Recipes




Lemon Bars


Ingredients
Crust
1 3/4 cups flour
2/3 cups confectioners' sugar (plus more for decoration)
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoon butter, slightly cooler than room temperature, cut into 1" pieces FILLING

4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest from 2 large lemons
3/4 cup lemon juice from 4 large lemons, strained
1/3 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon table salt Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly butter a 13"x9" baking dish and line with a sheet of parchment paper. Dot the paper with butter, then lay a second sheet crosswise over it.
Pulse the flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a food processor or blender. Add the butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds. Pulse until the mixture is a pale yellow and resembles a coarse meal. Sprinkle the mixture into the lined pan, and press firmly with your fingers into an even 1/4" layer over the entire bottom of the pan and about 1/2" up the sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then bake about 20 minutes.
While the crust is cooling and baking, whisk together the eggs, sugar and flour for the filling in a medium bowl, then stir in the lemon zest, juice, milk and salt to blend well.
when the crust is done baking ,reduce the oven to 325F. Stir the filling mixture to reblend, then pour into the warm crust. Bake about 20 minutes, or until the filling feels firm when lightly touched (about 20 minutes). Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Lift the confection up by the parchment paper and transfer to a cutting board. Fold the paper down and cut into serving size bars.
Sift confectioners' sugar over the bars for decoration.
Enjoy!




French Bread 

Ingredients

2 tsp yeast
4 tsp kosher salt
8-10 cups bread flour (this is white bread flour; all-purpose flour will work in a pinch but doesn't rise as high)
1 cup warm water (between 105º and 110º)
4 cups warm water

Proof the yeast by putting the yeast in the 1 cup of warm water. Check the temperature of the water first by checking it with a thermometer. I use a candy thermometer. Hotter than 110º, you will kill the yeast. Lower than 105º and the yeast doesn't grow much. You want the yeast to be nice and bubbly, so let it sit for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, measure the salt in a mixing bowl. I like ceramic; the dough doesn't rise enough for me in a metal mixing bowl (it seems to be too cold).

Add flour. Add yeast mixture and enough water to mix so that all the flour sticks together.

Knead for 10-12 minutes on a floured surface, by hand, turning and folding well. When dough is ready it will be elastic-y and will not stick to the counter much.

Pull all sides of the dough into the center, making a big ball. This stretches the gluten and makes a higher loaf. Put the dough in the bowl with the smooth side on top.

Put back in bowl to rise with damp cloth over the top for 1 hour.

Take dough out of the bowl, and flatten it to about 2 inches tall. Separate dough with dough cutter into 4 equal parts for 4 rounds, or 8 parts for longer loaves (or a combination).

Take each section and pull the edges into the middle all the way around to make a ball. This stretching is important; you will see some bubbles pop. Put the smooth side up as you set each ball on the counter. Cover all the sections with the damp cloth and let sit for 10 minutes.

Wash your bowl.

Spray 2 cookie sheets with Pam; I use air bake sheets.

Shape loaves: Flatten loaves again to about 1 inch thick (just flatten---do not stretch the dough out, just flatten it). Fold one side of the circle of dough to the almost the other side so you have a smile. Then flatten again. Fold both sides in, overlapping, so that the dough is folded in thirds. Flatten again.

For round loaves, pull edges in to the center like before, working all the way around the dough. Grab dough together at center to make a "foot" so that the loaf is sticking together. Turn dough over and gently "round" so that the middle is not sunken.

Put loaves on the cookie sheets to rise again.

(For long loaves, instead of pulling the edges to the center (after folding), you will roll and stretch the loaf to be as long as you would like.)

Cover loaves on the cookie sheets with the damp cloth and let rise about 40 minutes.

Heat oven to 400º so that it is ready to go at the end of the second rising.

Put a pan (I use the broiler pan) of water on the bottom shelf. This will steam the bread and give it a nice crust.

When second rising is done, take a serrated knife and quickly and lightly slash the loaves.

This helps the loaves rise more in the oven.

If the loaves deflate when you slash them, they rose too long on the second rising. They will still cook, but watch next time so that you will get a higher loaf.

