Homemade Bread Crumbs {Homemade Homemaking}

This month's Homemade Homemaking recipe is for bread crumbs. It's SO incredibly easy that, after you try it, you'll wonder why in the world you never thought of this before! 


(Or, maybe you have...maybe I was the only one buying bread crumbs from the store!)


When we first married, I used bread crumbs--a lot. I used them to top the cream-of-chicken soup casseroles I baked almost every night. I used them on my hubby's favorite "almost"-fried chicken tenders. And I even used them on veggie dishes like my mom's cheesy green bean casserole. 


Then, one day...oh, about a year ago or so, I looked at the ingredients label. And I shuddered. 


MSG. Soybean oil. And the list could go on. 


I tossed those bread crumbs out, looked at a loaf of bread and wondered: "How hard could this be?"


It's not! Really, it's so easy!


Without further ado, here's this month's recipe for homemade bread crumbs!


Ingredients

• 1 loaf of bread
• 1 stick butter
• salt and pepper, to taste
• parsley or other seasonings, to taste (if you want seasoned bread crumbs)

Method

1. Chop loaf of bread very finely in chopper or food processor. (You can leave the crumbs chunkier if you like bigger, chunkier bread crumbs. I like them like this. My hubby does not. Hence, I chop mine finely.)

2. Melt butter in a stock pot. Add bread crumbs. 

3. Quickly stir to coat bread crumbs in butter. Keep stirring until the sound of the coated bread crumbs starts to sound like sand on the beach. (I know this sounds strange, but, trust me, you will get it once you try this.)

4. Sprinkle desired amount of salt, pepper and other seasonings on bread crumbs. Store in an airtight container. 

These crumbs will keep in your pantry for months--and you know exactly what's in them! No additives here--especially if you use Stacy's homemade honey oat bread to make them!

Have you ever made homemade bread crumbs? What's your favorite recipe?

Congrats to Bobby N Kierra for winning Smart Sweets! 

I'm linking up with: The Prairie Homestead, Growing Home, Far Above Rubies, Time-Warp Wife and Raising Homemakers,  Works for Me Wednesday, Frugally Sustainable,  Deep Roots at Home, Homemakers Challenge, The Better Mom, Raising Mighty Arrows,  Live Renewed,  Simple Lives Thursday, Frugal Friday, Women Living Well,  Monday Mania, Real Food 101, Traditional Tuesday ,Fat Tuesday, Make Your Own Monday, Real Food Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Homemaker's Cottage, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Friday Food, Living Well Blog Hop

A Natural Holiday: Cheesy Green Bean Casserole and 5 Great Real Food Holiday Recipes

Image by Glenn Gutierrez

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving 2011 is less than 2 weeks away! 


I'll be honest. My family is most likely going out to eat for Thanksgiving this year! I don't know if we've ever done that, but things have been hectic since my sister just had twins, and my parents are helping to take care of them as well as my nephew. 



I volunteered to host, but my parents insist they would rather go out to a quaint country cafe in the heart of our downtown. And who am I to refuse a free dinner away?! 


But if I were to be cooking this year, I've been gathering some recipes that look super yummy--not to mention healthy! In fact, maybe I'll just use some of these dishes for Christmas this year!



Without further ado, check out these great links:

This overnight sausage breakfast casserole from The Encouraging Home sounds like the perfect  holiday morning meal to me! In fact, this recipe is super similar to the breakfast casserole my mom has made every Christmas morning since...well...for my whole life! Try it. You.won't.be.sorry! Just leave enough room for lunch!

This pumpkin pie casserole from The Purposed Heart looks like it is calling my name--Thanksgiving dinner or not! I absolutely love pumpkin pie and sweet potato casserole is always a nice holiday treat, and this yummy-looking casserole combines them both! 

Image by marioanima

I've tried various versions of homemade mashed potatoes over the years, but my hubby's favorite still stands at the classic potatoes+milk+butter+salt version. Modern Alternative Mama posted this classic recipe for homemade mashed potatoes on her blog a few weeks ago. 

Image by nathanmac87

Pillsbury refrigerated crescent rolls...need I say more? Except--that version isn't exactly good for you, is it? Thankfully, I've found my version for homemade whole wheat crescent rolls to be just as yummy.

Image by pixelbase

I need to share a secret: I have never cooked a turkey. Whew--OK, now that that's out in the open, I can proceed. The truth is, I'm scared to cook a turkey. BUT, I used to feel the same way about cooking a whole chicken--until I found this great tutorial on how to do it in a crock pot. This recipe for using a crock pot to cook a turkey looks just as easy! 

This naturally-sweetened apple pie from A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa looks like it would be right up my husband's alley. While I prefer pumpkin desserts at Thanksgiving and Christmas, he's an apple pie kind of man. Since we'd be eating the pumpkin pie casserole with dinner, I think I could "sacrifice" a bit and serve this for dessert! 

