Whole Cranberry Sauce

Hi yall! I know I have been MIA for a little bit but it was all worth it. Spent a lot of quality time with the family and am now starting the family cookbook. Really exciting.
Well here it is! The week of Thanksgiving. All across the country men and women alike will be raiding the supermarket shelves and using up all of those extras that they have been storing up in the pantry. Every day this week, there will be one or two things made ahead of time to make the turkey day less tiring and the Hancock-Crans household is no different. Today I brought out all the stops and made my homemade whole cranberry sauce. I put a pint of it away for Christmas too so that I wont have to make it for back to back holidays. I hope you enjoy this recipe as it has become a tradition in my home. (yes we also keep a couple of cans of the jellied cranberry sauce in the fridge chilling for those who do not like whole cranberries in their sauce)

Whole Cranberry Sauce

1 bag of whole, fresh cranberries

1/2 cup pecans (optional)

2 cups orange juice

1 teaspoon of orange zest or a few slivers if it grated

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Stir often and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium once the cranberries pop. Stir constantly and cook to a soft ball stage (235 degrees F).
This will make 2 pints. I put both pints into canning jars but refrigerator plastic tubs with tight lids work awesome!
Enjoy!

Amish Friendship Bread> Share the LOVE

Amish Friendship Bread
by unknown
Do not use any type of metal spoons or bowl for mixing. Do not refrigerate. If air gets into the bag, let it out.
It is normal for the batter to rise, bubble, and ferment.
Day 1: Do nothing. This is the date on which you receive the bag. Squish-squash-mush the bag.
Day 2: Squish-squash-mush the bag
Day 3: Squish-squash-mush the bag
Day 4: Squish-squash-mush the bag
Day 5: Squish-squash-mush the bag
Day 6: Add to the bag 1 C. flour, 1 C. sugar, 1 C. milk. Squish-squash-mush the bag.
Day 7: Squish-squash-mush the bag
Day 8: Squish-squash-mush the bag
Day 9: Squish-squash-mush the bag
Day 10: BAKING DAY! Mix and divide the starter as follows:
Pour entire contents of bag into large non-metal bowl and add: 1½ cup flour, 1½ cup sugar, 1½ cup milk.
Measure out 4 separate batches of the starter batter, 1 cup each, into 4 separate Ziplock bags (one gallon
size). Keep one for yourself and give the other 3 to friends along with a copy of this recipe/instructions.
Pre-heat oven to 325°. To the remaining batter in the bowl, add:
3 eggs
1 cup Canola oil
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
Grease or butter 2 large loaf pans and mix an additional ½ cup sugar and 1½ tsp cinnamon. Dust the
greased pans with half the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Pour batter evenly into the pans and sprinkle the top
with remaining sugar mixture.
Bake for 1 hour. Cool until bread loosens from sides of pan and turn out to serving dish.
If bag isn’t passed on to a friend on the 10th day, be certain to tell recipient which day the bag is at when
given to them. If you keep a starter bag for yourself, you will be baking every 10 days.
PLEASE NOTE
If you give your starters all away, you will have to wait until someone gives you back a starter or you can
google how make your own starter. This is not my recipe – it is a copy of a recipe that was passed on
to me – and now passed on to you.

Read more: http://thefrugalgirls.com/gifts-in-jars-recipes#ixzz29lsPLILC

Puff Pastry Cups

Wish I had a pic for this but its a great idea. Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly flour surface. Lay out and thaw the sheets of puff pastry (found in the frozen section of your grocery). Get a muffin tin and lay upside down. Spray with cooking spray. Cut pastry into circles big enough to cover the underside of the cupcake bowl. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
You can fill these with ice cream, mouse, whipped  cream and berries...even sausage....the options are endless! Good eating, ya'll!

