Logo

Welcome to Mama Knows

Login or Join Us to meet new friends, find out what's going on, and connect with other Mothers on Mama Knows!


Sign Up Now

Registering for Mama Knows is easy. Just fill in the fields on the registration page and we'll get a new account set up for you in no time.

Forgot Your Password?

A new password will be e-mailed to you.

Member Login

Easy Christmas Dinner Recipes

December 16, 2010 in Recipes by Hanna Trafford

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Take a moment to Rate and Review:
Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)

Here are three recipes  for you – easy to make and delicious. Easy Roast Turkey, Ham with Pineapple and Apple Walnut stuffed Pork Roast. Making Christmas dinner should not leave you too tired to enjoy it with you family and friends so I do hope these will help you have great holidays!

Easy Christmas Turkey

Ingredients

  • 1 (18 pound) whole turkey
  • 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 -1/2 quarts turkey stock
  • 8 cups of prepared stuffing

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees .
  2. Place rack in the lowest position of the oven.
  3. Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels.
  4. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan.
  5. Loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing.
  6. Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper.
  7. Position an aluminum foil tent over the turkey.
  8. Place turkey in the oven, and pour 2 cups turkey stock into the bottom of the roasting pan.
  9. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 to 2 cups at a time.
  10. Remove aluminum foil after 2 1/2 hours.
  11. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 180 degrees F ,about 4 hours.
  12. Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

 

Apple Walnut Stuffed Pork Roast

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 apple – peeled, cored and chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 -1/2 cups of water
  • 5 cups of dry bread crumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • 1 (3 pound) boneless rolled pork loin roast

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  3. Stir in the apple, onion, celery, and walnuts, and cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
  4. Mix in the applesauce, water, and breadcrumbs.
  5. Cook and stir until the breadcrumbs have absorbed the liquid.
  6. Season with cinnamon, kosher salt, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.
  7. Unroll the pork roast, and place in a baking dish.
  8. Spoon the stuffing mixture over the roast.
  9. Arrange any excess stuffing around the roast.
  10. Roll the roast so that the fatty side is on top, and tie with kitchen twine.
  11. Bake 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, to an internal temperature of 160 degrees

 

Christmas Ham with Pineapple

Ingredients

  • 1 (12 pound) bone-in ham
  • 1/2 cup of whole cloves
  • 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
  • 1 (20 ounce) can of pineapple rings in heavy syrup
  • 1 (4 ounce) jar of chopped maraschino cherries
  • 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle of lemon-lime flavoured carbonated beverage

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
  2. Place ham in a roasting pan.
  3. Score the rind of the ham with a diamond pattern.
  4. Press a clove into the center of each diamond.
  5. Drain the juice from the pineapple rings into a medium bowl, and stir in the brown sugar and lemon-lime soda.
  6. Coat the ham with this mixture.
  7. Arrange the pineapple rings over the outside of the ham.
  8. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring, and secure with a toothpick.
  9. Bake uncovered for 4 to 5 hours, basting frequently with the juices, until the internal temperature of the ham is 160 degrees F. Be sure the meat thermometer is not touching the bone.
  10. Remove toothpicks before serving

Hope you will enjoy these recipes – please send ion your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated!

 

 

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Best Turkey Stuffing Recipes

November 8, 2010 in Recipes by Hanna Trafford

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Take a moment to Rate and Review:
Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)

This Thanksgiving, you can do your usual stuffing or you can check out these recipes and try something a little bit different. I have included the basic turkey stuffing – sometimes sticking to the basics is not a bad thing. Just remember that how your turkey cooks will be influenced by a number of factors such as:

If the turkey is partially frozen, it will need longer cooking

  • The depth and size you the pan you are using will affect heat circulation to all areas of the bird
  • The use of foil tent for the entire cooking time will slow cooking down
  • Turkey placed in a dark roasting pans will cook faster than in a stainless steel or aluminum one
  • When you use the pan lid, it will speed up the cooking
  • Stuffed turkey will take longer to cook than one without stuffing
  • The position of your oven rack can affect cooking and heat circulation
  • If your turkey or the pan you will use is too large, it will block heat circulation and affect cooking

