• Cheese sauce
• Cream soup substitute
• Cream sauce for peas or potatoes or other veggies
• Sausage gravy
• Chipped beef gravy
• Sauce for casseroles
• and more

Making white sauce is a quick thing to do.  You’ll only need a whisk and a heavy pan or skillet.  The amounts of butter, milk (or broth) and flour can be altered for different amounts and thicknesses of sauce.  For a very basic sauce of medium thickness, use 3 Tbs. butter, 3 Tbs. flour and 1 1/2 cups milk. 

The first step is to melt the butter in the pan or skillet over medium heat.

Once the butter is melted, add the flour.

Whisk the flour into the butter.  Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly.

The butter and flour should turn golden in color.  After it cooks for a minute, whisk in hot milk.  I warm the milk in the microwave for a minute or two to heat it up.  Whisk the milk in slowly.  Bring the sauce to a low boil, stirring frequently.

When the sauce begins to boil, turn down the heat or remove it from heat.  At this point you can add salt and pepper and any other seasoning you want.  You can also add cheese for a cheese sauce.

Variations

• Cook diced onions, celery, garlic and/or mushrooms in the butter before adding flour.  This makes a good substitute for canned soups.
• Add 1-2 cups of cheddar, Parmesan, Swiss or other types of cheese
  
• Add 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• Add any seasonings such as poultry seasoning, nutmeg, onion powder, seasoned salt, curry powder, parsley, chives…
• Substitute chicken broth for 1/2 the milk

Tomorrow I’ll post a recipe for Ham & Swiss Potatoes that uses white sauce.  Once you know how to make basic white sauce, the possibilities are nearly endless.  Experiment and have fun!

Have a cut of beef in your freezer that you need to fix for dinner?  Not in the mood for a recipe?  No problem!

Here are some ideas to get you started.  No recipe required.

These ideas are for roasts or other cuts.  If you’ve got a nice steak, you’ll want to choose a different cooking method.

All of these ideas can be done in the oven or slow cooker.  The cooking time will depend on the cut of beef and how large the piece is.  As a general rule, beef roast or a round steak weighing about 2-3 lbs. will take 6-7  hours on high in the slow cooker.

9 ways to fix beef roast or other cuts of beef

1. Salsa – any type.
2. Diced tomatoes and green chilis.  Shred the meat and serve in tortillas or slice and serve with cornbread and veggies.
3. Enchilada sauce, shred and serve in tortillas.
4. Jar of gravy, add potatoes, carrots and onions cut in chunks.
5. Cream of mushroom soup.  Serve with baked potatoes.
6. Spaghetti sauce -  Pour over the meat.  Add green peppers and onions.  Serve over angel hair pasta.
7. Bbq sauce – Shred or slice and serve on buns.
8. Sprinkle with Italian seasonings, add onions, garlic and a splash of red wine.
9. Bay leaf, rosemary, salt and pepper, red wine or beef broth.
10. Make French Dip Sandwiches – Pour can of beef broth and 1 Tbs. worcestershire sauce over meat. Shred and serve on sub buns.

For reasons that are probably already obvious, I will never have a blog about decorating.  But I had to show you this piece of furniture that Jim and I transformed into a charging station and place to store laptop computers.

We have as many laptops as we have people in this house.  (All low-end PC’s, some of which are nearly worn out.  Nothing worth stealing, just in case there are any bad-guys out there reading this.)  Four of these get used on a regular basis.  That means that most days find laptops scattered on end tables, kitchen tables, couches…  And when we want to put them all away, there has been no where to put them.

Combine this problem with the need to charge all kinds of devices – from my Kindle to iPods to MP3 players to phones.  Cords were taking over the house.

The week after Christmas, Jim and I started scouring Craigslist for a dresser.  We found this little desk that turned out to be perfect.  Here it is in the “before” state.

Jim had already given it a light sanding and taken off the bat-wing hardware when I remembered to take a photo.

