The “Skinny” on Weights & Measures ... 1 fluid oz. = 2 tablespoons (T.) = 30 milliliters (ml.) 2 T. = 1/8 cup (c.) = 1 fluid ounce (oz.) 1 T. = 3 teaspoons (t.) 1 cup = 8 fluid ounce 2 cups = 1 pint = 16 fluid oz. 2 pints = 1 quart (qt.) = 32 oz. 4 pints = 1/2 gallon = 64 oz. 4 quarts = 1 gallon 1 liter = 1 qt. = 4 cups 1 pound (lb.) = 16 oz. (dry measure)
(Note: Next time a recipe calls for 2 cups of canned fruit, you’ll know what size of can to get!)
Holiday Recipes “Relish the moments with the ones you love …” Enjoying traditions that have been in our family throughout the years and across generations warms my heart during the holiday season. Here, I share some treasured family recipes, along with some of my own, as I begin new traditions with my own family.
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Cranberry Orange Muffins (Tasty breakfast, full of fruity holiday flavors!) 2 c. flour: 1 c. whole wheat, ½ c. white, ½ c. oat flour (Instead of oat flour, you may use ½ c. whole oats, and add ¼ c. more white flour. To make oat flour, just grind old-fashioned oats in a coffee grinder!) ¼ c. sugar 2 t. baking powder ½ t. baking soda ¼ t. salt 1½ t. cinnamon (or 1 t. cinnamon and ½ t. pumpkin pie spice) Combine above ingredients. Then combine the following liquid ingredients in a 2-3 cup liquid measuring container: 1½ c. orange juice 1 large egg (about 2 small farm eggs) ¼ c. coconut or canola oil See Tip next page…
Menu Ideas I find it helpful to keep a working list of menu ideas. It saves time and brain power!
Breakfasts:
(Tip: For a great start to your day that will carry you through the morning, include a protein, whole grain, and fruit!)
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(Tip: Nice time of day to eat higher calorie foods,
i.e. pastas)
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Dinners:
(I keep a seasonal working list, such as grilling ideas for the summer; soups for the fall; hearty comfort foods for the winter; dishes for the spring that involve early vegetables like asparagus, potatoes, peas, etc.)
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Snacks/Appetizers:
(Tip: A favorite Sunday evening meal in our home is a big bowl of guacamole and cheese quesadillas; or a meat and cheese plate with crackers and fresh veggies.)
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Grocery Tip... Stocking Up ‌ If you bake around the holidays, now is the time to start catching your ingredients on sale: Flour and sugar, nuts, chocolate chips, shortening, etc. Review your recipes and make a list of key ingredients to keep with you, in case you run across a sale.
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Stocking Staples… When the snow flies, or if you’re stuck inside with the flu, it’s comforting to know you have food in the pantry. So when on sale, stock up on soups and other canned goods you use, pastas and other grains, even meats for the freezer. Winter is my favorite season to make a weekly batch of soup. I make a big enough quantity to last the week, plus put a container in the freezer. Over the course of several weeks, you can store up a sizable amount of soup in your freezer to have when you’re short on time or energy to prepare a meal! If you manage to find a sale on meat, such as ground beef. Buy enough for several meals. I suggest, for example, cooking the ground beef and storing it in small containers for future use in tacos, spaghetti, soups, and bierocks. When I cook ground beef, I include my favorite seasonings common to all the recipes I will use it for, such as salt and pepper, chopped onions and minced garlic; generally, oregano is the common herb I like to use. Having meat cooked ahead makes meal prep so much easier. You dirty your skillet only once, and one major step is out of the way. Plus, you have meat ready for last-minute meals! (Check out my website for yummy soup recipes, along with my mom’s bierock recipe!) prettyprairie.net/Home and Garden
Other Tips... Use the following pages as a reference guide for your favorite products, such as a preferred brand of an item or a certain flavor you would like to remember; it may be a list of your favorite wines or sauces. Perhaps you want to make a note of where a certain item is located (that you never seem to be able to find when you’re in a hurry!) Another idea is to maintain a list of other errands you need to run; then, you have all of your “on-the-go” lists in one spot! This would be a great place to keep a record of paint colors or window measurements, of battery sizes and quantities needed for cameras, toys, clocks, etc., and sku numbers of printer cartridges! You may find a portion of these pages a convenient place for listing gift ideas or other sundry items to keep in mind while on the go. If you note the products you see or ideas you pick up while you are out, then you are able remember what specifically you saw and where to find those items when you are ready to make a purchase! For instance, I keep a working list of birthday and holiday gift ideas in this section. The sections are listed as such: * “My Favorite Things …” * To Get and Gift (Great place to note wish list hints!) * Errands * Mileage Record Charts on the final pages
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