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Smoothies

Basic Smoothies

Mixed Fruit Smoothie

Mixed Fruit Smoothie

 Smoothies are a good and quick way to get the daily balance of fruits and/or vegetables in one glass full.  It is more a time saver than juicing and uses less fruits or vegetables to get a more than a glass.  The blender does it all, it is good if your blender will crush ice. The ingredients are simple:   juice, fruits and/or vegetables, combined or all one flavor, add ice.  Blend to mix, add honey if sweetness is preferred or make  a dessert smoothie with the use yogurt or milk instead of juice.

Benefits of Smoothies

When using the whole raw fruit or vegetable,  it gives the vitamins, minerals, sugars, starches and almost all of the plant’s nutrients.  The fiber from the fruits provide the benefits to the health of the colon and bowel.  Remember to wash the raw fruits and vegetables.

Making a Smoothie

Making a mixed Fruit Smoothie

Does your winter diet need altered?

Our morning smoothie gives us a good way to start the day.  It is a bit of sunshine for these dark and cold mornings.  Have you noticed you like your comfort foods this time of the year?  Think of the times you pamper yourself with a chocolate bar, desserts,  dish of potatoes, gravy, noodles, macaroni and cheese, and pasta.  

Mixed Fruit Smoothie

Basic Mixed Fruit Smoothie

Julia Ann
A quick healthy way to get the nutrients from fruits and vegetables in a refreshing beverage in one glass by drinking a Smoothie
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Beverage
Cuisine American
Servings 4 glasses

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup mango and passion fruit juice consider "Lite" juice
  • 1 banana sliced
  • 1 small orange peeled and sliced
  • 1 medium apple cored and cut in small chunks
  • 2 tablespoon of blueberries
  • 2-3 cups of ice cubes

Instructions
 

  • Using a blender which crushes ice or crush up the ice cubes.
  • Pour juice into the blender.
  • Add the banana, orange, apple pieces.
  • Puree until blended.
  • Add the blueberries
  • Blend briefly
  • Add ice cubes, few at a time and blend until the ice is crushed.

Notes

Add a carrot, celery, or ginger to the fruit blend. Use your imagination of combinations of fruits or vegetables. Use less ice if a thinner smoothie is preferred, more ice makes it frozen slush. Yogurt, sherbet, milk, ice cream added would make dessert smoothies, though a lost in the amount of nutrients from the fruit.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Freshly made Mixed Fruit Smoothies

Enjoy freshly made Mixed Fruit Smoothies

How about these with the smoothies?

Favorite Blog Sites:

Simply Recipes – Smoothies

There’s a Cook in my Kitchen – Smoothies

My Ginger Garlic Kitchen – Smoothies

 

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox

Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice®  bring you great recipes for your cooking experience. ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery®  cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.”  Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox®. All rights reserved.

Crock Pot Applesauce

Honey Crisp Apples make delicious applesauce.

Honey Crisp Applesauce Plain and Cinnamon

Honey Crisp Applesauce, Plain and Cinnamon

We were in central Indiana last week, passed an orchard by New Castle, Indiana and could not resist the big sign of Honey Crisp Apples.  So we bought a few, they were so large and nice.  After a apple crumb pie, apple salad, applesauce, apples with cabbage, fried apples, snacking on apples, we needed more apples.  This time we got seconds, said to be used for cooking, well, they were as good as the prime apples for eating. 

Plain Crock Pot Honey Crisp Applesauce

Plain Crock Pot Honey Crisp Applesauce

Applesauce, just right for snack time or on top of toast.

Applesauce is a favorite fruit to have on hand for desserts, eating on bread or to use in baking.  This time I decided to get out the crock pot.  That really makes it easy and a time saver to do other things while the apples are cooking. 

Crock Pot Honey Crisp Applesauce

Crock Pot Honey Crisp Applesauce

I did plain applesauce: cooked  apples and put  the sauce  into clean jars to be kept in the refrigerator.  I did actually preserve some by using water bath canning..  I anticipated a much larger batch of applesauce.  A lot of water boiling, for cleaning jars and for water bath kettle for 3 pints of applesauce.  Oh well,  it was a good practice  as I do not do canning often.

