Strawberry Cake

In my search for a strawberry cake recipe for Alyssa's upcoming birthday, I found this recipe.  I do not what to be buying the strawberry cake mix from the store with all of the artificial ingredients, etc.  Also, I'm not a fan of the boxed Jello, but thought I'd at least give it a try in this recipe.  So tonight, while making dinner, I made this cake. It was delicious!!!!  So good that I have decided to try again and use some all natural gelatin instead.  Knox clear gelatin would work, but I have to figure out how much sugar and pure strawberry extract to use as well.  I changed the recipe to show the changes I made when I made the cake tonight.  I took out a container of frosting I had stored in the freezer, thawed it out and added about a cup of pureed frozen strawberries (with a little sugar added) to it.  I filled the layers with the frosting and then frosted it too. OH MY!  You could taste the yummy strawberries and the best part is knowing that...for the most part...it was natural.  I'll definitely be testing it out without the box of Jello next time.  Remind me to have guests over so I don't eat it all by myself!!  ;)

Strawberry Cake

2 cups white sugar

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs room temperature, separated

2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup fat free vanilla yogurt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup strawberry puree made from frozen sweetened strawberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter alternately with the yogurt. Blend in vanilla and strawberry puree. Whip egg whites until soft peaks form.  Fold egg whites into batter.  Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a small knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in their pans over a wire rack for at least 10 minutes, before tapping out to cool completely.

http://anwjohnston.blogspot.com/2012/06/diy-cloth-diaper-safe-laundry-detergent.html

Whole Wheat Coconut Flax Bread

Lower in Calories, higher in fiber...full of healthy goodness!  Check out my recipe below!  The texture is soft and yummy, the flavor is delish!

Whole Wheat Coconut Flax Bread

by Kara Cantwell

3 1/2 cups hot water

5 cups wheat flour

1 cup sifted coconut flour

In a medium sized bowl combine the water and wheat flour. Let mixture sit covered for 20-30 minutes.

In large PLASTIC kitchen mixer bowl combine the following:

2 Tbsp. yeast

½ cup warm water

½ cup molasses

Mix, dissolve and let it foam up. 

Add the following to the wheat flour mixture:

1/3 cup oil

1 Tbsp. salt

Mix well, and then add the wheat flour mixture to the yeast mixture.  Mix well.  Then add:

2 cups oatmeal

4 Tbsp. flaxseed meal

Mix well. 

Add enough more wheat flour so that as your mixer mixes, it will clean off the sides of the bowl. (This can be done by hand as well.  Still use the plastic bowl, as you will use less flour that way. If using a metal bowl, check the consistency several times while adding the wheat flour.)  Check the consistency to make sure the dough is slightly sticky/tacky. To do this, touch the dough with a clean try hand. When only a tiny amount sticks to your hand, it’s done.  Spread a thin layer of oil on the inside of a large plastic bowl. Spray your hands with oil. Pull the dough out of the mixer. Place the dough into the oiled bowl. Make sure the ball of dough has a thin layer of oil all over it. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap or an oiled lid. Then let it rise, in a warm place, until double. Once double in size, punch dough down.  Divide into two loaves and mush the air bubbles out.  Shape dough and place in greased pans.  Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until double in a warm place.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Rub some real butter on the top of each loaf. Enjoy!  Makes 2 loaves. 

Whole Wheat

Okay, so , I'm on a whole wheat kick.  I've been trying to find healthy ways to do many things.  Well...why haven't I just gone to whole wheat right away?  Because the wheat flour has a tendency to make things heavy and less than appetizing...to me anyway.  I want the food I make to taste good AND be healthy.  Is that really too much to ask?

I tried making a reduced calorie bread.  It was okay.  Not the greatest.  Then I was CRAVING my whole wheat bread...from when my mom used to make it when I was a kid.  Aaaaah, so many good memories!

I decided to whip up a batch!  BUT after learning a few things about working with Wheat Flour I changed the recipe a bit.  It came out SO stinking good!!!  Here's the recipe:

100% Whole Wheat Bread

by Kara Cantwell

3 cups hot water

5 ¼ cups wheat flour

In a medium sized bowl combine the water and wheat flour. Let mixture sit covered for 20-30 minutes.

In large PLASTIC kitchen mixer bowl combine the following:

2 Tbsp. yeast

½ cup warm water

½ cup molasses

Mix, dissolve and let it foam up. 

Add the following to the wheat flour mixture:

1/3 cup oil

1 Tbsp. salt

Mix well, and then add the wheat flour mixture to the yeast mixture.  Mix well.  Then add:

2 cups oatmeal

Mix well. 

