Category Archives: desserts

large family food ideas desserts chocolate chip pumpkin muffins

large family food ideas for desserts chocolate chip pumpkin muffins….

When we do a baking day around our home, we do it big.  We usually have 2-3 things going and we bake a lot of that item and then freeze part of it.  Chocolate chip pumpkin muffins are one of our families favorite snacks.

Scroll to the bottom for normal serving sized versions:)

  • 9 -8 oz cans of pumpkin
  • 18 eggs
  • 4 1/2 c coconut oil
  • 5 c brown sugar
  • 5 c white sugar—-if i had raw sugar on hand I would just use 10 c total of raw sugar
  • 12-14 c white whole wheat flour
  • 12 tsp baking powder
  • 9 tsp baking soda
  • 6 tsp salt
  • 6 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg
  • 3 c mini chocolate chip
  • Makes about 84 muffins depending upon how full you fill your cups

 

To make your muffins…….

In a very large mixing bowl……add your pumpkin

Image00001

Crack all 18 eggs into the bowl…..hope you have some egg laying hens add your coconut oil as well
Image00002add your sugars to the bowlImage00005

 

With a beater, mix on low until thoroughly combined.  Takes about 5 minutes to ensure proper mixing of this big bowl.Image00006 We then add all of our dry ingredients, we start with all of the little ones, like baking powder, salt, etc Image00009 We then add our flour, start with 12 cups first and add more as needed.  You want to mix this very well with a mixer.  You can mix all of the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, but I don’t usually have the extra time it takes to do that and would rather do it all in one big bowl.

Image00010

After you have done a good job mixing it quite thoroughly, time to add your mini chocolate chips.  If I don’t have the mini ones on hand, I use regular chocolate chips, they all taste the same—delicious.Image00011

Keep on mixing……..to make sure you have got all of those little chips combined.  Nothing worse than getting the muffin that got “jipped” some chocolate chips!Image00012

We use paper liners in our muffin tin for four reasons:

  1. I don’t like to have to clean out muffin tins—it is a job that I detest
  2. makes it easier to stack them on a platter to serve –because we can no longer have a single layer, it is usually a stacked pyramid!
  3. they pop out of the pan very easily
  4. it is easier to feed to my little ones, actually it is neater, with all of those gooey chocolate chips, we need a part of the muffin that is “clean”

Bake at 350 for 30-40 until muffins are done–insert a toothpick
Image00013I used to have all of my “baked goods” sprawled out over my dining room table and I just sat back and looked in amazement, before I put them into the freezer.  But nowadays I have to package them up and put them away before they disappear.  Too many little ones that think this is one of those restaurants with an all you can eat  buffet!

Image00014

yummy delicious……Image00016

 

Now what if you don’t have a large family but you still want to make these fantastic muffins??  Well you could get out your calculator and start dividing and deducting…..and…..oh never mind, here is the recipe that started it all.  At one time in our marriage I used to make this amount and it was enough for all of us.  Those days are long gone……..

chocolate chip muffins for “small families”

  • 3 eggs, well beaten
  • 3/4 c oil
  • 2 1/4 c sugar
  • 2 1/4 c canned pumpkin
  • BEAT THE ABOVE TOGETHER
  • 2 1/2 c flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • SIFT TOGETHER THE DRY INGREDIENTS AND THEN BLEND IN
  • add 1 pkg chocolate chips to mixture

Bake 350 for 30-40 minutes until done

large family food ideas…desserts…pumpkin pie

Large family food ideas desserts pumpkin pie….

I have found that with having a large family most everything that we do is different than the average family.  That includes dessert making.  I used to love making pies for our family but by the time I had made enough for our large family I would have 3 pies stacked one on top of the other in the refrigerator and usually that would result in someone accidentally knocking over the pies and making a mess in an already overcrowded refrigerator.

There had to be another way ……

I came up with making our pies in a jelly roll pan.  It was easier to make one large crust instead of individual round ones, and cutting and serving was way more convenient.

I use the same ingredients that I would for my traditional  pies but with an extra ingredient added to the crust to give it a little more structure.

Large family Pumpkin pie squares

crust

  • 1 c flour
  • 1 c oatmeal
  • 1/2 c brown sugar
  • 1/2 c butter

pie

  • 1 1/2 c sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2- 15 oz cans pumpkin
  • 2- 12 oz cans evaporated milk
  • 2 t cinnamon
  • 1 t salt
  • 1 t nutmeg

Place all of your crust ingredients into your food processor

Image00019

Turn your food processor on “dough” setting and pulse for a few minutes until crust is combinedImage00018

When crust is combined, pat your crust in a baking pan. I use a glass 9×13 pan.   Bake for 15 minutes in a 350 oven.

Image00020

Place all of your pie ingredients into a large mixing bowl

Image00021

Mix all of your pie ingredients on low for 2 minutes until thoroughly combinedImage00022

After thoroughly combined, pour mixture over crust.


Image00025

Bake in 350 oven for 45 min or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean

Image00028When cool, place pie in refrigerator and when chilled, cut and serve your pumpkin pie.


Image00031



 

 

 

 

 

 

large family food ideas….desserts…. apple pie

Large family food ideas desserts apple pie….

I have found that with having a large family most everything that we do is different than the average family.  That includes dessert making.  I used to love making pies for our family but by the time I had made enough for our large family I would have 3 pies stacked one on top of the other in the refrigerator and usually that would result in someone accidentally knocking over the pies and making a mess in an already overcrowded refrigerator.

