Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts

Mar 6, 2016

Trying Out Some Food Ideas by Suzanne

I've been thinking lately of trying out some of my food ideas:

1. Adding sprouted lentils to a pot of pinto beans for more nourishment.

2. Growing pinto beans and picking some of the beans at about 3" long for green beans, and leaving some to go to seed. That way you could re-supply your beans and still can or dehydrate some.

3. Try a few different recipes for hardtack to find one that won't break your teeth but will still store for years.

These are just a couple of the things I want to actually try for myself and see what is edible and what's not.

I'll be adding to this list and maybe some of you could comment with some ideas for me to try out.

I'll post my results as I get time to do them.

Blessings
Suzanne

Jan 11, 2016

SOURDOUGH FLAT BREADS RECIPE

Low gluten and gluten free bread

This recipe for sourdough flat-bread gives you the choice of using high or low gluten flour. Any gluten present in the flour should have been digested after 24-48 hours of sourdough fermentation. The time of fermentation may be extended up to 5 days. Ideally the flour should be ground from organic grain immediately prior to use.

The first recipe below uses a pastry type dough, the other a pancake type batter. With either method, you can ferment the flat-bread dough in a stainless steel container on the kitchen benchtop, so that you always have some dough on hand. As you use the dough, add more flour to the flat-bread mix for use the next time. Once a week you may wish to transfer the dough to a clean container.

If you use the oven-bake method then you can cook a reasonable quantity at one time. With the pan-fried method your are restricted to the size of the pan, unless you use something like a barbecue hot plate.

If you wish to increase the omega-3 oils then add freshly ground flaxseed to the batter just before you cook the flat-breads.

Flours that may be used for flat breads.

Wheat flour (contains gluten).
Spelt flour (contains gluten).
Rye flour (lower in gluten than wheat or spelt).
Barley flour (low in gluten).
Buckwheat flour (gluten free).
Rice flour (gluten free)
Millet flour (gluten free) may not be suitable for some gluten intolerant people.

INGREDIENTS

Makes enough for four 6 inch diameter flat breads.

2 cups of flour.
1/8 teaspoon Celtic sea salt.
1/2 cup sourdough starter.
Water.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR OVEN BAKE METHOD

In a bowl mix half of the flour with the salt, then add the sourdough starter. Slowly add small quantities of water, stirring with a wooden spoon to form a heavy batter. Stir in the reserved flour, then form the dough into a ball with your hands. Either add more flour or water until you get a pastry type dough. Leave the dough in a covered bowl at 28C for 24 hours to prove.

Once the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured benchtop and knead it with your hands. If you use low gluten flour then the dough may stick to your hands and break up. (The easiest dough to work with is made from high gluten flour.)

Divide the dough into four equal sized pieces. Shape and pat them into flat-breads about 4 inches in diameter. Distribute them evenly on a greased and lightly floured baking tray, then pat them (or roll them with a rolling pin) until they flatten to about 2-3 mm thick.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 15-20 minutes.

You can also bake the flat-breads on a terracotta tile.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAN FRIED METHOD

The pan fried method calls for the sourdough mixture to be the consistency of a thick batter. Ferment for 24 hours at 28C in a covered bowl.

Cook the flat-breads in a good quality saturated fat, such as coconut oil, beef fat or lard, in a heavy steel fry pan for about 10 minutes. Take care they do not stick. Turn the flat breads and cook on the other side for 5 minutes.

FERMENTED SOURDOUGH BREAD

The following recipe using the process of 'retardation' (that is cooling the dough) to lengthen the fermentation process to a few days. It makes a full flavoured bread, with an excellent crumb. Some people who are gluten intolerant have reported that they are free of symptoms when the sourdough bread is prepared with a long proving period.

INGREDIENTS

Makes one small loaf.

4 cups wholemeal flour. (1/2 + 1/2 + 1/2 + 2 1/2 cups.)
1/2 cup of sourdough starter.
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt.
3 Tbsp. of lard, beef fat or butter.
2 cups water.

