Category Archives: Ruth’s yummy stuff

Ham Hash

03 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by in Ham Hash, Ruth's yummy stuff, yummy stuff

≈ 2 Comments

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This started out as one of my dishes named hodge podge. If I like what I came up with, it gets a name. So, this is now known as Ham Hash.

I am sure you have probably heard of Skillet Hash or Corned Beef Hash. Basically fried potatoes and roast beef. I thought that I’d try ham and see what happened.

You will need a large skillet with a lid.

Ingredients:

2 medium size potatoes, scrubbed and cubed

1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped

1 small/medium onion, chopped

1/2 of a small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 of a small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 – 2 cups chopped ham

salt to season

pepper to season

1/2 teaspoon paprika powder

2 Tablespoons oil for coating the skillet

Directions:

Add the oil to the skillet and heat up over medium/high heat.

Add everything to the skillet, but the ham and seasonings.

Season with the salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir til everything is mixed well.

Cover with lid and check once in a while to prevent burning or sticking.

After 5 or 10 minutes, lower the heat and continue to cook until the potatoes are tender.

Dump in the ham and mix in.

Cover and let the ham heat up with the rest of the food.

Let that go for a few minutes.

Time to serve!

This will serve 4-6 depending on if you eat it alone or with something else.

Simple Chocolate Candies

10 Thursday Apr 2014

Posted by in Chocolate, coconut oil, Ruth's yummy stuff, simple chocolate candies

≈ 4 Comments

simple chocolate candies with chia seeds added in

Most everybody likes some chocolate once in a while. But, sometimes you don’t have any on hand or you want to go with something healthy or you don’t want to go to the trouble of making them because it can be complicated and take a long time.

But, these candies are simple. Fast to make and as healthy as a candy that you are probably going to find.
The longest part is waiting for them to firm up enough to eat.

This will make enough for 12 candies.

You will need a mini muffin pan with 12 muffin cups.
You will need an immersion blender. A whisk will work or a regular blender.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
2 Tablespoons honey, preferably raw
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Possible add ins are chopped nuts, dried fruit, coconut, or chia seeds

Take out your mini muffin pan. If you want anything in your chocolate candies, sprinkle some of what you are using in the bottom of each cup.
Set aside.
Melt the coconut oil.
Put in a container that you can easily pour from and that will allow you to use the immersion blender or whisk. Or pour into the jar of blender.
Add the honey and blend in well so it does not separate.
Blend in the cocoa powder and optional vanilla extract.
Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin cups.
If you used a whisk, you will need to make sure to whisk between pours so the honey doesn’t separate.
Put into the freezer and keep in there for 30-60 minutes until the candies have firmed.

You can now take them out of the muffin pan pretty easily.
I have never tried just plopping them out. I take a knife and carefully lift them out.

If you have raw cacao powder, you will also get additional health benefits.

I do recommend keeping these in the fridge so they don’t melt or get too soft.

Life and Coconut

04 Friday Apr 2014

Posted by in coconut flour, coconut sugar, Ruth's yummy stuff

≈ 2 Comments

Wow! It’s been so long since I put anything up here.
Things have been busy for me lately.

I took an impromptu trip to Cincinnati for a family problem.
Things are starting to settle back down and hopefully I will get more done on this little blog.

Lately I have done a little experimenting with coconut.
I have always been a fan of coconut oil.
The virgin organic unrefined is some pretty awesome stuff.

I decided to try some coconut flour and coconut sugar, as well.

I made some coconut flour chocolate chip cookies and those turned out pretty good.
I am going to try it for coating fried chicken next.
It is absorbent so a little goes a long way.

The coconut sugar is fine.
I don’t think that I am completely sold on it.

It is pricey so you don’t want to go crazy using it.
It is supposed to have a lower glycemic index than cane or beet sugar.
Plus, some added minerals and vitamins.

It is not as sweet as regular sugar or brown sugar so if you want the same sweetness, you will have to use quite a bit more.
It has more of a caramel taste. A deeper, more complex taste than brown sugar.

I don’t mind it.
It is a nice change.
But, I don’t plan to buy it again.

Molasses or maple syrup sweeten things nicely with some added minerals.
If I want to cut the sweet, I will use less cane sugar.

Now, there is a big difference in organic cane sugar and regular sugar and I buy the organic when I can.

The coconut flour is something I would buy again.
A bag will last me a long time so I feel it is worth what I paid for it.

Blueberry Banana Muffins

30 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in banana, Blueberry, blueberry banana muffins, muffins, oat four, Ruth's yummy stuff, wheat free, yummy stuff

≈ 4 Comments

These muffins have the great tastes of blueberry and bananas and are a great way to start the day. If you don’t eat wheat, these are perfect because they don’t use wheat flour.

The banana is what makes these so nice and moist. They also keep great so are good made the night before and reheated or eaten at room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/205 Celsius.
Grease 12 muffin cups or use liners.

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup flax meal (ground flax seed)
1/4 cup corn starch or arrowroot
1/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 cup mashed banana (2 large or 3 medium)
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

In a bowl, stir together the oat flour, flax, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
Set aside.
In another bowl, mash the bananas. Add the milk, egg, and oil and mix well.
Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and  stir until everything is mixed well and no dry spots are visible.
Fold in the blueberries.
Divide the batter evenly amongst the 12 muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until you can lightly touch the muffin tops and they spring back.
Take out of the oven and let sit in pan for 15 minutes.
Loosen around the edges with a knife and let sit for another 15 minutes.
Carefully remove from muffin cups.