There had to be another way ……

I came up with making our pies in a jelly roll pan.  It was easier to make one large crust instead of individual round ones, and cutting and serving was way more convenient.

I use the same ingredients that I would for my traditional  pies but with an extra ingredient added to the crust to give it a little more structure.

Large family apple pie squares

  • 5 cups flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 cup cold butter
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 8 Tbsp milk
  • 2 cup crushed cornflakes
  • 9 cups chopped, peeled apples.  I used my quart sized bags of frozen peeled and chopped apples–2 quart sized bags
  • 2 cups sugar
  • sugar, cinnamon for topping

 

Glaze

  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1-2 T milk

or you can just use your egg white leftover gently whipped and brushed on and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon for the topping, we just prefer the glaze.

 

How I go about making my crust, I split the amount of dough ingredients I need in half and do them separately in the food processor.

Place 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 cup cold butter into your food processor.

Image00001

Pulse for a few times to create large crumbs out of your dough.Image00002

In a measuring cup, combine egg yolk and enough milk to measure 1/3 cup.Image00004

Pour over your flour mixture.Image00005

 

Turn on your food processor on the “dough” setting and let the machine do the work.  You can also do this by hand, mixing and kneading the dough, that is what I used to do before I realized how easy it was in the food processor.Image00006

When your dough is completely mixed and formed into a dough-like ball, you can roll it out into your pan.  I use a 16×12 inch jelly roll style.  If you have smaller or larger just make the crust either thinner or thicker.Image00007

After you have rolled out your dough.  Place your cornflakes into your food processor.
Image00008

Crush them into fine pieces.Image00009

Sprinkle them over your crustImage00010

In a mixing bowl, place your apples.  I have diced and froze ours in quart sized bags.  I use 2 bags for this recipe.Image00011 Add your sugar.  I normally would have used raw sugar, but the store I purchase it from was out, so I was “forced” to use white sugar.Image00012

Add your cinnamon and nutmegImage00014

Mix gently, coating your apples evenlyImage00015

Sprinkle your apples evenly over the crustImage00016

 

Now you are going to make your top layer crust.  Repeat the steps you just did to make your bottom crust.

Place 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 cup cold butter into your food processor.

Image00001

Pulse for a few times to create large crumbs out of your dough.Image00002

In a measuring cup, combine egg yolk and enough milk to measure 1/3 cup.Image00004

Pour over your flour mixture.

Image00005

 

Turn on your food processor on the “dough” setting and let the machine do the work.  You can also do this by hand, mixing and kneading the dough, that is what I used to do before I realized how easy it was in the food processor.

Image00006

 

What I did to make this job easy, was to lightly flour the bottom of a cookie sheet–the same size as my jelly roll pan and I rolled out the top crust onto that.  I then put the crust over top of the apples in a flip style method.  Just turn your pan over and gently tap and scrape a few sides until it falls off. It may not be perfect in some spots, but I cover that area with enough glaze that you won’t see it:)Image00017

Place it in a 350 oven for 45-50 minutes until golden brown.

If you prefer to have your crust like “traditional apple pie”  you can beat your egg whites that were leftover and then carefully brush this over your crust.  Sprinkle with a cinnamon sugar mixture.

Or you can do what we do…..

Mix up your glaze.Image00026

After your apple pie squares comes out of the oven, let it sit for about 10 minutes and then drizzle over warm pastry.

Image00027Cut into squares and serve.
Image00029

apple oatmeal squares

After making and freezing applesauce, I made sure to dice up some plain apples to be used for baking throughout the year.

012 (2)

We made these apple oatmeal squares and the children thought they were delicious.  Very simple and easy recipe.

013 (2)

For apple oatmeal squares you will need:

  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 1 1/4 cup flour–i use white whole wheat
  • 1 cup brown sugar–i use raw sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups quick oatmeal
  • 1 quart of diced apples or about 4 cups

Mix together until crumbly the butter, flour, sugar, and oatmeal.007 (2)

Press 2/3 of the mixture in a 9×13 baking pan.009 (2)

Top with diced apples.

011 (2)

Press the remaining crumbs on top

013 (2)

bake 350 oven for about 40 minutes.

030 (2)

 

You want the top to be crisp.  When cool cut into squares.

031 (2)

 

Variation:  If you want it to be a little more sweeter:  Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with some water to make a glaze.  Drizzle on top of the bars.  






 

 

 

 

 

 

Banana pudding recipe

This recipe is very simple to make, it is a favorite in our family.

You will need:

  • 2–5 oz pkgs of instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 4 cups of cold milk
  • 1-14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
  • 1-12 oz container of frozen whipped topping, thawed
  • 1 pkg of vanilla wafers
  • 4-5 large bananas

DSCN1798First add your pudding mix to a large mixing bowl
DSCN1799 Next, add your milkDSCN1800 You can whisk or use your beater to mix it well.DSCN1801 Add your can of sweetened condensed milkDSCN1802 Mix again DSCN1803 Add your whipped topping and mix DSCN1804 Slice up all those bananas DSCN1806 In your serving bowl add a layer of cookiesDSCN1809 Then a layer of bananasDSCN1811 Cover with about 1/2 of your pudding mixtureDSCN1812 Layer again………cookiesDSCN1813 bananas……DSCN1814 and then the rest of your pudding.  Add vanilla wafers to the top of it. DSCN1821

My husbands favorite dessert!!!