Add enough more wheat flour so that as your mixer mixes, it will clean off the sides of the bowl. (This can be done by hand as well.  Still use the plastic bowl, as you will use less flour that way.)  Check the consistency to make sure the dough is slightly sticky/tacky. To do this, touch the dough with a clean try hand. When only a small amount sticks to your hand, it’s done.  Spread a thin layer of oil on the inside of a large plastic bowl. Spray your hands with oil. Pull the dough out of the mixer. Place the dough into the oiled bowl. Make sure the ball of dough has a thin layer of oil all over it. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap or an oiled lid. Then let it rise, in a warm place, until double. Once double in size, punch dough down.  Divide into two loaves and mush the air bubbles out.  Shape dough and place in greased pans.  Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until double in a warm place.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Rub some real butter on the top of each loaf. Enjoy!  Makes 2 loaves. 

So then...I decided that I NEEDED some Banana Bread!  Yes...it was a need!  I had never made it with wheat flour, but I was feeling empowered by my success with the wheat bread, so I thought...what the heck...let's do it!  It turned out amazing!  BUT you must follow the directions and leave the batter to sit so that you don't get that heavy, grainy wheat flour consistency.  Unless, of course, you enjoy that consistency.  Then by all means, disregard that part.  Otherwise, follow the directions and you will have a tasty treat!!

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

2 Tbsp. oil

6 Tbsp. fat free yogurt

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

3-4 mashed bananas

1 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. warm tap water

1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

In mixing bowl, mash bananas.  Add oil, yogurt, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and water.  Mix. In separate bowl, mix wheat flour, soda and salt.  Add banana mixture.  Mix until all ingredients are incorporated and moistened.  Let the bowl of batter sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes so the wheat flour can absorb the moisture.  Grease one loaf pan.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes…or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Run a butter knife along the edges of the pan to loosen the bread from the pan.  Cool bread on cooling rack.  Serve and enjoy!  Yummy!!! 

Cookies

So, while my sister was here visiting we were focusing on eating right and doing the Simply Filling Weight Watchers plan.  We were having fun coming up with good food ideas that we could enjoy...while losing weight at the same time.  In my brilliance...and ignorance...I decided I should try to make Monster Cookies with Stevia...so that they wouldn't be so many points.

Hmmm...

The dough had that Stevia aftertaste, but I thought...what the heck, let's give it a try.  It probably didn't help that I was so stuffed silly from overfilling myself at Olive Garden (for Juli's birthday...and NO that is NOT Simply Filling...it's just eating fun foods LOL!).  I couldn't even think about food.  It sounded gross.  So I made the Stevia cookies.

I mean, come on!  I says RIGHT on the package that you can use Stevia, cup for cup, in the place of sugar. Hahaha!  I think I ate 3 or 4 bites of this cookie.  Ugh!  They were so yucky.  The consistency was off.  The aftertaste was strong. I could barely taste the peanut butter.

The kids noticed them and wanted to try them.  So I let them.  They loved them.  WHAT?  Silly kids!  Maybe they need to check their tastes buds.  Are they malfunctioning today?  HAHA! I let them have the cookies for Supper....cause I'm such a cool Mom, right!  They LOVED it!  Really they were eating mostly peanut butter and oatmeal.  :)

Juli was so full from lunch that she couldn't even think about food without feeling yucky.  She didn't try them. But another friend did. Let's just say...the kids all have messed up taste buds!

Today I made the Monster cookies again, because I wanted some that tasted good.  SOOOO much better! I guess the moral to my story is...if the dessert is good don't try to alter it.  Just enjoy it as the treat that it is!  Save the healthy new ideas for meals.  I don't screw those up very often anymore!


Monster Cookies
by Sister Steavens (Mission president’s wife from Sister Bowden’s mission)
1-Mix well:3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups peanut butter

2-Stir in:4 ½ cups rolled oats

3-Add if wanted in ½ cup amounts:M&M’s, Reese's Pieces
Chocolate Chips
Dried fruit
Chopped Nuts

Drop on lightly greased cookie sheets (large or small).  Flatten gently. Bake at 350 degrees.  10-12 minutes for small cookies, 12-14 for larger cookies or until lightly browned. Let sit on cookie sheet for a few minutes.  Cool on rack.  

Enchiladas...Yummy!

I have used either the canned stuff or the packets that you add to the tomato paste and water, in the past. Needless to say, I have not made enchiladas in a long time.  I hate all the msg and other yucky ingredients.  Today I searched online for recipes and this one had awesome reviews.  I added a couple of ingredients and decreased the salt.  It is delish!!!  

After making the sauce...I poured a thin layer of sauce in bottom of 9x13 pan. Then I cooked up about 2 pounds of chicken along with some onion and bell pepper in some canola oil.  Once the chicken was cooked through I added the Enchilada sauce to the meat mixture.  I scooped about 1/4-1/3 cup of the mixture into a small taco size tortilla, sprinkled on some cheese and laid it, seam side down, in the prepared pan.  Once the pan is full, pour more sauce over the top to coat.  Then sprinkle more cheese on.  Bake @ 375 degrees until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted.  Enjoy!!! 

