Hotcakes

1 1/3 cup Pancake mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup Sprite

Preheat an electric griddle to 375°. Mix hotcake ingredients with a wire whisk until smooth. Apply about 1 teaspoon of shortening to the griddle, spreading evenly with a paper towel. Pour the hotcake batter on the greased, preheated griddle, forming 5 inch hotcakes. Cook until dry around the edges, (about a minute) then turn. Allow to cook about 40-50 seconds after flipping, and remove.

**I used Aunt Jemima's Pancake mix, you could also use Instant Bisquick.

Dinner Rolls

I watched this video from the Lion House. I found the method fascinating so I tried it last night and had fun making rolls this way.

Blueberry Pie

1 recipe for Double-Crust Pie

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 tbsp lemon juice

5 cups fresh blueberries

milk and sugar (optional)

Stir together sugar, flour, lemon juice. Add blueberries and gently toss until coated. Transfer mixture into pastry-lined pie plate. Add top crust and cuts slits and crimp as desired. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Cover edges with foil and bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Uncover edges and bake 20 to 25 minutes or till top is golden. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 1 to 8 servings.

Vanilla Ice Cream

1 Cup Milk
2 Cups Heavy Cream (I use light cream)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix until sugar is dissolved. Churn 20-30 minutes.

For fruit: 2 cups with 3 tbsp sugar. Add fruit during last 5 minutes of churning.

Mini Farfalle with Tomatoes and Corn

1 box Mini Farfalle
2 pounds plum tomatoes (may substitute 1 can 28 ounces diced tomatoes)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon onion, chopped
1 can (15.5. ounces) corn, drained
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

PLACE the fresh tomatoes in boiling water for 30-60 seconds to blanch; peel the skin, remove the seeds and chop.

SAUTE the onion in olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes.

COOK pasta acording to package directions.

ADD tomatoes to skillet and simmer for 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

ADD corn and simmer for 2 addtional minutes.

DRAIN pasta and toss with the sauce.

STIR in grated cheese and fresh basil before serving .

***I found this recipe on the box of Barilla’s Piccolini MINI Farfalle.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups stock or bouillon
1/2 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, julienned
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar

Directions:
Saute onion in butter. Set aside. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half (this is called making a roux). Add the chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Pour in batches into blender and puree. Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended.

So maybe this is a stretch for food storage, but I guess you could use dehydrated carrots or onion. Honestly, I call this food storage, I always have these ingredients on hand.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved
1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained
1 box yellow cake mix
1/3 cup Vegetable oil
3 eggs
water

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.
2. Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 1/4 cups. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes (42 to 48 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

Barbecue Pulled Pork

1 pork roast (3-4 pounds)
3-4 tbsp. vegetable oil
salt and pepper
chili powder
14 ounce can low sodium chicken stock
barbecue sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's)

Heat oil in large Dutch oven. Salt and pepper the outside of the pork roast. Dust with chili powder. Brown the roast on all sides. Add the can of chicken stock (you can add a bay leaf) Cook in crockpot until meat is cooked. Or you can cover with a lid and put in a 275º oven until tender. (I think this take about 3-4 hours.)
After the pork has cooked, take it out and let it sit until cool enough to handle. Reserve the cooking juice. Using your fingers or two forks, shred the meat into chunks. Return the shredded meat to the dutch oven and add barbecue sauce to taste. Spoon in the reseved juices to desired juiciness.
For the sandwiches, just put the meat on rolls, add more barbecue sauce and horseradish if you want.

*I love this recipe that someone gave me. I also love that Big Y has their pork roasts Buy 1 Get 2 Free! this week. Shazam!!!
Now that is food storage to me. Store what you eat!

Cranberry-Pineapple Jello

1 can (20 oz.) Crushed Pineapple, in juice, undrained
2 pkg. (3 oz. each) JELL-O Raspberry Flavor Gelatin
1 can (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce
2/3 cup Walnut Pieces
1 Apple, chopped

DRAIN pineapple, reserving juice. Add enough water to juice to measure 2-1/2 cups; pour into saucepan. Bring to boil. Add to dry gelatin mixes in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved.

STIR in remaining ingredients; spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.

REFRIGERATE 2-1/2 hours or until firm. Remove liners before serving.

Note: I didn't do the muffin thing. I just put it in a 9 X 13 pan.

Chex Muddy Buddies

9 cups Rice Chex
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Hoppin John

1 1/4 cup dry black eye peas (1/2 lb dry)

1 meaty ham hock (1 Cup)

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped finely

1/2 tbsp green pepper

salt & pepper, to taste

hot sauce, to taste

Soak peas overnight. (Quick soak: cover peas with 6-8 cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat & boil 2 mintues. Remove from heat and allow to stand 1 hour.)

Drain beans and cover with 6 cups fresh water. Add ham hock, bay leaf, thyme, onion, celery, & pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and simmer 2-3 hours or until peas are tender. Remove bay leaf and correct seasonings to taste.

Vanilla Pods

Vanilla pods can be found in the spice section of the grocery store. Beware: they are a little expensive.

Ris Kreme (Almond Rice)

6 cups milk
2 cups rice
1 pod vanilla
1 almond
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups whipping cream

Bring the milk to a boil, add the rice and cut up vanilla. Stir until the milk begins to boil again. Put a tight fitting lid on and let the rice simmer over a very low flame for 1 hour without touching it. Remove from heat and keep covered until ready to use. When completely cool add the sugar, the blanched almond and the stiffly whipped cream. It will be lumpy when cool but breaks apart when you add the sugar.

*To blanch an almond I put a cup of water in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Then place almond in water until skin becomes soft and can be slid off.

*I make half of this recipe for my family of young children.

German Chocolate Cake

Bake a German Cake as directed on box. I did two rounds.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Cook butter, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla until thickened, about 12-15 minutes. Then add coconut and pecans. Stir until thick enough to spread.

Frosting the sides is difficult and I found that it requires a pat and hold technique to keep it on the sides. Maybe let the frosting cool a bit before frosting. I've also read that you should frost between layers and top. Frosting the sides is just for a pretty look, not part of the TRUE German Chocolate Cake.

You can save a ton of money if you buy the nuts and crack and chop them yourself.