Showing posts with label recipe review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipe review. Show all posts

Saturday, September 2, 2023

Meatloaf Recipe from a Meal Pioneer

 Review of a locally famous take-home meatloaf.


Image of a meatloaf and the recipe for it

Earlier I reviewed the family owned Hen House Supermarkets located in the Kansas City area. They are part of the Balls Food Stores begun one hundred years ago (1923) by Sidney & Mollie Ball. These markets have been family owned all this time, first by Sidney & Mollie, then by their son, and now by their grandson.


Reading the story of Mollie Ball, I discovered that she was no doubt a pioneer in the field of take-home “Grab n' Go” meals. 


When World War II began, many mothers and wives began working in defense plants and found it difficult to find time to make dinner for their families. Mollie said “no problem, we'll make take-home dinners for you.” Her take-home meatloaf, in particular, became famous throughout the neighborhood. 


Today it is easy to find 'ready-made' or frozen meals at the supermarkets, ready to cook for a quick dinner. Not so in the 1940s, but Mollie made it happen. She was a true pioneer when it came to 'take-home' meals. Mollie Ball was known for her generosity and for caring about the larger community. 


Her original recipe for Mollie's Meat Loaf is shared below with permission from the Ball Food Stores.


Mollie's Meat Loaf

Mollie's Meatloaf Recipe Ingredients:


2 cups bread crumbs

2 tbsp. Flour

1 ½ tsp. Salt

4 tbsp. onion, chopped fine

¼ tsp. Paprika

¼ tsp. Mustard

1/8 tsp. Sage

½ lb ground beef

½ lb ground veal

½ lb ground pork

1 egg

1 ½ cups milk


Mollie Ball's Meatloaf Instructions:


  1. Mix together the bread crumbs, flour, salt, pepper, onion, paprika, mustard and sage.  Work this into the meat.
  2. Add beaten egg to the milk and knead into the meat mixture gradually.
  3. Mold into a loaf and place strips of bacon over top.


Cook at 375 degrees F for 2 hours


Makes 8 servings. 



Summary


The Hen House Supermarket in Kansas City

The Hen House and other Balls Food Stores in Kansas City are well-known for their locally-sourced fruits, vegetables, bakery items and meats. Their website also has a selection of recipes for your cooking and eating pleasure. 



Happy Eating! 



*Mollie Ball's Meatloaf Recipe Review is written by Wednesday Elf







Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Friday, February 24, 2023

Easy Lasagna Recipe

lasagna just out of the oven
This is the easiest lasagna recipe I have ever tried that yields a delicious lasagna that everyone loves. I am happy to review and share it with you today.

We have several family members who do not like pieces or chunks of tomato in any recipe. We also have family members who do not like cottage cheese and won't get within 10 feet of anything that is made with cottage cheese. Therefore traditional lasagna recipes are not something my family will eat.

Decades ago, I started trying to develop a lasagna recipe for my family and their preferences.  After a few trials, I finally came up with a recipe that works for us.  The ingredients are basic enough that anyone, including children, will enjoy eating this lasagna. I have served it to dozens (or more) of people over the years with nothing but praise.

Hope your family and friends love it too! 


My Easy Lasagna Recipe

  • 1 Jar of Paul Newman Marinara Sauce 
  • 1 1/2 lbs. Ground Chuck 
  • 1 Ricotta Cheese (15 oz) 
  • 1 Box Lasagna Noodles (8 - 10 noodles will be used)
  • 4 Cups Mozzarella Cheese - shredded 


Lasagna Recipe
Directions

  1. Brown ground chuck & drain grease off of the meat. Season meat to taste.  I use salt, pepper & chili powder
  2. Add Marinara sauce, cover with lid and simmer about 10 minutes 
  3. Cook lasagna noodles as instructed on the box & drain 
  4. In a 9 x 13 baking dish, spread just enough sauce to cover bottom of pan (this prevents sticking) 
  5. Put in a layer of noodles 
  6. Cover noodles with approximately 1/2 of the sauce 
  7. With a spoon, drop spoonfuls of Ricotta Cheese onto the sauce and spread carefully
  8. Sprinkle top evenly with 2 cups of Mozzarella Cheese 
  9. Repeat noodles, the rest of sauce, more Ricotta cheese and top with remaining mozzarella cheese. 
  10. Bake in the over on 325 for 30 min.

