Remember that when you talk about the 100 mile summer on social media, use the hash tag #100milesummer so we can all cheer each other along!

Each week Traci or I have been sharing weight loss tips or healthy recipes with you. I’m really excited to share this one with you today.

My husband does NOT like to eat vegetables. I have had to try lots of different things to find ways to cook them where he will actually eat them. This one was a HUGE hit. Bonus – it was really easy.

These green beans aren’t even fried in bacon grease (although my husband said he would like it better if they were…)

The post Best Way To Cook Green Beans appeared first on A Mouse In My Kitchen.

Cream Drop Biscuits

2013-07-16 13:13:20

Yields 15

A light and creamy biscuit, that takes no time at all!

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Ingredients

1. 2 1/2 Cups Flour
2. 1 TBSP Baking Powder
3. 1 tsp salt
4. 1 TBSP Sugar
5. 2 Cups Chilled Heavy Cream

Instructions

1. 1.Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. 2.Combine dry ingredients and mix well.
3. 3.Gradually add the cream and mix until combined {sometimes, I use my hands!} But DON'T overmix.
4. 4. Drop 1/4 Cup servings on an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. 5. Bake until tops are pale and golden. {15-20 minutes}

Notes

1. Note: I know the time on this is broad, but depending on where you live, and how your oven works, you really need to watch the biscuits. They will be done with you see the top beginning to brown, you can almost smell the done bread smell, you know?

By Traci Fuller

A Mouse In My Kitchen http://www.amouseinmykitchen.com/

Let me know if you have any questions!

Traci

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My family has been living in  a little apartment while we are waiting for our house to open up. We have put most of our stuff in storage, including my Bosche mixer. Because I don’t have a mixer, I haven’t been making any bread homemade bread, which is very sad because nothing makes a house a home like some good homemade bread, which is why I was SO excited to find this recipe for no knead homemade bread. I call it lazy man’s bread because there is no kneading necessary and seriously only like 15 minutes of prep work. I call it poor man’s bread because there are only four ingredients (five in my version) and costs less than a dollar for a 2.5 pound loaf. 

Bread dough, right before I put it in the oven.

This bread is cooked in a dutch oven. I recommend this one.Yes, it is a decent sized initial investment ($45 on Amazon), but it is so worth it. I use it for everything. Side note: when I was making this bread, the handle of my dutch oven melted. I thought it was safe up to 500 degrees, but I was wrong. I contacted Lodge by email asking where I could buy a new one and within twenty minutes, they had emailed me back and told me they were sending me a new one, for free. Awesome, right? Their products are made in the US and they do quite a few things to help the environment. Cool, right? 

The only crappy thing about this recipe is that it has to rise for a long time – like 12-18 hours. I know that’s not fun, but this is seriously the easiest bread recipe I have ever made. You just have to be a little patient  

Nothing better than warm bread spread with honey and butter. Yum.

So, here is the recipe. If you want detailed instructions, go check out the blog I found it on. She gives a really good description of each step, although it is a really easy recipe. I added the honey in my recipe to make the bread a little more sweet, but you can definitely make it without the honey. 

No-Knead Bread

2013-06-11 23:20:47

Yields 2

Easy no knead bread

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Prep Time

20 hr

Cook Time

55 min

Total Time

20 hr 55 min

Prep Time

20 hr

Cook Time

55 min

Total Time

20 hr 55 min

Ingredients

1. 6 cups flour (bread flour recommended, but all purpose flour works fine
2. 1/2 t. instant or active-dry yeast
3. 2 1/2 t. salt
4. 2 2/3 cup cool water
5. 1/2 cup honey

Instructions

1. Mix flour, yeast, and salt until well combined. Add the water and the honey.
2. Cover with plastic wrap.
3. Let dough rise for 12-18 hours. Dough will smell yeasty when finished and look bubbly.
4. Flour your hands and a work surface. I use a cookie sheet as a work surface.
5. Fold the dough over and tuck the edges of the dough underneath.
6. Lay the dough out on the cookie sheet (or a terry cloth towel).
7. Flour the dough.
8. Cover the dough with a terry cloth towel and let it rise for about 2 hours. The dough should double in size.
9. About 1 1/2 hours into the bread rising, turn on your oven to 425. Place your empty dutch oven into the oven and let it heat up with the oven.
10. When your dough has doubled in size and about 2 hours has past, remove the top towels and flip the bread dough into the hot cast high pot.
11. Cover and bake for 40 minutes
12. Take the lid off and bake for another 10-15 minutes
13. Remove bread from the pot and let it cool completely on a wire rack before you cut into it.

