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Whole Wheat Banana Bread and Muffins

May 19, 2010 by Laura 107 Comments

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banana_bread

Did I ever tell you about the time I almost forgot to put the bananas into my banana bread?

I have these finer moments in my kitchen from time to time. They mostly happen while I’m trying to cook and talk simultaneously. If I’m talking on the phone while mixing up a recipe, I tend to leave out key ingredients. Or add the same ingredient twice.  It’s ridiculous.  I think it’s crazy that I can usually multi-task quite well…but I can barely have a conversation with someone while I cook. Duh. Just be glad I type these posts after I’m finished cooking. Otherwise, these recipes would just be plain scary.

And so, because I care too much not to share, here’s a handy baking tip:  When making Banana Bread or Muffins, be sure to add the bananas. The final product tastes much better this way. I’m nothing if not helpful.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread and MuffinsYum

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (I use freshly ground flour from hard white wheat)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup mashed over-ripe bananas (about 2-3 bananas)
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mash bananas, or puree them in a blender. Mix mashed bananas, honey, melted butter and eggs into flour mixture.

For Bread:  Spread batter into a well buttered bread pan. Bake in a 350° oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

For Muffins:  Spoon batter into 12 buttered or paper lined muffin tins. Bake in a 400° oven for 20 minutes.

Speaking of finer moments in my kitchen…did I ever tell you about the time I made a lovely lasagna ahead of time so that I would be all ready for my company that night? Because, you see, it’s great to be prepared when you’re having company. Oh, and it also helps to get the lasagna out of the fridge and BAKE IT at dinner time. Being prepared doesn’t help at all if you don’t actually bake your lasagna. Yeah, dinner was a little late that night.

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It’s National Pretzel Day! Make Some Memories!

April 26, 2010 by Laura 6 Comments

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making_memories

First, I’d just like to say that I think it’s funny that there is a national ANYTHING day. You name it, there is a national day for it. While I’m not opposed to celebrating the day zippers became patented (because I happen to appreciate zippers very much), I just find it interesting that there is a day to honor this occasion.

That being said, in case you didn’t know, today (Monday April 26) is National Pretzel Day. Now this is one celebration I can get into. You know I love me some homemade soft pretzels!!

pretzels9sm.JPG

Perfectly fitting for today, Jennifer at Adventures in McQuill-land is hosting Making Memories Monday. I happen to think that making homemade whole wheat soft pretzels is a very fun way to make memories with your kids! Mixing them up, letting them rise, punching them down and shaping them – and then of course eating them together (with butter slathered all over) – what a great way to make memories! Maybe you could shape them into alphabet letters, spell out your child’s name or create some fun animals. Get creative! (Remember these fun pretzel shapes?)  Or you can of course just enjoy shaping them into regular ol’ pretzels!

One of my favorite ways to make memories with my kids is by having them in the kitchen with me! Be sure to see how others are making memories at Making Memories Monday. And…scroll through these posts to learn more about getting your kids into the kitchen with you! (Hey, if you do decide to make some fun pretzel memories today, can you email me your pictures?! I want to see what you came up with!)

So, what day should National Heavenly Homemaker’s Day be? (It would be a day to celebrate all of you!!! And there would be lots of chocolate.)

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Whole Wheat Pie Crust

April 20, 2010 by Laura 247 Comments

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Making pie crusts has never come easy to me. In fact, if you recall…I put out an all call many months ago and used YOUR recipes to put together the free ebook, For the Love of Pie!

Since that time, I have discovered a delicious and healthy way to make whole wheat pie crust! I am SO excited!

The secret ingredient is Tropical Traditions Palm Shortening. We all know to stay away from regular shortening (like crisco) right? I’ve tried making pie crusts with butter, and that works too (especially in these Mini Apple Pies). But, since I tried using Palm Shortening from Tropical Traditions, I feel like my days of frustration with pie crust may be over. When I tried making a whole wheat crust with Palm Shortening, it formed perfectly. It rolled out like a dream. I could be heard shouting out Whooops and Woohoos from my kitchen for miles around. I’m telling you, this from the lady who never could make a pie crust.

Here’s how you make the crust…

Whole Wheat Pie CrustYum

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup Palm Shortening (or butter)
4-5 Tablespoons cold water

I found this recipe to work best in my food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, you can cut the shortening into the flour with a pastry blender.

Place flour, salt and shortening in food processor. Blend until shortening is cut throughout the flour and the mixture resembles crumbs.

pie_crus_palm_shortening_three_sm

Admire the crumbs…

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Begin adding water and processing (or stirring). If your dough looks like this, it doesn’t have enough water in it yet…

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Add little bits of water until your dough will form a nice round ball.