If you have an egg, you can mix an egg with a little water and lightly brush the loaves all over using a pastry brush with the egg wash. If you do not have an egg, the crust will be less crunchy, but will still be tasty.

Put loaves in the oven and cook until a nice browned top is there. Better to have them a little darker than you think they should be, or they will be doughy.

Take loaves out of the oven. After a couple minutes, turn loaves over on the cookie sheets so the bottoms can dry (or else they stay wet on bottom, even after an hour).

Maple Syrup Caramels

Yield:

Makes 40 caramels

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon maple extract (optional)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup water

Procedures

Line 8x8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving 2-inch overhand on two sides. Line pan again with parchment paper, leaving overhang on alternate sides from foil. Lightly oil parchment or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine heavy cream, butter, sea salt, and maple extract (if using) in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Immediately remove saucepan from heat and set aside.

Combine sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup, and water in large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture has gone from light to dark amber, about 6 minutes.

Carefully pour cream mixture into sugar mixture. It will bubble vigorously. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until candy thermometer registers 248°F. Pour caramel into prepared pan. Allow caramel to cool for at least three hours. Cut caramel into one-inch pieces using kitchen shears and wrap pieces in wax paper. Caramels will keep for at least a week stored in an airtight container at room temperature, and even longer in refrigerator.

Spiced Apple Cider 

Cider is the name given to mead made from cider and honey. The addition of spices makes this the perfect warming and comforting beverage to sip during the autumn and winter months. If you create this mead now, it will be perfectly aged to enjoy during next year’s holiday season! It can even be gently warmed to temperatures below 170 degrees and served with a Cinnamon stick or a couple of Cloves or Cardamom pods.

Ingredients:

8 lbs raw local honey (I used raw Maple flower honey from a local beekeeper)

4 gallons freshly pressed apple cider (best when pressed from a variety of apples)

1 package yeast (there are a variety of liquid and dry yeasts available, make sure to use one that can withstand the high alcohol content of mead)
 1 lb organic brown sugar
 ½ lb organic dates, chopped
 2 tsp yeast energizer 
1 tsp yeast nutrient 
Water to 5 gallons (if needed)
 Organic spices (optional): 1 Cinnamon stick, 1 tsp whole Allspice, 1 tsp whole Cardamom pods, 3 whole Cloves, 5 whole Black Peppercorns, 1 whole Nutmeg. This will make a heavily spiced mead which will taste similar to mulled cider. You can change the blend or omit the spices altogether.
Equipment: Thermometer, plastic food-grade bucket, 5 or 6 gallon glass carboy, fermentation lock and rubber stopper, siphon house and racking cane, and sanitizer. 
1. First, sanitize everything that will come in contact with your mead. You can use Star San, One Step Cleanser, or another sanitizer available from a homebrew shop.

2. Mix the cider, honey, brown sugar, and dates in a food-grade bucket, making sure to blend them thoroughly. Add water if needed to reach a total volume of 5 gallons. Some recipes call for boiling the honey, but this causes the honey to lose its natural antimicrobial and antibacterial properties as well as some of the delicious flavor and aromatics. I prefer to leave the honey raw, but if you are concerned about sanitation, then heat the cider and honey mixture to a temperature of 150 degrees and hold it there for 10 minutes.

3. Add yeast energizer, yeast nutrient, and yeast to the honey and cider blend according to the directions on the packages. Mix vigorously to add oxygen and aerate the must. Yeast needs plenty of oxygen in order to reproduce and create a healthy fermentation.

5. For the primary fermentation, you can use the food-grade plastic bucket with a tight-fitting lid or a glass carboy. With either vessel, you will need to attach an airlock and rubber stopper. Check your yeast strain to see what temperatures are preferred, but most mead is best fermented in an area that is 60 to 75 degrees. Now the magic will begin! Within 24-48 hours you should see activity coming from your airlock.

6. The bubbles will be vigorous in the beginning, decreasing in activity over the next couple of weeks. Once they have subsided to one bubble every 60 seconds or longer and you notice that the yeast has settled into a layer at the bottom of the bucket, it is time to transfer your mead. It is useful to taste the beverage and take a hydrometer reading at this point to ensure that the fermentation is complete. The mead should no longer taste sweet and the final gravity should be between 0.990 – 1.015.

