How To Freeze Peaches
I love peaches, I love peaches even more when they are frozen!!! As a kid, my mom would always buy bulk peaches when in season and freeze them in big batches. I liked eating them when they were still frozen but found it difficult when frozen in large batches. So I came up with this idea…its cheap, easy, healthy and tastes great!!!!
Free stone peaches
Sugar (keeps them from turning brown)
Directions:
Slice your peaces into thin slices, no need to peel them…just make sure they are washed. Place slices on a wax paper (or parchment paper) lined cookie tray. Sprinkle with sugar. Place tray into freezer (make sure you have an empty shelf ready to go!) Once peaches are frozen, remove from tray and place into ziploc bag. Get all the air out of the bag and place in freezer again. This makes a wonderful…healthy snack during the summer. You can enjoy them one at a time or ten at a time! ENJOY!
Note: You can do the same thing with fresh mangos. Did it today and what a healthy cold treat!!!
Just for Mom Fruit Salad
- 1 can prepared lemon pie filling
- 12 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 – 15 oz. can tropical fruit salad, drained
- 1 – 15 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained
- 2 – 11 oz. cans mandarin oranges, drained
- 2 cups fresh strawberries
Mix lemon pie filling and whipped topping together in a large bowl. Add fruit to mixture and chill in refrigerator from 4 hours to overnight.
When ready to serve, top with fresh strawberries or fruit of your choice and whipped topping.
Avocado Papaya Salad
- 4 ripe papayas
- 2 small avocados, diced
- 1/3 c cashews, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 c cilantro, chopped
- Juice of one lime
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 c arugula, chopped
Halve 2 of the papayas and discard seeds. Set aside.
Peel the other 2 papayas and discard seeds. Cut into small chunks and place in a medium bowl.
Add avocados, cashews, cilantro, lime juice and shallot to diced papayas and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with arugula.
Fill the 4 scooped out papayas with salad and serve.
Thanks go Carrie for this wonderful recipe. Click here for more whole foods recipes.
4th Of July Dessert Recipes
Flag Cake
• 1 package cake mix (white or yellow) *
• 8 oz whipped topping (thawed)
• 1 pint blueberries rinsed and drained
• 2 pints strawberries rinsed and sliced
Prepare cake according to package directions and bake in a 9×13 inch pan. Cool completely.
Frost cake with whipped topping. Place blueberries in a square in the top left corner, and arrange sliced strawberries as stripes to make an American flag. Chill until serving.
* using a store bought cake mix is a great time saver, but when I can, I just make up a batch of this yellow cake recipe. It doesn’t take much longer to make and tastes better.
A fun healthy snack or dessert is these simple fruit kabobs. They look very pretty as well.
4th of July Fruit Kabobs
• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Large Fresh Blueberries
• Kabob Skewers
Slice bananas into large chunks. Alternate fruit on skewers. Serve immediately.
Last but not least here is a fun dessert that also doubles as a simple activity for the kids. I recommend you either do this outside and have the kids work with the sprinkles over paper plates for easy cleanup.
Pretzel Sparklers
• Long rod pretzels
• White chocolate, melted or white chocolate frosting if you have younger kids doing this.
• Sprinkles (red, white and blue) or star cake decorations
Melt the white chocolate. Dip the pretzel rod halfway into the melted chocolate then sprinkle the sprinkles over the wet chocolate. Lay on waxed paper or place in a cup to dry.
Watermelon Sorbet Recipe
Here’s a simple summer dessert that’s perfect when you have some watermelon leftover. It’s a light and airy watermelon sorbet that you can make either in an ice cream maker or following the special directions below to make it using your freezer and a food processor. Either way it’s a delicious frozen treat that you don’t have to feel bad about indulging in.
Watermelon Sorbet
- about 6 cups of watermelon cut into small chunks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp lime or lemon juice
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
Start by adding the watermelon to your blender. You want to blend it into a smooth mixture. Depending on the size of your blender you may want to do this step in two or even three batches. Pour the watermelon puree (it’s very watery) into a large bowl.
Put about 1/4 of the watermelon mixture into a large sauce pan and heat it with the sugar, and lime juice over low heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Add the salt and the remaining watermelon puree. Last but not least stir in the corn syrup making sure it gets well incorported.
