Hamburger Pie

This may sound like a weird dish but it is one of my family's favorites. We use grass fed, organic ground beef and a farm fresh egg to ensure the best quality.  I like to make several at a time and freeze two or three.  When I’m ready to make them later I just let them thaw first, then bake as usual.  You can use any biscuit recipe or try Kristin’s Kitchen biscuits made with organic ingredients.

Pizza Pinwheels

When you are looking for a quick party snack, these are perfect!  A few weeks ago we were invited to a party and everyone was to bring something to munch on.  Living in the mountains, we try to use what we have on hand instead of making the drive to the grocery store 40 minutes round trip out of the way.  I pretty much always keep pizza ingredients on hand.  My business sells pizza crust mix - which is available here, by the way, at my Esty Shop!  And I have learned to keep a steady supply of cheese and hand canned pizza sauce.

Dark Chocolate... Enchilada Sauce!

Hmm...  When I first heard about putting dark chocolate in my enchilada sauce I cringed.  It sounded disgusting.  I mean, I love chocolate.  I mean I really, really, LOVE chocolate!  And I've become accustom to yummy, good-quality, dark chocolate.  It's the best.  But in my enchiladas?

Homemade Chicken Bouillon Powder

A few weeks ago, I came up with an idea that sparked some interest on Facebook.  I wanted to make some "ramen noodles" that are healthy, not full of added chemicals and toxins.  So I went to work on trying to figure out a good dry pasta recipe that resembles Chinese noodles or Ramen noodles and a way to make dry chicken broth powder.

Convection Oven Perfect Fries

Who doesn’t love a perfect batch of hot, salty French fries?  I know I do! Can you make them successfully in the oven to avoid all that extra fat?  YES!  Will they actually turn out crispy and delicious?  Yes!  I’ve made them for years in the oven.  I’m not going to lie, they are not McDonald’s fries which I have a serious weakness for. (Yes I know they are about as far from natural as possible!)  But for making quick dinners at home WITHOUT deep frying, they are pretty tasty.  I use my convection oven for even heating but a regular oven will work also.

Potato Bin

Last year I saw a neat post on Pinterest that I really wanted to try.  It was all about how to grow your own potatoes in a large trash can.  Can’t be that hard right?  We had an old 55 gallon trash bin that had at one point been converted to a rain barrel and was no longer being used as such.  (That was another pinterest project that just didn’t work out for our circumstances.)  The post I read stated that you can yield 100 pounds of potatoes from just one pound of planted spuds.  We love to grow our own food and we knew we would be moving and it could be transportable so it seemed like a great idea.

First we picked up some organic potato planters at the local grow store and cut them into 1 or 2 inch chunks, making sure to leave “eyes” on each chunk.  For experimentation sake, we also left some of them whole.  We then let them sit out on a cookie sheet in a bright room but not in direct sunlight to get them to sprout for about 2 weeks.

We started with our 55 gallon trash can and drilled holes all up and down the bin to make sure there would be plenty of good drainage for watering.  Next, we filled the bottom with about 6 inches of gravel/rock so that the dirt would not get soggy on the bottom.  The next layer was 6 inches of top soil mixed with compost.  My boys loved helping with this step.

Next we put a layer of planter potatoes leaving a few inches of space all around each piece.  Finally, we covered those with another 2 inches of soil and watered them well.

It took about two weeks to see the plants sprout up but once they did they just took off.  Each time the plants got about 6 inches we filled in another 3 inches of dirt until eventually the whole bin was full of dirt.  The idea is that you get potatoes to grow all throughout the bin this way.  The plant on top was looking beautiful and luscious.  I wish I had a picture to show you but I apparently forgot to take one!

Then we moved.  We didn’t just move, we moved to the mountains where the air was thin and dry and the sun was harsh and the nights got cold.  Too cold.  Our poor potato plant just didn’t know what hit it.  We want to do another one next year and try to account for our climate.  I think we shocked our potatoes.

Even still, though the plant died after we moved, we were able to harvest about 1 and a half pounds of new potatoes.  The kids had a great time digging through the bin and finding potatoes.  We were able to have one meal with our roasted potato babies!   

Here’s to a large crop next year!

Have you ever tried a potato bin?  What are your tips and tricks?