Image by Glenn Gutierrez

Now, here comes the fun part. You know the traditional cream of mushroom soup/onion-topped green bean casserole? Well, I don't like. Why not? Because I grew up with the following recipe. Not only is it better for you (i.e. no MSG!), but it's also much tastier--in my opinion!

Mom's Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients:

• 3 cans or 6 cups (48 oz.) pre-cooked frozen or fresh green beans 
• 1 stick butter 
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 cups (16 oz.) sour cream OR plain yogurt
• 1 cup bread crumbs (recipe coming!)

Method:

Melt the butter in a large pot on medium heat. Stir in the cheese and continue to stir until melted. Add the sour cream or yogurt and half of bread crumbs to cheese/butter mixture. Blend well and mix with green beans. Place in 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish that is lightly greased. Sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs. 


Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. 


This is SO easy and SO good! Believe me, you will never go back to the traditional version of green bean casserole again! 

What are your favorite holiday dishes? 

Want some more great holiday meal planning ideas? Check out these tips from the Modern Alternative Mama team!

• Real Foods Thanksgiving Leftover Dishes @Creative Christian Mama
• Butternut Apple Bake @Stacy Makes Cents 
• Real Food Dinner Menus @Modern Alternative Mama 
• A Modified Thanksgiving: Feasting with Dietary Restrictions @Christian Mommy Blogger

I'm linking up with:  Made By You Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday,  Mouth Watering Monday, Make Your Own Monday,  Growing Home, Creative Juice, Things I Love Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Live Renewed, Menu Plan Monday, Good Cheap Eats
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Blueberry-Banana Green Tea Smoothie

Not sure about the flu shot? Fight back with food instead! Welcome back to 5 Flu-Fighting Foods--a 5-week series that will arm you with recipes to stay healthy this season!


I'm excited to be joining the following 5 amazing bloggers in hosting this series:
Nikki @Christian Mommy Blogger
Mindy @The Purposed Heart
Anne @Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy
Leigh Ann @Intentional by Grace
Rachel @Day2Day Joys

Come back each Wednesday as we reveal five different foods that support your immune system. 


Two weeks ago we had fun with lots of pumpkin recipes--and last week we delved into breakfast foods!

Each post will be opened up to all our readers, who will be linking up their favorite recipes, with ideas for creative ways to serve them to their families!

Image by lekyu

This week's flu-fighting food is green tea!         
This traditional Asian beverage is chock full of antioxidants  to both prevent and fight disease!


A Japanese study conducted during the 2008-2009 flu season, found that schoolchildren who consumed 1-5 cups of green tea per day were less likely to develop the flu! 


What's more, various studies have shown green tea to potentially:

• protect against heart disease,
• fight cancer,
• lower cholesterol,
• prevent diabetes and
• decrease risk of stroke and dementia (source) 

This week's healthy homemaker recipe is for a blueberry-banana green tea smoothie!! I'll be honest. I occasionally drink green tea, but this was the first time I actually tried to make anything with it! 


I came up with this smoothie based on what I had on hand! Enjoy!

First, I gathered my ingredients: green tea, almond milk, frozen banana and frozen blueberries.

Then, I warmed the milk on the stove. 

Then, I steeped a green tea bag in the milk.

After chilling the tea/milk, I poured everything into a blender. 

Enjoy your smoothie!

Blueberry-Banana Green Tea Smoothie
Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 small-medium frozen banana
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk, separated (or milk of choice)
• 1 bag green tea

Method: 

• Warm (but don't boil) 1 cup milk on stove top
• Once warmed, steep green tea for 5 minutes in milk.
• Let tea/milk combo cool. (Put in fridge if you want to speed this up!)
• Once cooled, pour tea/milk, 1/2 cup milk, blueberries and banana into blender and puree! 
• Enjoy your smoothie!

I'm linking up with: Growing Home, Women Living Well, Raising Homemakers, Works for Me Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Foodie Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Turning The Table Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Cooking Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Creative Juice, Things I Love Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Live Renewed, Frugal Food Thursday, Frugal Friday, Fight Back Friday, Food Trip Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Friday Food, Living Well Blog Hop, Foodie Friday, Freaky Friday, Foodie Friday, Monday Mania, Mangia Mondays, Made By You Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Real Food 101, Mouth Watering Monday, Make Your Own Monday, Traditional Tuesday , Tuesdays at the Table, Frugal Tuesday Tip, Tasty Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Hearth and Soul Hop, 

Be sure to check out the great green tea recipes and tips shared by the other amazing homemakers hosting this series!

Green Tea Kombucha @Christian Mommy Blogger
Vanilla Green Tea Latte @The Purposed Heart 
Immune-Boosting Green Tea @Day2Day Joys
Why Green Tea? @ Intentional by Grace
Green Tea Oatmeal @ Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy


Now it’s your turn! All 6 of us co-hosts enjoyed reading your mouth-watering breakfast recipes last week! My top 3 favorites were:

• Creamy Pumpkin Breakfast Cereal @Tessa The Domestic Diva
• Baked, Blueberry Oatmeal @Nutmeg Nanny
• Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes @Renaissance Mama

*Be sure to visit the other co-hosts in this series to see who they picked as their favorite posts last week!

