Carol Santee

Carol is the co-author of the Big Book of Freezer Cooking and the author of 30 Day Gourmet’s Slow Cooker Freezer Favorites, Freezer Lunches To Go and Healthy Freezer Cooking eBooks. She is a computer information specialist and works for a computer software company.

Fudge Sauce

Low Fat, Low Sodium, Recipes, Snacks and Desserts, Under 350 Calories Comments Off

Dec 012005

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This is a wonderful fudge sauce that I use as a frosting for Chocolate Fudge Cake. It is also great on ice cream. Store any extras in the fridge. One batch is enough to cover one double round layer cake or one 9×13 pan. In either case there will be a little left over to spoon on your ice cream.
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Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	16	32	48	64	80	96
Ingredients
Semisweet chocolate chips	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Margarine	6 T.	3/4 C.	1 C. + 2 T.	1-1/2 C.	1-3/4 C. + 2 T.	2-1/4 C.
Sugar	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Evaporated milk	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.

Assembly Directions:
In a saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and margarine. Stir in the sugar. Mixture will look grainy. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and boil for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Serving Directions:
Allow to cool some. Mixture will thicken as it cools.

Comments:
This is great over ice cream or as “frosting” for Chocolate Fudge Cake. Store in the refrigerator. Sauce can be thinned in the microwave. Heat it for 15 to 30 seconds.

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 158 Calories; 9g Fat (46.4% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 68mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1-1/2 Fat; 1-1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

December 2005 Chewin’ the News

2005, Chewin' the News Comments Off

Dec 012005

Kitchen Fun with Carol

Hello cooks! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We sure did! My daughter came home from college for the weekend. We spent time with extended family. It is so nice just to sit back, relax and catch up on things that are happening in each others lives. It’s great to have the support of your family. I’m very thankful to have them in my life.

The Thanksgiving holiday weekend marks the beginning of the mad rush towards Christmas. This means lots of time spent baking cookies, planning family gatherings, caroling with our church small group and making Christmas gifts. One of our favorite family activities is decorating the tree. It is so fun to bring out the old ornaments that were made by the kids when they were little. It always brings back so many memories. Some of my favorite ornaments are cinnamon ornaments. They still smell good after all these years. The is a fun project to do with the kids. You can add them to wrapped packages as a decoration. Click here for instructions on how to make them.

One of our family traditions is baking and decorating sugar cookies. We did this together over Thanksgiving as a family activity. The adults and older kids made the cookie dough and baked the cookies. Then the younger kids decorated them. We made a big batch of icing, put it in separate disposable cups and made each cup a different color. We had lots of sprinkles, edible glitter, and colored sugars to sprinkle on top of the icing. The kids thought it was great! Want to try this activity? Click here for a link to a great sugar cookie and icing recipe you can try.

I love collecting those little recipes that are printed in magazine advertisements or in with the grocery coupons. One of my husband’s favorite recipes to make for Christmas gifts is called Chocolate Pizza. This recipe is from Nestle. It’s one that I clipped out of a magazine years ago. The crust is made from chocolate, rice crispies, and peanuts. The top is decorated with red maraschino cherries to look like pepperoni, coconut, and the top is drizzled with melted white almond bark to look like melted cheese. This recipe freezes very well. Just make sure you bring it to room temperature before serving it. Click here to see this fun recipe.

Aren’t gifts from the kitchen the best! They are great to give as teacher gifts. Many different types of baked goods will work for gift jars. Our favorite are muffins, cookies and brownies. Making kitchen gifts is a great way to spend time with your children and they get to practice their measuring skills. As Tammy mentioned in her November 2005 newsletter, there are several wonderful gift recipes on the 30 Day Gourmet web site.

This issue of Chewin’ the News brings you two new dessert recipes to make this holiday season. I hope you enjoy them. Read more about them in the Bonus Recipes section.

Bonus Recipes

Chocolate Fudge Cake

This is one of the best chocolate cake recipes that I have ever tasted. It is dense and fudgy and so moist. The secret is the buttermilk. I used low fat buttermilk in the recipe. It works just as well as regular buttermilk. There are several ways to freeze this cake. You can freeze it unfrosted in layers. I put the layers in gallon freezer bags. You can also freeze it as a 9×13 fully frosted cake. Either way it comes out great. When I make this cake, I top it with the Fudge Sauce recipe below and then top it with whipped cream. Try it this way or frost it with your favorite frosting.

Fudge Sauce

Pecan Pie Bars

This is one of my daughter’s all time favorite recipes. I made this for Thanksgiving instead of making a regular pecan pie. It’s nice because you can get a taste of pecan pie without all the guilt.