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Roll out your dough  on a well floured surface. Fold it in half.

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Then fold it in half again.

pie_crust_palm_shortening_11sm

Place your dough in your pie dish with the folded corner in the center.

pie_crust_palm_shortening_12sm

Unfold the dough, shape it into the dish and make the edges pretty.

Whole Wheat Pie Crust

Here’s a little video tutorial I made that will maybe (hopefully) give you an idea about how I shape my pie crust. There are all kinds of different ways to make it pretty…this is just the way my grandma taught me.

Poke your dough a few times with a fork to keep it from poofing up in the oven.

Bake at 450° for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Mmmm…pretty dutch apple pie! (I just used this Mini Apple Pie filling and crumb topping recipe with the crust for this pie…in case you feel like you must try it right NOW!)  I must say, a glass of milk helps this pie go down real nice.

apple_pie_palm_shortening_sm

 

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Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

April 15, 2010 by Laura 118 Comments

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I’m not sure if you are a chocolate lover like I am, but any recipe that has the words chocolate and chocolate written side by side makes me very happy and excited.

Chocolate_Chocolate_Chip_Muffins

My biggest hint on this recipe is to use sour cream instead of milk. (The recipe lists either one.) Sour cream makes these super moist.

This recipe is a definite family favorite. They taste amazing with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip MuffinsYum

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sucanat
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup melted coconut oil or butter
2/3 cup milk or sour cream
1 egg
1/4 cup chocolate chips (I recommend these organic chips without soy lecithin)

Stir together dry ingredients. Mix in coconut oil, milk and egg. Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop into 9-12 paper lined muffin tins. Bake at 400° for 20  minutes. Makes about 9 muffins. (I double the recipe for my family of six.)

5.0 from 1 reviews
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins
 
Save Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
20 mins
Total time
30 mins
 
Author: Laura
Serves: 9 muffins
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups whole wheat flour
  • ⅓ cup sucanat
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil or butter
  • ⅔ cup milk or sour cream
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Stir together dry ingredients.
  2. Mix in coconut oil, milk and egg.
  3. Fold in chocolate chips.
  4. Scoop into 9-12 paper lined muffin tins.
  5. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.
3.4.3177

If you have some good quality coconut oil, I highly recommend using it in this recipe. The coconut flavor with the chocolate is SO GOOD.

How about Chocolate Chip Bread?

Don’t mind if I do. Indeed, you can also make this recipe into a quick bread instead of muffins. Just spread the batter into a buttered loaf pan and bake at 350° for 50 minutes! Get all the details here.

chocolate_pumpkin_bread_2

 

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Menu Plan for the Week

March 21, 2010 by Laura 12 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

On Thursday of last week, it was 68 degrees. The next day it snowed. This…is springtime in Nebraska. I am happy to report though that within the last week I have seen three or even four blades of green grass. And also, I heard something strange the other day and it turned out to be the beautiful chirping of a bird. I think it is so nice that the birds are kind enough to fly back and join us in the springtime. 

Our family is in the midst of lots of spring activities. We’re busy getting ready for LTC (Leadership Training for Christ), a convention for 3rd graders up through 12th graders. Asa and Justus have been studying hard for the Bible bowl, plus practicing several times a week for dramas and puppet shows and choirs. Soccer season has also started for some of our boys and will start for ALL of them in two weeks. Did I mention all the boys are in our home school musical in April? 

I’m letting you know about all this because if I forget to complete any sentences around here…it’s because my brain might be on the fried side (more than normal). 

Thank goodness for the menu plan! 

Sunday, March 21
Oatmeal, pears
Cheesy beef and rice, green beans
Taco Potatoes, applesauce

Monday, March 22
Whole wheat waffles, blueberries
Potato soup, fruit-kefir smoothies, carrot sticks
Cheddar ranch burgers, steamed carrots, broccoli and cauliflower

Tuesday, March 23
Mini breakfast pizza, oranges
Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas, tossed salad
Chicken and noodles, carrots

Wednesday, March 24
Chocolate chocolate chip muffins, apples
Turkey sausage, ranch potato wedges, peas
Homemade pizza, tossed salad, fruit

Thursday, March 25
Warm vanilla soother, homemade oat crunch cereal
Corn dog muffins  , carrot sticks, apples
Chicken Fried Steak Strips, simple mashed potatoes, gravy, asparagus

Friday, March 26
Sourdough English muffins with peanut butter and honey, pears
Grilled cheese, tomato soup
Lamb-burgers on whole wheat hamburger buns, homemade onion rings

Saturday, March 27
Honey whole wheat bagels, milk
Leftover buffet
Italian stew with green beans, tossed salad

If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up to win free Learn and Grow Pre-school Curriculum! A random winner will be selected in just a few more days!

