Happy Thursday to all. Hope you are all well. We have so many gals that haven't checked in for a while. Please stop by and say hi! You are missed.
It is a cloudy morning - going to get a bit warmer today and maybe some rain. It would gladly be accepted! It looks as if our 7-day forecast will be fairly nice. YAY!
Today just a few things that are fun facts or great ideas for gifts. I know that 2 of these will be going in the gift baskets here. I love finding new things.
For those that are new here, I do foody gift baskets for all adults in my family. Homemade things, jar mixes, and fun snack items. It has become a fun family thing, and others have started doing it as well. Hey, we all have to eat!
Nice to have on the shelf ready to use for those upcoming family events! Great for cake, shortcake or dump cakes. Heck you can even make cupcakes. ENJOY
Click on the picture to enlarge for easier reading. Any that you have never heard of??
I will put in 4 oz. jars for gifting. What a treat!
Click on pic to enlarge for easier reading.
One simple ingredient can be made in so many ways! I have an old cookbook that is 100 recipes for ground beef! So versatile! Hope this gives someone ideas.
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I hope these give someone some new ideas to try. It is so nice to be sufficient enough to have HOMEMADE items on the shelf instead of store-bought convenience foods. Know your ingredients!
Have fun with these.
I mention gifts - because we all know Christmas will be here before we know it! Look how fast summer has flown by. It is time to START thinking about it. I know many of us are in preserving mode at the moment with gardens (some of that is gifts too), but in a blink of the eye - the holidays will be here.
Have a wonderful day and a great weekend!
Blessings to all.
Thank you for this Cheryl. I haven't bought a cake mix in probably 25 years so I LOVE the recipe you shared for home made cake mix for those recipes that call for a 'box mix'. I will be using that. It's raining here now and it's supposed to rain again tonight and then yep, another cool front. I will gladly take it. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. It is nice to have homemade mixes around.
DeleteIt is cloudy here - your rain should be coming this way directly. Yay on the cool front - I always love those (except winter!).
Wonderful timing on these delicious recipes. The pecan butter sounds decadent. For the past week or so I have been making do-it-yourself type mixes to fill the pantry back up for fall. Some, such as the biscuik-type mix or country gravy powder I have been using for quite awhile while others such as instant pudding mix, which I found online, are new to me. Glad to add your recipes for mixes to my collection. I like knowing and controlling what ingredients are in the mixes, I can substitute sugar with sugar free alternatives, and I find most of the time my homemade.emade versions are more cost effective than store bought... and with less packaging needed. And I just have fun with it. Julie V
ReplyDeleteI love finding new things that are mixes made at home. So many less chemicals and bad stuff in them. It is just nice to have 'in case'. Great that you are stocking your shelves your shelves yourself.
DeleteYES, the packaging is ridiculous any more as well.
These are easy and great. Good work!
Thank you for the recipes. I will use that cake one for sure.
ReplyDeleteYou are more than welcome. Sure beats a cake mix!
DeleteYou always have good ideas! Pecan butter...yum!
ReplyDeleteGoing out to pull up the last of the green beans and glean what there is on the vines. Hope to get that done before the rain. They say later in the day, but you know how that goes.
Enjoy your weekend! These fallish days are lovely.
I know right? Happy bean gleaning - I bet you end up with quite a few more.
DeleteHave a great day outdoors while you can.
I once had a great supply of pecans after vacationing in Georgia. Would be a good recipe for anyone who has a tree of their own.
ReplyDeleteWe had a downpour of rain during a thunderstorm yesterday which was much needed. I swear the garden has grown and the grass is greener already.
We are very busy with family and neighbors as this is peak vacation time. Summer will morph into fall soon and we can get back to our quiet routines.
Best wishes.....
Glad to see you post. I have been worried about you.
DeleteYay on the rain. Oh you are so right about the rain and things seemingly growing over night. I look at zucchini and boom the next day it is like "what happened"?
Have fun with family and friends. Glad you checked in.
Stop by when you can!
Very handy to have as I do want to stop buying the store bought mixes. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYep, same here. I have learned how to make up so many things at home instead of buying. Hope you enjoy.
DeleteThanks for the suggestion! I always think about doing jarred mixes, but have never actually done it. Heck, I think it would be great to have in my OWN pantry as a quick way to grab and mix. I'm in canning and preserving mode here. 10# round tomatoes quartered and canned for my daughter (9 pints; I still have plenty from last year), and 10# of spaghetti sauce (10 pints + 1 @ 4 oz for dipping, a small pizza, or single sausage sandwich) processed. The last of the Roma tomatoes have been roasted and are now cooling They'll be made in to tomato sauce and possibly sloppy joe mix, depending on how much sauce I get. Tomorrow a friend will be coming over and we'll do 20# of Romas in quarts for their household. I've also got zucchini and will be grating it for bread. I'll be making one batch this week (hopefully today) and more for the freezer, for baking in the winter months. Have a quart of green beans to prep for the freezer, too. Gonna be a busy couple of days!
ReplyDeleteExactly - like your own little store at home. They are just so handy and convenient - no matter what you make and stock.
DeleteI have canned this week as well. You go girl.
You are one busy gal this week. Look at all the pantries you are helping for the winter. That is just wonderful and will taste so good.
Have fun!
I have never herd of grunt or slump.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't either! Learn something new every day!
DeleteYes, I agree..cobbler is fruit with crust on top. Always was, always will be!! Haha!
ReplyDeleteThe for all the ground beef ideas..wow!
Yep - me too. Have always had cobbler that way.
