Monday, January 2, 2012

Waste not, want not - Candy Canes!


Don't you love Facebook? Post a culinary SOS, and you have answers within hours. I love the responses to this one.

Me: I seem to have overbought the candy canes. Anyone have a good recipe to use them up?

Young friend at church: Cookies

Toastmaster friend who recently moved to Hawai'i (I'm not jealous, no):
I just put them with the Christmas decorations for next year. I think they last forever!

Aussie friend, who I carpooled with when we worked in Monrovia CA, who now lives in Equatorial Guinea:
Crush and sprinkle on vanilla ice cream...nah! Just put them away for next year.. as [Hawai'i friend] says, they are indestructible!

New Zealand friend, referring to another scrapping buddy:
Tina had one on her blog recently [Here is link to Kris Kringle Cookies.]

Church friend:
They are great in hot chocolate! Or in coffee too.

Work friend:
Take them to [the office]!!

Church friend who works in children's ministry:
kidz praize candy box.

Sister-in-law in L.A.:
Peppermint bark. Buy white chocolate chips, crush canes, melt chips, mix together, yum!

So there we are, within five hours answers from literally all over the world.

Given the name of the blog is "Fast, frugal, fit," I think I'll go with the third idea, crush a SMALL amount of candycane for the top of my non-fat ice cream.

Use that freezer!

Each of our bio kids represents an appliance. After I returned to work in 1983 after maternity leave, we bought our first microwave oven. Our dishwasher gave out when our second son was born in 1986; with two young children, we replaced that baby right away. And then, in preparation for our third child's arrival in 1988, we bought our first chest freezer.

All three appliances are essentials in my book, but the freezer has a special place in our home (and I don't mean downstairs in the laundry room). It has allowed us to buy meat on sale, prepare meals (or at least parts of meal) to serve between work, picking up the kids at school, and going out again to a school or church function, and prepare meals ahead for holidays and parties.

My first freezer bible was "Once a Month Cooking" by Mary Beth Langerborg and Mimi Wilson. I'm still using the 1986 version, but it was updated and now available in paperback at Amazon. They give options for cooking an entire month of meals, or two weeks at a time. We found that, with leftovers and meals eaten out at church, family and other functions, they lasted twice as long. Eventually, I would do a modified version of the plan, doing only chicken or beef dishes. All of the recipes were delicious, but my favorite remains the Hearty Hamburger-Tomato Stew.

Last year we were introduced to Zacon Foods, an online company that makes quality bulk foods available to consumers on-line. After signing up, you receive notices of upcoming events. Next for me is the chance to buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts at $1.69 a pound. It's only available in 40-pound cases, so you have to plan ahead with a strategy for using it. A couple of young moms - Kate Anhl and Angela Davis - have put their ideas in a great booklet available online, "The Ultimate Guide to Freezer Friendly Meals: Chicken." Cost to download is $3.99, and it's well worth it if you're intimidated by what to do with a case of meat.

Finally, got this helpful guide from Paula Deen, one of my favorite food personalities but not one I associate with fast, frugal or fit! She has good, basic tips for using the freezer. (By the way, Bobby Dean has lightened up many of his mom's recipes. I can't wait to watch his new show, Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Food Network, "Not My Mama's Meals."

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Waste not, want not - Bread Pudding


When I first got my bread machine, I found I had all kinds of odds and ends left, so I started saving them in the freezer and, when I had enough, make bread pudding. I found the recipe in my kitchen bible, the "Betty Crocker Cookbook." (I own several versions, and can't wait to get the new one, "1500 Recipes for the Way You Cook Today.")

I've been saving up special breads for a holiday breakfast. We had a tray of banana and date bread at the office from our boss' wife; I scooped up the leftovers and put them in the freezer. For Christmas, I'd made some yummy eggnog bread, and had a few leftover pieces. I cut them up for a double batch of bread pudding. I adapted Betty's recipe, leaving out the cinnamon or nutmeg called for (because the breads were seasoned) for this:

Holiday Bread Pudding

4 cups milk (I always use non-fat)
1 cube butter or margarine (cut in half if concerned about fat)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup sugar, or less to taste
1/2 tsp. salt
12 cups dry bread cubes
1 cup raisins, if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat milk and butter/margarine over medium heat until butter/margarine is melted and milk is scalded. Mix eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Stir in bread cubes and raisins. (I use large tongs to mix.) Stir in milk mixture. Pour into ungreased 3-quart casserole. Place casserole in pan of very hot water (1 inch deep).

Bake uncovered until knife inserted 1 inch from edge of casserole comes out clean. Start checking at 45 minutes, but I find my oven takes about an hour. Serve warm.

(Live outside the U.S.?  Recipe conversion suggestions on this post.)