Cook Ground Beef in the Oven

Posted on April 16, 2013 by ahodge

Something else that we buy in bulk, other than cheese, is beef. We buy 1/4 to 1/2 cow from my brother-in-law every 6 months to a year. We are lucky to be able to get it at a good price, and it is so much better than the stuff I can get in the store.

Since we do this, I tend to have a lot of bulk hamburger laying around.

Bulk Hamburger

Recently, I have found a quicker way to cook it than browning in a pan on the stove top; I bake it in the oven. I love doing this because it saves me time by not have to stand around and watch the meat and I can cook more at once.

How to Cook Ground Beef in the Oven

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Put 2 lbs of ground beef into an 8 x 8 casserole dish. Since mine was packed together, I spread it out a bit.

Ground Beef

Ground beef ready for oven

3. Cook for 30-45 min. Check the meat at 30 min to see how it is doing. You don’t want to cook it for too long or it will get dried out and look funny.

4. Drain fat off.

5. Done! Enjoy your cooked ground beef.

Ground Beef Cooked in Oven

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Posted on April 13, 2013 by ahodge

What to do with my open can of pumpkin? I had opened it a few days ago to try a pumpkin pie variation of my steel cut oats and it needed to be used. (In case you were wondering, the pumpkin pie variation didn’t work out very well.) I usually make these pumpkin oats chocolate chip muffins, but I didn’t have any milk.

As I searched my bookmarks for a recipe, I came across this one from MoneySavingMom and I must say that I really like these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. I modified the original recipe to include some whole wheat flour and replaced the oil with applesauce and butter. ( I don’t like using vegetable oil or shortening in my baking unless necessary.)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 (16 oz.) can pureed pumpkin
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 cups flour (1.5 cups white, 1.5 cups wheat)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 package chocolate chips

Instructions

Combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin, apple sauce and butter and mix until smooth. Add in dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, making sure to grease or line with paper.

Bake 16-20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Makes 24-30 muffins.

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After filling my 24 muffin cups I had enough batter to maybe make 2-3 more muffins but no more cups, so I topped off the other muffins. I used both silicone muffin cups and a metal one with paper liners. I prefer the silicone cups, but I only have enough of those to make 12 muffins and I didn’t want to put two rounds of muffins in the oven.

These also freeze well. I just threw mine in a Ziploc bag. I like to dethaw mine in the microwave for few seconds because I like my chocolate chips a little melty.

How To Sew A Burp Cloth From A Cloth Diaper

Posted on April 10, 2013 by ahodge

Burp Clothes

Every since I came across this tutorial on how to sew a burp cloth from a cloth diaper, I have been making them for everyone I know who is expecting.

I like this burp cloth for two reasons. One, the flannel keeps the cloth diaper from falling off the shoulder. Two, the cloth diaper is much more absorbent that the thin things I see passed off as burp cloths in the store.

Supplies

Supplies Needed:

Sewing machine

Thread

Scissors or Rotary Cutter and Mat

Pins

1/2 yard of flannel (this makes two)

Cloth diapers (I got mine at Target, but you can also get them at Walmart or Amazon. You want to make sure you get the prefold diapers and not the flat fold cloth diapers. The prefolds are thicker in the middle.)

I like to start by laying out two diapers on the 1/2 yard of flannel, just to make sure I have enough material, and then cut the flannel in half.

Two burp clothes laid out on 1/2 yd of flannel.

Iron the diaper and flannel out to get rid of any wrinkles. I have not washed anything at this point. I like to wash everything at the end.

Pin the diaper to the right side of the flannel.

Diaper pinned to right side of flannel

Be sure to leave a space of about 4″ unpinned. After sewing, we will be turning the cloth right side out.

Sew along the edge of the diaper, making sure to leave that 4″ space open. I like to sew with the edge of the diaper on the outside of my presser foot, which is about 1/4″.

Sewing along edge of diaper

Then trim off the excess flannel from around the diaper. Trim close to the diaper, but be careful not to cut your stitches or the diaper.

Leave the excess flannel intact at your 4″ opening. It makes it easier to sew closed later.

Tab Out

Now, turn the cloth right side out. Be careful when pushing your corners out. I use my finger but some people like to use chock sticks or similar instruments.

Turning the diaper so the right side is out.

Diaper turned

Flannel turned right side out.

We will now sew that opening closed. Fold the flannel flap into the opening. You will find the diaper will fold in a little as well. Line this fold up as best you can with your seam, iron and pin. Sew closed.

Tab to be turned in.

Tab turned in

Tab Pinned.

Opening sewed closed.

For the final touches, we just need to sew down the cloth in two places to help the cloth keep its shape and not shift. I find it easiest to sew along the existing vertical seams in the diaper. With the diaper facing up, sew along the seams.

Sewing down the seams in the middle of the diaper.

You’re done! Now you can wash and dry your creations and give them to all your expectant friends (or save some for yourself).

Burp Cloth

Egg and Spinach Frittata

Posted on April 4, 2013 by ahodge

Frittata. What is that, you may wonder. Wikipedia says a frittata “is an egg-based dish similar to an omelette or quiche, enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables or pasta” that may be flavored with herbs.