INSTRUCTIONS

Sourdough Starter
Feed-up a sourdough starter 3 times a day with a little flour, for one day prior to using it.
Make the Sponge
Mix with a wooden spoon in a glass bowl 1/2 cup flour with the starter, then mix in enough water to make a thick soupy batter. This is called the sponge. Cover the bowl and leave in a warm place (28C) for about 4-5 hours to prove. The starter should double in size. If you use a glass bowl you will be able to see the formation of gas bubbles in the gluten.
Mix in another half cup of flour with the sponge and put aside to prove for another 3 hours, then add another 1/2 cup of flour and leave for another 3 hours. Feeding the sponge every 3-5 hours will increase the activity of the yeasts. The fermentation times will be dependent upon the temperature of the sponge and the microflora in your starter culture. If you need to add additional water then do so, but be careful not to make it too wet.
Make the Dough
When the sponge is ready dissolve the salt in 1/2 cup of water and add it to the sponge, then mix in the fat. Then add the final amount of flour called for in the recipe, in this case 2 1/2 cups.
If your initial sponge was about the 'correct' consistency (determined by trial and error) you should only need to add a little water to form a dough. (But if you do add water use cold water) Mix the dough in the bowl with your finger tips, (it should be soft and fluffy) then tip it out onto the bench top. Knead the dough until it becomes silky, carefully adding teaspoons of cold water as you go, until you have a soft resilient dough. Note it is preferable to have the dough wetter rather than drier. Depending upon the type of flour, the correct moisture content is usually arrived at (for spelt and wheat flour) when the dough just sticks to the bench top and your hands. The less gluten the more the dough will stick. After you have kneaded the dough for 5 minutes transfer it to a glass bowl, put the bowl inside a plastic bag and refrigerate for 12-72 hours.
(Artisan bakeries sometimes have a retardation refrigerator set at 15C. Since I work from home I use my kitchen refrigerator which runs at 3-5C. At this temperature, I can leave the dough in the refrigerator for days without it rising, but the lactobacilli still seem to do their job. Generally I leave the dough in a refrigerator for 15-24 hours.)
When you are ready to use the dough, unwrap it and leave on a bench top for about 5 minutes to warm. Knead for about 5 minutes, adding teaspoons of water as required until the dough softens and has a silky texture.
Shape the dough and put into a greased and floured baking tin or pyrex dish, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place (28-32C) until it doubles in size (about 3 1/2 - 4 hours). Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until it is nicely browned and a skewer comes out clean. Once the bread is cooked, tip it out of the tin and turn upside down on a wire rack to cool. When properly cooked fresh bread has a hollow sound when tapped with the fingers.

Read more: http://www.rejoiceinlife.com/recipes/sourdoughSlow.php#ixzz3wy5xKD9q

Dec 16, 2015

How to Make a Survival Casserole

When I first started prepping, I was totally engrossed in learning as much as I could about survival tactics from the Great Depression. For one reason or another, I have renewed this interest and have been spending my spare time reading books as well as watching some of the classic films and documentaries that depict the era.

Something I have learned is that women of the era were creative in the kitchen and took dibs and dabs of this and that and in order to create tasty meals as best they could.

. . . Read More

Aug 30, 2015

Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze

If you are an elitist foodie, I don't know what to tell you other than to check your 'tude at the door. We're going simpleton today...but nothing less than excellent.

Save your hate mail for some other food blogger; I really don't care that you would never subject yourself to a boxed cake mix. I am not super-human and sometimes need something amazing but quick and convenient.

I've found it.

I saw this recipe for Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze on Robin Sue's blog, Big Red Kitchen, I knew I had to give it a shot. It sounded wonderful, but cake mix and a can of pumpkin? A cake without eggs and oil and less fat? I was leery but because I trust Robin Sue's opinions my gut feeling was it's going to be fabulous.

I baked the cake, made the glaze, took some pictures and had my first bite. The cake was still warm and let me just say I was blown away. It was amazing. It tasted as if it were made with eight sticks of butter. I could not believe it lacked oil.

