Strawberries *N* Cream
This is an amazingly simple and wholesomely good dessert! Strawberries are in season here in Florida right now. So we have many opportunities to make up our own recipes, try new ones and stay true to the old ones. I wanted something simple but not having a simple taste and this is what I came up with!
You will need:
2 1/2 quarts of Strawberries
Honey {the real deal...not the stuff that
has everything but the honey in it}
Molasses cookie crisps. You can make your own or buy them.
1 pint of heavy cream
1/2 cup unrefined pure cane sugar. { I know it's not the best for you, but it is better than that over processed bleached stuff!}
2 Tb. of corn starch
Wash, slice and hull 2 quarts of berries.
Place them in a medium sauce pan and turn your heat on low. Add a 1/2 a cup of unrefined pure cane sugar. Heat until sugar has melted and it starts to boil. This is going to be your Strawberry Glaze.
In a small bowl add 2 Tb. corn starch to 1 cup of water, mix well. Pour mixture in with your berries and simmer until it thickens. Remembering to keep stirring so it doesn't stick to your pan. After it has thickened turn off the heat and slice up some strawberries and add them to your Strawberry glaze. While that is cooling you can make your whipped cream.
I sweeten my Cream with honey....Mmmmm so Good!
Add 1 to 2 Tb. to a pint of heavy cream. Duhrool, Duhrool.......
Whip and mix and beat and whip and mix and beat some more until your heavy cream and honey becomes fluffy white clouds of heavy thickness.
This is the fun part! You get to layer your creation. Start with your molasses crisp cookies crumbled up in the bottom. Then your berry mixture, your whipped topping and more crumbled cookies. Top it off with your cream and add your cookie to make it pretty! Drizzzzzzzle the honey over the top and that's it! It tastes like you have been slaving for hours. It looks like you went to cooking school. Your husband will adore you and your kids will expect more tomorrow! *Smile*
Home Made Granola
This Granola is amazingly addicting! I wanted to make my own granola so I searched on line and looked at several recipes and decided to make up my own.
It was so good I thought it was worth sharing!
You will need:
Next you will want to take your molasses, brown sugar, grape juice and honey and put them in the small sauce pan over low heat until sugar is dissolved. You will want to keep stirring it. Then turn off the heat and add your vanilla.
Add your chips, nuts, cinnamon and berries to your oats. Mmmmmmm Looking yummy!
Then drizzle this sweet stickiness to your dry ingredients.
Mix well...........
Spray your foil covered cookie sheets with cooking spray and spread the mixture evenly between the two pans. Place in a 325* oven for 20 minutes.
Cut up into bars or............
Crumble it up and use it for topping your yogurt, ice cream, or put it in a baggie or a bowl and eat it just the way it is. Tastes so much better than store bought! I'm sure you could cut back on the sugar if your trying to cut calories. Or you can dig deep, pull up on that will power and refrain from eating too much! I'm diggin' deep! *Smile*
It was so good I thought it was worth sharing!
You will need:
- 8 cups of rolled oats
- a 1/2 stick of butter
- 1/2 cup of coconut oil
- 1/4 cup of molasses
- 1/2 cup of honey
- 1/4 cup grape juice
- 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup of ground flax meal
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup of craisins
- 1 cup of dried blueberries
- 1 cup of chopped pecans
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
Next you will want to take your molasses, brown sugar, grape juice and honey and put them in the small sauce pan over low heat until sugar is dissolved. You will want to keep stirring it. Then turn off the heat and add your vanilla.
Add your chips, nuts, cinnamon and berries to your oats. Mmmmmmm Looking yummy!
Then drizzle this sweet stickiness to your dry ingredients.
Mix well...........
Spray your foil covered cookie sheets with cooking spray and spread the mixture evenly between the two pans. Place in a 325* oven for 20 minutes.
Cut up into bars or............
Crumble it up and use it for topping your yogurt, ice cream, or put it in a baggie or a bowl and eat it just the way it is. Tastes so much better than store bought! I'm sure you could cut back on the sugar if your trying to cut calories. Or you can dig deep, pull up on that will power and refrain from eating too much! I'm diggin' deep! *Smile*
Soup Stock
To make the stock you first have to put your left over bones, skin and meat from a turkey or chicken in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and let it simmer about 4 to 6 hours.
