Do you ever sort of cringe thinking of all that flour you’ll have to slop on your counters when it’s time to do gingerbread cookies with your kids? I know I do, I still don’t have a great way of cleaning flour off of my counters (btw, if you have a good trick, leave a comment below). So, lucky for me I have a wonderful mother who gave me the recipe she would do with my brothers when they were little-can you imagine trying to do gingerbread cookies+flour+FOUR boys under the age of FIVE? Yeah…you know she had to find a better way. Now I’m sharing it with you, all food storage style, so you can have a much easier Christmas and a better time making cookies with your kids this year! (This recipe is very similar to the Cookie Clay Dough, I’ve posted about before)

KID FRIENDLY GINGERBREAD COOKIES

1 Cup Butter
2/3 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
2/3 Cup Molasses
In a small saucepan, combine the above 3 ingredients. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Let stand 10 minutes.

1 Egg, large and beaten (1 T. dry egg powder + 2 T. water)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Beat together in a large mixing bowl and add the butter mixture. Mix together.

4 Cups Flour (2 Cups wheat and 2 Cups white)
1 1/2 tsp. ginger
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
Combine all of the above dry ingredients. Gradually add to wet mixture above and mix well.
Cover and chill for about two hours.

Form or mold into balls, ropes, or animals, etc.
This recipe can also be rolled out and cut out with cookie cutters. Usually no flour is needed on the counter or rolling pin. A spatula is all that is needed for the transfer to the cookie sheet. However, I do dip the cookie cutters in flour for easy removal from the cutters. This dough works especially well for cookie cutters that imprint a design as the design holds up well in baking.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.

To make 8 Gingerbread Teddy Bears:
Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Have each of 8 children make from their piece of dough; one 2 inch ball for body, one one inch ball for head, four 1/2 inch balls for hands and feet, two 3/8 inch balls for ears. Place the 2 inch ball on a foil-lined baking sheets for the bear body; flatten to 1/2 inch thickness. Position the 1 inch balls for the head; flatten to 1/2 inch thickness. Attach four 1/2 inch balls to the bear for arms and legs. Attach two 3/8 inch balls for bear ears. Add chocolate chips for eyes, noses and buttons.

OR Shape dough into eight balls, 2 inches each; eight balls, 1 inch each; 32 balls 1/2 inch each; and 16 3/8 in each. Place the 2 inch balls on three foil-lined baking sheets for bodies of 8 bears; flatten to 1/2 inch thickness. Position the 1 inch balls for heads; flatten to 1/2 inch thickness. Attach four 1/2 inch balls to each bear for arms and legs. Attach two 3/8 inch balls for ears. Add chocolate chips for eyes, noses and buttons.

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until set.
Cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Frost bows on bear necks with red frosting/piping tubes.

© 2011, Crystal. All rights reserved.

I’ve been dieing to see if beating powdered egg whites from my food storage actually works (especially, since a local tv chef told me it wouldn’t…) and I was so pleased to see that it DOES! Since then, I’ve tried it in these cookies, Divinity (will post on that later), waffles, and soon a Lemon Chiffon cake. So if any of you are brave enough to diet through the holidays, are trying to give up gluten, or are looking for a creative and easy alternative to rice krispy treats…this is the cookie for you! Don’t believe me?  Check out all the reasons why I love this cookie!

1. GLUTEN FREE
2. Very low calorie. You can have FIVE for the price of ONE chocolate chip cookie.
3. Few ingredients (only 6 to be exact)
4. Low-fat
5. Can be made entirely from your pantry! (No refrigerated ingredients required)
6. Gourmet looking and tasting.

Plus, don’t they look really delicious? (Think a cookie that melts in your mouth!) Because beating egg whites can be scary (it was for me, for an embarassingly long time…*ahem* you know..until I tried it in powdered form) so I also made a how-to video so you can see how truly easy these gourmet cookies are to make!

GLUTEN-FREE FOOD STORAGE MERINGUES

3 egg whites (1 T. powdered egg whites + 3 T. water)
1/8 t. cream of tartar
1/8 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
3/4 C. sugar
1 C. mini chocolate chips (or nuts, dates, raisins)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Mix in sugar 1 T. at a time until stiff peaks form. Using two spoons, drop spoonfuls of meringue on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes. Then turn oven off and allow to sit in oven for 90 minutes. Store in air tight container.

