Easy Pumpkin Spice Bread

Pumpkin Spice Bread Reviewed

I always like making things from scratch, but sometimes you just have to go with a box mix.

I wanted to make some banana bread but didn't have any ripe bananas. So I started looking through the cabinets and found this box of Krusteaz pumpkin spice bread.

Fran had picked this up at the store and thought it would be a good idea to make with the grandchildren.

Well, I guess I just couldn't wait so I went ahead and whipped this up. It was so easy to make and really moist and delicious. All you need is water, vegetable oil, and a couple of eggs. Stir everything together and bake in a 5-inch x 7-inch bread pan. Just follow the easy instructions on the box and you'll be enjoying this pumpkin spice bread in no time at all.

To be honest I've never heard of Krusteaz (Crust + Ease) before this. So I looked them up and found out that they have been around since 1932. Wow, where have I been?

The Krusteaz Story:

Times were tough during the great depression. A few women who always traded recipes together came up with a recipe for an easy-to-make pie crust and called it Krusteaz. They would go door to door and visit small cafes to sell their creation, and the rest is history. Today Krusteaz is still a family-owned business. 

They make a variety of easy-to-make bread and muffins, and I'm sure that they are all equally as delicious as this pumpkin spice bread. I will certainly be giving some of their others a try.

If you're looking for an easy and delicious dessert or snack to serve your family or friends just pick up a box of Krusteaz.

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Try my made-from-scratch: Quick Cinnamon Swirl Bread

You will find a variety of Krusteaz products in your local grocery store or you can find them on amazon.

Krusteaz Quick Bread Supreme Mix, Pumpkin Spice, 30 OunceKrusteaz Chocolate Chunk Muffin Mix - No Artificial Flavors/Preservatives - 18.25 OZ Box (Pack of 12)5 Pounds Krusteaz Sweet Cream Pancake Mix Just Add WaterKrusteaz Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix, 17.5-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 2)

 

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Easy Cheesecake Recipe Reviewed

A Cheesecake Recipe for Success!

My family loves cheesecake, therefore, it is probably the most frequently baked dessert in my kitchen.  I bake several each month and most recently baked a cheesecake instead of a birthday cake for my mother's birthday. 

This easy cheesecake is most often what I make for dessert when we are entertaining.  I can either make it the day before, or the morning of an event.  It seems everyone loves cheesecake!

The only drawback is that it does take about 2 hours to make, bake & cool.  Plus, it needs to set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. 

While it is very easy, it does take time.  However, it is worth the wait!

Easy Cheesecake Recipe by Sylvestermouse
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Prep Time	Cook Time	Cool Time	Total Prep Time	Fridge Set	Ready In	Yields
15 min.	50 min.	60 min.	2 hrs. 5 min.	Time 4 hrs.	6 hrs.	8 - 10 servings

Cheesecake Ingredients 

   For Crust: 

     • 2 cups graham crumbs (15 graham cracker sheets) 

     • 2 tablespoons sugar 

      • ⅔ cup butter melted (11 Tablespoons) 

   For Cheesecake: 

      • 24 ounces cream cheese softened 

     • 1 cup sugar 

     • 1 teaspoon vanilla 

     • 3 eggs 

Instructions 

1. Wrap the springform pan with 2 layers of 18” heavy duty aluminum foil 

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. (Convection Oven 325°F) 

3. By hand, Mix crust ingredients until well combined.  

4. Press into a 9" springform pan. 

5. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. 

6. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated (do not overbeat). 

7. Pour cheesecake mixture into crust. 

8. Place in waterbath
   (Pour enough HOT water in the pan to reach half way up the foil covered springform pan.)
   Water Bath Pan is really heavy when filled with water. It is easier to set it in the oven and
   then add the water.  

9.   Bake 50 minutes. 

10. Turn off oven, open oven door slightly and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. 

11. Remove from oven and from waterbath 

12. Remove springform pan and cool completely in the fridge at least 4 hours or overnight. 

 

 

Related Articles 

• How to Make a Water Bath for Cheesecake Baking Review
• Recipe for Graham Cracker Crust Without a Food Processor
  

 

 

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Easy Cheesecake Recipe Reviewed Written by:

© 2023 Cynthia Sylvestermouse
 

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How to Make a Water Bath for Cheesecake Baking Review

There are benefits to preparing and using a water bath when baking cheesecakes or custards.  For one thing, it will keep your cheesecake from cracking and will prevent the filling from drying out.  Plus, it will prevent the cheesecake springform pan from leaking in your oven. 

