FRESH GROUND WHEAT The aroma of freshly baked bread greeted me as I stepped onto a neighbor's porch around a month ago. The heavenly smell of cinnamon wafted from the kitchen, where pans of puffy dough filled every inch of counter space. Rolls glistening with warm syrup and nuts cooled on racks while more raised under damp towels. My friend, and neighbor, just loves sharing her mouth-watering baked goods with everyone during the holidays, so I anticipated this delicious treat with excitement. When asked the secret to her specialty, she testified to grinding her own wheat. I was impressed that anyone would make time for this activity, knowing that her nursing career must be extremely busy. We discussed the health benefits of eliminating preservatives, white flours, and sugars from our diets, and that we've forgotten how easy the old methods were. There's something about the flavor of a freshly ground flour that gives bread and pastries a delightfulness unsurpassed by grocery brands. It satisfies the taste buds like fine Belgium chocolate or coffee made from freshly ground beans.
I was compelled to research the options of grinding wheat. There was a time when farmers took their harvest grains of corn, wheat, oats, and rye to the village mill. Most of these old mills are no longer working with the exception of a few relics standing by the creeks of sleepy towns. Thankfully, what has emerged in this technical era are electric appliances that grind the wheat in your own kitchen. Now, I'm normally not a person that likes to use large appliances, but these WONDER MILLS are precision tools with fine-to-course settings and take only minutes to grind enough flour for a full recipe of bread. Eight cups of wheat kernels makes 12 cups of flour- whohooo! I received my grinder as a gift and made bread for the first time last week. My family agrees that other breads do not compare in taste or texture but the best part of bread baking is the "aromatherapy" and eating the heel with melted butter while it is still warm.
Sally
SHOUT FOR SPROUTS Around this time of year I dust off the sprouting trays and fill them with Alfalfa seeds. Sprouts are an excellent substitute for lettuce and winter "ruffage." Their delicate spring flavor enhances sandwiches, salads, and warm soups. In just a few days you can have organic greens without spending a fortune at the grocery store. They're easy to grow and cost effective. Sprouting trays make the growing process easier to facilitate by allowing seeds to sprout continuously (I purchased mine from a seed catalog). You can also use a quart jar with wet paper towels instead. My favorite is Alfalfa sprouts (pictured above), but you may want to try others such as bean or broccoli. SEEDING SPROUTS I purchased a 12 oz bag of Alfalfa Seeds from a local Amish Store, but you can find them in most seed catalogs or health stores. Just spread the seeds into a container and fill with water. Drain and water seeds every 12 hours. Seeds will sprout in 2 to 3 days without any light. Keep sprouts drained and rinsed often so they will not mold . Mature sprouts turn bright green if placed near a sunny window. Add them to your favorite sandwich for a taste of spring!
SAVE YOUR CITRUS RINDS The smell of oranges during the holidays transports me to childhood. My mother always displayed a large bowl of oranges on the table Christmas morning with several kinds of nuts for cracking and eating. We snacked on these goodies all day. The house was filled with the scent of citrus and fresh pine.
Today when I peel an orange, grapefruit, or lemon I put the rind on a tray or pie pan, and set it on a warm burner (or in the oven after baking) to release its divine scent. My friend keeps a small crock-pot simmering with citrus peelings and spices, such as cloves, cinnamon sticks, and ginger, on the kitchen counter during the holidays. It's the perfect way to bring in the holiday season without any added expense.
Easy Money Saving Tips for using Citrus Rinds:
~ Grate the rinds of lemons and oranges before cutting or peeling. Freeze them in a small container for baking recipes.
~ Rub lemon rinds over cutting boards to clean and give a fresh scent
~ Put lemon rinds in dish water for a naturally scented cleaning agent
~ Add citrus peels to a cup of hot tea to enhance its flavor and health benefits
~ Add dried citrus peels to sachets as a natural air freshener for drawers
~ Fill cotton bags to deter pest in storage trunks
SUGAR & SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE Several years ago a customer enlightened me to the taste of freshly grated nutmeg. Once you give it a try you'll never use the stale stuff from a bottle.
Try grating nutmeg on hot chocolate, oatmeal, custard pies, puddings, eggnog, and holiday cookies. You won't believe the difference it makes to plain ordinary food.
