Category: Food

Food, mustard seed sentinel

Kool-Aid Pie

meghanewhite

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My childhood included consuming large amounts of Kool-Aid. With five children this was an inexpensive way for my mom to give us a fun drink, and we drank a lot of it. So I was very excited to find this Kool-Aid pie recipe. 

One of my favorite childhood drinks in the form of a pie. The nostalgia. The wonderful memories. I had to try this fun dessert, and it did not disappoint. I made cherry for my first attempt, and it packs a punch just like the Kool-Aid Man. It is a bit on the sweeter side but still very good.

Kids will absolutely love making this easy no-bake dessert. Choose any flavor you like. It comes together within minutes. No special equipment is required. You just need a large mixing bowl and a rubber spatula. 

Only four ingredients are used for this delightful pie that will make you feel like a kid again. The flavor options are plentiful. I have also made a tropical punch flavored pie and that too is a winner. Kool-Aid pie will add a little sunshine to your day. Who doesn’t need more of that.

Happy Eating!

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 

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Kool-Aid Pie

Ingredients 

1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 packet of Kool-Aid (any flavor)

1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping

1 store bought graham cracker pie crust

Directions

  1. In a large mixing bowl pour the sweetened condensed milk. Add Kool-Aid and mix with a rubber spatula until combined and the color is uniform.
  2. Fold in the entire container of whipped topping until everything is mixed evenly and there are no streaks of color. 
  3. Spread mixture into graham cracker crust. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Notes

  • You can use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip. 
  • Reduce the amount of sweetened milk to bring down the sweetness. 
  • Freeze the pie during the summer for a cool treat.

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You can find this recipe and all of my recipes that I share on Mustard Seed Sentinel, Meghan’s Corner.

https://www.mustardseedsentinel.com/post/meghan-s-corner-kool-aid-pie

Food

The Best Sugar Cookies

meghanewhite

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These are the best sugar cookies, ever! You may not believe me. A sugar cookie is a sugar cookie. I disagree. I have had many beautifully decorated sugar cookies that taste quite bland with a dry texture. This amazing simple recipe is full of flavor with a nice soft texture.

My family absolutely loves these cookies. I usually make them for holidays and special occasions. I have zero decorating skills. My cookies are very homemade looking. But, they taste so good. 

A lot of the fun of homemade sugar cookies are the decorations. My boys always helped when they were little. Each cookie was a tiny canvas for them to express themselves with icing and sprinkles. If you have kids they will love creating their own edible masterpieces.

I have used buttercream frosting, and a corn syrup based frosting. The best decorating icing is royal icing. It sets up perfectly for stacking and the decorating possibilities are endless. My cookies in the picture have corn syrup icing. It sets up similar to royal icing, but it’s much runnier. It’s not the easiest icing to work with, but I didn’t have the ingredients for royal icing so I had to make do. 

You can find the recipe for royal icing here: Gingerbread Cookies

Enjoy this easy, no refrigeration required, sugar cookie recipe.

Happy Eating!

Sugar Cookies 

Ingredients

1 cup butter 

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon almond extract

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 cups flour

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 375° 
  • In a small bowl add salt, baking soda, baking powder, and flour. Whisk together.
  • Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Add vanilla, almond extract, and eggs. Mix on medium high speed until combined. It will look lumpy from the eggs. That’s OK.
  • Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix on medium high speed until combined. 
  • Roll out the dough on a floured surface. Use your favorite cookie cutters and transfer to a baking sheet, and place them about 1 inch apart.
  • Bake for 8 – 10 minutes. The sugar cookies should be light in color. If the edges are brown they are over-cooked. 
  • Leave the cookies on the trays for about a minute before removing them to a cooling rack. 
  • Cool completely and decorate.

Notes:

  • If the dough is a bit sticky, just place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
  • Oven temps vary so keep an eye on the first batch or two of cookies until you see how your oven cooks.
  • Place your oven rack in the middle so the cookies bake evenly.
  • Line your baking sheets with parchment for easy clean up. You can also just bake the cookies directly on your ungreased cookie sheets. 
  • I always use salted butter for all my baking. 

