Soda Crackers (like Grandma used to make)

Posted by JBic01 at recipegoldmine.com 8/1/02 10:05:27 am

4 cups flour
1 cup butter (or margarine)
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Work the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or fork. Next, stir the vinegar, baking soda, and salt into the milk, and add this to the butter-flour mixture.

Form the dough into a ball. Roll out very thin. Lightly score the dough in the size of the cracker you desire. (I’ve come up with an easy way to do this. I roll out the dough directly onto a flat baking sheet. Next, placing a ruler on the dough, I perforate the dough along the side of the ruler with a fork. Sometimes I make squares, sometimes diamonds. I think you could cut out the crackers with cookie cutters for special occasions, but you will have a lot of waste unless you gather up the fragments and re-roll and re-cut them.)

Now bake the crackers at 375 degrees F for about 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp. The crackers should not get too brown, just a sprinkling of brown on top.

Mock Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

Posted by FootsieBear at recipegoldmine.com May 9, 2001

For use when a recipe calls for condensed cream of mushroom soup.

1 (6 ounce) can or jar sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup skim milk*
1 tablespoon nonfat "butter" granules
Black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Drain the liquid from the mushrooms into a measuring cup and add water, if needed to bring the total liquid to 1/2 cup. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add flour and bay leaf, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Gradually add mushroom liquid, milk, butter granules and pepper, stirring constantly until mixture thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf.

Pour into a blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Add mushrooms and garlic powder, blend until pureed.

* This is a low fat recipe. For a creamier version, I would not hesitate to use whole milk and 1 tablespoon of real butter or margarine.

Servings: 4

Mock Condensed Cream of Celery Soup

Posted by FootsieBear at recipegoldmine.com May 9, 2001

When a recipe calls for canned cream of celery soup, use this instead.

3/4 cup chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/3 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon nonfat "butter" granules
Black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)

In a small saucepan, heat stock, bay leaf and celery uncovered, over medium high heat until liquid simmers. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until celery is tender. Remove from heat. Remove celery from stock and set aside.

In another small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat, add flour, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Gradually add the stock with bay leaf, milk, butter granules and pepper, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. About 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf.

Pour mixture into blender or food processor, blend till smooth. Add celery, garlic powder and salt. Blend until celery is pureed.

*This is a low fat recipe, for a creamier version, I would not hesitate to use whole milk and 1 tablespoon of real butter or margarine.

Servings: 4

Yogurt

Posted by Tiffany at recipegoldmine.com 1/10/2002 9:11 am

For just over $3.00 for a gallon of milk and a container of yogurt, you get 16 cups with this recipe so it is definitely more cost effective if there are yogurt eaters in the family. Along with preserves as a flavoring agent, you can use canned fruit, pureed or not, with or without the syrup, or thawed frozen fruit, fresh fruit, even some of the canned pie filling.

1 gallon milk
1 cup real yogurt (must contain live cultures for use as
    a starter), either homemade or store-bought.

In large pot, boil milk until the froth rises almost to the top of the pot, then remove from heat. Let it cool until it is almost body temperature. (You’ll know it’s ready when you can close your eyes, put your finger in the milk and you can’t tell that it is in the milk because there’s no dramatic difference in temperature between room and milk.)

Once cooled, add 1 cup yogurt to the milk. Mix well, then cover pot and wrap it in a blanket or heavy towel. Put it in the corner of the room (or somewhere it will stay warm and out of the way) for about 6 hours. (If you want a more tart flavor, leave it wrapped for 8 or 9 hours. For a sweeter, softer style, leave it out only about 4 hours.) Then refrigerate for 10 hours.

Always keep 1 cup of your previous batch for use as a starter for a new batch. Makes 16 cups.

NOTE: For low-fat yogurt, start with low-fat milk.

Whipped Topping Substitute

This tried-and-true recipe results in a fluffy topping that isn’t loaded with fat.

1/3 cup Carnation Instant Nonfat Dry Milk
1/3 cup ice cold water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chill bowl and beaters of electric mixer in freezer for 15 minutes.

In chilled mixing bowl, combine powdered milk, ice water, sugar. lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until peaks form.

Serves 4.

Popsicles with Variations

Posted by bettyboop50 at recipegoldmine.com April 29, 2001

1 package any flavor Kool-Aid
1 package Jell-O
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup hot water
3/4 cup cold water

Mix dry ingredients together. Measure approximately 6 tablespoons dry ingredients into a mixing bowl – add hot water and cold water. Pour into Popsicle moulds and freeze.

Remaining dry ingredients may be stored in airtight container to make more Popsicles at a later date.

POPSICLE VARIATIONS

Dripless Popsicles
In large mix and store bowl combine: 1 package Jell-O, 1 package Kool-aid, 1 cup sugar, 2 cups hot water. Add 2 cups cold water. Mix well, pour into popsicle containers and freeze. Makes 20 Popsicles.

Butterscotch-sicles
In large mix and store bowl combine: 1 package butterscotch instant pudding, 1 cup root beer. Add 1 1/2 cups water. Mix well, pour into Popsicle containers and freeze.

Jell-O Popsicles
In large mix and store bowl combine, 1 package Jell-O, 1 cup hot water. Add 1 1/2 cups water mix well, pour into Popsicle containers and freeze.

Lemon Popsicles
In large mix and store bowl, combine 1 package lemon instant pudding, 1 cup hot water. Add, 1 1/2 cups cold water. Mix well, pour into popsicle containers and freeze.

Fudgesicles
In large mix and store bowl, combine 1 package instant chocolate pudding, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup cream, 2 cups milk. Mix well, pour into popsicle containers and freeze.

Strawberry-sicles
In large mix and store bowl, combine 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, 8 ounces plain yogurt, 1/2 cup sugar. Mix well, pour into popsicle containers and freeze.

Orange-sicles
In large mix and store bowl, combine 2 cups plain yogurt, 6 ounce can frozen orange juice, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix well, pour into popsicle containers and freeze.

Chocolate Powdered Sugar

Posted by FootsieBear at recipegoldmine.com April 30, 2001

2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa

In a small bowl stir together powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa.

NOTE: Chocolate Powdered Sugar is quite light in color. Dark chocolate cookies show it off best.