The post Why I LOVE Leftover Mashed Potatoes appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>
Heading into the holiday season, keeping meals simple is a must. Days are busy with class parties, extra crafting projects, special outings, and much more.
I love planning delicious holiday meals, but for the everyday, ordinary meals I like to keep the menu plan quick and easy.
One thing I try to do when preparing for a busy week or season is to make more than what I need so that I can then repurpose it into another meal or two. I double the rice I need so that fried rice can be made quickly later on. Extra chicken can be turned into many different meals.
And making extra mashed potatoes means I can make one of my favorite repurposed leftover dishes– crispy potato cakes.
My mom made them for us when I was a child and they were a favorite back then too. Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, when topped with a little pat of butter, they are so yummy.
Occasionally, I will make crispy potato cakes for a side with dinner, but more often, I like to enjoy potato cakes at breakfast. They pair very well with a fried egg, bacon or ham, and maybe some cheese or greens.
This holiday season, if you have leftover mashed potatoes on hand, try making these crispy potato cakes! They are simple to make and sure to please!
Crispy Potato Cakes:
What you need:
- 2-3 C mashed potatoes
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp butter
What to do:
- 1. Mix together potatoes, egg, garlic powder, and salt in a bowl until well-combined.
- 2. Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Melt 1/2 Tbsp butter in the pan. Form half the potato mixture into small patties and place in hot pan. Cook for 5 minutes on each side until crispy, gently turning the potato cake halfway through cooking.
-
- 3. Repeat step 2 with the remaining potato mixture.
- 4. Serve warm with extra butter, if desired.
-
Do you have any easy meal ideas to use up left over potatoes?
The post Why I LOVE Leftover Mashed Potatoes appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>The post Homemade Apple Cider appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>
Every fall we do the traditional things like go pick pumpkins, ooh and ahh over the leaves, read books about Johnny Appleseed, and (one of my personal favorites) make homemade apple cider.
Sure, it’s easy enough to simply purchase the glass jugs of cider from the grocery store. And we do that too.
But making cider at home is both easy and fun.
Last week one of my closest friends and her four children joined us for a day, no plans in particular other than catching up and enjoying each other’s company.
We all spent the day playing LEGOS, picnicking in the backyard, introducing friends to our mud kitchen, and gathering around the kitchen island to make apple cider. Oh, and talking all day the way you can only do with a kindred spirit.
The kids, ages 8 to 3, all pitched in to make the cider. They washed the apples, cut them into small chunks, and put them in the Vitamix. I added a small amount of water and then blended the apples on high for a minute. After straining the blended mixture to separate the juice from the pulp, the cider was done.
We put it to the kids whether they wanted to enjoy the apple cider chilled or warmed. They unanimously agreed– warm with whipped cream.
Traditions are one of my favorite things about the changing of the seasons. With each new season, there are new memories to be made and old memories to recall together. Even better when the traditions taste great and can be shared with friends!
Homemade Apple Cider in 5 Easy Steps
- Wash the apples. Cut into 1-inch chunks and add to high-powered blender. Add about 1/2 cup of water to help blend.
- Blend the apples on high for about 1 minute, or until all the apples are smooth.
- Set a metal strainer over a large bowl. Drape a tea towel over the strainer and pour in the blended apples. Squeeze and twist the tea towel to separate the juice from the pulp. Save the pulp for “applesauce” to use in muffins or oatmeal.
- Enjoy the apple cider warm with spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc) and fresh whipped cream. Or drink it chilled.
- Keep extra cider in the refrigerator up to a week.
This month, I am writing all about kids in the kitchen on my blog. Helping to inspire and equip you to create habits of health and hospitality in your kids. You can find all the series posts here.
What food traditions do you have in your family?
The post Homemade Apple Cider appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>The post Spiced Pumpkin Pie with Flaky Pastry Crust appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>
Written by Kari @ KariNewsom.com, Contributing Writer
Autumn is officially here! At least in Colorado! We are having beautiful and warm days (high 70’s to low 80’s), but the nights are cool and crisp! Leaves are turning bright yellow, orange and red – and the morning has brought a slight haze these past few days.
Typically I am more of a warm-weather person. I’m all about the sun, flip flops and being outside. That being said, I’m still a Colorado girl at heart. I like to get bundled up in chunky sweaters, wool socks and fur lined shoes. I like jumping in the Jeep with my husband and kids, all bundled up, to drive to the mountains to see the Aspen’s turning. And since we’re Colorado natives, no matter what the weather, you roll the windows down, crank the heat and put those hats on and enjoy the drive!
