Kims kitchen Weblog

Sopaipillas

kimskitchen — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:18:25 +0000

4 c Flour2 ts Sugar1/4 c Shortening or lard1 tb Baking powder1 1/2 ts Salt1 1/4 c Water or more if neededInstructionsSift dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Add water and mix until holds together. Knead 10-15 times until dough forms a smooth ball. Cover and let set for 20 minutes. Divide dough into two parts. Roll dough to 1/8″ thickness on lightly floured board. Cut into 3″ squares or triangles. Do not allow to dry; cover those waiting to fried. When ready to fry, turn upside down so that surface on bottom while resting is on top when frying. Fry in 3″ hot oil until golden brown, turning once. Add only a few at a time to maintain proper temperature. Drain on paper towels.

Grandma’s Pound Cake

kimskitchen — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:16:26 +0000

This is another of my grandma’s recipes

1 lb powdered sugar1 lb oleo6 eggsTake powdered sugar box and fill it with cake flour½ tsp salt1 tsp vanilla Bake 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Bake in angel food pan

How to mix

Put 1 lb. Oleo in large bowl-when soft, mix good. Then add 1 lb of powdered sugar 1 half at a time.Beat your six eggs with a hand beater and add to mixture along with salt & vanilla.Then add cake flour and beat well.Put in greased cake pan.The more its beat the better.

Grandma’s 1936 Cake

kimskitchen — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:14:44 +0000

This was found in my grandma’s little “Good Luck Margarine” Book. It is actually called a Merrette Yellow Cake but I like what my grandma named it. the 1936 Cake. I love this little book as it has grandmas notes all over it! Here it is as written in the book, substitute name brands as needed!

1 cup Jelke Good Luck Margarine2 cups granulated sugar4 eggs3 cups pastry flour3 teaspoons baking powder¼ teaspoon salt½ cup Jelke Good Luck or other Evaporated Milk½ cup water2 teaspoons flavoring Cream Jelke Good Luck Margarine and sugar, add beaten egg yolks. Sift flour once, measure, mix all dry ingredients together and sift three times. Add dry ingredients alternately with the liquids to the margarine and sugar mixture. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into a well-greased cake pan or layer tins and bake in a hot oven (375) until done-approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and frost.

The Ten Golden Rules for Houseplants

kimskitchen — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:08:33 +0000

Everyone in my family has a green thumb, except me! But with a little bit of help from this info I actually am getting better at it. Hope you all find it as useful as I do.
I don’t know where we got this info from but it is a keeper that is for sure. 1.     Don’t drown them! Roots need air as well as water; keeping the compost soaked at all times means certain death for most plants. Try to learn how to water your plants; watch them carefully to see how they respond.
Plants will fit four groups into concerning watering.
A) Dry in winter plants. Desert cacti and succulents should be treated as Moist/Dry plants during the active growth season from spring to autumn. During the winter, the compost should be allowed to dry out almost completely.
B) Moist/Dry plants. Most foliage houseplants belong to this group. The standard recommendation is to water thoroughly and frequently between spring and autumn, and to water sparingly in winter, letting the top 1/2-inch of compost dry out each time between watering. This drying out of the surface between watering is especially important during the resting period from late autumn to mid spring.
C) Moist at all times plants. Most flowering plants are in this group. The compost is kept moist, but not wet, at all times. The standard recommendation is to water carefully each time the surface of the compost becomes dry, but never frequently enough to keep the compost permanently saturated.
D) Wet at all times plants. Very few plants belong to this group. Water thoroughly and frequently enough to keep the compost wet, but not merely moist. Examples are Acorus, Azalea and Cyperuc. Always check the label on the plants that you buy to see what there own watering requirements are. 2.     Give them a rest. Beginners are often surprised to learn that nearly all plants need a rest in winter, which means less water, less feeding and less heat than in the active growing period. Nearly all-indoor plants need a dormant or resting period during the year, and this generally takes place in the winter. Some plant give unmistakable signs that they are at the end of there growing period and even absolute beginners can tell that the usual maintenance routine will have to change. The top growth of bulbous and tuberous plants such as (Hyacinth, Cyclamen, Gloxinia, etc.) dies down; the leaves of deciduous woody plants (Punica, Poinsettia, etc.) drop off. This is how you see the dormant period has arrived. But evergreen plant unfortunately give little to no signs as to when there period of rest is ended, but as mid winter approaches the duration of natural light is to short to support active growth. This is when they have there resting period and watering and feed should be reduced, the temperature should also be reduced otherwise the plant will suffer.
The appearance of fresh new growth in the spring is a sure sign that their resting period is over.
Always respect your plants needs for a resting period. 3.
Accept the loss of temporary plants. Some popular gift plants, such as Cylamem, Chrysanthemum and Gloxinia will die down in a mater of weeks. You have done nothing wrong – these types are flowering pot plants that are only temporary residents in the house.
A lot of temporary plant life can continue either in the garden or by following a set resting pattern. 4.     Give them extra humidity. The atmosphere of a centrally heated room in winter is as dry as desert air. Learn how to increase the air humidity. Two simple method are, either to place a bowl of water on or very near the radiator so that it evaporates creating humidity or to fine spray the plants every day or so, but be careful not to over wet the plants. 5.     Treat trouble promptly. For experts or beginners trouble will strike at some time. One or two scale insects or mealy bugs are easily picked off; but an infestation may be incurable. Over watering, is not fatal at first, but kills when prolonged. Learn how to recognize the early signs of trouble. 6.
Group them together. Nearly all plants look better and grow better when grouped together. Try out different arrangements of your plants and make note of which plants enhance the beauty of others, bearing in mind that in different rooms there will be different amounts of light and each plant may have different needs. Remember to take into account the needs of each plant especially if planting them together in a tub, make sure they are needs compatible, i.e. water, light and feed. 7.     Learn to repot. After a year or two, most plants will need to be repotted, signs are that they are simply too big for the current pot or they begin to look very sick and struggling to grow. If there is no other, reason for them to be unwell it very likely that they just need to be repotted. We will cover this as a topic in its own right a little later on. 8.     Choose wisely. The plant must be able to flourish in the home you provide for it. Even the expert cannot make a shade loving plant survive in a sunny window. 9.     Have the proper tools. Buy a watering can with a long, narrow spout and a mister for increasing humidity, reducing dust and controlling pests. You will need a reputable brand of compost and a collection of pots, plus stakes and plant ties or string. Drip trays to keep water off furniture, a bottle of liquid fertilizer and a safe pest killer will help keep the plants looking healthy. To compliment your tool kit, include a soft sponge, an old kitchen spoon or fork, a leaf gloss aerosol and a pair of small sized sectors. 10. Check the plant’s specific needs. Always check the labels on the plants you buy. Ask at the garden shop to see if that plant you want will go where you want it to go. Buy a small reference book to help you learn about the plants you want.