I painted it with white paint, using the suggestions in this eBook from Altar’d.  We swapped out the old brass bat-wing hardware for something nicer.

Then Jim removed part of the backing and drilled holes behind each drawer to feed cords through.  He mounted power strips in two of the drawers and also in the top.

We don’t use all of the outlets and we turn them off when something isn’t charging.  Also, we have two wall outlets near this cabinet, so we were able to plug into both.  I’m not sure that you’d want this many power strips plugging into one wall outlet.

It’s so nice to have a place to tuck away laptops and charge things when needed.  And it feels good to have a successful DIY project done too.

I’ll be back to posting about food tomorrow.  Thanks for letting me share about something different today!

I’m showing this off at Crystal & Co. Mommy Solutions

Tidy Mom I’m Lovin’ It

Do you struggle with getting dinner on the table? Is life super busy and you find yourself scurrying to feed your family come 6:00 each night? Without my crockpot and easy recipes dinner would never be served at my house.

I am excited to share with you eight of my favorite easy recipes that are time savers, budget friendly and will keep you out of the drive thru lines. Each of these recipes can easily be adapted to meet the size of your family.

1. Apple Butter Pork Chops in the Crockpot- apple butter season is here and these pork chops literally fell apart when they were done. The flavor was amazing. I served them over steamed rice which helped to stretch the meal even more.
2. Italian Crockpot Chicken - do you have any idea how tender a chicken breast is after it has cooked for hours over a tomato sauce? You will be asking for seconds. Top with cheese and serve over your favorite noddle.
3. Crockpot Lemon Chicken- can gourmet and crockpot be used in the same sentence? If you love the way lemon and Dijon mustard combine, you’re going to lick your plate clean with this one!
4. Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole- who knew you could make something like this in the crockpot? This is tasty and feeds a crowd- perfect potluck meal.
5. Baked White Spaghetti- this is a recipe I have been making for years and it comes together very quickly. Do you keep cooked chicken on hand?
6. Beef Tips and Noodles (made in the crockpot)- I grew up on this recipe, my grandmother and mother made it when I was growing up. My kids enjoy it as well.
7. Crockpot Ravioli- this is another recipe that cooks fast and looks and tastes like it was baked in the oven. Family favorite at our house.
8. Easy Pasta Casserole- ground Italian sausage, cheese, your favorite pasta shape and your favorite jarred sauce and dinner is done in no time!

Delicious, easy and simple ingredient lists- that is what makes a recipe easy! (Well, add to that anything crockpotable!) Which of these easy recipes will you be adding to your menu plan?

Crystal is the author of the site Crystal & Co., where she shares her journey of raising five boys. On her site you will find loads of easy recipes, weekly meal planning inspiration, easy craft ideas, as well as mommy solutions and resources. Join her every Wednesday where she invites you to link up and share your mommy solutions and resources!

I firmly believe you do not need the latest and greatest in kitchen equipment to be a good cook.  However, there are a few essentials and some fun items that are nice to own.  Since Christmas is coming, I thought I’d share some ideas with you.  Some of these are on my wish list and some are things I own that I think you might like as well.

Small Appliances

KitchenAid 4-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer, White is very similar to the one I’ve had for 14 years.  Mine is still going strong. I use it several times a week.  It was a huge splurge (one of the only black friday items Jim has ever purchased) but it was so worth it.

Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker has been on my wish list for quite a while now.  I’d love to have a programmable option for slow cooking.  I do use this idea for making your current slow cooker programmable for just $4, but it would be fun to have the real deal.  

Zojirushi Home Bakery Supreme 2-Pound-Loaf Breadmaker would be fun to have.  I’ve heard wonderful things about this brand.  I do admit to having mixed feelings about purchasing a breadmaker.  I mean, I do have a son who loves to bake bread.  And I know how to bake.  And I’d have to store it somewhere.  But…fresh bread just by setting up the machine is tempting!

