Soapy Cast-Iron

Fried Rice

2010-05-26T16:17:00.003-06:00

Fried rice is easy. The key, like most Asian food, is in the prep. You want to cut your vegetables (or meat) to similar sized pieces so everything cooks at the same time.

I put white jasmine rice and water (1:1.5 ratio) into a saucepan. Bring to boil, lower temperature, put a lid on it and cook for 17 minutes. Remove from heat, stir and cover. Let rest for 5 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, scramble a few eggs in sesame oil. Cut all of your additions and place on a plate. Set aside scrambled eggs.

For this fried rice I used eggs, fresh pineapple, red onion, red and orange bell peppers, peas, corn, mushrooms and celery.

When the rice is finished steaming. Simmer minced ginger and garlic in a little oil. I like to also add about a Tbl of yellow Thai curry. If you don't like spice, only use a tsp. Add the vegetables which you want to be softer first, lightly sauteing and stirring. If you are using meat, cook it thoroughly first. Push the vegetables to the side of the pan. Add a little more oil and the rice. Begin working the vegies in. Add soy sauce to taste, fish sauce (1-2 Tbl) and half as much sugar as the fish sauce. We call it "stinky feet sauce." This is your main flavoring and it just isn't the same without it. Toss in the eggs and serve.

You can get everything ready early in the day and then cook it just before you want to eat. You can also use leftover rice. If the rice is several days old add a spoon full of water as needed to re-steam it.

I make Spanish rice similarly, heating onion, cumin, garlic, cayenne and chili powder in the oil. Then add the rice and a little salsa and stir well. Top with sliced olives and cilantro. If you want to be heartier, also add a can of drained black beans.

Vegie Calzones

2010-05-17T15:49:00.009-06:00

I have used up my quick and easy meals over the past week: egg burritos, chili, and a a few salad dinners. So I had to think about dinner tonight.

We are having vegetarian calzones with spinach, portobello mushrooms and onion. I will chop all of those ingredients together and then lightly sauté them. You can stuff them with anything you like.

Sometimes you will convey your feelings about dinner to your family. So if you are not happy about what you are serving, you could say "pizza pockets." Everyone will probably reply. "Oh."

However, you can put them on a pretty plate and say, "Tonight we have homemade calzones with sautéed baby spinach, portobello mushrooms and sweet Spanish onion." Then the response will be more like "ooooh." It is possible to improve mealtime just by delighting in serving your family.

Here is a simple dough recipe for 12 calzones:
Combine:
2 cups warm water
1 Tbl yeast
1 tsp sugar
Let sit a few minutes until bubbly. Add 1 Tbl olive oil, 5 cups of flour and 1 tsp salt. Knead or mix in your kitchen aid adding up to another 1/2 cup of flour if needed. Rise until double, or about 1-1/2 hrs.

Quick tip for french bread or pizza dough- I have found that a little longer kneading and a little longer rising time (than regular bread recipes) makes better dough.

Punch down dough and roll into a 6 inch circle. Fill the circles, careful not to touch the edge. Fold over, press edge with a fork. Brush with and egg wash. Rise 30 minutes. (I will put mine in the fridge to lengthen rising time because we return late tonight.) Bake. 375 degrees.
A few tips on the stuffing:

Portion your dough before you start. Also portion your filling, you want about 1/4 to 1/3 c. filling for each.
Sundried tomatoes, fresh or drained/stewed tomatoes are a little easier than sauce because if any of your filling touches the outer rim it doesn't seal properly. If you use sauce, don't let it be too thin.
Roll out the circle on a well floured surface so you don't tear the bottom when you transfer it to a baking sheet.
Don't leave cheese or vegies too large, they can poke through when you fold over the dough.
I like to mix all the ingredients together before I stuff them.

I have had some success freezing the stuffed calzones (don't rise them) and rising/baking it another day.

Kung Pao Tofu

2010-05-10T16:12:00.004-06:00

Tonight our family has a class together and we do not return for dinner until late.

We are still not eating meat, although we did this weekend while visiting family. I was surprised how filling it was after not eating it for just one week.

I have already cubed one package of firm tofu, it is wrapped in plastic , waiting in the fridge.

Also waiting is:
Chopped red and orange sweet peppers
Sugar snap peas, halved
white onion
about 2 Tbl each of minced garlic and ginger

We love this dish, but I guess I say that about everything. I will have the rice and water waiting so I can start that right when I walk in the door. Then I will heat a little sesame oil in the skillet with the ginger, garlic and a 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper.

Before or after that is heating I will mix the sauce in a cup:
1/4 cup of water or broth
1 Tbl of Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbl soy sauce
2 tsp honey
2 tsp of corn starch

After the oil and spice smells nice, throw in the onion, a moment later add the peas and sweet peppers and stir. About two minutes later add the tofu and stir lightly so the tofu doesn't break up. Add the sauce and simmer a moment until it boils and looks, well, saucy.

Sprinkle a half cup of roasted peanuts over the top and serve with rice. We prefer jasmine. I don't see why you couldn't try this with cubed chicken breast. Let me know if you do.

Potatoes with Peas

2010-05-04T11:29:00.004-06:00

Tonight I am anxious to try out my new Indian cookbook. We will eat potatoes and peas with cumin, and Naan. There are lots of recipes for Naan, and I will probably make it tonight but it is never as good as what you get from a restaurant--or even the store because you just can't simulate a tandoori oven.

That sounds a little starchy so I will also serve a cucumber with a little lemon juice and cilantro sprinkled over it and plain yogurt.

First, I will wash and cube about one potato per person. This cannot be done too far in advance, because the potatoes discolor. You can keep them in a bowl of cold water about an hour before you plan too cook them.

Finely chop 2 Tbl garlic and 2 Tbl fresh ginger together.

For 4-5 potatoes, Add 2 tsp cumin seeds into a large skillet with 2 Tbl of oil. Roast until darkened. Add the garlic and ginger, a sliced chili, 2 tsp turmeric, 1/4 cup of tomato paste and the potatoes. Then cover with 2 and 1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover and cook. Add the peas when the potatoes are almost done. The recipe calls for shelled peas, I am going to use sugar snap. It also cooks them longer but we like crisp vegies. The peas to potato portion is almost equal. Decide what you prefer. Stir occasionally, you may need to add more water. Sprinkle with cilantro. This would also be nice if you substituted spinach for the peas, adding it just at the end to soften.

One reason why this book appealed to me, besides the fact that Kevin and I had one of our first dates at an Indian restaurant, is that all the recipes are quick and easy. Six ingredients. Perfect for busy families.

Lentil Tacos

2010-05-03T16:01:00.006-06:00

I always seem to have spring blahs. I know many people do and I am not sure if it is the anticipation of summer and the disappointment of lingering cold, or if there is something else.

We plan to try out for a play tonight, it will be just the kids and me this time. But I assume hubby will get roped into it at some point--he did last year.

Hence, we enter our busiest season, where meal planning is crucial. So thinking ahead is mandatory. I guess I assume everyone thinks about the morrow's dinner while they are cleaning up the current dinner, but after a discussion with my sister last night, not everyone obsesses about food like me. Or rather, meal planning is not natural function for every woman.

So the plan for tonight is lentil tacos, we are taking a hiatus from meat for a few weeks and this will be more challenging for me than usual. But as my mom always said, "the less options you have, the more creative you are."

I soaked 2 cups of lentils in cold water for a few hours in a pot on the stove. Next, I sliced onion, bell pepper and a Serrano chili. That combination is waiting in a sealed bowl. Also waiting is a bowl of lettuce, a bowl of shredded cheese and a portion of corn tortillas for everyone.

When I return, I will put a little chopped onion (already waiting) in a skillet with olive oil and spices: cumin, chili powder, garlic and cayenne. Then add the rinsed, drained lentils and a cup of water. Add water as needed until the lentils soften and they have a "ground beef" consistency." It takes about 20 minutes.

While that is going, lightly saute the peppers and onions. Everyone makes their own tacos at the table.

We all love this. A couple of things you can do for the meatless-hesitant: serve with sour cream and use beef broth instead of water.

They way we have grown to love corn tortillas is to spread a scant dab of butter or use a pastry brush with butter/olive oil on one side of each tortilla. Then stack them on a small plate and wrap with plastic wrap. Microwave 2-3 minutes, they will be pliable and not break.

Either way: Choke or Chalk

2010-03-02T09:28:00.003-07:00

We love to try new things. Sometimes though, we just can't find the courage.

Walnut Sesame Pie

2010-02-26T09:03:00.008-07:00

Undoubtedly, any request for a pie (recipe) I've made comes from this little book I bought when I was preparing to live in Prague.

The cranberry is a standard for us in the fall and the Walnut-Sesame is Kevin's favorite. I made it this week and had to guard the last piece for him. I figured if I didn't he would complain that one of the kids ate the last piece and I'd be obligated to make another.

It is similar to a pecan pie with the gooey toasted nut filling but with a unique sesame flavor. The walnuts perfectly balance the sweet.

It is really hard to tell the kids to eat right when your husband rationalizes that pie has nuts, wheat flour, eggs... and is better than a donut for breakfast! Of course he says that about cake too.

Don't let the length of this post make you doubt that this is as easy as pie.

A fabulous pie crust recipe is:

1 cup of butter flavored crisco
(I am not going to get into butter vs. shortening, I use crisco here because it is easier to work with ,for my schedule, than butter and cheaper. Butter makes a superior pie, if you do it right. OK, so I got into it a little.)
3 cups of white flour
1 cup of sugar

I use a kitchen aid to cut the shortening into the flour. I know gourmet cooks will scoff but I have enough to do and I like the speed. Just be careful that you don't overwork the mixture. Watch it close and run it for the shortest time possible. You don't want any large chunks of shortening left.

Then I freeze the mixture for at least a half hour.

Take the mixture from the freezer and with a wooden spoon stir in a little less than a half cup of water. You just want to pull the dough together. (If my hands are really warm I run them under cold water a minute before I touch the mixture.)

Then lay half of the mixture on a piece of wax paper or silicone mat and roll it out. Here is a little more info about pie crusts from the quiche recipe.

Repeat with the second half of the crust mixture. Use that for a top crust or freeze it for a future pie. It is so convenient to pull out a pre-rolled pie crust when you are short on time! If you get into the habit of doubling what you need and freezing the surplus, you will save time another day.

It is is a warm day I will freeze my crust a little at this point before I bake it.

The walnut pie requires a partially baked crust. Partially baking a crust usually causes it to shrink. So you can make the crust a little long and press the edges up tall and/or place a piece of aluminum foil at the bottom of the unbaked crust and put about 1 cup of dry beans inside to help hold it in place.

Here it is what you waded through all of my rambling to get:

Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Combine in a bowl-
3 eggs
1 cup of packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup of corn syrup (dark or light)
4 Tbl. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup white sesame seeds

Pour into the partially baked crust (which has cooled about 15 minutes) Bake about 50 minutes until a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Do not over-bake it. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Quiche

2010-02-19T12:06:00.007-07:00

Quiche is a simple dish, great for any meal.

Our favorite is green chilies and cheddar.

Growing up, my mom usually made broccoli and jack cheese quiche. But there are so many combinations possible.

This quiche here, is the first one I made with meat. I used breakfast sausage and jalapenos.

Preheat the oven 425 degrees.

First make a pie crust:

1- 1/2 cups flour
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of shortening (or butter)
2-4 Tbl water.

Cut the flour and butter together. Be careful not to over work it with your fingers. If it is a hot day, freeze the flour and butter a little while at this point to chill it. Add 2 Tbl of cold water and stir to pull the mixture together. Add more water if it doesn't form a powdery ball.

Roll out the crust between two pieces of wax paper until it is a large circle. (I use a silicone baking mat in the image) Remove the top piece, slide your hand under the bottom and invert onto a pie plate. Cut the edge which hangs over. Put it into the freezer while you work on the filling.

First chop about 1/4-1/2 cup of onion and place into the bottom of the pie crust. Then add up to a cup of your favorite cheese or cheese blend. Then your main filling: sausage, canned chillies, asparagus, etc.

In a blender place 5 eggs, a little garlic, paprika, salt and pepper and 2 cups of cream. Since I rarely have heavy cream on hand, I often substitute yogurt or sour cream (or a mixture) for the heavy cream. They both give a unique twist. Yogurt makes a very light quiche. Blend, pour over the filling.

Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce the oven to 300 degrees and bake about 45 minutes longer or until the egg puffs a little and is browned. Watch the last 20 minutes as you may need to cover it with foil to prevent burning.

Cast Iron Stuffing

2009-12-24T08:31:00.001-07:00

I forgot to write this recipe down last Thanksgiving and this year I had to make it twice to get it right. So now I am writing it here so I can look it up next year.

This stuffing is great because you don't cook it in the bird (for all the nervous salmonella people.)