A water bath is simply a pan of hot water, which will low boil when baking your cheesecake.  It will be very hot!  Be sure to leave your cheesecake cooling in the oven, in the water bath, for an hour after the baking is complete.  Just turn your oven off, leave the oven door slightly open and walk away for an hour.

Since you will be setting your filled cheesecake springform pan in the water bath, it is important to select a pan that your springform pan can easily sit in without tilting it or forcing it.  I have an oversized cake pan that I use.  The size of your springform pan will determine what size you need for the water bath.

For instance, I use a 9" springform pan and an old 18" x 12" sheet cake pan.  (that is all I use that cake pan for now because the coating is ruined)

How to Make a Water Bath for Cheesecake

When you have used a water bath for the first time, you will realize how very easy it is to set up.  

Since I have been asked the "what" question several times, I realize that just saying "bake your cheesecake in a water bath" is lacking in information.  Therefore, I'll share exactly what to do to make a cheesecake water bath here.

Step 1:  Wrap your springform pan in aluminum foil to prevent the water leaking into the cheesecake pan. I use heavy duty 18" wide aluminum foil, but you can use two pieces of standard, everyday 12" aluminum foil by folding them together with a seam that will not leak to create one large piece of foil.     

Step 2:  Set your filled cheesecake springform pan in the wider cake pan.

Step 3:  Add hot water in the wide cake pan, halfway up the outside of the springform pan.

Step 4:  Place in the oven & bake according to recipe.

Step 5:  Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the water bath in the oven for one hour to cool.

 

Note:  The cheesecake and hot water together can be very heavy.  You may prefer to set your cheesecake in an empty cake pan in the oven, then add the hot water using a oven proof measuring cup.

 

Click Here to See My Cheesecake Recipe Published on Review This Reviews!

 Wilton W6516 Perfect Results Sheet Cake PanCheck Price Calphalon Nonstick Bakeware, Spring Form Pan, 9-inchCheck Price Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil, 18 inch, 37.5 Square-Foot Roll (Pack of 1)Check Price

 

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How to Make a Water Bath for Cheesecake Baking Review Written by:

© 2022 Cynthia Sylvestermouse
 

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Reviewing Herbes de Provence for Stews and How I Made Venison Stew

I've never been a fan of stews. Over my lifetime I've occasionally had a stew that was delicious. But typically, I'm just not a fan of the flavor. I never knew what the difference in flavor was and I never thought to ask. Now I believe that I know the answer: Herbes de Provence! I am a fan of Herbes de Provence.

What is Herbes de Provence?

I'd never heard of that seasoning blend until recently. While searching for a recipe for venison stew I found a young lady that uses Herbes de Provence in her recipe. I listened to why she recommended it and I looked it up. 

Herbes de Provence is a blend of herbs that were used in the Southeastern region of Provence France. These herbs were widely used because they were widely available in that area. The blend began to be bottled in the 1970s and became more widely available. The bottled version that I have contains:

• Thyme
• rosemary
• basil
• parsley
• oregano
• tarragon
• marjoram
• lavender flowers

I was a bit hesitant when I learned that lavender was included. In my opinion, lavender has become one of those scents and flavors that is becoming too widely used. And used with a heavy hand. But I decided to give a try just once. It turns out that the hint of lavender with the other herbs in a stew adds a wonderful flavor.

How Did I Make Delicious Tender Venison?

Venison is a very lean meat making it a healthy choice. Because it is so lean it can be overcooked and become rubbery. I have made the mistake of overcooking venison. This is why searched for tutorials on making venison stew. I wanted something other than a roast made in the crockpot and I wanted to attempt a flavorful stew.

I decided to use the recipe from Miss Allie's Kitchen, Her recipe includes venison, celery, potatoes, onions, and carrots. Her recipe is also how I heard about Herbes de Provence.

I seared the chunks of venison and removed them from the pan. I placed the other ingredients into the pan for just a bit to aid in softening them. I didn't realize that I didn't have diced tomatoes. So my first attempt did not include that ingredient but the stew turned out great despite that omission.  I then removed the vegetables from the pan, added the venison back into the pan with a sprinkle of flour as other recipes suggested to thicken the stew. I added the remainer of the ingredients and closed the pressure cooker.