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8-1/4 cup chili powder, to taste with more chili powder the spicier ( I used 3Tbsp)

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt (1/4 tsp)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

2 teaspoons sugar

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp garlic powder

cayenne, to taste if you want more spice (I didn't use this.  My kids don't like spicy foods at all!) 

Directions:  Heat oil with cornstarch in saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute.  Add in chili powder and cook for another minute.  Gradually stir in the broth, mixing well with a whisk to make sure you get out the lumps.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.  Simmer until thickened on low.
http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-enchilada-sauce-222519?oc=linkback

Job Description

Some of the things you NEVER hear about being a stay-at-home mom would make some turn quickly on their heels and run away screaming in hysterics.  I think it's one of life's best kept secrets.  Being a stay-at-home mom is one of the most rewarding jobs that exists.  AND at the same time the HARDEST, most challenging career any woman could choose to pursue.  The blessings greatly outweigh the costs, but at times I can easily see why women might want to quit...and run away screaming!

The paycheck stinks...let's be honest now.  LOL!
The hours are horrific.
The job description is scary.

I mean WHAT would it say, if it were listed in the classifieds?

In need of good, strong courageous women who are willing to be up at all hours of the night; becoming sleep deprived beyond compare.
Willing to clean up after little people again and again and again...and even yet again!
Willing to clean up ANY bodily fluid at a moments notice.
Able to clean crayon and marker off the walls.
Needs to be good at cooking, cleaning, doing mounds and mounds of stinky laundry,wiping tears, kissing booboos, wiping boogers, stopping fights, reading bedtime stories, playing pretend, giggling and being silly, getting dirty, being creative, consoling a crying child...

It's is an overwhelming task that without the help of my Heavenly Father, I wouldn't be able to do it.  But somehow the positive outweighs all of those negatives.  There are days when I want to rip all my hair out...but then I'd be bald and that just wouldn't be very flattering!  So, I choose an alternative.  I fall to my knees and ask for help.  I don't have a clue how to do it all.  But Father in Heaven does!

So, even though this job is the hardest I have ever had, it is the best job too.  I am so thankful to be able to see the good things that come.  What trials we thought we could never get through have a way of passing and then we look back and see how far we have come; what we have learned that we might not have learned otherwise; we see the blessings.  I love the tiny things...the firsts.  The first smile, laugh, belly laughs, sitting up, crawling, the wonder of discovering their hands, the first words.  I love when they want to be "BIG" just like me.  I love when they find joy in Heavenly Father's creations; and no matter how often they see them they bring wonder and happiness to their eyes.

The first day of Nursery is sometimes scary and eventually they learn to love it.  The first day of school is terrifying and exciting and I learn to let go a little.  Now TJ is 14 and has had his first dance.  He'll start High School in a few short weeks...along with early morning seminary. Before I know it he'll be heading off on his mission.  When I think about it that way, I enjoy the sitting and holding the baby even more.  I soak up every moment with them.  We don't have to be perfect house keepers or perfect at making fabulous dinners.  We have to try our best.  One moment at a time.

I think peanut butter and jelly for supper is a wonderful idea!!!

Mending

There are those things that we put off until we have time to do them. And eventually we find a free moment and we remember that thing that needs doing and we finally get it done.

I have been meaning to fix Alex's winter jacket for about 8 or 9 months now.  We bought it new last year. After a short time wearing it Alex came to me and showed me how frustrating it was to zip. You see...the way it is made, there is a flap of material that is supposed to lay flat behind the zipper. I'm still unsure of it's purpose. I'm sure someone in the sewing world would know this random piece of information right off the top of their heads. But not me.

This lovely little flap kept getting caught in the teeth of the zipper EVERY time he tried to zip it up. Even though I tried to show him how to protect the fabric by putting his finger behind the zipper as he zipped up, the material began to tear. Finally,after there were a few small tears plus a larger, more noticeable one, he decided he didn't want to wear it anymore and we found an old coat of TJ's that was stashed somewhere, forgotten, and he wore that instead.

So today, while folding laundry, I finally found the determination to get this job completed. I took the flap, folded in half toward the zipper, while tucking the torn part inside, and sewed it down with a quick whip stitch (thanks to Cheryl Helm for teaching me that lovely little stitch!). It was a bit tedious and time consuming, to say the least. Once the hand stitching was complete I took that lovely flat and layed it flat, against the inner lining of the jacket, away from the zipper.

Then I used the sewing machine and did a simple, but effective, straight stitch from the inside of the jacket with a color that matched the jacket. Once complete, I put the jacket onto Alex and showed him how smoothly it glided up and down because that silly little flat was effectively tucked away. It didn't seem to impress him all that much, but it put a smile on my face! I just saved myself some money. :) That ALWAYS makes me smile!!

Now, when I purchase a jacket that has one of those flaps, I am going to take it home and sew the flap back against the inside of the jacket.