Link up your delicious green tea recipes below--and come back next week to link up recipes with a something you have to peel and comes in cloves. ;) 

Image by lekyu

There are only two guidelines for participation:

1. Your recipe must be a GREEN TEA recipe. Any entry submitted that does not include breakfast will be deleted.

2. Please link your posts back to one of the hosting blogs. This way your readers can have access to all of the other great green tea recipes as well!

Gallo Pinto: A Traditional Costa Rican Breakfast

Forget the flu shot! This year, fight back with food instead! Welcome back to Five Flu-Fighting Foods--a 5-week series that will arm you with recipes to stay healthy this season!

I'm excited to be joining the following 5 amazing bloggers in hosting this series:
Nikki @Christian Mommy Blogger
Mindy @The Purposed Heart
Anne @Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy
Leigh Ann @Intentional by Grace
Rachel @Day2Day Joys


Come back each Wednesday as we reveal five different foods that support your immune system. 

Each post will be opened up to all our readers, who will be linking up their favorite recipes, with ideas for creative ways to serve them to their families!

Image by theswedish 

This week's flu-fighting food is breakfast! You may have grown up with your mother and teachers saying breakfast was the most important meal of the day.


Well, guess what? It turns out that eating breakfast may actually help keep you healthy during flu season!


According to this article, a study suggests that those who skipped breakfast were more likely to develop the cold or flu virus than those who chose to partake in this most important meal. 


I'll be transparent and say that breakfast has been a BIG challenge in our house the past couple months--since we found out about Little Girl's food intolerances. She can't eat eggs, and I used to make egg dishes A LOT!


Then it hit me the other day--why not make Gallo Pinto? (Gallo Pinto literally means "painted rooster.") 


I first tasted this reminiscent recipe while living and serving as a missionary to Costa Rica--right out of college. It's where my hubby and I met! 


Little Girl absolutely loves black beans, and this traditional Costa Rican breakfast combines rice and beans with just the right amount of cilantro, peppers and garlic to make a scrumptious complete protein meal! 


Without further ado, here's a recipe for Gallo Pinto--A Traditional Costa Rican Breakfast!

Gallo Pinto
Ingredients:

• 2 cups soaked and cooked black beans
• 10 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped finely
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 3 cups homemade chicken stock
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 bell pepper (green, red or yellow), diced
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 /2 tsp. salt (or to taste)

Method:

Heat pan to medium and add oil. Add beans, cilantro, garlic, peppers and stock and saute until soft. (The beans should already be pretty soft from cooking.) Once softened and very hot, add the rice, salt and stock. 

Continue to cook on medium until all the stock is absorbed. Then cook for another 2-3 minutes. 

This is a traditional Costa Rican breakfast! You can top with sour cream and serve with eggs, bacon and any other breakfast foods. 

I serve this to my daughter alone and feel good that she can have a protein-packed breakfast even without eggs! It also doesn't hurt that this meal is very cheap!


*Gallo Pinto imaged by La.blasco.

I'm linking up with: Growing Home, Women Living Well, Raising Homemakers, Works for Me Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Foodie Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Turning The Table Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Cooking Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Creative Juice, Things I Love Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Live Renewed, Frugal Food Thursday, Frugal Friday, Fight Back Friday, Food Trip Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Friday Food, Living Well Blog Hop, Foodie Friday, Freaky Friday, Foodie Friday, Monday Mania, Mangia Mondays, Made By You Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Real Food 101, Mouth Watering Monday

Be sure to check out the great breakfast recipes and tips shared by the other amazing homemakers hosting this series!


Sweet Apple Steel Oats @Christian Mommy Blogger
Apple Chai Muesli @The Purposed Heart 
The Importance of Eating Breakfast @Day2Day Joys
Immune-Boosting Breakfast Lentil Soup @ Intentional by Grace
Fight the Flu with Granola @ Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy

Stacy Makes Cents has a great omelet tutorial on her site as well!

Now it’s your turn! All 6 of us co-hosts enjoyed reading your mouth-watering pumpkin recipes last week! My top 3 favorites were:


Pumpkin Pie in a Glass Jar @The Prairie Homestead 
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread @Tessa The Domestic Diva
Pumpkin & Spinach Mac 'n Cheese @Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body


*Be sure to visit the other co-hosts in this series to see who they picked as their favorite posts last week!


Link up your delicious breakfast recipes below--and come back next week to link up recipes with a tea that's the color of Kermit the Frog. ;) 


There are only two guidelines for participation:

1. Your recipe must be a BREAKFAST recipe. Any entry submitted that does not include breakfast will be deleted.

2. Please link your posts back to one of the hosting blogs. This way your readers can have access to all of the other great breakfast recipes as well!