Plain Crock Pot Honey Crisp Applesauce

Crock Pot Applesauce

Julia Ann
Cooking apples in a crock pot is easy and a quick way to make applesauce, plain or cinnamon.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4 pints

Ingredients
  

  • 15 large apples
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Instructions
 

  • Put 2 tablespoon lemon juice into large bowl.
  • Peel, core and cut apples into 1 1/2 inch chunks or 8ths put into the large bowl.
  • Stir frequently to get the lemon juice on the apples to prevent browning.
  • Put into the crock pot.
  • Add the water, sugar and cinnamon.
  • Cook in the crock pot for 2 hours on high.
  • Mash with a potato masher to desired consistency.
  • Put into clean pint jars and cover with lids,
  • Store in refrigerator to use.
  • Or store cans on the shelf after water bath canning.

Notes

This is not my original recipe. The internet and cookbooks are similar; it varies by quantity of ingredients, much is to your tastes. For plain applesauce, omit the cinnamon. Run through the food processor or blender if a smoother applesauce is desired.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Honey Crisp Applesauce Plain and Cinnamon

Honey Crisp Applesauce, Plain and Cinnamon

For recipes using applesauce, check out this sites:

Simply Recipes.com – Applesauce Spice Cake

foodnetwork.com – Roasted Pork Loin with Cider and Chunky Applesauce

Popsugar.com – Recipes Using Applesauce

 

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinaboxJulia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.   ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery®  cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “ Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® All rights reserved.

Roast Beef Dinner

Roast Beef Dinner for Two

Roast Beef Dinner for Two

Roast Beef Dinner for Two

Having a Roast Beef Dinner is a big event at cookbookinabox’s  house.  Several reasons which many probably may identify . Health is our biggest reason, fat,  cholesterol is higher in red meats.  Expense, it is more expensive to have choice cuts on a regular basis.  Meatless meals is often our choice.  However, there are times when a nice Roast Beef Dinner brings good memories and is comfort food.  

Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Grandmother’s Cast Iron Dutch Oven

We have the cast iron dutch oven that was my husband’s grandmothers.  It had made a long trip through Texas when the family travel by horse and wagon in the early 1900’s. So it is always a treat and fun to use this kettle.  I also like to use this kettle for soups as well.

Beef Bottom Round Roast

Beef Bottom Round Roast

Since there are only 2 of us in the home, I bought a small beef bottom round roast under 2 pounds.  The recipe was adapted from Joy Of Cooking’s, Beef Pot Roast, cooked in a convection oven instead of the stove.

Preparing the beef roast for the oven

After baking the beef roast and removing to a plate to keep warm, I decanted the juices and fat into a fat separator.  I poured off the juices into a measuring cup, and poured about 4 tablespoons fat back into the dutch oven to make the roux for gravy.  I used the juices and added cream to make 2 cups for the liquid to the 4 tablespoons of fat and  4 tablespoons of flour.

Making the roux for gravy

Roast Beef Dinner

Roast Beef Dinner

Julia Ann
A special Sunday Dinner Roast Beef, tender, juicy to be enjoyed with mashed potatoes and gravy.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Course Entree
Cuisine American
Servings 4 -6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pound beef bottom round roast
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup onions finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup carrots finely sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups beef stock or bouillon
  • 1 teaspoon seasoning blend
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • GRAVY
  • 4 tablespoons fat
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/2 cups meat juices
  • cream to make 2 cups liquid

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325 F.
  • Trim off fat, make cuts into the side of the meat to prevent curling
  • Flour all sides of the roast.
  • Heat the oil in the Dutch oven.
  • Brown the roast on all sides.
  • Add the onions, carrots, and broth to the roast.
  • Cook about 5 minutes.
  • Bake in the preheated oven 2 hours or until meat is tender, to 155 F to 165 F for medium well.
  • Remove meat from pan to a dish; cover to keep warm
  • GRAVY
  • Strain off the vegetables.
  • Decant the juices and fat into a fat separator.
  • Pour off the juices, on top, to a measuring cup, add cream to make 2 cups liquid
  • Pour 4 tablespoon fat and juices to the Dutch oven, stir to loosen the bits and pieces of the meat.
  • With a whisk, add the flour, stirring until blended.
  • Gradually add the 2 cups of the liquid, stirring with the whisk to smooth.
  • Simmer the gravy up to 10 minutes to thicken.
  • Taste and correct seasonings as needed.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon thyme.
  • Serve over the meat and potatoes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Roast Beef Dinner for Two