Makes 12.

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You can buy oat flour or just grind dry oatmeal in a blender or food processor. If you have a spice grinder, that is perfect.

I like using olive oil because it makes for a lighter muffin.    

Getting Organized

16 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in organizing tips, Ruth's yummy stuff, yummy stuff

≈ 4 Comments

Getting organized and staying organized can be vital.

It saves you time, sometimes money, and it definitely saves your sanity.

You know the little things like keeping things in their proper space.

But, how bout keeping a running list so that when you run out of something you know to get more?
It saves you checking when you make your grocery list.

Planning meals is good.
I don’t always get it done, but it is helpful.

You know what to buy at the store,
you don’t have to wrack your brain trying to figure it out,
and if you pack lunches and/or make breakfast, things go smoother.

If you do pack lunches for work or school, leftovers can be great.
Make extra food if you can.
If that doesn’t work, make a meal and portion it into serving sizes and freeze or refrigerate for later lunches.

We are not cold cereal eaters.
Which means making breakfast every morning.

You can always bake muffins the night before
Or
you can mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another bowl and mix them and bake in the morning.

Cinnamon rolls can be left to rise in the fridge overnight.
Take out while you preheat the oven.
Bake and nice hot breakfast.

How do you find ways of making things go smoother in the kitchen?

Eating Healthy

08 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by in healthy, Ruth's yummy stuff

≈ 4 Comments

Lots of people think about getting healthy at the beginning of the new year.

It could be because it is the new year or because of all that eating through the holidays makes one want to feel better.

But, any time is a good time to start being healthy.

Start by drinking a little more.
Water is the best thing you can have.

Lots of people don’t like plain water.
Add a piece of fruit to it to add some flavor.

Don’t try to change everything too fast.

Healthy can taste good.

I don’t believe in low fat.

Many things you buy that are low fat are not as healthy as something with full fat.

Your body needs a certain amount of fat.
And the right kind of fat.

Lots of vegetable oils aren’t really healthy.
They oxidize in the body and are not the best for cells.

Olive oil, uncooked or heated at low temperature is good.
Coconut oil, provided it is extra virgin organic and does not contain hexane, is good.
Butter is good. 

Avocados are a good fat source.

It is fine to watch the fat, just make sure to watch the sugar too.

I do recommend doing lots of reading before you figure out your plan.
Don’t just go by FDA or USDA guidelines.
Look at alternative health sites.
Lots of them and learn what is best for you.

We all have different needs.
It make take a while to figure out yours.

You can do it.

You just have to stick with it.

Peanut Butter Energy Bites

22 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by in no bake, peanut butter energy bites, Ruth's yummy stuff, yummy stuff

≈ 1 Comment

These are yummy and fast and healthy. No cooking or baking is involved. You are gonna love these!

You will need a bowl for mixing.

Ingredients:
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup flax meal (ground flax seed)
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Start with a spoon and finish with your hands.
Roll into balls and put into a container with a lid.
Refrigerate to set up.

I just keep mine in the fridge, but you don’t have to.

I get about 18. How many you get depends on how big you roll the balls.

DO NOT cook the oatmeal first!

Gluten Free Pie Crust

16 Saturday Nov 2013

Posted by in gluten free pie crust, pie crust recipe, Ruth's yummy stuff

≈ 12 Comments

I LOVE pie! Out of all the desserts in the world, I think pie would be tops. My favorite filling is debatable. There are just too many great ones to choose from.

I have problems with gluten.

At first, I thought it was just wheat. Sadly, it is all gluten.
I know there are plenty of wheat recipes scattered on the blog.
But, many of the recipes can be used with other flours.
A lot of the recipes I wrote before I quit wheat and after that all gluten.

The biggest thing I missed was pie.
It is really hard to make a gluten free pie crust in the way I always made a crust.

Most recipes I came across were for using parchment paper to roll it out.
I didn’t want to do that.

Or, they were just for single crust pies.

So, I came up with this recipe. The crust came out flaky, just like a pie crust should.
This is best made ahead at least a few hours or even overnight.

You will need plastic wrap for wrapping the dough in.

Ingredients:

2 cups Gluten Free All purpose flour blend- I used Namaste Perfect Flour Blend, but use what works for you.
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter
1 egg
2 to 4 Tablespoons water
2 teaspoons lemon juice

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons water, and the egg.
Set aside.
In a larger bowl, mix the flour and salt.
Work in the butter with your hands or a fork until the mixture is crumbly like.
Some of the butter pieces can be bigger and some smaller.
Add the egg mixture and stir in with a fork.
If it is really, dry add another tablespoon and the last tablespoon, if needed.
Work it in with your hands just until it you can get it to come together in a ball.
Divide the dough in two and make into slightly flattened balls.
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for a few hours, preferably a day.
When ready to make your pie, take a piece of dough out of the refrigerator about five to ten minutes before rolling it out.
Flour the counter well, put the dough on it and flour the top of the dough.
Carefully roll it out to a little larger than the pan size, turning over every so ofter so the dough doesn’t stick to the counter or the rolling pin.
Transfer the pie crust to the pan and fill it.
Repeat with top crust.
Stick the pie, covered, in the fridge while preheating the oven.
Place a cookie sheet or pizza pan in the oven before you preheat.
Preheat according to the recipe.
To bake the pie, place the pie on the pan. It will make for a crisper crust.
Make sure to put slits in the top crust before you bake.

This dough also freezes well.

So, if you plan just a single crust pie, wrap the other half well in plastic wrap and freeze.