LEFTOVERS...

“The remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served us nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.” ~Calvin Trillin

If you feel the same way, you might enjoy the Leftover Chef site where you can input whatever strange ingredients are lurking in your refrigerator for recipe ideas.

HOMEMADE GRAHAM CRACKERS...

Graham Crackers (they tastes like a mix between graham crackers and Teddy Grahams)

1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup plus 1 T. sugar (I use brown sugar)
3 T. honey, warmed
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup plus 2 T. water
I add in 1-2 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine shortening, sugar, honey and vanilla.
Blend until smooth. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and then
add dry mixture to the wet ingredients and blend well with electric mixer.

Slowly add water to the mixture while beating. You may have to mix by hand
until the mixture forms a large ball of dough.

Divide the dough in thirds and roll one third out on waxed paper till at
least 1/16″ thick. It should be very thin. Use a knife to trim into a
rectangle slightly smaller than the sheet pan you will be using. Grease
the baking pan with a light coating of shortening. Turn the dough over
onto the baking sheet and remove the wax paper.

Use a knife to score the dough into smaller crackers. Use a toothpick (or
fork) to poke holes over the entire surface of the dough. Bake for 22 to
24 minutes, or until the dough begins to turn light brown around the
edges. Turn the baking sheet around halfway through baking time for even
browning. Cool the crackers before breaking them apart along the scored
lines. Repeat process for remaining dough. If desired, you can sprinkle a
cinnamon/sugar mixture over the dough before baking to make cinnamon
grahams.

Homemade Honey Graham Crackers

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup unbleached pastry flour or all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cups graham flour*
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup whole milk

In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugars until fluffy. Add the honey and vanilla and stir well. In a separate bowl, sift the flours with the salt, soda, and baking powder. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/3 of the milk to the shortening mixture and mix thoroughly. Repeat 2 more times. Chill the dough for several hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Roll the dough on a floured board as thin as possible. Using a sharp knife, cut into squares. Arrange on a greased baking sheet and prick each cracker in several places with a fork. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes about 4 dozen crackers.

*You can substitute whole wheat flour if you don’t have graham flour.

Variation: For cinnamon graham crackers, sprinkle a mixture of sugar and cinnamon over the top of the crackers before baking.

Enjoy!

Cherry Recipes

Celebrate Washington’s birthday! These cherry recipes are easy to make and beautiful on the plate.

• Cherry Thumbprints with Almonds
• Cherry-Pistachio Cookies
• Cherry Cream Pie
• French Cherry Dessert

Browse for more recipes using cherries.

February "Snow" Moon

25 ways to save...

1. Change light bulbs to CFL bulbs to save money
2. Use Heat and Air Conditioning sparingly
3. Using sunlight instead of lights in the house as much as possible
4. Unplug items that aren't in use, especially the tv set at night
5. Keep razorblades dry and clean so that they last longer
6. Write checks for over the amount instead of using an ATM with fees
7. Use plastic containers to store left over food for eating later
8. Turn off all lights when not in a room
9. Leave the car at home at least one day out of the week
10. Borrow books/videos from the library instead of buying them
11. Use coupons and check grocery circulars to get the best deals
12. Cook meals at home, cutting back on eating out
13. Take lunch to work
14. Watch movies at home instead of in the theater
15. Wash clothes every 10+ days
16. Wash clothes in cold water to save on heat
17. Every 6-12 months, verify I am getting the best deal on insurance & credit card rates
18. Cut out all subscriptions to magazines
19. Buy foods in bulk or when items are on clearance and save in pantry & freezer
20. Pick up money from the ground and from vending machines, save in a coin jar
21. Round up in check book and place excess in savings at end of the month
22. Go to free events around town - Zoo, art museum, etc.
23. Put raises or bonuses in savings or apply towards debt
24. Do research online for best value for money on medium to large priced items
25. When I go out to eat, make sure I bring half of the food home for a nice lunch for work the next day!

From Frugal For Life

32 more websites with 25 ways to save:

• MBHunter spills the beans on his Twenty-Five ways to save money
• In Maggie’s Madcap life, she still has 25 ways she saves money
• Chuck pulls together his top 25 ways to save money
• Deb’s living the life with 25 ways she saves money
• Hammy from ‘down under', lets loose his warrior spirit and finds 25 ways to save
• David tightens his belt and runs down the 25 ways he saves, until he finds a job
• Ariane lists 25 neat ways she saves money and simplifies her day
• Tiredbuthappy takes a look at her 25 ways to save money
• Meredith gathers her valuable ways to save money
• Jane surprises herself and finds out she has 25 ways she saves money
• Thrifty Mommy takes on the challenge to find her own 25 ways she saves money
• Jennifer gets ahead by trying some of her 25 ways to save money
• Jenn presses forward and jots down her frugal ways to save money
• Angela bytes on the idea to jot down her 25 ways to save money
• The Queen of Carrots stretches her vegetable to comes up with 25 ways she saves money.
• Susan has some Fruitful savings by listing 25 ways she saves
• Busy Blogger got to work on 25 ways to save money as well
• Sharon shows us her royal 25 habits for saving money
• Prince of Thrift posts his Frugal 25 Ways to Save Money
• The Family CEO manages a gathering of 25 Things I Do to Save Money
• Golbguru’s money, matter and musings bring out the 25 Things We Do To Save Money
• Mrs Hoppes is saving resources and still finding 25 Ways to Save Money
• Poor Statue is convinced she has fun with her 25 ways I save money
• Mister Jens has simple frugality in mind as he finds 25 ways to save money
• Janice edits her 25 ways to save at the Okefenokee book club
• Patrick has cash, money and life on the mind as he jots down his 25 Ways to Save Money
• Randall handles his credit withdrawal by going through the 25 ways he saves money
• LuluGal lists her 25 ways (full list)
• FrugalTrader journeys through his 25 ways of saving money
• Amanda found 25 ways to increase her value and money savings
• Jacob has his 25 ways to save money for his early retirement extreme
• Emily gathers the bits and pieces on ways to save money

Mi Hami...

A Recipe Using TVP
(Textured Vegetable Protein)

Textured Vegetable Protein is a soy product also known as TSP or Textured Soy Protein, enjoy it as a flavorful alternative to ham or bacon.

Mix together the following ingredients for the Marinade:

3 3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup (vegetarian) chicken consomme
6 tablespoons yellow mustard
9 tablespoons brown sugar (or your favorite sugar alternative)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cloves - ground
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon red food coloring

Then add:

3 quarts TVP - large chunks
Mix well.
Leave 2" of space at top of container to allow for expansion.
Can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or stored in freezer up to 6 months.

Recipe Yields 1 Gallon.

Enjoy!

copied from http://www.cookingvegetarian.com/index.php

Happy Valentines Day...

Here's some advice we unearthed from 1877:

How to Make Your Husband Happy

• Never speak slightingly of or to your husband in the presence of other people.
• Do not neglect neatness of person and surroundings.
• Speak gently always, and do not allow your voice to become sharp and loud.

How to Make Your Wife Happy

• Treat your wife as politely and kindly as when you were wooing her.
• Do not speak lightly of her cares and fatigues, but sympathize with her troubles.
• Share your pleasures and cares, and show that you value her society and advice.

Our favorite saying: "For a happy marriage, never speak loudly to one another unless the house is on fire."

My best advice, "Never go to bed angry with each other"

REMEMBER: It's not about what you buy or where you go on this date, true love is about all the little things you do for each other the rest of the 364 days.

I'm psychic...

I just read this on Hungry Girl...

	CHEW ON THIS: HEY! It's National Cream Cheese Brownie Day, a.k.a. February 10th. Make a batch of these Swirls Gone Wild Cheesecake Brownies and party down!

Kenneth and I made some yesterday, just because we were both home and I wanted a little something special. I wish I had seen her recipe first. Ours probably came in closer to the 400 calorie ones.

whole wheat pasta...

Whole Wheat Pasta

2 1/3 cups whole wheat flour (I use freshly ground flour)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 beaten eggs
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon olive oil

cooking...

In the crockpot know...I am making baked potato chowder. It turns out really well, start out with basic potato soup (potatoes, celery, onions, I add chicken bullion/pepper and garlic. When cooked through mash up the potatoes then add condensed milk some Velveeta chunks and bacon bits.
Freezes well for future quick meals.

I made cornmeal biscuits from COOKS COUNTRY TV to go with the soup.
PREHEAT OVEN TO 450*
Mix: 1 c corn meal, 1 1/4 c buttermilk, 1 T honey, stir together and let sit while you mi together in food processor: 2 c flour, 1 T baking powder, 1/2 T baking soda, 1 T salt. Pulse together with 1 1/2 sticks butter, cut into small pieces. Leave some butter chunks. Then add to cornmeal mixture. Turn onto floured surface. Knead slightly form into one piece about 3/4" thick. Cut into biscuits. Bake 5 minutes at 450* then reduce heat to 400* continue baking 12 more minutes.

I also like Italian Wedding Soup...I found a easy recipe here at The Bakers Bench, I'll cook some of this up tomorrow. I'll use the premade meatballs from Sam's though. Another meal in the freezer for later.

I also found a good recipe here for white chili with cornbread. Love making these into easy crock-pot meals.

Stay warm