Also, I just wanted to let you know that while I know you are are anxiously awaiting the continuation of my Journey to Healthy Eating series, I may take a break from it this week (don’t throw tomatoes!). Last week’s entry kinda took the soup out of me, plus I’ve been busy trying to catch up on other writing I’ve needed to get done. I’m also not sure I’ll get around to another post in the Becoming a Better Help Meet series this week. In the meantime, keep praying for your husbands!! :)

Ooh, and I’m very excited about a couple of new giveaways coming up this week. Stay tuned!
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Find more menu planning inspiration at Organizing Junkie!

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High Five Recipes: Layered Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas

March 18, 2010 by Laura 24 Comments

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Layered Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas are about to become one of your family’s favorite recipes!

High Five Recipes 2

Yum

This recipe can not get any easier! Typically, I have all the ingredients on hand for these Layered Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas. So that means I can throw this together at the last minute whenever we need it. Everyone in my family loves this, which is a huge score!

We prefer flour tortillas, but these enchiladas can also be made with corn tortillas if you have a gluten intolerance or if you just like corn tortillas better.

Layered Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas

High Five Recipes: Layered Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • sea salt to taste
  • 2 cups salsa
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided (I use raw white cheddar)
  • 8 whole wheat flour tortillas (or corn tortillas)
Instructions
  1. Brown meat. Stir in salsa and ½ cup of cheese.
  2. Lay 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  3. Spread half of meat mixture over tortillas.
  4. Layer again with the 4 remaining tortillas.
  5. Spread remaining meat mixture over tortillas.
  6. Top with 1½ cups cheese.
  7. Bake uncovered at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
3.4.3177

 
 
Save Print
3.4.3177

Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas
This dish freezes easily too, making it a great make ahead meal!

Freezing Instructions:  Cover dish well and freeze. Thaw and bake as directed above. Or, if the enchiladas are frozen, bake in a 250° oven for one hour, then at 350° for another 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Serve these Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas with a tossed salad and fresh fruit. This meal is as simple as can be!

creamy salsa enchiladas

I have several more High Five Recipes up my sleeve (not literally of course, but wouldn’t that be fun to see?). Oh, and actually if you haven’t already, you should go read the story of my sleeves because, well it’s always fun to read about sleeves.

It’s here! Check out our amazing Simple Meals program!

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Homemade Whole Wheat Vanilla Wafers

December 17, 2009 by Laura 65 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

We have become a household of the “eat it while you can because it won’t be around long, hurry they’re almost gone already” sort. That’s definitely how it was the day I first made homemade vanilla wafers. Now I double the recipe when I make these.

Homemade Whole Wheat Vanilla WafersYum

5.0 from 1 reviews
Homemade Whole Wheat Vanilla Wafers
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup sucanat or brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (this is a great recipe to use with your homemade vanilla extract!!)
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (I use freshly ground whole wheat flour made from hard white wheat)
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
  1. Cream butter and sucanat together. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Stir in flour, salt and baking powder.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrape the dough into a pastry bag with a large, plain piping tip.
  3. Pipe nickel sized amounts of dough onto the parchment paper. (If you don't have the tools you need to "pipe" these onto your cookie sheet...I think just plopping tiny plops down with a spoon will work okay too.)
  4. If, after you are done piping dough, you have a big pan full of ugly, weird shaped blobs, you have done very, very well.
  5. Bake at 325° for five to fifteen minutes. (This is a broad range of time, but each oven is different. Check them after five minutes to see how they're doing!)
  6. Turn off the oven and let the cookies sit inside for a half hour or so to crisp up.
3.4.3177

vanillawafers1sm

vanillawafers2sm

vanillawafers3sm

See? The ugly blobs spread out while they bake and make nice circle shaped Vanilla Wafers that your children will devour before their daddy comes home.

vanilla_wafers

And two days later when their daddy hears about the homemade vanilla wafers he will say to you, “What? Vanilla wafers? You made vanilla wafers? I never saw any vanilla wafers.”

Or something like that.

I have got to remember to set some of these aside next time.
————————————————————————–

Other snacks you might be interested in making:  Homemade Graham Crackers; Crispy Cheese Crackers; Chewy Granola Bars

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Totally Tortillas Ebook

July 8, 2009 by Laura 43 Comments

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totallytortillascover

Learn to make your very own homemade tortillas! Easy to make and even easier to eat with this e-book full of ways to serve your homemade tortillas. With so many great ideas for lunches and snacks, you’ll find you make these tortillas over and over!