Egg Substitues

kimskitchen — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 06:18:33 +0000

We have a nephew that is allergic to eggs and the store bought egg substitues. This is what his mother uses.

For scrambling and making omelets

tofu (This works best with crumbled firm or extra firm tofu. It helps to add lots of seasonings like onions, mushrooms, nutritional yeast or cheese, and herbs.)

For baking

gelatin To replace each egg: Dissolve 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin in 1 tablespoon cold water, then add 2 tablespoons boiling water. Beat vigorously until frothy.)

cornstarch Substitute 1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 3 tablespoons water for each egg called for in recipe.

bananas Substitute 1/2 of a mashed ripe banana plus 1/4 teaspoon baking powder for each egg.

Meal Planning

kimskitchen — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 05:54:12 +0000

What’s for Super? That’s an easy enough question if you are organized enough to have a meal ready to go or in the crock pot. If not, then one agonizes over the question. If you are like me, you hit the closest “Fast Food” joint on the way home. This is not only bad for our waist lines, it is also hard on the wallet.

What’s a mother to do? Meal Planning!

Things you will need to accomplish this task:

notebook paper

pencils

STEP ONE:

On page 1 of your paper write down every main meal you and your family likes.

example: Beef brisket, Beef Roast, Beef Stew, Beef Stroganoff, Enchiladas, Chicken & Noodles, Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Salad, Chili, Corned Beef Hash, Egg Salad, Fish, Fried Chicken, Ham and Beans, Ham Steaks, Lasagna, etc…

Page 2 Vegetables: This can include your green salads, and cold salads.

example: Asparagus, Baked Beans, Broccoli, Broccoli Casserole, Cheesey Potatoes, Green Beans, Green Salad, Macaroii Salad , etc…

Page 3 Desserts.

example: Cake, Pie, Jello, Pudding, Cookies, Fruit cup, etc…

Page 4 Breads & Rolls

example: Hard Rolls, Loaf Bread, Soda Bread, Potato Bread, Corn Bread, Garlic/Texas Toast, etc…

STEP TWO:

Now comes the fun part! On a sepratete sheet of paper start mixing and matching your main meals, to your vegetables, deserts & breads. Remeberber not all meals need to have a dessert!

Now that we have our lists of foods our families love, here comes the work! Grab your favorite beverage, and the following:

Your Family Food List

Your family Calender

Pencil

Blank Calender Page

There are some folks that plan their meals around grocery flyers and what is on sale. In all honesty that just isn’t my thing. I plan around our schedules and the time of year. Yes, I still look at what is on sale, and use my cupons but having a well stocked freezer and pantry is my key to meal planning.

Step One:

CHECK THE FAMILY CLALENDER

Looking at your family Calender what is going on this month? I know that every 2nd and 4th Wed. there is a meeting for DH and me, so I will need a quick meal on those days. I grab my blank calender and up in the corner of the box for those Weds. I put q.m. (quick meal). Now look at the rest of the month. Any other q.m.’s needed? Are you going to be later than usual and need a crock pot nite? Initial those places on your blank calender as well. Now this is up to you, but I do a whole months worth of meal planning at a time. If you want to do 1 or 2 weeks thats fine nothing is set in stone.

