It's the most wonderful time of the year, and if you ask me, the reason is that you can eat cookies all season and not feel at all guilty. At least, I don't. I know that I will be making at least a dozen different cookies this Christmas and I am starting with this very easy sugar cookie recipe. I made this cookie for the first time two weeks ago and I got so many compliments and requests for the recipe, I decided that this should be the first for my Christmas cookie series.
These cookies are soft and chewy and the reason why is the shortening that I substitute in for butter. I love the way that butter tastes, don't get me wrong, there is no substitute for that, but what I don't like is a thin, crusty cookie, which is what using all butter will give me. I got this recipe from Pinterest and if you would like the original recipe, you can find it pinned to the Cookies board at My Mama's Cheap on Pinterest. It is a delightfully delicious cookie!
This easy cookie dough can be put together in minutes, in fact, I was able to make four dozen cookies in a little less than an hour. In addition, my seven year old daughter can easily make this recipe, it is just that simple!
I'm sorry for the lack of pictures lately! I find taking them and posting them to be extremely time consuming, and right now, I just don't have time to post pictures for everything that I want to share. Please bare with me...some recipes will have complete picture tutorials, and the simple ones, like this, will be without. Hopefully this will give me more time to post and share ideas with you every day.
Thank you for stopping by!
Drop Sugar Cookies- Makes 3-4 dozen
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup of sugar in a shallow dish (for rolling cookies)
Directions- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the shortening until whipped and smooth. Add the sugar and cream until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and cream until thoroughly mixed. Add the vanilla, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well, scrapping the sides as you go. Add the flour, in one cup increments, and stir until completely combined.
2. Using a teaspoon, roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll the balls through the shallow dish of sugar and place them approximately 2 inches apartment on a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden and the top is cracked. Pull from the oven and allow to sit on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
These cookies are perfect shared with coffee and great friends!
Happy Holiday Season!
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
A Homemade Christmas
It's Christmas time!! I love Christmas and because I have young children, the magic of Christmas is in abundance around our house! However, the beauty and peace of the season can be lost for a family that is living close to the vest. Christmas has become so commercialized that the focus of the season is shifted from what matters (the birth of our Savior) to a season of cranky parents looking for the "perfect" gift. Now, I want to set the record straight...I'm not bitter, I love giving gifts to our children on Christmas morning. I love to see that look of wonder in their eyes as they gaze at the tree and wonder if Santa is real. I love to watch them open the gifts and the excitement in their eyes when they get something that they really wanted. To me, this is a very special time of year, but not only for the gifts that they are receiving, but also in the gifts that we give to others. This time of year, as beautiful as it is, can also be extremely stressful, especially for families that only have one income. I can remember, when my boys were really little, my husband and I didn't have much money because I had just left my full time job to stay home, and we only had two gifts under the tree for each child and a few items in their stockings. My children were unaware of our struggles, and they were grateful for what they had.
Today, I want to share with you some of the ideas that I have for saving money on gifts around Christmas. I know how difficult and stressful it can be to make Christmas special for your children when you have so little to spend. The following ideas are things that I have done in the past or am currently working on this year. I hope that by sharing these ideas, you will find your Christmas season to be less stressful and that you will find the peace and hope of the season, as it is supposed to be.
1. My children only get one gift from Santa every year. I explained to my children that if Santa carried multiple gifts for everyone on his sleigh, that he would be too heavy to fly and so he brings one gift and the stockings, and that is it. My children have accepted that, and they only expect one gift from Santa. Santa listens very carefully to their wish list, and chooses one, very reasonable gift, to give. Last year my daughter asked for an American Girl doll. Santa brought her an Our Generation doll from Target, she didn't know the difference. In addition, Santa never brings a high ticket item for the children. If we choose to give the kids an expensive gift, then we put our name on the tag. This is important because it sets a reasonable expectation for the children. They won't expect Santa to bring an expensive gift every year, so if you have a little more to spend this year, you won't feel obligated to spend the same amount next year if your financial circumstances change.
2. Set a budget before you shop and look for sales- This is a very important strategy. When my children were small, we had a budget set for the them that was reasonable for their age, $30 per child. I have four children and our total budget for Christmas was just $250, and that included Christmas dinner. I spent a lot of time researching gifts and purchased everything on sale. It wasn't hard for me to find at least 3 gifts that would fall into that budget reasonably. Now that my kids are older, the gifts are more expensive. Our budget is now $75.00 per child. Our total budget for Christmas is $500 or less, including our Prime Rib dinner on Christmas day. This budget has been set for a year and we have been carefully saving since last Christmas. By setting the budget an entire year in advance, we are able to put aside small amounts of money into a Holiday Club account at our bank throughout the year. In November, the bank issues us a check for the total amount and we start over again for the next year. This strategy takes the pressure off of us and we don't have to charge anything to a credit card. Unfortunately, Black Friday is the best day to find the greatest deals, especially on new toys. However, most websites offer the same deals as the brick and mortar locations, so if you have to work or you don't want to go out in the crowds, simply go online and make your purchases. You can usually save on shipping and it comes straight to your door.
