Baking in a little Toaster Oven

Once I didn't have a stove or oven for 6 months and became very creative on how to feed my family. I used a wok, toaster oven, electric skillet, and crock pot. I couldn't figure a way to bake bread, so I found at a garage sale, a smoker, bbq for $5. It wasn't in great shape but could bbq. I took some red bricks and clean them, soak them in water and put them in the cooker part. I then had hot coals on the bottom. I baked bread on top of the bricks and it worked! I was sure glad when I finally was able to have a stove and oven again! Now I am kinda in the same situation, I don't have my own oven. So yesterday, I took my little toaster oven to my daughters house and we baked cookies! They turned out delicious!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Only six at a time, but it works!

Oatmeal cookies!

Here is the recipes we used:

Slice and Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies

from More Make-A-Mix Cookery

2 cups butter

1 1/3 cup sugar

1 2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

4 eggs

5 ½ cups flour

2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces

1 cup chopped nuts

Cut four 14x12” pieces of waxed paper of plastic wrap; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar. Beat in vanilla and eggs until light and fluffy. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Gradually stir flour mixture into egg mixture until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into an 8-to 10-inch roll. Wrap each roll in 1 piece of waxed paper. Place wrapped rolls in a plastic freezer container with a tight-fitting lid, or wrap tightly with foil. Store in freezer. Use within 6 months.

To bake: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Cut frozen dough into 1-inch thick slices. Cut each in half and bake for about 10 minutes, until lightly brown around edges. Remove from oven and cool on cooling racks.

You can use whatever cookies recipe you want and bake away! The little toaster oven doesn't heat up the house like the big oven, especially in the heat we are having.

Day 3 Tomato- Veggie Ice

Something a little different today by using vegetables, for those who might want to try something cooling, refreshing and no sugar. This recipe sounded so different that I will be making it. I have two little books that are just for ice cream and this is where I am taking most of my recipes. 'Best of Ice Cream' by Cox & Kinard. Booklet from BHG called 'Ice Cream'. I usually change a recipe to fit my needs, and as such will be doing that with this recipe. I would think this recipe is originally called 'Russian Tomato Ice' because of the added vodka.  I will add the original recipe at the end. Isn't fun to recreate your own recipe and come up with something a little different! Will be adding a picture next week.

Tomato-Veggie Ice
2 teaspoons lime zest
1/4 cup lime juice, fresh squeezed
4 cups V-8 juice, chilled
1/2 cup tomato juice, chilled

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon minced onion
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Pinch of salt
Small celery stalks with leaves, for decoration (optional)
Sliced lime or lemon slices for decoration (optional)
In a medium bowl, combine the lime zest and lime juice, tomato juice, water, Worcestershire sauce, onion, hot pepper sauce, and salt. Transfer the mixture to a jelly roll pan. Freeze the mixture for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until firm.
To serve, remove the ice from the freezer and allow it to soften slightly. Spoon it into chilled dessert dishes or stemed glasses. Decorate with celery stalks and lemon or lime slices, if desired. Serve immediately.
Makes about 1 quart.

Russian Tomato Ice
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
4 cups canned tomato juice, chilled
1/2 cup vodka, chilled
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon minced onion
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Pinch of salt
Small celery stalks with leaves, for decoration (optional)
Lime or lemon slices  or small wedges, for decoration (optional)
In a medium bowl, combine the lime zest and lime juice, tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, onion, hot pepper sauce, and salt. Transfer the mixture to a shallow metal baking pan or to several clean, undivided metal ice cube trays. Freeze the mixture for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until firm.
To serve, remove the ice from the freezer and allow it to soften slightly. Spoon it into chilled dessert dishes or stemed glasses. Decorate with celery stalks and lemon or lime slices, if desired. Serve immediately.
Makes about 1 quart.

Day 2 of Ice Cream

This sounds easy enough and refreshing!!!

Lemonade Ice Cream

4 cups whipping cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 12-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
Yellow food coloring if you want, several drops
In a medium bowl, combine whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, lemonade concentrate, and, if desired, food coloring.
Pour cream mixture into freexer canister of 4 or 5 quart ice cream freezer. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions.
Enjoy!

30+ Days of Ice Cream or There Abouts!!!

It has been over 40 days of 100 degrees + here in the Mid-West! Since I don't have an ice-cream maker and maybe you do, thought I would put on a recipe each day to help you cool off.  For you who are super creative and needed to cool off here's the first recipe:

Ready for the refrigerator.

 Old-Fashioned Strawberry Ice Cream

2 cups strawberries     
1/2 cups sugar
Cut strawberries in half. In medium saucepan, combine strawberries and the sugar. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until berries are soft, while stirring. Transfer to a food processor, and pulsate for a few times to chopped berries. You can process until smooth and have a creamier ice cream. Cover and chill 4 hours or can keep chilled up to 24 hours.

     1 egg, slightly beaten
     1 cup half and half (can use all cream if you want)

Spoon test.

     1/2 cup sugar
     1 3/4 half and half (or cream)
     1 teaspoon vanilla
In a small saucepan, combine egg, half and half (or cream) and the sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat just until mixture coast a metal spoon. (See note*) Immediately transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in remaining half and half (or cream) and vanilla. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
                                                                                   

Ready for freezer.

Pour half and half mixture into freezer canister of 1 or 1/12 quart ice cream freezer. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions, adding strawberry mixture after 5 minutes of freezing.

Getting there!

*NOTE: It's important to cook the egg mixture to just the right stage. To know when to remove the cooked custard from the heat, coat a metal spoon with custard and draw your finger down the spoon. If your finger leaves a clear trail, the custard is done.

Next day, I enjoyed a strawberry shake with added home-made yogurt!

 Since I don't have an electric freezer, I went ahead and tried putting it in the bowl and use the refrigerator/ freezer method.  Stirring every hour for about 8 hours and then decided it was ready. I put some in the small bowl and froze the rest for days to follow.  I did use the half and half, pretty good, and less expensive. I was sure glad I had these ingredients on hand! Delicious!!!


Will be sending this to: http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/08/sweets-for-saturday-29.html