Jan’s Apple Bread

 

German Apple Strudel

 

Angel Food Bars

 

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

 

Spring Lime Pie

 

Pecan-Coconut Pound Cake

 

Christmas Punch

 

French Quarter Cheese

 

Grandma’s Steak and Potatoes Crockpot Casserole

 

Dream Cake

 

Black Friday Black Bean Taquitos

A few weeks ago, Marcia Washburn, author of Homemade Convenience Food in 15 Minutes, gave away a copy of her book here at MMCW. It was a fun give away complete with some of our wonderful readers sharing family favorite quick meals.

One of the recipes shared was Black Bean Taquitos by Georgette. It’s fast, kid friendly, and healthy to boot. It is perfect for lunch or dinner. Georgette says the original recipe comes from Six O’Clock Scramble, a membership fee based recipe site.

Today, on Black-Friday, we could all probably use a healthy and fast dinner option.

Black Friday Black Bean Taquitos
1 can refried beans
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 Tsp cumin
2 Tsp chili powder
1/2 Tsp minced garlic
Scallions or onions, optional
1 cup of Mexican Four Blend shredded cheese. (Cheddar works well as does pepper jack for a spicy version.)
Flour tortillas

Mash beans, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and spices up in a pot and heat through. Add in cheese and turn off heat. Fill tortillas and eat as is or toast in the oven for a few minutes.

Salsa or sour cream is optional.

Optional fillings include leftover chicken, beef, or pork. Simply shred meat and fill tortilla along with bean mixture.

Georgette’s freezer tip: dice up onions and freeze to save time while cooking.

DIY Fall Cake Stand

Do-It-Yourself projects are not my thing. I like the idea of being crafty, but let’s face it, I don’t do crafty well. For me to attempt and complete a project it has to be super easy, just a few pieces involved, and cheap to make.

Creating a cake stand from a plate and candlestick fits the bill. Of course, all you DIY divas are thinking ‘that’s so last year’. You’re probably right, this project can be found on any number of blogs and websites. Just in case, there is anyone left who has not seen this, it is truly a project worth trying.

Three components: a pretty plate, candlestick or glass to use as a base, Gorilla glue.

 

My plate was $3 at Goodwill.

 

The pretty candlestick stand was $2.42 at Goodwill.

 

Look, it’s a Gail Pittman too!

 

Glue it all together for a pretty fall dessert stand. Don’t let the glue’s brown color cause concern, it dries clear.  Now that I have this project under my belt, I plan to make a few for Christmas gifts. (Pretend you did not hear that if we’re related.)

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