Any Home Bakers Here?

[Alice28]

You and me both!

I got some advice from members on the duck forum about breed choices. Looks like it will be Indian Runners (blue ones if available) and Khaki Campbells (like yours!). I'm going to go with a hatchery, no one around me sells them from what I've been able to find out. I'm ok with that too, these will be my first so they'll sort of be my "learner" ducks.

Really looking forward to having them. And duck eggs!

Good choices! We have an Ancona and a runner! The Ancona lays an egg a day (even now), the runner stopped laying for the most part about a month ago, but we get an egg here and there. Are Ancona also is an amazing forager, we have seen her get mosquitos! Khaki Campbell's sound like great ducks too!

 

[Alice28]

This was Friday night's dinner. Unless I'm just missing it on the Index, I don't think I've shared this recipe before.

Finnish Meatballs
3/4 Cup breadcrumbs
3/4 C cream or milk
1.5 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, minced
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
4 Tab. butter
4 Tab. flour
1 1/2 to 2 Cups milk

* Soak breadcrumbs in 3/4 C milk (or cream).
* Blend in beef, onion, egg, salt & allspice. Shape into 1" - 2" meatballs. (I use a cookie scoop for shaping)
* Melt butter in skillet & brown a few meatballs at a time. (don't crowd the pan)
* Remove cooked meatballs and set aside.
* Add flour to pan drippings. Stir & brown over medium heat. Slowly add remaining milk (between 1 1/2 - 2 Cups), stirring constantly to keep smooth.
* Return meatballs to pan. Cover and simmer about 25 minutes.

This is wonderful served over egg noodles.
If you don't want to cook the meatballs in butter in the skillet, you can line a baking pan with foil and bake them.
Makes a lot of meatballs. I use a 2" scoop and get about 26-30 meatballs.
From what I've read Finnish meatballs are different from Swedish meatballs because of the sauce...Finnish have a cream sauce and Swedish have a brown gravy sauce. (I'm not Finnish or Swedish so can't claim the accuracy of that )

Wow! I will have to try this! Sounds amazing!

 

[Alice28]

Today, I know it's not baking, but I'm getting some Christmas gifts together with the daycare kids and my son for parent gifts and for my sons teacher and bus driver. We already made bath melts. They are just 1/2 cup coconut oil, put in the micorwave for ten seconds and stir, repeat until melted, then add 10drops of essential oil of your choice (I used DoTerra serenity) put in ice cube trays (or cute Christmas molds) and put in the fridge for 30min to harden. Add one or two to your bath. Moisturizers and the oil is one that helps you relax.

Next we are making "hot chocolate on a stick". Melt chocolate chips, half we will add peppermint oil to, then put in ice cube trays. Stick a spoon (or stick or candy cane) in each. We are sprinkling candy cane on the peppermint ones. Cool in fridge, then put in cute bag with marshmallows. Warm up a cup of milk or water, take spoon and stire and you have hot chocolate.

Wednesday or Friday we will be making cinnamon ornaments and next week we will be baking bread and add a loaf in each gift bag. I try to do fun/easy things the kids can really be a part of.

Last, I will be making my chocolate covered ritz crackers sometime this week. Ritz crackers with peanut butter in the middle dipped in chocolate. My mom use to make them for her cookie trays every year and they were everyone's favorite, even though they aren't really cookies or baked. I make them every year now. I wanted to do cookie trays this year with a few kinds, but I just don't see that happening. Every year, I say "maybe next year", so maybe next year

 

[ronott1]

Today, I know it's not baking, but I'm getting some Christmas gifts together with the daycare kids and my son for parent gifts and for my sons teacher and bus driver. We already made bath melts. They are just 1/2 cup coconut oil, put in the micorwave for ten seconds and stir, repeat until melted, then add 10drops of essential oil of your choice (I used DoTerra serenity) put in ice cube trays (or cute Christmas molds) and put in the fridge for 30min to harden. Add one or two to your bath. Moisturizers and the oil is one that helps you relax.

Next we are making "hot chocolate on a stick". Melt chocolate chips, half we will add peppermint oil to, then put in ice cube trays. Stick a spoon (or stick or candy cane) in each. We are sprinkling candy cane on the peppermint ones. Cool in fridge, then put in cute bag with marshmallows. Warm up a cup of milk or water, take spoon and stire and you have hot chocolate.

Wednesday or Friday we will be making cinnamon ornaments and next week we will be baking bread and add a loaf in each gift bag. I try to do fun/easy things the kids can really be a part of.

Last, I will be making my chocolate covered ritz crackers sometime this week. Ritz crackers with peanut butter in the middle dipped in chocolate. My mom use to make them for her cookie trays every year and they were everyone's favorite, even though they aren't really cookies or baked. I make them every year now. I wanted to do cookie trays this year with a few kinds, but I just don't see that happening. Every year, I say "maybe next year", so maybe next year

It sounds like you are doing a lot for Christmas!

You can bake cookies and freeze them for later. That way, you can make several different types of cookies and put them onto the trays when you want to give them to people.

 

[Alice28]

It sounds like you are doing a lot for Christmas!

You can bake cookies and freeze them for later. That way, you can make several different types of cookies and put them onto the trays when you want to give them to people.

I know. I mean to do that every year. I really need to get a small freezer so that's possible. Then every year a few weeks before Christmas I realize I haven't made any cookies and everyday I have other things I have to do. I need to get more with it.

 

[ronott1]

I know. I mean to do that every year. I really need to get a small freezer so that's possible. Then every year a few weeks before Christmas I realize I haven't made any cookies and everyday I have other things I have to do. I need to get more with it.

Christmas baking is tough!

Especially when everyone has their favorites and you are expected to make all of them.

 

[Alice28]

Christmas baking is tough!

Especially when everyone has their favorites and you are expected to make all of them.

I know. My biggest problem is the freezer space. I think, well I'll make some room and then I can start making cookies, but with all the food for the daycare there is never room in the freezer for cookies. I figure if I do the ritz crackers, that's what everyone asks for, so people are happy with that.

 

[wyoDreamer]

@Alice28 it sounds like you do a lot for everyone. Give yourself a break about the cookie tray, those are a lot of work. A little baggie of chocolate covered ritz is a wonderful gift in and by itself.
By the way, those are one of my Dads favorites. Number one favorite of the old man is chocolate covered Triskets with peanut butter spread between them.

 

[Alice28]

@Alice28
  it sounds like you do a lot for everyone.  Give yourself a break about the cookie tray, those are a lot of work.  A little baggie of chocolate covered ritz is a wonderful gift in and by itself. 
By the way, those are one of my Dads favorites.  Number one favorite of the old man is chocolate covered Triskets with peanut butter spread between them.

I never tried with triskets! They are my aunts favorite and my dads too. Actually, he told me that's all he wants for Christmas this year.

 

[N F C]

Am I the only one that has never heard of chocolate covered Ritz?

Alice, you're doing plenty!