Schoolhouse Coffee Cake

Pleasantview Schoolhouse is a blog that I absolutely love to visit. If you take a look around, you may understand. The pictures (many by her son) are fantastic, her skills enviable, and her life peaceful.

I finally got around to making her coffeecake. It is really easy and easily tweaked. The recipe is dairy-free, but it can be made with dairy products also. I used blackberries and a thinly sliced apricot for the topping. I am sure I will be making it again real soon.

For the recipe, click on the title or here.

Pumpkin Chip Muffins

Update: I placed third. Won $2. I have no idea how many entries there were. Maybe 3? :-)

I have entered food items in our county fair years ago when my daughters were in 4-H. It was fun and we all won prizes. Well, one of the items on my 101 list was to enter something in the fair again. Today I submitted one of my favorite recipes: Pumpkin Chip Muffins. They really are fantastic!

Below is a copy of the very easy recipe. Enjoy!

4 eggs
2 c. sugar
16 oz. canned pumpkin
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil

3 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. salt

2 c. (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

(Note: This recipe has been adapted to healthier standards by substituting Sucanat, olive oil, freshly ground wheat flour and carob chips and still been a favorite.)

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400 degrees for 16 - 20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yield: about 24 standard-size muffins.

Grilling for $5!

MENU: Grilled Chicken, Corn on the Cob,

Grilled French Bread (leftover), and Salad

My house is staying nice and cool this summer.

Summer Grilling

MENU: 12 Grilled Tri-tip Kabobs

(Squash, Peppers, Onions, Cherry Tomatoes, and Pineapple),

Herb Rice, Homemade French Bread,

Iced Tea, and Apple Coffee Cake.

I also made two dipping sauces: Ginger and Peanut.

Everyone liked the ginger sauce better, except Abishai.

The whole meal cost about $15.

Fast and Easy

I don't often plan too far ahead in my meal planning. I leave room for spontaneous creativity. (And I often ask God for help in that creativity!)

A few days ago, my mother brought home two loaves of French bread from Food 4 Less that she found for 2/$1. French bread doesn't stay soft long, so I wanted to use it right away. Aha! French bread pizza! I didn't have "normal" pizza fixin's, but I improvised: canned spaghetti sauce ($.98), ground beef ($1/lb.) spiced up with Italian seasoning (ground meat does not need to be thawed before frying), and some cheese.

I added a salad and we had dinner. I was surprised with all the compliments this so very easy and fast dinner received!

This fed six adults and one toddler AND we had some left over. Cost per person: CHEAP!

Fourth of July with The Gombojavs

Menu: Ribs (purchased about two months ago at 99 cents a pound(!) and put in the freezer. Saving money on food is often a matter of planning ahead or even just having workable things on hand. We don't usually eat ribs, but they were a great deal so I bought them and put them aside for a "special" day.)

Corn on the cob (from the Farmer's Market the day before. So fresh and good!)

Watermelon (from the Farmer's Market the day before. I like watermelon with seeds. I think they taste better.)

Glass Bottled sodas (The first time the kids have ever gotten a soda. They were so excited! Glass bottle sodas are really cheap at the local Mexican market.)

A flag cake. Recipe here.

Gana grilled the ribs and corn and we ate outside. So, it was fairly easy clean-up! Before we ate we all sang the National Anthem.