Pineapple Chips

Turning away from processed sugar is sometimes hard.  OK, it’s really hard.  I love sweets… candy, baked goods, and CHOCOLATE just to name a few.  When I let myself and family have too many treats I can feel the addiction!  And let’s be clear.  Sugar IS an addiction and one the food industry relies on to line their pockets and keep us coming back for more.    We all know that sugar is bad for us and especially highly processed candy and fruit snacks available on the market right now.  In an effort to reduce sugar intake in our house, we like to eat fruits.  Dried pineapple chips are delicious, sweet, and chewy.  It’s a good way to satisfy a sweet tooth craving.

Amazing and Easy Coffee Cake

My baking has changed a bit since moving into the Rocky Mountains.  Many of my old recipes have had to have some adjustments.  I've learned what works and what doesn't.  And I've learned that adding eggs to things is a high altitude baker's best line of defense against dense cakes and muffins.  Even though I personally am at an altitude of 8,125 ft, I know that for most reading my blog, you are not.  So I've decided to put the original recipe link up and post my proven high altitude adjustments here.

Make Your Own "Bisquick"

Years ago I came across a substitute recipe for using Bisquick when I realized I had run out of it.  I like the recipe so much that I have never bought another box of baking mix since.  

Homemade Vanilla Extract

You might have seen this handy trick on Pinterest or floating around on Facebook.  I decided to give it a try and make Christmas gifts from it this past year.  What is it?  Vanilla Extract.  That yummy golden liquid that smells so fantastic and makes your cookies, cakes, and ice cream burst with flavor.  

My Favorite Salad Dressings

So I've been on a writing hiatus for the last few weeks.  It's been made public on my family blog, Facebook, and now here on Sports Bras and Aprons:  I am expecting!  Right now I'm 12 weeks and finally getting past the yucky phase.  I've been pretty unmotivated to do anything but sit on the couch, take a bunch of hot showers, and eat.  And eat.  And eat!  

It seems fitting then that I share a recipe today.  Actually a couple recipes.  They are not my own recipes, however, they are FANTASTIC!  I make them all the time and frequently get compliments and requests to share the recipe.  

Salad Dressings are some of the easiest condiments you can make on your own while avoiding all the extra nasties found in processed foods.  I have not mastered ranch dressing yet but it's on my list of things to try.  Vinegar and oil based dressings are so simple and you most likely have all the ingredients on hand.  

Zesty Italian

I stumbled on this recipe through LittleIndiana.com.  You can find the recipe HERE.  I fell in love with it and made some of my own adjustments just to make it easier.  I use my dehydrator to dry red peppers, onions, and garlic and keep them on hand.  For Christmas I made packets of a mix for this dressing with instructions. It was such a hit, that I have made some for myself too.  Now we can have Zesty Italian Dressing whenever we want.  

To make packets, simply combine all dry ingredients and store in a baggie.  When you are ready to use, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, water, and lemon juice.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

The second recipe I use all the time is a basic Balsamic Vinaigrette.  This recipe is found out clean4myking.blogspot.com.  This is a great dressing for any spinach salad.  I also love to use it on Greek style salads as well.  It is really quick and easy to throw together.  It also saves well and keeps for a while in the refrigerator.

You can find the recipe HERE.

10 Helpful Potato Masher Uses

One of my favorite hand held tools in the kitchen?  My potato masher.  There are many types of potato mashers and they come in all different shapes and sizes.  Mine happens to be a little old fashioned.  It could be why I adore it so much.  It came to me in a box of random kitchen items passed on from my Great Aunt Obbey and it looks a little like this: 

H2O Here We Go

Drinking enough water in a day can be tough.  Unless you are actually keeping track, who knows how much water you actually drink?

In an article by CBS News it is stated that, "According to a survey of 2,818 Americans, conducted in 14 US cities by Yankelovich Partners for the Rockefeller University and the International Bottled Water Association, only 34% are drinking the recommended daily amount of water."  That's a lot of people not getting enough water each day.  

Homemade Pasta

I used to shy away from homemade pasta, believing it to be too big a chore to mess with.  In fact, even after I received my pasta maker attachment for my Kitchenaid as a gift, I still felt like the task was just too big for years.  But that was then.  Now, I feel making pasta is pretty easy and very satisfying.  Worth the trouble even.

Really, the work is not hard.  It's time that you need.  My pasta maker attachment sure makes the work part a breeze.  So how do you make homemade pasta?  And what if you don't have a pasta press?

