6 ways to use a Ziplock brand bag plus FREE RECIPES

Friday's Favorite Thing

Ziplock Brand bags

I love these bags!  They can be used for so many things.  My pantry is stocked with a variety of different sized Ziploc bags.   I find that I am always reaching for a Ziploc bag, every time my children need to store something.  Did you know that Ziploc Bags can be recycled!  That's right, but don't put them in your curbside recycling.  Take them to your local grocery store that recycles plastic bags.  I love things that can be recycled.  Sometimes I even wash and re-use the bags that have had dry goods in them.  I never re-use the ones that have stored meats or been in the freezer.  I bring those to my local grocery store to be recycled.

Here are 6 ways I use a Ziploc bag:
mixing ingredients for meat loaf, meatballs or hamburgers
     Here is my recipe for meat loaf
   

3 pounds ground beef

1 cup grated Romano cheese

1 1/2-tablespoon onion flakes

2 tablespoons parsley flakes

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon sage +a pinch

5 eggs

1-cup bread crumbs

1-cup celery chopped fine

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon oregano-crushed

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients in a 2 gallon Ziploc bag.  Make sure to remove the air from the bag before you zip it up.  Divide into two 1 ½ lb loaves.  Bake at 350 degrees until  it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees on an instant read Thermometer  according to the USDA. I cook mine to 17o degrees, then I usually let my meat loaf rest covered for about 10-15 minutes.

If you don’t want to eat them right away, you can either freeze the loaves raw or freeze them after you cook them. Be sure and freeze them in a Ziploc freezer bag..

Extra Extra!!! This recipe also makes awesome meatballs for pasta.


Use a Ziploc bag to pipe frosting onto cupcakes or cakes
Fill the Ziploc bag with frosting, remove the air and zip up.  Move all the frosting to the corner of the bag.  Snip the tip off of the corner with scissors and pipe the frosting in a circular motion from the outside of the cupcake to the center.


Here is my favorite chocolate cake recipe from Swans Down Cake Flour

America's Favorite Chocolate Cake Cook Time: 1 hour and 25 minutes

The Ingredients:  1/2 cup and 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa  1 cup boiling water  3 eggs  2 teaspoons vanilla  2-1/4 cups and 2 tablespoons Swans Down Cake Flour  1-1/2 cups sugar  1 tablespoon baking powder  3/4 teaspoon salt  3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

Baking Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together cocoa and water; cool. Set aside. Combine eggs, 1/4 of the cocoa mixture and vanilla. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients; add butter and remaining cocoa mixture. Mix on low speed to moisten. Beat on medium speed 1-1/2 minutes. Gradually add egg mixture in thirds mixing well after each addition. Spread batter into 2 prepared 9-inch layer pans. Bake until tester inserted comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool. Frost with favorite frosting.

Use a Ziploc bag to hold small toy pieces 
 They are great for holding the pieces that come with toy sets like LEGO  and Polly Pocket.   We all know those small pieces will end up all over the house if not contained.  If everything is keep together, your child will be able to play with the set more often.  With the lego toys, keep the instruction booklet inside the Ziploc bag.  Everything will be in one place when they want to build the set again.


Break up crackers or cookies into crumbs 
Place crackers or cookies into a gallon Ziploc bag..  Remove the air and seal.  Using a Bakers Rolling Pin, roll over the crumbs until they are the crushed the way you like them.  Use them right away or store them in the freezer for later use. If you store them in the freezer, be sure to use a Freezer Ziploc bag,

Organize craft supplies

• paints and brushes
• crayons, markers, and pencils
• ribbons, yarn and string
• Scissors and tape
• Craft Glitter and glue

Make homemade ice cream!
Here is the recipe from family fun

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup salt (The bigger the granules, the better. Kosher or rock salt works best, but table salt is fine.)

• Ice cubes (enough to fill each gallon-size bag about half full)
• 1 pint-size ziplock bag
• 1 gallon-size ziplock bag

Instructions

1.     Combine the sugar, half and half, and vanilla extract in the pint-size bag and seal it tightly.

2.     Place the salt and ice in the gallon-size bag, then place the sealed smaller bag inside as well. Seal the larger bag. Now shake the bags until the mixture hardens (about 5 minutes). Feel the small bag to determine when it's done.

3.     Take the smaller bag out of the larger one, add mix-ins, and eat the ice cream right out of the bag. Easy cleanup too! Serves 1.

How-to video


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