Bread Machine Buttermilk Honey Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup + 3 Tbsp. Water

2 Tbsp. Melted butter

3 Tbsp. Honey

3 cups Bread Flour

1/3 cup Dry Buttermilk Powder 

1 Tsp. Salt

1 + ¾ Tsp. Bread Machine Yeast

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 Hours
Makes: 1 1/2 Pound Loaf

This recipe takes 3 hours in the bread machine so plan accordingly if you are making this recipe to go with your meal. The bread machine also has a cool down time of 20-30 minutes and will not allow you to start another loaf until it is completely cooled down. Keep that in mind if you are making multiple loaves. The machine will cool faster if you leave the lid open after each cycle. 

Buttermilk honey bread is very simple and incredibly delicious. Just a side note before you start placing your ingredients in the pan, make sure the blade is attached in the bottom of the pan. Many times I have loaded in all the ingredients and then noticed I forgot to attach the blade. Add the ingredients to the pan in the order I have them listed. You don’t want the yeast to get wet. With any bread you always want to add the wet ingredients and then the dry ingredients. After you have added in all of the ingredients set the crust setting to light, program for basic bread, and push start. 

Do not stop the bread maker because you will have to start completely over (unless of course the machine is smoking) then you will need to unplug it. When the bread starts to bake do not open the lid because it will fall.  Depending on your model it may have a keep warm feature when the cycle is complete. With my machine it will automatically activate when the cycle ends and last for 30 minutes or until unplugged. If you are not going to use this feature you should unplug your machine and remove the bread immediately. Sometimes the bread is really tricky to remove from the pan. I use a rubber scrapper to loosen the edges and then turn the pan upside down over a plate and gently shake it until the bread comes out. Let cool completely before slicing or removing the blade from the bread(it often comes out in the bottom of the bread). .                                                              

Slice and Enjoy!

                       

Roast Beef with Noodles A One Pot Meal

Ingredients:

One Boneless Beef roast

Mini carrots

4-5 Red potatoes

½ sliced Onion

5 beef bouillon cubes

Vegetable oil

All-purpose flour

 1 pound of Egg noodles

This recipe is a family favorite. It has been passed down from my great grandmother to my grandmother, my grandmother to my mother, and finally to me. This recipe is relatively easy and perfect for making a whole meal in one pan and not having a ton of dishes to do later. I loved making this recipe in my college dorm because I didn't have a stove top. This recipe is enough for a family of 4-5, but it’s so delicious that my fiancé and I can finish ourselves. I use a round presto plug in skillet (available at Walmart).

First you are going to remove your roast from the packaging and coat each side lightly with all-purpose flour. Heat your electric skillet to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and pour in just enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Carefully place your roast in the pan and brown each side. When the roast is browned fill up a glass of water and pour enough into the pan to be able to cover the roast. Then add four of the beef bouillon cubes. Cover but crack the lid so it does not boil over. Continue to boil for 4-5 hours until the roast is fully cooked. Note that as the water boils off the roast you will need to continue to replace it so it does not burn (this is not a recipe to make while you will be out of the house). When the meat is fully cooked you may add in your potatoes, carrots, and onions and boil for about 20 minutes depending on how tender you prefer your vegetables. When they are finished remove the meat and vegetables and cover them. Then pour the full bag of noodles into the pan. You may need to add some more water to cover the noodles but don’t add too much or they will be runny. Add in your last beef bouillon cube and boil for about another 20 minutes until the noodles are fully cooked. Voila you have a full meal and you only had to use one pan! I like to serve this meal with some homemade buttermilk honey bread (recipe to come) but it is just as good with some fresh French bread from your local bakery. 

College Dorm Essentials

Presto kitchen kettle multi-cooker ™- The presto kitchen kettle multi-cooker ™ is fantastic! I was so glad that I had in my dorm because I wasn't a fan of the on campus dining options and this cooker is very user friendly. You will want to check with your resident assistant before operating it in your room to make sure it's allowed. It’s ideal for a dorm that doesn't have a stove top . I didn't enjoy walking to the community kitchen with all of my supplies and sometimes the stove was already being used. 