Basic Bread Stuffing:

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 4 cups bread cubes
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • turkey or chicken broth

Directions:

  1. Sauté onion and celery in the butter until softened.
  2. Combine onion mixture with bread, pepper, eggs, salt, sage and poultry seasoning in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Stir in broth until well moistened.
  4. Enough for an 8 to 10-pound turkey.
  5. Or, bake in a greased covered shallow casserole at 325° for about 35 to 45 minutes.
  6. Take the cover off the last 5 minutes to brown.

Apple Pecan Stuffing

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups dry wheat bread cubes, about 8 slices
  • 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan, combine chicken broth, celery, onion, butter, and salt.
  2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine bread cubes, chopped apples, chopped pecans, sage, cinnamon, and pepper.
  4. Pour broth and vegetable mixture over the bread cubes.
  5. Gently stir to moisten.
  6. Spoon into a greased 1 1/2-quart casserole. Bake, covered, at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.
  7. May also use as a stuffing for an 8 to 10 pound turkey.

Bread and Oyster Stuffing

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound white bread slices, dried in a 250° oven for 1 hour, about 10 to 12 cups torn
  • 3/4 cup butter or margarine
  • 2 cups finely chopped celery
  • 2 cups finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup milk, scalded
  • 16 ounces oysters, drained
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet, sauté onion and celery in butter until tender.
  2. Tear the dried bread up into a large bowl; sprinkle with warm milk then toss.
  3. Add onion and celery mixture and the drained oysters.
  4. Stir gently to mix ingredients together. Sprinkle with lemon juice, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.
  5. Mix thoroughly but gently. Makes enough stuffing for a 14 pound turkey.
  6. This stuffing may be cooked in shallow baking pans, covered with foil, for about 25 minutes at 325°.
  7. Remove foil to brown just before serving.

Hope you have enjoyed this information – please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated


VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Best Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

November 2, 2010 in Featured Articles by Hanna Trafford

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Take a moment to Rate and Review:
Rating: 7.0/10 (3 votes cast)

Thanksgiving is one of the best family holidays – great tradition that everyone looks forward to. Are you going to go with the traditional Thanksgiving feast, or are you looking for something just a little bit different? I have put together a nice list of topics, complete with recipes and instructions to make your decision easier. Here you will find not only the very basic and traditional recipes – you will also find a complete gourmet dinner menu – enjoy!

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

All About the Thanksgiving Turkey

Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

Gourmet Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

Hope you have enjoyed this information – please send in your comments, suggestions adn experiences, your input is always welcomed and much appreciated



VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

What To Do With Peaches

August 6, 2010 in Recipes by Hanna Trafford

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Take a moment to Rate and Review:
Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)

Peaches are one of the most popular fruits and this is the season when you can see them everywhere. They can be used in a number of recipes, making delicious pies, cakes, desserts, salads, cobblers,breakfast toppings – the variety is pretty much endless.

Peaches spoil quickly, so make sure you buy only the quantity you will be able to use in a short time. When selecting the fruit, pick the ones that are fragrant and give slightly to pressure. Definitely avoid peaches that are blemished, bruised or have green coloring.

Store your peaches in a refrigerator for 3-5 days and remove about 30 minutes before eating – that will bring out the full flavour. If you get peaches that are not completely ripe, store them at room temperature .

To remove the peach skin, you could simply peel it off with a utility knife, but this process also removes quite a bit of flesh. To best remove the skin, follow these simple directions:

  1. Cut a small slit in the upper portion of the skin
  2. Place peaches in a heat safe bowl and pour boiling water to cover them. Leave them in for about 30 seconds, then submerge them in ice cold water – that will stop the cooking process.
  3. Remove peaches from cold water and using a small paring knife, pull skin off, best is to start at the top of the peach and pull downward.

