I'm not meaning to leave you all hanging for hours on end, I just find that when I sit down to blog, I lose my focus. So I'm trying to stay off the computer more this Baking Day and just focus on, well, baking!
We also took a break from being in the kitchen to have our afternoon Reading Time. We love reading together and I try to make a point to read to everyone at least 20-30 minutes every day, even on those days when we take a break from our usual routine.
But here's what I've accomplished since I last checked in:
I finished all the waffles! I ended up with a mountain of waffles (five bags!) which should last us for every bit of 8-9 breakfasts. That means we should be stocked on waffles for at least another 5-6 weeks. And that's a great feeling. My picture of all of these will be coming in the final Baking Day photo.
I also chopped up all the chicken I had boiled and made up Southwest Roll-ups. These are one of our family's "staple recipes". You know, the kind that you turn to when you are feeling brain fried in menu-planning or just need a really easy dinner. I've been making these and freezing them ahead of time recently and have found this works well, too.
Southwest Roll-ups (makes 8 roll-ups)
1 can refried beans
1/4 cup salsa
1-2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
8 tortillas
Mix together beans, salsa, and chicken.
Spread 1/8 of mixture onto one tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll up and turn ends under. Stick in a freezer bag or in a 9×13 baking pan.
When ready to bake, thaw and bake in a pre-heated 350 degrees oven for 20-30 minutes until heated through. Sprinkle with more shredded Cheddar cheese, if desired. Serve with salsa. Serves 4.
I bought this huge bag of chocolate chips at Sam's Club on Saturday so I made some Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (the recipe is here).
I've heard there is a canned pumpkin shortage in some parts of the country, but I have quite a few cans which I bought a number of months ago for $0.25 each so I'm well-stocked. And now that I have plenty of chocolate chips, I'll likely be making more of these muffins as they are one of our favorites.
I made them with all whole wheat flour and I don't think you can even
tell a difference. My husband loves these in his lunches! I stick them
in the freezer once they are cooled and then just pull out a few and
stick them frozen into a baggie into his lunch box. By lunch time, they
are thawed and ready to eat!
(Picture from Marg at RecipeZaar)
Next up: Chicken Tetrazinni and Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Lauren says
Made the muffins this weekend & LOVE them!
Made the Southwest Roll-ups this morning & can’t wait to try them. Thanks for posting the pics ~ they helped me to know what size tortillas to use & also how much bean/chicken mixture to put in each tortilla. I am such a visual learner!
Kristie says
I would love to know how you schedule your day with little ones. I have two littles and with winter coming I need some ideas on having a more structured day.
Thanks.
Beth says
After reading these comments, I saw a clickable link to the McCormick $1 off coupon, FYI. I found it through the light recipe.
Kim says
I do a lot of the things that you do at home – you just seem to do them so much better and more efficiently! Question – do you have some ideas for make-ahead freezer meals that don’t include pasta, or so many carbs? My hubby is doing great losing weight on a lo-carb diet, and I hate to sabotage him with meals like lasagna and chicken tetrazinni (two of his favorites, by the way!) Thanks for your great ideas!
Teresa Schilling says
Was so excited to make the muffins when I got everything out I realized I had no Cho-chips, SO we switched to butterscotch. Wow are they great. Will try with the other chips next week. These are some of the best muffins I have ever had, and I made them:)
Holly says
Crystal these are my fav! However, I make it in cake form 😉
You know, now that you mention it- there is a pumpkin shortage! I have called my local trader joes for weeks – NO PUMPKIN! I was bummed too because I wanted to feed my lil’ pumpkin organic pumpkin.
Sarah says
You can often get cheap (or even free!) pumpkins after the holidays. Scrape out the meat and fill gallon freezer bags for fresh pumpkin to cook with later in the year 🙂
Susan says
Hi there, have you ever tried using applesauce in place of at least some of the vegetable oil for the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins? Just wondering if you’ve tried it and how they turned out.
Carol says
The Southwest Roll Up sound great! I am hoping to plan a baking day in the near future and will be including these for sure!
Stacie says
I really need to get in on this baking day. You really have inspired me. I could save a lot of money and make alot of my own things like been burritos.
Theresa says
I make my own refried beans because of my daughters food allergies. They taste better, are tons cheapers, and healthier too!
http://coffeebeankisses.blogspot.com/2009/05/beans-beans-musical-fruit.html
I’m totally going to boil up some beans to freeze. In the winter, I go through tons of pinto beans and black beans in soups. (If you haven’t tried black beans soup…yum!) Thanks for the idea. That will save me tons and I like that idea of having beans without all the extra additives.