Recipe of the Month Contest Winner

Our winner this month is Rhea from Bakersfield, CA, with her recipe for Pasta Fagioli Soup Mix. This recipe has so much flavor! The herb mix used to season the soup is absolutely wonderful. I like using a soup base instead of chicken bouillon granules. To mix everything thoroughly, I processed the herb mixture in my mini chopper. If you cannot find dried green pepper flakes in your area, you can substitute 3 T. chopped fresh green pepper for 1 T. of dried but you will have to add it when the tomatoes and tomato sauce are added to the soup.

Let’s hear from Rhea:

My name is Rhea and I live in Bakersfield, Ca. I’m married and have two children and three grandchildren. I am looking toward retirement in the next two or three years and hope to have more time to experiment with cooking. I have been freezer cooking since I was a junior in high school but found your site only about 3 years ago. The soup is excellent on one of our cold foggy nights and makes a very easy, very fast Christmas gift.

Click here to view/print the December Recipe of the Month.

Congratulations Rhea! Thank you for posting this wonderful recipe.

Freezer Cook of the Month Contest Winner

Our winner this month is Becky from Carlock, IL. Read how 30 Day Gourmet has helped her get through a family tragedy and has helped her become a better cook.

Becky says:

I was first introduced to 30 Day Gourmet by a friend at work. We were both busy teachers who at the end of the day, were exhausted and didn’t want to think about meals. So one Saturday we cooked 6 recipes total. We ended up with so much at the end of the day – it was wonderful and my husband was excited about having actual meals! About a month later tragedy struck my family. My brother, sister and my sister’s husband were all killed in a plane crash. My sister and her husband left behind 3 young children and my husband and I became their legal guardians. Oh…and did I mention that I was 6 1/2 months pregnant at the time? Needless to say the meals that my friend and I had put up were a lifesaver. I had never been famous for cooking ability in my family so the kids were pleasantly surprised at their Aunt Becky’s meals! Now, a year and half later, I have a husband and 4 children, with another due in less than 2 months. I have introduced a couple of my close friends to 30 Day Gourmet and so now we try to get together at least every couple of months. And as far as my cooking ability? Let’s just say I feel pretty good about providing healthy meals for my family without the craziness that could have been if it wasn’t for 30 Day Gourmet helping me find my way. Thank you.

We are so glad that 30 Day Gourmet was there to help you through this difficult time. Our hearts go out to you and your family this holiday season. And congratulations on the new baby who, according to an update from Becky, should be born any time now!

So, how do you make 30 Day Gourmet work for you? How do you use it to help you deal with a challenge in your life? How do you use it to help others? Do you have a funny cooking story to share? Click here to email me.

Closing Comments from Carol

I hope you enjoy the holiday dessert recipes! I love dessert. Anything chocolate will do in a pinch for me – brownies, cookies, cake, fudge, or ice cream. My son is the same way. All you have to do is put something chocolate in the oven and he will come running! I swear he can smell chocolate from a mile away.

Calling all cooks…I’m looking for your favorite comfort food recipes so post them on the 30 Day Gourmet Facebook® fan page or click here to send me an email. I look forward to hearing what you have to share.

Click here to send me an email with any questions, ideas, suggestions or problems. I enjoy hearing from you!

Best wishes to you and your family this holiday season. Merry Christmas everyone and have a great month!

Carol

Pasta Fagioli Soup Mix

Low Fat, Recipes, Soups & Sandwiches, Under 350 Calories Comments Off

Dec 012005

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Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	12	24	36	48	60	72
Makes:	12 C.	24 C.	36 C.	48 C.	60 C.	72 C.
Ingredients
Dried minced onion	2 T.	1/4 C.	1/4 C. + 2 T.	1/2 C.	1/2 C. + 2 T.	3/4 C.
Dried parsley flakes	1 T.	2 T.	3 T.	1/4 C.	1/4 C. + 1 T.	1/4 C. + 2 T.
Sugar	1 T.	2 T.	3 T.	1/4 C.	1/4 C. + 1 T.	1/4 C. + 2 T.
Celery salt	1 T.	2 T.	3 T.	1/4 C.	1/4 C. + 1 T.	1/4 C. + 2 T.
Sweet pepper flakes*	1 T.	2 T.	3 T.	1/4 C.	1/4 C. + 1 T.	1/4 C. + 2 T.
Chicken bouillon granules	2 t.	1 T. + 1 t.	2 T.	2 T. + 2 t.	3 T. + 1 t.	1/4 C.
Italian seasoning	2 t.	1 T. + 1 t.	2 T.	2 T. + 2 t.	3 T. + 1 t.	1/4 C.
Salt	1/2 t.	1 t.	1-1/2 t.	2 t.	2-1/2 t.	1 T.
Paprika	1/2 t.	1 t.	1-1/2 t.	2 t.	2-1/2 t.	1 T.
Garlic powder	1/2 t.	1 t.	1-1/2 t.	2 t.	2-1/2 t.	1 T.
Black pepper	1/2 t.	1 t.	1-1/2 t.	2 t.	2-1/2 t.	1 T.
Dried kidney beans	16 oz.	32 oz.	48 oz.	64 oz.	80 oz.	96 oz.
Dry macaroni	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Cooking Day Ingredients
Water	12 C.	24 C.	36 C.	48 C.	60 C.	72 C.
Canned diced tomatoes	29 oz.	58 oz.	87 oz.	116 oz.	145 oz.	174 oz.
Tomato sauce	8 oz.	16 oz.	24 oz.	32 oz.	40 oz.	48 oz.