 

Note: For those of you who love tomato slices, feel free to add a layer of tomato slices. If you prefer cottage cheese, simply use it instead of the ricotta cheese.

 

For more of my tried and true family recipes, please visit Cooking for the Holidays 

I also contribute to our Recipes category right here on Review This Reviews alongside some really fabulous home cooks!  This is a category you will not want to miss. 






Easy Lasagna Recipe Written by:
House of Sylvestermouse





© 2023 Cynthia Sylvestermouse
 




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Friday, October 28, 2022

Reviewing Homemade Instant Oatmeal

 homemade instant oatmeal in a bowl with a cup of coffee


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/




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Tuesday, August 30, 2022

A Review of Making Pickles Without Canning

 

homemade pickles without canning


If you have ever made pickles with a hot water bath canner, there is a good chance you ended up with rubbery, soggy pickles with no crunch.  I did!  I tried many different recipes and even tried adding an envelope of some stuff I bought that was supposed to keep your canned pickles crunchy. They were still awful.  I had pretty much given up and resigned myself to forever buying pickles from the grocery store which was a real shame since we grow our own wonderful cucumbers every summer.

One summer day about three years ago, I was talking to a friend of mine on the phone and lamenting about the sheer number of cucumbers I was getting from my garden when she asked me why I didn't make pickles.  I told her of my lack of success in pickle making and she told me about the cold pack pickles she makes every summer.  I was shocked!  I had never heard of making pickles cold, but I had to admit that it made sense, if you wanted them to stay crunchy.  I wrote down the recipe and immediately checked the cupboards to make sure I had all the ingredients, which I did!  

I could not believe how easy it was to make these pickles!  It did not take any special equipment, all I needed was a large bowl, a knife, a ladel and a jar.  It didn't even have to be a mason jar, any jar with a tight fiting lid would do.  I decided to use some large containers I had saved from some deli pickles I had bought for my husband.  That was another great thing about this recipe, you did not have to make 10 jars at a time and spend a whole day pickle making.  My friend's recipe made two jars at a time and took only a few minutes to make. I remember thinking to myself "this has got to be too good to be true!"

Here is what you need:

  • 6 to 8 medium or 8 to 10 small cucumbers 
  • 1 3/4 cups white vinegar 
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup chopped fresh dill weed or 3 to 4 tablespoons dried dill
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped 
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons pickling salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons pickling spice 
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste  (optional)
  • 4 sprigs fresh dill weed or 1 teaspoon of dried

I was lucky, I had all this stuff left over from my prior pickle mishaps and I grow fresh dill in my garden, so I didn't have to go to the store, but if you do, you can get all these ingredients at any large grocery store.  If you don't grow your own cucumbers, just buy some at a produce market.

Making them is really easy, here's how:


Wash and cut up your cucumbers.  You can cut them as rounds or as spears, the shape is up to you.  

Mix the water, vinegar, chopped dill, sugar, garlic, salt, pickling spice, and red pepper flakes in an extra large bowl and stir till the sugar and salt dissolve.

Place the cucumbers in the bowl and stir gently.  Make sure all the cucumbers are fully immersed in the liquid.  Place the bowl on the counter and let it marinate for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Take your freshly washed jars and put a sprig of fresh dill in each or a pinch of dried dill, if you don't have fresh.

Ladel the cucumbers and pickling liquid evenly into the two jars and screw the lids on tightly.  Shake each jar and then place them in the refrigerator.

In ten days you will have delicious dill pickles, cold and crunchy.  If you have any left over juice, you can put it in a jar and keep it in the refrigerator till you have some cucumbers to add to it!




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, May 14, 2022

Key Lime Pie – Recipe Review

REAL Key Lime Pie. The way they make it in the Florida Keys from fresh Key Limes. The name comes from their association with the Florida Keys.