Because venison is so low fat, I used a small pressure cooker. I prefer a stovetop pressure cooker although my son is trying to convince me to purchase an Instapot. I am accustomed to the stovetop style pressure cooker and get good results. But there are several ways to cook this stew and you can choose what works best for you.

(note: The brand shown in the Amazon link is the brand I use and prefer. However, at the time of this writing, the product listed on Amazon is double the price of the same product in local stores)

Related Links:

Watch Miss Allie's Kitchen Classic Venison Stew video tutorial here. 

Find the ingredients and Miss Allie's Kitchen written recipe here. 

I recently began baking popovers which are perfect with venison stew! You can see my review of popovers here. 

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Air Fryer Italian Style Roasted Potatoes

 These Italian-style potatoes are a perfect complement to any main dish. I'm calling these roasted potatoes, but they were really air fried in our Ninja Foodi Grill and Air Fryer.

Air Fryer Italian Style Roasted Potatoes Reviewed

Fran picked up a nice rump roast last week and cooked it in our Instant pot. While it was cooking I remembered the days when my mother would cook a roast in the oven for hours with these delicious roasted potatoes. So, I thought why not try to duplicate these potatoes in the air fryer. 

Air Fried Italian Style Roasted Potatoes:

4 or 5 medium potatoes (washed and peeled)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove of garlic (minced)

2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning 

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. I washed and peeled the potatoes and cut them into quarters. 
2. Placed them in a one-gallon plastic freezer or storage bag.
3. Add the olive oil close the bag, shake and mix.
4. Open the bag and add the remaining seasoning, close and mix again.
5. Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees and set the time to 20 minutes.
6. After 10 minutes I turned them over.

Although I set the timer for 20 minutes, I checked them again at 15 minutes and they were done. It's always a good idea to check the food when you're making it for the first time. Different brands of air fryers may vary with temperature and time.

Needless to say, these potatoes were a perfect side dish for the rump roast. They were crispy on the outside, tender and soft on the inside, and full of flavor.

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Reviewing Popover Recipes - Easy and Delicious Baked Treats

Once I was served warm popovers at a brunch I was obsessed. I had to have more. I had to be able to bake my own. These small baked treats are great with soups, stews, quiches, roasts, and so much more. They are surprisingly easy to throw together and throw into the oven. And they only require 6 ingredients: flour, eggs, salt, butter, milk, and eggs. There is a good chance you've heard of popovers. But just in case you haven't I want to make sure to spread the word.

photo: Fox Run Popover Pan

Earlier this year I was invited to a neighbors home for brunch. She served quiche and popovers. I had no idea what popovers were and when she shared what was on the menu I had a brief thought of "did she say PopTarts?".  It turns out that she did not say PopTarts. She was serving the most delicious quiche with these funny-looking biscuits called popovers. 

It is easiest for me to say that popovers are biscuits. They can be served in place of biscuits with breakfasts, roasts, soups, and stews. But for some reason, I want to call them a pastry. I don't know if baking experts would call them a pastry. But they are crispy on the outside while light and flaky on the inside. In fact, if you bake them on the shorter end of the recommended time, they are a bit like custard on the inside. 

The 6 Popover Ingredients

Popover recipes are all over the internet. They are basically equal (or almost equal) amounts of flour and milk. Added to 3 - 4 eggs, 2-3 tablespoons of butter, and a pinch of salt. The recipe I use is:

• 1 c flour
• 1 c milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp butter

Beat the ingredients until smooth. The batter is similar to pancake batter. You may think you've made a mistake and added too many wet ingredients. You haven't.

Martha Stewart uses 1 1/2 cup flour and 1 1/2 cup milk in her recipe. She also gives step-by-step instructions. Her recipe is here if you'd like to use that recipe. 

Popover Tips for Better Results

The same neighbor who served the popovers at the brunch also gave me a popovers pan. Popovers can be made in muffin tins but they do much better in a specific popover pan.

Spray just a small bit of cooking spray in the bottoms of the cups. 

Fill the popover pan cups only 1/2 full. They will rise and pop over the tops of the pans. If you are prone to overfill things, place the popover pan on a cookie sheet to catch any spillage. 

Hot oven. Popovers like 400 degrees or more. Some recipes call for a hotter over to begin with and lowering the temperature part way through. I don't mess with that. I do 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Remove the popovers from the pan as soon as they come out of the oven. 

