Cooking

Apple Brown Betty

Posted in Cooking, Using Food Storage on April 29th, 2011 by Wendi – Be the first to comment

Apple Brown Betty

Pour 2 c boiling water over 4 cups dried apples. Let stand at least 5 minutes.

Topping

Mix the following ingredients well:

1/2 c flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 c oatmeal

1/4 c brown sugar

Then cut in 1/4 c butter

Place the apples and liquid remaining in a greased 9 x 9 pan. Sprinkle the topping over the apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.

I doubled the recipe for the topping mix as I really really like the crunchy stuff. You could also add some chopped nuts to the topping mix if you like.

I sprinkled my ice cream with a little cinnamon…just to be fancy. :)

 

Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies

Posted in Cooking on April 29th, 2011 by Wendi – Be the first to comment

 

 

Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies

Cream:

1 c shortening

2 c sugar

 

Add:

2 eggs

2 c applesauce (2 c dried apples, 2 c boiling water, let stand for 5 minutes)

 

Add and mix well:

2 tsp soda

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

 

Add:

3 1/2 c flour

2 c oatmeal

1 c chopped nuts (optional)

1 c chocolate chips (optional)

1 c raisins (optional)

Mix well and drop by spoonfuls on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes.

 

Note: I did add chocolate chips and nuts to mine. I also doubled up on the cinnamon.

Use a blender to create the applesauce for the cookies after they’ve soaked.

 

Baking Bread in a Solar Oven

Posted in Cooking on April 29th, 2011 by Wendi – 2 Comments

Thanks to my mom and dad, I’m now a proud owner of a Sun Oven (sunoven.com)

I’ve been anxious to test it out.

I put the oven outside before I started to mix up my bread in order to warm it up. Just like a regular oven you want to get the Sun Oven up to temperature.

I was using this the second week of October in NJ. It was quite a warm day actually and only took about 30 minutes to warm up to 350 degrees.

I’ve seen a few pictures where four loaves fit in the oven. I only baked two because it was my first try and I didn’t want to ruin four. I baked my other two loaves in the conventional oven. I was surprised at the difference.

This picture was taken just before I opened the oven to take out the bread. Let me warn you. This this is HOT!!! It’s 350 degrees. Please make sure you have your oven mitts handy, you’re going to need them. And it’s daggum hot just getting into the oven with the reflectors doing their thing, you may need to don a pair of sunglasses as well. Just be careful.

There they all. All baked and yummy.

I didn’t put enough dough in each of the pans so my bread is a little flat. That’s all my fault. Again, I wasn’t trusting the Sun Oven with a full loaf. Oh me of little faith. This bread was perfect. It browned evenly and the Sun Oven retains moisture so the bread comes out just lovely. It’s not even a bit dried out.

See that! Perfect. I highly recommend adding a solar oven to your emergency supplies. You can cook in it all year long. I’m looking forward to trying it during the dead of winter.  The oven doesn’t even have to be used only for an emergency, it can be used to cut down on other energy costs, cuz the sun is free!


Almond Cheesecake Bars

Posted in Cooking on April 29th, 2011 by Wendi – Be the first to comment

This is a bonus post just for Thanksgiving. I received this recipe in an email through a yahoogroup. It’s so easy to make and it tastes wonderful. Enjoy!

Almond Cheesecake Bars


2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup icing sugar

FILLING:

1 – 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten

FROSTING:

1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp almond extract
4 to 5 tsp milk

Combine the flour, butter and icing sugar; press onto the bottom of a
greased 13 x 9″ baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes
or until golden brown.

For filling, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and extract
until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low speed just until combined.

Pour over crust. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until center is almost
set. Cool on a wire rack.

Combine the frosting ingredients until smooth; spread over bars. Store
in the refrigerator.

Makes: 3 dozen