I came across a recipe for an egg and spinach frittata recently and it was delicious. It is now one of my favorite breakfast foods and an easy way for me to get some vegetables.

Egg and Spinach Frittata

Ingredients

4 Large Eggs
1/4 cup Milk
1/4 cup Feta Cheese
1/4 cup Mozzarella Cheese
1 cup chopped Spinach
1 Tbsp Basil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Spray an 8 x 8 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Combine eggs, milk, herbs and cheese in dish and whisk.
Add chopped spinach and mix to combine with egg mixture.

Bake 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let stand a few minutes.
Enjoy!

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Feel free to change the ingredients to fit your taste. I just made this tonight with almond milk and it turned out fine. Next, I want to try a combination of spinach and kale.

How To Cook A Spaghetti Squash

Posted on April 2, 2013 by ahodge

Spaghetti Squash

Until two years ago, I have never heard of a spaghetti squash. However, I was intrigued by the idea of eating squash like pasta. Once I had figured out how to cook a spaghetti squash and saw how easy it was, I had to try it.

In case you don’t know, a spaghetti squash is a squash whose insides resemble spaghetti once shredded. Many people use in place of the previously mentioned pasta and it is incredibly easy to prepare.

I like spaghetti squash so much that I grew it in my garden last year and plan to do so again this year.

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Wash spaghetti squash and poke several holes in the rind with a sharp knife, skewer or roasting fork so it doesn’t explode while baking. The squash should be an even yellow color. It is not ripe if it still has a green tint to it (don’t ask how I know).

Poking holes in squash

Spaghetti Squash ready for oven

3. Place the squash in a swallow dish or cookie sheet and bake for about 1 hour. It may be a little longer or shorter depending on the size of the squash. You know it is done when the rind is soft and wrinkly looking.

Cooked Spaghetti Squash

4. Remove the squash from the oven allow it to cool.

5. Once you can handle the squash, cut off both ends and cut the squash down the middle. Scoop out the seeds.

Spaghetti Squash with seeds

Spaghetti Squash without seeds

6. Take a fork and gently shred the squash pulp into strands that will resemble spaghetti.

Shredding Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash

7. Top with your favorite sauce and enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash

I enjoy eating like normal spaghetti, with tomato sauce and meatballs. I also like it with my Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce. How do you like to eat your pasta (or squash)?

How To Cook Steel Cut Oats in the Crock Pot

Posted on March 29, 2013 by ahodge

Measuring Cup in Crock Pot

Oatmeal is something I eat for breakfast most days. It is fast, easy, filling and good for me. I have been eating instant oats because they cook the quickest. However, I have recently found a way to cook steel cut oats in the crock pot overnight, making them just as easy to eat as instant oatmeal.

This is perfect timing since I’ve been wanting to try steel cut oats. They are less processed than instant or rolled oats but take a while to cook. And time is not something I have a lot of in the morning.

I was able to pick some up some steel cut oats at Aldi’s recently and when I saw how Aimee over at Simple Bites had cooked them overnight in the crock pot, I had to try it (I love my crock pot). I have scaled it down to 2 cups and it is the perfect size to feed me two mornings out of the week.

Applie Pie Steel Cut Oats in the Crock Pot

Ingredients

1/3 cup Steel Cut Oats
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 cup Applesauce
1/2 Apple, chopped
1/4 cup Milk
1 cup water

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in 2 cup glass measuring cup.

Place in crock pot and add water to crock pot until water is level with the ingredients in the cup.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

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Steel cut oats ready to eat!

How To Cook Hard Boiled Eggs In The Oven

Posted on March 25, 2013 by ahodge

When I first heard that you could cook hard boiled eggs in the oven, I wasn’t sure I believed it. I mean, the only way I knew to make hard boiled eggs was to boil them, right?

Yesterday, I wanted to hard boil a few eggs and didn’t want to wait for the water to boil (it seems to take forever on my stove) so I thought I’d try the oven method. To my astonishment, it worked!

No more waiting for water to boil for me.

How to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs in the Oven

1. Preheat oven to 325F.

2. Put eggs into a muffin tin. I used my silicone muffin cups, but you could use metal. Be aware that your eggs may get spots on the shells from the metal tins.

Eggs in silicone muffin tins

3. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove eggs from oven and put into cold water with tongs to cool them down.

4. Peel and enjoy!

Hard Boiled Eggs

I found the eggs hard boiled in the oven were much easier to peel than eggs I have boiled in the past.

How To Cut Up A Butternut Squash

Posted on February 4, 2013 by ahodge

I LOVE butternut squash. I just have one small problem with it. It is sooo hard to cut up. I like it roasted in the oven with olive oil and sea salt or using it in my Butternut Squash & Apple Soup.

So without further ado, here is how to cut up a butternut squash. (Ladies, you might as your husband or strong friends for help with this, they can be very hard.)

First, you must find yourself a squash. This one is from my garden (I have had luck storing them in my basement). I always rinse mine off before starting.

