Homemade Coffee Creamer with Sweetened Condensed Milk

About a month ago I took the plunge and pledged to no longer buy store bought coffee creamer. Instead I have been making my own with some simple ingredients. My husband's coffee is still sugar free but now it is free of chemicals and preservatives.

I begin my making my own sweetened condensed milk. Here is the recipe from Your Lighter Side.

I then add the sweetened condensed milk to a mason jar with the following:

1 cups whole organic milk (raw if I have it)
2 tsp organic vanilla


I make a double batch every time which would be:

2 cups sweetened condensed milk
2 cups whole milk
4 tsp organic vanilla

Shake and enjoy with your next cup of java!

Blessings,

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Did you know that January is National Bread Machine month? No? Me either. But to celebrate this wonderful month I thought it fitting to post a bread machine recipe that has been faithfully successful for quite a few months.

As with any bread making, measurements are key. Do not rush through making your bread, it will just end up flat and dense. The extra few minutes it takes to measure accurately will result is a beautiful and fluffy loaf of bread.

Everyday Whole Wheat Bread

2tsp yeast (not rapid rising)
1/2 cup honey
1.5 cup warm water

1.5T butter cut in chunks
1.5tsp sea salt
1 cup oats
2 cup whole wheat flour
1.5 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1.2 cup vital wheat gluten
1.5 cup flax meal

Mix the first 3 ingredients in a bowl and let sit until bubbly.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl.

Ad bubbly yeast mixture to your bread machine first (unless your machine directions specify otherwise). Gently pour dry ingredients on top of liquid. Bread machine settings: 2lb loaf, light crust, white bread cycle. Start, wait, then enjoy!

Yes I know this is whole wheat bread and bread machines have a whole wheat bake setting. I have tried that setting on my machine before and the loaf not only took longer to bake but the loaf was not as soft or fluffy as we like.

Enjoy National Bread Machine Baking month!!

No-Refried Refried Beans

Being originally from Southern California, my family and I love Mexican food. Tacos, fajitas, salsa, guacamole; you name we we've most likely tried it, love it, and make it at home.

Refried beans are a staple in Mexican cuisine but I've always heard they were time and labor intensive to make at home. I don't remember how it happened but about a month ago I stumbled across a recipe for no-refried refried beans. I was intrigued. After reading the recipe and making my own refried beans numerous times I've adapted the original recipe to be easier and quicker.

Nothing fancy here. . .but the no-refried beans are so yummy.

Make up a batch of pinto beans by soaking dry pinto beans for a couple of hours or even overnight. Place them in a large stock pot and cook over medium heat until tender, usually 3-4 hours. Cooked pintos will stay fresh refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, save a good portion of the water that the beans cooked in.

For simplicity in my own family I make small batches of refried beans as needed. We use pinto beans for so many things that I don't want to "re-fry" an entire pot of beans.

As needed for meals I reheat the chilled pintos in a saucepan with about 1/4 cup of the water from the pinto bean stock. While the beans are warming I mash them with a metal ladle. Any solid kitchen utensil will work for this job. Continue mashing the beans until you get a "beans paste". Once you have the desired mashed bean consistency, warm and season to your desired tastes. I typically add a bit of cheddar cheese and maybe a bit of salt if needed. Once warm and reduced to your refried bean consistency preferences enjoy!

See nothing fancy and most importantly none of the yucky preservatives, chemicals, and fat found in commercially available cans of refried beans.

(my apologies for no picture at this time, I will be sure and snap a shot next time we cook some of these yummy beans up)

Real Food: Healthy Beef Stroganoff

If you have been following this blog recently you already know that my husband and I are committed to changing our family's diet. We are aiming at real food eating, eliminating chemicals, preservatives, and GMOs.

I will begin sharing our dinner recipes a few times a week to show you that real food eating isn't as difficult as it sounds.

Tonight we are having Healthy Beef Stroganoff, it is an adaptation from All Recipes Healthier Beef Stroganoff III

2lbs ground beef, grass fed

1/2 tsp salt & pepper

1/2lb mushrooms, sliced

1/2 large onion chopped

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (can use all-purpose flour)

1 1/4 cup beef stock

1 tsp prepared mustard

1/3 cup cream

Note: I used organic ingredients where possible

Directions: Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain fat from ground beef and set meat aside. In the skillet sauté mushrooms and onions, add a bit of butter if needed. In another pan boil water and cook noodles of choice. Remove mushrooms and onions when cooked, ~6min, transfer to another bowl. In skillet add balsamic vinegar and whisk 1/4 cup beef stock with flour. Add flour/stock to pan with vinegar. Deglaze pan. Add remaining 1 cup of beef stock to skillet and whisk until smooth. Add beef, mushrooms, and onions to skillet, mix. When mixture is warm add cream. Serve over noodles.

My family all adore this meal and ask for seconds, it makes great leftovers too which is helpful for large families!!

Enjoy,





Photo courtesy of All Recipes.com

Setting Goals for 2013

Happy New Year from my family to yours! I pray that 2013 brings you much joy, happiness, and closer to our Lord.

It is that time of year again when we consider goals and achievements we would like to accomplish in the New Year. It is a new beginning and often times gives us the motivation to start something new or finish something we did not get accomplished last year.

My husband and I have set a few goals our family for 2013. I am excited to carry out these goals and and see the Lord's hand in our activities this year.

Our first goal is to continue reducing the preservatives and chemicals in our diet. We have made huge progress with regards to this goal last year but there is still so much more we can do. One of the next changes I will be making to accomplish this goal is to make all of our own snacks such as crackers and protein rich bars.

A second goal for our family is to get organized and stay organized. Additionally, we aim to graciously teach our children how to do the same. I see a lot of purging and selling in our future!

Our third goal is to read the Bible daily with our children. This will either be in the form of bible reading and discussion during dinner or before bedtime as a family gathered in the living room. I am excited to see how this goal guides and leads our family closer to Him.

Lastly, a personal goal I have for myself is to be in more pictures this year. Upon looking back at the pictures I took this past year I am scarcely in any of them. Good or bad, I will purposefully hand over the camera so that I can document more memories with my family.

It is my hearts prayer that 2013 blesses with you and your family.

Blessings,