Homemade Oven Cleaner

I really liked this post- you can see the results from 8 different natural oven cleaners!! Thanks Bren!

Oven Cleaner #5 (Winner!)

Ingredients: Baking soda (3 tablespoons), water (1.5 tablespoons)

Directions: Stir together baking soda and water. Apply to oven, let sit for 20 minutes, wipe clean.

Oven Cleaner #7 (Runner up! My favorite all-purpose cleaner)

Ingredients: Baking soda (3 tablespoons), hydrogen peroxide (1 tablespoon), dishwashing soap (1 tablespoon)

Directions: Stir together baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap. Apply to oven, let sit for 20 minutes, wipe clean.

Why this combo works:

• Baking soda is a mildly abrasive cleaner that absorbs grease and is good for scrubbing. It helps to break up and remove the dirt that is stuck to the oven surface without causing damage.
• Water softens the grime and baked on food particles so they can be easily wiped away.

Go to https://brendid.com/worlds-best-oven-cleaner-8-homemade-natural-oven-cleaners-tested/ to see all of the information

Oven Baked Omelets

Oven Baked Omelets

Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped ham, bacon, or sausage, chopped
8 eggs
1/2 tsp oil
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

Directions

Cook first 3 ingredients on stove in oil until lightly browned and meat is cooked through. Divide into 12 muffin cups to cool. Combine eggs, oil, and baking powder with wire whisk. Sprinkle cheese over onions/ham. Pour egg mixture into each muffin cup. Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes. You can freeze these then reheat in microwave.

I made my variation for my new way of eating this way: hold meat and cheese until the very end. Use avocado or grape seed oil.

Pour 6 without meat or cheese into muffin pans (you can see mine at the bottom of pan one). Then add the meat and cheese, mix and place the other 18 in the open muffin pan areas.

So easy!!

Almond Triangles (full of butter and sugar)

Gather the ingredients.  

2# butter (yes - 8 cubes)

1/2 c + 1/4 c granulated white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp almond extract 

1 egg

2 1/4 c flour

1/3 c honey

1 c brown sugar 

1/4 c heavy whipping cream

1# (5.25 c) sliced almonds 

Foil

Measure out the heavy whipping cream. Keep that and the eggs in the fridge. 

Leaving everything else out and putting things away one at a time as you use it helps me remember where I am.

I get interrupted in the middle of baking projects often. And this is a three step creation. 

Cover a 15x10 pan (the base of the broiler pan works well) with foil. 

Beat 2 c butter and 1/2 c sugar.

Then add 1 egg, 1/2 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp almond extract.

Mix until well blended.

Add 2 1/4 c flour. Mix well.

The dough will look somewhere between very creamy shortbread and sugar cookies. 

Spread the dough starting with 2/3 of it on the line. Be aware of where it is hidden underneath the dough. You don't want to pull the foil up in any way. 

Spread it evenly and up the sides; be sure that the corners are squarish or that peice of your almond triangles will be mainly shortbread. 
Now refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 F. Prick shortbread crust and Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile.....you'll take 18-20 min to do the honey almond sauce. And both need to be done at the same time. 

Place these ingredients directly into a 2 qt saucepan:

2 c butter, 1/3 c honey, 1 c brown sugar,  1/4 c white granulated sugar. 

Cook on low heat, stiring occasionally until it boils.  

Spoiler alert: 
You'll be placing the hot honey almond sauce onto the hot crust and bake an additional 15 minutes together. 

Prick the dough and get it in after about 8 minutes of sauce on stove. 

Bake for 10 min at 375 F.

Let it boil without stiring for 3 minutes.

Turn off the burner and add 1/4 c heavy whipping cream and 1# sliced almonds. Stir completely. 

As soon as the bottom crust layer is done, pour the hot honey almond sauce onto the hot crust and spread evenly. 

Continue baking for an additional 15 minutes. Cool at least 1 hour. 

Cut into small triangles. Enjoying one a day will be enough. These are rich!!

Layered Bean Dip

To make your own avocado dip: Thaw 10 oz frozen diced avocado. 2 min on power 5 three times. Stiring between each. Avocado may be warm. 

Place avocado in a food processor with picante and spices. First add 1/2 c picante, then add 1/4 tsp chili powder; 1/2 tsp of each: garlic powder, cumin, onion powder and salt. 

Blend. 

Add more garlic or cumin to taste. Set aside.

Chop lettuce. Place 1/2 of it in large glass bowl with lid. You'll be serving it in this. 

