How to make brown sugar

The other day, the kids were begging me to make some chocolate chip cookies but I didn't have any brown sugar. So I told them I would look through my recipes for a cookie that didn't require brown sugar. While looking, I came across the description of what brown sugar itself is.

It says that brown sugar is either produced after refined white sugar is removed from beets or cane or is the result of mixing refined molasses syrup with white sugar crystals.

As I read this I thought, "Wow! I can make that!" After all, I had the molasses syrup and the white sugar. So, I got those ingredients out and set about making my own by used my best judgment on the amounts that I needed and mixed them together with a fork in a glass bowl.

I was amazed at how fast it started turning into brown sugar. I had used a bit too much molasses so I added a bit more sugar to lighten it. It looked beautiful when it was finished and I was very pleased with myself for having tried it.:)

More info. on brown sugar:

1.Dark brown sugar has a more intense flavor.

2.If brown sugar hardens, store in a closed container with a slice of apple or a moist slice of bread. ( I use the bread)

3.When measuring, firmly pack it into the measuring cup.

Raspberry Bars

I't been about a year since i've posted on here but soon you'll see why maybe.

Mmm...now doesn't that look yummy?

Got myself a little helper too.

My son Gabe absolutely loves to help me in the kitchen.

As a matter of fact, he's the one that gets me in there to bake most of the time now.

Alas though, this was not done from scratch. Did it the easy way i'm afraid. Not too bad tasting though.

So...basically, I rarely bake from scratch anymore. We really don't eat many deserts even. I don't seem to have any desire for baking it seems. Actually any kind of cooking to me seems very non-fun to me. I'm hoping that I'll get back whatever it is I've lost because I do remember a time when I loved to experiment with things in the kitchen and trying something new from time to time. Same thing happened with me with my gardening too. I think that I know the cause of it all but will not embellish on it all here. My son Gabe who helped me with this desert is a big reason why I hope to get back in the kitchen again. He tells me all the time that when he grows up that he is going to be a chef and is going to have his own shop. He has always loved watching cooking shows and such and I think that I really believe that he will become a chef because he sounds so convincing. To be not even 5 years old and to be saying a thing like that tells ya somethin', I think. Heck, I didn't know or even think I had an idea of what I was going to be when I grew up when I was that age. Man, I still don't know.:)

Take care all.

~Salina

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
2 c. grated zucchini
1 tsp vanilla
¾ c. raisins or chopped nuts
3 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon

Beat eggs with fork till light.
Add sugar, beat well.
Stir in oil, vanilla, and zucchini.
Stir in dry ingredients. Add raisins or nuts.
Pour mixture in 2 – 9x5 greased bread pans.
Bake at 325* for one hour or until it tests done.
Let stand about 10 minutes before removing from pans.
Good stuff!

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in buttermilk, then knead dough gently.
Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness.
Cut with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter and place on a lightly greased bakng sheet. ( I just use a spray)
Bake at 450* for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes about 10 biscuits.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Makes 8 servings

Pastry for Two-Crust Pie
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp grated orange peel, if desired
3 cups cut-up rhubarb (1/2 inch pieces) I used frozen rhubarb I froze this summer from my neighbor
3 cups sliced strawberries(I used frozen)
1 Tbls stick margarine or butter

1.Heat oven to 425*. Prepare pastry.

2.Mix sugar, flour and orange peel in large bowl. Stir in rhubarb and strawberries. Turn into pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with margarine. Cover with top pastry that has slits cut in it; seal and flute. Sprinkle with sugar if desired (will give it a more golden color).Cover edge with 2-to 3-inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive brownig (I hadn’t due to running out of foil but luckily it turned out just fine). Remove the foil during last 15 minutes of baking.

3.Bake about 55 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Cool in pie plate on wire rack. This is wonderful served warm.

Pastry For Pies and Tarts

From my well used Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook-Everything You Need to Know to Cook

For a two-crust pie:

2/3 cup plus 2 Tbls. shortening or 2/3 cup lard
2 cups all purpose or unbleached flour
1 tsp salt
4 to 5 Tbls. Cold water

1.Cut shortening into flour and salt, using pastry blender or crisscrossing two knives (I use a fork and then my fingers), until particles the size of coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time (I put in all 5 Tbls. and then add more water from there usually), tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl.
2.Gather pastry into a ball then divide that into two. Shape balls into flattened rounds on lightly floured cloth-covered board (I just use the table or counter without a cloth).
3. Roll pastry into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down pie plate, 9 X 1 ¼ inches, or 3 inches larger than 10- or 11-inch tart pan, with floured cloth-covered rolling pin(I don’t use the cloth unless my dough is particularly sticky).
Fold pastry into fourths ( I just fold mine in half); place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.


Two-Crust Pie

Turn desired filling into pastry-lined pie plate, 9 X 1 ¼ inches. Trim overhanging edge of pastry ½ inch from rim of plate. Roll other round of pastry. Fold into fourths and cut slits so steam can escape.

If you think there is too much fill in this, you are right. :) Make sure there is a good 1 inch from rim of plate. This particular pie bubbled out as it cooked but it still tasted wonderfully!:)

Place pastry over filling and unfold. Trim overhanging edge of top pastry 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal; flute. Or prepare a lattice top (Those take a bit more time but so pretty when done.).
Ingredients for One-Crust Pie:

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbls. shortening or 1/3 cup lard
1 cup all-purpose or unbleached flour
¼ tsp salt
2 to 3 Tbls cold water

Filled Crust: For Pie, trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute. For tart, trim overhanging edge of pastry even with top of tart pan. Fill and bake as directed in pie or tart recipe.

Baked Crust (unfilled): Heat oven to 475*. For pie, trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute. For tart, trim overhanging edge of pastry even with top of tart pan. Prick bottom and side of pastry thoroughly with fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown: cool on wire rack.


Baked Tart Shells (I have never made these but plan to one day)

Prepare pastry as directed above for One-Crust Pie except roll pastry into 13-inch circle. Cut into eight 4 ½ inch circles.

Heat oven to 475*. Fit circles over backs of medium muffin cups, 2 ½ x 1 ¼ inches, or 6-ounce custard cups, making pleats so pastry will fit closely. (If using individual pie pans or tart pans, cut pastry circles 1 inch larger than upside-down pans; fit into pans.) Prick pastry thoroughly with fork to prevent puffing. Place on cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool before removing from cups. Fill each shell with 1/3 to ½ cup of your favorite filling pudding, fresh fruit, or ice cream.



1 Serving(one crust): Calories 140 (Calories from fat 90); Fat 10g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 65 mg; Carbohydrate 12g (Dietary Fiber); Protein 1g

Yummy Chicken Quesadillas

This is a very easy and tasty meal. Definitely a kid pleaser.

You will need:

1 pkg. flour tortillas

1 pkg. shredded cheese about 2 cups ( I like cheddar)

1 lb. cooked chicken breast cut in thin strips

Olive oil or canola oil

A hot sauce of your choice(opt.)

First, heat about a Tbls of olive oil or canola oil in a pan.

Place about a handful of cheese on one side of a tortilla along with a layer of chicken strips. Put another layer of cheese on top of that.

Place in the pan and fold the tortilla in half as pictured.

I like to sprinkle a little bit of hot sauce on it before I fold it.

Let them cook on each side till golden brown. You may have to add more oil in the pan as you go along preparing more.

Walla! There you have it! These are good without the chicken too. Kids really dig that.

We have quite a few different types of hot sauce. My husband loves the stuff. :)