Storing Comfort Food

I have been storing comfort food for times of need. Use a clean canning jar with new lids and rings. Put the food into the jars to within 1/2 to 1/4 inch from the top. Add an oxygen absorber to the top of the food, put on a new lid and screw the band down tightly. Within several hours, the jar will be sealed and will last many years. The food inside will be like new when opened. I have stored M&M's, chocolate chips, brownie mix and cake mixes. With the brownie mixes and cake mixes, I added one unflavored gelatin pack per egg required with the mix. Water plus the gelatin is equal to an egg when baking. I write the directions and what the mix is on the lid.

Oxygen absorbers can be purchased from Amazon for a little around 10 cents each. Or, if you live near an LDS cannery, you can purchase them there. You must also buy a clip to keep the extra oxygen absorbers free from outside air.

You can also store many other items this way. Watch for candy on sale after holidays and store them this way.

Cranberry Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies

My son, Cory, made these yesterday. They were delicious.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 pinches salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the flour, soda and salt until mixed in a small bowl. In a mixer, cream the sugars and butter until light and fluffy.
On low speed, add the eggs and vanilla until incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture, oats, dried cranberries and white chocolate chips until all are combined.
Dough will be thick. Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until golden and center is still tender. Remove from oven and cool.

Yields about 22 large cookies.

Chocolate Sauce

This tastes like Hershey's chocolate syrup. It is from cookingwithlacey.com.

1 1/2 c. water

3 c. sugar

1/2 t. salt

2 T. light corn syrup

1 1/2 c. cocoa powder

2 t. vanilla

In a sauce pan, heat water, sugar, salt and corn syrup until all the sugar is dissolved. Add the cocoa about 1/2 c. at a time, stirring constantly. Once all the cocoa powder is in, bring it to a boil and then turn to low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes or until you can place it on a spoon and it will no longer be runny. Add the vanilla in the last 2-3 minutes. Makes 3 cups.

Microwave Crispy Rice Cereal Treats

3/4 cube butter (6 T.)

16 oz mini marshmallows

1/2 c. peanut butter (optional)

8 c. crispy rice cereal

Place butter in a 3-quart microwave safe bowl. Melt on high for 1 minute. Add marshmallows and cover with paper towel. Cook on high for 2 1/2 minutes. Add peanut butter and stir until smooth. Stir in cereal and mix well. Press into 9 x 13 buttered or sprayed pan. Cool before cutting. I like to press the mixture into molds or cookie cutters and shake them out on parchment paper. I added melted almond bark to these and sprinkled with chocolate.

Apple Pie Bread

• Apple Pie Filling:

• 2 apples diced small

• 1/4 c. brown sugar

• 1/4 c. white Sugar

• 1 t. cinnamon

• 1/2 to 1 t. nutmeg

• 1 T. cornstarch
• 2 T. melted butter
• 
  

• Bread:

• 1 c. room temperature butter

• 1/4 c. sugar

• 1/4 c. brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 T. vanilla

• 2 c. flour

• 1 t. baking soda

• 1 t. cinnamon

• 1/2 t. salt
• 
  

For Filling : Combine all ingredients except, butter and cornstarch, in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil then add butter and cornstarch, which have been combined, and stir until thick. Let cool.

Bread:

Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Scrape bowl at least twice. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla. Next add pie filling. Sift together all dry ingredients. Add to wet mixture and only mix until incorporated. Do not over-mix or bread will be tough. Spray a loaf pan very well.

Bake at 325 for 45-55 minutes. Try not to open the oven.

The apple pie filling makes a great pie also.

This recipe is from Lacie Berry.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

My son, Cory, made this for dinner one night.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts skinless and boneless
• 4 thin slices Canadian bacon
• 4 slices provolone cheese
• 1 to 1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay the chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove from the plastic and lay 1 slices of Canadian bacon and 1 slice of cheese over the top to cover the breast. Roll up tight like a jellyroll. Repeat with remaining chicken. Season the bread crumbs with garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Mix in the melted butter. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs. Dip each roll in egg mixture and then in the crumb mixture to evenly coat. Spray a baking pan with non stick spray. Place chicken on the pan and bake for 25 to 35 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Eggnog Bread

This is a delicious bread recipe from Lacey Berry. My son, Cory, made several loaves of it.

Eggnog Bread

* 2 Eggs slightly beaten

* 1 C Sugar

* 1 C. Eggnog

* 1/2 C. Unsalted Butter

* 2 t. Mexican Vanilla

* 2 C. All-Pupose flour

* 1 pkg Instant Vanilla pudding

* 2 t. Baking Powder

* ½ t. Salt

* 1/2 t. nutmeg

In a bowl mix Flour, Pudding, Baking Powder, Salt and whole Nutmeg together.

Have the butter and eggs at room temperature.

In another large bowl cream room temperature Sugar and Butter together. Add Eggs one at a time. Add Eggnog, and Vanilla. Once well
mixed add slowly, dry mixture just till the dough comes together.

Grease and flour, or spray with cooking spray, 2 medium loaf pans.
Bake at 325 50-60 min.
Let cool for 10 min in pan then remove and let it cool down completely on a cooling
rack. Wrap tight and store in the refrigerator.

This bread is great to give away. You can also glaze it.

For the Glaze just add some eggnog to powder sugar till you get the consistency you like.

You can add orange zest or cranberries to this as well.
Lacey Berry