7. Gravity is needed for this next step, so place the fermenting bucket/carboy on a chair or stool and allow the yeast to settle to the bottom again (I usually let it sit overnight). Using a siphon and racking cane, rack the liquid off of the yeast into a glass carboy with an airlock and rubber stopper. Store the filled carboy in a cool area such as a basement, which is the ideal place if you have one.

8. You can add spices anytime during the fermentation process, but I like to wait until the mead has mellowed a bit so that I can taste the spices in the mead. First, place the spices in a muslin bag and boil in a little water to sanitize. Next, allow the spice filled bag and remaining liquid to cool completely. Add the spiced liquid and suspend the bag of herbs in the mead. Spices can easily overwhelm other flavors in the mead, so taste your mead frequently after adding them. You can also add oak chips during the fermentation to infuse notes of vanilla, oak, and to help soften the mead’s overall flavor. Treat oak chips first by boiling in water and then allow them to sit for a few hours before adding.

9. Once the signs of fermentation have subsided and the mead has cleared and is no longer cloudy, it is ready to bottle! You may have to transfer the mead a couple of times before this happens to eliminate sediment at the bottom. Use clean and sanitized wine or beer bottles and new corks or caps (bottles may be reused, but do not reuse closures). 5 gallons of mead will fill approximately twenty-five 750ml wine bottles or fifty-three 12oz beer bottles.

Don’t worry if your mead tastes hot and alcoholic, those harsh flavors will subside with aging. Most important, remember to always sanitize anything that ever comes in contact with your mead to preserve and enjoy this special beverage.


Homemade Tortillas 


We had a discussion about these on the Facebook page a while back and in a post on the blog. Once you've had homemade tortillas you will never go back to the store bought ones. These are fairly simple to make and they have SO much flavor compared to the other ones!

What you need:
 2 c. flour
1 c. warm milk
1 t. salt
1 T. oil
1 1/2 t. baking powder

Mix all the ingredients together. I usually make a double batch because I like to keep half in the fridge and half in the freezer for another time. The recipe posted will make 10 tortillas. After you mix the ingredients, knead the dough until it's very smooth. I love the texture of this dough. It's slightly sticky but not sticky enough to need more flour. After you knead it, let it rest for about 20 minutes. That's the key to getting it rolled out.

Separate the dough into 10 pieces. Roll out each piece very very thin, you may need a little bit of flour on the counter to do this but not too much.

Make sure the dough is thin!

Put the dough down on a preheated griddle. A large fry pan will work but won't be as easy. You do not need to grease the griddle.

Flip the tortilla over after a few seconds. I just do this with my fingers. It will have nice brown spots on it. They only have to cook for about a minute. Don't overcook or they will get hard.

These are amazing fresh off the griddle!


BBQ Potato Chips

  • 2 pounds (about 4 medium) Yukon Gold or russet potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • canola or vegetable oil for frying
Prepare the potatoes:
Bring a 4- quart stockpot filled with water to boil over high heat. Line a baking sheet with a kitchen towel. While water is coming to a boil, rinse and peel the potatoes as thinly as possible. Transfer half of the slices to the boiling water and cook for 3-5 minutes. Don’t overcook them; this is just jump-starting the cooking process. Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer the slices to the kitchen towel, patting them dry. Repeat with second batch of potato slices.
Prepare the spice mix:
Place all of the spices into a zip-top bag and shake to mix.

Frying the chips
Fry and season the chips:
Heat at least 2 inches of vegetable or canola oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit in an electric deep fryer or a large, high-sided pot. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and a wire cooling rack. Fry the potato slices in batches until golden brown. Remove the cooked chips with a metal skimmer and drain on the prepared baking sheet. Allow to cool for one minute, then place the chips in the zip-top bag and shake lightly to distribute the spices. Remove chips from the bag and repeat with remaining slices.
These chips are best eaten the day they’re fried. 

