Jello and Pudding

 Chocolate Pudding

1/4 cup  unsweetened cocoa - 1/2 cup sugar - 1 teaspoon vanilla - 2 cups milk

3 Tablespoons corn starch or arrow root - cook til thicken

Homemade jello

Ingredients 

3 cups fruit juice (I use organic cherry, apple or and grape)

1/4 cup cold or room temp water

1/4 cup hot water - not quite boiling 

1.5 tablespoons gelatin from grass fed cows - Amazon

Optional honey - didn’t use 

Directions

Add the gelatin to the cold water and stir until the texture is smooth and consistent. Add the hot water and stir again (this will thin the mixture back to a water-like consistency). Add this gelatin mixture to the fruit juice (sweetened if you so choose) and stir some more.

Then pour your jello mixture into a large bowl, and place it in the fridge to set for at least 2-3 hours (or you can pop it in the freezer if you’re impatient!). Add fruit if you want. Make jello chiffon by waiting till it’s partially set and mixing in whip cream. 

Last but not least, enjoy!

Pecan Pie/Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

Mix 2 eggs slightly beaten and 1 1/2 cups pumpkin
Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar (I use my homemade and don't pack it)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt (I don't use that much)
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves (I don't use them don't like them)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Blend into pumpkin mixture. Stir in 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk ( I just use my regular whole milk)

Pour into your favorite pie crust

Bake at 425 degree's for 15 minutes, then 350 for 40 minutes. Mine always takes longer to bake. Maybe because I use regular milk. Not sure.

Brown sugar: 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 Tablespoon molasses equals brown sugar

Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups flour  - 1/2 teaspoon salt - 1 stick of butter cold  - 4-5 Tablespoons ice water

Butter pie pan. Mix flour and salt. Cut in butter. Add ice water to form dough. Roll out on floured surface.

If prebaking bake at 425 degree's for about 8 minutes. Otherwise fill and bake.

I roll my crust thin so this recipe makes 2 pie crust's. Also I normally use more ice water then what it calls for.

I saw a cute idea where instead of using a top pie crust you can cut shapes to put across the top of pie. I saw one using stars. At Christmas you could use cut outs.

Maple Pecan Pie 

Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups flour  - 1/2 teaspoon salt - 1 stick of butter cold  - 4-5 Tablespoons ice water

Butter pie pan. Mix flour and salt. Cut in butter. Add ice water to form dough. Roll out on floured surface. Place in pie pan. 

I roll my crust thin so this recipe makes 2 pie crust's. Also I normally use more ice water than what it calls for.

FILLING

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 SFilling

• 2 and 1/2 cups (250g) shelled pecans (pecan halves)
• 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour*
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (240ml) pure maple syrup
• Whip cream when serving.

Instructions

1. The filling: Carefully spread pecans evenly inside pie crust. Set aside. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and flour together in a large bowl until combined and thick. Whisk in the vanilla extract, salt, eggs, and pure maple syrup until combined. Pour evenly over pecans.
2. Bake the pie for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. The pie filling will set as it cools.
3. Don’t forget you can use maple syrup in place of corn syrup with all recipes. And thanks to our Children Jodi and Andrew we will never run out. They make it every year. Of course all glory to God for providing the tree’s. 

Hamburger Gravy/Meat balls or loaf

 Hamburger Gravy

1 pound ground beef - 1 tsp salt - 1 tsp pepper - 1/2 tsp garlic salt - 1 tsp minced onion - 4 Tbsp butter               1/4 cup flour - 2 cups milk 

Always prepare whatever your putting gravy over first. If you cook the gravy to long while waiting it gets to thick.

In a skillet, over medium high heat, season ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic salt and onion and cook until meat is done. 

Add butter and melt. Sprinkle flour over the top of beef and stir. Cook flour 1 to 2 minutes. 

Slowly pour in milk and whisk or stir to incorporate into the flour beef. Stir occasionally let it cook until it thickens. About 5 minutes or so. 

Serve immediately over mashed potatoes, toast, noodles or rice. It is good.

Meat loaf or Meat balls

1 pound ground beef, 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup milk, 1/4 cup onion diced, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, one egg, 1/4 cup parsley chopped, 1/4 cup Parmesan shredded, salt and pepper to taste. Mix and bake. I do 375 but it says you can do 400 18 to 20 minutes.

Kombuca

3 qts distilled water - 12 cups. Boil. Then add 1 cup sugar (Should be cheap sugar not organic) and continue to boil for 5 minutes. Remove from burner add 4 bags black tea and steep for 10 minutes then remove and stir. Marylin told me to use more tea bags. 

Cool tea for at least 45 minutes. Then pour into a gallon jar. Cool for another 2 hours. You want it room temperature before you add the scobby. After 2 hours check it. Sometimes I let mine go a bit longer.

After its room temperature in the gallon jar add almost a cup of liquid from the scobby container and place the scobby dark side down in the jar. Cover with a coffer filter and use a rubber band to keep it on. Sit on counter out of sunlight. Let sir 7-10 days.

Make your own scooby

1 cup raw and unpasteurized store bought kombucha. 