Allow this mixture to cool, then stick it in the fridge. Once the sorbet mixture is well chilled, get out your ice cream maker and freeze the sorbet in it according to the manufacturer instructions.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the sorbet mixture into a large casserole dish or baking pan and stick it in the freezer overnight. Cut it into large chunks the following day and throw those in your food processor. Pulse it lightly until you get a nice sorbet consistency.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a week.
How To Make A Watermelon Smoothie
Watermelon smoothies are a great healthy way to stay cool and refreshed this summer. They are very simple to make and you can very them up quite a bit. These smoothies are also the perfect way to use up all that extra watermelon that’s left when you buy a big one. Here’s how to make these simple smoothies.
Start by cutting some of the watermelon into bite sized chunks. Make sure the rind is off and you remove any seeds. Now you’re ready to work on your smoothie.
Watermelon Smoothie
- 3 cups watermelon chunks
- 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (option)
- 1 tsp lemon or lime juice
- sugar to taste if needed
Put everything into your blend and blend until smooth. If the watermelon is good and ripe you should not need any extra sugar. It should also provide enough moisture to turn this into a deliciously creamy smoothie. If the mixture seems a bit try, add a splash of milk or fruit juice to thin it out.
You can also leave out the yogurt if you prefer and just increase the watermelon chunks to 4 cups.
Cucumber Watermelon Soup
Two of my favorite summer flavors are watermelon and cucumber. They are both so refreshing. This simple cold soup combines the two for a perfect summer treat. It makes a great healthy snack when you need to cool down on a hot summer day. It’s also a perfect appetizer when you are entertaining outside in the summer.
- 3 cups of watermelon chunks (seeds and rind removed)
- a splash of lime or lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley
- 1 small cucumber (peeled and seeds removed)
- pinch of salt
Get out your blender and add the watermelon chunks, lime or lemon juice and cilantro. Blend everything until it is getting pretty smooth. Cut your cucumber into chunks and add it to the blender along with a little salt. Blend until there are still some small cucumber chunks in the soup. Taste and add more salt if needed. Chill the soup in the fridge before serving.
If you prefer a completely smooth soup, put everything in the blender at once and process until smooth.
No Waste Fresh Apple Cider
I discovered this purely by accident. I was simmering down some apples in my crock pot to make apple pie filling. I put them on low and left.
When I came back I noticed that I had put way too much water on them so I just caught the apples in a slotted spoon and fished them out for my filling. I noticed however the excess water smelled very strongly of apples.
I added some sugar and cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cardamum, ginger and about a teaspoon of lemon juice to make it tangy, stirred it all up and gave it a taste. Miraculously my unappreciated apple water had become delicious spicy cider.
I chilled it causing all of the little bits of apple pulp to go to the bottom and all that was left to pour was delicious, clear, juice. Nothing bought, nothing wasted.
I came out with almost half a gallon of cider but with a whole cup of sugar it was too sweet. I would recommend half a cup of sugar per half gallon of juice. Ii also don’t see why other fruits would not work just as well like plums, cherries, peaches or pears.
Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama
Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.
Get your copy today at:
www.HillbillyHousewife.com/penny
Thanksgiving Smoothie Recipe
I love this smoothie as a healthy breakfast the day after Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving morning while I’m busy cooking.
- 1 can (16 oz.) cranberry sauce
- 1 bag (16 oz) frozen unsweetened peach slices, partially thawed
- 1 container (6 oz) vanilla yogurt
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Add everything in blender and blend until smooth. Depending on how sweet your peaches are and how tart the cranberry sauce (and of course depending on your personal taste) you may want to add a little sugar or sweetener to your smoothie.
I always grab a few extra cans of cranberry sauce, just for this smoothie. Cranberries are full of antioxidants and I need all the help I can get after eating all turkey and stuffing.
Cranberry Apple Sauce Recipe
- 1 can cranberry sauce (can use jellied or whole berry)
- 1 pint applesauce
Mix well and chill before serving. This is good with turkey or ham, even pork chops or grilled chicken.
Submitted by HBHW reader Susan
Loretta’s Carrot Raisin Salad
HBHW Reader Loretta shares her favorite summer recipe.
- 2 LBS SHREDDED CARROTS (2 BAGS)
- 1 CUP MAYO
- 1 CAN CHUNK PINEAPPLE; DRAINED
- 1 CUP RAISINS
- 1/2 CUP SUGAR
- 1 CUP WALNUTS (OPTIONAL)
Mix well and chill for 2 hours. ( The longer the better)
This is a simple recipe, but it’s so good and healthy too! This recipe goes well with a B-B-Q or a regular meal! (I eat this as a snack) It’s great for a quick pick-me-up, as well.