The recipe I use makes almost 12 popovers. I tend to fill my popover cups slightly more than half. If I only filled them halfway the recipe would make 12 popovers. I also found that it makes it much easier to fill the cups using a glass measuring cup with a spout.

On the popover episode on America's Test Kitchen, they recommend bread flour and warming the milk and butter for better results.  I agree. When I remember to use bread flour and warm both the butter and milk (with the eggs at room temperature) I do have slightly better results. However, the recipe is forgiving. My neighbor sometimes uses almond milk and uses all purpose flour. I prefer whole milk and bread flour. 

Popovers are an excellent part of your daily menu and a wonderful item to serve to guests.

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Reviewing Homemade Instant Oatmeal

 

I really like oatmeal for breakfast.  It is warm and filling and keeps you going till lunch or beyond.  Unfortunately, I rarely want to take the time to make it.  Boil the water, stir and stir, trying to figure out how much sweetner to put in, it is just a hassle for only one person. As a result, I used to buy instant oatmeal in the package; pricey but quick and easy was my reasoning until one day I took a look at the ingredients:

• Whole Grain Rolled Oats
• Sugar
• Natural and Artificial Flavor
• Salt
• Calcium Carbonate
• Guar Gum
• Carmel Color
• Niacinamide
• Reduced Iron
• Vitamin A
• Palmitate
• Pyridoxine
• Hydrochloride
• Riboflavin
• Thiamin Amononitrate
• Folic Acid

Hydrocloride?  Pyridoxine?  What is that?  Whatever it is I don't think it sounds very healthy.  I would prefer something that is a bit more good for you than store bought instant oats that are full of stuff I never heard of.  

So I decided to see if I could make my own instant oatmeal that would be convenient, quick and best of all not chocked full of additives and preservatives that are definitely not good for you!  I wanted to make a recipe that I could do in bulk and then split it up into individual servings, that was easy to store and would keep for at least a week.  

I sat down with a pencil and paper and did some thinking.  After coming up with a plan, I did some checking on the internet to see if the ingredients needed refrigeration and how long they would stay fresh.  When I had my formula (I actually did feel kind of like a mad scientist.....hehe) I made my first batch.

It took some experimentation but after a few tries, I finally came up with my favorite recipe for instant oatmeal:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups oats
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar (can use Splenda Brown Sugar)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

Mix these together in a bowl

Put 3/4 a cup into a small zipper bag

How to Cook:

Pour the contents of the baggie into a bowl or mug

Add 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of skim milk and stir

Cover with a paper towel 

Microwave for about 3 minutes

Stir and let sit for a couple minutes

To keep from getting bored, sometimes I put other things in my oatmeal to give it different flavors like:

• Pistachio nuts or any nuts you like, chopped
• Coconut
• Dried apricots, chopped
• Dates, chopped
• Dehydrated apples, chopped
• Mini Chocolate or Peanut Butter Chips

Sometimes I put fresh fruit in my oatmeal, if I have any in the fridge, like strawberries or blueberries.  I have also been known to put maple syrup or honey in it instead of brown sugar. There are so many things you could put in your oats, it would take years to find them all.  Actually, its kind of fun to come up with different flavor combinations.  I have run across a few that were surprisingly delicious like:

• chocolate chips and peanuts
• sliced fresh bananas and coconut
• dried cranberries and pecans
• diced dehydrated apples and chopped walnuts

These zipper bags do not need to be refrigerated and they last a long time without spoiling.  They also make great jar gifts for friends that have the bad habit of skipping breakfast!      My homemade oatmeal is much healthier and cheaper than what you buy in a store and frankly much more yummy!  Try making some and see for yourself.

__________________________

Image Credits: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/3180105556/sizes/z/

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Quick & Easy Baked Lemon Chicken Recipe Reviewed

Our son's favorite dinner is my baked lemon pepper chicken. I serve it over rice, which I make in my rice cooker while the lemon chicken is baking in the oven.

I normally make 6 servings, but the recipe can easily be doubled.

Six serving may sound like a lot, but each serving is 1/2 of a chicken breast. Baking the chicken in smaller pieces allows the flavor to bake fully through the piece of chicken and makes it very tender.  The recipe, as shown below, is enough for 3 or 4 adults.