Christmas Make-ahead Gifts :)

Christmas is coming fast. I had already decided that the adults on my Christmas list were getting gifts-in-a-jar so I could really give them something special that they like. For some its easy, I find their favorite types of recipes and set them up with gifts like my Hoppin John Soup that I posted earlier. For others who don't or can't cook for some reason, I really had to put my thinking cap on. Favorite candies would be great (even the sugar free kind for those in my family who are diabetic). Bath salts or fizzing bath balls with a loofa is a plus too. Here is a pin from pintrest.com that shows some of what I am talking about. Its not my original pin but it sooooo tells more in picture than I could tell in words, http://pinterest.com/pin/79727855873212997/

Carrot salad, spread

I wish I had taken a picture of this but at least I am engaged to the cook.

1 cup finely minced carrots

3 T salad dressing or ranch dressing

5 or 6 green olives, pimintos included, chopped fine

minced onion to taste

raisins, minced

Mix it all together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy with crackers or, as I did, on a sub.

Enjoy.

Safe and Fragrant Mold Killer

Mix one teaspoon of teatree oil to a cup of water in a spray bottle. Spray affected areas and let totally dry. This will kill it fast!

Hoppin John Soup in-a-jar

                                                                            
I am going to try something new today. It is coming toward the end of September. Fall is here and the holidays are next. Colder weather, football, Halloween (yay), Thanksgiving, parades and Christmas. Get the feeling now? It is never too late for getting gifts together and keep in mind that hot soups and stews will be how we show our love to our family. So why not combine the ideas of warm, savory meals with gift giving? Gifts-in-a-jar are great ways to bring happy smiles to the gift receiver, even for those who normally can't boil water without scorching it.
Just keep a few things in mind:
always use food safe jars with airtight lids
use dry jars of the correct size
a canning funnel makes it so much easier
and
make alot, those last minute gifts are a pain to find!

Put the directions for the final product on gift tags to tie to the jar. For the lid itself, make a decorative effort with a 9 to 10 inch piece of fabric to put under the canning rim (if thats what u used) or just cover and tie with ribbon or raffia.
                                          

                                                                   
                          
Hoppin' John Soup Mix

1 C dried black-eyed peas
1 T dried minced onion
1 T dried vegetable flakes
1 chicken bullion cube, unwrapped
1 t dried minced garlic
1 t dried thyme leaves
1/2 t ground cumin
1/4 t black pepper
1/8 t ground red pepper
1 boil-in-bag white rice

1. Place black-eyed-peas in a 1 pint good storage jar with tight fitting lid. Place onion, vegetable flakes, bullion cube, garlic, thyme, cumin, black pepper and red pepper into a small food storage bag. Close with a twist tie and cut off the top. Place on top of peas, add bag of rice. Close jar.
2. cover top of jar with fabric; attach gift tag with raffia or ribbon.
makes 1 pint jar.

Hoppin' John Soup

1 jar Hoppin' John Soup Mix
2 to 3 C water
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
4 slices crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled or 1 smoked ham hock
   Lemon pepper or hot sauce
   Chopped parsley (optional)

1. Remove rice and seasoning packet from jar; set aside. Place beans in large bowl; cover with water. Soak 6 to 8 hrs or overnight. (To quick soak beans, place beans in large saucepan; cover with water. bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 2 minutes; Remove from heat, let soak, covered, 1 hr) Drain beans and discard water.
2. Placed soaked beans, water, tomatoes, bacon and contents of seasoning packet into large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beans are tender. MAsh beans slightly with a potato masher. Season with lemon pepper. Submerge bag of rice in boiling salted water. Boil 10 minutes. Drain rice; mix with parsley, if desired. Serve soup with rice.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Baked Apple Cups

Hollow out apples and bake with cinnamon and sugar inside. After its done baking, fill with ice cream and carmel.

Grout-B-Bone

An easy grout cleaning mix: 7 cups water, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/3 cup ammonia and 1/4 cup vinegar. Spray on, scrub and wipe off.

Make your own lip balm

I got this from my pinterest. www.pinterest.com/santrabelle

Make Your Own Lip Balm

1. Choose a container or tin for your lip balm. You can use an empty Altoids tin (like the one above) or anything that will hold the balm. Just be sure to wash it in hot soapy water and let it dry completely.
   