Assembly Directions:
Gift Jar: In a small bowl, combine everything except the beans and pasta. Pour seasoning mix into a small bag or small jar with lid. Place beans and pasta in separate plastic bags. Give seasoning mix, beans and pasta with the serving instructions for the soup. Click here to print the instruction card that goes with the mix. Attach it to the container.

To Freeze:
Rinse and sort dried beans. In a large Dutch oven, combine beans and water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 1-1/4 hours. Stir in seasoning mix, pasta, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until beans are tender. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Freezing Directions:
Cool slightly and divide into meal sized portions. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw and reheat in microwave or on stove.

Comments:
This soup is rich and fabulous. The spice mix is wonderful.
*NOTE: If you can’t find dried sweet pepper flakes at the store, you can substitute 3 T. of chopped green pepper for every tablespoon of dried sweet pepper flakes. If packaging this as a gift, you will need to add this to the list of fresh ingredients to be added to the soup by the gift recipient.

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 188 Calories; 1g Fat (3.5% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 11g Dietary Fiber; trace Cholesterol; 773mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 2 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Low Fat, Recipes, Snacks and Desserts, Under 350 Calories 1 Response »

Nov 012005

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This recipe is a family tradition for us. We make this coffee cake to have on hand the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas morning. It’s great to come home after a long morning shopping for gifts and have coffee cake ready. I also take it to small group meetings and to brunch for our church women’s group.

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Brown Sugar Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	12	24	36	48	60	72
Ingredients
Margarine	1/2 C.	1 C.	1-1/2 C.	2 C.	2-1/2 C.	3 C.
Brown sugar	1/2 C.	1 C.	1-1/2 C.	2 C.	2-1/2 C.	3 C.
Sugar	1/2 C.	1 C.	1-1/2 C.	2 C.	2-1/2 C.	3 C.
Eggs	2	4	6	8	10	12
Reduced fat sour cream	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Vanilla	2 t.	1 T. + 1 t.	2 T.	2 T. + 2 t.	3 T. + 1 t.	1/4 C.
Baking powder	2 t.	1 T. + 1 t.	2 T.	2 T. + 2 t.	3 T. + 1 t.	1/4 C.
Flour	2 C.	4 C.	6 C.	8 C.	10 C.	12 C.
Brown sugar	2/3 C.	1-1/3 C.	2 C.	2-2/3 C.	3-1/3 C.	4 C.
Cinnamon	2 t.	1 T. + 1 t.	2 T.	2 T. + 2 t.	3 T. + 1 t.	1/4 C.

Assembly Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan or an 8×8 inch baking pan. Using a mixer, cream margarine and sugars. Add egg one at a time mixing between additions. Add sour cream, vanilla and baking powder. Mix well. Add flour and mix until well blended. In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread half the batter evenly in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar cinnamon mixture evenly over the batter. Spread the remaining batter on top of the topping mix. Sprinkle remaining mix on top of the second layer of batter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on rack.

Freezing Directions: Place cake in a rigid freezer container or a gallon freezer bag. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions: Thaw and enjoy!

Comments: This cake is very moist and a wonderful treat for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning.