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Buttermilk Pancakes with Blueberry Compote and Candied Hazelnuts  


Yield: 5 servings



Ingredients:


·         1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour


·         1 egg


·         1 and 1/4 cups buttermilk


·         1/4 cup white sugar


·         1 teaspoon baking powder


·         1 teaspoon baking soda


·         1/4 cup vegetable oil


·         5 pints blueberries (for the blueberry compote)


·         1 tablespoon sugar (for the blueberry compote)


·         1 cup hazelnuts (for the candied hazelnuts)


·         1/2 cup sugar (for the candied hazelnuts)


·         1/4 cup Sugar in the Raw (for the candied hazelnuts)


·         3 cups maple syrup (for the hazelnut syrup)


·         2 cups Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur, reduced by three-quarters (for the hazelnut syrup)




  Instructions:




1.  For the blueberry compote: Combine 1 tablespoon sugar with 4 pints blueberries. Cook over low heat until the compote is thick. Remove from heat and add the remaining blueberries.


2.  For the candied hazelnuts: Combine hazelnuts and 1/2 cup sugar. Cook on medium heat until all sugar has melted and adheres to the hazelnuts. Remove from heat and pour the nuts on a non-stick, heat-resistant surface. Sprinkle Sugar in the Raw over the candied nuts.


3.  For hazelnut syrup: Over low heat, reduce Frangelico by three-quarters. Remove from heat and combine with 3 cups maple syrup.


4.  For the batter: Mix all remaining ingredients well. Heat a griddle or oiled pan to 350 degrees F. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle in batches, and cook until golden brown on both sides.


5.  Transfer pancakes to a plate. Top with hazelnut syrup, blueberry compote and candied hazelnuts.





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FIG BARS

 





These are very similar to fig newtons. You know fig newtons. Everybody knows fig newtons. My mom loved them. She always had them in the house. The house I grew up in and spent 18 years in. That house is now inhabited by another happy family with young children. I wonder if they keep fig newtons in that house too.....

I wonder if they found the initials my sister and I carved into the doors in the basement...

These are a definite comfort food. Soft, tender, sweet and buttery. If celery sticks had that appeal then this love handle situation would not be a situation.

The dough is almost like a shortbread with the exception of an egg yolk. You might find it a bit difficult to roll out as it has a tendency to crack in places but just keep trucking, pinching or patching them together, and it will roll out smoothly. When you fold up the dough around the filling and it cracks at the edges....don't fret. It's no biggie. Have a sip of tea and pinch it together. Even if it stays cracked a bit, the filling won't leak out because it is very thick. I've got your back.

Speaking of filling...this stuff is good enough to eat with a spoon. It's figs, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon. Totally delicious and perfect to spread on toast!

Spiced Fig Bars

For the dough:
½ cup unsalted butter 
½ cup granulated sugar 
¼ tsp salt
1 large egg yolk
2 tbsp milk
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp baking powder

For the filling:
7 oz dried figs (I use Turkish figs), quartered
1 ¾ cups water
½ tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
pinch of salt

In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar and salt using an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, making sure to scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg yolk and vanilla and beat until well incorporated. Add milk and beat until just blended. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder and stir into wet ingredients in two batches until a soft dough forms. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.

To make the fig filling, place the chopped figs, water, cinnamon and nutmeg in a 3 or 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium heat. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. The figs should be soft and swollen but there should still be some liquid left in the pot. Add the brown sugar and lemon juice, cover and simmer another 5-10 minutes until thickened and very little liquid remains. Remove from heat, set the mixture aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes, and then puree in a food processor until smooth. Let filling cool completely at room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled and set.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 15x12-inch rectangle. Use a ruler to slice the dough into three strips so that you end up with 3 long thin rectangles that are 5 inches wide and 12 inches long.

Spread one-third of the fig filling along the center of one of the strips of dough. Gently fold one long side of dough over the fig mixture and then fold the second side to overlap the first. You will now have a long tube of dough enclosing the fig filling. Press down gently at the seams without squishing out the filling. Repeat this with the remaining two strips of dough. Pinch the edges together if they crack. No worries.

Slice the logs into 1½-inch pieces and carefully transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet with the seam side facing down. This is done easiest by sliding the cookies onto an off-set spatula and then gently sliding them off onto the parchment.