Another way to peel peaches is to loosen the skin by placing them into a microwave for 15 seconds at full power and allowing them to cool for 2 minutes before peeling.

To remove a pit of a peach:

  1. Cut  around the perimeter (follow the natural indentation) , down to the pit using a small knife.
  2. Begin the cut at the stem of the peach.
  3. Slice around the entire perimeter
  4. The pit will remain in one half of the peach when the halves are separated
  5. Twist the peach halves in opposite directions until they separate from each other
  6. The pit will remain in one half of the peach
  7. Remove the pit using a knife or your fingers

Easy Peach Pie Recipe


Ingredients:

Rich Flaky Pastry Recipe

  • 6 cups of peeled, sliced peaches
  • 1-1/2 cups of sugar (or more if you want the pie sweeter)
  • 3 tablespoons of flour
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F
  2. Roll out the pie crust to 2 rounds and place one into 10 inch pie plate.
  3. In a large bowl, combine peaches, sugar, salt and flour,
  4. Pour peach filling into the pie plate, mounting the centre.
  5. Cover with the second rolled out pastry round, seal and flute as desired.
  6. Cut slits at the top of the pie and brush the top (not the edges) with milk for lighter crust or beaten egg with darker golden crust and sprinkle with either coarse or vanilla sugar.
  7. Place on baking sheet (to catch any dripping during baking) and bake for 20 minutes
  8. Reduce heat to 350F and bake for additional 40 minutes – start checking your pie after 30 minutes. When it starts bubbling – it is done.
  9. Cool on a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature and add vanilla ice cream for extra treat!

For another special treat, try Homemade Peach Streusel Pie Recipe

or

Old Fashioned Upside Down Peach Cake Recipe

There are more great peach recipes on this site – all you have to do is to use the Recipe Search button at the top of each page and try them all!

Hope you have enjoyed the information and the recipe – please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences, your inpout is always welcomed and very much appreciated


VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Top Ten Tea Biscuit Recipes

April 15, 2010 in Recipes by Hanna Trafford

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Take a moment to Rate and Review:
Rating: 7.0/10 (21 votes cast)

peanut-butter-tea-biscuitsI love making tea biscuits any chance I get. They are quite suitable to be added to any meal and the sweet versions make a great after lunch or a dinner snack. Tea biscuits are incredibly easy and quick to make and that to me that is one of the most appealing attributes – not to mention that the aroma of freshly baked goods is always, always good!

I have posted Prize winning Tea Biscuit Recipe quite a while ago and it was very well received – you can find it following this link:

Prize Winning Tea Biscuit Recipe

Top 10 Tea Biscuits Recipes

 

1. Quick Tea Biscuits

quick-tea-biscuits

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 3/4 cup milk

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F
  2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt.
  3. Cut shortening in with pastry knife or 2 butter knives until the mixture is crumbly.
  4. Add milk and stir with a fork to make a soft dough
  5. Knead about 10 times and gently roll out to desired thickness – no less than ½ inch.
  6. Cut out rounds with a cookie or biscuit cutter (I use small juice glass)
  7. Repeat by gently kneading dough into one piece and repeating cutting until you use up all your dough (do not work the dough to hard doing this or your biscuits will be tough)
  8. Place your biscuits on a greased cookie sheet
  9. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until golden and save warm
  10. You can brush them with melted butter when you take them out of the oven for extra taste.