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 250 Calories; 9g Fat (31.7% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 40g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 33mg Cholesterol; 190mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1 Grain (Starch); 1-1/2 Fat; 1-1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Pear Bread

Breads and Breakfast, Low Fat, Recipes, Under 350 Calories Comments Off

Nov 012005

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Shelley: Last month I mentioned that my daughters and I made several loaves of Pear Bread on our cooking day. After sending my recipe to her, Amy Duranto emailed to say, “This Pear Bread is AWESOME!! Can it be frozen? I have five loaves and would love to freeze some after I share a few. Thanks again!” Some baked goods are better after they’re frozen, and I think this recipe is one of them.
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Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	12	24	36	48	60	72
Ingredients
Flour	2 C.	4 C.	6 C.	8 C.	10 C.	12 C.
Salt	1/2 t.	1 t.	1-1/2 t.	2 t.	2-1/2 t.	1 T.
Baking soda	1 t.	2 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 1 t.	1 T. + 2 t.	2 T.
Cinnamon	1/4 t.	1/2 t.	3/4 t.	1 t.	1-1/4 t.	1-1/2 t.
Ground nutmeg	1/4 t.	1/2 t.	3/4 t.	1 t.	1-1/4 t.	1-1/2 t.
Oil	1/4 C.	1/2 C.	3/4 C.	1 C.	1-1/4 C.	1-1/2 C.
Sugar	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Eggs	2	4	6	8	10	12
Applesauce	1/4 C.	1/2 C.	3/4 C.	1 C.	1-1/4 C.	1-1/2 C.
Sour cream	1/4 C.	1/2 C.	3/4 C.	1 C.	1-1/4 C.	1-1/2 C.
Vanilla extract	1 t.	2 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 1 t.	1 T. + 2 t.	2 T.
Fresh pears, chopped	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Nuts, chopped (optional)	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.

Assembly Directions:
Combine flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in small bowl (or see baking mix instructions below). In large mixer bowl, beat oil and sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time; add applesauce, sour cream, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and stir until moist. Pare, halve and core pears; chop to make 1 cup per recipe. Stir in pears and nuts (optional). Spoon into well-greased 9×9 loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10-15 minutes. Turn out and cool on rack.

Freezing Directions:
Wrap in plastic wrap (label the plastic), and seal in 1-gallon freezer bag. Freeze.

Serving Directions:
Allow the bread to thaw. Slice and serve.

Comments:
For a healthier variation, use 1 cup white flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour.

To use as a baking mix, combine the dry ingredients and store in a food saver bag or freezer bag. Label and store the mix. Make several at a time and store in separate bags. This makes it easy to bake a quick snack when the freezer is either too full for baked goods, or too empty because the goodies have all been eaten!

Nutritional Info: without nuts
Per Serving: 223 Calories; 7g Fat (26.4% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 33mg Cholesterol; 206mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Nutritional Info: with nuts
Per Serving: 296 Calories; 13g Fat (39.3% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 33mg Cholesterol; 208mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 2-1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Peanut Butter Crunch

Low Fat, Low Sodium, Snacks and Desserts, Under 350 Calories Comments Off

Nov 012005

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Tammy: I got this candy from a neighbor a couple of years ago as a gift. We couldn’t keep our hands out of the candy jar! It’s similar to the inside of a Butterfinger candy bar. Or a softer, flaky version of peanut brittle.

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Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	48	96	144	192	240	288
Makes	3 lbs.	6 lbs.	9 lbs.	12 lbs.	15 lbs.	18 lbs.
Ingredients
Creamy peanut butter	2 C.	4 C.	6 C.	8 C.	10 C.	12 C.
Baking soda	1 t.	2 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 1 t.	1 T. + 2 t.	2 T.
Water	2 t.	1 T. + 1 t.	2 T.	2 T. + 2 t.	3 T. + 1 t.	1/4 C.
Sugar	1-1/2 C.	3 C.	4-1/2 C.	6 C.	7-1/2 C.	9 C.
Light corn syrup	1-1/2 C.	3 C.	4-1/2 C.	6 C.	7-1/2 C.	9 C.
Water	1/4 C.	1/2 C.	3/4 C.	1 C.	1-1/4 C.	1-1/2 C.
Butter or margarine*	2 T.	4 T.	6 T.	8 T.	10 T.	12 T.
Dry-roasted unsalted peanuts	2 C.	4 C.	6 C.	8 C.	10 C.	12 C.
Vanilla	1 t.	2 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 1 t.	1 T. + 2 t.	2 T.

Assembly Directions:
Put peanut butter in a small saucepan and set aside. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the first water measurement, and set aside. Measure the sugar, corn syrup and second measurement of water into a medium kettle. Measure the butter and peanuts, setting them nearby. Put the vanilla and a measuring spoon nearby as well. Butter two large cookie sheets. Turn the burner on very low heat under the peanut butter pan. When it is almost melted, turn off the heat. (It just needs to be warm when it’s added to the candy.) Meanwhile, heat the sugar, corn syrup and water over medium heat to 275 degrees on a candy thermometer, stirring constantly. Add the butter, stirring until it melts. Add the peanuts and stir until the thermometer reaches 300 degrees. Remove pan from the heat, and while still stirring, add the baking soda-water mixture and the vanilla. Gently fold in the warmed peanut butter. Stir until evenly combined. Pour the candy out onto two well-buttered large cookie sheets, using a buttered spatula to spread the candy out. The thinner the candy is spread, the flakier it will be. Set aside to cool. When the candy is completely cool, use your hands to break it into large bite-sized pieces.