Then strain the stock from the bones. I pick what meat is left and put it in a bag in the fridge until I'm ready for it. I then put the stock in the fridge over night to harden the fat so it is easier to separate it from the stock. After I separate, I then put it back on the stove add the meat and the Trinity (onions, carrots, and celery)....And if you like potatoes in your soup now would be the time to add them. Along with your seasonings.
I'm slowly enhancing and changing the way we eat. I've always made things from scratch but, now that I have been educating myself on "real food" it has made me research things that have no m.s.g's and artificial flavorings and preservatives. I use a garlic salt that contains no m.s.g's for flavoring. I have yet to come across a bullion that is chemical free....But when making your own stock it's not really necessary.
Now I know with some of you it may be a time factor....But when you think about it, it really is easy and most of the time that it takes to make it, is when it is simmering on the stove. I put mine on the stove yesterday afternoon and let it simmer while I was making supper. After supper I strained and removed the bones. Then put it in the fridge. Today I will finish it and we will have it for supper tonight.
It is really worth the time and the effort put in. Very healthy for your family. And you can rest assured knowing that there are no chemicals going into there precious vessels!
Homemade Almond Butter
The older I get the more I am concerned about what goes into our mouths....I've always cooked from scratch, but have also taken short cuts and used canned foods, like the creamed soups that had way too much junk in them and processed foods that shouldn't even be labeled food!
I wanted to get back to real food.....I wanted my family and I to eat food that our bodies recognize and can use instead of storing it away as fat because our bodies have no idea what to do with it! Plus omitting the chemicals and things I am unable to pronounce just made sense to me!
I also notice when my kids eat junk their behavior gives them away every time! There is something to be said for keeping food whole... I've been a witness to major meltdowns because of what they have taken in. I have also seen digestive problems decrease as we eliminate the junk!
So I have been on this whole food kick for a couple of years. Now I must be honest and tell you I just didn't quit cold turkey and I do eat some junk from time to time but no where near what I use to! What a difference it has made! I feel better...more energy....well as much as I can feel being pregnant..baby seems to be sucking some of that energy up from time to time, but all in all I really feel good!
I wanted to share with you my Almond Butter recipe...Have you ever looked at the label of a p-nut butter jar? Yikes! Very scary! And I love p-nut butter! I also knew I needed a natural alternative.....Now this is not as creamy as the store bought but I don't mind......There is one thing I have learned over the years of eating and that is what your body eats your body craves! If you eat healthy food you will crave healthy food...It's as simple as that!
2 Cups Almonds
1/4 Cup Real Maple syrup
Sprinkle of sea salt
1/4 cup Raw honey
2 Tbl. of coconut oil
Take your two cups almonds mix them up with your maple syrup. Pour them on to your baking sheet, sprinkle them with sea salt and roast for about 20 minutes making sure to toss them at least once. Take them out and let them cool for ten minutes before you put them into your food processor.
Put them in your food processor and add your coconut oil and raw honey. Blend until creamy......Mmmmmm
You will need to store this in the fridge. I thought about canning it and researched it. Some say because of the consistency you will not be guaranteed a perfect seal...So I just decided that you can store nuts very easily and I will just make it as I need it.
If you don't like the taste of coconut you can use the expeller Pressed coconut oil and it won't have the taste. Or you can use another natural oil. You can also omit the maple syrup and add an extra teaspoon of raw honey. Just experiment with it until you get the right flavor your looking for.
Strawberry Honey Jam
6 Cups chopped strawberries
2 Boxes of Fruit Pectin
1 1/2 - 2 Cups Raw Honey ( I used 2, I like my Jam sweeter)
2 Tb. Lemon Juice or 4 drops Lemon essential oil (Make sure it's oil that is safe to consume! I use Young Living Oils.)
Put your berries in your pot along with the pectin stir with a wooden spoon over high heat and bring to a boil. Keep stirring and boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat to add the honey and lemon juice, mix well. Return to heat and bring to a boil again. Keep stirring and let it boil for 5 minutes. Remove jam from heat let it sit for a few minutes. It will thicken some. This jam does not set up like other jams that you use sugar with, but it still has a nice consistency and a nice, sweet, tangy flavor!
Ladle into your jars and boil in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars from bath and let sit on your counter to cool and listen for that ever famous Pop! Ping!
Toast homemade honey wheat bread and slather it with Goodness!
ENJOY!
