Review~ Fermenting Foods with Fermentools

Disclaimer~I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

A few years ago, a fellow homeschool mom introduced me to the concept of fermented foods. It was a new concept to me, so of course, I was interested in learning more. Eating healthy and eating foods that are fresh were important to us. We already had a garden growing and we added chickens to our small little country farm 9 years ago. Learning to ferment foods with the Starter Kit from Fermentools seemed like a great way to add to our healthy foods in our pantry!

Fermentools was founded in 2013 with the idea to create a product that could turn basically any mason jar into fermenting vessel. The custom designed airlock system did just that! The materials were designed to last a lifetime. 

The system is simple to use, easy to clean, and most of the pieces are made right here in the United States!

Why are Fermented Foods Important?

By now, you've heard all about the importance of probiotics. Our guts are filled with live bacteria (good guys and bad guys) and yeast that help protect the lining of our stomachs and intestines. They help with the absorption of our food and nutrients. Many of us have guts so out of wack that our bodies are not getting the nutrients we need. When our systems are out of line, we weaken our immune system (we all want a healthy immune system right now) and reek havoc on our bodies. Food intolerance and autoimmune diseases can occur. 

We become tired, cranky, have bathroom issues, headaches, brain fog, can't sleep, gain weight, etc. 

The list goes on and on. 

But did you know that fermented foods are a great dietary source of probiotics!

1. They improve gut health.

2. They help restore the proper bacteria balance in the intestines.

3. They help aid in digestion.

3. They improve heart health.

4. They help improve the immune system.

Besides all the health benefits, fermenting foods is a great way to preserve fruits and vegetables. 

It can help families save money by preserving foods fresh from the garden or foods that they bought in bulk when they were on sale. 

The STARTER KIT includes 

1 Staninless Steel Lid

Made from 304 surgical stainless steel, the corrosion-resistant lid will last a lifetime

1 Glass Fermentation Weight

Made to fit inside your standard wide mouth Mason jar and won't react with your food

1 Air Lock

The air-lock inserts into the lid and allows for "burping" during the fermenting process.

1 Rubber Stopper

1 Rubber Canning Gasket

Himalayan Powered Salt

Ancient Himalayan salt has over 80 trace minerals 

and is ground so fine it will easily mix withcold water

Instruction Booklet

Contains instructions and a recipe for basic sauerkraut

 

Cloth Storage Bag

The only items needed that are not included are a wide-mouth glass canning jar and whatever foods you wanted to ferment. The kit allows you to work on one fermenting project at a time. If you want to have multiple projects going at one time, you would need to purchase additional tools available on the Fermentools website.

~My Experience~

This was not my first attempt at fermenting foods. Over the past few years, I have tried a few different fermenting recipes. In the past, I have made fermented pickles, fermented salsa, and kerfir water. 

I wouldn't say I'm a newbie, but I am still a novice at it though. 

The Starter Kit does make the whole process of fermenting foods a lot easier since you get everything you need. The system with the starter kit is quite different from the ways I have used in the past. The recipes I had used in the past had all come from a fellow homeschool mom who was a pro at fermenting foods. 

I do have to say her recipes where easier to follow and easy to execute. 

This is my second time reviewing the starter kit. Last year, I reviewed the starter kit for the homeschool review crew too. I will admit my first attempt with the starter kit was not a success. 

I had tried the basic sauerkraut recipe. I can't stand the stuff, but I tried to make it for my husband! When it was ready, it didn't smell right, some mold was growing on the top, and he decided to not try it. I can't say I blamed him for not trying it. I wouldn't have either.

This year, I decided to ferment some zucchini since we had some that was not going to get eaten before it went bad. I cut up my zucchini and added some spices: garlic,dill, pickling spices, red chilies, and a few grape leaves.

I did find that the zucchini was a little mushy after the process. I partially didn;t care for it. I did some research after the fact, and discovered that is is better to remove the fleshy center so that it will stay crispy. I don't think too many people like to eat mushy stuff. 

Overall this go around with the starter kit was a success. It definitely was easier to use and understand, but I've used it a few times now. 

I will admit, I do not use it that often. My family is not a big fan of fermented foods. 

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Till Next Time,

Monique

TOS Review~ MyFreezEasy.com Freezer Meal Plan Membership

Recently, my busy family was given a chance to try out a new freezer meal plan from MyFreezEasy.com.  For this review, I was given access to the MyFreezeEasy.com Freezer Meal Plan Membership. If your family is like most families now a days, the freezer meal plan from MyFreezEasy.com will be a life saver!