Freezing Directions:
Freeze the cooled candy pieces in freezer bags or rigid containers based on the serving size you need for your family. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw candy for 15-20 minutes at room temperature and serve.

Tammy’s Comments:
*-8 T. butter or margarine = 1 stick = 1/2 C.
If you haven’t made candy using a candy thermometer before, there really isn’t any trick to it. Be sure to buy a candy thermometer, as opposed to a meat thermometer. The candy thermometer should have a clip on the side for it to attach to the side of your pan. Make sure the tip of the thermometer is in the candy, but not touching the bottom of the pan. If it rests against the bottom (or side) of the pan, it will give you a false reading. Closely watch the thermometer, keep stirring, and you’ll have candy in no time at all!

Nutritional Info: Peanut Butter Crunch
Per Serving: 157 Calories; 9g Fat (48.3% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 95mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1/2 Lean Meat; 1-1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

November 2005 Chewin’ the News with Tammy

2005, Chewin' the News Comments Off

Nov 012005

Notes from Tammy

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you all had an enjoyable holiday with your friends and family, and took time to reflect on what you have to be thankful for.

I noticed a local store putting out Christmas candy and decorations a couple of days before Halloween. I sure hope it isn’t the start of a trend to “skip” Thanksgiving, because it’s important… taking time to be thankful for our blessings, no matter how big or small, is always a good thing!

We were to have six family members come from OH to visit for Thanksgiving weekend, but they had to cancel… five of them were sick, and we were to get bad weather between here and there. We called someone we were concerned might be spending the day alone, but he had plans. We invited my parents down from PA, but the snow and ice between here and there kept them home too. So we ended up having a quiet day as a family, which was very nice.

Our holiday menu was full of family favorites. Besides the turkey and stuffing, we had Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato Soufflé with Brown Sugar Crumbles, and Broccoli Cheese Casserole. Grandma made homemade rolls. For those pre-dinner munchies, I made a Party Cheeseball and Veggie dip. And for dessert, Mom’s Pumpkin Pie filling, and Grammy’s Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. And of course, the best ever Freezer Pie Crust recipe for the pies.

We enjoyed the leftovers, especially turkey sandwiches. I also make Cheesy Chicken ala King, which is my husband’s favorite. I need to experiment with that recipe and see if it’s freeze-able, or if the sauce separates and gets watery. To use up the last bit of turkey, I’m making some Country Chicken Pot Pie filling for in the freezer. Yummy!

Bonus Recipes from Tammy

My husband found a great site called Paperbackswap.com. You register the paperback books you’ve read and don’t want anymore. Other members can then select your books they want to read. When they choose one of your books, you print out a mailing wrapper, wrap the book, put 4 stamps on it and drop it in the mail box. When they receive your book in the mail, you receive a credit. You also earn credits for listing your books. Then you use your credits to “buy” books from other members. They have hundreds of thousands of titles listed, so there’s lots to choose from! It’s a great site and we’ve been very happy with it. And, it’s free!!

I like to make cookie mix in a jar and give as gifts at the holidays. I’ve thought about buying a new recipe book for those type of mixes, but was hesitant without being able to see the recipes to know if I’d like them. But when I saw a Merry Mixes book by Gooseberry Patch at Paperbackswap.com, I figured I couldn’t go wrong… it was worth a credit to check out the book, and if I didn’t like it, I could re-post it for someone else to get it from me.

When I received the book in the mail, I had the option to email the sender. I emailed her thanking her for sending the book so quickly, and asked if she had tried any of the recipes from the book, and which ones did or didn’t she like. Carmen emailed me back, with her recommendation of a recipe or two. My new friend said she lives in Puerto Rico, and can’t get all of the ingredients called for in the book, which is why she didn’t try more recipes. She said she was trying to save money for her family by making gifts for the holidays, which is why she requested the book from the swap in the first place.