When my oven went out last year and I had to wait months for a replacement, I started baking this recipe in my Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven.  Since it has a convection bake option, the lemon chicken baked up beautifully in the small oven without heating up my kitchen. Now, I bake it in my countertop oven every time I make it, unless we are having company and I need more chicken.

Delicious Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe

Because the rice takes 45 minutes to cook in my rice cooker, I start the rice before I put my chicken in the oven. I make 2 cups of rice for this dinner.  

Prep Time	Cook Time	Ready In	Yields
15 min.	35 min.	50 min.	3- 4 servings

Ingredients 

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Cut in half to make 6 pieces)
  
• 2 Lemons - Thinly Sliced
  
• 8 Tablespoons Butter, plus more for coating the pan
• 2 1/2 Tablespoon McCormick Lemon Pepper Seasoning
  
• 2 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• Chopped Fresh Parsley (if desired)
  

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. (Convection 400°F)
2. Lightly coat baking dish with butter
3. Wash and pat dry chicken breast with paper towels – Cut in halves
4. Melt butter in the microwave. Add Lemon Pepper seasoning & salt to melted butter. Stir until combined
   
5. In a large bowl, roll each piece of chicken in the butter mixture and place it in the prepared baking dish. (brush any remaining butter on top of the chicken pieces once they have all been rolled in it)
   
6. Place 2 or 3 lemon slices on each piece of chicken
   
7. Bake for 35 minutes
   
8. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired
   

Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven ReviewedMcCormick Perfect Pinch Lemon Pepper SeasoningHamilton Beach Rice Cooker Reviewed

 

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Quick & Easy Baked Lemon Chicken Recipe Reviewed Written by:

© 2021 Cynthia Sylvestermouse
 

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Reviewing Baking Irish Soda Bread With A Twist.

 

Soda bread is bread but made without yeast and there is no need to wait for it to rise or have resting periods. So it is a very quick and easy delicious bread to make. 

You can find the basic recipe in many places online but I wanted to tell you about the things I do to make it a little extra special.

I first made Irish Soda bread with my Mum and have continued t make it throughout my life. It is a bread I really like and it is easy and fun to make. 

What You Need To Bake Soda Bread

Weighing scales

A large mixing bowl

A normal eating knife

A teaspoon

A clean clear surface 

A measuring jug 

Basic Ingredients To Bake Soda Bread

Wholemeal strong flour 500g

2 teaspoons of sea salt or ordinary salt if you don't have sea salt

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

400ml of milk. Whole milk is recommended but I have found you can use whole milk or semi-skimmed and I also use Almond milk. 

1 lemon or about 4-5 teaspoons of lemon juice if you don't have a lemon to squeeze

2 teaspoons of honey - I have found you can omit this if you don't like or cannot have honey.

 Baking Method

• Pre Heat oven to gas mark 6 or 200C/180C fan
• Mix together in a large bowl the flour, bicarb of soda and salt.
• This is also the time to add any other optional dry ingredients
• Mix the milk and lemon juice together in a jug then wait one minute and it turns into buttermilk. Add the honey at this stage if you wish.
• Pour the milk mixture into the bowl and stir gently ideally using a knife, not your hands, so the dry ingredients and the milk mixture come together in a sticky dough. 
• Handle the dough as little as possible. This bread is much better the less we handle it. 
• Take the dough which will feel quite sticky and place it onto a floured surface. I use the same wholemeal flour.  Quickly shape it into a round or oval shape covering all sides with the flour. 
• The dough should then be placed on a floured baking tray and make a cross on the top with the knife. Then put it straight into the pre heated oven. You do not need to allow any time for rising with this bread recipe, in fact the sooner you get it in the oven at this point the better. 
• It will need about 40 minutes in the oven. However, we have found in a fan oven it needs a little less. So I generally check it halfway through.
• After baking leave it to cool on a wire rack. Or eat it warm. 

Additional Ingredients To Make Soda Bread Special

I have experimented with quite a few ingredients and these are my favorites. All of these should be added to the dry flour mix before adding the milk.

If you add a lot more dry ingredients you will need to increase the amount of milk mix accordingly, so that it is not too dry. 

Rosemary- we have lots of rosemary in the garden so I just cut some fresh green tender growth beforehand and wash it then chop it very finely and add it to the mix. It smells amazing and is lovely in this recipe.

I am thinking you could add any herbs you like to this recipe. I have wondered what it would be like with lavender or chives. 