So What is MyFreezEasy.com?
MyFreezEasy.com is a freezer meal planning tool that allows you to make 10 (or more) meals to store away in your freezer for those busy days! You can prepare and load your freezer up with meals in LESS than an hour. Having healthy, yummy meals ready for my family to eat is such a huge help when running around.  This year, the kids have co-op classes, clubs, scouts, and sports. We are out and about 3-4 days a week. We are always walking in the door at dinner time. Having dinners ready to go are a huge help for this hectic mom! Not only do I have great meals for my family to eat, I'm saving money too. I'm no longer running to the store to pick up something for dinner because I forgot to take something out the night before or that morning. No more last minute trips to the grocery store.

MyFreezEasy.com offers freezer meals that will appeal to everyone in your house. Even those moms with picky eaters will find options for their families. 

My daughter and I have Celiacs Disease, so I was very excited to see a Gluten Free Meal Plan offered. We gave this freezer meal plan a try. I did have to change it up a little bit to fit our families likes and dislikes. We were away for September, so we tried out the October freezer meal plan. 
Our October freezer menu plan included...
Upside Down Nacho Skillet Chicken Curry Peanut Soup (this was a no go in our house) Baked Island Chicken Slow Cooker Simple Beef Stew Split Pea Soup (with 2 people who highly dislike peas this was also a no-go)
Each meal plan includes Recipes for the dishes, shopping lists for your meals, prep assembly instructions, meal assembly instructions, cooking instructions, and labels you can print on stickers to place on your freezer meal containers. No guessing what's in the bag. Each month comes with 5 recipes. To get the 10 meals for your freezer, you double up each recipe.

The first recipe we decided to give a try was the Upside Down Nacho Skillet. I figured you can't go wrong with nachos and tacos! The only substitute I made for with this recipe was changing out turkey burger for the ground beef. It still tasted great. It was a big hit for our family.
I prepared the Baked Island Chicken and the Slow Cooker Simple Beef Stew for the freezer. We haven't eaten it yet, but it was easy to prepare. I love how the assembly prep instructions included the directions for preparing 2 meals. It's nice knowing that I have meals waiting in my freezer. I feel  more organized and on top of things. I no longer feel overwhelmed with what to prepare for dinner.
We did try out a few of the other recipes. The Bacon and Ranch Chicken was a big hit with the kids. We had everything we needed already in the house....chicken, ranch dressing, bacon, and cheese. The dish was easy to assemble, took about 45 minutes to bake, and had wonderful flavor. The only thing I would change is the bacon. My family prefers their bacon crispier. I think the next time I make it, I cook the bacon first and then sprinkle it on top. Between the gluten free meal plan and the clean eats meal plan, I know I will be able to prepare meals for my families. 
So What Did I Think of MyFreezEasy.com?
I found the meal plans easy to follow. Erin has thought of everything. Being able to print off my shopping list and head right to the store is great. The selection of meals offered are wonderful. The variety of meals is amazing. Every family will be able to find meals to fit their tastes.  Being able to build my own recipe meal plan is a wonderful tool. I can adapt the meals offered to my on family. I love how I can save them to my own file and then print them out to head to the store. My only recommendation is to have a dessert added to the monthly meal plan. It would be great to have desserts prepared for when last minute quests arrive for a visit. The MyFreezEasy.com is great for homeschooling moms, stay at home moms with little ones, and working moms. It's great for everyone one who want easy dinners ready to go, wants to cut down their time in the kitchen, wants to save money on groceries, and most importantly prepare healthy tasty meals o eat! 
For this review, I received the Premium Annual Membership for this review.  This freezer meal plan costs $95 a year.  So what did I get? 2 months free access Access to 8 new meal plans Video instructions for assembly Highlight videos for all meal plans Ability to adjust serving sizes Create my own meal plan Customize Existing Meal Plans and  Create a favorites section for recipes

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Be sure to stop by and visit the other members of the crew to see the recipes that they decided to give a try!

 Please Note~ This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you. 

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Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake

For Fourth of July, I made a gluten free lemon pound cake. It was yummy!  

Ingredients
1 package of gluten free yellow cake ( I used Hodgson Mills)
1 package (3.4 oz) of Jell-O lemon instant pudding mix
4 large eggs
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
2/3 cups water

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together cake mix, pudding package, eggs, butter, and water.
Mix until lumps are gone.
Pour batter into a prepared bundt pan or any pan of your choice. I just used butter to grease my pan.
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Test with a toothpick to check if cake is done.

We served it with powered sugar, strawberries, and blueberries.

Simple and easy to make, but tastes great!
         
