Works For Me Wednesday

So since I did last weeks works for me Wednesday on a way to make meals for small numbers, I will share another tip.

I like to make casseroles, but they are always so big, and now that it just Matt and me eating it we always end up throwing some away. I can only eat the same thing so much.

So tonight, I wanted to make Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole, but I don't have my brother to eat the rest of it. I only cooked half the chicken needed, and then made the whole amount of the sauce, but only put half on , and froze the other half. I only used half the topping too. I used the small pyrex pan not the 9 by 13.

Now next time we want to make it, I already have it half made! YAY. Now I really could have been on the ball and cooked double the chicken and cut it up and put it in the freezer too. But I wanted to save the chicken we have left for other things.

 

Just the right size. There was one serving left over (LUNCH!)

(yes, i forgot to take a pic of the small casserole finished. OOPS I was hungry!)

*** I need help - I can't figure out how to put a video on my posts. The toolbar has an insert picture option but not a video. Is there something I am missing? You can email me at wannabebakerblog (at) gmail (dot) com or leave it in the comments if you have tips! Thanks so so much!***

Ice Cream Maker

The twins I nanny for gave me the KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker for Christmas. This made my day (and Matt's too) They gave it to me Christmas eve, I washed it and put it in the freezer that night. Sunday after Christmas we made our first batch of ice cream.

I researched on Allrecipes.com for ice cream recipes. There are 2 types of ice cream recipes - ones that use eggs and ones that don't. The thought of making ice cream with 8 egg yolks grossed me out. Plus I wanted something simple.

So 3 Sundays in a row we made ice cream, chocolate twice and then vanilla. The 2nd chocolate was the best, so I will share that one and then I will share the vanilla (which tasted like McDonalds soft serve)

Chocolate Ice Cream:

[Printable Recipe]
Ingredients:
2 c. heavy whipping cream
2 c. half and half
a little less than 1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/2 tbsp vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Mix all ingredients well, then pour into icecream maker while dasher is spinning. Let run for 30-40 mins (or until you hear the dasher clicking)

 

 

 

Right out of the ice cream maker

 

After a day or 2 in the freezer.

Vanilla

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:
3c. Heavy whipping cream
1 c. half and half
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp vanilla

Directions
Mix all ingredients well, then pour into icecream maker, while dasher is spinning, Let run for 30-40 mins (or until you hear the dasher clicking.


This was so yummy, the first time around with the chocolate we used only 1/4 c. cocoa and more vanilla, it wasn't chocolaty enough for me. So I doubled the amt of chocolate and took away some vanilla.

When it first comes out of the ice cream maker, it is the consistency of a Wendy's Blizzard (the first run tasted almost exactly like it) I put it in bowl and let them firm in the freezer. Matt likes to eat the icecream with the leftover candy mixed in.

**As I sat down to write this post Matt declared that he wanted to make strawberry ice cream, so I found a recipe for him and off to the store he went to get the stuff we need. I will post that recipe another time if it is good. I am going to take a video of it with my new flip and attempt to put my first video on my blog!

Works For Me Wednesday -Personal Pasta Sauce

Every week Kristen at We are That Family hosts a blog carnival where everyone links up their blog posts with tips and tricks that work for them.

My tip tonight is a simple one. But it really works for me.

Matt loves pasta, but he loves it with just butter and parmesan cheese. I prefer a little meat sauce on mine. Making a whole jar and a whole pound of meat usually ends up going to waste. Then I got smart.

I make the whole jar (I use jar sauce and add seasonings to it), brown a pound of meat, mix them. Then I put 1 serving worth in a freezer bag then stack them up in the freezer. I typically can get 4 or 5 out of it. Then we want to have pasta I can just defrost my sauce, heat it in a little pot and I have dinner without waste! Score!

This works for me! You can go to over to We are THAT Family and see what else works for others.

Also, check out the confession I made on my other blog (yes, I have another blog, it is a baby, here is why I started it)

The last of the Holiday goodies

The last thing I made was chocolate dipped pretzels. I love these, last year I made chocolate and chocolate/peanut butter, but this year I just made chocolate.

These are super simple.
Chocolate Dipped Pretzel

[Printable Recipe]
Ingredients:
Chocolate Flavored Almond Bark
Pretzel Rods
sprinkles or icing

Directions:
Melt chocolate

 

Dip Pretzels in chocolate

Decorate with sprinkles or icing.

After I made everything I bagged up the goodies and put them in baskets to give as gifts, everything else went in tins to be taken to Christmas.

 

My mixer took a beating and got SUPER dirty - I really think I should rename my blog- Confessions of a MESSY baker :-D

Cocoa Blocks

These chocolate blocks are so yummy and make great gifts. I gave them away with little mugs. If you stir them in hot milk it makes a really good creamy hot chocolate. You can also just nibble on them for a rich fudge taste.

I got this recipe from King Arthur Flour
[Printable Recipe]
Ingredients
1/2 c. heavy cream
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
3 c. milk chocolate chips
3/4 c semisweet baking chocolate
wooden sticks ( I used Wilton lollipop sticks from Michaels)

Directions:
Line a 8 x 8 pan with parchment or foil

Heat cream and condensed milk over low heat until steaming.

Remove from heat and add chocolate and allow to gently melt.

 

Return to low heat after 10 mins or so and completely melt the chocolate. Whisk until it is thick and shiny. (add flavoring if desired - coffee of hazelnut would be good)

Pour the chocolate mixture unto the pan, shake gently to level. Sprinkle with cocoa. Set aside overnight

 

Lift parchment or foil out of pan and slice unto 1 -1 1/4 inch cubes. Dipping knife into hot water and cleaning off after each cut will help.

Stick a wooden stick into the center and wrap with parchment paper.

I put these in a little decorative baggie, and put them in a basket with a mug. It was a great gift!!

I think I will be making myself some of these soon to get me through the rest of the freezing winter season.