baby wipes

*i know this isn't a food recipe, but it is a money saving recipe! average savings is about $175 a year! my friends have used this recipe too, and they work better than any store ones because they are the most tender, if you want other recipes take a look at this address:

www.naturalbirthandbabycare.com/homemade-baby-wipes-recipes.html these have lavendar, aloe olive oil, or baby oil in them. this is just the basic recipe for half the roll.

1 roll sturdy paper towels cardboard middle removed, ("viva" work well, i wouldn't use the really cheep kind, they might desinigrate. cut roll in half through the middle width wise, and i prefer to tare each towel apart)

3 c. water

1 tablespoon baby bath wash

1 tablespoon baby lotion

1 gallon size ziplock bag

Mix water, baby wash and lotion together (you may need to heat water and wisk in lotion).

Place paper towels in plastic bag, dump in mixture and let absorb.

some say to do this all in a bucket, but like to do it in the zip lock bag, it eliminates clean up and more steps.

if you don't tare them apart, take out the cardboard roll, and place the roll in the bag first and then pour the mixture over the roll. this helps it soak in all the layers.

everyone that has tried these says it is super easy, and prefer them to any store bought, and their kids don't get as many problems.

Rice Pilaf

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup uncooked rice
1/4 cup minced onions
1/3 cup minced celery
3 cups hot chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 cup slivered almonds (toasted)

Melt butter in hot fry pan. Add rice, onion, and celery. Stir and cook until slightly brown. Add chicken broth; cover and simmer on low heat until moisture has been absorbed and rice is tender (about 25-30 minutes). Add parsley and almonds just before serving. Toss lightly.

Cooked Beans

If a recipe calls for cooked beans, don’t pull out your can opener, pull out your crock pot. To get 2 cups of beans (the same as a 15 oz. can) put 1 cup well-rinsed beans in 6 cups water and add 1 teaspoon baking soda (it’s alkaline—like meat—so it softens beans). Just before you go to bed, turn your crock pot on low and let them cook all night! In the morning you have cooked beans!

If you don’t have all night, quick soak the beans by bringing them to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them soak for 1 hour. Then resume cooking.

Long soaking has the beans in cold water overnight (to increase size.)

To cook soaked beans drain the soaked beans, add fresh liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until beans are tender. This will take 1 to 2 hours depending on the type of bean and their age. When the beans are tender add salt to taste. After the beans are cooked is the time to add tomatoes, lemon juice, vinegar, etc. These are all acid foods which hardens beans and should be added after the beans are cooked!

Fresh beans cook quicker, but even old beans will get soft! To cook old hard beans wash and sort to remove any discolored beans. Add 2 ½ cups hot tap water and 2 teaspoons baking soda and soak overnight. Drain and rinse two times, then add water to cover and cook until tender and soft, about two hours, adding more water if needed.

Adding a tablespoon of oil will cut down on foam as beans cook.

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups oats
1 (12 oz.) package chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar. Mix eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Add oats, mix well. Set aside.

Mix together chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, butter, and salt in saucepan. Melt on low heat until smooth. Take off heat. Add vanilla.

Spread half oatmeal mixture in 9x13-inch greased pan. Pour fudge mixture on top. Spread other half of oatmeal on top. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

Apricot Spice Cake

I used a quart of bottled apricots, drained some of the liquid, then put the rest in the blender. A tasty way to use food storage.
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups apricots plus juice (or thick apricot puree)
2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred and measured
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons soda
1 tablespoon hot water
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Generously grease 9x13-inch baking pan. In large mixing bowl combine eggs, sugar, salt, and oil; beat well. Stir in apricots or apricot puree. Add flour, spices, and soda mixed with hot water. Stir in nuts. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool. Frost, if desired, with Cream Cheese Frosting.

GLAZE:
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
2 tablespoons apricot puree (or more)
1/2 cup powdered sugar (or more)
1/2 teaspoon orange extract

Mix above ingredients together. If too thick, add more liquid, if too runny, add more powdered sugar. Pour over warm cake. (I poked holes in the cake with a fork before I drizzled on the glaze.)