My name is Loretta Craig and I’m a wife, mother and grandmother. I’m the author of 6 novels to date, working on 2 more at the moment and I love to cook!
Classic Waldorf Salad Recipe
This is a great apple Waldorf salad recipe. Perfect for dessert, potlucks or even a light lunch.
- 3 or 4 apples, unpeeled, cut from the core, and chopped into bite size pieces (about 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 2/3 cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup walnuts (optional)
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Don’t bother peeling the apples unless their skins are really unattractive. Cut up 3 or 4 of them, until you get about 2-1/2 or 3 cups of chopped apples. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the apples. The acid in the lemon juice prevents the apples from turning brown. The raisins will taste best if you plump them first. Do this by measuring them into a cereal bowl and adding enough warm tap water to cover them completely. Allow them to sit for a few minutes, absorbing the water, and softening up. Drain them very well when you need them. I actually squeeze them to make sure they are very dry. Chop up the celery, it should take about 2 stalks or so. I add black walnuts because I get them for free, but you can use regular walnuts or omit them completely if you don’t have any handy. Mix everything together in a medium sized bowl with the mayonnaise and sugar, coating all of the ingredients with the mayonnaise. It is now ready to serve, or you can chill it overnight and serve it tomorrow instead. This is so crunchy and chewy, it is perfect contrast for a meal which is soft, or easy to chew. This recipe serves 6.
The Hillbilly Housewife Recommends – Dining On A Dime
The Dining On A Dime Cookbook is packed with over 1,200 money saving recipes and tips, kids tips and snack ideas, gift baskets, menus, food storage directions, Cleaning Cents and Pretty for Pennies. The recipes are easy to cook with ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. To make shopping easy and economical, it also includes a pantry list and a shopping list.
Order your copy today at http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/dime
Banana & Carrot Salad
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 2 bananas, sliced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/3 cup yogurt or sour cream
First shred your carrots. You can peel them before hand or not as you see fit. Then shred them on a cheese grater by hand, or in the food processor if you have electricity. Peel the bananas and slice them into 1/2 inch rounds. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle them with the lemon juice. This will keep them from turning brown, and also make the salad a little tangier. Add the shredded carrots, sugar and yogurt or sour cream. I prefer it made with yogurt, but some folks swear it isn’t right unless you use sour cream, so make your own choice according to the ingredients you keep on hand. Stir it all up gently and chill. Stir before serving. This salad is a real kid pleaser, it is sweet, and orange, and smiles at them from their plate. You can serve it on lettuce leaves to be fancy, or just put a glob on the plate next to the fried tofu. Serves 6.
Apple Pie
- Easy Pie Crust
- 6 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon margarine
First prepare the crust as directed in the recipe for Easy Pie Crust. Roll out both the top and bottom crusts. Carefully fit the bottom crust into a 9″ pie plate. Next prepare the apples. This is tedious work. I have peeled and cored and sliced a lot of apples in my time. I used to try to hurry up and make the work go faster. Forget it. Hurrying up the preparation of pie adds resentment to the finished product. Pies are made from love and compassion and generosity. Now I just accept that it will take a full 45 minutes to make an apple pie, from preparing the crust, to peeling and slicing the apples, and finally getting it into the oven. Apple pie is one of those great times available in our fast paced society that allows us to slow down and enjoy the process. But, I’ll get off my soap box and back to the recipe.
In a medium size bowl toss together the apples, sugar, flour, seasonings and lemon juice. Get everything evenly distributed and dump the apple filling into the crust lined pie plate. Mound the apples slightly in the center to make it pretty. Dot the surface with tiny bits of margarine. This keeps the filling from boiling over in the oven.
Gently ease the top crust over the filling. Trim the edges of the crust if necessary. Turn under and crimp or seal the edges of the pie. You can make a high fluted rim if you are so inclined. It isn’t that much work. Cut a few slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape. Bake the pie at 425 degrees for 40 minutes, or until quite done. If the edges brown too quickly, tear off three narrow strips of aluminum foil, and secure them to the edges in a large circle. Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool quite a bit before serving. Serve with Whipped Topping if desired, or vanilla ice-cream. Sit back now, and taste the history.