Brown one 8 oz package of breakfast sausage. (Do not use any flavored sausage like apple or maple. Our favorite is the Farmer John links.)
Chop the sausage coarsely and place them in a large bowl.
Add 6-8 cups of cubed sourdough
2 cups of sliced mushrooms
the inner stalks of a celery head with the leaves (about 4-5)
one large chopped onion
2-4 cloves minced garlic
a handful of fresh chopped sage (in Idaho I still have sage in the garden during November)
Drizzle 1/4 cup of melted butter over the top
Mix in one beaten egg
add salt and pepper

Place the mixture in a large cast iron skillet coated lightly with olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 375 degrees for 60 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until browned.

Holiday Cinnamon Rolls

2009-12-23T08:15:00.005-07:00

These take time. Makes about 12.

2 cups buttermilk
1 Tbl. yeast
¼ raw honey
½ cup sunflower oil (or any light flavored oil, butter is great too but for economical reasons I use oil.)
5 cups unbleached white flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

1 cup white sugar mixed with 1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar or raw sugar
1 Tbl. vanilla

Heat 1-1/2 cups buttermilk in a glass dish in the microwave for 2 minutes. It will curdle and separate. Remove and add 1/2 cup cold buttermilk.

Place yeast and honey into a large bowl. Pour a little buttermilk over the mixture and stir. Stir in all the buttermilk, 2 cups of white flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk mixture until smooth. (Don't use an electric beater.)

Let mixture sit 30 minutes. (I have left it longer.) It should rise up the side of the bowl.
Add the oil and 3 remaining cups of flour. Knead until smooth. The dough should be sticky, add a little flour if necessary to make the dough smooth.

Let rise 1-1/2 to 2 hours in a greased bowl.

Punch dough down and roll it out into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. I think about 24 x 12 inches. Spread cinnamon and sugar over the top and roll up. Cut ends off.

Cut into 12 slices and place in a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch casserole dish. Melt butter and brown sugar in the microwave till melted and a little bubbly. Add the vanilla and pour over the rolls evenly.

Rise overnight in the fridge or about 1-1/2 hours. Bake 375-degree oven 30-40 minutes. Don't let them get too brown. Invert on a platter and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

These are nice because they rise overnight and all of the work is done the next morning when you pop them in the oven.

I have adapted this recipe from several others, taking what I liked best. They aren't too sweet, as some cinnamon rolls can be. They have a light caramel glaze on top after you invert them and the dough is soft and tasty.

Five minute fudge

2009-12-21T19:15:00.002-07:00

There are many fudge recipes out there. Fudge is not my favorite candy but this version is so easy to make and the walnuts offset the richness enough so that most non-fudge people still like it.

Butter an 8X8 pan.

Place 12 oz of dark chocolate chips, 8 oz of butterscotch chips and one 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high about 2 minutes, stiring every 20 seconds.

When all the chips are melted, add a bag of miniture marshmellos and 1 cup of raw walnuts.

Mix throughly and pour into pan. Let sit until firm and cut.

Today we made caramels, toffee and fudge. I don't really know what I was thinking since we are going to a cookie exchange tomorrow.

However, we wrapped half if everything and put it in the freezer for New Years' company.

Convenient Food 2, Enchiladas

2009-10-16T08:39:00.001-06:00

Another way I use the freezer is to make frozen burritos with leftovers.

Take all of the mixin's from burrito night: cheese, meat, beans, even sour cream and leftover salsa, (hold the lettuce) and fold together.

Wrap the filling into tortillas and fold. Place them flat on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once they have frozen hard, transfer them to a ziplock bag.

Now the kids can use them as a quick microwavable snack or you can use them as a fast food dinner.

I have had luck pulling these out, setting them in a lightly greased dish to defrost awhile, then pouring a can of enchilada sauce over them before I bake them.

If you don't have a can of enchilada sauce here is a recipe:

Boil 2 cups of any broth with 1/2 onion, a clove of garlic, a pinch of oregano, one bay leaf, 1 tsp cayenne and 4 Tbl. Chili powder. Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf, blend.

Now be careful, I use a hand held kitchenaid mixer. If you put it in your blender hot -- you might decorate the ceiling.

Pour over your burritos, top with cheese and bake till bubbly.

Convenient Food

2009-10-15T09:21:00.004-06:00

The freezer is my favorite time saver. I am including my favorite modified cookie recipe.

This time, after I made the basic batch, I separated it into three sections, added nuts to one and dried cranberries to another. This way, every time I pull a cookie log out of the freezer I have a variation.

Chocolate Chip Cookies:
2 cups butter (sometimes I substitute butter crisco, this makes a softer cookie and is cheaper)
1- 1/2 cup each brown sugar and white sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Cream together. Then add:

2 eggs
4- 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Mix well, then fold in up to 2 bags of chocolate chips. 1 bag of milk chocolate and one bag of dark. (Sometimes I use 3/4 of each bag.)

Separate the dough into piles and roll into logs. Wrap each log in plastic and freeze well. Slice into 1/2 disks and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven approximately 12 minutes.

Preserving Herbs

2009-08-14T16:18:00.005-06:00

Home grown herbs are so much more flavorful than store bought herbs it makes me wonder just how old some of them are.

My favorite way to dry herbs is to group the herb in three bundles. Make one slightly larger than the other two. Tie the larger one on one end, another one on the opposite end and one slightly offset from the center.

Then hang the herbs. I use my laundry room because the dryer keeps it warm. Just throw the large bundle over a bar. You can also use a closet rack or place the string on a hanger and put it pretty much anywhere.

For something like dill, I prefer to just lay it flat to dry. It is too delicate to handle dry.

Once they are thoroughly dry, snip the string and crush the herbs. Store them in a left over jam or mustard jars. Some jars are so pretty and after you have enjoyed the condiment you bought, it is nice to find a use for the jar.

Another option to save the flavor of summer is to blend the herbs in butter and scrape the mixture into ice cube trays. Freeze and keep them stored in any freezer proof bag or container.

Then when you want to make rye-dill bread: just pop out a cube and use it for the fat in your recipe. You can also use it to bake fish or melt over a steak. It is a quick dress-up for plain noodles as well.

If you want the butter a little more spreadable, you can blend equal parts butter and vegetable or olive oil, a little fresh garlic and your herb. This is economical too, butter can be expensive. It has the same amount of fat but less cholesterol -- whatever that is. It makes a great spread for garlic bread too. Spread it on the bread, sprinkle a little Parmesan and broil.