Of course I had to email her back and tell her to check out 30 Day Gourmet’s website! I suggested she check out the Recipes tab at the top of the page. I also told her if she can get the ingredients, I’d highly recommend the Oreo Truffles recipe! Carmen was so excited when she emailed me back! She said she is always so surprised how God uses little things to bless her, when she isn’t expecting it. She said me emailing her about 30 Day Gourmet was a definite blessing from God, and she was so thankful. Not only did she get the gift ideas she needed, but she learned about freezer cooking. She has a chest freezer, her husband is a vegetarian and she isn’t. So she was really excited about trying freezer cooking. She said she definitely is making the Oreo Truffles for gifts. Then she said “I can’t wait to continue exploring the site! It has so much recipes and information, it is like candy for my eyes!!”

If you need “candy” for your friends and family, figuratively and literally, check out our website! For the figurative candy, go to our online store to buy the manual, software or ebooks. For candy to tempt your taste buds, in addition to the links above, check out the Peanut Butter Crunch recipe. Pretzel Turtles are so easy, and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies are a big hit. Don’t forget to check out the Recipes button at the top of the website… click on Snacks and Desserts for a full list of candy, cookies and snacks sure to please!

Final Thoughts

Well, that’s it from me this month. Time to start gearing up for December! I started my Christmas shopping on Black Friday. I need to plan my own candy and cookie gifts for my list of teachers, bus drivers and the mail man. Next time I touch base, it will be after Christmas, so best wishes from my house to yours for a wonderful holiday! Don’t get so wrapped up in all the “stuff” that you forget the real Reason for the season! Merry Christmas!

Click here to send me an email with any questions, ideas, suggestions or problems. I enjoy hearing from you all!

Tammy

November 2005 Chewin’ the News with Shelley

2005, Chewin' the News Comments Off

Nov 012005

Cookin’ at the Keyboard with Shelley

A Mother’s Heart

It was eight years ago, in November 1997, that my oldest daughter, Sarah, and I played a duet at her piano recital. The program in her scrapbook indicates that we played a piece entitled, “Long, Long Ago.” Ironically, this mother’s heart remembers it being just yesterday.

But it was yesterday that I listened to Sarah perform the 1st movement of Sonata in c. Hob. XVI:34 by J. Haydn at the Classical Period Piano Competition. She played beautifully, and she no longer needed me on the bench next to her to fill out the bass notes and add some rhythm.

Time passes quickly. My mind can hardly grasp the fact that it has been an entire year since I saw a turkey in every cart as I walked the aisles at the grocery store. But the pictures in my camera remind me that my daughters truly are a year older.

The Thanksgiving season bids me to reflect on my blessings. I could list dozens of things, but if I were to prioritize them, I would have to put the relationships at the top. It’s the people that are really important.

As an adult, I can appreciate the value of relationship. Looking through the eyes of my daughters, I become aware of their dependence on relationship. They need a mother, and no one else can fill that role as well as I can. Some days they need me to keep them on a steady beat, and some days they need me to sit back and applaud. But they need me. And I delight in being needed.

As we make our holiday plans, and plan our holiday menus, let’s celebrate the opportunity we have to invest our time and energy in the many relationships that are depending on us to make them meaningful.

Holiday Recipe

Pumpkin Cheesecake

If you’re looking for something different to serve for dessert, this cheesecake adds an elegant flair to the traditional flavors of the holiday.

Software Suggestions

I received this email last summer from a fellow 30 Day Gourmet cook.

Hey Shelley! Just a quick note…we’re doing a pig roast Friday night. (Actually, we’re not roasting the pig ourselves, we hired someone to do that for us.) I’m in charge of the food, and we currently have 83 adults/teens and 20 kids coming. So I’m sitting down tonight to start putting my grocery list together, and figuring I need to make 4x my brownie recipe, and 2x my cookie recipe and 10x my baked bean recipe. As I sit there with pen and paper, at 10:30 pm, after a long day, trying to double my 5x column in my head, a light bulb goes off and I say “DUH!!! THIS is what my software is for!!” = ) Slowly but surely, I’m going to get this down to use my software all the time!! Thought you would appreciate my DUH moment! = ) Have a great day!!!

I love it when people discover how versatile the software is. You don’t have to be freezer cooking at the moment in order to make it useful. So, if you’re putting your Thanksgiving menu together at the last minute, let the software make your grocery list for you! I have a fast and furious method for entering new recipes that will have you braving the lines at the grocery store in no time.

Enter the recipe name and category.
Enter the recipe ingredients (but not the instructions!)
Print the recipe and slip it into a page protector.
Drop the recipe card with the cooking instructions into the page protector with the printed recipe. (Photocopy any recipes used from cookbooks.)
Create a cooking day in the software and add the recipes on your menu. Don’t forget to change the recipe quantities to reflect the number of people you’re feeding.
Print the grocery report.
Detour through the kitchen for a quick inventory. Eliminate any items on the grocery list that are already stocked in your kitchen.