Berry Pie
- Easy Pie Crust
- 3 to 4 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries or blackberries (see note at bottom of recipe)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (the secret ingredient)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon margarine
First prepare the pie crust for a double crust pie by following the directions for Easy Pie Crust. Fit the bottom crust into a 9″ pie plate. In a medium sized bowl toss together the blueberries, sugar, flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon juice. I use my hands to mix it up, but if you’re squeamish, you can use a big spoon. Dump the blueberry filling into the prepared pie crust. Dot frugally with margarine. The margarine keeps the filling from boiling over too much while it bakes. Gently ease the top crust over the blueberries. Crimp or fold the edges of the top and bottom crusts together to seal them neatly. Cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325° and continue baking for about 40 minutes. If the edges brown too quickly, take narrow strips of tin foil (it takes 3 of them) and fit them around the edges to keep them from burning.
This is just about my favorite pie in the whole wide world. Allow it to cool before serving. For a tasty treat that is out of this world, serve this pie with a small scoop of vanilla icecream or homemade Whipped Topping. Mmmmm, decadent.
NOTE: This recipe can also be prepared with raspberries or blackberries instead of blueberries. Omit the nutmeg and lemon juice, especially if you are using wild berries you’ve picked yourself. Wild berries have a pleasant tartness all their own, making the addition of lemon juice quite redundant. Depending on the sweetness of your fruit you may want to increase the sugar to 1-1/4 or even 1-1/3 cups. Let your taste buds guide you. The secret ingredient of wild berry pies is the super fresh flavor of their wildness. Compared to domestic berries, the wild ones are an adventure.
Banana Cream Pie
- 1 pre-baked Pie Crust
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2-1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 tablespoon margarine
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 or 3 bananas, sliced and sprinkled with a spoonful of lemon juice
- 1 cup of real cream, whipped or about 3 cups Whipped Topping
First prepare the pie crust using half of the Pie Crust recipe, pre-baking it as directed. Next make the filling. Get out a 2 quart saucepan. Measure the sugar, cornstarch and salt into the pan. Use a fork to mix it all up nicely. Gradually whisk in the milk a little at a time, stirring all the while. Cook and stir over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Be careful not to scorch the bottom. Boil gently for a full minute and then remove from the heat. Quickly beat in the eggs. This is the tricky part. You have to work very fast or else the eggs will cook, making little strings in the pie filling. It still tastes good, but the strings are a little crude looking in the pie. Another way is to temper the eggs first. Do this by beating the eggs in a cereal bowl. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot pie filling to the eggs and stir them up quickly. Then dump the egg/pudding mixture back into the saucepan and whisk it up. Tempering the eggs means you raise their temperature gradually, easing their transition into the hot pudding. Bring the mixture to a boil again and remove it from the heat. Stir in the margarine and vanilla.
While all of this is happening, you need to slice up your bananas. Sprinkle them with a little lemon juice to prevent them from browning. Scatter the bananas in the bottom of the cooked pie crust. Pour the hot pie filling on top of the bananas in the cooked pie crust. Chill until quite cold.
When the pie is cold, top it with sweetened whipped cream or Whipped Topping. I prefer to use my recipe for whipped topping, because it is healthier and chemical free. Regular whipped topping may be used though, and for special days, nothing beats real whipped cream. Serve to a thankful family who will remember this pie when they are grandparents.
Peach Crisp from Canned Peaches
- 2 29-ounce cans peaches
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Topping:
- 1/3 cup margarine, softened or melted
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 400°. Open up the peaches and drain the juice into a small saucepan. Arrange the peaches in a lightly oiled 2-quart baking dish. If they are in large pieces then cut them into slices or chunks. Set the peaches aside.
Add the sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch to the drained peach juice. Stir it well with a small whisk or fork. Continue stirring until the cornstarch is dissolved. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until it boils. You will have to stir it a lot to keep it from sticking and to prevent lumps. The mixture will become very thick as it cooks. When the mixture boils, continue cooking and stirring for a full minute. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it over the peaches in the dish. Stir the mixture gently so the peaches will be evenly covered with the sauce.
Meanwhile, combine the topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Use a fork to mash them together until they are crumbly. Scatter the topping thickly over the peaches. Bake the crisp at 400° for 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly. Allow the crisp to cool for 20 minutes before serving. This will keep it from burning anyone. Serve with half and half or whipped cream or ice cream.
