Fall Break Fun

I'm sitting here this morning still in my pajamas, hot cup of coffee in my hand. It's so quiet today. Last week our house was full. Two of our granddaughters were on fall break and they spent the week with us. They are old enough now that they don't require constant supervision so it's pretty easy having them here. But it does change the flow of our day. 

We talked about a few things we could do and places we could go but their favorite thing is staying right here at the farm. Hoola hoops, bikes, tree swings still hold appeal for them 

And they love playing pickleball in our driveway. The weather cooperated and most days were perfect outdoor days. We did venture out a few times for lunch and shopping in our cute little small town square and a trip to the nearby big town for lunch and bookstore shopping.

 

Then it was back to the farm for music practice, baking, and explaining technology to the grandparents. Thanks to Baby Girl, I now know how to use google translate. They tried to explain the latest Gen Alpha phrases to the elderlies—without much luck. 

My favorite part of the week? Dinner on our porch each night. No television. Devices inside. Jazz music playing low in the background. And we listened. How much fun to hear them tell about starting their first year at high school and middle school. They laughed at stories of our high school days back in the dark ages. 

We kept our meals simple but each granddaughter made a dessert during the week. Little Sister (the one in high school) made apple dumplings early in the week and we enjoyed them for several days. (Check the recipe index here.) I have not made those in so long. It's a perfect dessert for fall. Baby Girl (our middle schooler) is dairy free so she couldn't have the apple dumplings. I made her a quick substitute in my new air fryer.

Cut up an apple and zap it in the microwave for about a minute until the apple is tender. Spoon cooked apple in the center of a flour tortilla. Roll it up and tuck in the ends. Spray lightly with cooking spray, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and air fry until it's hot and lightly browned.

This was an excellent dessert sub for her.  I'll make this for us one night soon. She said it was delicious.

But later in the week she wanted to make a dessert she could eat. Lemon might be her favorite flavor so she made a quick and easy lemon cake. I'm sure you've seen this recipe hack before. I have made "birthday cake boxes" for our food pantry with the two ingredients, but I had never baked one before.

Two-Ingredient Cake

I've linked an article from Southern Living that tells more about the cake and suggests many flavor combinations.

TWO-INGREDIENT SODA CAKE

1 box cake mix (we used lemon cake mix)

1 (12-oz) can soda (we used a can of Sprite)

Frosting of your choice (we used a canned frosting)

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease 9x13 baking dish. Empty cake mix into a bowl. Add soda and stir with a spoon until well mixed, about one minute. Pour cake into baking dish and bake according to directions on the box. 

That's it! Keep in mind that this recipe has no dairy AND no eggs. If you need a dessert for those with those food allergies, this is an easy option. I'd like to experiment with other flavor combinations. We don't usually keep soda in the house, but I guess I could buy a single can from a vending machine. 

 And while I'm sharing kid-friendly two ingredient desserts, here is one baked by the 5-year-old granddaughter when she was here earlier in the summer. Pumpkin doughnuts! She added chocolate chips to the recipe and skipped the powdered sugar.

Keep in mind that this recipe mixes best with a hand mixer. Your little baker might need help. The Two-Ingredient Cake can be mixed with a spoon. Super kid friendly.

PUMPKIN SPICE DOUGHNUTS

1 box spice cake mix (or yellow or chocolate cake mix—your choice)
1 (15-oz) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

Mix dry cake mix and canned pumpkin in a large bowl until thoroughly blended. Batter will be very thick. Spoon batter into a gallon ziplock bag. Snip off a corner of the bag. Squeeze to pipe batter into the greased doughnut pan. (I sprayed it with Baker's Joy.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 13 to 17 minutes, until done. (The size of your doughnut "cups" and amount of batter you add will determine the baking time.) To test, press the top of a doughnut gently with your fingertip. It will spring back when it's done. Remove doughnuts to a cooling rack.

Put about a half cup of powdered sugar in another bag. Add cooled doughnuts, a few at a time and shake to coat. Remove from bag and tap gently to remove excess sugar. 

Let the small baker eat a doughnut. Turn on Nick Jr. or Disney Channel and let the littles watch TV while you clean up the kitchen.


 For us, this recipe yielded 12 doughnuts and four muffins.