                                       

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Gluten Free Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Holes

I decided to make some gluten free doughnuts for my daughter when she was sick with a cold last week. They were easy and tasted pretty close to the real thing.

I found the recipe on the Betty Crocker  website, but I change a few ingredients because we just didn't have all of them.

So here is my recipe......

Ingredients

Vegetable Oil for frying the doughnuts

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 1/2 cups Bisquick Gluten Free mix (whole box)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

2/3 cup milk

2 egg, beaten

Directions

In a saucepan, heat 3 inches of oil. You can use a deep fryer if you have one.

In a small bowl mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Set aside for later.

In a large bowl, combine the bisquick, sugar, and nutmeg together. Add the melted butter, milk, and eggs. Mix the ingredients until smooth. 

Shape the dough into small balls. Carefully drop the balls into the hot oil. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 2 minutes or until golden brown. 

Drain the balls on a paper towel. While still warm, roll the balls into the cinnamon/sugar mix. 

YUMMY!!!!

Till next time,
~Monique

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What's for dinner this Friday? Shrimp Scampi

Last Friday, I decided to make Lego Man one of his favorite dishes....Shrimp Scampi. He loves getting it for dinner at an Italian restaurant near my mom's house. So I searched online and found an easy recipe online. I found it on Simply Recipes. Of course, I had to change it up a little to fit our needs.

Ingredients

1 pound of shrimp...I used frozen and just thawed it overnight

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

2 Tablespoons of butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup white wine

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Parsley

Directions

Place butter and olive oil in saute pan. Mix the butter and oil together on high heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute the garlic until it is slightly browned. 

Add shrimp. Add the wine and stir to coat the shrimp in the butter wine sauce. Make sure the shrimp are in a single layer. Bring sauce to a boil.  Boil the shrimp and wine for about 2-3 minutes. 

Flip the shrimp to cook the other side. Cook on high for 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the shrimp with parsley, lemon juice, and black pepper. Stir to mix the ingredients.

Serve on rice or pasta. 

We used gluten free pasta and it was delicious!

Till next time, 

~Monique

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Gluten Free Grasshopper Pie

For St. Patrick's Day, we have a special dessert.

Gluten Free Grasshopper Pie.

I took a regular grasshopper pie recipe and modified it so that Princess P and myself could eat it too.

Ingredients

2 cups crumbled gluten free chocolate cookies (gluten free oreos)

3 cups of mini marshmallows

1/2 cup of milk

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1 teaspoon of mint extract

1-2 drops of green food dye

chocolate shavings

chocolate coin

Instructions

Remove the icing from the cookies. Crumble the chocolate cookies.

In a pot, melt the marshmallows with the milk over low heat. When the marshmallows are all melted, chill the mixture. Stir it occasionally until the mixtures sets.

Once the marshmallow mixture has cooled and set, stir in the mint extract and green food dye. 

Set aside.

Using a mixer, whip the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipping cream into the marshmallow mixture. Leave a little bit for topping the treats.

Set aside for later.

Take your cookie crumbs and press firmly into the bottom of small glasses. 

Add the green marshmallow mixture onto the cookie crumbs.

Top each cup with a dollop of whipped cream.

Sprinkle semi-sweet chocolate shavings onto the whipped cream.

Place a chocolate coin into the whipped cream.

Chill for at least 2 hours.

Store in the fridge until ready to eat.

They can be made a day before.

Mexican Wedding Balls

For the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we made Mexican Wedding Cookies.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

powdered sugar for rolling the cookies in

Directions

Cream the butter and sugar together until it's light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix well.

Mix together the flour and salt. gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.

Fold in nuts.

Make 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet of parchment paper.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool slightly. 

While still warm, roll the balls into the powdered sugar. Evenly coat the cookies. 

Cool cookies some more and then roll a second time.

Eat and Enjoy!

Makes about 48 cookies.

Gluten Free Chocolate Truffles

Today, I am sharing a recipe for gluten free chocolate truffles that we made on the feast of Saint Nicholas.

I found the original recipe over at Gluten Free on a Shoestring Budget. I changed it a little because some things we didn't have on hand.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons Butter, salted
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream*
Sprinkle, Chocolate chips, and Nuts for decorating

*We didn't have heavy cream so I made a substitute for it.
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
Melt the butter. Pour butter slowly into milk and stir.

Place the butter and chocolate in a small pan. Melt it over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until all the chocolate and butter is melted. Remove pan from heat and add the salt and vanilla.

Place 4 cups of powdered sugar into a bowl and add the melted butter/chocolate mixture. Mix slowly. Mixture will become crumbly, but will stick together when pressed. Add the cream. The mixture will become rather moist. Add the last cup of powdered sugar, a little at a time. Kneed the mixture together until the dough is smooth. It should be soft.

