Strawberry Fruit Bread

I have a question to ask of my readers today! How many cookbooks do you own? How many cookbooks do you actually use? I have received a lot of cookbooks over the years as gifts or cookbooks I actually wanted and use on a regular basis. I love to cook and make homemade recipes, that’s why I give you recipes that I like and I think you would like to make and eat.

Today I want to talk out specialty cookbooks. These cookbooks you can’t buy in a store. I am talking about church cookbooks. These cookbooks have some really different and unique recipes to try. These cookbooks remind me of recipes from my Grandmother. It is really fun finding a unique recipe that the whole family can enjoy. So today I am going to give you a church book recipe I found and am making as I write this blog for you

What You Need

1 loaf pan                                                              1 large bowl for mixing and one small bowl

Non-stick spray                                                    Spatula

                                              Strawberry Tea Loaf

 1 ¾ Cup Flour                                                     2 Eggs

1 Cup Sugar                                                        ½ Cup Vegetable oil

1 teaspoon Baking Soda                                   1 10 to 12 oz. frozen strawberries thawed or fresh

¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. Beat eggs and oil in a large bowl, add finely chopped strawberries. Beat until strawberries are broken up. Add flour mixture and blend well. Pour into greased and floured 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan. Bake 1 hour or until you place a toothpick in and it comes out clean. 

    

If you like strawberries this bread is a nice sweet treat. If you do not want strawberries I am sure you could substitute them with raspberries, blueberries, cherries or any other berry you would like to use.

 My point today is to try those church cookbooks, they might surprise you. Some of these recipes you probably would never find anywhere else. Like I said I have a lot of different cookbooks but I only use a few over and over again. I have the ones for tried and true recipes and the church cookbooks for something different and unique. I hope you enjoy this recipe from Suzie Homemaker.

Savings for Kids

I have a question to ask you today, how many of you have grandchildren or are Godparents? Both my husband and I are Godparents to a couple of children. Here’s the hard part, what to give them at Christmas and Birthdays. How many of you just give a gift or money for these holidays? Money is always nice and gifts usually just get used for a very short time then sometimes thrown away. To me, there has to be a better idea for gifts for your grandchildren and godchild. Today I would like to give you some ideas on different and better gift ideas that will last and be a much better benefit for the children.

1.       Start a savings account for them. Make this accounted locked until a specified year. If you lock the account till they are 18 or 21 they can then use it for school expenses, apartment, car or anything they need. Locking the account till a certain date means the money you put in each year for birthdays and holidays will grow to a nice amount of money when they turn the appropriate age. This way the child can watch it grow.

2.       Give your grandchild or godchild shares in a stock, adding shares each year Pick a good growth stock and again make them hold onto it until they are 18 or 21. This way the stock will grow over the years and they can watch it. When they are old enough they can decide if they want to cash it in or let it continue to grow.

3.       Start a CD account for them. Add a certain amount each year for their birthday or holidays. Again pick a date when they can take their money out. This can turn into a nice little nest egg for them if they keep it in the account.

With our own children, we started a savings account when they were born. We put a certain amount in each year and told them they could not touch it until they were 19. They could then use it for school, car, or anything that they needed or just keep it there.  Making them wait for the money showed them the value of saving and how much more they could earn by keeping it in the bank and waiting for when they really need the money.

For our Godchildren and our own children, we also bought shares in a stock each year for them. Picking out a good stock that will have good growth was important because they would be holding onto it for at least 18 years. Adding 1 share each year brought them up to a nice number of shares by the time they turned 18. Then they could decide if they wanted to cash them in or continue adding or letting it grow more.

When I was growing up I always received a gift from my Godparents. This gift would maybe last a few months to a year depending on the gift. Wouldn’t it be nice if they would have given something that could have grown into something more? Yes, gifts are nice but giving them something like a stock, CD, Savings account can give them so much more in the long run. Yes, they have to wait but isn’t the wait worth it in the long run.