The Presto kitchen kettle multi-cooker™ is extremely versatile. You can boil pasta, rice, or easily steam a veggie. I have also used my presto multi-cooker ™ as a deep fryer by heating up some vegetable oil. The kettle comes with a basket so you can easily fry up your own french fries or onion rings! It features a non-stick surface both inside and out making clean-up a cinch. You can completely immerse the body of the cooker in a sink full of water as long as you remove the temperature dial, it is dish washer safe as well.  I love the temperature control dial because you can precisely adjust according to what you are cooking unlike the limited options on a crock pot. This was great for when I got tired of eating at the cafeteria every day. Presto ™ even sells a cook book of recipes for the multi cooker if you need some extra inspiration. My favorite recipe of all time to cook with my kettle  is a family recipe called Roast beef with noodles. 

Computer router- I went off to college without a router because our dorm had wireless Internet available for the residents. Unfortunately my room was a dead spot so if I needed to access the Internet I would have to go to the library across campus.  Personally I am more comfortable doing homework and studying in my room, so it was essential for me to get a router. Once I had a router I could study with privacy in the comfort of my own room and didn't have to walk to the library at night.  It also helps the speed of your Internet because everyone is trying to use the school’s wifi at the same time.

Memory foam mattress pad- Dorm room beds are uncomfortable! Most likely they are several years old and not the best quality. I had many restless nights until I invested in one of these and sleep is definitely essential to a college student. You don't want to be tossing and turning all night if you have to get up early for an exam. Check with your housing complex for the size of your bed because in my room I had a twin extra long mattress and bedding is a little harder to find for that size. Unfortunately I don't have a picture because I gave my mattress pad to a friend when I moved out of my dorm.

Mini refrigerator- I lived in a dorm with three other girls and we had a full sized refrigerator in our shared kitchen. With each of us having our own full set of groceries such as milk, eggs, and butter there usually wasn't much space for anything else. I decided to get my own mini refrigerator to store the food that wouldn't fit in the main fridge or that I didn't want to share.
I would highly recommend purchasing a mini fridge if you don't have a community fridge because you will need a place to store snacks and drinks. No one likes drinking a warm soda in the summer. The freezer is even big enough for a few small containers of ice cream for when you get a sweet tooth. My fiance likes to keep his next to his desk to store his favorite drinks.

Sentry Safe ™ - A small safe is great for storing any important documents such as: your social security card, car title, checkbook ect. Especially if you are sharing a room, you don’t want your roommates  to have access to your personal documents. The safe is fire proof and water proof to protect your valuables during  natural disasters. I love my Sentry Safe ™ because it's very easy to open and there is lots of space for all of your valuables. It features a carrying handle which makes it easy to move and it is small enough to store under your bed or in the closet. They are also very affordable. I highly recommend taking one of these with you to college.  

Brita Water filter ™ - I am a very big water drinker. I try to consume at least eight cups a day and for awhile I was purchasing disposable water bottles for use in my college dorm. This takes up a lot of valuable storage space in your already small room and all of those disposable bottle can start to add up in price. I suggest purchasing a reusable bottle and a Brita water filter™ . I personally don’t like drinking tap water, but didn't have space for all the disposable water bottles or a way to get to the store to purchase a new case every couple of weeks. The Brita water filter ™ filters water quickly and you will have the luxury of clear, clean water versus the hard water from the tap. The Brita water filter ™ has a percentage timer on lid to let you know when the filter needs replaced. My filter usually lasts about three months and they are quick and easy to change out.

Tide Pods ™ - Tide pods ™ were my life saver when I lived in a dorm and had to go to the laundry room to wash my clothes. You are already carrying a full basket of laundry, why make your life harder by carrying a full bottle of liquid detergent? I really struggled with carrying an over flowing basket and a heavy bottle of detergent across campus. And once I finally made it from my dorm to the laundry room I would have to unlock the door with my student ID and get in with all of my stuff before the door locked again. I never knew how much of the liquid to measure out and I always made a mess while pouring it from the cup.I wasted a lot of detergent with all of the spills and then I would have to wipe up the washer and floor. With Tide Pods ™ you can just take one with you, place it in the drum of the washer, load your clothes on top, and choose your settings. No measuring and no mess. The Tide Pods ™ are gel packs and are designed to dissolve in all temperatures. I also liked that I could take a few pods with me if I was doing multiple loads of laundry and hide them under the clothes in my basket. My community laundry room had a lot of thefts of laundry supplies so you would have to carry your detergent back to your room in between loads if you didn't want it to get stolen. Tide pods ™ are great because each individual pod contains detergent, stain remover, and fabric brighter. Just imagine how much easier it would be to carry a single tide pod as opposed to your liquid detergent, stain remover, and fabric brightener. Tide pods ™ come in an array of scents including: Spring Meadow, Mystic Forrest, Ocean Mist, and Free and Gentle.