3. Make your own Christmas gifts. Pinterest is your friend here! I have found some really great, homemade Christmas gift ideas on Pinterest! This year I am making 90% of the gifts for my daughter, my friends children, and my nieces. I made this apron set for my niece and between fabric and trim, this set cost me about $10 to make. In addition, I am making some cookie mixes in a jar to give her as well. She will be getting a very unique gift, made even more special as she creates memories while using it. Now, if you are really busy, or you don't know how to sew, that is okay! There are a ton of other things that you can make that aren't time consuming or difficult. For example, there is an idea for a fort in a bag. The fort is basically a sheet, you add some clothes pins and other accessories for building, a flash light, and a pack of cards. This gift is about $10 to make, but wouldn't a little boy just love that! I will be posting more homemade gift ideas throughout the season, so check back and maybe there will be an idea that is perfect for you!
In addition to receiving gifts, it is vitally important to give to others as well. Every year I choose two or three tags from a "giving" tree and my children go with me to choose gifts. I try to choose children that are around the same age of my own so that the kids can choose something really special. Our finances dictate our budget for these gifts and I try to choose items that are at least $10. $30 of our Christmas budget feels like a lot, but it is worth it because my children are learning that Christmas isn't the same for all families, and that while we aren't rich, we have more than enough, and we should be helping others before we help ourselves. Now this tradition has taken on new meaning as my older children are willing to spend some of their own money on these gifts, making them so much more special.
Do you have Christmas ideas that you would like to share or a strategy that works for your family? Please share them with us! I would love to know how other families celebrate the holidays!
Happy Christmas Season!
Today, I want to share with you some of the ideas that I have for saving money on gifts around Christmas. I know how difficult and stressful it can be to make Christmas special for your children when you have so little to spend. The following ideas are things that I have done in the past or am currently working on this year. I hope that by sharing these ideas, you will find your Christmas season to be less stressful and that you will find the peace and hope of the season, as it is supposed to be.
1. My children only get one gift from Santa every year. I explained to my children that if Santa carried multiple gifts for everyone on his sleigh, that he would be too heavy to fly and so he brings one gift and the stockings, and that is it. My children have accepted that, and they only expect one gift from Santa. Santa listens very carefully to their wish list, and chooses one, very reasonable gift, to give. Last year my daughter asked for an American Girl doll. Santa brought her an Our Generation doll from Target, she didn't know the difference. In addition, Santa never brings a high ticket item for the children. If we choose to give the kids an expensive gift, then we put our name on the tag. This is important because it sets a reasonable expectation for the children. They won't expect Santa to bring an expensive gift every year, so if you have a little more to spend this year, you won't feel obligated to spend the same amount next year if your financial circumstances change.
2. Set a budget before you shop and look for sales- This is a very important strategy. When my children were small, we had a budget set for the them that was reasonable for their age, $30 per child. I have four children and our total budget for Christmas was just $250, and that included Christmas dinner. I spent a lot of time researching gifts and purchased everything on sale. It wasn't hard for me to find at least 3 gifts that would fall into that budget reasonably. Now that my kids are older, the gifts are more expensive. Our budget is now $75.00 per child. Our total budget for Christmas is $500 or less, including our Prime Rib dinner on Christmas day. This budget has been set for a year and we have been carefully saving since last Christmas. By setting the budget an entire year in advance, we are able to put aside small amounts of money into a Holiday Club account at our bank throughout the year. In November, the bank issues us a check for the total amount and we start over again for the next year. This strategy takes the pressure off of us and we don't have to charge anything to a credit card. Unfortunately, Black Friday is the best day to find the greatest deals, especially on new toys. However, most websites offer the same deals as the brick and mortar locations, so if you have to work or you don't want to go out in the crowds, simply go online and make your purchases. You can usually save on shipping and it comes straight to your door.
