Bulk baking day....1st edition

Baking, baking...all this for your taking.

While many of you were cozied in with mounds of snow this last week, we took what we could get.
Only in NC, would all area school districts cancel for this.
Even though I had the highest of hopes for this home school to stay the course, by 8:30 am, I opened the door to nature's display of a winter wonderland. :)
Yes, the kids even hauled down the cross country skies, bless their hopeful hearts.
So what do you do when your snow activities are not an option?

Well, the kids roast marshmallows, and mom gets to baking...in her jammies, of course.

Since you've scrolled down anticipating some bulk baking tips, let's get started.
Every once in awhile, when the sun, moon and starts align, I decide to descend upon my kitchen for a few hours of baking bedlam. If the concept of cooking in bulk is fairly foreign to you, begin reading my other posts found
here and here.
They are obnoxiously long, but filled with a good foundation for what I am talking about.

With five children that are eating me out of house and home, I need to be ready to conquer the meal time madness war that is raged daily.
Part of that solution is having things accessible that are quick, filling and a little more healthy than the five boxes of Pop tarts (BOGO free/coupons) we polished off in two days.
Even though the box said "fiber filled," I am thinking that my pillow case has fiber in that as well,
and I know I shouldn't eat five boxes of those in two days. :)

What that means is cooking and baking from scratch more often, without making a ton more work for this Family Manager, and yes, that means having a teeny tiny plan...ugh!

You know how I feel about really detailed plans...it's up there with spending hard earned money on undies. I'm just not wound up that way, but a little forethought goes a long way.
And ladies...it's SO WORTH it!
The amount of money you will save, and the elevation of nutritional quality will amaze you.

Look around in your pantry and assess what dry goods you have on hand, need to use up, or is on sale this week?
Do you have enough eggs, milk, oil, and butter?

I typically always bake some kind of banana bread/muffins, but I actually had ten lbs of apples that were beginning to turn, and I knew that something with apples needed to be created.
I also have a ton of grain that needs to be used every week for the next 2 years, plus more flour than you can imagine. Chocolate chips from Sam's Club are dangerously laying around the house, and mysteriously disappearing, so cookies were screaming my name.
My goal is to bake things that freeze well, and can be thawed or heated up in seconds.

Plan for the day....

-muffins
-bread
-cookies
-waffle/pancakes

Just like with bulk cooking, why make just one batch of anything, when you can triple a recipe and freeze lots of extras for snacks or ready made breakfasts?
For me, the whole hassle is just getting started...it's those baby steps again.
Once the mess is out, why not indulge and make the most of it.
If you can periodically put 1-2 hours aside to bake, you'd be amazed at what you can get put up in your freezer.

Have you noticed how the cost of frozen grocery store waffles have gone through the roof?
This is one of my kids favorite breakfasts, but it's become completely cost prohibitive (unless it's triple coupons) considering my eldest eats 6 waffles at a sitting.
And, have you looked at the list of ingredients? Far from stellar.

I started making batches of pancakes and waffles years ago and then freezing them.
It's wonderful for the kids to just pop them out of their ziplock and heat them up in the toaster or microwave (if you like them softer). I lay them on a cookie sheet for a quick freeze first and then pop them in the zip lock bag. It keeps them from sticking together.
My favorite waffle recipe is a bit more time consuming than your basic add water mix :),
but so worth the effort.
I didn't think about turning this into a blog post til AFTER the waffles, thus no pictures.
I did not triple this recipe nor quadruple it, I had to what's x 5, it? Quintuple it? And after feeding them breakfast, still did not have as much as I wanted for the freezer....grrr....