Makes 8 good-sized servings.
Deep Dish Pie from Canned Peaches
Crust:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 3 tablespoons cold water
Filling:
- 2 – 29 ounce cans of peaches
- 2 cups juice from the canned peaches (add water to make 2 cups if necessary)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
First prepare the crust. In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Add the shortening, and mash it into the flour until it is crumbly. Add 3 tablespoons water and stir to combine. Now use your hands to press everything together to try and form a ball of dough. If it is too crumbly, then add more water a little at a time. You may not need any water. You may need another tablespoon, maybe even more. Keep pressing and gently kneading the mixture together until you get a stiff pie dough. Rip off two sheets of waxed paper. Place the ball of dough between the sheets and flatten it some with your hands. Use a rolling pin, or sturdy bottle or jar to roll the dough out between sheets of waxed paper. Work slowly and diligently, trying to make a large rectangle, a little bigger than your baking pan (I use a 9 by 9-inch square pan, but a 2-1/2 quart casserole would also work very well). It doesn’t have to be perfect, so just do your best and don’t worry about it. When you are done, set the dough (still wrapped up in the waxed paper) aside while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
Drain the juice from the canned peaches into a measuring cup. If you have more than 2 cups of liquid, you can drink or discard the extra (I put it in kool-aid usually). If you don’t have 2 cups of liquid, then add enough water to make 2 cups.
In a very large saucepan, combine the cornstarch, sugar and nutmeg. Gradually stir in the peach liquid, and the lemon juice. Stir to dissolve the cornstarch. Heat the mixture over a medium flame, stirring very frequently. You could even stir constantly, if you had a mind to. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for at least a minute, or until the mixture is very thick. Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir in the canned peaches. The mixture will thin out some. Turn the thick peach filling into a well oiled 2-1/2 quart casserole dish, or an oiled 9 by 9-inch square pan.
Loosen the waxed paper on both sides of the rolled out crust. Arrange it carefully on top of the filling. Crimp the edges if you have enough dough, otherwise, just let them lay where they fall. Score the dough into 6 servings. Bake it at 425° for about an hour. The top will be golden brown, the filling will be bubbly, and it will be very hot. Allow it to cool for a little bit before serving. Great with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream. This is a delicious way to make a very elegant dish out of inexpensive canned peaches.
Apple Cobbler
Biscuit topper:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup melted margarine
- 1 medium egg
- 1/4 cup milk
Prepare this while the apples are cooking. First get out a medium sized bowl. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl. Add the margarine, egg and milk. Mix very well, forming a soft dough, or thick batter. Set aside.
Apples:
- 6 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger or cinnamon
- 1 1/4 cups tap water
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons margarine
Get out a large saucepan. In it combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Gradually add the tap water, stirring to dissolve the cornstarch. Add the raisins. Cook and stir until the mixture is boiling. Add the apples, lemon juice and margarine. Continue cooking until the apples are very hot and begin to soften some. Don’t over cook though, or the apples will turn to mushy applesauce. A full five minutes of cooking the apples should be enough. While everything is cooking, you can prepare the biscuit topper recipe above. Turn the apple mixture into a well oiled 2 quart casserole dish, or an 8″ square pan. Drop the prepared biscuit dough onto the very hot apple mixture by large spoonfuls. The apple mixture has to be very hot so that the biscuit dough will start cooking right away. If the apple mixture is cold, it will make the cobbler dough pasty. Bake the cobbler at 425° for about 25 minutes. The biscuit topper will be golden brown and the apple filling will be bubbling. If you want to be fancy you can sprinkle a spoonful of sugar over top of the cobbler dough right before putting it into the oven. It makes the dish sort of pretty when it comes out of the oven. Serve it hot with whipped topping or ice cream for an extravagant dessert. Serves 6.
Banana Honey Cake
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup margarine (1 stick), melted
- 1 cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup yogurt (homemade is fine)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Mash the bananas in a large bowl. Try to get them as lump-free as you can. Add the melted margarine, honey and eggs. Beat well. Add the vanilla and yogurt. Continue beating until the mixture is relatively smooth. Sprinkle in the baking soda, baking powder, salt and whole wheat flour. Beat for 30 to 40 strokes, or until everything is evenly combined. Turn the batter into a well oiled 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan. Bake at 350° for about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven when the top springs back when you lightly press on it with a clean finger. Allow to cool before frosting. Cut into 24 pieces and serve.