Bake until slightly puffed and lightly golden, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Cinnamon Loaf Bread



1 package quick acting yeast
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup white sugar
1 cup milk


1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
5 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixer fitted with a dough hook combine yeast, water, sugar, and milk. Let the mixture sit until it bubbles, about 5 minutes or so. Add the oil and egg. Slowly add 2 cups flour, mix it and then add the salt and cinnamon. Add 1/2 cup flour to the mixture until all the flour is incorporated. Fold in raisins. The dough should be sticky. Let rise in the bowl for about 30 minutes. Divide dough in half and add to two greased loaf pans. Let rise an additional 30 minutes



Bake the loaves for 30-45 minutes. Makes two loaves




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Make Your Own Vanilla

 

3 Madagascar Vanilla Beans

5 oz Glass Jar with lid

Either Vodka, Bourbon, Light Rum or Brandy

Put all ingredients in glass jar and let steep for 4 weeks.

There you have it.  

 Happy Baking


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Cheese Manicotti  



8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese



15 ounces ricotta cheese



4 ounces cream cheese



1/2 cup Parmesan cheese



2 large eggs



1/2 teaspoon salt



1/2 teaspoon black pepper



1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonings



1 box manicotti noodles



4 cups marinara sauce



1 cup water




Directions




Preheat oven to 350 degrees



In a large bowl combine mozzarella, ricotta, cream cheese, eggs, salt, pepper and Italian seasonings. Stir until well blended.



Put the filling in a zip lock bag. Place the uncooked manicotti shell into a coffee cup and squeeze the filling into the shell.



Combine the marinara and the water. Spread about 1 cup on the bottom of a 9 x13 inch pan. Place the filled shells into the sauce lined pan. cover the shells with sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan on top. Cover with foil and bake 50 minutes. Take away the foil and cook another 15 minutes.




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Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Cake Ingredients:


·         1 c. apples* peeled and chopped

·         1/4 c. brown sugar

·         1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon

·         1 c. unsalted butter, softened

·         2 c. granulated sugar

·         2 eggs

·         1-8 oz. container of sour cream

·         2 tsp. vanilla extract

·         2 c. all-purpose flour

·         1 tsp. baking powder

·         1 tsp. cinnamon

·         1/2 tsp. salt


Directions:


1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first 3 ingredients and set aside.

2. Cream together butter and granulated sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Then stir in the sour cream and vanilla.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, 1 tsp. cinnamon and salt: gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.

4. Spoon half of the batter into a greased 9" spring form pan. Spread the apple mixture over the batter within an inch from the edge. Cover with the remaining batter. Now sprinkle on the streusel topping.

5. Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
Let cool for 10 minutes then remove from the pan and drizzle cream cheese icing.

Streusel Topping

Ingredients:

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. cold unsalted butter cut into pieces

3/4 c. nuts (optional)


Directions:


Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry blender.

 Cream Cheese Icing


Ingredients:


1-3oz. package of cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1-1/2 c. powdered sugar

3-4 Tbs. milk

Beat together cream cheese and vanilla: add powdered sugar. Then add as much milk as you need to get the right consistency.

*Golden delicious or Granny Smith are good choices for this recipe.

 

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Rhubarb Cake

1/2 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups rhubarb sliced in 1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt

Topping

1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon flour

Directions

Combine 1/2 cup softened margarine, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and cream well. Add 1 egg and mix well.

Mix 1 teaspoon baking soda in 1 cup sour cream and mix well. Add sour cream mixture to sugar mixture and stir until combined.

To this mixture add 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sliced rhubarb, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt. Stir well.

Pour batter into buttered 9 X 13 baking dish

Topping

1To your chopped pecans add 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 Tablespoon melted butter and 1 Tablespoon flour. Mix it all together just until all flour is incorporated and pecans coated./2 cup chopped nuts. I use my frozen pecans from last year from the freezer.

Sprinkle pecan, sugar and cinnamon mixture over cake batter.

Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 40 minutes or until top of cake is golden brown.


 

Navy Bean Soup

Heat 2T. oil in a large soup pot. 

Chop up and add:
1 onion
1 cup celery
1 carrot
Cook until onion and celery are soft and tender. 