If you’re wondering where to get powdered egg whites, currently you can get them from Honeyville Grains.

© 2011, Crystal. All rights reserved.

Have you ever had the deliciousness that is Great Harvest Pumpkin Bread? Have you ever wished you could re-create it….at home…using your food storage? Well maybe I’m the only one that wishes for making it at home AND food storage but at any rate, I found a great recipe (from extreme dinner makeover) that solves both problems and tastes just like Great Harvest pumpkin bread. (Please excuse the lack of the cool recipe feature…working on getting it to work with the new layout)

FOOD STORAGE GREAT HARVEST PUMPKIN BREAD

2 1/2 cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
16 oz cooked or canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 cup oil (or 1 cup bean puree)
4 eggs, beaten lightly (1/4 cup dry egg powder + 1/2 cup water)
2/3 cup water
1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips ( I did mine with out, not a huge fan of pumpkin and chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two (9×5 inch) loaf pans or three (8×4 inch) loaf pans.
Mix flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl; set aside.
Mix pumpkin, oil, eggs, and 2/3 cup water together and stir into dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Place batter in prepared pans.
Bake 60 or 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

© 2011, Crystal. All rights reserved.

Pumpkin is a great for whole wheat recipes….and tummies.  And since this is the season for pumpkin, I figured it would be a great time to mix it with some food storage.  Why is pumpkin so great for food storage and whole wheat recipes?  Well, it’s simple really:  The five ingredients that make for great whole wheat recipes are

1. vegetable or fruit puree (like pumpkin, banana, zucchini)
2. strong spices (like cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin pie spice)
3. chocolate (lets be honest, everything tastes a little better with some chocolate)
4. oats and/or nuts(lends itself very well to the taste of whole wheat)
5. equal amounts of brown sugar and white sugar

And the best thing about most pumpkin recipes is that they will ask for one or more of the ingredients that make your recipe awesome as a whole wheat recipe!

Here is the recipe I made for Food Storage Cooking Club: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.  It’s a recipe I got from my aunt and I couldn’t get it out of my head.  Luckily, it was just as delicious (if not more so) as it sounded!

PUMPKIN CARAMEL ROLLS

Food Storage Pumpkin Caramel Rolls

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Recipe type: Breakfast

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 12 mins

Total time: 42 mins

Serves: 12+

This recipe is great for whole wheat and for taste buds. It’s actually quite amazing and fast to make!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 Tblsp yeast
• 1/2 cup oil (I used 1/4 cup)
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 eggs (2 T. dry egg powder and NO WATER)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 5 – 5 1/2 cups flour (Use at least 1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour)
• 1/4 melted or softened butter, to spread on the dough
• 2 Tblsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar
• Caramel Topping:
• Make this while Cinnamon Rolls are resting or baking.
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 packed Brown Sugar
• 3 Tblsp milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup powdered Sugar
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Mix sugar, yeast, oil, water and pumpkin. Let stand 15 minutes while getting your other ingredients Add eggs, salt, cloves, cinnamon, flour and knead 5 minutes. (Dough maybe sticky make sure you don’t add too much flour, a good test is to dip your fingers in flour and touch the dough. If it sticks you need more flour, if it doesn’t then it is good. Make sure you spray your hands and countertop with a non-stick spray when you are getting the dough out of your bowl)
2. Roll to rectangle 1/4″ thick
3. Spread butter on dough
4. Combine cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle on top of butter
5. Roll up the cinnamon rolls and cut in 1″ thick slices with string or knife.
6. Place on greased (I use reynolds quick release foil or parchment and don’t grease the pan or have any clean up) cookie sheet and let rest 15 minutes, or more.
7. Bake 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Meanwhile, make your Caramel Topping by melting the butter in a saucepan. Stir in Brown sugar plus milk and cook on low for 1 minute. Cool slightly (just so it is not HOT) and add vanilla, sugar, and salt. Stir with Wisk until well blended. Drizzle/spread rolls with frosting when they come out of the oven.
9. Frost, and eat warm. Rolls may be re-warmed in the microwave for 10 seconds.

Notes

If you want to make the dough entirely whole wheat, simply replace the white sugar with brown sugar and add in 1/4 C. gluten to the dough.