Cinnamon- We both love cinnamon and so add it to this recipe. It smells and tastes gorgeous and an added bonus is the whole house is beautifully scented of cinnamon! 

I would also like to try ginger when I am making more of a bread-cake mix. 

 

Oats. We just use normal breakfast porridge oats and add about a cupful to the recipe. If you do this you will find you need to increase the amount of milk accordingly or it will be too dry. 

Adding oats gives the bread more body and makes it more into a very tasty and filling healthy cake.  

Fruit. I have tried a lot of different fruits and I think the most successful are dried good quality raisins and cherries either fresh or frozen -ones defrosted beforehand. You could add whatever are your favorite fruits. 

If you are making more of a soda bread - cake you can also sprinkle with icing sugar or decorate the top to your individual taste after baking. This makes it unique and individual for occasions like Halloween or Christmas bread. 

Now you can add all these additional ingredients but it is probably best to exercise some restraint and add one or two extra and see how you like it. 

You can eat it with butter, margarine, cream or jam or it tastes just lovely on its own. We often have the simple bread recipe mix with no extra ingredients with a stew or with chilli. When we add the extra ingredients we like to eat it warm on its own. 

 

I prefer this soda bread mix warm but If it does cool completely and we want it warm we find it is perfectly fine to warm up again with 5 minutes in the oven without burning or losing its quality. 

I like making this bread as it is very quick, easy and satisfying to make. You can adapt the recipe to suit you, and it can be vegetarian and diabetic-friendly.

I am honestly not sure how long it should last as a loaf is always gone in a maximum of two days here! I imagine perhaps three or four days stored properly would be about right. 

This soda bread is wonderful as a supper snack, with the main meal and also, especially if you add oats as breakfast.

I like baking but I do not get much time these days so this quick recipe is great for me. I am sure the true chefs and avid bakers amongst you can make this even more delicious! 

The whole task takes about an hour and most of that is the oven doing the cooking so maybe 15-20 minutes or less of preparation time so is easy bread making.

We find it is especially lovely to eat home made soda bread warm on an autumn or winter's day and often it does not last long enough to completely cool on the rack!

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Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Here's My Mom's Stuffing Recipe

For those who don't know, it's Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend.

Growing up, early October was always a time when we planned to be together as a family.

For me, heading to my mom and dad's house with the kids was a wonderful weekend: Time with my brothers and their families, as well as a great time with mom and dad.

Since mom and dad are both passed on now (I still can't believe I'm typing that!) I miss and treasure those memories to the core of my being.

I must say, I'm looking forward to dinner tomorrow with the kids. Unfortunately, it won't be with all the kids, as I have seven (4 sons, 2 stepsons, and a stepdaughter). I only use the word "Step" to respect their mom. My stepkids have been a part of my life for 40 years - I consider them my kids, but I hold back on that declaration out of respect for their mom. Being a mom myself, I understand that 'feeling.' - the feeling of being 'the mom.'

Anyway, I digress!

So in honor of Canadian Thanksgiving, I wanted to share my mother's turkey stuffing recipe. It has long since been my recipe; I just made it today for our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.

My Mother's Turkey Stuffing Recipe:

Ingredients for My Mom's Stuffing Recipe:

• Celery
• Onion
• Stuffing Bread OR
• Regular Bread Cut-Up with Spices
• Spices if adding on your own: Sage, Poultry Seasoning,
• Sausage (I use breakfast sausage)
• 3 Tablespoons of Rice (Basically a handful)

How to Prepare Mom's Stuffing:

1) In a bowl, add cut the bread up into chewable cubes (sometimes you can get stuffing bread already cut up)

2) If you don't have cut-up stuffing bread and need to make your own stuffing bread, here's what to do:

• In a large mixing bowl, cut bread (any bread that is your favorite, although heavier bread is better) into cubes
• Add Sage - be liberal with the Sage - I add about two or so tablespoons, depending on how big the turkey is and how much stuffing there is
• Add Poultry Seasoning - probably about 2 tablespoons

3) Fry the sausage separately - I buy breakfast sausage - and, after cooked, cut the breakfast sausage into bite-sized pieces

4) In a Frying Pan, in Butter:

• Fry one chopped onion
• Add one entire stock of celery (chopped into bite-sized pieces)

5) Add the celery/onion fried mixture and the cut-up sausages to the bread/sage/poultry seasoning bread mixture

6) Add the rice to the bread mixture

Mix it all together until it sticks together nicely. 