The Older I Get, The Faster Time Goes By

Since I've written the last blog, we've had three cataract surgeries between the two of us (one more to go), an assortment of doctors appointments, had houseguests for a week, celebrated two birthdays, attended a pig show, had an MRI, and spent a week at the beach with the little grandchildren and knitted two pumpkin hats. I evidently don't move as fast as I used to, because that doesn't sound like much. But it has kept us busy.

This week we have the older two grandchildren here for the fall break. But I am determined to catch up here on the blog. Surely I've cooked something I can share. Or, maybe not. During all these weeks we have emptied out all of my cooked foods from the freezer except for two little packs of pulled pork. Just enough to makes sliders one day for lunch.

A dear friend texted me last week to ask what recipes I liked to make and freeze for later. She has knee surgery coming up and wanted to have some ready-to-eat meals tucked away. If I lived closer I would take her a couple of meals. But there are hours of interstate between us. 

So I sent her a list of things that are typically in my freezer. In fact I'm making chicken taco soup right now for supper and have my fingers crossed there will be enough to freeze after I've fed the four of us. It's hard for me to recalibrate my quantities after cooking for two for years.

Here is the list I shared with Betsy. I have frozen many more recipes than these but these are the ones that are on repeat, the ones we like best. And I am well aware that we all have different tastes and expectations. All I can do is tell you what we have enjoyed over the years and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Chicken Taco Soup  This recipe is written for an Instant Pot, but you could certainly cook it on top of the stove. You just have to get the chicken tender enough to shred. I freeze it in quart containers and pint containers. Some of each, so I can thaw what I need depending on who I'm feeding.

3-Packet Pot Roast  Oh man, we love this slow cooker recipe for tender roast. I freeze the meat in the gravy in smaller amounts in ziplock bags because it's so fast to thaw. Faster than pint containers. Serve it with your favorite quick cooking rice. And I discovered that Bob Evans Original Mashed Potatoes (in the refrigerated section) taste pretty close to homemade. And it take 5 minutes in the microwave. Yes. My standards have changed as my age has changed.

Baked Rotini This one is tried and true. You can make the recipe in one large 9x13-inch dish, divide it into two square pans and we've even made three smaller pans. Freeze before baking. Thaw. And bake according to directions. I've discovered that when thawed foods come out of the refrigerator it might take slightly longer to bake because the recipe time is written as if you are assembling it and putting it straight into the oven. BONUS: If you serve this for dinner the night you make it, you can freeze any leftovers after it's baked. 

Meat Loaf This recipe goes back to my home economist days. It's one of the rare recipes that goes straight from the freezer to the oven. That means you don't have to plan ahead and thaw before baking. It also makes two one-pound loaves. Sometimes I'll cook one immediately and freeze the other one.

Sloppy Joes A kid favorite that we like, too. A young mom that was in college with my daughters said this is what she always took when a friend had a new baby and also had older kids. Take the sloppy joe meat, buns, chips, baked beans and cookies. She said she usually got a call later asking for the recipe. This is a different flavor from Manwich. Trust me

Chicken Enchiladas These are not covered in red sauce so they can be wrapped and frozen individually. Wrap each one in foil and then put them all in a big freezer bag. I think we microwaved them to thaw and heat. It's been a while since I made them. But they are delicious. 

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ The doesn't taste like you made it a slow cooker. It's so good. It makes a large amount, so there will be enough for dinner and more to freeze. This is the only thing left in my freeze right at the moment. We will finish it after Daddy-O's last cataract surgery next week. 

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin (soy, mustard, maple syrup) This recipe is one of the easiest recipes I have on my blog. I made this a couple of months ago and I think I need to make it again soon. So, so easy.

Damn Good Chili I chuckle every time I see the name of this recipe. It's straight from a magazine ad for Presto pressure cookers from decades ago. I won first prize at a chili cook off at our church with it, And Jessica and Todd won first prize in a neighborhood cook off. I almost always double the recipe. Sometimes I'll even triple it. I want plenty to freeze. If you chop the peppers and onions ahead of time, it's really easy to make and let it simmer all afternoon.

Okay. Now you have my freezer favorites. It's time for me to get busy and restock our freezer. It's rare I cook something with the sole purpose of freezing it. With only two of us here, I'm more likely to make a recipe and eat part and freeze part. Make it work for your household!

Betsy, we all wish you well with your knee surgery. ❤️