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WANT MORE FOOD STORAGE PUMPKIN RECIPES?

Low-Fat Pumpkin Brownies
Jack-o-Lantern Pumpkin Pie
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Fall Harvest Alfredo
Out of this World Pumpkin Cookies
Blender Pumpkin Waffles with Caramel Syrup
Impossible Blender Pumpkin Pie
Classic Pumpkin Pie

SHARE WITH US!

Which recipe are you planning on doing with your friends? Let us all know over at my facebook page! or send an email to efsshowoffs(at)gmail(dot)com

© 2011, Crystal. All rights reserved.

Today’s Saturday Show Off comes from Jenny P. Her and I share a couple things in common 1) we grew up in California 2) we love food storage and 3) are refried bean snobs! Put that all together and you get an easy, low-fat way to make your own delicious refried beans! Jenny also has a fun food storage blog you can check out at www.littlebeanfoodstorage.blogspot.com you can check out for more recipes. (So many great resources for food storage!)

Jenny says “Also I made some NEARLY FAT-FREE re-fried beans with my pressure cooker that are a bit spicy but so darn tasty I only eat them instead of restaurant refried beans…and that is saying a lot considering I am pregnant and having been eat re-fried beans from Joe Bandido’s here in Springville for nearly 2 months until I starting making these beans.  I posted them on my blog and you should really give them a try if I do say so myself…darn good!  Thanks for all you do!”

Saturday Show Offs: Creamy Low-Fat Refried Beans

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Recipe type: Side Dish

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 4 mins

Total time: 19 mins

Serves: 12

A wonderful alternative for tasty refried beans!

Ingredients

• 1 onion, peeled and halved
• 3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
• 1/2-1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded & chopped (I used 1 and my kids loved it)
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic*
• 3-5 teaspoons salt
• 1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
• 10 cups water
• 1 Tblsp. sugar
• 1 Tblsp. chili powder

Instructions

1. Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar and chili powder and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed (I had started with 9 cups but then added about another 1-2 cups after 4 hours so next time I will just start with 10 cups and check on it at 4 hours).
2. Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid.
3. Option 1:Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.
4. Option 2: Stain beans and put them with the jalapeno and onions into a blender with 1-2 cups of reserved liquid and blend. Add more liquid to get the consistency you want.

Notes

Pressure Cooker Directions: When I make these in my pressure cooker I add 1 lb. beans, 8 cups water, 4 tsp. olive oil, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/8 tsp cumin, 1 jalapeno, 1 onion chopped in half, 2 tsp chili powder. Then once they are cooked and I can open my pressure cooker I scoop everything solid into my blender and use 1/2-1 cup of the broth they were cooking in along with 2-3 tsp. salt and blend until creamy and yummy. To make them less spicy use less/no chili powder, 1/2 jalapeno to cook with but leave it out when blending. But I like it with everything in it…that way it is so flavor I don’t even add cheese to it….most times…haha!

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© 2011, Crystal. All rights reserved.

© 2011, Crystal. All rights reserved.

Doesn’t this soup look amazing?  Special thanks to Staci for sharing the recipe AND a beautiful picture.  I guess it’s time to admit that Fall is around the corner…time to break out the soup recipes!

Staci says…”I just got this recipe today from my mom-in-law and just HAD to share with you!! I made it 100% with food storage! You’d be so proud!! I also baked up a loaf of Schwans’ Honey Wheat bread…. soo good! I’m not a bread maker — yet — so this will have to suffice. I’m sure your bread would be better! Here ya go! Thanks again for the great website!”

Saturday Food Storage Show Off: Hamburger Soup

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Recipe type: Soup

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 2 hours

Total time: 2 hours 20 mins

Check out this awesome food storage soup!

Ingredients

• 1-2lbs. Hamburger
• 2 TBS. Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/4 tsp. ea. Pepper, Italian Seasoning
• 1 pkg. Onion Soup Mix
• 4 – 14oz. cans Chicken Broth or 6 C water
• 2 TBS. Soy Sauce
• 1 TBS. Worstershire
• 1 can Tomato Sauce
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes
• 1/2 C. Dried Onions
• 1/2 C Dried Carrots (1 C Fresh)
• 3 C. Dried Potato Slices (2 C Fresh)
• 1/4 C Green Onions (optional)
• 1/2 C Celery (optional)
• Macaroni, Rice, or other noodle

Instructions

1. Brown hamburger meat in oil. Add all seasonings and onion soup mix.
2. Transfer to large pot/saucepan.
3. Stir in broth (can use 6 C water instead), tomato sauce, soy sauce and worstershire. Add in veggies and more spices, if needed.
4. Allow to simmer for 2-3 hours.
5. Boil pan of water. Cook macaroni or rice accordingly. Top with soup in a bowl.