Malted Belgium Waffles

2 cups sifted flour
2 TB sugar
1 1/2 TB baking powder
1 tsp salt
2-3 TB malt (I omit this since I always forget to buy it, but it probably just makes it)
6 eggs (separated)
1 3/4 cups milk
6 TB melted butter

Preheat waffle iron. Sift dry ingredients together (do you know I never do this? I'm a lazy baker.)
Combine egg yolks, milk, and butter; mix until smooth.
Add to dry ingredients;mix until smooth.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into batter.
Pour into iron and bake until steaming stops and waffle is golden brown.
Serves 8, unless your my family...

Pancake recipe that I love

Feather Pancakes
3/4 cups flour
1/3 tsp salt
1 TB baking powder
1 1/3 TB sugar
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1 1/3 oil

Mix dry ingredients.
Blend together in blender of food processor (yes, takes out the lumps, but then I have to wash more dishes :), eggs, milk, and oil; add to flour mixture and beat until smooth.
Allow batter to sit for ten minutes.
Cook on griddle.
Serves 4 (when mine were toddlers, maybe)

Oh my sweet friends...I hate to cut you off short,
but please come back tomorrow for the next installment.....and oh, those muffins were scrumptious. :)

...the second edition is up:

A Sunday Moment

Thank you, Lord, for this precious hand.
So tiny, so innocent...
A hand that now rocks her dolly,
but may someday embrace her new born babe.
A hand that I now hold, but someday will be holding mine.

Lord, please take the hands of my beloved daughter and use them for Your glory.
Grow them, develop them, protect them, and steer them from evil.

I symbolically raise my hand as a blessing on her...she is yours!

(This was one of my favorite Disney moments. She glimpsed Cinderella in the distance during the parade, and the world stopped...just for her...
the princess was waving...only at her.
And my daughter's eyes were fixed... only on one.)

May I fix my eyes on the One with the same passion and intensity as my little girl.

Sacrificial thrifty find

I haven't had much time to finish all the many DIY projects that I have lining the halls, nor spray paint the abundance of "finds" that I have captured at the local thrift store.
That is why I was so thrilled to come across these ornate handcrafted ornaments this week at Good Will.
Lots of love and time went into crafting these .

Not only are they perfect for my "fancy" tree at Christmas, but they are going to be an ornamental eye candy for a few other holidays I can think of - the white makes them very versatile for Easter as well.
( I am off to find a few small, glass hearts to add to the decor in this bowl. won't they look festive?)
Christmas decor is an additional 75% off at Good Will these days, so I got them for a steal...literally.

Anyhow, I wanted to guesstimate just how much time it might take to make one as a gift, and figure out just how they were made.
Foam balls, thousands of beads/pearls, stick pins...if you're wondering.
These would be perfect crafts for my daughters to do for Valentine's Day, while intertwining red, white and pink beads for the festive event.
The bottom line...this is a wonderfully frugal craft where much time and detail makes these an heirloom craft, IMHO.
(I am just sick right now because the picture of my three favorite ones just got deleted, and I already removed them from my camera card....ugh.)
They were intricate with very unique beads.
There were ten ornaments in all....I still can't believe someone got rid of them. They are so much prettier IRL (or in the other pic I just deleted. :)

I also found these treats...I figured if I wasn't supposed to eat them every day, at least I could look at them, light them and enjoy these cute $.50 candles. :)

I am almost ready to get my Bulk Baking posts up (they're up now)....I have been storming it up in the kitchen, and I know you are going to want to join me for a few great recipes.

Terrible Teens...I beg to differ

A new home school mom asked at a conference this week "How does it work when you nurse a baby, have a toddler running around and attempt to teach?"
The question, by default, was directed at me, and I really didn't want to put on a "happy face" and answer. It has been a long, frustrating week for this mom, but I responded honestly...with a long term vision of motherhood.
Join me in remembering that challenging, but treasured, calling of mothering with my first post about my teen age boy and a Ped-egg.
If nothing else...I need the reminder this week!

One of the things that I passionately try to address when I speak to womens' groups are the labels we hypothetically predetermine..."the terrible two's" (especially at Mops) , or "just wait till they're teenagers", etc. I do not believe that has to be the case, but yes, I'll save that for a different post.

