Good morning all. Hope you are all well.
I have been trying to use up leftovers this week and sometimes I make new things with them. Just using what I have.
I am thinking about the holidays as well - pre-planning.
I have more jelly to make and can. Grape is huge on the WISH list - I have grapes in the freezer and need to get them made up into jelly.
I am also thinking about making up drop cookie dough and freezing it. I do it just like the stuff you can buy at the store.
I drop onto parchment lined baking sheet and flash freeze. Then I store in containers in the freezer until needed. It sure is handy to have around, especially if you have unexpected company and need some goodies in a hurry or perhaps you just want a few warm cookies yourself.
The weather is so warm right now, it is hard to get into the holiday frame of mind!
SALADS
Lots of time I say I have salad with dinner. It may not be what you think. Salad for me does not always mean greens are involved. It can be any assortment of fresh veggies (even sometimes canned) - it can be slaw - it can be slaw with added diced tomatoes - it may be kraut with added ingredients - it may be pickles and olives - bean salad - hard boiled eggs and carrots - anything.
I had a craving for mashed potatoes this week. Of course there was extra.
Day 2 - I made potato cakes - my goodness they were soooooo good.
About 2 C mashed potatoes
1 egg
1 -2 Tbsp. flour
I added dehydrated onion and the last bits of shredded cheese from a baggy. Fried in butter until golden in each side. YUM
I made a tuna patty this week as well (instead of salmon). It was a small can of tuna in oil - so I drained part of oil and then I added crushed cheese nips (kind of stale). Seasoned and fried. Yep - no egg - the oil worked as a good liquid and the crackers were binder. Quite tasty without egg.
I love trying new ways!
Here is a tip for holiday goodies.
Anybody make buckeyes? Those little peanut butter yummies coated with chocolate? They are very tasty - but I always make a huge mess when dipping them.
Here is MY solution!!!!
Spread the peanut butter goodness in a buttered pan and then top with the chocolate. Once cooled - cut into bites! SIMPLE No more dipping. (I know they don't look the same - but they still taste the same)
BUCKEYES
1 1/2 C smooth peanut butter (I have used chunky too)
1 pound powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter (melted)
6 oz. chocolate chips
1 oz. paraffin - (for shine and set)
Combine peanut butter and powdered sugar and vanilla and melted butter. Roll into balls or spread into a buttered pan.
Melt chocolate chips and paraffin in a double boiler.
Insert toothpick into balls and dip. OR spread the chocolate over the peanut butter mixture in pan.
Let dry - store in a closed container
What have you got cooking this week? Any fun foods or special goodies?
We all need new ideas.
Have a great day!!
I like to make chicken salad with chopped apples, raisins, celery, and onion stirred in. You can also add nuts, if you like. Sprinkle with a little curry powder and let it sit for awhile before eating, to let the flavors develop.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you're making tuna salad, try stirring in 3-6 chopped green olives. It really changes up the flavor.
Love the idea of having drop cookies in the freezer! Just wish I had the space. I've got a side-by-side and freezer space is exceptionally tight.
The chicken salad sounds really good. Sounds like something I need to make soon.
DeleteI love green olives with anything!!! I usually put frozen peas in my tuna salad - Mom always did that and it is a family thing now. My brother does the same!
Bummer on the cookie dough. It sure is handy to have around.
When I was showing my house I froze cookie dough in sandwich bags, flattened so I could stack several bags. I pre-scored the dough and when I pulled them out of the freezer about a half-hour before a showing, it was easy to break the cookies apart and bake. The house smelled like fresh baking and I left them as a treat on the counter for the potential buyers. No one bought the house but some had a cookie or two.
ReplyDeleteI've been starting to think about Christmas baking - shortbread is always a must. I'd never heard of the buckeyes, but they sound easy and good.
Take care, stay well!
That is sure a good real estate trick. Fresh baked goods always makes a home smell good.
DeleteBuckeyes are a nut that grows abundantly in OH - I don't think anything about them is edible (don't think) - but people use them to make crafts. When made the original ways - it looks like the nut. Basically the taste of a peanut butter cup!
We really like potato cakes here too. I made a batch of vegetable chili we've been eating this week.
ReplyDeleteThey are just so tasty and easy.
DeleteMmmmmm - chili. A good fall/winter dish
Those tuna patties sound tasty. I will have to give them a try. Never heard of Buckeyes but the thought of eating paraffin doesn't honestly appeal.
ReplyDeleteYou can leave the paraffin out if you choose it just helps set the chocolate and make it shiny. Some people use Crisco. It is just a tiny bit. Store bought chocolate bars generally contain it.
DeleteThey taste kind of like a peanut butter cup (Reese Cup)
I make peanutbutter cups much the way that you mentioned for making your buckeyes non messily (is that even a word). I make them every Christmas and the sons just love them.
ReplyDeleteLeftover mashed potatoes here are sometimes thrown in the frying pan with some sauted onion and cooked until nicely browned. Sort of like hash browns. Though we do like potato cakes as well.
I like any method that makes things easier. As long as they taste the same - I am not particular!
DeleteI am a lover of mashed potatoes - any trick to stretch them is an A-OK in my book.
Oh I love potato cakes from leftover mashed taters. And your tuna patty looks so good. Salmon has gotten too expensive for me lately.
ReplyDeleteI've never made buckeyes before, but I like your idea. Sounds a lot easier, and peanut butter and chocolate are my favorite combination. Thanks!
Salmon is pretty darn expensive and I started making tuna patties years ago. They are milder and very tasty.
DeleteHow can you not like peanut and chocolate! Yep a yummy taste sensation.
The last two days have netted 16 jars of strawberry jam and 8 jars of cherry jam. This summer when fruit was in season I stocked in fresh berries and cleaned and cut the berries and flash froze them. When I had the time the last two days were spent making the jam. Felt good to clear out some freezer space so I can start getting Christmas baking done. Also made up a couple of homemade TV dinners for the freezer plus two full meals out of two chicken breasts, mashed potatoes and corn from the freezer. So four meals and even some chicken salad with pieces that fell apart from the breasts. Got the breasts on mark down counter and cooked them that day. So eating cheap it pretty easy when there is only one of us. But a family has it a lot harder. But when everyone was home, I would do the same thing and we still ate good on a tight budget. It just is fun sometimes to see just how far I can make food stretch. And it stretches my imagination also.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderfully constructive week. Way to go.
DeleteYou are doing so great. It is easier when feeding one - although some get in a rut as they don't care to cook for one. I was raised in a big family, and you are right, it it can sure be done on budget.
I love coming up with new ideas for food.
Keep up the great work!!!
Roger always made the buckeyes...he used to really like to fool around in the kitchen. One of his and aunt and uncle of his sold one of their own candy recipes to Brach's years ago. But he can't remember what it was.
ReplyDeleteWOW that is too cool. It must have been good.
DeleteEverything looks and sounds amazing! That salad! You've given me inspiration to make potato cakes for us this week - thanks :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you some ideas that you can use!
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