3. Make your own Christmas gifts. Pinterest is your friend here! I have found some really great, homemade Christmas gift ideas on Pinterest! This year I am making 90% of the gifts for my daughter, my friends children, and my nieces. I made this apron set for my niece and between fabric and trim, this set cost me about $10 to make. In addition, I am making some cookie mixes in a jar to give her as well. She will be getting a very unique gift, made even more special as she creates memories while using it. Now, if you are really busy, or you don't know how to sew, that is okay! There are a ton of other things that you can make that aren't time consuming or difficult. For example, there is an idea for a fort in a bag. The fort is basically a sheet, you add some clothes pins and other accessories for building, a flash light, and a pack of cards. This gift is about $10 to make, but wouldn't a little boy just love that! I will be posting more homemade gift ideas throughout the season, so check back and maybe there will be an idea that is perfect for you!
In addition to receiving gifts, it is vitally important to give to others as well. Every year I choose two or three tags from a "giving" tree and my children go with me to choose gifts. I try to choose children that are around the same age of my own so that the kids can choose something really special. Our finances dictate our budget for these gifts and I try to choose items that are at least $10. $30 of our Christmas budget feels like a lot, but it is worth it because my children are learning that Christmas isn't the same for all families, and that while we aren't rich, we have more than enough, and we should be helping others before we help ourselves. Now this tradition has taken on new meaning as my older children are willing to spend some of their own money on these gifts, making them so much more special.
Do you have Christmas ideas that you would like to share or a strategy that works for your family? Please share them with us! I would love to know how other families celebrate the holidays!
Happy Christmas Season!
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
The Beautiful Color Orange!
Pumpkin is a beautiful fruit (yes, I said fruit.) It is so versatile and can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. I have to admit, I don't make anything pumpkin without cinnamon. To me they are a married pair. You can make many beautiful soups and stews with cinnamon as an ingredient, however, for the majority of us, pumpkin is usually found in more sweet dishes then anything else.
I use pumpkin all of the time in breakfast dishes. I have made delicious pumpkin donuts, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin oatmeal cups (and bakes), and pumpkin pancakes. I was just on Pinterest recently and found a pumpkin French toast bake that I am dying to try! So, pumpkin is popular in our house!
In addition to breakfast, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin cupcakes have graced our kitchen as well. And of course, the most popular of all...the pumpkin pie!
Today I am going to share two of my favorite pumpkin recipes; pumpkin pie and pumpkin oatmeal bake. These recipes are so easy and you can use either fresh or canned pumpkin to make them. Not only are these recipes absolutely divine, but they are also extremely affordable!
Fun Fact #1 Did you know that most commercially sold packed pumpkin is actually a combination of butternut squash and fresh pumpkin? Butternut squash has a beautiful, smooth texture and is sweeter than pumpkin. The color is undeniable! This is why fresh pumpkin is light orange and packed pumpkin is dark. Why does it say 100% pumpkin on the can? Because, the USDA considers all squash (including pumpkins) to be in the same family, therefore, companies don't have to disclose the different types of squash in the ingredients. Weird right?
Pumpkin Oatmeal Bake- Serves 4-6
3 cups whole, rolled oats
2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
Directions- Lightly spray an 11 x 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Mix well to combine everything evenly. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Serve immediately.
Yummy goodness before baking photo!
Oh so good! Full of pumpkin and cinnamon. This is sure to be a recipe your family will love!
Original Pumpkin Pie- Serves 6-8
2 cups of fresh pumpkin or 1 can of packed pumpkin puree (15 oz.)
1 can of evaporated milk
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust
Directions-
Preheat oven to 425
Roll out pie crust and line one 9 inch pie pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar,spices, eggs, and salt. Mix well. Using a whisk, slowly pour in the evaporated milk. Whisk until the milk is combined and the custard is smooth and creamy. Pour batter into the prepared pie crust. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 and continue to bake for an additional 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean. To ensure that the crust doesn't get over baked, you can lightly cover the crust with foil or use a pie shield.
Cool on a rack for at least 2 hours. I allow it to set for more than that...it comes out better if I leave it for at least 4 hours.
***Notes- I always brush the crust with egg to get a nice golden color.***
I will be taking pictures to add to this post today as I bake my pumpkin pie for tomorrow. If you have any questions about the crust or the filling, please ask...I will try to look several times today and tomorrow as people are cooking and baking to answer as many of them as I can.
I hope that you are enjoying your holiday preparations!
Blessings to all!
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Perfectly Easy Sausage Stuffing
The first time that I tasted this stuffing was about 10 years ago at my sister's house. Up until then, I didn't think that I liked stuffing that had, well, stuff in it. You see, my mother used to make the Pepperidge Farm seasoned stuffing cubes with just water and butter in it. She didn't add any seasonings, celery, or onion to it, let alone sausage. To this day, I am not really sure why. I assume that it was because that is how she liked it. My sister had us over for Christmas and she made this recipe. Well, I fell in love! I really do like the "stuff" in stuffing!