DeleteA couple new ideas for me on the meat. Hope you found a couple too.
Good Morning Cheryl - I am still here reading your newsy letter every time, since like 2018 when I found this site. Lost my husband nearly 5 years ago and still miss him so much. But I do live alone with closest family over 550 miles away. I am 93 and no friends left near me here either (very small town and way out of the way from everything) but I do still drive my car. I maybe should get a cell phone but still thinking the wall phone is still what I am used to. Hoping your eye operation (several years ago) is still working great for you. Mine is still great after 20 some years ago.
ReplyDeleteGood morning to you. I am so glad to have you here. Losing one's mate is just the hardest thing. Nothing compares that I have experienced. I am sure losing a child would be worse.
DeleteSorry you have no one close by. You sound fisty like my sis! She is 93 as well and still drives and maintains her own life.
A cell phone may be nice to have in an emergency - you can very cheap ones for emergencies. I still have my home phone as well.
Thank you for asking, yes my eyes are great. I was so scared to have the surgery, but so happy I did. It was easy and great!
Nice to know they last a long while.
You take care of yourself and check in with us more often.
My mom made fruit crisps or crumbles, as have I. The pancake idea sounds interesting and I may try it one morning for my grandson.
ReplyDeleteWhen my kids were young and the budget was tight, we ate a LOT of ground beef in its various iterations. My mom made Spanish rice with ground beef, as well as something called pappazetti (this is the phonetic spelling), but I've never found a similar recipe. I've never made her recipe as it called for 10 medium onions chopped!
I still like crisps and crumbles. The pancake idea is kind of neat. Something different.
DeleteI still use a lot of ground beef - it is cheaper than many other kinds around here. There are just so many uses for it.
10 Onions?? Wowza! I like onion, but that is a bit much for me.
What great ideas ! Powdered milk is very expensive where I live (if I can even get it) ... would I just add more liquid milk when making the recipe ? - Madelyne
ReplyDeleteHmmm - good question. I think I might try as the recipe is, then maybe add 1/4 C more if needed. You should be able to tell on the consistency.
DeleteThanks for the recipes, Cheryl. I'm going to try a batch of the cake mix recipe using gluten free flour to see how it comes out. The pecan butter sounds divine and will be a must make here.
ReplyDeleteWe had some out of town guests a couple of weeks ago and they came down with Covid while they were here and, of course, hubby and I got it too. Today is the first day feeling human again.
Blessings. Cookie
You are very welcome. Let us know how the cake mix comes out using gluten free flour.
DeleteNot exactly the kind of gift you want from guests! Oh gosh, so sorry everyone got sick. Glad you are doing better - get rest.
All wonderful ideas Cheryl. I am going to add more of this type of thing to the boys baskets this year as well as a few handmade items. That seems to go over very well. Ground meat can be made into so many wonderful things.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Thanks. I am glad to see folks making up 'goody' baskets for family members. They are really useful and fun. Yes, they seem to go over real well. I have people who would be very disappointed if they didn't get one.
DeleteI make nut butters in the Vitaminx and I never thought of doing this with pecans, which I love pecans. Thank you for this post. Excellent idea. PS: I use maple in nut butters and it's wonderful. I imagine the pecan will work wonderfully.
ReplyDeleteFun recipe I thought. I am definitely making it. Nut butters are all so good. Thanks for the tip!
DeleteI think there's an error at the end of the maple pecan butter recipe. Says it will last for months in the fridge... Not in MY fridge!!! Days at most. Sure looks yummy!
ReplyDeleteLOL - yes, I do believe you are right!!!! It would not last me for months either! Thanks for a chuckle!
DeletePecans are pricey here so unless I find a deal I'm trying this with some other nuts. I know it's going to be a hit. Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you can turn cake mixes into cookies. So when you gift a jar of the cake mix include a cookie recipe too (find online).
Pecans are expensive. I have a really big bag I got on clearance - so I can make it. It would be good with any nut.
DeleteYes, that is a good idea. I have listed the cake mix cookie recipe here several times - great idea.
Gift baskets have always been my favorite kind of gift to give. And I used to make all kinds of mixes too! What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I did find a new house just down the road on the street we already live on. We've been eyeing it for a few months and when this new situation arrived, we felt it would be the perfect place for our family. I'll keep you posted.
I love gift baskets - so many options. Even the teens like them in my family!
DeleteCongrats of the house! That was quick - glad it is close by and you already know the area. That is wonderful! Now the real work begins!
Hello Chery have a good Friday...i am knitting for Christmas --it is humid here in New England...thank you for all your good advice.
ReplyDeleteHello - glad to have you stop by and post. Homemade things for gifts are just so nice. I like anything homemade.
DeleteHopefully after today the humidity drops out of here again for a while - hoping you get the same type weather.
You are very welcome!
Hi Cheryl, thanks for all the ground beef meal ideas. Mmm, pecan butter sounds good. I used to love cashew butter and almond butter in a sandwich with banana 🍌
ReplyDeleteSalsa made from homegrown tomatoes and peppers would make a good gift over the summer. We were given so many hot peppers I had to dry a bunch for later.
Well, hope your weekend is a good one.
Mary in OK
You are welcome.
DeleteI do make salsa for my gift baskets and grape jelly - they are expected! I have made pepper jelly before - that is good with cream cheese and crackers.
Love pepper jelly and cream cheese! I’m impressed you’ve made 🌶️ jelly! Mary in OK
DeleteI used to make it a lot as G really loved it. It is tasty - but no real reason to make it anymore.
Delete