Breville Lift and Look Touch Toaster really is on my kids’ wish list.  We have a pitiful toaster that burns everything, even when it’s set on the lowest setting.  We eat a lot of toast and bagels (see bread machine wish above) and being able to toast without burning would be wonderful.

Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker  I have two of these and I love them.  They enable my ice cream habit. Yum!

Kindle with Special Offers & Sponsored Screensavers I know a Kindle isn’t exactly a kitchen appliance, but you can get cookbooks on it. Plus, it’s one of my very favorite things so I had to include it. Love to read. Love my Kindle!

Smaller Items

Norpro 3 Piece Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop Set  I don’t own any cookie scoops.  I just use a couple of spoons to dip out the dough.  These look super handy though.  And I think they’d be a help to my baking son.  His cookies range from very small to very large, so they bake unevenly.  Scoops would keep the cookies uniform.

OXO SteeL Garlic Press  A good garlic press is a must-have for cooking.

OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner  My cheapo salad spinner is falling apart.  I’d love a new one.

Wilton Easy Flex 3-Piece Silicone Spatula SetSpatulas that can take the heat are handy to cook with.

Cuisinart SmartStick Immersion Hand BlenderOur blender has been melted in the dishwasher and requires much strength to hold it together in order to blend. I love the look of this immersion hand blender and think it would make a great replacement.

Wilton Excelle Elite 3-Tier Cooling Rack I don’t have any cooling racks for cookies. This stackable model from Wilton looks super handy and it’s priced low enough that I wonder why I haven’t just bought one before now.

What is on your wish list for kitchen items?

This post contains affiliate links.

Desserts

Pie crust tutorial

Spicy Pumpkin Pie

Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce

Cranberry Braid Bread

Cranberry Nut Bars

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Old Fashioned Spice Cake with Caramel Glaze

Side Dish/Salad/Vegetables  

Apple Cornbread Dressing

Chicken and Dumplings

Honey Glazed Carrots

Ambrosia

Apples and Cranberries Baked in a Pumpkin

Cranberries and Oranges

Homemade Cornbread Dressing

Low Carb Cranberry Sauce

Onions with Herbs and Wine

Sweet Potatoes and Apples in the Slow Cooker

Warm Cinnamon Applesauce with Toasted Marshmallows

 Turkey 

I don’t have any recipes or how-to’s for cooking turkey, so I’m turning to some of my favorite food bloggers for their help.

Cookin’ Mimi has a recipe for Herb and Lemon Pepper Roasted Turkey Breast.

Pocket Change Gourmet shows their method of making Beer Can Turkey on the Grill.

And don’t forget to plan for leftovers! – 21 Ways to Use Leftover Turkey

I had a great time cooking on Saturday and hanging out with some of you who were also getting things done in the kitchen.  We gathered on Facebook for a Virtual Cooking Party.  It was a lot of fun and now I’ve got a freezer full of cooked chicken, soup, meatballs and more.

If you missed the party on Saturday, but would still like to do a little virtual baking, plan to be part of Liz’s Virtual Baking Party on Wednesday morning.  We’ll be gathering on the Hoosier Homemade Facebook page to talk, bake and share ideas.

Today, I’ve got a free printable Holiday Meal Planner for you.  If you’re the cook for a Holiday feast this year, this will come in handy.  I’m a big believer in using lists when I’m cooking a big meal.

Lists keep me from forgetting to make the sweet tea or finding a fruit salad in the fridge after the dinner is over and everyone has gone home.

To print your Holiday Meal Planner, click here:  Holiday Meal Planner (590)

Last week, we talked about make ahead party food.  Liz posted this cheese ball recipe that can be frozen.

For the first week of the series, I posted 4 snack mixes that require no baking and no cooking.  Liz shared Hot Cocoa and Tea gifts in a jar.

How will you celebrate Thanksgiving?  Are you the main cook for the day?