A great hostess gift is a container of whole nutmeg with a kitchen grater and a few recipes. Our local Amish store sells whole nutmeg and tiny little graters like in the picture above. For convenience, I keep the whole nutmeg and grater together in small jar so it's easy to grab'n go (see below). Your spice cupboard will never be the same,
Sally
THANKSGIVING CUSTARD PIE I used the Libby's Pumpkin Pie filling recipe for years, but recently discovered a better alternative. My mother-in-law is an excellent pie maker, and she has made her pumpkin pie with a custard filling since the dawn of ages. It was so light and creamy that I wanted to eat the whole pie without stopping every Thanksgiving. After trying several recipes (over many holiday seasons), I found this one to be the no-fail, always-delicious, method for a successful pie filling! Now, mastering the art of pie dough is a little different story; but, having watched my mother-in-law work her magic with dough on countless Saturday mornings, even before attempting it myself, I could very well have the ultimate pie recipe for you. It takes practice, and you may have to toss a few failures; but like most skills, it is "easy as pie" once you get the hang of it. If you're in-a-pinch, store bought dough will suffice, but just remember that homemade is always better.
HOW TO MAKE PIE DOUGH
Detailed Instructions Below Pictures LIZZIE'S EASY PIE DOUGH RECIPE
2 Cups of Flour (All-purpose, Spelt, or Pastry flour may be used)
2/3 Crisco
1/4 Cup Water (warm)
Dash of salt
Makes 2 single crust pies or 1 double crust pie Place 2 cups of flour in a large bowl (Pastry flour is best for beginners as it is soft from sifting). Add 2/3 cup of crisco. Using 2 table knives or pastry blender, cut shortening into the flour. When crisco and flour clumps are the size of marbles, add water slowly using a knife to mix (I think warm water blends the ingredients better than cold water). Take hands and form pastry ball without overworking the dough. Divide dough in half. see pictures above HOW-TO ROLL A PIE CRUST
Detailed Instructions Below Pictures Place flatten ball on floured surface. Take a rolling pin and create a large circle by rolling from the center outward. Continue stretching and rolling the dough to fit a 9 inch pie pan. Lift the dough carefully, and fold pie dough in half. Then place in a pan, letting the dough fall over edges. Cut the extra dough hanging from the pan (allow 1 inch lip). Gently fold pie dough under and flute edges.
see pictures above HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN CUSTARD FILLING
Detailed Instructions Below Pictures AMISH PUMPKIN PIE FILLING
1 Cup Pumpkin (or squash)
1/2 Cup White Sugar
l/2 Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Cup Scalded Milk (1 can of evaporated milk makes a less watery pie)
2 eggs (separated)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 Tablespoon Corn Starch
Freshly grated nutmeg
Heat milk in microwave. Whip egg whites until fluffy. Mix pumpkin, sugar, egg yokes, corn starch, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Slowly add hot milk and fold in whipped egg whites. Fill 9 inch pie shell, grate nutmeg on top. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. If the pie is getting too dark on top, cover with foil and continue baking until center is firm. To check if the pie is finished baking, insert a knife into the middle of the filling. The knife should come out clean (without any custard on it- if it doesn't, place it back into the oven for a few minutes).
And voila, it's done.
Delight in what you have made from scratch!
Sally
PRESERVING BUTTERNUT SQUASH It's the time of year for delicious pumpkin recipes. Instead of using pumpkin for all your festive dishes try substituting butternut squash. I first discovered its use when an Amish neighbor suggested it for pie filling. It grows abundantly and has a mellow delicate flavor. Here is a way to preserve butternut squash (or pumpkin) for your pantry shelves. Like the Amish, I prefer to can the squash because they are easier to cut, clean, and have less seeds than pumpkins. ~ Cut the fresh squash in half and place in oven at 300 degrees for several hours. I try to do this on a day I am using the oven for roasting or baking other foods. Prick the squash with a fork to check for softness. Remove from oven. The squash is ready to be canned.
