Friday, December 7, 2012

"Homemade" Brown Sugar

I was embarking on a baking project a couple weeks ago when I realized I was out of brown sugar, which happened to be an essential part of the recipe. I had plenty of white sugar, I always have molasses on hand for Dad's chewy ginger cookies, and somewhere in  my mind I knew that I could make my own brown sugar, so I looked it up and did it.  And guess what?  I haven't bought brown sugar since. This was too easy.


I followed these instructions from Noble Pig and it turned out wonderfully. 

For each cup of white sugar, add one tablespoon of molasses for light brown sugar and two tablespoons for darker brown sugar. I think I did four cups of sugar and added five or six Tb of molasses. Use the wire whip on your stand mixer or plan on standing for a long time with the hand mixer, start out on slow and then gradually increase the speed until all the little molasses balls are incorporated (5-8 minutes). Pat yourself on the back for saving yourself a trip to the grocery store and possibly, a few dollars.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Weekly Menu (times two!)

Over the past few weeks I have picked up grocery items that were on sale, and realized this week that we have a lot of stuff in the fridge and freezer to use up: chicken breasts and thighs, a turkey, pork chops, and five dozen eggs (they're so much cheaper in bulk). We also have potatoes, carrots, a pumpkin, and apples to use up, so I was able to plan two weeks of menus almost entirely of things we already have. Guess I'll use the money we save on groceries on stocking stuffers!

M: Chicken Taco Soup and Pumpkin Cornbread
T: Potato & Egg Skillet
W: Pumpkin Soup, Bread
Th: Shepherd's Pie
F: Baked Pumpkin and Banana Oatmeal
S: Eggs & Noodles
S: Turkey & Wild Rice Soup
M: Pork Chops and Rice
T: Quick Chili Mac
W: Turkey Shepherd's Pie
Th: Chicken Stir-Fry
F: Beans & Rice
S: Blueberry Coffee Cake & Scrambled Eggs

also make: apple pumpkin muffins, granola

That's what we'll be eating over here. What are you having for dinner this week?