Sugar Cookie Icing

Ingredients

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons milk

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

¼ teaspoon almond extract

Directions

  • In a medium bowl blend sugar and milk until smooth.
  • Add corn syrup and almond extract. Beat until smooth and shiny.
  • Use food coloring to make whatever colors you prefer.

Notes:

  • This is very runny icing. The texture reminds me of white school glue.
  • Use a small amount on each cookie. If you put too much of the icing it will run over the edge of the cookies.
  • It will set up overnight.
  • If the icing is too thick add more milk and corn syrup in about the same ratios.
  • I usually just play around with the texture until I get the consistency I want.
Food, mustard seed sentinel

Homemade Granola

meghanewhite

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Walk into any grocery store and there are numerous varieties of granola. Some are good and some are not so good. The taste of homemade granola is superior to store bought. You can customize the granola with your favorite oil, fruits, and nuts. This basic granola recipe is a great foundation to build upon and make it your own. 

Granola is calorie dense and loaded with all kinds of goodness like vitamin E, iron, folate, magnesium and a host of other vitamins and minerals. It tastes so delicious that it doesn’t seem possible that it’s packed with so much nutrition. This is my kind of healthy eating. Good tasting and good for  you. 

Granola is a versatile food. It’s a great snack all by itself. Mix some granola into your favorite yogurt. Have granola with milk for a real breakfast of champions. Add granola to a smoothie, or pancakes, or muffins. Be as creative as you like. No matter what you do with this delightful granola you will enjoy every morsel.

Making your own granola is cost effective compared to the high priced store bought stuff. There is no stirring involved with this granola recipe. Just press it into the pan and bake. So simple and so tasty. You will save money, have a nutritional snack, and feel great. 

Happy Eating!

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34 

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Homemade Granola

 

Ingredients

½ cup vegetable oil

⅓ cup maple syrup

3 teaspoons vanilla

⅓ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

5 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 cups slivered almonds 

2 cups dried fruit

 

Yields 10 cups of granola.

 

Directions

 

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. 
  2. In a large bowl whisk together the vegetable oil, maple syrup, vanilla, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in the oats and almonds and mix until evenly coated. 
  3. Spread the oat mixture on the prepared baking sheet. Use a spatula to press the mixture firmly until it’s compact. 
  4. Bake for 40 minutes until lightly browned. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through for even browning. 
  5. Cool for 1 hour until the granola reaches room temperature. Break the granola into pieces and mix in dried fruit. Store in an airtight container for up to one month.



Notes 

  • Spray your cooking utensils beforehand with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
  • Add-ins: flaked coconut, any dried fruit you prefer, chocolate chips, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
  • Use chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, or any nut you like.
  • Use coconut oil or olive oil if you prefer. 

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Go to the link below for this recipe and many more of my recipes on Mustard Seed Sentinel, Meghan’s Corner.

https://www.mustardseedsentinel.com/post/meghan-s-corner-homemade-granola

Food, mustard seed sentinel

Almond Roca Bars

meghanewhite

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Do you love toffee? Do you love chocolate? How about chocolate and toffee together? Have you ever had Almond Roca? It’s one of my husband’s favorite candies. You can experience the incredible flavor of Almond Roca with this very simple bar recipe.

I have been making Almond Roca bars for twenty-five years. Yikes, that means I’m old. Wisdom comes with age, right? So take my wise advice, and make these scrumptious bars. They are easy to make and absolutely delightful. 

A soft buttery toffee crust topped with Hershey chocolate and crunchy almonds is a winning combo. Almond Roca bars are great to give out as gifts. You can cut them small or large. You can make the almonds chunky or really fine. Both ways are very good. These bars get devoured every time I make them. 

Enjoy Almond Roca without all of the fuss of making candy. This decadent dessert tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. The longest part of making these bars is waiting for them to set up. Give these amazing Almond Roca bars a try. You will be so glad you did.

Happy Eating!