2. Beer Tea Biscuits

beer-biscuits

Ingredients:

 

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 3/4 cup beer

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450F
  2. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt
  3. Cut in shortening until dough has crumbly consistency
  4. Stir in beer and knead gently
  5. Roll the dough out to no less than ½ inch thickness
  6. Cut with round cookie or biscuit cutter
  7. Bake 10 -12 minutes or until golden brown

3. Sour Cream Biscuits

 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons water

Directions

  1. Combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
  2. Add sour cream and mix together to make a soft dough. You can add water if you need to.
  3. Flour your hands and shape dough into desired biscuit shapes – soft round shapes work the best
  4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown

4. Cinnamon Sour Cream Biscuits

cinnamon-sour-cream-biscuits

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup margarine
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 teaspoons milk

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450F
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, soda and salt
  3. Cut in margarine and make well in the centre
  4. Add sour cream, 2 tablespoons of milk and raisins.
  5. Stir until just combined – not a good idea to overmix this (you can add more milk at this point if you need to)
  6. Empty dough onto floured surface and gently knead about 10 times.
  7. Pat to no less than ½ inch thickness.
  8. Cut to round shapes with cookie or biscuit cutter, dipping the cutter in flour between each cut.
  9. Place each biscuit onto floured cookie sheet
  10. Bake at 450F for 10-12 minutes or until golden and cool slightly on wire rack after baking.
  11. Stir together confectioner’s sugar and teaspoons of milk.
  12. Drizzle mixture over warm biscuits, then sprinkle with additional cinnamon/sugar mixture if you wish. I like using vanilla sugar and cinnamon mixture – the aroma is awesome!

5. Whipped Cream Biscuits

whipped-cream-biscuits

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

Directions

  1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Stir in cream
  3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead gently about 10 times
  4. Roll out to ¾ – 1″ thickness and cut with 2 inch round biscuit cutter
  5. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 425F for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
  6. Serve warm

6. Honey Tea Biscuits

honey-biscuits

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/4 cup cold butter
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Directions

  1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and cream of tartar in a large bowl
  2. Cut in butter until the mixture is crumbly.
  3. Stir in milk and honey – only until just moistened.
  4. Turn the mixture onto floured surface and knead gently 8-10 times.
  5. Roll out to ¾ – 1″ thickness and cut into round shapes with 2 – 2-1/2 ” biscuit cutter
  6. Place on a greased baking sheet about 1 inch apart
  7. Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown

7. Cinnamon Raisin Tea Biscuits

cinnamon-raisin-bicsuits

Ingredients

Biscuits:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup raisins

Icing:

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
  2. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly.
  3. Add milk and raisins and stir gently only until ingredients are combines.
  4. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead for about 2 minutes (You will want this dough to be nice ad smooth)
  5. Roll to no less that ½ inch thickness
  6. Cut out round shapes about 2-1/2″ in diameter with cookie or biscuit cutter.
  7. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 450F for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
  8. Combine the icing ingredients and drizzle mixture over warm biscuits

8. Upside Down Orange Tea Biscuits

upside-down-orange-bicuits

Ingredients

Biscuits:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons shortening
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons grated orange peel

Directions

  1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt.
  2. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly.
  3. Stir in milk until just moistened.
  4. Turn onto floured surface and knead gently for 10-12 minutes
  5. Roll out into 12 x 15 inch rectangle and spread with butter
  6. Combine sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over butter
  7. Roll up jelly roll style, starting from the short side.
  8. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
  9. Place upside down in a greased 9 inch round baking pan.
  10. Combine topping ingredients and pour over biscuits
  11. Bake at 450F for 20 – 25 minutes or until lightly brown
  12. Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, invert onto serving plate and serve warm.

9. Cheddar Puff Tea Biscuits

cheddar-puff-biscuits

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

  1. Bring milk and butter to boil in a large saucepan
  2. Add flour all at once and stir until you can form a smooth ball.
  3. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes
  4. Add eggs – one a time, beating well after each addition
  5. Add cheese, garlic powder and pepper, beat again until mixture is smooth and shiny.
  6. Drop by teaspoonfuls  about 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets.
  7. Bake at 350F for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden brown
  8. Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers.