Roll the dough into balls.

Place balls on a piece of parchment paper. Brush the balls with some water and roll them into your sprinkles, nuts, etc. Leave some plan too!

 We used sprinkles, nonpareils, walnuts, and mini chocolate chips.

 Place the truffles in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Take out and Enjoy!!

Linking with.... 

Try a New recipe Tuesday, In and Out of the Kitchen, Domestically Divine Tuesday, The Gathering Spot

 Modest Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Good Taste Tuesday

Gluten Free Thin Mints

Recently, Princess P and I made Paleo Thin Mints inspired by the Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies. I found the recipe over at Elana's Pantry. If you have never checked out her site, stop by and see all the amazing food she has created! She has a wonderful selection of Paleo and Gluten free recipes. Everyone we have tried has been yummy!


Ingredients

1 cup blanched almond flour
1 teaspoon coconut flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 baking soda
2 tablespoon butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon mint extract (original recipe called for peppermint, but we had mint in the house)
1 package of dark chocolate chips
1/ teaspoon mint extract

Directions

In a food processor, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
Pulse the butter, honey, and mint extract until a dough ball forms.
Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper, about 1/8 inch thick.
Freeze dough for 15 minutes. Remove from freezer and cut out cookie shapes. Use a small cookie cutter, about 2 inches for best results.
Transfer the cookies to a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 4 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove cookies and cool completely.

Place cookies into the freezer for about 1 hour. Remove from freezer to dip in chocolate!

Melt chocolate chips and mint extract in a small sauce pan over low heat. It doesn't take long to melt the chocolate.

Dip each cookie into the chocolate. Place cookie onto parchment paper and freeze for another hour.

Serve and Enjoy!
,
Store cookies in the fridge for a crispy cookie!

Linking with.... 

Try a New recipe Tuesday, In and Out of the Kitchen, Domestically Divine Tuesday, The Gathering Spot

 Modest Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Good Taste Tuesday

Apple-Pecan Cake

To go along with our Connecticut State study, we created to recipes inspired by the state.
The first recipe we made was a delicious cake perfect for the fall. I found the original recipe over at Taste of Home. I slightly modified it to fit our needs. It turned out amazing!

Batter Ingredients
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups tart apple, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cake Filling Ingredients
1 package(8 ounces) of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg

Praline Icing
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 Tablespoons of milk, I used 1%
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small bowl combine the ingredients to make the filling. Beat the cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until it's smooth. Beat in 1 egg and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine  1 3/4 cup sugar and  butter until creamy. Add the 3 eggs and mix well.

4. In a separate bowl combine, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add the butter/sugar mixture. Mix well. Fold in apples and pecans.

5. Pour half of the apple batter into a greased and floured fluted pan, layer the cream cheese mixture, and top with the remaining apple batter.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and then carefully remove from pan.

7. To make the frosting, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for about a 1 minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Drizzle over cake and sprinkle with pecans.

8. ENJOY!

Linking with.... 

Try a New recipe Tuesday, In and Out of the Kitchen, 

 Modest Monday, Inspire Me Monday, 

Georgia Cookie Candy

While studying the state of Georgia, I came  across a recipe for Georgia Cookie Candy from Paula Deen.
We finally  got around to making them!
Well, I guess I should say Princess P made them.
I collected all the ingredients and set them on the table to start and she informed me she wanted to do it herself! I can read the directions and I don't need any help.
This is a wonderful recipe for kids to make since it doesn't require the use of a stove.

photo source

Ingredients
1 cup butter, 2 sticks, softened
1 cup of crunchy peanut butter (you can use creamy)
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chip

Directions
Line a 13X9 pan with foil.
Mix the peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar. Mix until a ball forms. Press the peanut butter mixture into the pan. Smooth out until it looks nice.
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave for about 1 minute. Remove and stir until creamy.
Spread evenly over the peanut butter cookie layer.
Chill for several hours.

When ready to serve, allow the candy to come to room temp and cut into pieces.

Eat and Enjoy!!!

Tastes yummy!

Linking with.... 

Try a New recipe Tuesday, In and Out of the Kitchen, Spatulas on Parade, 

Kids in the Kitchen, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Modest Monday, Inspire Me Monday, 

Better Mom Mondays, Domestically Divine Tuesday, and Kids and a Mom in the Kitchen

Perfect Paleo Blueberry Muffins

Following a gluten free diet isn't always easy for the family. Often, recipes we find and try don't end being very appealing. I came across a blueberry muffin recipe and tweaked it a little for what we had on hand in the house.