Mix refried beans and picante sauce. Add 1 tsp garlic powder for an extra zing.

Drain tomatoes. Set aside.

Measure the sour cream in the same 2 c measuring cup (rinsed) you used for the picante.

Measure the cheese as you use it. 

Let's build this dip!

You already have the lettuce. 

Place 1/2 of each on the lettuce in this order:  refried beans, sour cream, cheese

Repeat. Lettuce, beans, sour cream, cheese. Then place the avocado dip and green onions on the top.

Right before serving, add the tomatoes and sliced olives on the top.

Easy Herb Roasted Turkey

Fall off the bones tastiness!

Wash turkey. Pat dry. Place breast side up in a large roasting pan. 

Wash hands thoroughly.

Mix baste. Set aside.

Stuff 12 lb turkey w bottom 2/3rds (white portion) of 3 leeks. 

Set aside green portion for scalloped potatoes. 

Make a turkey tent (2 pieces folded w a seam in center). Measure 2 c of water into your basting measuring cup. Pour some in so that 1/3 of the pan has water (you may need 1-1 1/2).

 Then place the foil around the turkey, tucking the wings in. Shiny side of foil must be inside (touching the meat).

Place in preheated oven. 

Bake 3 - 3 1/2 hours.

Check after 1 1/2 hours to see if it needs more water. 

It's best to have a second person w oven mitts there to hold the rack stable. Pull out the rack w the turkey on it.  Untuck one corner and look at water level. Use the rest of the water (1/2 c) if needed, or even more. Fill so that about one-third of pan has water again. 

Tuck that foil corner back nicely to keep in the moisture. 

This will keep your turkey moist and give you some base for gravy.

Slide the rack back in and close the oven. 

Continue baking for another 1 1/2 hours. 

Pull entire turkey out of the oven. Peel tent off in one piece and set aside. Be careful -foil is hot. Check the temperature. Try to plunge your meat thermometer between the wing and the breast stabbing it sideways into the deepest part of the bird. 

It should be 180 F. 

If not...place tent back on and bake longer. After 30 minutes repeat process. 

If it is at least that warm, put the tent back on loosely and let the turkey cool on the top of the oven. Turn off oven. 

Now for the gravy...

Psych - next post......

Harvard Beets

Harvard Beets - adapted:

1 lb chopped beets and stems

1T tapioca starch

1/2 tsp salt, pepper

1/4 c apple cider vinegar

Chop up beets - stalks and all. Be sure to chop off any roots and tops, leaving the best for the pot. 

I had chopped up the stalks two weeks ago, so took out the darker ones to toss. 

Place into warm, almost boiling water. Cover. And keep the stove at 8.

Once it boils, turn down the stove to 4 and uncover.

You've got to watch it or it will overflow and that would be awful. Beets stain. Everything. Pink.

Cook an additional 5 minutes. On 4.

Drain. Catch the beet juice if you'd like. Place 1/2 c beet juice in pan with cooked beets.  Cool and add to smoothies. 

Place the drained beets back into the pan. Mix sauce in a small bowl. Blend well. Then pour on beets in pan.

1T tapioca starch

1/2 tsp ea: salt, pepper

1/4 c vinegar (4 T)

2 drops liquid monkfruit 

Cook on 4, stiring constantly. It will thicken and stick to the beets within about 4 minutes. 

Harvest Tomato Soup

Homemade tomato soup is the perfect comfort food.
with or without heavy whipping cream

Cut and cook green onions in small pan with 2 T butter. 

Place all ingredients (including the cooked green onion) in the Instant Pot. Cook for 3 minutes on high. 

Use an immersion blender to mix well. Pour into bowls and enjoy!

Truffle-Os

Imperfect but tasty! I didn't get any chocolate dipping skills from my grandmother. 

When I had these for the first time, it was on a Christmas treat plate from a neighbor. I had to get the recipe. And then I found out how easy it is. Wow!

Truffle - Os

1 pkg Oreo Cookies

1 - 8 oz cream cheese

2 c chocolate chips

Use food processor to blend cookies until they're all crumbs. Mix crumbs thoroughly with softened cream cheese. Roll dough-like mixture into balls. Freeze for at least 20 minutes. 

Melt chocolate chips in microwave for 2 minutes on 30%. Stir until smooth. Heat at 50% for another 30 seconds if needed. Rolls balls in chocolate and return to freezer. Makes 30. 

Andes Baking chips are great for dipping. You can use any kind of chips for dipping.

Another version w more specific instructions per step: