butter |

April 2024
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30

Tag Archive for butter

The Grocery Paradigm Shift

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Renee Spindle

For many, many years our grocery budget always seemed so out of control. Managing meals and buying groceries for a houseful was always a daunting but necessary task. Trying to keep the grocery budget under control and being able to provide good meals for everyone was part of my weekly life mission for such a long time.

Now, we fast forward to only one of our twenty-something’s left in the house with us. Being minus a few bodies to feed is beginning to open up a whole, new grocery shopping world. This is a big deal for us because we had been so used to feeding an army for so, so long. Particularly when the boys got to their teen years- Yikes!!

Pre-empty nesting, lots and lots of ground beef or ground turkey was purchased. Lately we have been eating a lot more steak, of the New York strip variety!! Travel Man gets home from a trip and he likes to grill. So of course we run over to the store for a couple of steaks.

Also, our hot dog menu has changed. Pre-empty nesting, I would only buy whatever hot dogs were on sale. ( I’m on a budget here people). Now, since there are a few less bodies to feed I only buy Hebrew hot dogs. These hot dogs used to be a “special ” treat for us because they are a little more expensive when you are feeding an army and trying to keep on a budget. Do you realize how many hot dogs a family of seven can eat in one sitting? The other reason we only buy Hebrews now is that it is the only hot dog Travel Man will eat. He has been working in the hot dog manufacturing plants. Only all beef hot dogs in our house.

We have also discovered that everything, and I do mean everything is better with butter. For such a long time we bought the ginormous tubs of margarine at SAMs Club. Nowadays we are buying the little tubs of butter, and I am cooking with butter all of the time. Yum, yum so much more flavor in the food when you cook with butter.

At the rate we are going with buying ourselves the goodies we like, the budget for groceries may not be dwindling anytime soon!! Travel Man actually brought this to my attention in the past few days.

The one thing we are looking forward to is switching over to organic milk. This is a silly little thing, and we would probably be ok taking that plunge now. But we do not want to go whole hog in our first month of The Great Grocery Shift. We do need to leave a few food treats until the next month or so. We should have some delayed gratification right?

These are just some simple, little changes with the groceries. However, they are noticeable and distinct changes. I suppose for me because it is signaling a change in the times in our home. A change of routine for sure, and a definitive change of lifestyle. Kind of like a rite of passage. We have made it through the child-rearing years, and are coming full circle into a time all our own.

4 comments Posted in Around the House, Family

Lemon Poppy-Seed Cookies

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Renee Spindle

Since we have a plethora of lemons around here, from our lemon/lime tree, I have been searching for new cookie recipes to try out on the cookie lovers at my house. Last week I tried out this easy recipe for lemon poppy-seed cookies, from the Martha Stewart website. I did add an additional cup of flour from the original recipe, as the dough was extremely sticky. This was a trial run for this recipe, and they turned out ever so delicious. I will definitely be adding these to my cookie recipe arsenal.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 ½ teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest (2 to 3 lemons)
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 ½cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon poppy seeds, plus more for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring lemon juice to a simmer in a small saucepan medium heat; cook until reduced by half. Add 1 stick butter; stir until melted.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. Cream remaining stick butter and 1 cup sugar. Mix in egg and lemon butter. Mix until pale, about 3 minutes.

4. Mix in vanilla and 2 teaspoons zest. Mix in flour mixture and poppy seeds.

5. In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1½ teaspoons zest.

6. Roll spoonfuls of dough into 1½-inch balls or use your favorite cookie scoop; roll them in sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.

7. Press each with the flat end of a glass dipped in sugar mixture until ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle with extra poppy seeds.(This is optional)

8. Bake until just browned around bottom edges, 10 to 11 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely. Makes about 30 cookies. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

This cookie is like a little, lemon shortbread. It has definitely gotten better with age, and oddly enough we still have a few left in the cookie container. Amazing! This is a great recipe to make to send to long distance loved ones, or for your favorite Travel Guy to take with him on his next trip. Come on over and pick some lemons from our tree and try out the recipe. Next on my lemon cookie list will be good ‘ol Lemon Squares. Happy baking everyone!

5 comments Posted in Around the House, Baking, Recipes

Are you Ready?