Butternut Squash

Then peel it with a knife. We have had success using a potato peeler. Be careful, it is hard to peel.

Starting to peel squash with potato peeler

Squash all peeled.

Once the peeling is done, cut off both ends of the squash. This is where it gets hard (literally). My husband uses our longest knife very carefully. He then cuts the squash in half to make it easier to cut up.

Cut Squash

When you get around to cutting the bottom half, you will have to scrap out some seeds (not many). Continue cutting until you have the size you want. I like cubes.

Cubed Squash

From one butternut squash, I get about 8 cups. Of course it depends on the size of the squash. I forgot to weigh this one, but I’ll be sure to weigh the next one and report back with a more accurate cup to weight ratio.

Any tips for cutting up the squash? I have heard about putting it in the microwave, but I have not tried that yet.

Homemade Pizza

Posted on February 2, 2013 by ahodge

I’m getting to use some of that cheese that we bought recently. We had homemade pizza tonight for dinner.

Homemade Pizza. We are missing several slices because I forgot to take a picture before we ate.

I started making my own pizza several years ago, soon after I graduated college and had my first real job and apartment, because money was tight. I loved pizza, but it was too expensive for me to order it very often. In college, I had been able to get a pizza for $5 from Papa John’s (student discount) and while back at home you can get Little Caesars’ Pizza for $5, they were not yet near my apartment.

Finding recipes for homemade pizza is pretty easy. My favorite dough recipe came from Money Saving Mom. The recipe can be found here.

The recipe I use now is a variation of the recipe just mentioned.

Homemade Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza Crust:
2 heaping tsp. active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.)
1 Tbsp.. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour

Instructions

Dissolve the yeast in the water.
Add the rest of the ingredients. I like to add a little basil and garlic powder to the mixture at this point. (Feel free to use only all purpose flour if you like. I like trying to use whole wheat flour in my baking when I can.)
Proceed to mix. I use my Kitchen Aid with the dough hook. I mix for 1 min at the second setting and then for another 2-3 min at the slowest setting. The dough should be mixed into a rough ball. It should not be so dry the ball is falling apart, but you don't want it tacky either. Add a little water or flour as needed.
If mixing by hand, I use a wooden spoon to start stirring the mixture. Once it is too hard to mix, I start kneading with my hand for a few min.
Oil a bowl. Put the dough in the bowl, cover and set it in a warm place to rise for 30-60 min. (this is not necessary if you are in a hurry, but I like to do it if I have time.)
Once the dough has risen, press it out on your greased pizza pan. ( We just dump it on the pan and press it out with our hands.)
Add sauce, cheese and toppings.
Bake @ 425F for 15-20 min

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We have tried several pizza pans over the years and my favorite my far is my cast iron pizza pan. It is the only pizza pan I’ve ever had that cooks the crust completely everywhere.

My second favorite is the AirBake pizza pan. It doesn’t get the crust quite as done as the cast iron, but it does a good job.

Have you tried making pizza at home? What are your favorite toppings?

I am also sharing this at:

Finer Things Friday

How to save money on cheese

Posted on January 30, 2013 by ahodge

How do you save money on cheese?

I don’t know about you, but we go through a lot of cheese. Especially mozzarella because we make quite a bit of homemade pizza. I’ve thought about buying a block of cheese and shredding it myself, but it isn’t worth my time when I can get 5 lb. bags of shredded cheese from Sam’s Club for almost the same price. As of this writing, I can get 5 lb. of shredded mozzarella for $11.76. This comes out to $2.35/lb. As for the block of mozzarella, it is $11.56 ($2.31/lb). I find this will last us 1-2 months.

The shredded cheddar lasts us even longer, maybe around 3 months. We tend to only use this on Mexican food, so it lasts a while longer. I am able to get it for $13.22, making it $2.65/lb. This block is a little more at $13.92 ($2.78/lb.)

Mozzarella & Cheddar Cheese just home from store.

Now, before you start thinking I have two 5 lb. bags of cheese sitting in my fridge for months on end, rest assured that I don’t. Instead I have several quart freezer bags sitting in my freezer for months on end.

That’ right! I divide the cheese up into bags and freeze it. I always keep one bag in the fridge and the rest in the freezer.

Cheese in bags ready to go to freezer

This works great for us because we have a large upright freezer, so I have lots of room for the cheese. I love doing this because not only does it save us money, but I always have cheese on hand.

How do you save money on cheese? If you grate it, what grater do you use? (I won’t mind investing in one but have never had one.)

Ahodgepodge

A collage of gardening, preserving, crafting & frugal living!

Cook Ground Beef in the Oven

How to Cook Ground Beef in the Oven

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

How To Sew A Burp Cloth From A Cloth Diaper

Egg and Spinach Frittata

How To Cook A Spaghetti Squash

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

How To Cook Steel Cut Oats in the Crock Pot

How To Cook Hard Boiled Eggs In The Oven

How to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs in the Oven

How To Cut Up A Butternut Squash

Homemade Pizza

How to save money on cheese