10. Fluffy Whole Wheat Tea Biscuits

fluffy-whole-wheat-biscuits

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter or margarine
  • 1 cup milk

Directions

  1. Combine flours, baking powder, sugar and salt in a medium size mixing bowl and mix together well.
  2. Cut in butter until mixture gets crumbly.
  3. Stir in milk until just moistened.
  4. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead gently about 10 times.
  5. Roll out to about ¾” thickness and cut shapes with round 2-1/2 inch biscuit or cookie cutter
  6. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 450F for about 10-12 minutes until lightly browned
  7. Serve warm

Hope you enjoy these recipes – please send in your comments,suggestions and experiences – your input is always welcomed!

scan00031

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Rating: +1 (from 5 votes)

Top 10 Breakfast Muffin Recipes

September 23, 2009 in Recipes by Hanna Trafford

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Take a moment to Rate and Review:
Rating: 6.8/10 (10 votes cast)

breakfast_muffins-495x292These are my favourites and well tested muffin recipes – all great for breakfast but don’t let that statement limit you – they are great for an afternoon snack or any other time as well.

Here are some basic muffins making tips:

  • Use pre-sifted all purpose flour – if you want to use cake and pastry flour, increase the recipe by ¼ cup
  • Muffin batter needs to be mixed quickly and as lightly as possible – basically only stirring it moisten it together. The batter needs to look lumpy. If you are going to use electric mixer, use it only for putting together wet ingredients.
  • Most muffins can be baked at 375F – any higher temperature will result in leathery texture muffins.
  • If you want big, high muffins, fill your muffin cups to the top. You might want to grease the top of muffins tin as well to prevent sticking and make unmolding easier.
  • All the muffins will freeze beautifully – you just need to cool them completely, wrap them in foil and put into airtight plastic bags. To re-heat them, unwrap and bake at 350F for no more than 10 minutes.

Here is the list of my Top 10 Breakfast Muffin Recipes:

Old Fashioned Apple Muffins

Old Fashioned Apple Muffins

Old Fashioned Apple Muffins

¼ cup of shortening

¾ cups of white sugar

½ teaspoon of vanilla

1 egg, beaten

1 cup of flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

¼ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of nutmeg

1-1/2 cups of chopped apples

1 tablespoon of cream

  • Cream shortening and sugar
  • Add vanilla and beaten eggs
  • Stir together dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients, stirring just to moisten
  • Add apples and cream gently
  • Fill greased muffin cups and bake at 350F for 20 -25 minutes

Note: These taste great if you add a cup of grated cheese to the batter!

Applesauce Bran Muffins

Applesauce Bran Muffins

2. Applesauce Bran Muffins

1 cup of all bran

1 cup of buttermilk or sour milk

1-1/4 cup off unsweetened applesauce

¼ cup of molasses

¼ cup of oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1-1/2 cups of flour

½ cup of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

  • Stir all bran, buttermilk, applesauce, molasses, oil., egg and vanilla together and let stand for 5 minutes.
  • Stir the fry ingredients together
  • Aff bran mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just to moisten
  • Bake at 375F for 20 minutes
Fantastic Banana Muffins

Fantastic Banana Muffins

3. Fantastic Banana Muffins

3 large bananas

¾ cups of white sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

1-1/2 cups of flour

1/3 cup of melted butter

  • Mash bananas, add sugar and slightly beaten egg
  • Add the melted butter
  • Add the dry ingredients and bake at 375F for 20 minutes.
Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

4. Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

¾ cup of all purpose flour

¾ cup of whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

1/3 cup of oil

2/3 cup of brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup of mashed bananas

Topping:

¼ cup of white sugar

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

  • Mash bananas. Combine bananas, brown sugar, oil and egg. Beat until mixed.
  • Stir in dry ingredients together and add to banana mixture, mixing to combine.
  • 1/2 cup of chopped nuts can be added to the batter
  • Sprinkle topping on top of batter before baking
  • Bake at 350F for 20 minutes
Honey Bran Muffins

Honey Bran Muffins

5. Honey Bran Muffins

1 cup of natural bran

1 cup of buttermilk

1/3 cup of butter or margarine

½ cup of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of honey

1 egg

1 cup of flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

  • Soak bran in buttermilk while preparing the rest.
  • Cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in the honey and egg. Add the bran and buttermilk.
  • Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Add dry ingredients and stir until well moistened.
  • Bake at 375F for 15 – 20 minutes.
Cranberry Muffins