At some point, you might need to go back and add the instructions to the recipe. (But then again, maybe not!) If you leave the Thanksgiving Cooking Day in your database, you’ll have a head start for next year’s dinner, as well as a reminder of what you served this year!

Click here to download a free trial version of the software!

Closing Comments from Shelley

Last month I mentioned that my daughters and I made several loaves of Pear Bread on our cooking day. After sending my recipe to her, Amy Duranto emailed to say, “This Pear Bread is AWESOME!! Can it be frozen? I have five loaves and would love to freeze some after I share a few. Thanks again!”

Some baked goods are better after they’re frozen, and I think this recipe is one of them. Click here to view/print/import the recipe for Pear Bread.

If you have comments, suggestions, or stories to tell, please click here to email me. It’s fun to hear from other freezer families.

Looking back, may you be thankful;

Looking ahead, may you be hopeful;

Looking upward, may you find strength;

Looking inward, may you find peace.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Shelley

Pumpkin Cheesecake

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Nov 012005

Share This Recipe

Shelley: If you’re looking for something different to serve for dessert, this cheesecake adds an elegant flair to the traditional flavors of the holiday.

Click here to go to a Printer Friendly Page
Advantage Cooking owners click here to download this recipe.

Recipes	1	2	3	4	5	6
Servings	12	24	36	48	60	72
Crust Ingredients
Butter	1/2 C.	1 C.	1-1/2 C.	2 C.	2-1/2 C.	3 C.
Flour	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Sugar	2 T.	1/4 C.	1/4 C. + 2 T.	1/2 C.	1/2 C. + 2 T.	3/4 C.
Chopped nuts	1/2 C.	1 C.	1-1/2 C.	2 C.	2-1/2 C.	3 C.
Filling Ingredients
Cream cheese, softened	24 oz.	48 oz.	72 oz.	96 oz.	120 oz.	144 oz.
Eggs	3	6	9	12	15	18
Sugar	1-1/4 C.	2-1/2 C.	3-3/4 C.	5 C.	6-1/4 C.	7-1/2 C.
Canned pumpkin	1 C.	2 C.	3 C.	4 C.	5 C.	6 C.
Cinnamon	1 t.	2 t.	1 T.	1 T. + 1 t.	1 T. + 2 t.	2 T.
Ground cloves	1/2 t.	1 t.	1-1/2 t.	2 t.	2-1/2 t.	2 T.
Ground ginger	1/4 t.	1/2 t.	3/4 t.	1 t.	1-1/4 t.	1-1/2 t.
Flour	2 T.	1/4 C.	1/4 C. + 2 T.	1/2 C.	1/2 C. + 2 T.	3/4 C.

Assembly Directions:
To make the crust, cut the butter into the flour and sugar with a pastry cutter. Mix in the chopped nuts. Pat the crust into a spring form pan. Bake 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees.

To make the filling, mix the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and flour until blended. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until firm in the center. Cool completely before chilling in the refrigerator.

Freezing Directions:
Cover the chilled cheesecake with a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw the cheesecake. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.

Comments:
For those of us who have never been fond of pumpkin pie, this cheesecake is a nice addition to the holiday menu.

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 458 Calories; 32g Fat (61.7% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 37g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 130mg Cholesterol; 262mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1/2 Grain (Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 6 Fat; 1-1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

November 2005 Chewin’ the News with Carol

2005, Chewin' the News Comments Off

Nov 012005

Kitchen Fun with Carol

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! The rush is on as we approach the holiday season. I don’t know about you but this time of the year seems to go by so fast. The thing I treasure the most each holiday is spending time with family and friends. I think the older you get the more you realize just what is really important in life. Planning and cooking ahead can give you what you need to get out of the kitchen and spend that precious time with your family and friends.

If this is your first time hosting a large gathering I recommend the Holiday Freezer Cookbook. It has lots of tips on how to plan your gathering, special worksheets just for the special occasion, and lots of wonderful recipes for you to try. Some of my favorites are the vegetable and side dish recipes. That’s the hard part – trying to figure out what to serve with the turkey or ham.

Everything about this holiday season revolves around our family traditions. A lot of the traditions revolve around what food is served; especially those special recipes that have been passed on from generation to generation. Remember Grandma’s special cranberry salad and Dad’s famous stuffing mix? They remind us of the time spent with our loved ones.

