Recipes for “Busy Day Cake” (Revisited!)

“Busy Day Cake” is our (almost weekly) go-to recipe. We’ve enjoyed experimenting and coming up with these “spiced up” options:

You can see the original recipe on this earlier post: “Busy Day Cake”

Cinnamon Coffee Cake:

Before baking, sprinkle the batter with a mixture of ½ cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon. Or add 1 Tbsp butter to the cinnamon/sugar mixture (working it in with a fork) and pour only half of the batter into the baking pan, sprinkle with half of the cinnamon/sugar mixture, then spoon remaining batter on top, and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture. Then bake as directed in original recipe.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes:

For dark chocolate cupcakes (or cake), add ¼ cup baking cocoa and substitute ½ cup of strong, black coffee plus ¼ cup milk (for ¾ cup milk in the original recipe). Then bake as directed in original recipe.

These were an early b-day gift for DJ’s teacher!

Recipe for “Busy Day Cake”

(adapted from a childhood favorite in Better Homes & Gardens)

Great for cupcakes, too!

This recipe makes one 9x9-inch pan (or 12 cupcakes); I usually double the recipe and bake it in a 13x9-inch pan (or as 24 cupcakes).

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour *

½ cup sugar

2 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

¾ cup milk

⅓ cup oil

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour a 9x9-inch baking pan (or line muffin pans with paper liners).

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine milk, oil, egg, and vanilla; beat with electric mixer until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until combined, then beat an additional two minutes on medium speed. Turn batter into prepared baking pan (or spoon batter into muffin cups).

Bake cake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven. (For cupcakes, bake 15 to 20 minutes.) Cake is done when it springs back to the touch (or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean).

Spice it up by adding (blueberry) jam (as pictured above)! Pour only half of the batter into the baking pan, spoon jam onto it, then spoon remaining batter on top, and sprinkle sugar on top of it all. Then bake as directed.

Enjoy!

*Make your own cake flour by replacing 2 Tbsp of cornstarch in 1 cup of all-purpose flour!

Recipe for Pink Guava Jam

This is an easy recipe for pink guava jam!

Ingredients:

3 cups pink guavas, seeded and chopped

2 medium limes, juiced (about 4 Tbsp)

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 ½ cups sugar

(1 tsp salt)

This recipe is a combination of two other recipes: Basically, I started using one and then, when doing a last minute search, ended up finding one specifically for pink guavas – the kind that the tree in our back yard produced in abundance this year! We were pretty happy with the results of the combined recipe, so I’m posting it here.

Pink guavas, as we can testify from experience, are ripe when they either fall off the tree on their own or when they come off the tree when barely touched. When ripe, they will be pink on the inside and quite soft. The inside pinks range from light pink to bright pink.

Directions:

After washing the guavas, cut them in half and spoon out the middle sections containing the seeds. (The seeds are quite hard and unpleasant when accidentally bitten!) Chop the half guavas into “cubes” and measure the required quantity. (I tripled this recipe on our first try.)

Put the cut-up guava “meat” into the blender, add lime juice and cider vinegar, and pulse until relatively but not completely smooth. Pour into saucepan, add the sugar (and salt, if desired) and stir until well-mixed. (I had an eager 4-year-old assistant for this part!)

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The jam will be become a more intense pink at this point – and the whole house will smell wonderful!

After simmering for 30 minutes, remove from heat and let cool. Pour into jars and refrigerate until use. The jam will thicken as it cools.

OR: Pour into sterilized jars and process in boiling water for ten minutes (with at least one inch of water over top of jars). Remove from canner pot and place on a towel, allowing jars to cool. Listen for lids to pop, signifying airtight seal.

Note:

Last year the guava tree in the back yard gave us about 15 guavas. One year later, we’re “guesstimating” that we’ve harvested about 100! Very exciting! If I’d realized the harvest was going to increase almost ten-fold, I would’ve followed the advice given in one of the recipes I consulted: “Freeze if you cannot make jam on the same day – a good option as guavas mature at greatly varying times.”

Making jam brought back memories of three of my favorite people: my Mommy and my Grampa & Gramma in-love!

I “canned” the guava jam in a less-than-professional way, recycling jam jars I had on hand, hoping the seals would reseal – just like Grampa did during our last visit with him. I figured that whether they truly “sealed” or not, I could keep ‘em in the fridge – just in case… But they sealed – just like Grampa’s! Sweet memories…

Favorite Recipe: Corn Casserole

Also called corn pudding, corn spoonbread, or even corn cake, this recipe has been a favorite, often showing up at extended family potlucks!