Cranberry Muffins

6. Cranberry Muffins

1 cup of cranberries

¼ cup of white sugar

1-1/2 cup of flour

Another ¼ cup of white sugar

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

¼ teaspoon of ground all spice

1 beaten egg

¼ teaspoon of grated orange zest

¾ cup of orange juice

1/3 cup of melted butter or margarine

¼ cup of chopped walnuts

  • Coarsely chop cranberries
  • Sprinkle with 1./4 cup of sugar and set aside
  • In a bowl, stir together flour, ¼ cup of sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, all spice and make a well in the centre.
  • Combine egg., orange peel, orange juice and melted butter. Add all at once to the flour mixture, stirring to moisten.
  • Fold in cranberry mixture and nuts.
  • Fill greased muffins cups and bake at 375F for 15 -20 minutes or until golden
Date Muffins

Date Muffins

7. Date muffins

1 cup of chopped dates

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 cup of margarine or shortening

Pour 1 cup of boiling water over this and let cool.

Add 1 cup of brown sugar to one beaten egg and add to cooled date mixture.

Add: 1 cup of bran

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 cup of flour

Stir to moisten

Bake at 375F for 15 – 20 minutes

Healthy Muffins

Healthy Muffins

8. Healthy Muffins

1-1/4 cup of flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

2 cups of granola

¼ cup of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

1/3 cup of oil

1 cup of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/3 cup of molasses

  • Mix together dry ingredients.
  • Blend oil, milk, vanilla and molasses.
  • Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir only to moisten.
  • Spoon into well-greased muffin cups, sprinkling with more granola on the top.
  • Bake at 375F for 15 – 20 minutes.
Oatmeal Orange Muffins

Oatmeal Orange Muffins

1 cup of oats, soaked in 1/2 cup of orange juice and ½ cup of boiling water for about 15 minutes

½ cup of margarine

½ cup of white sugar

½ cup of brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup of raisins

1 cup of flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla

  • Cream margarine and sugar. Beat in eggs and stir in oat mixture. Stir in raisins.
  • Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla.,
  • Stir until moistened. Pour into well-greased muffins cups and bake at 350F for about 20 minutes.
Marmalade Muffins

Marmalade Muffins

10. Marmalade Muffins

Peel of 1 grapefruit and 1 orange

1-1/2 cups of buttermilk

1 cup of white sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of margarine

1-3/4 cups of flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon of baking soda

  • Cut grapefruit and orange skins into a blender. Pour in buttermilk and grind fine.
  • Add sugar, salt and shortening and blend.
  • Stir in dry ingredients together in a bowl and pour rind mixture over, stirring just to moisten.
  • Bake at 375F for about 20 minutes.

Hope you enjoyed these recipes – if there is another one you are looking for, let me know and I will get it for you. And remember – your comments, suggestions and input is always welcomed!

scan000313

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Top 10 Kitchen Hints

August 7, 2009 in Household Hints by Hanna Trafford

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Take a moment to Rate and Review:
Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)

clip_cookingI always said that we can all use all the help we can get in the kitchen. And as it happens to everyone, there are things that you can be missing just when you need them, other things that need fixing when they are not what they should be… you name it. Here are a few hints to make your kitchen adventures a little bit easier!

Top 10 Kitchen Hints:

1. To Sour Milk:

Combine 1 tablespoon of lemon juice of white vinegar with fresh milk to make 1 cup

2. To Keep Scalding Milk from Scorching:

Rinse the pot or pan with hot water before using

3. To Prevent Deep Dish fruit Pies From Bubbling Over:

Place a pyrex custard cup upside down in centre of the dish. Add fruit and top with crust. Cup also lifts pastry so that it won’t get soggy.

4. To Moisten Brown Sugar Which Has Already Hardened:

Place apple slices in container with sugar and cover tightly.