Every family has their own traditions. One of ours is having breakfast together Thanksgiving or Christmas morning. For my husband, it’s not the holidays unless he has his mom’s Breakfast Egg Casserole or Brown Sugar Cinnamon Coffee Cake (recipe below). For the kids, they love having pancakes with different add-ins such as chocolate chips, sausage, bananas, or cinnamon. They also love homemade Cinnamon Rolls (using the Super Easy Best Ever Crescent Roll recipe). My sister-in-law sometime makes French Toast Casserole or Baked Oatmeal. There’s something about just hanging out in the kitchen eating breakfast together. It’s so casual and comfortable.

The main meal is my favorite. I love the Baked Corn Casserole, Veggie Medley, Mom’s cranberry salad and pecan pie. My daughter’s favorite is the Crispy Cheesy Potatoes or Scalloped Potatoes (Ham and Potato Casserole without the ham). I also like baking fresh breads or pies to present as a hostess gift. My Dad and father-in-law especially like homemade Banana Bread. It’s great to see the smiles on their faces when we walk in the door carrying a fresh loaf.

This issue of “Chewin’ the News” brings you two recipes that are great for family gatherings. Read more about them below in the bonus recipes section.

Bonus Recipes

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Coffee Cake

I love giving gifts from the kitchen. This recipe also makes a great gift that you can give as a mix. If you are staying with someone over the holidays this year, this makes a wonderful thank you gift. Or if you are looking for a fun and easy teacher appreciation gift that you and your kids can make together, this is a winner! It is very easy to make and we have included the instruction card for you to print to give along with the mix.

Click here to view/print the gift instructions!

Recipe of the Month Contest Winner

October Recipe of the Month Update

I heard from Corie after sending out the newsletter. She recognized the October winning recipe, Potato Stuffed Meatloaf, as her own and sent us an update! Let’s hear from Corie:

“I am a stay at home Mom of 2 girls, ages 3 and almost 2 (one month away, wow that went fast). I realized I needed some help in the kitchen after I had my second daughter and became a stay at home Mom. It was difficult to work in the kitchen with one in my arms and one at my feet. I found 30 Day Gourmet on-line after reading about freezer cooking in the Family Fun Magazine. I haven’t yet attempted 30 days of meals but have had success with smaller sessions that cover about 2 weeks worth of meals. Also, a friend of mine just opened Dinners Galore, a meal assembly facility in town, and between my own sessions at home and 1 session a month there I seem to be making out pretty well. Plus eating a wider variety of yummy food. It’s so much easier just shopping weekly for snacks and side dishes than it was before trying to get everything for the entrees too.”

Click here to view/print the October Recipe of the Month!

Freezer Cook of the Month Contest Winner

How many of you can remember your first full cooking day? I sure can! What a sense of accomplishment to have a freezer full of food and know that you no longer had to wonder what’s for dinner when coming home from a long day at work. Our winner this month is Shannon from Eagan, MN, who has a great story about her first real 30 day cooking session.

Shannon says:

I finally feel like I’ve done it for real this time!

I’ve been nervous about cooking up too much because of our small apartment freezer. Granted, 30 dinners for 2 people takes up less than for a family of 4. However, with a busy afternoon and evening today I’ve filled up the freezer. And yes, I’m officially a freezer-cooking dork…I keep peeking back in there to admire the piles of vacuum-sealed entrees! I still need to do a batch of make-ahead mashed potatoes, but then I’m DONE!

I’ve been doing small sessions on and off for a few years. But, I’ve been off my usual mini-sessions for a couple of months and have noticed a significant increase in our grocery and dining out bills! After a busy day at work when neither of us wants to cook, we keep going out or ordering in. That never happens when I’ve stocked the freezer. It’s much less hassle to just throw something in the oven when all the work is done already! We’re still experimenting with one new recipe each session. (We tried the chicken stuffed shells tonight…YUM!…even the skeptical spouse was happy!) We are definitely 30DayGourmet-adicts for life.

My one desire is to get another freezer when we buy our own place. Yes, I can fit 30 entrees in the little freezer, but I’d love to get a little more variety…be able to carry over dinners from the previous session. Or be able to really stock up when there’s a great sale.

Anyway, just posting to say thanks again guys for the great book, website, and the great advice here! I ordered the software yesterday and I’m really looking forward to incorporating that into my next session!

Congratulations Shannon on your first real 30 day session! It’s a big step and well worth the effort.

Closing Comments from Carol

I hope you enjoy the family gathering recipes! Next month we’ll focus on desserts for the holiday.

Do you have any recipes that you would like to share? I’d love to try and share them with everyone. You can post your recipes on the 30 Day Gourmet Facebook® fan page or click here to send me an email. Or do you have any other topics that you would like me to cover? Click here to send me an email. I enjoy hearing from you!

Have fun in your kitchen!

Carol

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