Hot Cocoa

Sometimes I just buy the Hot Chocolate mix packets because they are easy. 

But sometimes it's just cheaper and easier to make it homemade.  

Have you ever had it homemade?  It's yummy.

I just use my recipe from Betty Crocker.

Here it is.  Give it a try!

Pinning It & Making It

My pin that I actually made lately has been homemade flavored coffee creamer.  It comes from Next to Heaven blog and you can find it pinned on my Pinterest boards.

I've made the Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer several times.  It's very yummy but if you don't strain it, the pumpkin settles at the bottom of the coffee cup and makes for a yucky last sip.  The smell and taste is very good though.  I guess I should take the time to strain.  :)

I also tried the Peppermint Mocha.  It was very good and very chocolatey.

Next to try is Cinnamon Strudel and Chocolate Almond.  I'm nuts about almond flavoring.

These creamers are not as sweet as the store bought so some of you might want to add some stevia to yours.  The recipes fall right in line with our "real eating" plan so I suggest you give them a try and see what you think.  Your kids will want to drink them plain if you decide they are not great in your coffee.  :)

Overnight Granola Cereal

I have made many granola recipes over the years and basically all of them are similar to one another and good.  The reason why I like this recipe is because it's simple and I can make it the night before.

It's from TEACH magazine, the Sanity Saving Breakfast Ideas booklets that I love so much.

Lorries Lazy Granola

**Mix 1/2 cup each of brown sugar (I used sucanat), oil (I used coconut oil) and raw honey in microwave safe bowl.  (You can use the same measuring cup if you measure the ingredients in this order since the oil washes out the sugar and slicks the cup down which  makes the honey pour right out.)

**Bring to a low boil in microwave.

**Add 1 ts/ cinnamon and 2 tsp. vanilla (I've tried almond also)

**Add 1 cup pecans (I use whatever I have on hand.  Last night it was half sunflower seeds, half sliced almonds)

**Pour over 7 cups of oats in large pan (like metal lasagna pan)

**Stir until totally coated

**Bake at 375 for 10 minutes, take out and stir well.  Put it back in the oven, which you have turned OFF and go to bed.  Wake up to wonderful, homemade granola for breakfast!

Oatmeal Bar

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 Need a good breakfast idea??  How about an oatmeal bar?  Not like a granola bar, but like an oatmeal buffet. 

Just recently Grandma made us oatmeal the way that her mom used to make oatmeal.  The Fish Sticks loved it and I loved how healthy and filling it was, not to mention yummy!!

First make oatmeal - rolled oats - the good ole fashioned way.  I like to soak mine overnight with equal parts of oats and water.  Then add the same amount of water in the a.m. to make the ratio 1 part oatmeal to 2 parts water.  If you add 1 Tb. of an acid like vinegar or lemon juice when you soak it, it increases the nutritional value greatly.

As you cook it over a medium stove, stir frequently until you get a good consistency.  It doesn't take long.  You can add a bit of salt and/or butter at this time.  Stir well.

Lay out an array of toppings for your family.  I have brown sugar, apple chunks, walnuts, coconut, raisins and bananas above.  Some other ideas might be dried cranberries, other nuts like almonds or pecans, berries, peaches, or chocolate chips.

They will definitely want seconds!

And When She Went There, Her Cuboard Was Bare...

We use an envelope system for our monthly budget.  At the first of each month, I get out my money in cash for the month.  I separate it into a coupon organizer that I have labeled (from Dollar Tree) and use it according to my categories.  Sometimes at the end of the month, I'm pleased to see a few bucks still in my wallet.  On most months, no matter how careful I have been to monitor my spending, I have nothing but change and my pantry and fridge is bare.  This past weekend, I had to get really creative because we had NOTHING to eat in this house.  Yes, I was fully stocked on my couponing items but who wants to eat BBQ sauce, ketchup and Tobasco for a meal??  Now understand we had plenty of canned goods, frozen veggies and meats in the freezer from our garden and farm.  Supper wasn't a problem.  It was the breakfast items and snacks that required much creativity.

With Monday morning fast approaching, I was planning on spending the day shopping.  It would be October 1 and my wallet would be full.  Monday morning breakfast would be a bit tricky.  We'd already had 18 eggs for supper on Saturday night, so the eggs were sparse.  There was NO cereal.  I grabbed my favorite "Sanity-Saving Breakfast Ideas" booklet from TEACH magazine and flipped through it.  Sunday night I threw together "Overnight Coffee Cake" using ingredients I always keep on hand.  Yummy and quick and the perfect fix for an empty pantry at the end of the month.

Overnight Coffee Cake

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 c. shortening
2 eggs
1 c. buttermilk (pour 1 TB. lemon juice or vinegar into your 1 c. measuring cup.  Top with milk and let sit while you combine other ingredients.  It's instant buttermilk!)

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and pour into greased 9x13.  Stir together an additional 1/2 c. brown sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon and sprinkle over top of batter.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

PERFECT!

Puff Baby

 My SIL introduced me to this great breakfast recipe about 11 years ago.  It's a big favorite around here.  I have tweeked the recipe just a little to suite us better.

Put 1/4 a stick of butter (about 2-3 TB) in a pie pan.  Place in a cool oven and begin preheating on 400.

As the butter is melting in the pan, mix 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 milk and 2 eggs.  It will be lumpy.

When the butter is melted (about the time the oven is 400), pour the mixture into the pan.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Slice and sift powdered sugar on the top.  Delicious and so easy!

Sprinkle Toast

My SIL gave me this idea a few years back.  The Fish Sticks love it.  Instead of the same ole cinnamon toast, buy cupcake sprinkles (these were only $1 each) and make Sprinkle Toast for breakfast.  Spread bread with butter, sprinkle, put under broiler until butter is melted and bread begins to toast along the edges.