Real Food, Real Convenience

As I think back a few years ago, I remember all the convenience foods I used to eat.  Mac and Cheese for the kids, boxed muffin mixes and cakes, and canned anything - fruit, veggies, soups, beans, etc. We frequently ate bottled spaghetti sauce with boxes of pasta, taco seasoning packets or taco kits, boxes of Asian fair, or frozen bags of skillet meals.  I used to have a steady supply of frozen chicken nuggets, fish sticks, veggie steamers, hot pockets, pizzas (lots of frozen pizzas) and low fat microwave meals.  When it was time to make a meal, I basically heated water to boil something, warmed it up in the microwave, or put a frozen meal in the oven.  Occasionally I would use my crock pot but mostly for pre-made frozen bags of slow cooker meals.

The Awesome Apple

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away."  And also dentists, cancer, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, diabetes, heart disease, diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids, weigh gain, cataracts, and more!  What's your favorite way to eat an apple?  Slice it, cook it, bake it, juice it, pulverize it?  How about your favorite variety?  So many options to choose from and so many wonderful health benefits!  The apple is truly awesome.

I found this great chart at Sprouts one day so I had to take a picture of it.  I love it because it gives you a good idea of which variety to choose for whatever your feeling in the mood for.  If you want something sweet, go for the Fujis.  If you're looking for more tart, go with a Granny Smith.  Personally, my favorite is Honeycrisp. 

I shop deals.  Apples are the cheapest in their peak season which is fall.  But you can usually watch ads and find great deals throughout the year.  Sprouts had a sale on all varieties so I bought 20 pounds.  Here's what I did with them.  Hopefully it will give you some good ideas on how to get your apple-a-day.

Apple chips

Core the apple.  Leave the skin on or peel it.  However you prefer.  Leaving the skin on will give you more nutrients though.  Using a mandolin, slice the apple into 1/8 inch or smaller slices.  Let slices soak in cool water mixed with Fruit Fresh or lemon juice to prevent browning.  Place slices in a dehydrator for 12 hours.  Chips will be done when the are dry enough to snap apart.

Applesauce

This is a staple in our house.  We eat it for snacks, when we are sick, or in muffins and cakes.  I like to use a blend of apples to get a fuller flavor.  If you use sweet enough apples you don't even need to add any sugar as it is naturally sweet.   If you buy organic, you can make nutritious, chemical free applesauce at a fraction of the cost of buying it already jarred at the store. 

Simply peel, core, and chop your apples, simmer in a pot with a little bit of water until they are nice and soft.  Then either use a potato masher to smash to your desired consistency or blend it for a smoother texture.  If you made a large batch you might want to can the excess. I used the water bath method and added a tsp of lemon juice to each pint.

Apple juice

What did I do with all those leftover peels and cores?  I put them through my juicer along with a few extra apples and saved the juice.  Then to get to most bang for my buck, I added water to my apple pulp (leftover from juicing it) brought it to a boil, and then strained through a fine mesh sieve to double the amount of juice I had.  The end result was a little watered down but still tasty.  I added a little bit of simple syrup to sweeten it up a bit and then canned it in quart sized jars.  You can drink it chilled or get creative and make a warm spiced apple drink.

Have a favorite apple recipe?  Please leave a comment and share!  I would love to try some new recipes out.  Enjoy your apples!

Two Ingredient Cough Drops

It's that time of year again.  Cold and Flu season.  There's a little bug going around that seems to plague people for about 12 to 24 hours.  And then there's the cold that last for weeks.  There are all kinds of home remedies to try to ease your symptoms.  Some work better than others and sometimes sleep is all you can do.  

Homemade BBQ Sauce

With the super bowl around the corner you may be in search of a good BBQ sauce for your wings and burgers.  Look no more.  This sauce is made with ketchup.  Use your favorite brand or use your own homemade ketchup! (Check out my Ketchup post HERE)  I made a huge batch of ketchup, canned a bunch and then used the rest for my BBQ sauce.  Sweet and spicy all at once, this is a hit at our house and it doubled as Christmas gifts for the guys of our family.

Homemade Ketchup

I know what you're thinking.  I've gone off the deep end right?  I mean homemade ketchup?  Yup.  And it's sooooo yummy!  There are two ways to do this.  I'm going to walk you through both because if you are like me and have never made tomato sauce, you probably need the extra instructions.  You can cut the cooking time in half by using already made tomato sauce either that you canned yourself, or bought from the store.  Once you've tried homemade ketchup, I dare you to go back to your beloved Hunts.

No Use Crying Over Chopped Onions

Over my birthday trip to KC, my in-laws kindly gave me some of their garden harvests from over the summer.  Along with quart sized jars of green beans and tomato juice, I was blessed with about 15 beautiful white onions.  When stored correctly, onions can stay good for several months.  When we got home I promptly looked up some good ways to store them on Pinterest.  I found this little beauty.  Brilliant!