Blondies

 

These are the best blondies I’ve made so far! They taste like butterscotch and are so yummy! this recipe calls for self rising flour, but don’t worry, I have you covered if you don’t have any. Just check out the * below.

 

Blondies

3 eggs

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 2/4 cup brown sugar

2 cups self rising flour*

3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam.

In a mixer beat the eggs. Add the brown sugar and melted butter. Mix in the flour. Mix in the nuts. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars while warm.

*To make Self Rising Flour

For each cup called for in a recipe use~

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk well.

Calico Bean Soup

I made this bean soup mix for a group at church and it was really fun and easy. I added cooked Italian sausage to my soup, along with some onion powder, garlic powder and a few red pepper flakes. There were 4 of us that made this bean soup with different variations, and everyone liked mine best.

This was the first time I’ve cooked with dried beans where my husband didn’t complain of gas. I think it was because it suggested washing the pot with soap before using it for the rest of the recipe.

The bean soup mix looks like the jar on the right.

To Make Calico Bean Soup Mix~

In a 1 quart jar layer~

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dry Black Beans

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dry Great White Northern Beans

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dry Red Kidney Beans

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dry Pinto Beans

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dry Green Split Peas

Flavor Packet~

(Put in a small zip lock bag and place in top of jar)

3 Beef or Chicken Bouillon cubes

3 tablespoons dried chives

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon savory seasoning

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 bay leaf

Place lid on screw lid on jar. Decorate as desired. Be sure and give the directions for making the soup with the jar~

Calico Bean Soup~

Quick cook method~

Rinse beans.

Put beans in a large pot. Add 9 cups of water.

Heat to boiling and cook for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and let them sit for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, drain and rinse the beans very well. Wash the large pot.

Put the drained beans back into the washed pot and add 5-6 cups of water. Cook until beans are tender. Drain.

Add flavor packet and 5 cups water simmer for 30 minutes and serve.

To add more flavor and variety add the following ingredients when you add the flavor packet add any of these~

1 quart tomatoes

1 can corn, drained

1 pound browned sausage, chicken or hamburger.

Crock~pot Beef Roast

 

I forget how easy a meal can be to put together with a crockpot! This was the best roast, and so easy! I didn’t have a package of onion soup mix, so I made up some with the recipe below. It was kind of fun hammering the bouillon cubes!

Crock~pot Beef Roast

1 can Dr Pepper

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 package onion soup mix*

1 tablespoon oil

Heat a skillet and pour 1 tablespoon of oil in it. Brown roast on all sides in the skillet. Place roast in crockpot.

In a bowl mix the Dr Pepper, cream of mushroom soup and onion soup mix with a whisk. Pour over roast and cover with lid. Cook on low all day.

 

Homemade Onion Soup Mix*

3/4 cup instant minced onion

1/3 cup beef bouillon powder

4 teaspoons onion powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed celery seed

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Combine everything and then store in an airtight container. 5 tablespoons of the mix equal one package of onion soup mix.

How to make Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk & Evaporated Milk

I have been meaning to share these two recipes with you. The first one is for How to make Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk, I first got this recipe when I was first married. I really like to use this when a recipe calls for a can of sweetened condensed milk, this doesn’t have the canned taste that the boughten has, and it’s cheaper!

The evaporated milk is one my mother came up with years ago.

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk:

Place the following ingredients into a blender in this order~

2/3 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine
1/3 c. boiling water
1 cup dry milk

Cover and blend until smooth. The mixture will thicken as it blends. It will become even thicker as it cools.

Pour into a container and cool completely before using. This recipe yields one can of commercial size sweetened condensed milk.

 

A nice substitute when you don’t have a can of evaporated milk.

Evaporated Milk

2/3 cup dry milk powder
3/4 cup water

Mix together. Makes 1 cup.

I have used this as a substitute for heavy cream in some of my recipes.