The other thing I like about autumn is that I start spending more time in the kitchen again, making delicious and yummy smelling foods! A few years ago I wanted to make a pumpkin pie – a pie that I’ve never liked. As in ever. I figured it was because store bought pumpkin pies were not close to one made from scratch, so I wanted to try making one COMPLETELY from scratch to see if I could like a real pumpkin pie!
I have to say, when I took the first bite of this from-scratch creation, I instantly became hooked. This is a tad more involved than other recipes – okay, a lot more involved, so make your special occasions more special by incorporating this into the menu. It is absolutely delicious! If you’re already a pumpkin pie lover – then you MUST try this and add it to your favorite’s list! It’s on ours, which is why we included it in my first cookbook – Real Food. Real Kitchen. So Good!
Spiced Pumpkin Pie with
Flaky Pastry Crust
Yield: 2-3 pies
What you need:
*for the flaky pastry crust
- 3 ¾ cups white spelt flour
- 1 tablespoon cane sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, aluminum-free
- 1 ¾ cup cold real butter
- 2/3 cups ice cold filtered water
- 2 tablespoons full-fat plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
*for the spiced pumpkin pie filling and topping
(this will fill at least 2 pie dishes, depending on the size you make – believe me you’ll be glad you have more than one)
- TOPPING
1/2 cup (1 stick) real butter , at room temperature - 1 cup spelt flour
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- FILLING
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar - 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 4 eggs, from pasture-raised chickens
- 2 egg yolks, from pasture-raised chickens
- 2 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
- 29 ounces pure pumpkin, pureed
- 2 (12oz) cans evaporated milk
What You Do:
FOR THE FLAKY PASTRY CRUST:
- In a VERY large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder and blend well.
- With a pastry blender – or 2 butter knives, cut in the cold butter until you have chunks the size of peas.
- In a measuring glass, mix cold water, yogurt and vinegar together. Add liquid, all at once, to the flour mixture.
- Stir quickly to distribute the liquid BUT DO NOT over mix. The consistency of the dough at this point will be a tad crumbly.
- Allow the dough to rest in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight. When the dough is ready it will break and not stretch.
- Divide into three portions and shape into discs. For the ones you won’t be using right now, wrap in wax paper and store in an freezer safe zip lock bag and place in the freezer for up to one month or in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you do freeze it, thaw it in the fridge overnight – do not leave it out on the counter to thaw out.
- When ready to use, roll out to around 12″ diameter so it will fit right in a 9″ pie dish. Transfer dough to the pie dish and trim the edge so it’s hanging over the edge by 1/2″. Fold over the edge and shape as desired. With a fork, prick the bottom and sides of the crust and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- To “blind bake” the crust, place a piece of parchment paper in the pie dish, on top of the crust and fill with dry beans so it’s weighted down. Place pie crust on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 350F degrees. After 30 minutes, remove the parchment paper and beans and bake for 5 more minutes. Remove from the oven and cool before placing any filling inside.
For Spiced Pumpkin Pie Filling and Topping:
- Preheat oven to 425F degrees.
- Combine all the TOPPING ingredients in a medium size bowl and set aside.
- Combine all the FILLING ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well. Pour this mixture into the cooled down pie crusts.
- Bake pies for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temp to 350F degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the topping on both pies. Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean. If you find the edges begin to burn while finishing the bake time, place foil over the edges to during those last 15 minutes of baking.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- White spelt flour: whole white wheat, whole wheat pastry, unbleached & unenriched white flour
- Cane sugar: coconut sugar, palm sugar
- Full-fat plain yogurt: full-fat sour cream, crème fraiche
- Brown sugar: coconut sugar or cane sugar with 2 tablespoons of molasses added
- Freshly grated ginger: use 1 teaspoon ground ginger if you can’t get fresh ginger
HEALTH MADE EASY:
if using canned pumpkin puree, choose organic | make your own puree using “pie pumpkins”, which is a pretty simple process | since it makes 3 pies, you can either bless someone else with one or freeze them for up to a couple months | the fresh ginger really makes a difference in the taste, I prefer fresh over ground
What is your favorite autumn recipe that makes you smile from ear to ear?
The post Spiced Pumpkin Pie with Flaky Pastry Crust appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>The post Tropical Delight Smoothie appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>
Tropical Delight Smoothie
What you need:
1 banana, sliced (either fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup pineapple, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup ice (this is optional and typically used when the fruit you are using isn’t frozen, if you are using frozen fruit, it usually is plenty cold and you won’t need the ice)
What to do:
What is your family’s favorite smoothie?
The post Tropical Delight Smoothie appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>The post Quick and Easy Homemade Brown Sugar appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>It’s true that too much sugar isn’t good for you, but I’m not likely to completely give up on the occasional sweet treat.
Instead, we focus on limiting sugar in our day to day diets and choosing healthier alternatives to processed desserts.
Making our own treats is healthier and it saves us money to boot. I’ve also found that I can simplify my grocery shopping and save more money by learning to make own of the basics for many treats at home.
Costco (one of my favorite stores!) sells organic sugar in ten pounds bags (a lot, I know, but it lasts a long time and freezes well) which I then use for regular sugar, powdered sugar, and brown sugar when I need it.
Making brown sugar takes about 5 minutes. It really is a super simple process. I’ve made it before in my stand mixer and that works well, but I’ve found I get a better consistency in my Vitamix— and I don’t have to pull out my mixer.
*Note from Rachel: you can also use this same method using xylitol for a sugar free version
Making Brown Sugar in the Vitamix
Add 2 cups of granulated sugar into the Vitamix container. Turn the mixer to a 5-7 speed (about medium-high) or until the sugar starts to move. Slowly drizzle 3 tablespoons* molasses through the opening in the lid. Mix until the sugar takes on a uniform brown color.
IMPORTANT: Use the tamper to make sure the sugar is being evenly distributed throughout the container. Turn off the Vitamix and use a long spatula once during mixing to redistribute the sugar at the bottom of the container.
*You can adjust the amount of molasses you use to make a lighter or darker brown sugar.
One of the best things about learning to make ingredients and staples at home is no longer needing to run to the store for everything when you realize you’ve run out.
Plus, things just usually taste better when they’re homemade!
What is one kitchen staple that you’ve learned to make at home?
The post Quick and Easy Homemade Brown Sugar appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>The post Lemon Meringue Pie for Spring appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>
Around Easter-time, we always look for simplicity, quality family time and enjoying special treats. As a total baking fanatic, I love to bake something delicious that entire family can enjoy.
Lemon Meringue Pie for Spring
There are several lemon meringue recipes available, but my absolute favorite is the one I am sharing with you today.
- 250 ml measuring cup
- 20 ml tablespoon
- 9 inch (23 cm) diameter pie dish
- 1 large egg
- 120 g cold butter (cut in small pieces)
- 70 g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour
- 130 g (3/4 cup and 1 tablespoon) plain flour
- 30 g (1 tablespoon and 3 teaspoons) caster sugar
- 56 g (4 tablespoons and 3 teaspoons) cornflour
- 170 g (3/4 cup) golden caster sugar
- 180 ml (2/3 cup and 2 teaspoons) fresh lemon juice (approximately 3 lemons)
- 230 ml (2/3 cup and 1/4 cup) water
- 60 g butter (cut in small pieces)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3 large egg whites
- 170g (3/4 cup) golden caster sugar
- Put the flours, caster sugar and butter in a food processor. Process until the mix resembles fine fresh breadcrumbs. Add egg and process on medium speed for about 20 seconds, until the mix clumps together.
- Next, form dough into a flattened round. Put it in a freezer bag (or wrap in plastic wrap). Put it into the fridge and refrigerate it for at least an hour (or overnight).
- Combine sugar, cornflour, lemon juice and water in medium saucepan. Use medium-high heat and stir constantly until the mix starts to boil. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring until the mix becomes transparent and smooth. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in both butter and egg yolks. Stir until entire butter has melted and the mix is smooth. Pour filling into a small bowl or container with a cover and put it into the fridge. Keep it in your fridge until it is cold.
- Set the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and roll out pastry on a lightly floured board. Put it into pie plate and gently press into dish. Place a sheet of baking paper on the pastry and fill it with pastry weights. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. Remove weights with baking paper and continue baking for 10-15 minutes. Let the pastry cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
- Place egg whites in a bowl. Use electric mixer on high speed until at soft peak stage. Start adding the sugar gradually on the same time beating well until the sugar has dissolved and the mix is thick. There shouldn’t be any sugar crystals.