Oven-Fried Potatoes

I usually half this recipe.

12 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Place potatoes in two large resealable plastic bags. Combine the Parmesan cheese and seasonings; add to potatoes and shake to coat. Pour oil into two 15x10x1-inch baking pans, pour potatoes into pans. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F. for 40 to 50 minutes or until tender. Yield; 12-14 servings.

Apple Cinnamon Bread

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. In large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and oil until blended. Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; mix until well combined. Stir in apples and nuts. Spread batter in pan and bake 65 to 70 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream if desired. Serves 12.

Gingerbread Waffles

Found this recipe that sounded good (and different.) Haven't tried it yet, but hope to try it soon.

3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, eyeball it
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter, plus some to butter the iron
Syrup, whipped cream or fresh fruits for topping, to pass at table

Preheat waffle iron.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in pumpkin, milk, molasses and melted butter. Stir the wet into dry until just moist. Do not over stir the waffle batter. Brush the iron with a little melted butter and cook 4 waffles, 4 sections each. Serve with toppings of choice.

Garlic Chicken & Potatoes

8 chicken thighs
2-3 potatoes cut into cubes
garlic salt
Italian Seasoning
parsley
paprika (optional)
pepper
1 cube butter

Lay chicken and potatoes in large baking dish. Melt butter and pour over chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle seasonings (heavily) over the top and bake at 375 degrees for about 1 hour or until the potatoes are done and the skin of the chicken is crispy. Baste every 15 minutes (optional).

Creamy Lemon Squares

1 (14 oz) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1-2 Tbsp. lemon peel (depending upon how lemony you want the squares)
1/4 cup FRESH lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
3/4 cup butter (not margarine)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Grease 13x9x2 pan. Mix first three ingredients, reserve. Mix remaining ingredients, except the coconut, in a separate bowl until crumbly; reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture. Press remaining mix firmly in the pan. Spoon milk mixture over the top. Mix coconut with the reserved flour mix and sprinkle it over the milk mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes (or until light golden brown).

Orange Brownies

Found this recipe on deseretnews.com.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4 eggs
2 teaspoons pure orange extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan and set aside. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt. Add butter, eggs, orange extract and orange zest, and beat with a handheld mixer until well-blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a light golden brown and set. Remove from oven and pierce top of entire cake with a fork.

For glaze: Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Pour glaze over cake. Cool cake and cut into squares. Makes 24 servings.

Spaghetti Sauce

This is my mom's recipe and it's my absolute favorite spaghetti sauce!

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
mushrooms, sliced
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
garlic powder (to taste)
dash of thyme

Cook onions in a little olive oil until soft or translucent. Add mushrooms and saute until soft. Add ground beef and brown. Pour in the tomato sauce and add the herbs; mix well. Let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve over spaghetti or angel hair pasta.

Three Cheese Garden Pizza

This recipe was in our ward's cookbook. It is a yummy way to use up all those veggies from the garden!

Pizza Dough (see recipe)
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced thin
1 yellow squash, sliced thin
mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
Mozzarella cheese
Cheddar cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional, pizza is just as good without)
Fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out pizza dough and bake for about 10 minutes; remove from oven. Finely slice tomato, zucchini, onion and mushrooms. Spread pressed garlic over the crust. Sprinkle crust with Mozzarella and cheddar cheeses; top with tomatoes. Sprinkle with seasoning. Layer zucchini, onion and mushrooms over tomatoes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Bake 15-18 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Pizza Dough

This can be made in a bread machine or by hand.

1 1/8 cup warm water
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. salt

Bread Machine directions:

Add water first, then flour (I usually only use 3 cups), then the remaining ingredients. Use dough cycle. When cycle is complete, roll out and add toppings.

Hand mixing directions:

Mix water, sugar and yeast. Add olive oil and salt. Add flour one cup at a time. Let rise until double in size. Roll out and add your favorite toppings.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.