I once read that basil does not store well, it looses its flavor. But I go through my herbs in one year and I have never found any store bought basil to rival my own dried.

German Pancake

2009-08-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

An easy weekend brunch item is German Pancakes. We serve them with real maple syrup or fresh squeezed lemon juice and powdered sugar. Although my boys have been know to put Tabasco or garlic on them. I don't recommend it.

Put 6 TBL of butter in a 9X13 pan and place in a oven set to 400 degrees.

While the oven is preheating, crack eggs in a blender until you have 1-1/2 cups. (from 6-8 usually). Blend. Add a pinch of salt a TBL of sugar (either brown or white), and pour milk until it reaches 3 cups. (Which is adding 1-1/12 cups)

By now the butter should be melted. Pour entire batter into the pan. Set the timer for 22 minutes and when you return it will have puffed beautifully.

I does flatten so have the table set because everyone oohhs and ahhs and calls out claims on the pools of butter.

I know, I need to post something healthy next.

Pesto

2009-08-08T12:00:00.000-06:00

I have had an extremely successful basil year. All of my basil was grown from seed. I used left over plastic tree tubs to hold the bagged dirt. The bottom half was filled with mulch to economize. I think the black plastic has helped keep the dirt warm since we've had such a cool summer. Where is global warming when you need it?

I have been able to harvest several times as well as frequently pinch off a little here and there for meals.

Homemade pesto is not a health conscious but we love it!

For years it has been "date food" for my honey and me. We would put the kids to bed and watch a movie with a bowl of pesto and a hunk of crusty sourdough. Now that the kids love it as much as we do we can't get away with that.

Store bought pesto is expensive and, like everything else, a mere shadow of the homemade stuff.

Making it is simple in a food processor. We use walnuts because we typically have them in abundance from my grandparents. Pine nuts are preferred by many.

Place 1 cup of soft nuts, several cloves of garlic (depending on your taste -- one may be enough), one cup of shredded Parmesan and one cube of melted butter. Process a few seconds and add by the handful, 4 cups of fresh basil leaves and the soft green stems. The exact amounts can vary slightly to suit your taste.

You can remove the leaves from the stems completely but I use the stems if they are not woody. Sometimes I have to add a little olive oil if it is too thick.

You can actually replace the butter with olive oil or a combination of both. Extra virgin olive oil gives it a different flavor and a softer texture. When you refrigerate pesto made with butter, it hardens.

I have made several batches to keep in the freezer this year. The other night we had friends over (waving at DeeAnn) and pulled a ziplock bag from the freezer to make pesto pizza. It was so convenient. The recipe above filled two quart sized bags.

If you want to eat it as a dip, either heat in an oven safe bowl while you heat your bread or microwave it about 30 seconds until the green color deepens and the cheese is bubbly.

Leftovers keep about a week in the fridge and if used as a spread, turn boring sandwiches into gourmet meals.

City-Hippie Oregon Grape Jelly

2009-07-30T12:30:00.009-06:00

I was driving to pick the kids up from the water park and as I drove by a subdivision with front entrance landscaping I noticed a new development. Purple-blue berries clustered in dark green leaves. I heard almost audibly, "Oregon Grapes." I say that because I had never actually seen any before, but I do peruse herb and garden books so I may have seen pictures. At the water park I looked up Oregon Grapes on my iphone to verify on Wikipedia. I know, I am a walking contradiction of terms.

Only one kid was ready to come home so he and I stopped and inspected the plants. Look how many we picked!

I think he was pretending to be grossed out by the purple blood color on his hands. There were so many bursting clusters we would get excited and prick our fingers on the leaves. People gave us weird stares as they drove by.

I remembered eating Oregon Grape Jelly once when my aunt sent us some, so I knew the flavor. We normally don't like jelly because it is too sweet so the tart flavor of this is perfect for us. Here is the recipe I used:

Oregon Grape Jelly (makes 6 half pints)
3.5 lbs of washed, stemmed Oregon Grapes
3 cups of water
5 cups sugar
1 pkg liquid pectin

Crush the grapes and add the water. (I used my kitchen aid hand blender.) Boil for 10 minutes. Place mixture in a colander lined with two layers of cheese cloth overnight. Here is where pre-reading a recipe comes in handy!
Discard cloth, seeds and skins. Measure 3-3/4 cups of juice and place in a pan with the sugar. Bring to a rapid boil, add pectin. Return to a full boil and boil 1 minute. Place into prepared jars and process 10 minutes. It has a tart, earthy flavor and a beautiful dark color.

Avgolemono Soup

2009-07-17T16:20:00.006-06:00

This Greek soup is light yet surprisingly satisfying. It is perfect for a summer lunch.

Avgolemono means egg and lemon and is used for all kinds of sauces. This recipe has orzo, a rice shaped pasta. I have also substituted rice but we like the pasta better. You could also subsitute any small pasta, even broken spaghetti.

Boil 8 cups of chicken broth and 1/3 to 2/3 cup of orzo for five minutes. (When I make it for myself I use less pasta because I like broth soups but when I make it for the kids they usually like more pasta)

While the broth is simmering, whisk 3 eggs, the juice of one lemon (about 3 TBL bottled juice) and a Tbl of water. Pour a little broth and pasta into the whisked egg mixture while you continue to whisk. Add it slowly or the egg mixture curdles and the texture is not so nice. Continue to add broth until you have added at least as much broth as there was egg, doubling the egg amount. Add all of the egg mixture to the broth and heat one minute more, taking care not to boil the liquid.

Salt it to taste and add lots of cracked black pepper.

Garden Fresh

2009-07-16T13:17:00.006-06:00

My garden is in full swing. This is one of my favorite garden times, we are eating herbs, lettuce, greens, sweet peas, radish, zucchini and squash. The garden is pretty and there is the anticipation of harvest.

I tried a practice vegetable pickle with yellow squash and zucchini but I don't think anyone will eat it. No one here likes sweet pickles. I just wanted to try something different. I added a little spice thought to offset the sweet, so we'll see.

I tried it because I have been renting canning books from the library. As a result I have become appropriately scared of botulism, so I purchased The Complete Book of Home Preserving.

So far I love this book because it is modernized and has some California cuisine ideas for serving your preserves. For example: a pineapple salsa which it recommends to serve with grilled pita brushed with olive oil.

Here are two pictures of the peas using corn for support and the cucumbers climbing the sunflowers.

I don't plan on letting the sunflowers seed here but they are pretty and giving shade to the plants that prefer it.