Variations: If desired you may add a cup of raisins or chopped walnuts, or both. Raisins are best if you soak them for a few minutes in hot tap water. This plumps them up and makes them juicy. Drain the raisins well before stirring them into the batter. Other nuts may be used instead of walnuts, but walnuts are traditional. Personally I like almonds in this cake just as well as walnuts.
Chunky Crockpot Apple Sauce
- 8-10 large tart cooking apples, peeled, cored, and cut in chunks
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 to 1 cup granulated sugar or Splenda
Combine ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Serve warm, if desired.
Submitted by HBHW reader Susan S.
Isn’t it amazing what a variety of dishes you can cook in your slow cooker? Take this crockpot rotisserie chicken recipe for example. It’s just one of many crockpot recipes our readers submitted.
Ready to learn more about crockpot cooking? Get my Crockpot Cooking Made Simple ebook today and find out how you can work this into your meal plan, how to choose a good crockpot and most importantly how to convert your favorite recipes to work in a slow cooker.
Red-Hots Apple Sauce in the Crockpot
- 10-12 apples, peeled, cored & chopped
- 1 cup red hots
- 1 cup water
Combine in crockpot. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or HIGH 4 hours. Serve warm or chilled.
Submitted by HBHW reader Susan S.
If red hots aren’t your thing, but you love crockpot recipes, try this chunky crockpot apple sauce instead.
Ready to learn more about crockpot cooking? Get my Crockpot Cooking Made Simple ebook today and find out how you can work this into your meal plan, how to choose a good crockpot and most importantly how to convert your favorite recipes to work in a slow cooker.
Crockpot Apple Butter
- 8 cups apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- 4 cups white sugar
- 4 t. cinnamon
- ¼ t. cloves
- ¼ t. salt
Fill a slow cooker with all ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce heat, simmer, stirring occasionally for 12 hours or until thick and golden in color. Fill small jars w/ hot apple butter, leaving about ¾ inch headspace at the top. Makes 4 pints.
Submitted by HBHW reader Susan S.
Here’s another one of Susan’s slowcooker favorites. This Sausage and Hamburger Cheese Dip is perfect for parties and pot lucks.
Ready to learn more about crockpot cooking? Get my Crockpot Cooking Made Simple ebook today and find out how you can work this into your meal plan, how to choose a good crockpot and most importantly how to convert your favorite recipes to work in a slow cooker.
Pineapple Pancake Topping
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple
- 1/2 cup warm tap water
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon margarine
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup cold tap water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Open up the canned pineapple and pour it all into a 2-quart saucepan. Add 1/2-cup of warm water, honey, margarine and cinnamon. Heat the pineapple over medium high heat. You want it to boil.
While the pineapple heats, combine the cornstarch and 1/4-cup cold water. Make sure the water is cold, it will make the cornstarch dissolve more easily. When the pineapple boils, stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir the mixture for a full minute. It should thicken up and turn clear. Remove from the heat and use on pancakes or waffles. Store any leftovers in the fridge. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or over low heat on the stove.
Makes 3 cups or 6 servings. Each serving is 1/2 cup.
Blueberry Pancake Topping
- 1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup cool tap water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons apple or white grape juice concentrate
- Dash nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Dash salt
First get out a quart-sized saucepan. Measure in the water and cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch dissolves. Add the blueberries, concentrated fruit juice, nutmeg, lemon juice and salt. Cook and stir the mixture over medium heat until it thickens and boils. Let it boil for about a minute. The sauce will be a beautiful purple and taste delicious over pancakes. Makes 2 servings.
Applesauce Pancake Topping
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup concentrated apple juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
In a small pan, over low heat, combine all of the ingredients. Simmer briskly for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Be careful not to burn it. Serve hot on pancakes or waffles. Makes 2 servings. Recipe is easily doubled or tripled.
Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes
- 2 small bananas, mashed
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
This recipe is another super way to use up ageing bananas. Begin by mashing the bananas in a large bowl. Whisk in the egg and milk. Beat the mixture until the banana is as smooth as you can reasonably get it. Measure in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk again until the batter is smooth. Drop by 1/4-cupfuls onto an oiled skillet or griddle. Cook until brown underneath and dry on top with tiny bubbles. Flip to brown the second side. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve hot with syrup or applesauce. Very good.