After that bite I immediately threw down my fork (I can be very dramatic) and called my friend Tarri. I told her I was bringing over a cake, AND not just any cake...but a crazy-amazing cake.

I knew I could not be left alone with this cake, I would eat it all. I wouldn't sleep unless this cake was gone. Tarri and her family graciously accepted my offer and finished the cake immediately. Thank goodness.

Trust me here, this is good enough to serve at Thanksgiving.

Let's make it together shall we...

Here's what you will need for the cake: Yellow cake mix and a can of pumpkin puree.

Empty the contents of the boxed cake mix and pumpkin puree into a large bowl. Using a hand-mixer or stand mixer beat until well incorporated. The batter will be very thick, but will come together nicely.

Pour batter into a greased 7 x 11 X 2 pan. This is the small, rectangular-sized pan from your Pyrex set. You know, the set you had to have when you got married and rarely ever used all the pieces. Finally, you have a use for it.

Bake at 350 degrees for 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over bake.

Here it is right out the oven. It looks like a regular cake, but it's really not, it's better. Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then flip onto a platter.

Make the glaze while you're waiting.

Here's what you'll need: Apple cider, powdered sugar and pumpkin pie spice.

Combine 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, 3 Tablespoons apple cider and 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Glaze should be thick but pourable. Add more sugar or cider if needed. Pour over the cake while still warm. Reserve some to pour over each slice when served.

See the glaze? I would have licked this dish clean.

Sinful looking isn't it?

They like it. You will too.

Print Recipe

Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze

Recipe from: | Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 Yellow Cake Mix

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree

For the Glaze:

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons apple cider

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions

Empty the contents of the boxed cake mix and pumpkin puree into a large bowl. Using a hand-mixer or stand mixer beat until well incorporated. The batter will be very thick, but will come together nicely.
Pour batter into a greased 7 x 11 X 2 pan. This is the small, rectangular-sized pan from your Pyrex set. You know, the set you had to have when you got married and rarely ever used all the pieces. Finally, you have a use for it.
Bake at 350 degrees for 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake.
Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then flip onto a platter.
Make the glaze while you're waiting.
Combine powdered sugar, apple cider and pumpkin pie spice. Glaze should be thick but pourable. Add more sugar or cider if needed. Pour over the cake while still warm. Reserve some to pour over each slice when served.
Serve warm or room temperature.
http://noblepig.com/2008/11/the-pilgrims-would-approve/

Aug 9, 2015

Crockpot Yogurt

Jul 26, 2015

Russian Soldier Soup

Ingredients:

Sauerkraut with liquid
Carrots Chunks
Potato Chunks
Beef Chunks
Onions Chunks
Garlic Powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Polish Sausage (optional)

Continue Reading...

Jul 17, 2015

Corn Pone a Pioneer Staple

Corn Pone is a form of cornbread normally made without milk or eggs. It is normally baked or fried. Where corn pone came from is contested in the history books. It is well documented that it was used by both armies during the civil war.

Most of the modern recipes we see for corn pone use milk and eggs. This is really corn bread. Older recipes for corn pone leave out the milk and eggs. The people were poor and often just scraping by.

Here is an old corn pone recipe.

4 cups ground white or yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon salt
2-3 cups of very hot, but not boiling, water
Up to 1/2 cup bacon grease or other oil

In a large bowl, add the hot water to the corn meal and mix into a thick batter. Cover with a dishcloth and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. The batter should still be soft enough to mold into a small cake about the size of the palm of your hand. If not add a bit more water. Take your cake and shove three fingers into the middle, if the batter holds the fingerprints, the batter is just right. If not, adjust the water or corn meal as necessary.

Take your pan and put it over a medium heat on the stove or over your fire, add the bacon grease or oil. When the oil is hot lay the cakes into the pan. Cook them until they are browned on one side, this should take about 3 minutes. Turn each and brown on the other side. Drain the fat and serve.