All things are possible to him who believes. Mark 9:23 

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Almond Roca Bars

Ingredients 

1 cup softened butter

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 egg yolk

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder 

4 to 6 Hershey chocolate bars

1 ½ cups finely chopped almonds

Directions 

  1. Preheat oven to 325°
  2. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment or aluminum foil. Extend the paper or foil beyond the edges to easily remove the bars from the pan.
  3. In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugars using a hand mixer.
  4. Add the egg yolk and mix until combined.
  5. Add the flour and baking powder. Mix until combined. The batter will be smooth and thick. 
  6. Spread onto the bottom of the prepared pan.
  7. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
  8. When the crust is out of the oven and still hot, lay the Hershey bars on top and let them sit for about 30 seconds so the chocolate can melt. Carefully spread the melted chocolate over the crust. Do not tear the crust.
  9. Sprinkle chopped almonds over the melted chocolate.
  10. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Notes

  • The batter for the crust is thick like peanut butter. It will take a few minutes to carefully spread it out onto the parchment or foil
  • Using  foil/parchment makes removing and cutting the bars much easier.
  • Place the baked bars in the fridge to cool faster.
  • They are easier to cut when they are completely cool.
  • Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature.

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Go to Mustard Seed Sentinel to get all of my monthly recipes. Meghan’s Corner.

https://www.mustardseedsentinel.com

Christmas, Food

Gingerbread Cookies

meghanewhite

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You can’t help but smile when you see a gingerbread cookie smiling back at you. I have been baking all kinds of cookies for years, but I never made gingerbread cookies until now. My youngest son loves gingerbread so this was the year to make them. I’m so glad I did. 

These gingerbread cookies are chewy, slightly crisp on the outside, with a nice soft interior. I do not like super soft cookies. I like my cookies on the crisp side. This gingerbread cookie is a good combo of both. The spice is not overwhelming, and there is just enough to know you are eating gingerbread. 

Any child would have fun making these little people, and decorating them. I used a very simple royal icing, but you could just as easily use buttercream icing. Even big kids will enjoy decorating these cookies. Everyone will love this sweet spicy gingerbread cookie. They are really good. It’s a nice addition to your Christmas baking. You’ll be smiling too.

Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread Cookies 

Ingredients 

¾ cup butter softened

1 cup brown sugar

¾ cup molasses

1 egg

2 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

3 ¾ cup all purpose flour

Instructions 

  1. Preheat oven to 350° 
  2. Line baking sheets with parchment or just leave them ungreased.
  3. Cream the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl, or stand mixer, using the paddle attachment until it’s creamy and fluffy.
  4. Add the molasses and the egg. Mix on medium speed until combined.
  5. In a separate bowl add ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and flour. Mix with a whisk.
  6. Gradually add the four mixture to the wet dough. It will be thick and sticky. Mix until combined.
  7. Divide the dough in half, and wrap in plastic. Flatten the dough into disks. Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour, up to overnight. 
  8. Roll out prepared dough on a lightly floured surface to approximately ¼ inch thick. It can be crumbly. Press firmly with the rolling pin but not hard. Cut out shapes with your favorite cookie cutters. Be careful as you transfer to your baking sheet. The dough can crumble easily. 
  9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes depending on the size of your cookies. Larger cut outs will take about 10 minutes, smaller sizes will take about 8 minutes. Shorter bake time means softer cookies. Longer bake time means crispier cookies. They should be slightly brown and a little firm. 
  10. Leave the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing them to a cooling rack. They will continue to bake as they sit. 
  11.  Once the gingerbread cookies are completely cool, decorate with royal icing and sprinkles. 
  12. Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days. 

Notes:

  • Spray your measuring cups with cooking spray beforehand and the molasses will come out much easier.
  • It’s OK if your dough is crumbly. Just push it together when you roll it out. It will still bake nicely.
  • Adjust the spices and add more or less to your liking.
  • This recipe makes approximately 30 medium size cookies.

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Royal Icing 

Ingredients

6 tablespoons (3 oz.) pasteurized egg whites

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 

4 cups powdered sugar

In a large bowl, or stand mixer, add egg whites and vanilla. Mix using whisk attachment for about 30 seconds until it’s frothy. Add powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Switch to high and mix until the icing is glossy and stiff peaks have formed. This will only take a few minutes. Add any food coloring and place icing in a pastry bag to decorate cookies. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Tips:

  • Add water if your royal icing is too thick.
  • Add powdered sugar if royal icing is too thin.
  • Let the icing sit out at room temperature for a bit after it’s been refrigerated.
  • Royal icing should completely dry in about 2 hours.
  • You need to work pretty quick when using this icing because it starts to harden up right away. 
  • Add a different flavor like peppermint or almond.

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