I know this a personal choice you have to make yourself. But I thought I would give you some ways we like to gift the ones we are responsible for and hold dear to our hearts from Suzie Homemaker.

Edible Valentines Game

Valentine’s Day is almost here, do you have a snack made for your children or grandchildren yet? How many of you go out and buy your treats for Valentine’s Day? This can get really expensive fast. I decided to try something different this year for the kids for a treat for school. This would be great for children from preschool through High school. Kids like sweets at this time so I decided to use my mother’s cut out cookie recipe and make this Valentine’s treat a game.

What you Need

Cut out cookie recipe                                          Candy Hearts (small or large)

Frosting                                                                  Colored Icing

Cut out Cookie Recipe

½ Cup Butter                                                      1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla

½ Cup Shortening                                               3 ½ Cups Flour

1 Cup Sugar                                                        1 teaspoon Baking Soda

3 Eggs                                                                 2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar

Cream together butter, shortening, and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Gradually add baking soda, cream of tartar and flour to creamed mixture and mix well. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours. Roll out onto a floured surface. Cut out your squares or cookies. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

1.       After your cookie recipe has been cooled, roll out your cookie dough on a floured surface.

2.       Next, find something that is square to use as your cut out. I used a square Tupperware dish for my cut out.

3.       Cut as many as you think you will need. I did one for an example and used the rest of my dough for cut out heart cookies.

4.     

  After the cookies are cooled off (about 30 minutes) I frosted my square cookie white.

5.     

  Let the white frosting dry and then take you red icing and make a Tic Tac Toe board.

6.      

After the icing is dried take your Candy hearts (large or small) and pick the colors you want for each player.

7.      

Now you can play your Tic Tac Toe game and eat your cookie later.

Now your children or grandchildren can have a fun game to play at the school that is edible. I hope everybody likes my Edible Valentine’s Game from Suzie Homemaker.

Happy Valentine’s Day Everybody.

Warm Hearts

February is here and it is time to start thinking about Valentines Day.  Do you know what you are going to give your husband, wife, boyfriend or girlfriend yet?  Valentines Day can get really expensive with the roses being overpriced and the candy really expensive. Even cards are overpriced. The stores know when they got you for this holiday. I started thinking about Valentine's day a couple of weeks ago and decided I was going to make something from the heart this year. This project is easy to make and inexpensive.  This project anybody can make and can be given to anybody you like.

What you will need

Any type of material or felt of any color                                        Scissors

Sewing machine or sew by hand                                                     a pattern of a heart

Rice

1.       First, pick out any material color you would like to use to make your heart.  If you like try some colored felt, this works great also.

2.       Next cut out a pattern shaped like a heart. I made mine smaller just for an example. If you have a heart size cookie cutter this works well too. Just trace around your heart with a pen or marker.

3.     

  Cut out your heart in any size you like.

4.       This is optional. I cut out a little square piece of material for a little pocket. This is where I am going to stick my little letter to my husband.

5.     

  With your heart shaped material inside out start sewing up the sides by hand or sewing machine leaving the bottom open.

6.    

 

  Start in siding out your heart pressing all the way to the seams.

7.     

  With a funnel pour your rice inside till it fills the heart.

8.      

Sew the ends shut by hand.

9.       Place your heart in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds to heat up the rice.

10. 

  Now you have a warm heart to place next to your heart.

Now you can think of a nice little saying to put either on your heart or in the little pocket with a little note. These hearts can be given to anybody you like. This is such an easy project to make for kids to adults of any age. Most people have scrape material around the house. If you want to get a more fancy look, look for some scrap material in red, white, or pink. Making these hearts cost pennies to make.

You could even right on them and say yours, mine, husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, or any other saying you would like. I plan on making a bigger one of these hearts and placing a nice little love letter in mine for my husband after I make him a nice supper at home.

You don’t have to buy the expensive flowers or candy on Valentines Day to show your love for someone. Be creative and say I love you by saving a little money this Valentines Day from Suzie Homemaker.