Homemade Vanilla Custard

Homemade Vanilla Custard
By Margaret Randle (my grandmother)

4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold milk
4 egg yolks (beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla

*Chocolate Version - Add 2 tablespoons cocoa to dry ingredients.

Directions:
Microwave - In an 8 cup glass bowl heat all milk for 7 minutes (more or less depending on your microwave)  You want to see bubbles on the top.  Add remaining ingredients to the heated milk.  Stir.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Stirring every 2 minutes.  Let cool and enjoy!!!

Stove Top - In double boiler, place 4 cups of milk in top over boiling water.  Heat until steamy hot.  Combine sugar, flour, and salt.  Add 1/2 cup of cold milk to dry ingredients.  Add beaten egg yolks.  Mix well.  Dip some of the hot milk into the cold mixture and stir.  Slowly pour into hot milk.  Cook 10-15 minutes until desired thickness.  Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.  Pour into a covered container.

* I use this recipe to make banana pudding.

Spoon Roll Recipe

Spoon Rolls


1 package of yeast (2 tsp and 1/4 tsp of bulk yeast)
2 cups of warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 egg - well beaten
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter flavored Crisco, melted
4 cups of self rising flour

Directions:  Dissolve 1 teaspoon of sugar in warm water.  Add yeast and stir until dissolved.  In a large bowl add egg, 1/4 cup, and melted Crisco to flour.  Add yeast mixture and stir until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.  *The dough can be made the night before you use it.  Spray muffin cups with cooking spray and fill 2/3 full with batter.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Serve warm with butter and enjoy.

What's for Dinner? # 4

It's that time again.  I completed the menu planning last night and my grocery list is ready for Saturday morning shopping.  Here we go:

WEEK 1

MONDAY

- Beef Nachos/Tacos - inspired by the nachos we ate at the Tobacco Road Sports Cafe

TUESDAY

- Salad with Lemon Pepper Chicken

WEDNESDAY

- leftover nachos/tacos

THURSDAY

- leftover salad (I have a TA Dinner, so Aaron will be on his own)

FRIDAY

- Pizza - haven't decided on the dough yet

SATURDAY

- Cajun Chicken Alfredo

- Homemade French Bread

- Green Beans

SUNDAY

- French Toast (using the leftover homemade French Bread)

- Grits

WEEK 2

MONDAY

- Bruchetta Chicken

- Limas

- Roasted sweet potatoes

TUESDAY

- Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup - in the Crockpot

- Leftover French Bread

WEDNESDAY

- Leftover Bruchetta Chicken

- Limas

- Sweet Potatoes

THURSDAY

- Leftover Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

- French Bread

FRIDAY

- FEND FOR YOURSELF - I have ladies night with our small group girls

SATURDAY

 - Pizza (possibly use any leftover chicken on a pizza)

SUNDAY

 - Brinner

What's For Dinner? #3

 A little late getting this post out but I guess better late than never.  :)

WEEK 1

MONDAY
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Fried Rice

TUESDAY
- leftover sweet and sour chicken/fried rice

WEDNESDAY
- Pigs in a blanket
- Fancy Fries

THURSDAY
- tomato soup
- grilled cheese

FRIDAY
- pizza - Pioneer Woman Pizza Dough

SATURDAY
- Alice Spring Chicken
- Limas
- Couscous

SUNDAY
- Brinner - breakfast pizza

WEEK 2

MONDAY
- Chicken Broccoli Casserole
- Bran Muffins *makes 12 muffins



- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups All Bran cereal
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
In a large bowl, combine cereal and milk.  Let stand about 2 minutes until softened.  Then add egg and oil.  Beat well.  Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add flour mixture to cereal.  Stir until mixed.  Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.  Enjoy!!!

TUESDAY
- Lasagna *can make two and freeze one for a later meal
*Recipe
- 1 lb ground beef/vension
- 1/2 of an onion chopped
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (Italian style adds extra zip or you can add italian seasoning)
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 1/2 cups dry egg noodles
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese (softened)
- 1 cup sour cream

- Brown meat and drain.  Add onion, tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, and Italian seasoning.  Let simmer.  Cook noodles (10-12 minutes until tender/drain).  Mix cottage cheese, sour cream, and cream cheese.  Arrange in a large casserole dish OR divide into two smaller casserole dishes.  
Layer in this order:
- noodles
- meat
- cheese mixture
- Repeat layers again
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes until bubbly and top is beginning to brown just a bit.
*If you divide into smaller casseroles, cover the extra one with plastic wrap and foil before freezing.  Should be cooked within a couple of months or will become runny.
- Green Beans

WEDNESDAY
- Chicken Broccoli Casserole (leftovers)
- Bran Muffins

THURSDAY
- Lasagna
- Green Beans

FRIDAY
- fend for yourself - Aaron is leading worship for a college service

SATURDAY
- Pizza

SUNDAY
- Brinner - breakfast casserole

Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies

*recipe adapted from here

Here is the recipe I used with Rosalyn and Julia Rose.  Perfect cookies for little hands and oh so delicious.

