2024 Preparedness - Week 43: Calendar Week 42

October 21 - Week 42

Monday:

One of the best ways to keep the family happy is to store desserts and one of the easiest ways to store dessert is to store cake mixes. While using a cake mix may not strictly be from scratch there are many ways to use a mix to make a variety of treats.

Store angel food cake mixes. They are perfect for storing since they only need water when prepared. One of my favorite ways to use an angel food cake mix is to add a packet of lemonade mix, enough to make a quart, to the water and then prepare according to boxed directions. I like to use the pink lemonade as it makes a pretty pink cake.

Tuesday:

Chocolate Cookies

1 box Devils' Food cake mix

2 eggs

⅓ cup oil

1 cup M&M candies

Mix the first three ingredients together.

Fold in M&Ms 

Scoop onto cookie sheet

Bake 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes (remember cookies will keep cooking after being removed from the oven)

If you have Rolo candies, caramels, or peanut butter cups on hand you can also make a ball of dough around them and then bake. Cut caramels in half before using and rolling them into a ball.

Wednesday:

Coconut Almond Macaroons

1 box (16 ounces) angel food cake mix

1/2 cup cold water

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

1/2 cup almonds diced fine

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats, parchment paper, or waxed paper.

Combine cake mix, water, and almond extract and mix until combined.

Gently mix in coconut and almonds.

Drop a heaping tablespoon onto a baking sheet.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until very lightly browned.

Cool for a few minutes before removing from baking sheets.

Thursday:

Let’s close out the month with some fun. I love this recipe and it is so much fun to see the look on everyone’s face when you serve it, and it’s yummy too.

Dutch Oven Sheepherder's Bread

3 C Hot Water

1/2 C  Butter

1/2 C Sugar

2 1/2  tsp. Salt

4 tsp.Yeast

9 1/2 C Flour

Oil

1. In a bowl, combine hot water, butter, sugar and salt.

2. Stir until butter melts and let cool to warm. Test like you would for a baby bottle.

3. Stir in yeast and cover, let the yeast get bubbly, about 15 minutes.

4. Add 5 cups flour and beat with a heavy-duty mixer or wooden spoon to form a thick batter. With a spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a lightly sticky dough.

5. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic about 10 minutes.

6. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until double, about 1 1/2 hrs.

7. Punch down and form into a smooth ball.

8. Grease the insides of the Dutch oven and the underside of the lid with salad oil. Place dough in pot and cover with lid.

9. Let dough rise in a warm place until dough pushes up the lid about 1/2 inch, about 1 hour. 

10. Bake covered with lid, in 375º oven for 15 minutes.

11. Remove the lid and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow.

12. Remove from oven and turn out onto rack. Makes 1 very large delicious soft white bread.

Friday:

Cinnamon Honey Butter  (So….good with Sheepherders Bread)

1/2 Cup butter softened

1/2 Cup mild Honey

1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Beat butter and honey until fluffy.

2. Add cinnamon and continue beating until well blended. That's it.

Make ahead, store in fridge, remove it from refrigerator, and beat until fluffy.

Saturday:

Purchase the ingredients for Dinner in a Pumpkin to make on Halloween.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 small to medium pumpkin

1 onion                                                           

rice

2 lbs. ground beef      

1 can green beans

soy sauce                                                       

brown sugar

mushrooms (optional)                       

1 can cream of chicken soup

* To make this truly from the pantry, substitute: Dehydrated onion for fresh, canned beef for ground beef, and canned mushrooms for fresh.

Also, purchase frozen bread dough, we’ll use it next week.