Image of Key Limes on a lime tree


Recipe


Main Ingredients: Pie shell, Key lime juice, egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk 


Start with your crust....



You can use a shortcrust pie shell, but usually Key Lime Pie is made using a graham cracker crust.

Key Lime Pie
Photo by Ariana Suárez on Unsplash

Mix together 16 crushed graham crackers with 3 tablespoons of sugar and one-fourth (1/4th) lb. of margarine or butter.  Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake crust in a 350 degree preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Let cool.


For the Pie Filling....


Take 4 large egg yolks and, using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks until thick.  To the eggs slowly add one 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk. Then, on low speed, slowly add one-half (½) cup of fresh Key lime juice (about 10-12 limes).


Pour the blended filling mix into the baked pie crust.  Bake again in a 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes.


Pie Topping....


Key Lime Pie dessert
Photo by Nathan Lemon on Unsplash


Never use meringue on a Key Lime Pie. If you desire a topping, use a dollop of 'real' whipped cream. Top the whipped cream with a cherry or a curl of Key Lime peel.


My First Key Lime Pie Story


We were living in south Florida on the Gulf Coast when we were first introduced to real Florida Key Lime Pie. I was working part-time for a landscape and lawn care service company. One day our crew was doing lawn care at a large estate when the owner asked if they would pick up a large bunch of limes that had fallen from her Key lime tree following a storm. They asked her what she wanted them to do with the limes and she told them to 'just take them'. So back to the office came the crew with a bunch of Key limes, and shared them around.


Naturally I had to use my share to make my very-first ever Key Lime Pie. I wasn't much of a cook at the time, but the recipe was easy to follow. Well, the pie turned out delicious, but somehow I expected the filling to be green ~ like the limes. I didn't realize that lime juice looks just like lemon juice, despite the dark green skin on the limes. Silly me. :) But, if you've ever had lime pie, you will notice a big difference in yummy taste when using real Key Limes! There really is no substitute! 


A ready to eat Key Lime Pie
Photo by Nathan Lemon on Unsplash


For More Recipe Reviews, 

click on ReviewThisReviews: Recipes


*Key Lime Pie Recipe reviewed by Wednesday Elf.






Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, October 10, 2020

Dream Bars Cookie Recipe Review

Dream Bars Cookies



Garden City, KS vintage church cookbook
Once again from the pages of my 1979 Kansas church ladies cookbook comes a vintage cookie recipe. Something a bit different and unique using brown sugar, coconut and walnuts. A very tasty bar cookie that is 'grandson-tested and highly approved'. 




Dream Bars Recipe


Pictures of baking the crust to Dream Bars Cookies



Crust Ingredients:

½ c. butter
½ c. brown sugar
1 c. flour

Mix first 3 ingredients until  crumbly.  Press into an 8x8 inch pan.  Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.


Filling Ingredients:

2 eggs (beaten)
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 T. flour
1 c. moist coconut
1 c. chopped nutmeats
1 tsp. Vanilla

Instructions:

Filling:  Mix eggs, brown sugar, baking soda, flour and vanilla.  Stir nuts and coconut into mixture.  Spread over baked crust.  Bake 30 minutes or until set at 250 degrees.  When cool, cut into  bars.

Makes 24.


Summary:


With so many basic packaged cookies on the market, and the standard chocolate chip cookies and brownies most people bake, I think it is rather nice to occasionally try a different cookie recipe from long-ago. Most kids today have never tasted cookies from the pasts of grandmothers and great-grandmothers, so it becomes a special taste treat for them. At least my teenage grandson thinks so and he can hardly wait to try out my latest baking effort.  So far he has given each of my 'vintage' cookie recipes Five Stars! 

So, for a cookie recipe that is 'old' and different, give these Dream Bars cookies a try!



Dream Bars Cookie


For more cookie recipes, check out




*Dream Bars Cookie Recipe Review by (c) Wednesday Elf

Related Links:





For more vintage cookie recipes from long ago (1920s through the 1960s), check out this Vintage Baker cookbook I found on Amazon. A tasty variety of more than 50 recipes of desserts from the past, including cookies. 


