Extreme Coupon Training

Well  not so much extreme- but extremely cute none the less:)!

Make Your Own Rice Cereal

It is much easier than you think!

I discovered one more reason to love my Kitchen Aid mixer because I used my grain mill attachment and ground up some brown rice super fine to feed Lucy some of her first cereal.

If you do not have a grain mill- no worries- you can just use a food processor or a blender (I think a blender works best).

Brown rice is best and short grain brown rice is the best of the brown rice choices. 
Grind up the rice into a fairly fine powder (think cream of wheat).  The powder can be stored in an air tight container for a couple of weeks.  This rice cereal has to be cooked the recipe is as follows:

1 cup water
1/4 cup brown rice powder

Bring the water to a boil in a small sauce pan then slowly whisk in the rice powder (whisking prevents clumping).  Turn down the heat to low and simmer, covered for about 10 minutes.  The mixture will be thick and get even thicker as it cools.  Add fruits or breast milk/formula to thin to desired consistency.  If there are any lumps just mash them out with a fork.

Weekend Recipe

I'm back after a Vacation Bible School hiatus.  (PS- they should think of another name for VBS that doesn't include the word vacation, because it is a LOT of work!)

These are so easy you'll want to make them over and over in all kinds of flavors!

Inside Out Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:

Cakes:

1 yellow cake mix (18.5oz)

1 stick of butter

1 large egg

Filling:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tbsp coco powder

1/4 cup shortening

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg white (pasteurized)

Directions:

Melt butter and mix into cake mix with the egg just until it comes together.  Dough will be like cookie dough.  Using a tbsp size cookie scoop or spoons shape the dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake of the top rack at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Cakes should be soft still but not brown at all.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for 5 minutes.  Move them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before you add the frosting.

While they cool, make the filling.  Mix the sugar, shortening, egg white, cocoa and vanilla just until completely combined.  Use a piping bag or just spoon about 1 tbsp of filling onto a cake then top with another cake.  These are so goo and won't last long!

Variations:  Use any flavor cake mix-

Chocolate with the cocoa powder left out of the filling for traditional whoopie pies.  

Red velvet cake mix with cream cheese substituted for shortening in the filling

German chocolate cake mix and chocolate filling but roll the sides in toasted coconut.

The possibilities are endless!