Corn pone can be fried as above or baked in a Dutch oven. If you have ham or bacon, or chili peppers they can be added as an option. I love it with chopped up jalapeno peppers mixed in the batter.

As one old boy said, “this was a get by recipe, when you had nothing else. If you were lucky enough to have butter or jam it tasted plenty good”

http://preparednessadvice.com/recipes/corn-pone-pioneer-stable/#.VajlEKRVikp

Jun 22, 2015

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HOMEMADE HAMBURGER BUNS

When my I was raising my daughters we always made our own hamburger and hot dog buns. I had sort of forgotten about making them since we are empty nesters now. Plus, if the whole family comes we would have over 30 people, so it’s easier to just buy the hamburger buns at Costco. Mark and I have friends in the neighborhood we enjoy doing things with and we usually trade off entertaining for dinner every other Sunday. I love it because I only have to cook two Sundays a month instead of four.

Well, I must tell you about my awesome friend, Kathleen. She is a lot like me, if we can make it from scratch we will do that rather than go to the grocery store to purchase whatever we are planning for dinner. Today, she surprised my husband and I by making dinner with the best homemade hamburger buns in the world! She always surprises me with “new to me” stuff. Don’t laugh, I had never had a chicken burger. I know my daughters have purchased turkey burger and chicken burger to make certain dishes.

First off, I am not a meat eater. I could totally be a vegetarian, but my husband wants meat with dinner whenever possible. Dang! Anyway, the barbecued chicken burgers Kathleen cooked and served were delicious! While Kathleen was finishing up the grilling I copied down the hamburger bun recipe. The ingredients are all the things we have in our pantry. I love that! These hamburger buns are thinner than the ones we buy at the store. They are fresh, of course, with zero preservatives. I like them because I can roll them out so my hamburger buns are not all bread. Do you know what I am saying? I like less bread and more condiments. Lots of condiments. Today I brought some home grown tomatoes to share with Brent and Kathleen. Woohoo!

She used parmesan cheese and you really could skip that ingredient and they would still be awesome! She used a cookie sheet to let the buns rise like this one: Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet

TOASTING THE HAMBURGER BUNS ON THE GRILL:

The parmesan hamburger buns were the best I have ever eaten! Today she is sharing her recipe with us. Here we are toasting the buns on the grill. They are super delicious!

Hamburger Buns By Food Storage Moms/Kathleen

Ingredients

2-3/4 Cups flour (I use bread flour)
⅔ cups parmesan cheese-grated
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 Tablespoons sugar
4 Tablespoons butter-softened
1 egg
⅔ cups water
2-1/2 Tablespoons SAF instant yeast

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients in order shown above into your Bosch Mixer or Kitchen Aid Mixer with dough hook. This is by far the easiest recipe to make hamburger buns or hot dog buns (depending on how you shape them). I add more flour until mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Cover and let rise with greased plastic wrap for about one hour. Remove plastic and evenly divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll each ball and tuck the edges under and place on greased cookie sheet. Flatten each ball to about 3-1/2 to 4 inches wide. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and let rise until double. Remove plastic wrap and bake @ 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Jun 21, 2015

How To Make Ghee

Jun 14, 2015

OVER 100 QUICK BREAD RECIPES

If I had it my way, I’d eat quick bread every single day. It’s my absolute favorite breakfast, snack, and dessert! Banana, pumpkin, lemon, blueberry, no matter what the flavor I want it in my belly…STAT!

The holidays are often a time when guests show up (announced or unannounced) and you’re making lots of treats to give away. Quick bread is perfect for all occasions this time of year, from a needing a quick breakfast or a recipe for brunch, or some mini loaves to give away. I’ve collected over 100 quick bread recipes for this post from your favorite bloggers around the internet, and I hope you can find a flavor you love!

What’s your favorite quick bread???

**Please feel free to pin the collage. If you see a recipe you love, please click through to that site to pin. Please do not pin the images below. Bloggers around the world thank you.**

Quick Bread Recipes