She gave me the recipe and for the last 9 years, this stuffing has graced our table every Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is delicious and super easy! It bakes up soft and moist, and when I put it on the table, you would never believe that it wasn't baked in the turkey!
Here's what you'll need to make this fabulous stuffing yourself:
1 12 oz. bag of seasoned cubed stuffing mix
1 12 oz. pork sausage, cooked and crumbled (comes in a roll)
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stick of butter (I would not recommend subbing margarine for this, you can...but the flavor and texture aren't the same.)
2 full cans of chicken or turkey broth. (plus extra if needed)
1/2 tsp. dried sage
Directions-
1. Melt the butter in a large sized frying pan. Add the onions and celery and cook on medium until the veggies are tender, stirring often so that the onions don't over cook. Add the broth and cook until the contents of the pan are boiling. Turn off the heat.
2. Grease a 9 x 13 in. baking dish with cooking spray. Directly in the baking dish, combine the cooked sausage, sage, and the stuffing cubes. Carefully, pour the hot liquid and veggies into the dish. Stir everything to combine, making sure to reach all of the cubes in the corners of the dish. Cover with foil. Leave the dish on the counter for about 15-30 minutes so that the cubes can absorb all of the yummy liquid. This is what makes this dish so soft and moist.
3. Bake at 350 degrees until the stuffing is heated through. Serve immediately.
I love to make this stuffing ahead, but you can make it the day of as well. Because I make it the day before Thanksgiving, I usually add extra broth to it just before I bake it.
In addition to your Thanksgiving feast, this stuffing is delish the next day on a sandwich with turkey and gravy. Yum Yum!
Blessings to all!
She gave me the recipe and for the last 9 years, this stuffing has graced our table every Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is delicious and super easy! It bakes up soft and moist, and when I put it on the table, you would never believe that it wasn't baked in the turkey!
Here's what you'll need to make this fabulous stuffing yourself:
1 12 oz. bag of seasoned cubed stuffing mix
1 12 oz. pork sausage, cooked and crumbled (comes in a roll)
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stick of butter (I would not recommend subbing margarine for this, you can...but the flavor and texture aren't the same.)
2 full cans of chicken or turkey broth. (plus extra if needed)
1/2 tsp. dried sage
Directions-
1. Melt the butter in a large sized frying pan. Add the onions and celery and cook on medium until the veggies are tender, stirring often so that the onions don't over cook. Add the broth and cook until the contents of the pan are boiling. Turn off the heat.
2. Grease a 9 x 13 in. baking dish with cooking spray. Directly in the baking dish, combine the cooked sausage, sage, and the stuffing cubes. Carefully, pour the hot liquid and veggies into the dish. Stir everything to combine, making sure to reach all of the cubes in the corners of the dish. Cover with foil. Leave the dish on the counter for about 15-30 minutes so that the cubes can absorb all of the yummy liquid. This is what makes this dish so soft and moist.
3. Bake at 350 degrees until the stuffing is heated through. Serve immediately.
I love to make this stuffing ahead, but you can make it the day of as well. Because I make it the day before Thanksgiving, I usually add extra broth to it just before I bake it.
In addition to your Thanksgiving feast, this stuffing is delish the next day on a sandwich with turkey and gravy. Yum Yum!
Blessings to all!
Saving on your Thanksgiving feast this year!
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year. It is full of family gatherings and great food! But what defines great food? Here in our house, great food is not defined by which grocery store I shop in, or by expensive ingredients like fresh sage and Brie cheese. It is defined by how we share it with our closest friends and family.
When I was young, my parents had a limited income, and yet every year, we had a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner. To make it special, my mother would pull out her best china and we would set a beautiful table. She made a pumpkin pie every year, and sometimes an apple pie, if she had time. She would also make a Jello mold that would have some sort of fruit cocktail in it. We loved it! We had a turkey, stuffing, and potatoes with squash, green beans, and rolls. This meal was special every year and it didn't come with a table of appetizers, alcoholic beverages, or expensive centerpieces. What I'm trying to say, is that you don't have to go out of your way (or your budget) to have a beautiful Thanksgiving day, the memories are going to be as special as you make them. Simple is the key.
Today and tomorrow, I am going to give you a rundown of what I am serving for dinner on Thursday. I will give you recipes and tips for each dish. I am going to apologize up front because there won't be time for me to take pictures until Thursday when I actually serve the food. If you have any questions about preparing the turkey, stuffing, or pies, please feel free to leave a comment. I will try to check back often over the next few days to help out.