5. To Make Dishwashing Easier:

Rinse egg or flour coated utensils with cold water before washing.

6. To Tint Coconut:

Place a small amount of shredded coconut in a glass jar. Add a few drops of food colouring. Cover jar and shake until coconut is coloured.

7. To Whip Evaporated Milk:

Place a can of milk in your freezer until partially frozen. Pour contents into a very cold bowl, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 2/3 cups of milk and whip as cream.

8. To Coat Chicken or Meat:

Measure flour and seasonings into paper or plastic bag. Add a few pieces at a time and shake to coat. Use remaining flour to thicken gravy.

9. To Divide an Egg:

Beat slightly and measure with a tablespoon

10. To Remove Odours from Jars and Bottles:

Pour a solution of water and baking soda into them and let stand for several hours.

Hope these tips will help you – please send in your comments and suggestions – your input is always welcomed!

scan00032

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Award Winning Homemade Chili

July 29, 2009 in Recipes by Hanna Trafford

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Take a moment to Rate and Review:
Rating: 5.7/10 (37 votes cast)

chili_-023_webI swear to you – Granny Schmidt makes the best chili in the world! She finally sent me the recipe and was surprised when I told her that I wanted to share with the world!

She just won second place in a Chili Cookout in Seaforth, Ontario, Canada – and I am sure it had to be a very, very close and the judges had a difficult decision to make!

Well – here it is – enjoy and “Thanks Granny”!

Granny Schmidt’s Award Winning Chili:

2 teaspoons of cooking oil

3 lbs. of lean ground beef

1-1/2 lb. of mild Italian sausage (casing removed)

2 stalks of celery – chopped fine

1 large red pepper

1 large green pepper

2 medium onions

2 small Jalapeno pepper (seeds removed and chopped fine)

2 large garlic cloves – minced

1 large can of diced tomatoes

2-8 oz. cans of tomato sauce

2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon granules

½ cup of honey

2 large cans (15 oz each) of red kidney beans

2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

3 teaspoons of sea salt

4 tablespoons of chili powder

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

¼ cup of white sugar

2 teaspoons of cumin

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 teaspoons of cocoa powder

1 can of dark beer

Cooking Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 325F.
  • In a large deep frying pan or Dutch oven pot, heat oil, add celery, peppers, onions and sauté for 8 minutes on medium high heat. Brown the ground beef and sausage in a separate pan (as you are frying the sausage, get the meat to come apart to have the consistency of ground pork) and when done, move all into a large oval roasting pan.
  • Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and kidney beans.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together honey, cayenne pepper, chilli powder, oregano, black pepper, salt, brown sugar and white sugar, cumin, cocoa powder and mix until well blended. Add to the ingredients in the roasting pan.
  • Pour the can of dark beer over everything in the roasting pan and mix well. Put the lid on and bake in the 325F oven for 2-1/2 – 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve with garlic toast or crusty buns.

This recipe will make about 40 cups of chili – enough to feed at least 20 people!

And just a little note: If you have any leftovers (it usually doesn’t happen – but just in case) you can package them in smaller servings as you choose and freeze them with no problem!

Enjoy and send in your comments and experiences – they are always welcomed!

scan000322


Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Rating: +6 (from 14 votes)

Apple Fritters

March 23, 2009 in Recipes by Hanna Trafford

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Take a moment to Rate and Review:
Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)

apple-fritters3

Here is a recipe for a treat, that will definitely be welcomed by your family or your friends anytime! You can serve fritters hot for breakfast, brunch, snack or dessert with vanilla ice cream on side. Sprinkled with cinnamon or drizzled with caramel sauce….. I am thinking I should just go and make some right now – don’t you? They are very easy to make and don’t take too much time to cook. Chances are that they will get eaten as fast as you can make them!

Apple Fritters:

1-1/2 cups of flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

3/4 teaspoon of salt

3/4 cups of milk

2 eggs

1 tablespoons of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and beat gently until smooth.