2. Prepare your ingredients. The general rule is two parts oil to one part beeswax. You can use any oil that you like. Try adding almond oil for added moisture or peppermint oil for a fresh scent.
   
3. Melt the beeswax in a double boiler, ensuring that the top bowl does not touch the water. Once the wax melted, remove from the heat. Add your oils and as much lipstick as you want (the more lipstick you use, the darker the color will be).
   
4. Immediately pour the hot mixture into the desired tin. Let it cool overnight before using it on your lips.
   

I Want to Know

Hi Readers,

It has come to my attention that the best way to give you what you want on here is to ask you....
What do you want to see more of on here?
What have you  enjoyed or disliked on here?
And most of all, what ideas can you send my way?
This blog is for you, afterall.

Thanks and break time,
Lottie Hancock

P.S. BTW what are your favorite recipes and tips?

Smile! It's Fall!

This morning I couldn't help myself. I had to stand outside. It must have been around 6am and the morning breeze was cool and invigorating. These are the kind of mornings I really looked forward to as a child and now that I am an adult, I can't get enough of it. The days are nicer, the mornings I love waking to and the colors are so vivid, even here in Texas. Soon it will be All Hallows Eve and trick-or-treaters of all ages will be everywhere. Imaginations flare and we let a little of our wicked side come out just for fun. The pumpkins, decorated corn and gourds, hayrides and lots of candy are in my future. Consider putting together something at your house for the neighborhood. Get together with your neighbors and pool the ideas and gather volunteers. It will be a lively experience for all of you.
And smile! Its Fall!

Fight Mineral Deposits

Vinegar is an acetic compound that will cut right through lime and hard water deposits. Try it on your shower head. Just soak it in vinegar and voila! The best shower in ages.

Facial Wonder of Wonders: Skin Rejuvenator

Apply pineapple juice or its pulp to your face. Then wash it off with lukewarm water. Its a wonderful weapon against aging. Pineapple is a natural controller of damage done by free radicals and brings back a youthful glow. do this daily or as often as u can to get marvelous results! You wont miss the wrinkles, I promise.

Beauty Isn't Expensive

When I was a tween/teen I was always running out of lip gloss or I couldn't find the right tint I loved.  Well, now that I am a mom, I find the same problem as an adult. I found the solution!
Our favorite department stores sell the little containers for our cosmetics. I got the small round ones that have the screw on lids. In a small bowl or even a flat surface, put in enough Vaseline to fill the cosmetic container. Now for the color! Kool-aid or other small packets of powdered drink will work nicely. Gradually add a little of the powder at a time into the vaseline, mixing constantly, until it is the perfect shade. Scoop it all up into your new container. Viola! Flavored lip gloss in just the right shade for YOU! Save the rest of the powdered drink mix for the next time. lol Keep your friends guessing why you have a rolled up open packet of drink mix in your make-up box, or have a fun time experimenting with them making new shades. Grape anyone?

Recipe of the Week

       Southwest Chicken Pockets
       Prep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min. 
       Yield: 4 Servings 15 20 35

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 package (9 ounces) ready-to-serve roasted chicken breast strips
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, divided
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

• In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Remove from the heat; stir in the chicken, beans, tomato and 1/4 cup chilies.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into a 14-in. square. Cut into four squares. Spoon chicken mixture into the center of each square; sprinkle with cheese.
• Brush egg over edges. Fold dough over filling, forming a triangle; pinch seams to seal. Transfer to a greased baking sheet and brush with remaining egg. Bake at 400° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream and remaining chilies. Serve with pockets. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Facts 1 pocket with 2 tablespoon sauce equals 600 calories, 28 g fat (9 g saturated fat), 88 mg cholesterol, 880 mg sodium, 58 g carbohydrate, 10 g fiber, 28 g protein.

Originally published as Southwest Chicken Pockets in Simple & Delicious February/March 2012, p18