Roast Beef Dinner for Two

The Roast Beef Dinner menu

Marinated Vegetable Salad
Mixer Whole Wheat Bread
Roast Beef and Beef Gravy
Mashed Russet Potatoes
Steamed Asparagus
American Persimmon Cake

 

Visit these links:      Simply Recipes – Roast Beef;            allrecipes – All American Roast Beef

 

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinaboxJulia Ann and  cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.  ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery®  cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “ Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox®. All rights reserved.
            

Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkins and more pumpkins:  Holiday Treat

Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin Roll ready for Halloween

Pumpkins for Halloween continue into pumpkin pies, breads, cakes, cookies and muffins for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  You don’t think of a pumpkin dessert for New Year’s Eve.

Nienaber'sFarm Market

At Nienaber’s Farm Market

The Pumpkin Roll recipe is a favorite of many community cookbooks or in the Sunday newspaper recipes.  I have used it for several years as it was given to me by a friend.   I finally read the label on Libby’s® Pumpkin l and there it was.  So I  give Libby’s credit for this easy and attractive dessert.  Of course over time, cooks have tweaked it to their taste of hand-me-down recipes.

Baked Pumpkin Roll Cake

Baked Pumpkin Roll Cake, a sponge cake texture

HOW-TO DO A PUMPKIN ROLL

The cake of the pumpkin roll is a sponge cake; it has a light, springy texture, like a sponge. The batter is baked into a thin layer in a jelly roll pan. Many sponge cakes use eggs as the leavening agent, this recipe has 3 eggs plus  baking powder and  baking soda.  Having ingredients at room temperature is important habit for baking.  If using separated eggs as in some sponge cakes, the egg whites whip to more volume at room temperature. 

It is important to  have the 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch baking pan greased and lined with parchment paper also greased and floured before using.  This enables the thin flat cake to come out of the pan for easy rolling. I use a damp cloth to turn the cake onto, roll up and cool in the refrigerator for one hour. Don’t get the cloth too damp as it will tear up the cake. Some recipes advise using flour or powdered sugar to  turn the cake on and let it cool at room temperature.  When removing the sponge cake from the oven, place the pan on a wire rack for 1 minute to cool and slightly pull away from the sides of the pan; run a knife around the edge.  Turn the cake onto the prepared cloth, peel the parchment paper off.

The short end of the  cake is rolled up in the cloth to set the shape as well as to let it cool.  I cool in the pumpkin roll in the refrigerator 1 hour, then  remove and unroll the cake to be filled. Spread the filling within 1/2 inch of the edges.  It will fill to the edge  as the cake is rolled up.  Carefully roll up the cake and filling, pulling the cloth from the cake.  Place the pumpkin roll  on a serving platter, seam side down.  Powder sugar can be sprinkled on top just before serving.  The sugar will dissolve into the cake if sprinkled too soon before serving.

I do not make 2 pumpkin rolls as a rule.  Since we had a Halloween Party to attend, I doubled the recipe and made the 2 rolls, putting them in a 9 x 13 cake pan for carrying.  They were a hit in the dessert line, just add a bit of whipped cream. One roll will make 10, 1/2 inch slices. 

2 Pumpkin Rolls Ready for the Halloween Party

2 Pumpkin Rolls Ready for the Halloween Party

Pumpkin Roll

Julia Ann
A popular autumn dessert of moist Pumpkin Cake Roll filled with cream cheese and powder sugar filling.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10 servings

Ingredients
  

  • CAKE
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • FILLING
  • 6 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup sifted powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Jelly roll pan 10 x 15, greased, lined with parchment paper, greased and floured.
  • Preheat over to 375 F.
  • Sift together all the dry ingredients, set aside.
  • In large mixer bowl, combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin and lemon juice.
  • Beat on high speed for 5 minutes.
  • Gradually add dry ingredients into the egg/sugar mixture beating until smooth.
  • Pour into the prepared pan.
  • Bake 15 minutes at 375 F.
  • After baking flip cake on damp cloth, roll up from short end, cool in refrigerator 1 hour.
  • Combine cream cheese, vanilla, butter and powdered sugar.
  • Mix until blended and smooth.
  • Assemble Pumpkin Roll:
  • Unroll the cake on the cloth.
  • Spread filling on the cake leaving 1/2 inch from the edges.
  • Reroll the cake, peeling away the cloth.
  • Lift roll on serving plate with the seam side down.
  • Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving sliced cake.