Mix together dry ingredients* and set aside:

1 cup bread flour (or all-purpose flour)

1 cup yellow cornmeal

4 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

In another mixing bowl, mix together:

1 can (15 to 16-oz) whole-kernel corn (undrained)

1 can (15 to 16-oz) creamed corn

3 eggs

½ cup corn oil

½ cup (melted) butter

1 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)*

Combine dry and wet ingredients. Mix well. Pour into ungreased 1.5-liter (1.5-quart) glass bread pan (or casserole dish) and bake at 350 degrees F for at least one hour – until firm and top is golden brown. (May take longer than one hour.)

 

Awesome as left-overs, too!

Enjoy! (We surely do!)

 

 

*Frugal Notes:

• The original recipe calls for Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. My dry-ingredients substitution has worked marvelously – and will undoubtedly continue to serve us well in other areas of the world where Jiffy Mix doesn’t even exist!

• I regularly substitute plain yogurt for sour cream – with great success!

Eating from the Pantry: Again!

Well, we’re back – and back to Eating from the Pantry, trying to stretch our bucks and see how long we can make the stock pile (and creativity!) last… Other than spending about $9.00 at Aldi for milk, eggs, and fresh fruits and vegetables when we returned, we’ve been eating from the cupboards and freezer. (The fridge was basically empty when we got home, and the cereal stash in this picture has basically been depleted.)

Here’s the menu for last weekend and this week:

June 12 thru 20

Breakfasts:
Oatmeal (with ground flax seed, honey, and milk)
Homemade Apple Cider
Cereal
Scrambled or Fried Eggs, Toasted Sweet Butter Bread or Honey Oatmeal Bread
(Check out the new and improved recipe for the Honey Oatmeal Bread!)

Lunches:
Sat & Sun: Lunch with extended family…
M: Whole Grain Spaghetti with Meatball Sauce, Green Beans, Tomatoes, Cantaloupe
T: Lunch with friends…
W: Whole Grain Spaghetti with Meatball Sauce, Tomatoes
Th: Egg Salad Sandwiches, Bananas
F: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, Cantaloupe, Mandarin Oranges
Sat & Sun: Leftovers

Suppers:
Sat: Leftover Pizza (from our trip), Cantaloupe
Sun: Snacks
M: Late lunch doubled as supper…
T: Late lunch doubled as supper, with a Cantaloupe Snack before bed
W: Late lunch doubled as supper, with a Cantaloupe and Cookie Snack after church
Th: Whole Grain Spaghetti with Sausage Sauce, Chopped Spinach, Tomatoes, Fresh Berry Pie topped with FREE IceDream from Chick-fil-A!
(The pie included black raspberries, wild blackberries, and mulberries from our back yard, plus blueberries from Aldi.)
F: Tuna Noodle Casserole, Fruit
Sat & Sun: Leftovers

I'll most likely be getting more creative in the next two weeks...

What's Cookin'?

This week's menu includes some good-tasting, cheap food:

Classic Meatloaf

Sweet Butter Bread

Lentil and Sausage Stew

Otherwise, we're pretty much still Eating from The Pantry and freezer, etc. It's been a blessing!

I used a one-pound package of "Cocktail Smokies" little sausages from the freezer for today's Lentil and Sausage Stew. Besides omitting salt, I started by putting the frozen sausages in about two cups of water and simmering them until they were hot. (They're already fully cooked.) I then proceeded with the recipe as stated.

What's Cookin'?

It's a cool, rainy, late-winter (but almost spring!) day where I live.

So, what's cookin'? Some great, nourishing comfort food to match the weather:

Split Pea (with Veggies) Soup and Sweet Butter Bread

This is my frugal version of Split Pea Soup. (Of course, you can add ham bone, too.) But this recipe keeps the idea of simple, economic meals that are also highly nutritious.

I'm looking forward to supper!

Eating from The Pantry: Another Update

We're in the fourth week of our (much-needed) "Eating from the Pantry Challenge" – and still enjoying it! We've been constantly reminded that stocking up when items are on sale (and finding new creative ways to be frugal – i.e. eating carving pumpkins!) are worthy investments.

What's Cookin'?! Lots of good food!