- Spoon lemon filling on cooled pastry and spread meringue to cover filling. Form peaks in the meringue with a spoon. Bake it approximately 7-10 minutes.
- Allow the lemon pie to cool to room temperature, cover it and put it to the fridge. Serve it cold for instance with ice cream.
What’s your favorite pie for Spring?
The post Lemon Meringue Pie for Spring appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>The post Protein Packed Nut Butter Bites appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>
Written by Contributing Writer, Kari at Living Strong, Health & Wellness
Snack time!
Personally, I’m not a big “snacker”. I can go meal to meal without needing any extra food to keep me going. Although, having a family, I need to have a plan on hand for our meals and snacks and then I need to make sure they are ready and available to eat!
My kids, on the other hand, seem to need a snack every 30 minutes. I can understand why since they are on the go, non-stop, active kids. This can present a problem when you are wanting to feed your family healthy foods that nourish the body. Unfortunately, the quick and convenient, grab and go processed options you find on the grocery store shelves don’t make the cut for me. It’s hard enough to make sure they have nourishing and healthy lunches everyday – then to add in snacks to mix, that means more creative ideas are needed!
I know it would be easier to go this route, but I’ve spent too many years building a strong foundation of health in my family, this is one area I don’t want to skimp on. This means I need to be creative in the kitchen when it comes to snacks.
I have a long list of snacks that we rely on, but one of our favorites are these Nut Butter Bites! The kids love helping with them as well – which I think makes them even more enjoyable. Kids love helping and being a part of creating the food they eat.
These amazingly healthy bites are a great snack for my active kids and only a couple are needed for them to feel satisfied. Packed with protein from the nut butter, a healthy source of energy from raw honey, good and healthy fat from the coconut and extremely low in sodium – you can ‘t go wrong with these delicious treats! They are more like a dessert than a snack. That’s always a plus!
To top off these already great nut butter bites, roll them in sucanat (unrefined cane sugar), shredded coconut, cocoa powder or mini chocolate chips (we like Enjoy Life! allergen-free brand). Hands down, these are healthier than any overly processed and refined ‘snack’ you can get off a shelf.
Sure, there’s a few minutes of time involved, but isn’t your family worth it? Of course they are!
Along with many other healthy snacks, appetizers, beverages, main dishes and desserts, this recipe can be found in my cookbook, Real Food. Real Kitchen. So Good! I hope you and your family enjoy these as much as we do!
- ½ cup organic natural peanut butter (no added ingredients, just peanuts) or nut butter of choice
- ½ cup organic raw honey
- ½ – 1 cup organic unsweetened coconut, finely shredded
- ⅓ cup organic mini dark chocolate chips, soy-free (we like Enjoy Life! brand, allergen-free)
- sucanat (unrefined sugar) for rolling the bites (other options: you can roll them in coconut, chocolate chips or cocoa powder)
- In a medium size bowl, mix the peanut butter and honey until combined thoroughly.
- Add the chocolate chips. You can add more or less according to your taste (I always add the larger amount).
- Add the coconut in ¼ cup amounts until the consistency reaches a thick, yet semi-sticky state.
- You don’t want it so sticky that you can’t roll it, but you don’t want it so dry that it wont hold together. Find the happy medium.
- Once you are able to roll them and they still have some stickiness to them, roll into balls and then roll in the sucanat.
- Place on wax or parchment paper on a baking sheet or plate.
- Refrigerate for a while so they can harden up a bit, transfer to a glass jar and keep in the fridge.
What is your favorite healthy snack?
The post Protein Packed Nut Butter Bites appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>The post The Best Beef Stew in the Crockpot appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>
Cooking with my daughter Julia is one of my favorite things to do.
She loves helping! I have been slacking on my meal planning lately, but when I am on top of it, she is right there by my side eager to help.
Cooking when it’s easy and tasty is something I always strive to do. This Beef Stew is the best because you just dump the ingredients into the crockpot and later you have a delicious dinner… AND the best part? No huge mess to clean up! 