~ When the squash is still hot, take an ice cream scoop and spoon out the fruity flesh into 1 cup jelly jars or 2 cup pint jars. I prefer the jelly jars since most of my recipes call for 1 cup of pumpkin. This eliminates leaving jars half empty in the fridge weeks later. ~ Pack squash into jars with about a 1/2 inch space from the top of rim. ~ For a tight seal, wipe the rim of the jar before putting on the lid. It is important to keep utensils clean to avoid contamination and spoiling. ~ Once the jars are filled and the lids are on, place them into a canning pot filled with hot water. Bring water to boil and process for 20 minutes. Remove jars from water and let cool. Check to make sure they are sealed before placing on pantry shelf. If in doubt, put jar in the refrigerator and use within a week. This method is easy, cheaper, and tastes better than Libby's pumpkin preserve.
Next post we'll learn how to use this squash for pie filling!
Sally
REMEDIES FOR CREEPY CRAWLIES Since we have so many spiders and unwanted guests this year in our home, I would like to share my secret for keeping them at bay. It's safe for pets and children, and won't drain your budget on Raid. Sweet Annie is an herb that keeps spiders away. Simply hang bunches around the basement, attic, or closets for a lovely fragrance as well as a repellant. People allergic to the powdery pollen of Sweet Annie or find the smell overwhelming may use Hedge Apples as an alternative. Hedge Apples have a mild citrus scent. Place the green apples in undisturbed areas of your basement and attic. Keep them in place until spring. Don't be alarmed if they shrivel and turn black as they are still repelling spiders and bugs. I find my spring cleaning is much easier without all the cobwebs.
Try it- you'll be amazed!
Sally
FREEZING BEANS Commercially canned beans don't hold a candle to beans picked from the garden. I saw a bag of freshly shelled kidney beans on the counter where I normally get my eggs. The lady tending the stand asked if I wanted to buy some. She laughed when I asked her what to do with them. I had never seen kidney beans that were not dried. She suggested that I cook them for supper and freeze the rest. When beans are fresh you don't have to soak them, even after they are frozen. Just cook and enjoy the taste which is distinctly different from mushy canned store beans.
Look how beautiful they are...so ripe! To freeze, I evenly spaced the kidneys on an aluminum baking sheet lined with wax paper to "quick freeze." The beans are frozen individually before putting into glass jars. This method allows the use of only a few beans at a time instead of thawing the whole container.
After the beans are frozen for several hours, I put them into glass quart jars. Glass is better than plastic for several reasons: it's easier to see what's in the jar, lids fasten tightly, and there are no plastic chemicals interfering with the food. Spoon the frozen beans into the glass jar through a funnel. Then place jars in the freezer for the best tasting beans you'll ever eat without the extra preparation or calories! Next time I reach for a big can of kidney beans at the store, I'll think twice; and maybe....just maybe, my garden will be hosting kidney bean plants in the spring.
Sally
SEASONED HERB SALT Before my herbs die back or the frost hits, I like to clip some for drying. Once they are dried, I make a seasoned salt for soups, stews, rice, and salad dressings. Garden medleys may include parsley, chives, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage, but use whatever you have. I usually buy garlic, onion, and paprika powder from the store to make the following recipe.
RECIPE
1/4 cup sea salt
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. paprika
Blend all ingredients together with a mortar and pestle or use a blender to grind herbs before mixing with salt. Store in an airtight jar. This makes a great little gift any time of year.
Below is a tutorial for drying herbs the fast and easy way (a key ingredient to great tasting salts)!
DRYING HERBS Mid Summer and Fall are the appropriate times of year for harvesting herbs (pictured above: Flat Leaf Italian Parsley). Always clip when the plants are dry and fully mature. I prefer to dehydrate my herbs because it's faster and better tasting. If you do not have a dehydrator, simply hang herbs in a hot place to dry. Spread the leaves evenly on the dehydrator tray. You may want to buy extra trays for this purpose. I prefer the solid plastic trays that are used for making fruit leathers and other candies. The dehydrator trays stack on top of each other so you can dry multiple herbs at once. In the above photo we're filling a tray with freshly chopped Chives for winter spreads and dips. Make sure to evenly spread the herbs so they dry well. It's horrible to find mold after you have preserved a batch. Once the trays are stacked, turn the dehydrator to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (this is my lowest setting). Let dry for 24 to 36 hours depending on the humidity. Now it's time to sit back and relax. When the herbs are ready, I put them into glass jars for safe keeping. Be sure to put lids on tight, so the herbs do not absorb moisture.
Hope this works as well for you,
Sally
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