The Vintage Baker Cookbook book cover







Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Sunday, March 29, 2020

Easy Homemade Coleslaw Dressing - A Family Fave

Easy Homemade Coleslaw Recipe
Quarantine has me thinking more about food. Fortunately, after 10 months of Keto, I still have willpower!

Keto warriors forewarned: This Coleslaw recipe is not Keto. However, if you replace the sugar with Monk Fruit Sweetener, it would be. Yet, I haven't personally tried that. If I did, I would use less Monk Fruit sweetener than 1/3 of a cup. I'd try a heaping tablespoon for my first attempt.

As mentioned in my previous recipe review posts (featured below), although I can cook, it's not my favorite thing to do. For that reason, I'm drawn to simple recipes.

While whipping through my stained recipe book, I came across this straightforward homemade recipe for Coleslaw dressing to share with you.

Homemade Coleslaw Dressing Ingredients:

. 1/2 Cup of Vinegar
. 2/3 Cup of Olive Oil
. 1/3 Cup of Sugar
. 1/2 Teaspoon of Pepper
. Miracle Whip Salad Dressing

If needed, you can double this.

Instructions:

Put all the ingredients in a small pot on the stove and bring it to a boil (EXCEPT the MIRACLE WHIP). Pour the boiled ingredients over the prepared Coleslaw while it's hot. Put it in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

Once you're ready to serve it, mix in two heaping tablespoons of Miracle Whip Salad Dressing. I've added the dressing when the Coleslaw dish is warm, and when it's been cooled in the fridge.

Preparing the Coleslaw:

You can buy the packages of ready-made Coleslaw at the store, or shred a cabbage head and
other vegetables..

The Extra Ingredients that Make Coleslaw Taste Great:

Other than a delicious Coleslaw dressing, there are two ingredients I always add:

. Chopped Apple
. Chopped Onion

Add the chopped apple just before serving. Cut the apple into small bite-sized pieces and stir it in. I usually cut up two medium-sized apples for a medium-sized bowl of Coleslaw.

Add 1/2 of a large onion, chopped or shredded.

The apple combined with the onion and the homemade dressing gives the Coleslaw a delicious taste.

Store-Bought Coleslaw Dressing Alternative:

If you don't have the time to fuss over making homemade dressing, Kraft's Coleslaw Dressing is excellent. Make the Coleslaw as described above with apple and onion, then put in nearly a full regular sized bottle of Kraft Dressing. Base the amount you want on how creamy you prefer your slaw. Pour it in quarters.

Previous Simple Recipes from My Kitchen:
If you're looking for a simple, comforting meat dish to serve with this Coleslaw, check out the Roast Pan Steak recipe featured above, it's so good!

Stay safe, happy cooking.



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Thursday, November 30, 2017

Review of Favorite Christmas Cookies - Rosettes Recipe

Review of Favorite Christmas Cookies - Rosettes Recipe
Nothing says Christmas to me like my grandmother’s rosette cookies.  Coming together as a family during the holidays means making, and then inhaling, these Scandinavian treat delights (my highest dessert rating).

These lacy snowflake-like cookies are as much eye candy as they are absolutely the tastiest lighter-than-air, flaky pastry you will ever eat.  I don’t think there is a more beautiful holiday food than rosettes.  Just having a plate of these delicate cookies on your table will instantly make the season more merry and bright.

If you are looking for a unique gift for friends, family, neighbors, teachers, or co-workers, this is a delightful way to share the warm spirit of the season.  Simply create a gift basket filled with rosettes, or even better, offer a kit with the recipe, a set of rosette irons, and the mix.  You just might help someone start a treasured holiday tradition.