Turkish Coffee

2009-07-12T10:19:00.000-06:00

I was a little disappointed this turned out so good. Our experimentation results so often in good food at home that I am running out of places to ask my husband to take me. I love to cook, but I also equally love to get out of dishes.

Once we got the recipe tailored to our liking and ate it with a piece of Baklava -- I suddenly had less of a reason to go out to the little Mediterranean restaurant I love.

Buy coffee from a place you can grind it, there should be a Turkish coffee setting. This is very fine. Also grind granulated sugar in your blender. I like raw sugar for this best.

Place 2 TBl coffee and 1-1/2 Tbl ground sugar in a pan with 2 cups of water and a decent pinch of ground cardamon.

Bring to a boil, remove from the heat. Technically you are supposed to ladle of the crema from the top but I never got any in the half dozen times I have made it.

Retun it to the heat and boil again. Then wait a moment for the grounds to settle, pour very slowly into tiny cups. Do not pour all of it, leave as many grounds in the pot as you can.

Serve hot. Enjoy, but not to the last drop. You will leave the last sip in the cup because of all the fine grounds which remain.

Dim Sum, Steamed Pork Buns

2009-07-10T09:46:00.004-06:00

I always believe Chinese Dim Sum meant appetizer. Wikipedia says it means "little bit of heart."

We eat steamed pork buns as a meal with rice and then the leftovers (if we're lucky enough to have any) for breakfast the next day.

The recipe is not as quick and easy as some, but you will think it worth it when you taste the salty meat surrounded by sweet fluffy streamed bread. Makes about 16.

Meat Filling:
Sautee 2 Tbl finely chopped onion and 3 cloves pressed garlic in 1 Tbl sesame oil. Add 1/2 lb ground pork. Cook and stir until browned. Add 3 Tbl oyster sauce (we call it stinky feet sauce) and 2 Tbl sugar. Mix 1 tsp corstarch with 1 tsp of water in a cup and then add to the hot meat mixture. Remove from heat, cool and refrigerate.

Dough:
Place 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp (half a packet) of yeast in 1 cup warm water. Let sit a few moments. Add 1/4 cup warm milk and 3-1/2 cups flour. Knead well. Let rise 1-1/1 hours.
Divide the dough into 4 portions, roll into a log. Cut the cylinder shaped dough and press it down into a circle. Add 1 tsp of the meat mixture to the center of the circle and pull up edges. Pinch to resemble a tear drop.
Here is a video showing you how to roll it:

After you have rolled all 16, let rise about 30 minutes on a silicone mat or waxed paper. I don't have a good wok and bamboo steamer, which is preferred. I use my largest cast iron skillet, a metal steam basket and aluminum foil to cover it. This is tedious because I can only cook about 5 at a time and you want to steam them 18 minutes. So don't worry about having all of the perfect utensils.

Keep them warm until you serve them. Serve with soy sauce and rice.

Crepes

2009-07-08T08:00:00.001-06:00

Crepes are simple to make with a little practice. I have a little cast iron skillet which is perfect but if yours is not conditioned, use a non stick skillet or crepe pan.

Add the following ingredients to a blender:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp each baking powder and salt
2 cups milk
2 Tbl melted butter or olive oil
2 eggs

If you are making a sweet crepe you can add a little sugar and vanilla or almond extract. This is your batter.

Heat your skillet well, it must be hot. Add a drop of butter, or as you see here I used PAM spray. Some people don't like the flavor of the spray and it definitely is not as good as butter. (Very few things are.) Here is where you have to work quick.

When you add your batter you need one hand to turn the pan and one to pour.

You want to use a very tiny amount so the crepe is thin and barely covers the pan.

If the pan is hot enough you will immediately see tiny bubbles and the batter will spread fairly easy.

By the time you are done pouring it is almost ready to flip.

Cook it until it is golden brown and serve rolled with just about anything.

Peaches and cream
Strawberries and cream
anything and cream
just whipped cream...

Just kidding. We love spiced pear jam. I will be adding a recipe for that soon.

Another favorite is savory crepes. They are a fun lunch with everyone standing around the stove waiting for the next crepe to finish.

Here we added Munster cheese, a half slice of ham and a little pre-cooked broccoli.

Thai Coconut Green Curry

2009-07-07T09:00:00.002-06:00

Thai Coconut Green Curry is relatively easy once you have the ingredients on hand. Most can be found at the grocery store but often times Asian markets have better prices and they will offer you assistance and suggestions.

My sister was an exchange student in Thailand and I learned this when her host parents came for a stay.

I prefer green curry but you can substitute yellow or red.

Cut the vegetables you want to add and if you are adding meat, I find it is most helpful to have partially frozen meat. It is easier to cut into even near-perfect strips.

Heat a little olive or sesame oil in a (cast iron) skillet and when it is hot add the curry. I would recommend a scant tablespoon for your first try. Here I am adding about two tablespoons because we like it a little spicy. You can also add a TBL finely chopped garlic and/or ginger at this time.

Cook the curry and oil about a minute until it is soft and bubbly. Add 2 large cans of coconut milk. You can use any brand but I tend to buy the cheapest brand that looks the least Americanized. It just depends on where I get it. You can shake the can before you open it to combine the milk and cream.

Sometimes I will open it carefully and separate the milk for a soup and use the thick cream for rice pudding or this curry dish. That will be very rich though.

Bring to very hot but not boiling. Add the sliced meat first and cook until done, about 20 minutes on a light simmer. When my sister's host mom made this she kept it at a full boil for a very long time, but sometimes, depending on different brands I have used, the coconut milk gets a little chunky.

Add the vegetables: eggplant, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower or whatever your garden is producing. Also add a tsp of sugar and a Tbl of oyster sauce (aka: stinky feet sauce.) You can do it without the sauce and sugar but it adds a nice depth.

Cook another 10 minutes or until desired tenderness. We prefer slightly crisp vegies.

Add a handful of chopped basil and serve immediately over rice.

Winter Garden

2009-01-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

Sprouts are easy to grow and this is a method my parents figured out.

My dad cut a screen of some sort the size of a wide mouth mason jar.

It is an easy, inexpensive way to grow sprouts without buying a kit. Because it is so tall you will need to rinse it frequently.

First, put a TBL of seeds in the jar, fill it with water and wrap a towel around the jar. This is to prevent the seeds from turning green in case you want to do it for a homeschool lesson)

Fill the jar with tepid water and soak overnight.

Rinse with tepid water each day. You will notice growth in a day or two.

Not every seed will sprout but when the majority are a good size, remove the towel and let them grow for another day unwrapped.