Notes

This recipe can be doubled to make 2 pumpkin rolls. 2 1/2 cups batter will be needed to fill the 2 jelly-roll pans and 1 3/4 cups of filling for each roll.--------------
Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipesfor your cooking experience. ©2007-2018Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “ Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Serving of Pumpkin Roll with Whip Cream

Serving of Pumpkin Roll with Whip Cream

Enjoy these pumpkin desserts.

Pumpkin Bread – cookbookinabox

Pumpkin Bread

cookbookinabox – Pumpkin Bread                                                                                                             

Simply Recipes – Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie

Sally’s Baking Additions – Whole Wheat Mini Pumpkin Muffins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinaboxJulia  Ann cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes  for your cooking experience. ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “ Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabook.  All rights reserved.

Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake

Start your morning with Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Strudel filling

Your family will love you when they get up  on a holiday morning to the wonderful smell of homemade  Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake.  This moist and rich cake has a strudel of brown sugar, cinnamon crumb mixed in the middle.  The cake has golden raisins mixed into the cake batter giving an extra sweetness.

Glazed Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake

Glazed Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake

Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake

Julia Ann
A sweet and moist coffee cake for breakfast or brunch. Cinnamon strudel filling and golden raisins add flavor and sweetness.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Breakfast - Brunch
Cuisine American
Servings 12 serving

Ingredients
  

  • CAKE
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 8 ounces of unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/3 cup golden raisins
  • STRUDEL
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 10 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • GLAZE
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven 350 F
  • Bundt Pan: butter, dust pan with 2 teaspoons flour and sugar, tap out excess.
  • In large mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter together until light and creamy.
  • In another bowl blend the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, sift together.
  • Add 1/2 cup of flour mixture to the butter and sugar.
  • Blend at low speed.
  • Beat in 1 egg at time.
  • Alternate the addition of flour with the other 2 eggs.
  • Add the remaining flour mixture, sour cream and vanilla, beat until evenly mixed.
  • Fold in the 1/3 cups of raisins with a spatula.
  • ----------
  • Mix strudel ingredients:
  • Blend with a fork until crumbly mixture.
  • ----------
  • Pour 1/2 the cake into the prepared pan.
  • Spread the strudel over the cake batter.
  • Add the remaining cake batter over the strudel.
  • Bake 55 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and remove to pan.
  • When the cake has cooled, drizzle glaze over the cake.

Notes

This can also be made in 9 x 13 pan or in an 9 inch springform pan. The strudel becomes the streusel by putting the crumb mixture on top of the cake before baking. This coffee cake can be made a week ahead; wrap well and freeze. Defrost it overnight in the wrapping. -------------------------------------- Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® brings you great recipes for your cooking experience. ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.”
Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.“ Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Many coffee cakes are made with a yeast batter.  The Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake uses baking powder and baking soda as the leavening agents.  It is an easy and quick ‘from scratch’ cake to make.  What is even better, the  coffee cake can be make a week ahead, wrap well and freeze.  Defrost in the wrapping overnight and warm for breakfast.

I have been leafing through my older cookbooks for old recipes I have used.  The Sour Cream Coffee Cake was first published in The Best of Food & Wine 1990 as an exclusive gift edition.  I made moderate adaptions by making a strudel instead of adding walnuts and chocolate. 

Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Strudel

Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Strudel

Other interesting Coffee Cakes:

Simply Recipes:  Apple Coffee Cake

All Things Home Related:  Peach Preserves Bundt Cake

 

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinaboxJulia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® Spices, bring you great recipes, outstanding herbs and spices for your cooking experience. ©2007-2020 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “ Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox®  All rights reserved.