Grease Be Gone!

If you haven't noticed by now, I love to bake. But the problem with baking comes down to a few basic problems: wear on yourself, sometimes your wallet and your tools. 

One problem that is common (and my fault for not cleaning properly after baking) is grease build up on pans and cookie sheets. No need to scrub your arm off trying to get that greasy film off, or run out and buy a special cleaner that strips it off. This is my technique that works in a pinch.

All you need is oven cleaner.

Take your greasy pan with stubborn stains that regular hot soapy water just won't get out.

gross!

ewe!

Spray oven cleaner all over the pan targeting specific areas of build up. Pop the pan into a COLD oven and shut the door. Let the bubbles do their magic for 15-45 minutes and then wipe clean with water. 

Leave the pan in longer for harder set grease. 

And Viola!

Next to nearly clean. This pan was after one "session" of cleaning. I need to spray the handles and corners a bit better next time.

But hey, it's soooo much better then what it DID look like, plus it was free! Beautiful.

Peaches and Cream Muffins

Last month the peaches in my parent's orchard ripened and I went a little crazy canning peaches, making peach honey and peaches n' cream ice cream. I also made peach muffins, but I forgot to post it until now when I got a sudden craving for another of these sweet muffins. They are really good and just another reminder that summer is quickly fading fast.

The leaves are already falling in my yard, but I can cling to summer a little bit longer with these yummy beauties.

Peaches n’ Cream Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 large egg
2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup fresh peaches, peeled and chopped

Cream cheese filling:

3/4 c cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Streusel Topping (Cut together until resembles coarse crumbs)
3 tbl flour
3 tbl brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 tbl butter

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin tin well (I don't care what people say, muffins don't have liners on them, cupcakes do!). Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and cinnamon.
3. In a separate bowl, mix oil, egg, milk, and vanilla together.
5. Gently fold in the the wet ingredients into flour mix until just combined, do not over mix.  The batter will be thick. Fold in the peaches.
6. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, lemon zest, sugar, and cinnamon. Mix until creamy and smooth.
7. Fill each muffin cup half way with batter. Next, add a small spoonful of cream cheese filling to each muffin cup. Cover the cream cheese filling with the remaining batter. Sprinkle streusel topping just before baking.
8. Bake muffins for 17-20 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the pan and let cool on a cooling rack.

Makes one dozen muffins.

Grab summer off the tree and make up a sweet morning batch of these beautiful muffins. Enjoy!


Pictures coming soon.

"The MVM" Most Valuable Meal

In our house we eat beef about once a week, not too much but we enjoy it. Mr. Beautiful on the other hand (if he cooked) would live on red meat every day for the rest of his life, and the dinner most requested?

Meatloaf.

Simple, easy to put together, and everyone has a "secret' that makes it just right. I don't know about secrets, but I am very serious about the ingredients that go into my Meatloaf. When learning to make meatloaf, I tried a lot of different recipes and in the end, I made my own meatloaf recipe which combined about 4 different good but not great recipes!

This dinner it is such a hit that (usually the men) my family, once they heard I made meatloaf, are always asking for the leftovers.

This wins the MVM in my book because it is an old stand by, a crowd pleaser, and makes easy leftovers (sandwiches! no additional cooking!) So enjoy, and I hope it's a family favorite in your home too.

Sarah's Meatloaf

2 slices of bread (any kind)
6 c of lean ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 c of chopped dried onion
1 tsp (each) ground sage, dried/fresh basil, oregano
2 tbl dried/fresh parsley
salt to taste
3/4 c milk

Sauce
1/2 c ketchup
4 tbl brown sugar
2 tsp mustard

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Grease a large cookie sheet with raised edges generously. Set aside.
2. Put bread in a bowl and add enough water to soak, let stand for 5 mins then squeeze well to drain all the water out.
3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, leaving eggs last. Work together with hands to evenly distribute herbs and onion.
4. Shape into 8 small loaves or like in my house a "meatloaf man" and place on cookie sheet.
5. Bake 1 1/2 hours, drain off fat. Meanwhile combine ketchup, mustard and sugar for sauce, spread over meat after fat is drained.
6. Return meatloaf to bake another 10 mins, drain off any remaining fat.
7. Let stand 10 mins before serving.