Here's the menu for this week:

January 25 thru 31

Breakfasts:
Pumpkin Bread (using the newly updated recipe that includes sweet potato!)
Grapefruit
Scrambled Eggs with Toasted Sweet Butter Bread
Cereal, cereal, and more cereal

Lunches:
M: Leftover Chicken and Veggie Stew
T: More Leftovers
W: Mac & Cheese with Stewed Tomatoes, Fresh Fruit
Th: Special Potato Soup
F: Sandwiches, Fresh Fruit
Sat & Sun: TBD (probably more leftovers)

Suppers:
M: Tri-Colored Pasta with Tomato Sauce & Cheese, Veggies
T: Stuffed Chicken Breasts, Whipped Potatoes with Sour Cream, Peas & Onions
W: Leftover Chili (from the freezer) with Cheese, Fresh Fruit
Th: More Leftovers
F: Dinner Out (to celebrate a birthday!)
Sat: Birthday Party!
Sun: TBD (probably party leftovers)

I'm excited about the Birthday Party Menu, which I plan to post later. (I'm thankful for the benefits derived from a stocked pantry, a free Sam's Club membership, and recent deals at Publix!)

Speaking of Publix, I should tally up my (grocery) spending for the last two weeks. I'm struck with the fact that blogging can be a type of public journaling, where we write what we don't mind our family and friends reading. In fact, we hope they will read – and maybe even comment now and then! (Hee! Hee!)

Have I mentioned that we love Publix?! Yes, we do!

On the January 19 trip, we spent $12.92 – within the goal of $15 per week during this challenge.

On the January 26 trip, we spent $8.89 – again within our goal and actually a better total than expected because they gave me the Ocean Spray 100% Juice at 2/$3.45!

The biggest highlight, of course, was winning the 10-inch cookie – in the monthly drawing for the Cookie Club! (Well, we paid $0.20 tax for a $9.99 cookie.) Even the cashiers and customer service folks were excited for us, as they tried to figure out how to ring it up!

We love Publix! Yes, we do!

We love Publix! How 'bout you?!

Eating from The Pantry: Update

We're in our third week of the "Eating from the Pantry Challenge" – and we're still enjoying it! In fact, I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I didn't realize how stocked our pantry was; we really needed this challenge!

What's Cookin'?! Lots of good food!

I've decided not to try to reconstruct the vacation menu for the first week – but it was good! I'm thankful that our friends shared the cooking responsibilities with us.

Here are our menus for last week and this week:

January 10 thru 17

Sunday, January 10: We were still traveling. We enjoyed breakfast at a Hampton Inn (very nice free lodging, thanks to credit card points)! After church we ate lunch with family and friends, and on the way home we stopped at a restaurant for supper.

Breakfasts:
Pumpkin Bread
Yogurt
Cereal, cereal, and more cereal!

Lunches:
M: Leftovers
T: Mac & Cheese, Stewed Tomatoes
W: Pasta with Veggie Tomato Sauce & Cheese, Applesauce
Th: Egg Salad Sandwiches, Pear Slices
F: More Egg Salad Sandwiches
Sat & Sun: We were traveling again and greatly enjoyed Venison Fajitas, Vegetable Soup with Mexican Cornbread, and Dairy Queen Treats, among other good things! (I get no credit for those wonderful meals.)

Suppers:
M: Ramen Noodle & Veggie Soup, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
T: Stuffed Chicken Breasts, Four Cheese Bowtie Pasta, Green Beans
W: Beef & Veggie Stew, Tomato Bread
Th: Stuffed Chicken Breasts, Mashed Potatoes with Cheese, Lettuce Salad with Olives & Cheese
F: Pork Barbecue with Trimmings (We were invited to eat with friends, so I get no credit.)
Sat & Sun: We were traveling. (See above notes.)

January 18 thru 24:

Breakfasts:
Grapefruit
Cereal, cereal, and more cereal!

Lunches:
M: Leftovers
T: More Leftovers, Noodle Soup, V-8 Juice
W: PB & J Sandwiches, Pear Slices, V-8 Juice
Th: Leftover Chili, Sweet Butter Bread
F: Leftovers
Sat & Sun: TBD (Leftovers?)

Suppers:
M: Scrambled Egg Beaters, English Muffin Toast, Venison Sausage
T: Chili, Sweet Butter Bread
W: Pumpkin Curry Soup
Th: Chicken & Veggie Stew, Sweet Butter Bread
F: Baked Potatoes with Broccoli, Cheese, and Sour Cream
Sat & Sun: TBD (Leftovers?)