Sticky Mango Rice Dessert
- 1 1/2 cups sushi rice (or plain white rice)
- 1 14 oz can coconut milk
- 1/2 cup Sucanat or Rapadura
- 2 t all natural vanilla extract
- 3 mangoes, sliced
Combine rice, 2 1/2 cups water, Sucanat and 1/2 cup of the coconut milk in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to med/low and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in remaining coconut milk and 1 more cup water. Cover and cook 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and leave lid on for 20 minutes. Stir in vanilla. To serve, place servings of rice on a plate and top with mango slices.
Thanks go Carrie for this wonderful recipe. Click here for more whole foods recipes.
Apple Crisp
- 6 cups of sliced, peeled, & cored apples (or peaches or pears)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/3 cup soft margarine
Get out a two quart casserole dish and oil it well. Place the prepared apples or peaches into the dish and sprinkle the lemon juice over them. Set them aside. In a medium sized bowl, combine the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Add the margarine. If the margarine is soft, it will be an easy matter to mix it in with a fork. If the margarine is hard, you can melt it in the microwave or in a small pan on the stove. The topping will be a little less crumbly, but still very good. After the oatmeal mixture is well mixed and crumbly, scatter it over the apples in the casserole. It will cover them thickly. Now put the casserole in the oven and bake it at 350° for about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot with whipped cream or Whipped Topping. Serves 6. This is really good made with peaches or pears too. Choose which ever fruit is most abundant. Peaches in the summertime, apples and pears in the fall and winter.
Banana Muffin
- 1/4 C and 2 T canola oil
- 1 C sugar
- 2 eggs or 4 egg whites
- 2 large very ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 C all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 C buttermilk or yogurt
Place the oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy.
Add the eggs and mix until thoroughly mixed in.
Add the bananas and mix until batter is smooth.
In a large bowl blend together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Alternating back and forth add the egg mixture and the buttermilk being sure to stir after each addition.
Dry ingredients need to just be moistened so be careful not to over stir.
Add the vanilla and stir slightly.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray muffin cups with a non stick cooking spray.
Pour each muffin cup 3/4 full.
Bake 17 minutes or until the tops of the muffins are a golden brown.
For a little spice you can add 1/2 tsp each of cinnamon and nutmeg. This gives these muffins a wonderful taste but also that fresh baked aroma to the kitchen.
Here are some tips on how to freeze these muffins. It’s a great way to make them ahead of time and then just reheat and server.
Muffins are a great way to get the kids to eat more fruit. Here’s another delicious recipe for you to try: raspberry muffins.
Cranberry Bread
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 1/4 cup melted margarine or oil
- 1 1/3 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 to 1-1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
This is Tommy’s favorite tea bread. To prepare it you will need to get out your favorite large mixing bowl. Measure the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into it. Mix the dry ingredients up with a fork or a whisk, to distribute the baking powder and salt evenly. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Crack in the eggs. Add the margarine, milk and vanilla. Combine all of these ingredients until the batter is well mixed, but still a little lumpy, sort of like muffin batter, but a little smoother. Dump in the cranberries. If they are frozen, don’t bother thawing them; they will thaw as they cook. Stir the batter well. Divide the mixture between two well oiled 8″ by 4″ loaf pans. 350 degrees for 45 minutes. You can tell they are done when a knife inserted into the center of the largest one, comes out clean. If they aren’t done, but are very brown on top, then reduce the heat and continue cooking until the centers are cooked through. Allow the bread to sit a few minutes before removing from the pan. Serve with cream cheese, or margarine, or even plain, as a snack or dessert. I often include thick slices in the kids lunches as a dessert. Very good with a tall glass of cold milk.
When cranberries are reduced to half price after the winter holidays, I stock up on bags of cranberries and store them in my freezer at home. Then we have cranberries all year long. When the Holidays come around again, I use the last of the frozen cranberries for the festivities. Then I restock my freezer supply at the end of December, and start the process all over again.
Ready for another frugal bread recipe? Try making these homemade hush puppies.