So, here is what I have on the menu and how much I paid for everything. I have 10 people coming for dinner, so I will break down the cost per person for you as well. As you know, I try to keep everything at a minimal cost so that we can enjoy a wonderful meal, without breaking our budget!
Turkey- 16 pounds $7.50 (I got a great deal at Wegman's $0.48 per pound with a $25.00 purchase)
Potatoes- 5 lb. bag for $1.49 (white potatoes)
Butternut Squash- 5 lb. (2 large) $.99/ pound, $5.69
Yams- 2 lbs. $.39/pound- $0.78
Apples- 5 lb. Empire apples- $5.99 ( I will only use 7 apples in this bag which is just about 2.5 pounds so the cost is about $2.75)
Frozen green beans- $.99
Heavy cream- 1 qt. $4.99 (I will only use 1 cup to make whipped cream, so that is a total of $1.25)
Butter- 1 lb. (Walmart 2 lb. pack is $5.69 right now) $2.88
Pumpkin puree (I have some frozen in the freezer that I made from a fresh pumpkin, but you can get the puree at Aldi for about $. 89 a can.)
Flour- 5 lb. bag at Wegman's $1.29
Sugar- 4 lb. bag at Wegman's $1.79
Milk- 1 gallon 2% at Wegman's is $2.18
Stuffing- Arnold seasoned cubed stuffing- $2.50
I roll of pork sausage- Wegman's 2.50
! small bunch of celery- Wegman's $.69
1 bunch of sweet onions- Walmart $2.99
4 cans of chicken broth- Wegman's brand $.50 each- $2.00
The rest of the ingredients I need are in my pantry, these include: brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sage seasonings) I try to keep my costs for Thanksgiving to $40 or less. It could be cheaper if I left out a few things, but since it is just once a year and I usually serve my in-laws, I splurge a bit. My total for this year was $39.27. That is just $3.92 a person. That, I am grateful to say, is less than what it costs for a six piece chicken nugget happy meal at McDonalds and it includes dessert!
** Something important to remember is that you don't have to purchase the larger container. For example, I purchase a quart of heavy cream. I know that I'll use that in other recipes this week, but you can purchase it by the half pint and pint for less than what I paid for it. The same with the apples, if you don't have $5.99 to spend for a 5 lb. bag, you can buy them by the pound. This time of year you can usually find them for $.99 per pound. When I did my calculations, I only added in the cost for what I am going to use for Thanksgiving dinner, so if you were to add based on what I spent, the total would be a bit more. Hope that this isn't too confusing!**
Now I am going to walk you through cooking that big ole' turkey! It is not nearly as intimidating as it may seem!
Easy Turkey Cooking Instructions-
We don't fry our turkey for Thanksgiving, I have a counter top oven (that I love!) and it comes out perfectly every time!
My turkey is 16 pounds, and so the cooking time is approximately 15-20 minutes per pound. For health and safety reasons I choose not to stuff the bird before cooking. If you want to stuff it, it will take longer to cook. Remember, the stuffing and bird have to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees to be safe. Don't rely on a pop up turkey timer, especially when you have stuffed the bird first.
Okay, so what do you do? First you need to remove the turkey and all of the bags (I know, gross right?) containing the liver, neck, and other internal organs. Thoroughly rinse the turkey in a clean sink and away from clean dishes (I move my dish drainer and all of my washing utensils before I rinse the turkey to ensure that there isn't any cross contamination.) Dry the turkey with paper towels as best as you can. Melt 1/4 cup of butter in the microwave or on the stove. Cut up two whole onions and the leaves of 5 stalks of celery. Stuff the cavity with the onion and celery and sprinkle the inside generously with sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Brush the melted butter on the outside of the bird. Sprinkle the top with more thyme, salt, and pepper.
Cover the turkey lightly with foil (This is not necessary if you are roasting on the counter like me) Cook at 325 degrees for about 15-20 minutes per pound ( for me, this would be about 4 hours.) 30 minutes before the turkey is set to come out, remove the foil and turn up the heat on your oven to 375 degrees. This will give your turkey that nice golden color and crisp up the skin. Once your turkey is at the correct temperature (around 160 degrees) pull it from the oven and tent it with foil. Allow it to rest for about 20 minutes. It will continue to cook and should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remember that the cooking time will vary based on the size of the turkey, so please be mindful and if you haven't invested in a meat thermometer, I would recommend getting one today. It will help to keep you and your family safe. If you have questions about how to use it, check out some great videos on YouTube...they can show you exactly where to measure the temperature on your turkey.
I hope that you found this post helpful! If you have any tips or tricks to share about how you prepare your turkey on Thanksgiving, please share them with us! I am always looking for new ideas!
Blessings to all!
Kim
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