Notes

Rehydrate veggies first! To do this: Boil pan of water, add veggies and allow to boil for 15-20 minutes. Strain and add to soup.

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SHARE WITH US!

Do you have a great idea, recipe or food storage tip you’d love to share?! Email me at efsshowoffs(at)gmail(dot)com! We’d all love to hear from you!

© 2011, Crystal. All rights reserved.

This is by far the easiest and most delicious of all the food storage recipes! I like to put this jam on sandwiches, waffles, crepes, ice cream…pretty much I could put this on any food and I think it would taste good. (Okay, maybe not ANY food but A LOT of foods My sister-in-law makes this jam all of the time and it is a great way to ease your way into food storage canning and making your own sauces, jams, salsas, etc. Of course I have a how-to video for you to watch. So enjoy, and watch for good sales on berries or use the berries in your garden! ENJOY!  The best part is you don’t need anything special to make freezer jams.  You can use any freezer safe jar or plastic container.

MCP Pectin Freezer Strawberry Jam

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Prep time: 30 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Super easy and delicious strawberry freezer jam! Make sure to use the recipe included with whichever pectin you choose to use!

Ingredients

• 3-1/4 cups prepared fruit (buy about 2 qt. fully ripe strawberries)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 box
• MCP Pectin
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 4-1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
• Directions:
• RINSE clean plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.
• CRUSH strawberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Measure exactly 3-1/4 cups crushed strawberries into large bowl. Stir in lemon juice. Stir in pectin; let stand 30 min., stirring every 5 min. Stir in corn syrup. Gradually add sugar, stirring until well blended. Stir an additional 3 min. or until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy. (A few sugar crystals may remain.)
• FILL all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

Instructions

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FREEZER JAM HELPS

MCP Pectin-click HERE for more information

Ball Freezer Containers-click HERE for more information (I use the 16 oz. size)

SHARE WITH US!

Make sure you come back tomorrow to learn how you can make cooked jam with out any added pectin! (It’s also my new favorite jam, so you won’t want to miss it!) What kind of jam are you planning on doing with your friends? Let us all know over at my facebook page!

© 2011, Crystal. All rights reserved.

If you missed my latest appearance on Studio 5- click HERE to watch the video of how to make these delicious shakes using none other than powdered milk! (your favorite food storage item and mine!

Peanut Butter Moo’d:-makes two 8-ounce cups

Banana-Pineapple Freeze

© 2011, Crystal. All rights reserved.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! I received this recipe from my biggest fan (don’t you love moms?!-Speaking of awesome moms, don’t forget Sunday is Mother’s day!  If you haven’t already, download my FREE Food Storage Brunch handout for some great ideas for breakfast this year using food storage!) and knew it had to be a winner and PERFECT for today and your food storage! It’s a great way to use a lot of powdered milk and in so many different ways.

FOOD STORAGE TRES LECHES CAKE

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Pam or grease a 9 X 13 cake pan

Blend in blender: (put water in first)
1-1/2 Cup water
1/2 Cup + 1 T Dry Powdered Milk

In a mixer:
1 box yellow cake mix, dry
1/3 Cup oil
3 large eggs
1 Cup of the milk mixture from above and reserve the rest in the Refrigerator.
Beat the cake mix, oil, eggs, and 1 Cup milk mixture for 2 minutes on med. speed in the mixer.
Pour into prepared cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
COOL in the pan before continuing.

In Blender:
1/2 Cup hot water
1-2 T butter
1 Cup Dry Powdered Milk
1 Cup Sugar
Blend VERY WELL in blender
add reserved milk mixture above & blend briefly again.

Using a dinner fork, poke holes all over the cake.
Pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until liquid is absorbed.
Over night is best!

Serve with whipped topping
Garnish with Sliced Almonds or Toasted Coconut

Store left overs in the Refrigerator

© 2011, Crystal. All rights reserved.