Making it Last ~ Over 90 cookies with 1 can of crushed pineapple

Since we are completely out of canola oil, and a few other baking ingredients, I chose to make these pineapple cookies for the family.  I'm hoping they last throughout the weekend.  If you have one can of crushed pineapple (in natural juices), you'll find this recipe frugal and delicious! 

Pineapple Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup shortening, organic (no hydrogenated fats)
Mix the above three ingredients. Then add:

2 eggs, farm fresh, beat well.  Then add:


1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple (in natural juices), drained and juice reserved
1 1/2 - 2 tsp. vanilla extract

In another bowl, whisk or sift:
4 cups of flour
1 tsp. salt
1  1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Mix dry mix to wet mix, and stir until completely blended.

Drop onto lightly greased cookie sheets by teaspoon (it will spread out).  Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, or until golden around the edges.

Mix amounts of powdered sugar to reserved pineapple juice to a consistency you prefer.  Frost cooled cookies.  Enjoy!  Makes a little over 90 cookies if you use pampered chef's smallest cookie scoop (teaspoon).

Low Provisions

I have to admit, that when we are low on pantry supplies, low on food in the freezer, accompanied by low finances, I can get depressed.  However, I love to be creative in the kitchen, and make new recipes with whatever we have on hand.  I also find inspiration from other sources.

Our family loves to watch Little House episodes, and it often reminds me to get creative.  We recently watched the episode where they are in an abandoned house in a snow storm, and are about to shoot their horse for food.  Thankfully, an Indian comes to their rescue.

This week we are out of canola oil, about out of flour, sugar, brown sugar and milk.  I decided to put some of the remaining flour into homemade biscuits, and make homemade gravy with the marked down sausage I had in the freezer.  Thanks to the chickens we'll enjoy eggs too.  Because I am aiming to get away from processed foods, I chose to make an cake from scratch, using canned fruit.  I can't wait to can pears, apples, and other fruits next year.  I will find so many ways to cook with them.

Thankfully, the good Lord urged me to buy a few extra pounds of butter when it was on sale for $1.50/lb.  Those had gone in the freezer, and have helped with baking biscuits and making lunch packings.

National Novel Writing Month ~ Should I do it?

For two years now, I have contemplated participating in NaNoWriMo.  It would certainly give me the deadline and motivation to write a novel and actually complete it.  I've been slacking over the last year, and with the large garden we grew, haven't gotten back in my "groove." 

Starting November 1st to November 30th, people from all over, participate in this wonderful oppurtunity.  I would have to abandon all thoughts of writing up a plot, characters, and story in advance.  The idea is to start fresh from day one.  Can I do it?  I guess I won't know until I try it.

Leftover Coffee

Typically, we never have coffee leftover after I've been up.  However, today I did.  I decided to use 1 cup of it to make 1-2-3 Coffee Bars for after school and lunch snacks.  Not very healthy, but frugal.

The rest of it will go in the fridge, for iced coffees.  The weather is good today and it sounds about as good as homemade iced tea (made with green tea of course).

Our coffee grounds are always composted or sprinkled in flower beds after we make coffee - nothing wasted.

If my kids had a video camera. . .

My kids would have filmed me last night if they had the chance.  I was be-bopping back and forth in the kitchen trying to get all of the garden veggies sliced and diced for roasting.  I typically have things under control, but not last night.

After I put the baking dish of delicious and fresh vegetables in my oven, I started to make stove top tuna and noodle - a family favorite.  It took me 15 minutes to realize I forgot to add the potatoes and carrots to the roasting pan, quickly pulled it out.

"Oh no! I love potatoes," said my thirteen-year-old daughter

I was frantically moving around the kitchen (potato and carrot peelings flying in mid air), between one pot on the stove top, and preparing the potatoes and carrots, when my sixteen-year-old said, "gosh Mom we need to catch you on film.  We'd make a lot of money on funniest videos with you!"

Now doesn't that make a mother proud? Ha ha!

Finding the Time ~ Writing

Yesterday I was successful in publishing a book review and an short article, but I had drafts from the previous work day.  Today however, I have "Mom" duties.  One daughter is sick and needs the attention of a doctor, and two others had bad headaches yesterday.  With the long drive to town, I'm may have to use my evening crochet time to work on articles.

Because of the recession, it seems like everyone is writing on-line and earning a good income from it is a bit more difficult.  I do cut my time down with crockpot dinners, but even that takes time to prepare.  My goal is to publish daily to help pay for my daughter's 8th grade class trip.  Why in the world a school would take an out-of-state trip during a recession is beyond me. 

Splosh!

While taking time to look through campfire cookery books, I heard a sploshing of water coming from the kitchen.

Okay, so the "cowboy" book is not campfire cookery, but I had fun reading through them for new recipes.  Anyway, I went to investigate the noise.  It was not the sound of a cat or a dog slurping water, but a splashing around play in the bowl kind of sound.

I got a good chuckle.  There sat Jasper, our oreo colored tiger cat, staring down into the dog's water bowl.  He's the same cat who took his toy mouse to the water bowl and dropped it in.  He was staring at his orange chenille stem that he'd been playing with for several days.  The next time I looked in the bowl, it was gone.  There are footprints of water everywhere in the kitchen - ha ha ha!

 It's now on the kitchen floor, while he takes a leisurely nap.