Can’t wait to try your pumpkin muffins. I might give thema whirl gluten free as well.
Julie Copen says
Excellent tips – thanks for posting!!
I also make, bake and freeze sweet rolls and glaze. I make a home made sweet roll with a crumble topping similar to that of coffee cake topping (nuts, oats, spices, brown sugar). I freeze the rolls side by side in a gallon freezer bag,removing the air with a straw. I put the glaze into a smaller, sandwich sized, freezer bag and staple the very top of those two bags together – being careful to NOT staple the zipper or below it. When ready to use, I remove staples, snip a small part of the corner of the glaze bag and warm in micro or oven! Easy, quick and a favorite with my kids.
Jennifer says
I have been craving Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and I was actually planning on making them tonight with my little one! And your Southwest Chicken Burritos look so good. Too bad my hubby won’t eat beans!
Linda says
We love the pumpkin chocolate chip muffins! They are a favorite around here as well. Recipezaar actually has a light version (recipe #2509) which is what we use. It has applesauce instead of oil, and a bit less sugar. I have even added less sugar than the recipe with good results.
Here’s the link: http://www.recipezaar.com/Lite-or-Light-Pumpkin-Chocolate-Chip-Muffins-2509
The Southwest Chicken burritos sound good. I’ll have to try those! I need to have a baking/cooking day soon.
I recently joined a cooking club where we get together once a month to make freezer recipes. It is great! I love having stuff in the freezer pretty much ready to cook and eat.
Melissa says
Thanks for the roll up recipe. That is something my kids would love and an easy dinner for when my husband works late. You are wonderful!
Katie says
Hi Crystal,
Is they anything that you find won’t freeze well? I’ve only started to freeze meals and I’m a little overwhelmed by what I can and can’t freeze. For instance can you defrost raw meat, cook it and then refreeze it as a meal? Sorry to act so dense but this is all new to me.
I have found freezing meals for the week really helps me in both time and money but I’ve still got lots to learn!
Katie
April says
Hi, I was wondering if you ever refry your own beans – like to use in the Southwest roll-ups? I normally make a HUGE pot of pinto beans and freeze some for making my own refried beans. By family definitely prefers my refried beans to store bought ones, it’s less expensive AND no extra unhealthy ingredients! I LOVE your blog! God Bless!
Honey says
At least if there is a canned pumpkin shortage, there will soon be plenty of real pumpkins to use. I am going to try to do something with mine this year before they go bad-once we enjoy our little festive fall cornucopia.
Sarah J. says
I had been planning a baking day for today since last week. Mine is a bit different. I managed Beef Taco Meat, Goulash, Browned Ground Turkey, Lasagna, Apple Oat Pancakes, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Brownies, Cake, Graham Cookies and Homemade Cheesy Garlic Toast today! I blogged mine too! Hoping to complete my list on Friday (since I work tomorrow). I want to do Chicken-rice soup and French Toast still.
jessica leman says
The pumpkin CC muffins are a staple in our house as well! LOVE LOVE THEM!!!
Just wondering…you said you bought your choc chips at Sams club this time. Do you think it was more cost effective? When it comes to cc we always buy Nestle and never generic…we just like them much better. But I never seem to find them super cheap anywhere. They always seem to be around $1.50 – $2 pkg even with a sale and coupon. Maybe I need to look other than Meijer for them though. Thanks so much Crystal!
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Money Saving Mom here: Stay tuned for my full report and cost breakdown on Saturday on my Sam’s Club trip. 🙂
Julie Nickerson says
I can’t even read your Baking Days entries b/c I realize I will get depressed cause this could never happen in my home with my wild son!
Rock On though! You are amazing!
Erin says
Thanks for the additional link. My stupid pop up blocker wouldn’t let me use your original link! Can’t wait to try out the muffins!
Annette says
Canned pumpkin shortage??!?! You’re kidding…no wonder I couldn’t find them at WalMart OR Publix… I LOVE baking with pumpkin. Am I gonna have to start buying pie pumpkins for everything now? Ack!