You will need to eat them or refrigerate them at this point.

Dutch Oven Tomatillo Pork Roast

2008-11-04T11:17:00.005-07:00

We had our first prepared meal in our new home last night. It was appropriate, after honey's first day. I am not very experienced with cooking pork but with a little over the phone help from my mom we figured out a recipe.
I placed a 3 lb pork loin in a bowl with about 1/2 cup of homemade tomatillo salsa (any salsa verde would do) I marinated the loin approximately 30 minutes.

I heated my dutch oven on the stove top with a little olive oil. Then I seared the meat on both sides. Next I placed one large onion cut into wedges around the roast and scraped the remaining salsa marinade from the bowl into the dutch oven and sprinkled the entire thing with 1 tsp of salt. I covered it with a lid and baked it 2 hours at 350 degrees. Then I drained the juices, into my cast iron skillet and prepared a thin gravy. I added a drained can of black beans to the dutch oven and cooked it about 20 minutes more. I served it with brown jasmine rice.

The house is still littered with the signs of moving but last night it smelled like home.

Simple Fish Patties

2008-10-23T09:00:00.002-06:00

This will work with 2 cans of salmon, crab, leftover fish from another meal, or a combination of fish and shrimp that is already cooked.

They are a quick and easy to prepare option when you forget to plan for dinner.

In a bowl place 2 cups of flaked fish
one handful of oats
one small handful of crackers, crush them as you add them to the bowl
2 eggs
1 Tbl lemon juice
garlic powder, salt, black or white pepper, paprika, crushed red pepper to taste
I scoop out about 1/4 cup and fry it in olive oil on a hot cast iron skillet until they are golden brown on each side.

I served these the other night, made with leftover halibut, with rice and some home canned peach salsa given to me by a friend. It was a perfect accompaniment. (Thanks Heather!)

The boys ended up rolling a patty into a sheet of nori and had a wasabi contest.

The funny thing is my honey and I did that years ago when we were dating. (He won.)

Frugal Sourdough

2008-10-21T12:33:00.025-06:00

The kids and I (mostly me) were wondering just how cost effective making your own bread its. Taste aside, is it worth it?

We drew up a graph, went to the store and found the best price for all ingredients. We came home and after jotting down the recipes discovered generically: Yes, it is worth it.
(Not counting gas to purchase it or electricity/gas to cook it.)

The only variable would be if you hated making bread or you felt that it wasn't worth any effort to save one dollar or if you went through a whole cube of butter every time you pulled a loaf from the oven.

The only exception is that I regularly buy a sliced, hearty whole grain bread for sandwiches. I don't care for my homemade 100% wheat, as I mentioned before, but I everyone eating that for lunches.

For example, 2 loaves of French bread costs $1.03 to make, compared to $3.79 for 2 similar sized loaves. Country white bread (with milk, eggs and butter) was $1.26 and wheat came to $1.12. My most expensive loaf was Northern Maine Oatmeal bread using molasses, honey, oats and egg. It cost $1.40 each loaf. Imagine what you'd pay at a specialty shop. Keep in mind though this was using unbleached flour, real butter or extra virgin olive oil. Good stuff.

By far, the greatest savings was in my quick sourdough. The cost of this loaf was .78 cents. Directions: Place 3 cups of flour into a bowl. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp of sugar. Stir. Make a well in the center of the flour. Add 1/4 tsp of yeast. (yes that's all) (Note the following has been edited because of a mistake) Add enough water to 2 Tablespoons Apple cider vinegar to make 1 1/2 cups of liquid. Pour it on to the yeast. Stir well.
Let it sit covered, but not air tight for 24 hours.

For awhile I would stir up a new batch while the previous day's bread was baking. It became an easy routine because this bread is so simple.

It has a lovely texture. Pull the dough from the bowl and lightly press into a ball on a generously floured surface. You don't knead to need, you don't even need to knead. Pinch the bottom together to form a ball. Place on a lightly greased piece of tin foil and place a dutch oven in your oven, heat both to 450 degrees.

I haven't tried it without my dutch oven based on a podcast I watched from cooksillustratedonline.com.

You then lift the tin foil and transfer the bread to the hot dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Tzatziki with homemade totilla chips

2008-10-16T08:35:00.003-06:00

Why doesn't my eye cream work? Is it consistency? technique? Is this the face I am stuck with?
Last time I saw my dad he said I looked tired. I just answered, "yeah." I was -- but I was more reluctant to say "no this is just my old face."

The garden is ppfftt... from the snow last weekend. Summer has left us.

Am I leaving the summer of my life as well? Yes, today is my birthday.

I spoke with my mom about this topic and she said that you do forget how old you are until you look in the mirror. It is because you still have fire inside.

I have heard you could put cucumbers on your eyes but even when the garden was putting out left and right (it was when I was over watering) I still didn't want to waste them on my old face.

My honey didn't think he liked cucumbers unless they were in tzatziki but when he tasted the first garden cuke this year he was surprised. That isn't what a cucumber tastes like from the grocery store -- it tastes fresh, crispy, good...

How I will miss the garden food! Only 7 or 8 months to go, right?

My recipe for Tzatziki came from a cook book I bought before I was married. I think I was always destined to cook.

Instructions:
Dice one cucumber with the skin still on, place it in a colander with 2 tsp of salt and let it sit for one hour. This will pull moisture from the cuke so it isn't watery when you serve it.

Mash 2 garlic cloves with 1/2 tsp of salt, use the back of a spoon or a mortar and pestle.

Pat the cucumber dry with a paper towel and place it in a bowl with the garlic, 1 Tbl chopped fresh mint, 1 cup plain yogurt and fresh cracked pepper.

Serve with pita bread or tortilla chips.

If you make tortilla chips as I did here in my trusty skillet, you certainly want to eat less of them. Partly because of the time it takes to make only a few but also because you never really grasp how horrible deep fat frying is until you see it. But oh, they tasted good.

Welcome Autumn! Welcome to the chilly weather and welcome new season of my life.

Jolk -- Rice Porridge, aka: poor man porridge

2008-10-12T21:53:00.008-06:00

I have pulled out another trusty favorite kitchen utensil: the crock pot. Not exactly gourmet, one pot meals, they are a constant companion to me through the long frigid months of winter.

With the weather the way it is we tried our first soup night. I could eat soup every day but my honey is still learning. Bless him for trying!

While ladling the stew and slicing the steaming bread everyone started to name things we haven't eaten since the weather first thawed the ground last spring. Inevitably, a request for Jolk came up.