Ingredients:
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
  1. In a mixing bowl, whisk your eggs, sugar, and salt until blended.
  2. Use a sifter to mix in your flour.  Add milk and vanilla.
  3. Add three to four inches of cooking oil to a deep fryer or stove top pan.
  4. Use candy thermometer to heat oil to 365 degrees (Fahrenheit).
  5. Heat rosette iron in the oil for at least two minutes.
  6. Remove heated rosette iron from the oil.  Let excess oil drain off the iron.
  7. Carefully dip the hot iron into batter (leaving a 1/4 inch margin at top of iron).
  8. Immerse rosette iron into heated oil.  Fry batter until golden.
  9. Use skimmer to remove rosette from oil.  Drip off excess oil.
  10. Place rosette on drying rack.  Sprinkle with sugar (granulated or powdered) just before serving.
  11. Reheat rosette iron in hot oil for one minute and repeat the process.
Serves: 10     Prep Time: 15 Minutes     Total Time: 30 Minutes









Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Thursday, September 28, 2017

Review of Favorite Banana Bread Recipe

banana bread photo and recipe by mbgphoto

Bread for Fall Menus

When the weather turns cool my thoughts turn to baking and baking breads is one of my favorite fall activities.  I have tried many recipes over the years and have combined different recipes to come up with tastes my husband and I enjoy.  

Banana Bread

It seems like we always have bananas that have gotten a little too ripe and when we do I use them for banana bread.
  • Tip: If I can't bake that day, I peel the bananas and put them in a freezer bag to freeze for later use. When I'm ready to use them I just sit them out for a few minutes and add them to the recipe.
I have tried many different recipes over the years and have combined several to come up with the recipe below, which is my favorite.  The secret ingredient in this recipe is the sour cream, which helps to keep the bread moist and delicious.


Recipe for Favorite Banana Bread

 
Start with: 2 mashed bananas, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 2 eggs well beaten.  Mix together.


Mix together 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 t baking pwd, 1 t baking soda, 
and 1/2  t salt.

Mix together wet and dry ingredients.  Fold in one half cup of one of the following:
    your favorite nuts, raisins, chocolate chips, or dried cranberries.

Pour into 1 sprayed bread pan.
Bake 325 degrees for 1 hour.
Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Adding Extra Ingredients

I particularly like adding nuts to my banana bread, but I have found it is also delicious with chocolate chips and cranberries.  Experiment with your favorite additions to create new taste sensations.  I have also combined nuts and chocolate chips and that  produces a delicious bread.

Recipe Card

Below is the recipe on a card you can purchase from Zazzle by clicking on the link.




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, December 17, 2016

Sweet Ginger Cheese Muffins - Recipe Review

plate of sweet ginger muffins
Sweet Ginger Muffins copyright BuckHawk 


Looking for easy, vegan and gluten-free muffin recipes, I came across a delicious looking sweet ginger one. But, it wasn't completely perfect to go with the soup I was planning for dinner. Therefore, I did the conversions needed to end up with Sweet Ginger Cheese Muffins.

Here I'll tell you about the original recipe along with the changes I made to create my new muffin recipe. Although my recipe is both vegan and gluten-free, I've included the easy changes you can make to convert it to standard diet fare.



The Original Muffin Recipe


gluten free cookbook
Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats
One of my favorite vegan and gluten-free cookbooks is Allyson Kramer's Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats from Around the World. In her section titled Tasty Treats from Central and South America, she includes a recipe for Chilean-Style Sweet Ginger Cake. This was the recipe that enticed me into creating my own version.

Sweet Ginger Cake is meant to be a dessert. But, to go with the potato leek soup I was serving, I wanted something a bit less desserty. Ergo, less sugar and sweet ingredients and the addition of vegan cheese shreds and nutritional yeast. The result was a delicious cheesy muffin similar to sponge cake in texture.

Sweet Ginger Cheese Muffins Recipe


Ingredients and directions:
  • 2/3 cup vegan margarine 
  • 1/3 cup raw sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream these ingredients together until they form a smooth paste. I used my stand mixer for this. It just goes so much faster.

Then add in:
  • 2 teaspoons dried, ground ginger
  • 1/3 cup tapioca flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 cups gram flour
  • 1/4 cup honey, agave or other sweetner
  • 1 1/2 cups almond milk
Mix all of this together until you have a smooth batter. Finally fold in 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. I used a combination of Daiya brand mozzarella and cheddar style vegan shreds.

Grease and flour 12 standard muffin cups and divide the mixture among the tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Recipe Notes


For those of you who are not familiar with vegan and gluten free cooking, many of these ingredients will sound foreign. But every single one is available in health food stores and online.