Love your blog! Visit it daily! 🙂
Andrea says
Wow you are amazing. All this with sick little ones. Everything looks yummy. I may try the roll-ups. I make fresh pinto beans…that would work w/ this recipe. Also there is a shortage of pumpkin in our area. I spoke to managers @ Kroger & Walmart and they said it was an issue with the company who sells the pureed pumpkin?? So no pumpkin muffins for us. 🙁 Thanks for the inspiration!!
unfinishedmom says
I hope your planning to post the recipe for the Chicken Tettazinni. My recipe for Chicken Tetrazinni would be awful if frozen.
shari says
what size tortillas did you use?
Lauren says
I have had so much fun having a baking day of my own today!! Your southwest roll-ups sound yummy…I will have to try them soon. Praying that your girls are feeling better soon and that Silas is spared from the sickness. My little girl is 12 months and we just had 2 weeks of sickness. It is so hard on little ones.
Bridget says
I made the muffins tonight and they are delicious! It is definitely a new staple at our house.
Also, probably a year and a half ago, I started making the baked oatmeal and my kids love it. Much better than the microwave packs and healthier too! Thanks so much for sharing these recipes.
Heather says
I’m exhausted, and I just sliced strawberries and did the dishes! (I don’t have any kids, either) Maybe just reading all that you did makes me feel tired! I’m super impressed.
Candice says
I love pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, I love to sprinkle extra mini chocolate chips on top. They are so yummy!
Tammy says
Ooh, please share your banana choc chip recipe! I have mashed bananas and lots of choc chips in my freezer and need to use them up!
Courtney says
I got this muffin recipe from you several months ago and have made them many times since. We absolutely love them! I have been cutting the amount of oil by 50% and they taste great that way, but I think I’ll try the light version using applesauce next.
RebeccaC says
I had not heard of a pumpkin shortage. What a tragedy that would be!
We don’t buy canned pumpkin because a few seasons ago, my father in law gave us a huge candyroaster pumpkin/squash thing. It was about 25 pounds and almost all usable vegetable. It’s an oblong vegetable in the same family as pumpkins and winter squash. The cavity has proportionally fewer seeds than a regular pumpkin, and the flavor is very mild and sweet.
I needed help from my husband to cut it open initially, but then I just removed seeds, peeled, diced, and cooked it in all my crockpots overnight. Puree it afterward in a blender if you like, package it up in freezer bags or containers, and then pull it out for recipes as needed.
The flavor is so sweet you can cut sugar in recipes by half for pies and pumpkin breads. It’s also great for a hearty winter base!
The plants are very hardy and the vegetables hold well in a cool place like a basement or root cellar. One plant would easily produce 30-40 cups of usable pumpkin puree–enough for an average family with plenty to spare. If you have even a small space of usable soil (5 feet square would suffice), I recommend planting one next year!
Melody says
I make those exact same muffins but I found the recipe on The Flourishing Mother blog. My family loves them. I freeze them and if they want to them for breakfast I pull out one or two, stick them in the microwave for 30 seconds and they are nice and warm.
The Southwest Roll ups look yummy, I will definitely need to try them.
Melody says
I make those exact same muffins but I found them on The Flourishing Mother blog. My family loves them too. If the kids want them for breakfast I pull them out, microwave them for 30 seconds and they are nice and warm.
The Southwest Roll ups look fabulous, I will have to try them.
Traci R. says
I like to use whole wheat flour whenever I can. Alas, I’ve found that sometimes it causes baked goods to go flat. That’s when I usually use half regular and half whole wheat. Nice to know this is a recipe that can go all whole wheat! I bought six cans of pumpkin during the “pumpkin frenzy” so I am ready, too.
Susan says
I have to say that you inspired me to get up and go make those muffins. The only thing was I changed a few things. First, I used whole wheat flour then, instead of cinnamon I used pumpkin pie spice and finally instead of chocolate chips I used butterscotch chips.
Beeb says
The roll-up idea is awesome. I’m so going to make those and freeze them! Thanks for sharing!
Colleen Coberley says
My sister made me some breakfast burritos similar to this for when my daughter was , well, expected to be born. She was a week late! We were able to just microwave them for about 1 min each. Even easier!
Brooke P says
You’re amazing. I can’t imagine how to do somthing like that with kids around. My list would read: brown meat, wipe a bum, boil noodles, take kids to school, boil more noodles, pick up some kids from school, re boil noodles that went too long, pick up more kids, wipe another bum, pick up more kids, bake bread, bake more bread I burned….:) You’re an inspiration!