I don't even know if that is an accurate name and it is most definitely misspelled, nevertheless it is a favorite at our house.

One thing we love to do is try to mimic foods we have eaten in restaurants. We usually like our home versions as much as the "out" version, sometimes more. We surely love saving the $50 it takes to feed a family out. Years ago Kevin asked me to make this "Jolk." He had eaten it with a friend in high school at a little hole in the wall Chinese restaurant in San Francisco.

I always wondered if he had heard the name wrong because it took me forever to find a recipe that remotely resembled it. It was rice porridge that I finally found. And the ingredients will surprise you.

Recipe:
1 cup of rice, cooked in 12 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt.

You cook it until it is one thick, gelatinous mass. It takes about 2-3 hours. But you can burn it if you aren't careful. We top it with thinly sliced green onions, sauteed, marinated meat, soy sauce and a little Napa cabbage.

If you are looking for a meal that cost less than -- ahh something cheap, well here you go. If the economy is your motivation for frugality, my mom tells me it was worse in the 80s. However, we usually do pull this out a few nights before grocery day.

Grandmother Rolls

2008-10-03T11:10:00.009-06:00

I have been re-reading Heidi by Johanna Spyri with the kids for the first time as an adult. I remember my mom reading the book two or three times when I was a child. I am struck by how much I unknowingly identified with Heidi.

I always carried a sense of pride that I was "from" the mountains. (Even though I didn't move to the mountains until I was 14.) There was always some sort of longing for the wilderness and satisfaction that we could claim it as our own. I think it is the relinquishing of that uninhibited, romanticized idea of the mountains which most dampens my excitement about our current move to the "big city."

I never wanted to be a country girl, I never cared for the city. I wanted to be Heidi.

This picture is of Lake Tahoe in the summer on a windy day. (sigh) We lived only a few minutes away. I spent many days on this beach. Here are my kids doing the same.

Looking back, I wonder how much the story affected my parents coming to the Lord as adults. Grandfather tells Heidi that because when you walk away from God -- he walks away from you and "...no one can go back, and whomever God has forgotten, He has forgotten."

And Heidi, having learned to read, reads him the story of the prodigal son and in the wee hours of the following dawn, the grandfather climbs into the loft while great big tears roll down his cheeks, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before Thee..."

I call these the grandmother rolls because of two reasons. I brought them into a church potluck and a grown man exclaimed "Grandma rolls!" and also because, if you know the story of Heidi, her bringing soft, white rolls to Peter's poor grandmother is a key event.

Enjoy! They are served on holidays or as a dessert in our family: usually eaten with honey. (Wild, raw, mountain honey)
Instructions:

They refrigerate about 8 hours to rise so if I don't start them in the morning, we wake up to them or sometimes use the dough for cinnamon rolls.

2 1/2 tsp yeast softened in 2 Tbl warm water
Add 2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1 beaten egg
1 tsp salt
3 cups white flour
3/4 cup melted butter
Beat with a wooden spoon and add 3 more cups of white flour while stirring. Dough will be slightly sticky. Place in a greased bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Then, punch down the dough, separate dough in half and roll each half into a 12 inch circle on a floured surface. Cut like a pizza and roll up each wedge from the wide end first. Cover with greased plastic wrap and rise until doubled in a warm place, about 1 hour.
Bake 350 degrees 15-20 minutes and brush tops with more melted butter.

Goulash, Broiled Potatoes

2008-09-25T16:28:00.004-06:00

This morning we indulged in one of the benefits of homeschool, we slept an extra hour. I decided to make goulash (skillet hash) and wake the kids with the surprise of a hearty breakfast. The house was clean, quiet and all felt right in my world. I watched other kids running down the street to meet the bus before their 10 hour day and thanked God my husband supports, encourages homeschool.

I broil several cubed potatoes drizzled in olive oil and seasoning. They get a perfect crisp texture this way. Then I push the potatoes to the side of the pan and brown sausage and onion. I push that to the side and add eggs, careful not to stir them into the potatoes and meat until they have cooked so they are fluffy and light.

We were creative with goulash this past summer and added hominy and black beans to the dutch oven with the cooked sausage, salsa and onions, then covered it with whisked eggs, a lid and hot coals.

Maybe one of the reasons I like cast iron is it makes me feel like a pioneer. You have to be strong to lift the pan and everything is laced with a hint of the rugged outdoors.

All of my cast iron pans have been camping with us but I hate cleaning the black ash off of every thing so I think next year I might buy a new one for camping only.

Fish Chowder

2008-09-23T20:07:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was the first day of Fall and "Day to eat dinner with your family," at least according to our calendar.

Our family spent the last three weeks going through different stages while finally accepting the holiday. The first week we laughed about it. There were comments like, "A holiday for us would be to not eat together."

The next stage was a little incredulous, "Could you imagine being a family that celebrates that holiday?"

Then there was a bit of pity, "I feel sorry that they felt they needed to create a holiday like that."

Finally there was a touch of thankfulness. Gnome heard on KTSY that "Families who eat together are happier, healthier and smarter..."

We celebrated the day by eating on the patio. Which is my favorite, with a meal of husband's, recently discovered, top favorites. Fish Chowder. I always adapt it to ingredients I have on hand, yesterday it went something like this:

Instructions:
Saute in 3 Tbl. of butter: a cup of chopped celery, a minced onion and 5-6 cubed potatoes. Add 1/2 tsp of celery seed, 1/2 white pepper, 1 tsp paprika and salt to taste. I say to taste because I didn't really pay attention. Then add raw fish, we had halibut. Barely cover with water and simmer about an hour. The fish will break apart. Just before serving splash with a little half and half -- you wouldn't want to boil it at this point or it would curdle the milk.

We served garden cucumbers and hot homemade bread. Viva family day!

Meatballs

2008-09-16T12:54:00.005-06:00

I used to hate making meatballs, even though my family loves them. Frying was a time consuming process and they stuck to the pan becoming meat sauce instead of the smooth spheres I anticipated. I am not really sure why I decided to bake them the first time I did: I must have read something somewhere sometime...

While they are baking (of course in my cast iron skillet) I shake the handle a few times to keep them rolling around. Then I add them to the sauce later while it is simmering. They take very little time and cleaning my pan is easy. Another reason I love cast iron.

Normally I just serve right from the skillet, it is the center of the table any average night at our house. On a whim last night I decided to pull out my favorite bowls. They were a gift from my sister and I am sorry to say rarely used. I am afraid of breaking them. I am not unique here -- who pulls out the china on a nightly basis?