I like keeping these seasoned and herb salts on hand to cook with.  I’ve shared the recipe for homemade seasoned salt before.  This version makes a larger batch and is tweaked just a bit.

Use the seasoned salt just like you would any other seasoned salt.  I like using it in pasta dishes, on grilled meats and even on zucchini.

This Italian Herb Salt is wonderful for adding zest to chicken.  Also, try it on fish and vegetables or a pinch on your salad.  But remember – it is a salt.  Use it in place of regular salt in a recipe.  It isn’t good on bread.  Trust me, I’ve tried.  If you want Italian seasoning blend to sprinkle on pizzas and bread, leave the salt out of this recipe and double the herbs.

Do you have anyone on your Christmas list who likes to cook?

There are two ways to combat the crazy-busy whirl that is the holidays.

1. Let things go.  Don’t try to do it all, or anywhere near all of it.
2. Plan ahead.

We’re going to focus on the second one this week.  I’ve got some ideas here for foods that can be made ahead and frozen.  And on Saturday, we’re getting together on Facebook for a Virtual Cooking Party for holiday prep.  If you’ve got time, I’d love for you to pop in over there to cook and visit with us.  We’ll gather on the main Facebook page.   I’m looking forward to getting a lot of prep work done myself!  On November 16, Liz from Hoosier Homemade is hosting a Virtual Baking Day so you’ll have another chance to get some prep work done for the holidays.

Anything you do now will be a help later.  

One way to help yourself out during the holidays is to stock your freezer with some everyday foods.  Knowing you’ve got pre-cooked meats, soups and casseroles stashed away will free up mind space, time and sanity when you’re trying to fit in all that shopping, wrapping and decorating.

Check out all of my freezer recipes and tips.  I’m going to be focusing on cooking up chicken and other meats and making some soups.  I love being able to pull a container of frozen soup out and pop it into the crock pot in the morning.  Homemade soup for dinner with no work is fantastic!

Bake & Freeze Bread, Quick Breads and Muffins

All of these can be used for guests, taking to parties, quick gifts or just feeding your own family.  You don’t even have to have a plan for it when you put it in the freezer.  It will be there for when you need it.

• Check out 28 Muffins You’ll Want to Try.
• Bake up a batch of Depression Era Bread.
• Make some Cranberry Braid Bread, Pineapple Carrot Bread or Cream Cheese Banana Bread.

Make some gifts in a jar.

Last week, Liz featured Hot Cocoa jars with chocolate spoons and marshmallows and Tea Jars too.

I posted 4 no bake, no cook snack mixes, including the Hollywood Mix with a free printable you see above.  On Friday, I’m posting homemade seasoned salt and Italian Herb Salt mix.

Set aside time to put some of these easy gifts together.  You’ll be happy to have something to give to teachers, neighbors and friends.

Cookies and Cakes

Nearly any kind of cookie is a good candidate for freezing.  I have a lot of cookie recipes.  I won’t link them all, but here’s a link to the cookie category, if you’re looking for some new recipes.  I like to freeze cookies in ziploc bags.  If they have icing on them, you can freeze them with wax paper between the layers.

Cakes can also be frozen, if you’ve got the space in your freezer.

What do you make ahead to get yourself ready for the holidays?

This little tip was mentioned by Loretta, one of my readers.

You can use a timer (the kind you use for Christmas trees, lamps, etc.  Find them in the hardware section.) to set your slow cooker.  It isn’t quite as good as a programmable slow cooker, but it is very close.

And it’s perfect for slow cooked oatmeal.  I set it to start about 3am and at 7am breakfast was ready, without being overcooked.

Another cool tip, mentioned by a reader (I can’t remember who!) – Walmart now has Rival 2 quart slow cookers on sale for just $4!  I bought one, especially for fixing oatmeal.  It’s a fantastic price.  The same thing on Amazon costs $20 or more.

Happy cooking!