It should look 'wet' and be compacted together.

By the way, what's the secret ingredient to stuffing that makes it stuffing - it's the Sage! But that's been a flavor I've been used to my entire life when it comes to stuffing!

If you've never added Sage, give it a try - by the way, that's ground sage! You can find it in the spice aisle of your local grocer.

NOTE:

I prepare this the night before, put it in a ziplock bag, keep it in the fridge, then stuff the turkey in the morning <---- Mom taught me that trick too.

My number three son, Joshua, loves this recipe as much as I do, and that alone makes me so happy! Thank you, Joshie, for being a kindred stuffing lover!

Happy Thanksgiving to all - These times haven't been easy, so it's essential to live in the moment and enjoy spending time with the ones you love.

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Salt Potatoes a Tasty Side Dish

 These easy-to-make salt potatoes are a perfect side dish to compliment any meal, and your family and friends will love them.

Salt potatoes are a regional side dish that originated in Syracuse New York. The potatoes used for salt potatoes are, first harvested small young potatoes.

As the potatoes cook, the salt forms a crust on the outside, while the inside is soft and creamy. I garnished my salt potatoes with fresh parsley and chives and served them with melted butter to pour over the soft creamy inside.

I honestly have never heard of salt potatoes before. I was telling a friend that I was going to smoke a turkey breast over the weekend and he suggested making salt potatoes as the side dish.

We have lived in Western New York for 33 years and I have never seen these in the grocery store until now. Apparently, you can buy salt potatoes in a kit. So, look in your local grocery store to see if you can find Salt Potatoes in a kit.

If you can't find a kit, you can use young small white potatoes and one cup of salt to six cups of water.

How to make Salt Potatoes:

5 lbs. small white potatoes (Washed)

1 cup salt

6 cups water

1/2 cup melted butter

Fresh parsley (Chopped)

Fresh Chives (Chopped)

Directions:

1. Bring the water and salt to a boil until all of the salt has dissolved.
2. Add the potatoes and boil for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are soft and tender.
3. Drain the water, pour over the melted butter and garnish with parsley and chives. Serve with more melted butter.

Needless to say that these salt potatoes were a big hit with the whole family. They made a perfect side dish for my Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast.

Here is the link to my:

Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast 

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ReviewThisRecipes.com

 

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Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies

 Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies are so easy to make, and make the perfect after-school or anytime snack for your family. My review will show you just how easy these are to make.

Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies - Reviewed

The weather is starting to cool off, and that always puts me in the mood for apple pie. Instead of making a whole apple pie, I decided on making these easy hand pies in my air fryer.

I bought the 9-inch pie crust ready-made and a can of apple pie filling. If you would like to make your own pie crust and apple pie filling See my recipe here: Sam's Apple Pie.

Apple Hand Pie Ingredients:

• 2 pie crusts (9-inch)
• 1 can apple pie filling (I used a 21oz. can of Duncan Hines Comstock Apple Pie Filling) 
• 1 egg beaten
• Water to wet the edges
• White sugar to sprinkle over top

I cut out 5-inch circles from the pie crust. I didn't have a 5-inch cookie cutter so I used a small bowl that measured 5-inches across.

I got three circles out of each pie crust, and after rolling out the remaining dough I got three more for a total of 9 hand pies.

Place one tablespoon of pie filling in the middle of each cutout, wet the edge with water, fold over and crimp with a fork.

I brushed each hand pie with the beaten egg mixture and poked a fork through in three places to help release the steam. Then I sprinkled the tops of each with white sugar.

I started my Ninja Air Fryer and set it to Air Crisp. Set the temperature to 350 degrees and the time to 8 minutes. I could only fit four at a time in the basket of my air fryer, you don't want them to touch. Times and Temperatures may vary with different air fryers.

I set them on a rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve with ice cream, or as you see in the intro photo I served some with caramel sauce. 

My grandsons were visiting so needless to say that these didn't last very long. The best thing about these is that they are so easy to make with an air fryer.

Don't have an air fryer? No problem preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until they are golden brown.

The Ninja Foodi Grill is so much more than just an air fryer, read my review here:

The Ninja Foodi Grill.

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Ninja Foodi 5-in-1 4-qt. Air Fryer, Roast, Bake, Dehydrate Indoor Electric Grill (AG301), 10inch x 10inch, Black and Silver (Renewed)Buy Now

 

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