Add:
3 cups dry navy beans (small white beans)
12 cups water
1 Tablespoon salt

Bring to boil, cover and reduce to simmer. Stir every now and then and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. 
Ham bone and/or meat can be added if desired. Add when water is added.

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Spinach, Onion and Goat Cheese Frittata



4 tablespoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion chopped
2 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
6 large eggs
4 cloves garlic chopped
1/4 cup goat cheese



Directions



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large frying pan over medium heat warm 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Add the onions and sauté until tender about six minutes.
Add the spinach and season with salt and pepper. Sauté about five minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Set aside.
In a large bowl lightly beat the eggs with the garlic and cheese.
Stir the spinach into the egg mixture. In the frying pan warm the remaining two tablespoon olive oil. Add the egg mixture. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the eggs are set around the edges, about five minutes. Transfer to the oven and cook until set, about seven to nine minutes
Cut into wedges and serve right away.



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 Slow Cooker Potato Soup

6 large baking potatoes peeled cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large sweet onion
1 quart of vegetable broth homemade or canned
3 garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
1 cup half and half
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons chopped chives
1 cup sour cream
extra cheese and chives for garnishing
Directions
Combine potatoes, onions, broth, garlic, butter, salt and pepper in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup becomes slightly thickened. Stir in cream, cheese and chives.
Cook another 30 minutes or until heated through.

Top with sour cream, extra cheese and chives.

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Whole Wheat Pizza Crust


Makes 1 crust

2 t yeast
¼ c warm water
2 to 2 ½ cups whole wheat bread flour
2T gluten flour (or vital wheat gluten)
½ c warm water
1 t salt
1 ½ T olive oil

In a mixer such as a Bosch or a Kitchen Aid add yeast and warm water. Let it sit for a few minutes to dissolve and activate. Add 2 cups of flour and all remaining ingredients. Mix dough well adding the extra flour until the dough will not stick to the sides of the bowl. Knead for about 4 minutes in the Bosch and 6 to 8 in the Kitchen Aid.
If you made this dough in a Kitchen Aid then let the dough rise for 1 hour. If made in a Bosch, skip this step.

Punch down dough and shape into a ball and roll out to fit a 14 inch pizza pan.
Add sauce and toppings and bake in a 475 oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
Makes 3 crust
2 Tbsp. yeast
¾ c warm water
6 to 7 ½ cups whole wheat bread flour
6T gluten flour (or vital wheat gluten)
1 ½ c warm water
1 TBS salt
4 ½ T olive oil

Follow directions above only dividing dough to make 3 crusts

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Sprouted Whole Wheat Bread

Makes 1 loaf

  • 1- 1/2 cups warm water
  • 2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tsp Celtic sea salt
  • 3 to 5 cups sprouted white whole-wheat flour

Activate the yeast by placing it in the warm water. Add the rest of the ingredients in order to the bowl. Process dough until it pulls away from the bowl and forms a ball of dough, if you have a mixer. Place in a greased bowl and let rise till double, about an hour. Punch down and form into loaf and place in greased loaf pan. Let rise again till double about an hour.

Bake at 375 for 30 to 35 minutes.


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This Is How You Sprout Grains

Place wheat berries in a bowl. Cover them with filtered water for 36 hours. They will get tiny little tails and be a little bubbly. Then rinse them in warm water and drain. Place them in dehydrator at 100 degrees for 8 hours. Then grind in grain mill for flour. You can store your flour on the counter at room temp for 6 months or in freezer or refrigerator for up to a year. Use just like you would any flour.

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Hearty {Non} Traditional Chicken Noodle Soup.

 Oh and by the way, 2 whole cups is 1 serving. #score!

