Recipe Conversions Made Easy

I have this handy little list hanging on my refrigerator and it gets used all the time.

There are so many home-made - "from scratch" recipes that I use that call for oddball measurements.

Or maybe that is me making some oddball recipes.

Hmmm... not sure!

Anyways with this little cheat sheet I can easily adapt any recipe ingredients to fit our needs.

1 cup = 8 oz. OR 16 tbsp. OR 48 tsp.

3/4 cup = 6 oz. OR 12 tbsp. OR 36 tsp.

2/3 cup = 5 oz. OR 11 tbsp. OR 32 tsp.

1/2 cup = 4 oz. OR 8 tbsp. OR 24 tsp.

1/3 cup = 3 oz. OR 5 tbsp. OR 16 tsp.

1/4 cup = 2 oz. OR 4 tbsp. OR 12 tsp.

1/8 cup = 1 oz. OR 2 tbsp. OR 6 tsp.

1/16 cup = .5 oz. OR 1 tbsp. OR 3 tsp.

I know that most cookbooks have these listed inside but if you are like me then you don't want to have to go searching for them while you are in the middle of cooking. That is why I keep them on the refrigerator. You could also print them out and then hang them on the inside of a cabinet door so that they are out of sight yet at your fingertips when needed.

Hope you all have a great day!

Homemade Whole Wheat Rolls

My trip to Sugar Creek is what actually spurred me on to find a good whole wheat roll recipe. About a week before going on our trip I was thinking of all the little shops that we would browse through and of course the fantastic meal that we would have while we were there.

You know, the good home-cooked meal that always comes with white or wheat rolls.

I have made white rolls many times but have never tried my hands at wheat.

I was in search of a recipe that would produce a light-weight fluffy roll instead of a hard rock. I am only saying this because I think most things made with all wheat seem to turn out that way.... Hard & Dense.

So off to my cookbooks I went. I knew I wanted to use honey for a sweeter roll but just couldn't find the right recipe. So, I used ideas from several different recipes and came up with this.

**Does anyone know what the vinegar does? I have never used vinegar in bread but that was in one recipe that I saw so I thought I would try it.**

They turned out good, sweet and light-weight. I should have let them rise a bit longer before I baked them but they were still good, just not as big as what they could have been.

The best part was that everyone in my family, even the picky eaters, enjoyed them...even the big one that refuses to eat wheat bread of any kind.

I'll have to take a picture the next time I make them since I forgot to grab one after they came out of the oven. :(

Homemade Wheat Rolls

1 3/4 cups water

2 tsp. sugar

1 tbsp. yeast

2 tbsp. vinegar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup oil

1 1/2 tsp. Lecithin

2 tsp. salt

1 egg

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Place water, sugar & yeast in bowl and let it set till bubbly. (3-5 minutes)

Add vinegar, honey, oil, Lecithin, salt & egg.

Stir in whole wheat flour a cup at a time.

Add 2 1/2 cups of the white flour in the same manner.

Knead dough by hand or by mixer with a dough hook.

Add last cup of flour as you are kneading it.

Place dough in a greased bowl and cover.

Let rise till doubled.

Punch dough down and form into 2-inch dough balls.

Place in a greased pan, cover and let rise again.

Bake 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Sugar Creek and Decking the Halls

This past week has been a bit busy.

We went to Sugar Creek, Ohio one day with my Mom while she was on vacation from work. I took my camera but didn't get many good photos. Would have loved to get some pics inside some of the little shops that we went through but I'm sure the owners wouldn't have appreciated that.

I only got a few of some quiet Amish farms and a couple buggies.

Feeding Time at the goat pen!

This next photo was taken from the parking lot of my favorite restuarant. If you look in the center field (hard to see) there is a man plowing his field with horse and plow. Their simplicity just amazes me!

Their simple ways and slow paced lives seem so relaxed and peaceful compared to the hustle and bustle of our lives.

After filling our bellies we headed back out to browse through all the little shops they offer.
A fun getaway for the day!

The weekend was spent doing a little shopping, my monthly stock-up plus a little Christmas shopping with my Mom.

We also thought we would get a head start on the Christmas decorating while the weather was nice. It's usually so cold and windy when we decorate so I thought it would be nice while it was warm. A little too warm though, it doesn't feel like the holiday season when you can wear shorts outside. At least not for our neck of the woods!

We got it all done though, tree and all!

I figure if you are going to put all the effort into decorating then you might as well be able to enjoy it for a good while but by the day or two after Christmas I'll be ready to take it all down. :)

Today it was back to the ol' grind with school.

*Mondays are always so fun. :( *

This afternoon we walked over to see the funeral procession of the local soldier (recently killed in Afghanistan) as he was taken to his final resting place.

A sad event but one that I felt my children would see and remember.

A lesson in courage and bravery... loyalty and respect...pride and patriotism.

This coming weekend also promises to be full and busy.

Friday evening is the annual Wheeling Christmas Parade as well as Wheeling's Christmas in November Art & Craft Show at the Wesbanco Arena all weekend long. A great place for crafts, food and fun.

On Saturday we have the Moundsville Christmas Parade and then that evening a special treat for ME!

Collin Raye and Restless Heart in concert!!!!

My cousin called me a few weeks ago and asked me if I would go with her and of course I said YES!

Well that's all for now. I'm off to get the kiddos bathed and ready for bed.

I do have a few recipes to share this week and soon I will be breaking out our favorite cookie and candy recipes as the holiday baking season approaches.

Have a great evening!

A Sad Homecoming

A local family has lost their son....husband....and father.

He has paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Here is a news video of his return home today. *This will take a second to load but worth watching!*

Full story HERE.

It makes you proud for what all of our military men and women do for our country yet leaves a sad empty feeling when you see a family faced with news such as this.

My heart and prayers go out to all his family and friends.

Ranch Pork Chops & a Side

We spent yesterday morning in the house doing schoolwork and then we headed up to Grandview Park to collect some leaves and pinecones for a science lesson that we are going to work on today. The kids had fun. We went to the shelter on the highest hill and of course I didn't take my camera. You can see so much now that the leaves are pretty much all gone.

Anyways, we collected leaves, the kids rode their scooters and we actually did a Math lesson while we sat at the picnic table. *Math is not a favorite subject of Gage's and sometimes if I approach it a little different it will go over so much more smoothly.* It's all in how interesting you make it.

We were outside and not sitting at a desk but he picked up on the lesson and learned it. It was more of a relaxed lesson and it worked. Already this morning he has asked if we were going to do more with it today. Yeah!

So, we headed home in time to throw something on for dinner. Nothing fancy, just a simple coating that I added ranch dressing mix to and plopped in the oven. I usually drizzle butter over chicken or pork when I bake it but this time I didn't and it browned nicely and tasted pretty good.

The photo above is the pork, mashed potatoes, scalloped corn and some lettuce with Feta cheese sprinkled over the top. I have already posted the recipe for the scalloped corn. It's not the one with corn muffin mix. You can go HERE to get it.

Baked Ranch Pork Chops

6 pork chops

3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or white)

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix

1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs

3/4 cup milk

salt & pepper to taste

In a bowl, mix flour, dip mix, crumbs and salt & pepper.

Place milk in a second bowl.

Dredge pork chops in crumbs, then dip in milk and back again in the crumb mixture.

Place in a greased casserole.

Bake 350° for 1 hour or till done to your liking.