Princess P helped make the muffins and everyone was pleased with how they turned out!

Ingredients

2 cups almond butter

2 cups almond flour or almond meal

6 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup honey

1/2 cup shredded coconut

2/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups blueberries~ I used organic frozen blueberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, coconut flakes and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Mix the almond butter, honey, eggs, and coconut oil together.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

Mix well.

Gently fold in the blueberries.

Spoon the batter into prepared muffin tin. I used paper liners.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Muffins should be a golden.

Cool and Enjoy!

Makes about 18 muffins.

They don't last long!

Linking with.... 

Try a New recipe Tuesday, In and Out of the Kitchen, Spatulas on Parade, 

Kids in the Kitchen, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Modest Monday, Inspire Me Monday, 

Better Mom Mondays, Domestically Divine Tuesday, and Kids and a Mom in the Kitchen

CREAMY SUPREME CHEESCAKE

For desert on Saint Patrick's Day, the kids requested cheesecake. Princess P and I headed off for the kitchen and whipped up our creamy cheesecake that is a hit wherever we go. Yummy!

Ingredients 

Crust

1 1/2 cups graham crakers, crushed

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

Cheesecake filling

3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

 1/4 cup milk

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Prepare crust. In a bowl, combine crushed graham crackers, sugar and melted butter. When graham crackers are moistened, press the crumb mixture into a spring form pan. Make sure to cover the bottom and about an inch up the side. Set a side for later.

3. To prepare filling, beat cream cheese. Add the sugar, flour, and vanilla with a mixer until combined. Add milk and mix. Add eggs one at a time and mix after each egg. 

4. Pour cheese cake filling into the prepared graham cracker crust. Cover the bottom of the spring form pan with tin foil. Seal the seams so no water can get in. Place the cheesecake into a shallow baking pan. Pour water into the baking pan. This is called a water bath.

5. Bake the cheesecake for 40 minutes for a 9 inch pan. If using a smaller pan, slightly increase the amount of time because of the depth of the filling. 

6. Cool for 15 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the cheese cake from the sides of the pan. Cool for 30 minutes and then remove the sides of the spring form pan. Cool cheesecake completely. Place cheesecake in the fridge and chill for at least 3 hours.

You can add any kind of fruit on top for garnish. We usually add cherries but were all out.

Linking with.... Try a New recipe Tuesday, In and Out of the Kitchen, Spatulas on Parade, 

Kids in the Kitchen, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Modest Monday, Inspire Me Monday, 

Better Mom Mondays, Domestically Divine Tuesday, and Kids and a Mom in the Kitchen

Pretzels for Lent

Last Friday, the kids and I made pretzels!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm flour

1 package of yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon salt

4 cups flour

1 egg (optional)

Course Salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the sugar and salt to yeast mixture.

Mix flour into the yeast mixture. Knead dough until it is smooth.

Take dough, roll it and form a snake.Take ends of dough, twist, and press down.

Brush egg wash over pretzels and sprinkle with salt.

Bake pretzels for 15 minutes or until slightly golden.

Linking up with....Try a New Recipe Tuesday, In and Out of the Kitchen, Spatulas On Parade, Kids in the Kitchen, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Modest Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Better Mom Mondays, Domestically Divine Tuesday and

Kids and a Mom in the Kitchen

Lemon Blueberry Cake

This past Sunday, Princess P and I made a few yummy treats.

We made Lemon Blueberry cake.

We made this cake to go along with a state study. 

We are currently studying New Jersey and New Jersey's state fruit is the blueberry.

Ingredients

Cake

2 3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 blueberries, fresh or frozen, tossed with 1 tablespoon flour

(I used frozen)

Glaze

1 1/2 cups powered sugar

10 teaspoons lemon juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter(or you can use pan) a bundt cake pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a second large bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add sugar and cream the sugar and butter until fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add lemon juice and vanilla extract. Mix well.

Add the flour and buttermilk. Alternate between the two ingredients. Beat for about 2 minutes. 

Fold in blueberries. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and then remove cake from pan by running a knife around the edges.

To make the glaze, mix the powered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. You can add yellow food dye if you want the glaze to have a yellow color. We try to avoid food color.

Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake. It will roll down the sides.

Sorry I didn't get a picture of the cake. We were busy making two cakes. One was for us and the other was for a fellow home school mama who just had a baby.

Linking up with....Try a New Recipe Tuesday, In and Out of the Kitchen, Spatulas On Parade , Kids in the Kitchen,  , Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, The Modest Mom, Create with Joy, The Better Mom, Kids and a Mom in the kitchen