Rosalyn and Julia Rose were so excited about their cookies they made.
 They may have been even more excited about eating them.  

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:
- Combine sugar and butter in a mixing bowl and beat on low speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Next, mix in the vanilla and egg.
- Then add the baking soda and flour and stir until the mixture is blended evenly.
*At this point I refrigerated mine until it was time to make cookies but you can use this dough as soon as it is made too.
- Use a small cookie scoop or teaspoon to scoop out the dough into round balls.*
*at this point you can decorate the cookies with sugar sprinkles, regular sprinkles, or anything else you might want to decorate with.  If you want to put chocolate kisses, wait until the cookies have come out of the oven.
- Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  I left the cookies in their ball form and baked them from here.  If you desire you can use the bottom of a glass to flatten them.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes depending on your oven.  DO NOT OVER BAKE!!!  Take them out as soon as the edges are golden brown.  Allow them to cool for about 1 minute and then move  them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- ENJOY!!!

Finished Products - minus quite a few.

What's For Dinner? #2

The second installment of menus and recipes. 

*Pictures will come as we actually eat the meals.  HAPPY EATING!!!

WEEK 1

MONDAY
- Outback Potato Soup in the Crockpot (we actually had this Saturday so we are eating leftovers)
- Coffee with Lauren from My Polished Side Blog

TUESDAY
- Soft Shell Tacos with cheese, sour cream, and avocados
- chips and salsa

WEDNESDAY - Small Group Tonight - gotta have something quick and easy!
- BBQ Sandwiches
*(Aldi has already cooked pulled pork, all you have to do is heat it up, you can find this in the meat section of your local grocery store
- chips/dip

THURSDAY
- Leftover Tacos
- chips and salsa

FRIDAY
- FEND FOR YOURSELF NIGHT
*I have Starting Point at church so I will eat there and Aaron will have some leftover pizza

SATURDAY
- Pizza

SUNDAY
- Brinner (I'm thinking waffles and bacon)

WEEK 2

MONDAY
- Cubed Steak in the crockpot
- Mashed Potatoes
- Green Beans

TUESDAY
- Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken
- Couscous
- Butter Brown Sugar Roasted Sweet Potatoes

WEDNESDAY
- Leftover Cubed Steak
- Mashed Potatoes

THURSDAY - VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!
- Leftover Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken
- Couscous
- Butter Brown Sugar Roasted Sweet Pototes
DESSERT (because my sweet hubby asked for something a little special, how could I say no)
-Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies with Vanilla Ice Cream

FRIDAY
- Pizza *Pizza Hut Crust

SATURDAY
*My sister Rachel is coming to visit, so this may be an out to eat kind of night.  An opportunity to show her all of the fine eats in the North Raleigh Area. 

SUNDAY
- Brinner

Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes

I adapted this recipe from one I found on Pinterest.  Although the recipe says it only makes 12 cheesecakes, I was able to make 24 mini ones, plus two regular muffin cheesecakes without any crust.  Super easy to make and the topping possibilities are endless.

Pinterest Recipe - I used this recipe to create my own Gluten-Free version.

Here are my modifications:

The Best Mini-Cheesecakes Ever

Makes 24 mini cheesecakes

• 2 to 2 1/2 cups of crushed chocolate Gluten-Free Chex (the cinnamon ones would work too)
• 3 T butter, melted
• 2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 t vanilla extract
• melted chocolate and carmel to drizzle over the top
• fruit or pie fillings to put on the top OR just eat them plain.

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan

Place a heaping teaspoon (more or less, depending on how much you like crust) in each cheesecake well. Press down with a spoon.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until well mixed. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.

Fill wells with cream cheese batter.  Bake for 13-15 minutes. Cool.

Push each cheesecake out of its well from the bottom. With a butter knife, remove each cheesecake from the bottom plate and place on parchment paper or lightly greased tinfoil. Drizzle with melted chocolate or carmel.