**I wish I had a photo of the cooked stew but after basketball practice we ate it up so quickly. 
- About 20-25 baby carrots, diced
- 2-3 potatoes, chopped (can use sweet potatoes)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 32 ounces organic beef broth + 10 ounces of more broth or water
- 1-2 pounds of grass-fed stew beef
- 1 C corn
- 2 T ketchup
- 1 t paprika
- 1 T parsley
- 1 t onion powder
- 2-3 cloves of garic, minced
- 1 t apple cider vinegar
- 1 t sea salt
- ¼+ t pepper
- ¼ C *flour (I used arrowroot) for the roux
- 2 T butter- use some in roux & before serving
- optional: 1 C frozen peas (not shown)
- Gather ingredients
- Chop and dice all vegetables
- Turn your crockpot on high heat and add the beef
- Pour in chopped veggies then cover with beef stock
- Scoop in the herbs & seasonings, stir and cover
- Let cook for several hours
- After about 4+ hours, make a roux with some of the butter, mix in with stew
- Before serving add remainder of the butter, stir
- Serve in glass bowls, repeat
What is your favorite soup or stew in the crockpot?
The post The Best Beef Stew in the Crockpot appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>The post Jasmine London Fog Tea appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>
Written by Contributing Writer, Kari @ Living Strong, Health & Wellness
I like hot beverages. Coffee, hot chocolate, hot cider, tea…you name it.
If you’re a tea connoisseur, then you need to try this amazing recipe. Even if you don’t usually like tea, this has such a sweet and delicate taste, you may actually like this. Adding milk to tea is a tradition practiced in many cultures, American culture not being one of the top ones. So, this isn’t a common drink for many people, but it’s definitely one you may wan to add to your list of favorites. Typically London Fog Tea is made with Earl Grey tea and milk, but last summer I tried a different version at our local coffee shop. London Fog with Jasmine tea.
Oh my goodness.
The sweetness this drink has is beautiful. It’s a soft, yet gentle sweet taste and with the raw honey – it gives it that extra pizazz in the taste department.
If you like hot beverages, but don’t like coffee or don’t always want to drink coffee, this is a great alternative. My kids even enjoy this!
It’s simple, easy and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. I use whole milk, but you could use any dairy or dairy sub you prefer. I’m sure they’d all alter the taste a bit, but I only think it would make it more unique. Go ahead and give it a shot. All you need to do is:
Steep that tea.
Add warmed milk.
Add the hot tea.
Then add the raw honey.
Doesn’t it look delicious?
Just three simple ingredients. Go ahead and give it a shot!
- 4 ounces Jasmine tea, hot
- 4 ounces whole milk or dairy subsitute, warmed
- 1-3 teaspoons raw honey
- Prepare a cup of Jasmine tea according to directions on box.
- In a small saucepan, warm 4 ounces of milk or dairy substitute over medium-low.
- Combine the hot tea and warmed milk in a mug.
- Add the raw honey and stir until dissolved.
- Enjoy!
What is your favorite tea?
The post Jasmine London Fog Tea appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>The post Easy Veggie Breakfast Casserole appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>
One thing I love is a healthy, tasty breakfast casserole.
I love them because the are really easy. I like to throw a bunch of things together with some eggs and seasonings and call it breakfast- which usually turns into something delicious, like this recipe.
- 7-8 eggs
- 1 small onion, chopped
- ½ a medium zucchini, chopped
- Couple handfuls of sliced cherry tomatoes
- Couple handfuls of peas
- ½+ C steamed broccoli, chopped
- 1 C milk or half and half
- ¼ t pepper
- 1 t seasoning like Mrs. Dash
- 1 t salt
- ½ t garlic powder
- ½ t onion powder
- ½ to 1 C shredded cheese of your choice, depending on how cheesy you like it
- Gather ingredients, preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Prepare all veggies, sprinkle bottom of a glass dish (8x8 or similar)
- Make egg mixture with eggs, milk and all the seasonings, mix well
- Sprinkle cheese evenly over veggies
- Pour egg mixture and let sit for a few minutes or over night
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until lightly golden on the top
- Take out of the oven and let cool for about 10+ minutes
- Enjoy!
I love to make breakfast casseroles when I go to a breakfast meeting for my co-op or MOPS (when I get the chance to go) or sometimes holiday mornings or just for fun. The other day a friend came over and I made one, it was sooo good so I thought I’d share the recipe.
Feel free to add more or less of the veggies or substitute for the ones you have on hand that you need to use up. I bet veggies like red peppers, spinach or even other squashes would be amazing in this. You can even add some bacon or sausage to add some meat. This recipe is essentially that, a bunch of stuff (whatever you have) with eggs and cheese. Yum!!
What are your favorite breakfasts? Do you like breakfast casseroles?
The post Easy Veggie Breakfast Casserole appeared first on Day2Day Joys.
]]>