1/3 cup sugar

1 qt water

4 tea bags

Make a tea batch with these measurements. Let sit 10 days untouched in warm place. 

Cooking Substitute

You can substitute mayo in your cake for the eggs and oil. 

Example if your just substituting the oil 1/2 of mayo = 1/2 of oil

Also substitute mayo for eggs. 1/4 cup for each egg. 

Self-rising flour is made by adding 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to 1 cup all purpose flour.

I use healthy oils for baking. I also replace oil for butter. If you want though you can substitute oil by using: applesauce, fruit puree or yogurt. I have used applesauce. If you make brownies and add applesauce instead of oil your kids might complain, mine did.

If you don't have buttermilk you can make your own but adding 1 Tablespoon of either fresh lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of milk. I have made it using the vinegar.

Out of eggs? Use any of these substitutes in place of 1 egg: 1/4 cup applesauce or 1/4 cup vegetable oil or 1/4 cup mashed banana.

Cut a recipe in half: 

3/4 cup is 6 Tablespoons - 2/3 cup is 1/3 cup - 1/2 cup is 1/4 cup - 1/3 cup is 2 teaspoons plus 2 Tablespoons - 1/4 cup is 2 Tablespoons - 1 Tablespoon is 1 1/2 teaspoons - 1 teaspoon is 1/2 teaspoon - 1/2 teaspoon is 1/4 teaspoon. 

Heavy Cream Substitute 

If you need heavy cream for a recipe, make your own by combining 2/3 cup whole milk with 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter. This will give you 1 cup of heavy cream. (I normally don't use unsalted butter and recipes that call for it I just use salted butter.)

Maple syrup instead of corn syrup.

  

Carrot Cake - Chocolate Cake & Frosting

My husband’s favorites 

Old Fashion Carrot Cake

Ingredients

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups sugar (I used less then 2 cups and used half white half coconut sugar. Next time will try all coconut).

1 cup canola oil (I don’t use junk oils. I used almond oil or avocado. 

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 to 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups grated carrots

FROSTING:

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

1 cup chopped walnuts, optional 

Optional: Orange and green food coloring

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and oil. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; beat into egg mixture. Stir in carrots.

2. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. I use an oblong cake pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

3. For frosting, in another large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Add enough milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Reserve 1/2 cup frosting for decorating if desired. If desired, stir walnuts into remaining frosting. 

4. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. If decorating the cake, tint 1/4 cup reserved frosting orange and 1/4 cup green. Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry or plastic bag; insert #7 round pastry tip. Fill the bag with orange frosting. Pipe 16 carrots on top of cake, so each piece will have a carrot. Using #67 leaf pastry tip and the green frosting, pipe a leaf at the top of each carrot. 

5. Store cake in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Cake

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (I use coconut sugar)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon salt (I don't use that much)
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla (I don't use)
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda AND powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil (right now I have always used avocado oil but sometime I will try almond oil)

Oven to 350 degree's. Grease and flour two nine inch or one oblong pan.
Mix all the ingredients together. Now add 1 cup boiling water. Pour into prepared pan or pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes.

You can substitute mayo in your cake for the eggs and oil. 

Example if your just substituting the oil 1/2 of mayo = 1/2 of oil

Also substitute mayo for eggs. 1/4 cup for each egg. 

Frosting

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

2 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 Tablespoons butter softened
5 Tablespoons evaporated (I use regular milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter then add the rest of ingredients. Frost and enjoy. 

Butter Frosting

1/3 cup butter softened
4 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat the butter until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the sugar. Beat well. Slowly beat in the milk, vanilla and remaining sugar. Beat well. Frost and eat.

Homemade Extracts

All the same basically. They all use Vodka. They all take 5-6 weeks. They all store in cool dry place. They all say tilt and turn upside down every few days. Someone told me they use bourbon instead of the vodka or half and half. I have made the vanilla. Very good. 

Vanilla Extract

3 whole vanilla beans - Vodka

Cut your vanilla beans in half, then split open each half to expose the vanilla seeds on the inside of the pod. Place cut vanilla beans inside your glass bottle. Add vodka, filling up to the neck of the bottle. Seal tightly and store bottle in cool, dry place. Every few days, tilt the bottle upside down to gently mix the liquids inside. After 5 to 6 weeks, you have extract. If you leave the beans, when you start running low you just add more vodka and wait a little time.

Mint

1/2 cup mint leaves - Vodka

Stuff mint leaves into your glass bottle. Using a chopstick, skewer, or other poking device, lightly bruise/crush the leaves inside the bottle. Add vodka, filling to the neck of the bottle. Every few days tilt bottle. Can't save the leaves this time and you should sieve to another bottle to get remaining leave pieces out.

Orange 

1 large navel orange - Vodka

Peel thin strips of zest from 1/2 of your orange. Place zest in bottle. Add vodka, filling up to the neck. Every few days tilt and turn upside down. 5-6 weeks later. Leave orange peel in bottle if you want. I probably won't.

Lemon 

1 large lemon - Vodka

Peel thin strips of zest from your lemon. Place in bottle. Add Vodka to the neck. Tilt.

These are from Gemma. She has almond too but a bit more complicated.