A big benefit of this "Eating from the Pantry Challenge" is realizing how blessed we are!

What's Cookin'?

Can you guess?! If you've been following along, you know the answer has to be more pumpkin!

About half of the pumpkin puree from the bigger of the two pumpkins did end up in the freezer for later use. Another four cups made their debut in the very yummy Pumpkin Curry Soup we enjoyed on Sunday afternoon.

We also enjoyed Tomato Bread (with both tomato and pumpkin in it) as part of our Christmas Eve Dinner. And another loaf just came out of the bread maker earlier this afternoon.

I even stuck my neck out and came up with my own pumpkin recipe which I'm calling Pumpkin Veggie Bake. If you add a pound of ground meat (cooked) and two or three cups of rotini pasta (cooked), you can also turn this side dish into a hearty main dish. We tried that version – using ground venison – and really liked it, too!

The second pumpkin started going the way of all flesh before I could tend to it. So, it got moved from the living room (where it had become part of the decor) to the front porch – which ended up acting the dual function of refrigerator!

Last night, I was able to salvage about half of the second pumpkin and bake it. About eight cups of little pumpkin cubes are playing the main role in a second big batch of Pumpkin Veggie Bake – with no meat this time.

Cutting the pumpkin into chunks this time, cut the cooking time to about one hour – half the time it took to cook the bigger half of the bigger pumpkin previously.

The remaining pumpkin chunks (now baked) will probably be made into puree and/or integrated into An Adaptation of Uruguayan Puchero. (Yes, that recipe is still pending.)

Classic Pumpkin Bread will also be in the works. My Dearest's co-workers enjoyed it, and I promised some to my co-workers, too. Fresh pumpkin puree tends to be quite a bit milder than its canned counterpart, so that even those who claim not to like pumpkin enjoyed this version of the popular sweet bread.

Carving pumpkins are very good-for-you, economical food. It's a real shame that so much gets wasted in our country every autumn...

Yes, we are thoroughly enjoying our pumpkin recipes. And we're very thankful for God's provision!

What's Cookin'?

Pumpkin, pumpkin, and more pumpkin!

One of the two huge pumpkins we were given right before Thanksgiving is being put to good use!

I must not forget to mention the roasted "pepitas" or pumpkin seeds – especially after doing a quick internet search and finding out how healthful they are! I roasted these only lightly, putting them in the oven (which I'd turned off) after our Pumpkin Bread was done. I stirred them once after the first ten minutes and then a couple more times at random before going to bed. They stayed in the cooling oven overnight and are just the right consistency to eat even without peeling.

We also made a huge batch (at least 35 cups) of pumpkin puree, some of which has been incorporated into two other recipes, with the third in the works.

We really enjoyed our Creamy & Spicy Pumpkin Soup, although the blend of spices is probably meant for adult tastebuds. We did have great success in getting our toddler to eat a bowl full by adding in an extra half cup of pumpkin puree to her soup (to mellow the spiciness) and by bribing her with pieces of cheddar cheese – which she loves!

I used Beef Base (1 tsp per cup of water, instead of broth or bouillon) for the first time ever and was very pleased. (The first ingredient in Beef Base is beef, not salt.) The only negative is that the soup tends toward a brown instead of orange hue.

We also made a triple batch of Classic Pumpkin Bread. Very yummy! I'll probably experiment with adding in chocolate chips next time. (Everything's better with chocolate, right?!)

Next up is a stew, based on the "Puchero" that is a classic in the Rio de la Plata region of South America. It's probably their version of "comfort food" – but so much more wholesome than so many! Stay tuned for that recipe...

What's Cookin'?

We're blessed to be living from the stockpile in the pantry. (I'm so very thankful for coupons – and stores that match their sales to current coupons!) But there's still nothing like the aroma of fresh-baked bread, filling the house and greeting my Dearest as he walks in after a long day at work – especially on a gray and rainy winter day!

And I tried out a new recipe yesterday: Banana Split Bread! I was so excited to be using ingredients that were mostly the result of recent couponing and bargain-hunting:

Frugalista Ideas:

• If you bake Christmas goodies as gifts for family and friends, this new twist on an old favorite could be a more economical variation on the traditional fruitcakes.
• Add some water to the "juice" drained from the pineapple bits and maraschino cherries, and enjoy a very refreshing bargain beverage!