If you want to make these muffins in a more conventional way, you can easily replace the vegan margarine for butter, replace both the tapioca and gram flour with all-purpose flour, skip the xanthan gum and replace the vegan versions of milk and cheese with dairy versions.

Nutritional yeast is not like standard bread yeast. It's deactivated and more similar to brewer's yeast. It adds a cheesy flavor and vitamin B12 to anything it's added to. Nutritional yeast is found in a dried version, either flakes or powder. If you don't have nutritional yeast, you may want to add more cheese shreds.

Either way you want to make this recipe, you will enjoy a combination of flavors. Unexpected combination, I agree, but the result will complement soups and stews wonderfully.


Posted by: BuckHawk
Buckhawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, December 5, 2016

Easy Snickerdoodle Cookie Pie Recipe Review

I have always loved Snickerdoodle cookies. I remember eating them as a child, growing up in Amish country. I love eating fresh baked goods - cookies, breads, and pies. Unfortunately, I have very little time to spend in the kitchen so I am always looking for tasty shortcuts. This is a super fast, easy, and delicious way to bake something we call Snickerdoodle Cookie Pie.


Why and How I Make Snickerdoodle Cookie Pie


I regularly bake brownies (from a box mix, of course). Brownies from a box are quick, easy, and fairly fool-proof. Even for me. I love eating cookies, but because I'm fairly lazy in the kitchen I rarely bake cookies. After all, dropping cookies onto sheet after sheet and having to be attentive to the oven every few minutes seems like a lot of work to me. I end up burning more cookies than I bake successfully. Because of these tendencies, I thought I'd try to make bar cookies using Betty Crocker Snickerdoodle cookie mix. 

I have used the different Betty Crocker cookie mixes and have found every single one tasty and dependable. I know what I am getting when I buy this brand of cookie mix. I recommend this cookie mix for folks like me who aren't very talented in the kitchen. Or for people who have minimal time for baking.

After experimenting with a 8" square baking dish and just one pack of cookie mix, I then experimented with a 10 1/2" round baking dish and two packs of cookie mix. I do like the 8" baking dish with one package of peanut butter cookie mix (just follow the directions) but for the Snickerdoodles, I prefer the round dish.

Ingredients:

  • 2 packages of Betty Crocker Snickerdoodle cookie mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 sticks of butter
  • 2 T water
  • only 1 of the packs of cinnamon (included with each cookie mix package)
  • optional - crystal sugar sprinkles

also:
  • Baking dish 10 1/2" round and at least 1" deep baking dish
  • non-stick cooking spray

Step-by-Step directions:

pre-heat oven to 375 
set butter in dish and warm to room temperature



set the cinnamon packs aside

add cookie mix (both packages) to the bowl
add eggs and water

mix together



lightly grease the bottom of the baking dish

sprinkle approximately 1/4 of one of the cinnamon packs in the bottom of the baking dish




drop the cookie dough by large spoonfuls into the dish flatten/spread slightly

(the dough is very thick. Trying to pour then spread is only successful in pulling the cinnamon up from the bottom of the dish)




sprinkle the cinnamon remaining in one packet on the top

(you can choose to use both cinnamon packets, but I prefer less cinnamon. I simply save the extra packet for use on toast or oatmeal)



optional - during the holidays I use red and green crystal sugar in addition to the cinnamon




bake at 375 for approximately 30 minutes

test for doneness with a toothpick or small wooden skewer
when the skewer pulls out clean, bake for an additional few minutes

(I bake for an additional 5 minutes. If you end baking as soon as the skewer comes out clean, your cookie pie will be doughy in the center.)




cool, slice and serve

can be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream




Notes:

You will need to adjust the length of baking time for your oven, elevation, and preference. I prefer my cookie pie to be a bit on the doughy or under-cooked side. You may prefer yours cooked through a bit more. 

As I was preparing this article I noticed that the Betty Crocker Peanut Butter cookie mix is less expensive in Amazon's Prime Fresh category than it is at my local stores. Be sure to check out the lower prices if you are an Amazon Prime and Prime Fresh member.







Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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