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Renee Spindle

Presents wrapped, cookies all baked? Are you ready for tonight and tomorrow?

I have been working on lots of crafts, and baking. I really can’t share any of my crafting goodies with you all until after Christmas Day. I don’t want to give away any secrets you know.

My favorite cookies to bake are always sugar cookies, and spritz. Love the buttery deliciousness of both of these cookies. The recipes that I use are from a Betty Crocker cookie book.

Nana Joan’s Sugar Cookie-

* This is a recipe that we cooked growing up. Always a favorite at Christmas time.

Ingredients:

3/4 c. shortening (use part margarine or butter)
I highly recommend using only butter. Butter makes everything better!
1 c. sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Mix shortening, sugar, eggs, and flavoring. Beat until creamy.
Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Chill the dough for at least 4 hours.
For painting the cookies before baking use evaporated milk and food coloring.
Bake at 400 degrees on ungreased cookie sheets.
Baking time is 6-8 minutes

And the recipe for the Spritz cookie which require a cookie press go like this-

Spritz Cookies

Ingredients:

1 C. butter or margarine, softened (I recommend butter only!)
1/2 c. sugar
2-1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 egg
1/4 tsp. almond extract or vanilla

Directions:

Heat oven to 400.
Mix margarine and sugar in large bowl.
Stir in remaining ingredients.
Chill the dough for a few hours.
Place dough in cookie press, and form desired shapes.
Decorate with colored sugar or candies.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 5-8 minutes until set but not brown.
Immediately remove from cookie sheet.
Makes 6-7 dozen cookies.
Freeze any extras if you have them. These freeze well.
Great cookie to mail for the holidays.

Oh, and this is what my sweet baby granddaughter was doing while her mother and I baked our little hearts out last week.

Wishing you and yours the Merriest of Christmas seasons. I hope each and every one of you has a splendid time with your families near and far.

No comments Posted in Around the House, Family, Food, Holidays, Recipes

Have you Made your Zucchini Muffins?

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Renee Spindle

www.reneesrevelings.com

If you have a garden, and you’re growing some zucchini, you need this recipe. These muffins are so moist and yummy, I love baking them for breakfast. And they freeze well, and taste oh so good with a morning latte. If you want a fresh muffin hurry on over, these generally don’t last too long at my house.

Ingredients

3 cups grated fresh zucchini
2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

The How To’s

And by the way you don’t need a mixer for this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture. Stir in walnuts, raisins or cranberries if you’re adding them.

www.reneesrevelings.com

Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a little butter or vegetable oil spray. Use your favorite cookie scoop or a small spoon distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely. You’ll notice I had enough batter left over to make a mini zucchini loaf.

www.reneesrevelings.com

Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done.

www.reneesreveliongs.com

Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes.
While you’re waiting for the muffins to cool go and make yourself a coffee or a latte to wash them down with!

It’s so incredible to me that the zucchini comes from the garden plant with the biggest leaves, and can end up as a yummy and delicious treat. Stay tuned for my next zucchini recipe. I made some wonderful breakfast pancakes that did not require any syrup. What’s your favorite recipe that requires your zucchini from the garden?

This recipe was found at simplyrecipes.com

4 comments Posted in Food, Recipes

Butter Pecan Birthday Cake

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Renee Spindle

This is a birthday cake recipe post from a couple of years ago. It was a delightful recipe and worth sharing with you again.

I thought I would put up a recipe post today, just for the mere fact that this cake was so delectable.

My niece, Mary, and my Mom usually celebrate their birthday’s together with the family, since they’re within a week of each other. This year my brother hosted the party and I was in charge of the cake baking.

Mary found this recipe for Butter Pecan Cake, on www.justapinch.com, and put in a birthday request to her Auntie.

First the batter was mixed all together. Very sugary, and buttery.

While the batter was in process I toasted 1-1/2 cups of pecans with real butter. They made the kitchen smell wonderful.

Once the cake was baked and cooled the assembly with the buttercream frosting could begin.

Toasted pecans in the middle

The cakes themselves turned out just a skosh dry, and that was probably from my oven. But with the frosting, and toasted pecans in the middle and on top of the cake, the flavor was amazing.

Here’s the finished product which when served with french vanilla ice cream was quite a treat.