Stay tuned for pumpkin recipes! We were recently given two huge pumpkins, so I'll also be making pumpkin puree – and then making and baking a bunch of pumpkin recipes, as well as freezing some puree for later use.

What's Cookin'?

We're currently a (very busy!) three-member family! (Who isn't busy?!) So, following my brother and sister-in-law's example, I've been working on a plan that involves cooking big batches of two (favorite) main dishes per week that we can combine with other staples (like pasta!) – in an effort to maximize on time, energy, and other resources. So far, we're still in the experimental stages, but I think we've been happy with our progress.

Meat Loaf is definitely a favorite – and lends itself well to this idea. Because I made a double batch of Meat Loaf last week, not only did we enjoy the Meat Loaf itself, we also enjoyed Meat Loaf Sandwiches (with homemade bread) for several lunches. And I almost used some as modified meatballs in spaghetti sauce (but at the last minute forgot to include it/them).

This week, we'll be enjoying Sweet Butter Bread and a huge pot of Chili – along with other yet-to-be-decided additions. One plan is to use the Chili over spaghetti, like they do in Cincinnati!

We're also enjoying fresh, homemade applesauce!

Stay tuned... We'll keep working on the meal-planning and time-saving ideas...

What's Cookin'?

It's another rainy (and quite windy!) autumn day in the Upstate – a good day to be inside cooking and baking. And the smell of fresh-baked bread is always so homey!

We'll be enjoying Classic Meatloaf for supper. (I made a double batch – part beef, part venison.) We'll add some frugal finds from the freezer and cupboard in the way of veggies and comfort food (i.e. mashed potatoes)! There's also Sweet Butter Bread in the making – to be enjoyed as part of Meatloaf Sandwiches later this week. Yum!

And since there's still some left, we'll probably enjoy some Chocolate Chip Banana Bread for dessert. (I'll plan to post and link to the recipe later.)

Frugalista Notes:

• I love to modify recipes! Part of my experiment today should have included adding grated carrots to the meatloaf recipe, but I got in a hurry and simply forgot. I've also thought of adding grated cheese. Adding veggies and/or cheese can be a great way to add more nutrition, of course.
• Meatloaf is a great way to stretch grocery dollars (or pesos, etc.); I have fond memories of meatloaf meals, enjoyed as a child!
• Eventually, I'll be baking bread in the oven – instead of assigning that portion of my work load to my maiden, the bread machine. When I do, I'll have to add baking time to the recipe instructions... But until then, I'll enjoy the welcome help!
• Banana Bread is just a great frugal invention – a wonderful way to salvage bananas that are perishing. And chocolate chips are a welcome addition to almost any dessert!

What's Cookin'?

It's a rainy autumn day in the Upstate – a good day to be inside cooking and baking with the happy little lights of several scented candles flickering merrily on the kitchen table... I'm enjoying being a wife and mom!

While my maidens, the washing machine and drier, were busy with their work and the Bean and Chorizo Soup was simmering on the stove, I mixed up a batch of my Dearest's favorite cookies!

Yesterday I made up a batch of homemade yogurt – it's a staple and a favorite at our house! For supper last night, we enjoyed Asian Cole Slaw, made with broccoli slaw from this week's trip to Publix. I now prefer the broccoli slaw (over the typical cabbage slaw) for its flavor and texture – and nutritional value!

For dessert, we really enjoyed Kiwi Pear Smoothies. My toddler loved the green color – it matched the picture that came in the kiwi package! But when she saw me cutting a kiwi, she informed me that she didn't like that fruit. It took some convincing to persuade her that kiwi is what gives green color to this particular "special drink" (as smoothies are called at our house) – all the while she sat there, totally enjoying her smoothie! Life with a little one is so much fun!

Frugalista Notes:

• I think the Bean and Chorizo Soup is definitely frugal, and you can dress it up with more veggies (chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned, etc.) and garnish it with grated carrots and/or cheese.
• In other countries where produce tends to be cheaper (at least when in season), the Kiwi Pear Smoothies might be frugal, too. Unless you get a big batch on sale at Sam's Club (like I did this past week), they could be quite pricey here.
• We really liked the Asian Cole Slaw made with broccoli slaw; unless it's on sale like it was this past week, it could be pricey here. (I'm not really sure how you'd make your own broccoli slaw... Grating could get really messy!)
• The cookies are just very good! And we don't make them very often – more for the sake of waistlines than frugal consciousness...
• Thoughts? Recipe modifications? (I love modifying recipes!)