This post is for me.

A reminder of my calling.

A whisper from my Heavenly Father in regards to the legacy He has called me to leave. This is to remind me of the goodness of a relationship with your teen when a mommy's heart is fully engaged in reaching his.

Don't get me wrong, teen years are tough emotionally, and I am only a few years into it. I mess up...royally... and am often asking forgiveness from those very blessings whom I desire to mentor. Yet these years are so precious. It's a small window in which we can watch as the Lord bring boys into manhood. I want to be there - front and center - enjoying every minute of it. It is racing by, and I want to capture those "manhood" moments. That's what this post is about. It was a mommy moment when the Lord reached out during a season of drought, and assured me...he is mine!

It started with some musing from "the mom" about the gross nature of dried and crack heels. Yep, you got it... ugly feet, and sheer vanity. I am not really a pedicure kind of gal (clarification...wasn't), but necessity was rearing it's ugly head when even my 5 year old daughter realized the drastic measures that needed to take place if mommy was going to continue in her usual flip flop foot fashion.
Yesterday morning, my oldest son and I were alone in the family room and he called me over to my comfy chair.
"Mom, let me try out this Ped-egg on you," he said. (For those of you wondering...this pedicure tool won out on our local news "deal or dud segment.")

I must tell you, I was a little taken back and wondered what his primary motives were. I mean, come on, this is a gross task and he just told me being a pedicurist would be a disgusting job. I do believe he said, "Can you imagine all the nasty feet that people have?"
And now he was searching out those feet...namely mine?

My "terrible teen" went on to spend not five minutes, not ten, but over 30 minutes meticulously
getting every bit of dry skin off my ugly feet. Then he took lotion, and massaged those feet, and made sure that they were smooth and beautiful.
And in those moments, I saw Jesus...
through my son.
We shared life those 30 minutes. We talked about Jesus washing the disciples feet and I couldn't help pointing out how this act of service reaches down to the core of who someone is. That's why Jesus choose it. It's embarrassing, and yet as my eldest took care of "my man feet" lol... he ministered to me in a way, a simple way, that makes an impact for life. He won't know what an impact it had. He has no understanding of the way that Jesus whispered through him. Only I could see, through tearful eyes, a boy share a moment of manhood with his momma.

Linked at: Three boys, crazy life.

McDonald's shares frugal delights

Even though I shared my 14 year old Burger of a Lifetime post with you, I also stated that I was back to my old sinful ways.

Somehow, teen boys who devour 4 double cheeseburgers at one sitting without thinking something is terribly wrong with that accomplishment, has changed my perspective. (Hint, guys...does the word gluttony mean anything to you...?) Honestly, the dollar menu can be my best friend - perspective, I tell you.

So in honor of all things frugal, have you heard the news posted multiple places on the web?

Yes, I am off to make sure that every McDonald's within a 30 mile radius is offering these delights, and if not...I will be talking to the manager, ever so sweetly that is. :) I will be buying up MANY coupon booklets...won't you join me?

Here's the scoop:

Many McDonald's around the country now have Valentine's coupon booklets available. Priced at $1 at most locations, each coupon booklet contains 12 coupons for free items:

3 free hamburgers
3 free small cones
3 free apple dippers or small fry
3 free apple juice or milk jug

These are redeemable at any participating McDonald's from February 14 to May 15, 2009. Please note that they are redeemable only by children ages 12 and under with a limit of one coupon per customer per visit.

* And just so you know I am above board, I will be using these for my little ones, AND those teen boys...after I ask if it's OK. They always say "yes". They're nice like that. :)
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Another heads up from Money Saving Mom:

Tomorrow (Wednesday, January 28, 2009) Panera Bread stores across the nation are offering free coffee all day long and free samples of their new breakfast items.

You may want to give a quick call before you drive out of your way to make sure that your local store is participating.