Includes recipes such as:

  • Whole Wheat Tortilla recipe
  • Chicken or Steak Fajitas
  • Homemade Pizza Rolls
  • Tacos
  • Beef and Cheese Burritos
  • Dessert Tortillas
  • Tostadas
  • Homemade Tortilla Chips
  • Bean Dip
  • Calico Salsa with Chips
  • Taquitos
  • Quesadillas
  • Chicken Salad Wrap
  • Tuna Salad Wrap

Recipe DOES NOT require use of a tortilla press. A good old fashioned rolling pin (along with a little muscle) is all you need!

[wp_eStore_fancy1 id=15]

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Special Breakfast: Whole Wheat Waffles with Blueberry Syrup

April 7, 2008 by Laura 60 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Pretty sure this picture right here is going to make us all want to make waffles very, very soon. Does a treat get any more delectable?

Whole Wheat Waffles

Waffles are one of our favorite breakfast foods – especially when we top them with strawberries, blueberries, and/or whipped cream. This is a great meal to feed company who is at your house for breakfast. They are so easy to make, but taste like a great treat!

My kids now call these “Super Mama Waffles.” If I was going to have a food named after me, I can’t think of one better than waffles. I’m pretty sure it’s the fruit and whipped cream that make these waffles super.

Keep these waffles in mind for dinner as well. And…we’ve even made big batches to feed college kids after church on Sundays for a fun lunch!

blueberrywaffle2sm.JPG

Whole Wheat Waffles

Special Breakfast: Whole Wheat Waffles with Blueberry Syrup
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 5 servings
Ingredients
  • 1¾ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • 1½ cup milk
Instructions
  1. Whisk all ingredients together.
  2. Cook batter in a waffle iron until golden brown,
3.5.3251

I usually double this recipe and freeze the leftovers to be popped into the toaster another day!

Blueberry SyrupYum

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup rapadura or sucanat (dehydrated cane sugar juice)

Stir ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat for about 10 minutes until blueberries become a little mushy and syrupy. Serve over pancakes or waffles.

Whipped Cream

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
drop of vanilla
2 drops of stevia

Whip cream in a bowl until soft peaks form. Add vanilla and stevia and whip just a bit more.

Serve Blueberry syrup and whipped cream over waffles. Delicious!

Add protein to this meal by serving with scrambled eggs, ham, sausage, and/or bacon.

Confession: We now have two waffle irons. Our friends offered us theirs when they moved away, and we decided that would help make the process of feeding the masses so much faster. Indeed, we can now make twice the waffles at one time that we once could when we only had one waffle maker. See how good I am at math?

What are your favorite ways to serve waffles? You’ll want to be sure to check out our delicious recipes for Raspberry Syrup and Peach Syrup also. It is so easy to use whatever extra fruit you have on hand to make deliciously healthy syrups that end up being a fantastic treat!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Healthy Treat for Today: Whole Wheat Donuts

March 18, 2008 by Laura 97 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

 

My dad…whom my boys call, Papa, is famous around here for buying us donuts when he comes to town. It’s become a big deal…one that the boys won’t let Papa forget about. (“Hi Papa…did you bring us donuts?…oh, and we’re also glad you’re here…”)

One Saturday morning…I decided to make homemade (and healthier) donuts for the family. I got up early…ground wheat into flour…mixed up the dough, rolled them out, fried them up…and made a special hot fudge sauce to drizzle over them. I put them on a pretty platter…poured glasses of fresh milk…and called the boys down for breakfast.

I cheerfully and excitedly greeted them with flour on my face and my hair all frazzled from all the work of making these fresh off the stove donuts…

And my three year old lit up and said, “Oh!! Did Papa make us DONUTS?!”

Huh. I go to all this trouble…and Papa gets all the credit. 

sigh  :)

Well, they liked my donuts just as much Papa’s…and I loved that these were a pretty healthy treat!

(Papa really got a big kick out of that story, of course..)

I hope you’ll get a big kick out of this recipe!

Whole Wheat Cake Donuts (or should I call them, “Papa’s Special”?)!Yum

3 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
2 t. baking powder
½ t. cinnamon
¼ t. salt
¼ t. nutmeg
2/3 cup rapadura (dehydrated cane sugar juice) or sucanat
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
Oil for frying (I use palm shortening or coconut oil)

Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir in eggs, vanilla, milk and melted butter. Knead dough a few minutes to make sure all ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
On a floured surface, roll dough to ½ inch thickness. Cut with donut cutter, or biscuit cutter. Heat oil in skillet or electric skillet…enough to cover the bottom of the skillet about ¼ inch. Place donuts into the hot oil to fry for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle a mixture of rapadura and cinnamon, or sprinkle organic powdered sugar over the hot donuts. 

donutssm1.JPG

Yum! Anytime I want a special breakfast treat for my family…these donuts work for me!

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