Homemade Cream of Mix

One of the things that we are trying to change here on the Small Homestead is the amount of processed food we eat. I'd like to tell you that we are all into that "crunchy" lifestyle...but that would not be the total truth.

It is true that if you find one of us in a Dr's office...it's serious. While we do support and are grateful for the medical world, we are big proponents of holistic medicine and doing that as naturally as we can, as often as we can.

It is true that we don't fry much around here. Too much fried food makes too much us and a sluggish heart...neither of which is appealing.

It is true that we love simple and natural....but let's be honest....you get in the way of my sour cream and cheddar chips and there is going to be trouble!! And it goes the same for my Reese Cups!!!

Truthfully we love moderation. Simply enjoy the good God has given and all things in moderation as long as it doesn't cause my brother to stumble.

Today as I was planning supper, I realized I was out of my Cream of Soup Mix. One of the many things I make from scratch is our cream of soup mixes. Way cheaper and so much better for you!! It tastes so good and is so quick to put together!!

In less than 10 minutes I was able to mix up a batch of Cream of Soup Mix that is the equivalent of 18 cans of soup...at a MUCH cheaper price.

It is so nice to just pull a few ingredients out of the pantry and mix together what you need instead of jumping in the car to run to the store because you're out of soup!!

Below you'll find the recipe I use....again, wish I could remember where I pulled this up from, but I can't. If you don't write it down right away.............

Cream of Anything Soup Mix

4 Cups Powdered Milk

1 1/2 Cups Cornstarch

1/2 Cup Instant Bouillon Granules

4 tsp Dried Onion Flakes

2 tsp Thyme

2 tsp Basil

1 tsp Freshly Grated Black Pepper

Mix together well. Equivalent of 18 cans of soup.

To make Soup:  

1/3 Cup Mix

1 Cup Water

   1 TBSP Butter

Mix gently in medium saucepan on low heat until thick. Add 1/2 cup minced or chopped whatever you'd like to make your soup. (chicken, celery, mushrooms, etc.)

Give this a try and let me know what you think!!

New Use for Shower Caps

I love to bake. I love being in the kitchen making some kind of new yummy or meal for my family, and this is especially true at Christmas time.

I try to have some kind of yummy on hand everyday through the month of December and I try to make something different each time.

I have a 2 tier server that I keep on my island in the kitchen at this time of year. In years past, I would use plastic wrap to cover the goodies on those platters. Until....

About 2 months ago, I was already thinking about my baking days ahead and dreading my yearly battle with plastic wrap. You see, I'm the crazy lady in the kitchen who is confident when she begins to pull on the plastic wrap, that she is going to take her time and it's going to roll off in a smooth sheet. I'm confident that when I go to rip the plastic wrap off the roll, it's going to come off in one clean, smooth tear. Then reality sets in.....I begin unrolling my plastic wrap and I end up with a triangle piece because as I unroll, the sides are missing each other and rolling themselves back together, clinging to each other in fear of what lies ahead.

I lay the plastic wrap across my tummy and begin tearing. By this time, it refuses to leave it's cozy little tube and I've resorted to laying my arm across the top and pulling with all my might. Nope. It's tougher than I am and won't let go. My stress level is climbing and so is my blood pressure and finally I win!! The plastic wrap concedes and comes loose...but not without it's revenge first! Each side comes together in unison and rolls up together (remember there is strength when you pull together!) until they've formed a ball that even dynamite couldn't undo. I end up smacking it around, making the ball tighter than it was and whizzing it into the garbage can!!

Then this awesome product called Press-N-Seal came out. (Can you hear the Heavenly choir??!!) I am a sold out, true blue, commited believer in this product. It's not near as afraid of leaving it's cozy tube as it's plastic wrap cousin, but with awesomeness, comes price. This stuff ain't cheap!!

So as I was thinking about all the goodies I wanted to bake for my family, I also found myself wondering how I could cover them up to keep them fresh and keep the dust bunnies from sharing in our bounty..without breaking our budget on Press-N-Seal.

Then it came to me!! Bowl covers!! Now, these things are as pricey as Press-N-Seal and you only get 3 in a package. So I set myself to thinking again.....

Shower caps!!! You betcha! You can buy 10 shower caps for $1 at the Dollar Tree and by washing and reusing them, they will last virtually forever!! You can use these to cover your potato salad as you head to Grandma's or cover that veggie plate when you have dinner at church. Cover those cookies as you go to a cookie swap! And the best thing is..who cares if they don't come back home with you? Who cares if they get torn from all of the use they get with your family sneaking (?) goodies out from underneath them?? They were only a buck!...for 10!!

Want to be a little more frugal? Think about that shower cap that's all wrapped up nice and tidy when you go to a motel! Bring that puppy home and show it a new way of life as a bowl cover!

Let me share a recipe that's easy to make and will allow you to put those shower caps to use!!

Pecan Bark

1 cup unsalted butter, no substitutes
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans (I've also used walnuts!)
24 Graham cracker squares

Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 10x15 inch cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil. Place graham crackers on th cookie sheet in one layer. (It should exactly fit 24) Sprinkle pecans evenly over the top and set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown supar and stir until the mixture boils. Boil for 1 minute. Pour mixture evenly over graham crackers and pecans. Bake for 10 minues. Remove from oven, and immediately place the hot cookie sheet in the freezer. Remove the pan after 1 hour, and break the bark into pieces. This candy does not need to be refrigerated.

These hardly last more than a day at our house!!

Blessings.....

A Different Twist on Cookies

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to bake and create in the kitchen! I'd much rather bake my goodies than buy them in the stores. Two reasons: 1) They're fresher 2) They're cheaper...and anyone who knows me, knows that cheaper is always better.

I try to have some kind of goody made at all times in my house. Having 2 teenagers and their friends constantly dropping in, this can be quite a challenge!! Never-the-less, there is usually something to snack on all the time.

The other night as I was making supper, I realized that our goody tier, was empty. With not a lot of time before Philip got home, I knew I needed to make something fast. Cookies are always a hit and very easy to make, but since it was almost time for supper, I didn't like the idea of bouncing up and down from the table to take cookies in and out of the oven.

I got busy and pulled out my trusty chocolate chip cookie recipe and mixed it up. I decided to live it up and instead of using chocolate chips, I used M&M's.

Then, instead of dropping the cookies onto the cookie sheet, I decided to spread the dough out. I flattened the dough in the bottom of a 10½ " x 15" cookie sheet. Then I took a butter knife and scored the cookie dough into bars. I baked the dough in the oven for about 15 minutes and voila!!.... After the bars (cookies??) cooled just a couple of minutes, I just broke them into bars, where I scored them before baking.

I have to admit, I was quite impressed by how easy this was and I was able to sit and enjoy supper with my family and have a warm goody fresh out of the oven afterwards!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ Cup shortening 1 tsp vanilla
½ Cup margarine or butter ½ baking soda
2½ Cups all purpose flour 1 12-ounce pkg. Chocolate chips
1 Cup packed brown sugar (remember, I used M&M's)
½ Cup sugar 1 cup nuts, optional
2 Eggs

In a mixing bowl, beat shortening and margarine together with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add about half of the flour, the brown sugar, sugar, eggs, vanilla and baking soda. Beat mixture till thoroughly combined. Beat in the remaining flour. Stir in chocolate piece and nuts.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375º oven for 8-10 minutes or till edges are lightly browned. Cool cookies on a wire rack. (Remember, I spread the dough out in the cookie sheet and baked for about 15 or so minutes)

Blessings.....