Natalie says
I also use that same muffin recipe from recipezaar and they are awesome! I actually use the lighter version she has posted and I would encourage others to do the same (it subs applesauce for the oil). I also use ww flour and add ground flaxseed. They always come out great and are so easy to bake. I freeze them and then microwave for 30 seconds in the morning. My hubby loves them too!
Courtney Costello says
We made and froze these muffins this summer- HUGE hit with the family!
Patti says
Your Baking Day comments reminds me of the October Better Homes and Gardens article “Store More,Waste less” on freezer organization. I hooted when I read it as the freezer they show looks NOTHING like mine (which is filled to the brim and everything falls out all the time). But they have some good ideas about how to make space – for instance, freezing soup laying down in a large zipper freezer bag and then stacking them upright when finished. As everyone is baking, they may want to think about how to package your items to take up the least amount of space. Good luck and thank you for the inspiration!
Mommy Daisy says
Love the idea for the Southwest Rolls. My family loves Bean Burritos and they are very similar. They do freeze well. We leave out the chicken and also add salsa on top of the pan of burritos before cooking with cheese on top. Mmm! It’s easy to make a huge pan of these. Just get the large refried beans, a whole jar or salsa, 2 cups of cheese. Yum!
Heather says
Do you subsitute all 3 cups of the flour for whole wheat flour?
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Money Saving Mom here: Yes, I just used whole wheat flour in place of regular flour.
Rachel says
Thanks for the roll-up recipe- I am going to try this. It looks so easy and yummy!
One of my favorite “go-to” recipes is sauteed sliced sausage with egg noodles. Mmm!
Susan says
These muffins look awesome! I checked out the recipie and I cannot wait to try it! Thanks!
Angela says
The pumpkin chocolate chip muffins look great and I bet they would be a hit around here. Do you use regular whole wheat flour or white whole wheat? I actually have both at the moment 🙂
I haven’t even paid attention to if our stores are out of pumpkin but I’m going to have to start looking because I have a pumpkin spice cake that I usually make this time of year and my husband will be very sad if I don’t get one (or more) made this fall.
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Money Saving Mom here: I used freshly-ground Summer wheat.
Jessica says
I was just curious if you stocked up on tortillas or if you bought then for this baking day.
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Money Saving Mom here: I just bought a huge bag of them on Saturday at Sam’s. I bought them for another recipe I was making for a gathering we were hosting, but I had a lot leftover.
Samantha Valenzuela says
When boiling your chicken…do you season it as it boils?
Allison Voges says
I wish I could do Baking Day like you. I just don’t have the freezer space! Someday I will, and then I can get all stocked up too! But in the meantime I need to try those muffins–yum!
Rachel says
ooh, I printed this out months ago to try and forgot, I too have lots of pumpkin bought reduced last year.
did you buy the vanilla?
Christine @Lily of the Valley says
Your baking day is an absolute inspiration. I am hoping to get a deep freeze, soon, to stock it with freezer meals, as I am expecting my fourth blessing. Our regular freezer fills up too quickly. Many blessings!
Alicia says
I love the pumpkin chocolate chip muffins!My publix does seem to have a shortage of pumpkin, but last time I was at Wal-Mart they had some. 🙂 Need to stock up!
Megan says
yummy! I’m going to have to try the muffins for sure!
Marie_Beginning, Meet End says
I love your baking days! I think I am going to try one in the near future since my 2nd baby is due next month. With my first baby I had meals on end delivered from friends and church members but I don’t think I will get that lucky this time. I’d better be prepared.
Your pumpkin chocolate chip muffins have made me hungry! How long do they stay good in the freezer? I have a food vacuum sealer-would you recommend that or do you find baggies to do a good enough job?
gena layton says
Wow…I have been following for some time, but this is the first baking day I’ve seen…I LOVE IT!!! Thanks so much!!
anoo says
i saw the pics you posted in the previous post…got tempted and made some cookies…now i think im gonna make some muffins…LOL
Alex says
I made your Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins last week. My husband is in love with them. I thought I had made enough for about 4 breakfasts. They were gone in less than a week!
Thanks for sharing with us!
Whitney says
The muffins look absolutely delicious! I’m going to give this recipe a try, for sure! Love your baking progress today! 🙂
Erin says
Are you going to post your recipe for the Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins? I saw the picture and my mouth watered!
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Money Saving Mom here: The recipe is linked in the post. If it isn’t showing up for your for some reason, you can find it here:
http://www.recipezaar.com/Pumpkin-Chocolate-Chip-Muffins-3564