Pick nice firm apples, peel them, core and slice into round circles about 1/2: but no more than 3/4″ thick. Using tongues (or fork), dip each slice into batter mixture and drop into hot oil. You will need to turn the fritter over once one side turns golden brown and rise to the top of your oil. When they are cooked on both sides, gently lift them from hot oil and place on absorbent paper that will soak up excess grease. You can then either put them into a mixture of sugar and cinnamon or sprinkle them with icing sugar mixed with a bit of vanilla sugar of just place them plain  on a serving plate.

Also try: Banana Fritters by pealing firm bananas and cutting them into rounds about 1/2″ thick. Sprinkle pieces with about 2 tablespoons of sugar and about 1 tablespoon of orange juice, let stand for 20 minutes. Dip banana rounds into the batter, making sure it coat the entire piece. Drop one by one into hot oil and fry same as Apple Fritters.

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Making your own Pizza

March 22, 2009 in Recipes by Hanna Trafford

VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Take a moment to Rate and Review:
Rating: 6.0/10 (7 votes cast)

pizza-main2_fullpizzadough1

Did you ever think about making your own, totally from scratch, 100% homemade pizza? I know that it is much easier to pull one from the freezer, pop it into the oven…. or even just to pick up the phone and have the box with just made pizza brought right to your door. But there are time when you could actually experience the satisfaction of making the whole thing yourself. You are probably wondering what happens if it doesn’t turn out. It will – trust me – just follow this recipe and top itgreen_peppers1231794320

with whatever you usually love – you will impress your family, your friends and most of all – yourself!

Homemade Pizza:

1 pkg. of active dry yeast

tomatoes-sliced-tomatoes-health-benefits-tomatoes

1/4 cup of lukewarm water

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of shortening

1 cup of boiling waterwhite-group2

2-3/4 cups of flour

3 teaspoons of olive or vegetable oil

Grated Parmesan cheese

12 oz. of Mozzarella cheese

1 (28 oz.) can of tomatoes, drainedpepperoni

Toppings of your choice

Soften yeast in lukewarm water for 10 minutes. Place sugar, salt, shortening and boiling water in a large bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm, add yeast. Add 1-1/2 cups of flour and beat until smooth. Add remaining flour or enough to make the dough just barely firm enough to handle, knead until smooth on lightly floured board. Divide into thirds, knead each into a smooth ball. Flatten, the roll out with rolling pin until big enough to fill lightly greased 9″ pan or pizza plate. Press up against edges to make a slight trim. Let rise for about 15 minutes; brush lightly with oil. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, cover with slivers of Mozzarella cheese and pieces of drained tomatoes. Top with pepperoni, mushrooms,green or red peppers, thinly sliced onions…whatever toppings you usually love on a pizza. I like to finish the toppings with a mixture of shredded cheeses to make my pizza really cheesy!

Bake in moderate oven (425F) for 20 to 25 minutes ot until edges of pizza are turning golden brown.

Repeat this process with the other 2 pieces of dough – this recipe will make 3-9″ pizzas.

You will probably notice that I didn’t include pizza sauce in the recipe. If you like sauce on the pizza, it’s OK to add it – spread the pizza sauce over your crust first, then follow up with the rest of the process. Personally, I feel that it isn’t needed, the canned tomatoes work really well.

Suggested Toppings:

  • Green or red chopped peppers
  • White or red thinly sliced onions
  • Pepperoni, crisp bacon pieces, chopped ham, cooked ground beef, chopped chicken or any other meat of your choice
  • Stuffed green olives
  • Anchovies (if you really like them)
  • Cut up shrimp
  • Vegetables – like chopped broccoli

Let me know how this recipe worked for you and what you used for toppings – it is a lot of fun to get creative and make varieties of pizzas.

And one more note: You can make the dough ahead of time, make small balls and freeze them. When you are defrosting them, leave either in the fridge overnight or in room temperature until completely defrosted.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
VN:F [1.9.15_1155]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Real Time Analytics