STEP TWO:

START PLANNING.

Grab your food list and start filling in the blanks on your calender.

The Well Stocked Pantry

kimskitchen — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 05:30:28 +0000

Ever wonder what a well stocked, organized pantry should contain? Well, here is my list. Add or subtract from it to suit your family.

Aluminum foil, waxed paper, plastic wrap, freezer bags, sandwich bags and snack bags.

Bakers chocolate

Baking soda and powder

Bouillon cubes or granules

Bread crumbs, plain and Itallian

Brownie, Cake, Cookie and Muffin Mixes

Canned and dried beans

Canned fruit

Canned pie fillings

Canned soups and dried soup mixes

Canned vegetables

Cereal

Chocolate Chips

Coconut

Corn syrup, corn meal, and Cornstarch

Crackers, saltine, ritz, and party

Crushed, diced, whole and seasoned tomatoes

Evaporated, powdered and sweetend condised milk

Flour

Garlic

Gelatin and pudding mixes

Honey

Jam & jelly

Ketchup, mustard and mayo

Non stick cooking sparay

Nuts: walnuts, pecans, almonds

Oats

Olives black and green

Pancake mix

Paper towels and napkins

Pasta: fettucini, linguine, lasagna, macaroni, penne, rotelle, rigatoni, & spaghetti

Peanut butter

Pickles: sweet, dill, & bread and butter

Relish: hot dog and sweet

Prepared pie shells

Ready-made pasta sauces

Rice

Salad dressing

Salsa

Seasoning mixes

Soy sauce

spices and extracts (including salt and pepper)

Sugar: granulated, brown, and confectioners

Syrup: Chocolate, Carmel, maple

Tomato sauce and paste

Toothpicks

Vegetable oil and shortening

Vinegar

Substitution Chart

kimskitchen — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 05:06:55 +0000


When you need Baking Powder	1 teaspoon	Use 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar + 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Buttermilk	1 cup	1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar + enough milk to measure 1 cup
Cake Flour	1 cup	2 tablespoons cornstarch + enough all-purpose flour to equal 1 cup
Cornstarch	1 tablespoon	2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Cracker Crumbs	3/4 cup	1 cup bread crumbs
Dark corn syrup	1 cup	3/4 cup light corn syrup + 1/4 cup molasses or 1 cup light corn syrup
Garlic	1 clove, minced	1/8 tsp. garlic powder
Garlic salt	1 teaspoon	1/8 teaspoon garlic powder + 7/8 teaspoon salt
Half-and-half cream	1 cup	1 tablespoon melted butter + enough whole milk to equal 1 cup
Honey	1/2 cup	2/3 cup sugar + 2 tablespoons liquid
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon	1/4 teaspoon cider vinegar
Lemon peel	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
Light corn syrup	1 cup	1 cup sugar + 1 cup liquid
Molasses	1/2 cup	1/2 cup honey
Onion	1 small, chopped	1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
Prepared Mustard	1 tablespoon	1/2 teaspoon ground mustard + 2 teaspoons vinegar
Semisweet chocolate	1 square (1 ounce)	2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips or 1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate + 1 tablespoon sugar
Sour cream	1 cup	1 cup plain yogurt
Sugar	1 cup	1 cup packed brown sugar or 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Tapioca	2 teaspoons	1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Tomato juice	1 cup	1/2 cup tomato sauce + 1/2 cup water
Tomato sauce	2 cups	3/4 cup tomato paste + 1 cup water
Unsweet chocolate	1 square (1 ounce)	3 tablespoons cocoa + 1 tablespoon shortening or oil
Whole Milk	1 cup	1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water

BEEF STROGANOFF

kimskitchen — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 05:01:32 +0000

This is DD’s favorite beef dish. The sauce is creamy and perfect for spooning over egg noodles.

1 pound beef, thinly sliced (sirloin, tenderloin, round steak)

Flour, salt and pepper

3 tbs. butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1-1/2 cups beef broth

2/3 cup sour cream

2 tbs. flour

Hot cooked egg noodles

1. Coat meat with flour, salt and pepper, and Pound the daylights out of it. Cut meat into strips. Melt butter in skillet and brown meat. Add garlic, onion, 1/2-tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Cook 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in broth. Cover and simmer 1 hour until meat is tender.

2. Combine sour cream and flour; whisk into skillet and heat until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Serve over egg noodles. Yield: 4 servings.

CREAMY TUNA CASSEROLE

kimskitchen — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 04:57:33 +0000


This is one of DD’s favorite meals.: 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted

1 soup can milk

1 can (6 ounces) chunk light tuna

1/2 package (1 pound) egg noodles, cooked and drained

1 cup can mixed veggies drained

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a 2-quart casserole dish, combine soup and milk; blend in tuna. Add noodles, peas, cheeses and pepper, mix to thoroughly combine. Top with crackers, if desired.

2. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes, or until thoroughly warmed.

Yield: 4 servings.