My bowls are beautiful colors and shaped like leaves. I was so afraid of putting a chink in them -- one thing I would never waste a thought on when I serve from cast iron.

I know I am not the first to wonder why I squirrel away something, afraid to use it because I might damage it and then never really enjoy it.

I never admire the shape of my bowls while they are snugly tucked in the cupboard. Just as I never admire or enjoy all the other things in my life I want to bring out but I am afraid of damaging. What other items has God entrusted to me that I bury?

I think in the end I envision my grown children commenting as they set the Thanksgiving table "I have such fond memories of these bowls. I hope they hold the food with all their chips and cracks." Rather than "I didn't know you had anything like this."

Our favorite Meatballs: Mix -- Shape -- Bake in a cast iron skillet till golden
1 lb lean ground beef
handful old fashioned oats
handful of crushed saltines
salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper (to taste)
1 Tbl dehydrated onions
2 eggs

Easy Maple Nuts

2008-09-09T07:42:00.003-06:00

Last night my skillet and I had a sweet tooth. I put about 2 cups of raw walnuts in my preheated skillet with a tsp of butter. I added about 1/2 cup of fake maple syrup mixed with real maple syrup. (I was trying to get rid of the fake stuff but didn't have enough to coat the nuts with only it.)

I sauteed the nuts about 15 minutes on medium heat until the syrup began to thicken and coat the nuts. I let them cool on a silicone mat.

They were delicious. My husband asked in a Billy Crystal voice "What? You couldn't roast the nuts foi-irst?" But he still ate them. Next time I will.

I thought about doing this because of a recipe in my cookbook that made honey popcorn just by mixing the 2 ingredients and baking it.

I haven't tried that honey popcorn recipe yet but sometimes I browse cookbooks for ideas that always come in handy later.

My Mother's Cook Book

2008-09-08T13:20:00.000-06:00

I remember looking at the cover of this book when I was very young. I was fascinated by the cover. I knew in my heart this woman was beautiful. I loved her very short skirt. My mom never wore anything like that.

"Mommy, why does the tiger want to get her?"
"I don't know honey."

"What is she cooking?"
"I don't know."

"Why is she cooking in the jungle?"
"I don't know...."

Funny, it seemed like my mom always knew the answer to everything even if she didn't always share that answer with me. Usually the answer she gave to me was "A cup of tea and a slice of toast."

The cure-all: tea and toast.

I grew up intrigued by the allure of this brave, dangerous woman and when I was married I knew I needed my own copy even though the book is older than I am. I use the sourdough bread on a regular basis. (Although the NY Times has a great No-Knead bread that is easier and tastes like sourdough.) There are all sorts of recipes that do not use fake sugar but raw honey, raw sugar and organic cane sugar. It is a complete cookbook with everything from drinks and main dishes to desserts and snacks.

Thanks mom for all the years of homemade food and teaching a love for natural goodness!

Improv Bread

2008-09-05T12:07:00.001-06:00

We have decided to be less healthy.

Not the normal declaration, I know. But my 100% whole wheat bread is just so heavy, hard and dull that I decided to buy some white flour. I watched a podcast from COOKS Illustrated online and I mouth began to water over their scones. Last time we had white flour in our house was for Christmas baking.

I handed my husband his sandwich this morning when he was on his way out, it felt like his simple lunch weighed pound! Casually I remarked "I think I'll buy some white flour." The kids cheered.

At our lunch today, the kids reiterated their point (in case I wavered) by pretending that their grilled turkey, peperoncini and mozzarella sandwiches were breaking their teeth. It is OK, I remember complaining to my mom that all she ever bought was birdseed bread.

Since I believe cooking is equal parts art and science I taught my kids that homemade bread only requires a guideline. My Improv Bread directions are:

* Soften 2 tsp of yeast in 1 cup warm liquid (milk, water, soymilk, coffee)
* Add 1 - 4 tablespoons of sweetener or combination of (honey, raw sugar, white or brown sugar, molasses)
* Add 1 - 4 tablespoons of fat (olive oil, butter, vegetable oil, shortening)
* Add half of the total flour (total amount will be approximately 3 1/4 cups) I personally recommend no more than 50% wheat or you will make a loaf similar to my aforementioned 1 lb sandwich.
* Add a few dress-ups:
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ finely chopped onion
½ cup raisins
1 cup shredded cheese
1 Egg
1 Tbl poppy or sesame seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp dried herbs
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbl wheat or oat germ or bran, etc.
Finely chopped jalapeño
handful of oats
* Beat well and slowly work in the remaining flour

Of course I assume you know all the steps of kneading and rising the dough. Your type of bread depends on your choice of additions.

Try making it with coffee, extra sweetener, egg, cinnamon and cocoa powder. We call this caffeine bread.

I also love it made with milk, butter, less sweetener, garlic, cheese and jalapeños. (milk gives a softer crust, the butter and cheese make it flaky.)

A favorite is with water, less sweetener, onion, poppy seed and dill. Great sandwich!

All you really have to remember is the approximate ratio of 3:1. Three cups of flour and 1 cup liquid. The rest is pretty negotiable. Get improvising!

***
weather cools outside
scents and warmth draw us indoors
enter and enjoy

My Cast Iron Skillet

2008-09-03T14:45:00.014-06:00

I spent about 12 dollars on my first cast iron skillet. I bought it the year I was married, 1994. My husband verified my intentions more than once; he grew up with flimsy Teflon coated pans. What was I doing buying items for the kitchen from the camping store? I knew I wanted a cast iron skillet, I grew up using one.

Now, I knew even then that you weren’t “supposed” to use soap on cast iron. You also aren’t supposed to soak them because they can become rusty. Many times I had watched my grandmother use only a dry paper towel on hers before she returned it to the oven where she stored it. However, I was raised a semi-occasional vegetarian and the first time I cooked bacon in my skillet, not just meat but pork, I wondered if it would be contaminated forever. I held my breath and plunged the entire thing into a sink filled with frothy suds. The pan sizzled in the water and the acrid smell of burning soap made me question my actions.

You know what? Nothing happened. Except I had peace of mind next time I fried pancakes. I can cook fish curry with stinky feet sauce (as my family affectionately refers to Thai fish sauce) in the evening and serve sourdough French toast the next morning from the very same pan. Food rarely sticks to the smooth black surface. Other than being heavy when full of food, I cannot imagine a more durable, perfect utensil in my kitchen.

So here’s to 14+ years of getting it wrong and doing it anyway!