Adapted from Jim Lahey & Frugal Living NW

Adapted from Jim Lahey & Frugal Living NW

A Mouse In My Kitchen http://www.amouseinmykitchen.com/

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My mother in law always gets compliments on her delicious potato salad. People say that they hate potato salad, but that they love her recipe. I figured that I better post that one up here, since I am focusing on family recipes.

She made it for my kid’s birthday party. It was a huge hit. Great for parties, potlucks, or at home dinners. It’s pretty easy to make, and doesn’t take many ingredients.

Here is what you need

Here is what you do

• Peel and dice potatoes. I used about 5 medium sized russet potatoes and it made enough salad for six people. Put them in a pot with water to boil

This is how small I cut them. I should have cut them smaller.

• Hard boil eggs. I used six.
• Once the eggs are boiled, peel them and cut them and put them in a bowl.
• When the potatoes have boiled for about 15-20 minutes, get them out of the water and into the bowl with the hard boiled eggs
• put three big tablespoons full of mayonnaise in the bowl. Sorry this isn’t exact, you kind of just have to put it in until it looks good. I did four spoonfuls and it was too much.
• Squirt on a little bit of mustard. I don’t like to put on a lot of mustard, but some people like a lot of it.
• sprinkle the salad with lemon pepper, garlic salt, and oregano. Don’t go overboard, especially with the lemon pepper. But don’t skip any of these, either. They are all important.

 

• Mix everything up. I had to use a pastry cutter to cut the potatoes a little smaller.

Put the salad in the fridge to cool down. I don’t like it at all when it’s warm, so I like to leave it in the fridge for a few hours at the least.

The post Recipe #36: Amazing Potato Salad appeared first on A Mouse In My Kitchen.

Okay, I am going to get a little nostalgic for a minute Did anyone else grow up watching Mr.Rogers Neighborhood? I LOVED that show. I don’t know why, but I would so look forward to getting to watch it on PBS. My little guy loves PBS and there is a new show created by the “Mr.Rogers Foundation” called Daniel Tigers Neighborhood. It’s SO cute! And actually teaches some really good things! There are always catchy little songs that go along with a lesson they are learning, and they are so helpful! We actually use them with our little man when we are trying to teach him little principles {Sharing, feelings, etc.} Anyway! Love the show, I am always grateful for kids shows that still teach good values. Anyway! One day we were watching it and on this episode, Daniel Tiger and his Mom made “Banana Swirl”. They just froze some bananas and blended them up to make a banana ice cream. My little guy begged and begged to make “Banana Squirrel” I have seen a lot of ideas on Pinterest of different variations, but this is what we came up with, and what we like.

I also wanted to add that cooking with my little man is my FAVORITE thing ever! I really hope to be able to look back and have my son remember the time spent in the kitchen, and teaching him a new skill, and that he can do hard things! I have been cooking with him since he was about 18 months old {maybe a bit sooner} And it has taught me a lot of patience, and is actually really helpful, too! I just wanted to share my experience and hopefully keep sharing some of our favorite easy recipes {And maybe some tips on how to cook with your kids in general, and have fun at the same time {even with more difficult recipes!} My son and I love the time together, and I love being able to watch him improve. He is two and a half now and can successfully crack an egg for me and mix ingredients in the bowl without spilling {very much!} He has come a long way.

Banana Swirl

4 bananas {Frozen}
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1/2 Cup Milk {or water if you can’t do milk}

Pull your bananas out of the freezer {I like to use my bananas that have gotten really soft and squishy and just take the peel off and throw them in the freezer to use later on for this recipe! Great way to not waste those old bananas!}

 Cut them up {anyway you like, just so that they blend better} Then toss them into your blender or food processor. I then add the milk {or water} to make it a bit more smooth. After the bananas are creamy and you can no longer see chunks,add the cocoa and pulse until completely blended.

Enjoy immediately!

You can freeze this recipe, but the consistency isn’t as wonderful I compare the texture/look to a Wendy’s Frosty. It’s amazing, you’ve GOT to try it. My kids down this stuff as fast as ice cream, and it’s all fruit! No sugar added! You do have to love bananas though, so keep that in mind

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do! I have also added peanut butter and enjoyed that, but still love the simple cocoa/banana combination!

Happy Cooking with your kiddos! It’s a great way to make memories while doing something you need to do anyway!
Traci

The post Banana Swirl {and an introduction to cooking with your kids!} appeared first on A Mouse In My Kitchen.