Blueberry Muffins
- 1/2 cup apple juice concentrate
- 1/2 cup sugar-free applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-3/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
Begin by getting out a large bowl. In it combine the wet ingredients. This would be the apple juice concentrate, applesauce, eggs, and oil. You could also add the salt if desired. Beat this mixture until it is smooth and creamy. I use a whisk for this part, but a sturdy fork or large spoon would work too. Add the flour and baking soda. Mix again, stirring until all of the batter particles are well moistened. Try not to overmix. A few lumps are good. They give muffins their characteristic texture. Next stir in the blueberries.
If you are using fresh blueberries, be sure you rinse them in cool water before adding them to the batter. They often carry small debris from packing. If you use frozen blueberries, use them straight from the bag. Don’t thaw them and don’t wash them. That would turn your batter purple. The muffins would still turn out, they would just be purple muffins instead of golden brown. This doesn’t affect the flavor, just the color.
Anyway, oil up 12 muffin cups. Divide the batter evenly between the cups. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Remove the muffins and serve hot with margarine.
These muffins are the perfect quickbread for breakfast, as are these homemade biscuits.
My Best Banana Bread
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup melted margarine or corn oil
- grated peel of one orange (optional)
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking powder(1 tablespoon)
- 2-1/2 cups unbleached white flour or whole wheat flour
- 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Use a whisk to mash the bananas in a big bowl. A fork would work too, but a whisk is my favorite. Try to get out most of the banana lumps. Add the sugar and margarine or oil. Mix every thing together until it is smooth and satiny.
Next, shred the orange peel with a cheese grater. Try to get mostly the orange colored peel and not too much of the white or cream colored part. The orange part, or zest, is very tasty, but the white part, or pith, is bitter. Put the orange peel into the bowl with the banana mixture. Squeeze the orange into a measuring cup. Add additional juice or water or milk to make up 3/4-cup. Pour this in with the banana mixture. Beat the batter until it is good and smooth. Next add the salt and baking powder. Mix them in and then add the flour. You may need to use a big spoon to mix the flour in, because the batter may be kind of stiff by now. Add a little more water or milk if you think you need it. Trust your own eye. Finally stir in the nuts if you’re using them.
Turn the batter into a well oiled 9″ by 5″ loaf pan, or two 8″ by 4″ loaf pans. Bake at 350° for a whole hour. If you are using the smaller loaf pans, check it after 45 minutes. It cooks a little faster in the smaller pans. The loaf should be brown, crusty and fragrant when it is done. If you aren’t sure, then jab a clean margarine knife down into the center of it. If the knife comes out clean, it is done. Remove from the pan(s) and cool.
To store it, double wrap it, first in plastic wrap, and then in tin foil. It freezes very well and makes a nice gift for unexpected guests.
This is my best recipe for banana bread. The citrus flavor adds a dimension that raises this recipe from ordinary to extraordinary.
Another one of my favorite homeamde bread recipes is this one for yeast rolls. They are great with sunday supper.
Banana Muffins
- 2 big bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 cup sour milk or yogurt or buttermilk (powdered is fine)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour or a combination
Peel the bananas and plop them into a big bowl. Use a whisk to mash them until they are almost liquid. Add the sugar and oil. Beat until the mixture is somewhat smooth and fluffy. Add the yogurt or buttermilk and salt, mixing again. Finally measure in the baking powder and flour. Stir it all up until all of the dry particles are nicely moistened, but the batter is still lumpy. Don’t mix it smooth, muffins need lumps to give them their characteristic texture. Oil up a dozen muffin cups. Drop the batter into the cups, filling them up about 2/3 full. This recipe makes a few more than a dozen, maybe 15 grand total. Usually I use a 12-cup muffin pan and the make a couple of extra big muffins in custard cups. Use the resources available to you to figure this out best for your own circumstances. Bake the muffins at 400° for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes before removing from the pans. Serve with margarine or peanut butter or red jelly.
If desired, you may add a 1/3 to 1/2-cup of chopped nuts during the final mixing. Pecans and Walnuts are traditional.
I made these for breakfast with whole milk yogurt thinned out with a bit of milk. Didn’t have any nuts in the house, so I added some oats to the batter instead. I sprinkled a few more oats on top of each filled muffin cup and then sprinkled a little sugar on top which gave them a nice crunchy top. Don’t use paper muffin cups for these. The paper really sticks and you lose about 1/3 of the muffin when you try to unwrap it.
Ready for another delicious breakfast bread recipe? Try this banana bread recipe next. It’s great for breakfast, an afternoon snack or a homewarming gift.