Nutritional Information:*Serving Size: 2 Cups*Servings: 9
Calories: 245.3
Fat: 3.6 g
Carbohydrates: 28.2 g
Fiber: 1.4 g
Protein: 28 g
Points+: 6

Here is what you will need:

  • 23 ounces chicken breast, 2 LARGE breasts
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 potatoes, diced
  • 6 cups water
  • 64 to 80 ounces chicken stock
  • 1 bag vermicelli
  • 3 to 4 stalks celery, small dice
  • ½ medium onion, small dice
  • 3 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 2 or 3 carrots, peeled & small dice
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, {more to taste}
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
  • Cook the chicken any way you like, remove and allow to cool. {I boiled it in similar flavors I was going to use in the chicken soup. It's quick. But don't over cook it, you want the chicken to be very moist!} When the chicken is at room temperature, shred the chicken into small to medium sized pieces
  • Heat large soup pot over medium heat and coat with oil
  • Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, bay leaf & a sprinkle of salt and pepper
  • Cook and stir for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened, but not browned
  • Pour in the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil
  • Add the chicken and potatoes, the cayenne pepper and some additional salt and pepper to taste
  • Reduce the heat to a rolling simmer {lower heat} and partially cover
  • Allow the contents to simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  • After the 2 hours have passed, bring the contents to a boil
  • Add the vermicelli and allow to boil in the pot for 3 to 5 minutes
  • Turn the pot down to low heat and SERVE!
It is SO, SO, SO good!
Happy Chicken Soup Makin’

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Nougatine Bars

  • 1/2 cup of honey
  • 1 cup of chopped nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds
  • Two heaping teaspoons of poppy seeds
Place the chopped nuts and poppy seeds in a pan and roast them at 450 for about ten minutes. Check on them every couple of minutes to stir them and check their progress. They are done when the nuts begin to brown and release a pleasant smell.
Next, melt the honey in a medium saucepan on really low heat. Once it is warmed and syrupy then add the nuts and seeds.
Cook on low heat for about ten minutes, stirring frequently.
Pour this mixture into a pan and then cut into bite size pieces. It will harden as it cools.


 Enjoy these treats!

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Gingersnaps

Ingredients

  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 cup sugar
Directions

  • In a large bowl, beat brown sugar and butter until blended. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves; gradually add to brown sugar mixture and mix well (dough will be stiff). Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  • Shape dough into 1 in. balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray.
  • Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 3 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 cookie equals 99 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 16 mg cholesterol, 67 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fat.

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Best served warm.  


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SWEET POTATO PIE   


1 cup sweet potatoes, mashed (You can use canned or fresh)
1 stick butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell
Mash sweet potatoes in a large bowl and mix with butter, eggs, sugars, and milk using a mixer. Add spices, vanilla, flour and continue mixing. Pour into an unbaked pie shell and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes until knife inserted into the pie comes out clean.
 
Note: 1 (1lb.) sweet potato equals 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes if you decide to not use canned sweet potatoes. The above pie was made with boiling a 1 lb. sweet potato for about 40 minutes until cooked. Then immediately put under cold water to stop the cooking process, peel and mash for pie.
 
Your friends and family will love this pie! Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Spice Bread


Makes 2 loaves or 24 muffins

1 cup butter, preferably from grass fed cows
3/4 cup honey
6 eggs
1/4 cup whole milk yogurt
1 Tb vanilla extract
1 Tb cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
dash ground ginger
dash ground cloves
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup coconut flour
2 cups pumpkin puree, preferably homemade
1/2 to 3/4 cup crispy pecans (optional)
1/2 to 3/4 cup raisins (optional)

Melt the butter in a small pot over low heat. Turn off heat, add honey, and stir slightly. Allow to cool a bit.
Combine eggs, yogurt, and vanilla in a bowl. Mix well using an immersion blender or hand mixer.
Add butter/honey mixture to egg mixture. If you are using an immersion blender, go ahead and add the spices, salt, and baking soda now as well. Mix thoroughly with the immersion blender. If you are not using an immersion blender, just mix the honey/butter into the egg mixture very well with a hand mixer.
If you are not using an immersion blender, the coconut flour must be sifted. Then whisk in the spices, salt, and baking soda.
Thoroughly mix the coconut flour into the wet ingredients using an immersion blender or hand mixer. Because coconut flour does not contain gluten, there is no worry of over mixing it.
Stir in the pumpkin puree. Then fold in the optional nuts and raisins.
Pour the batter into two buttered loaf pans (mine are 8.5 X 4.5 X 2.5). Alternatively, line two muffin tins with paper cups and then fill with the batter.
Bake loaves for 1 hour and 20-30 minutes at 325 degrees. You may need to cover the loaves with foil partway through if they are getting too dark. Bake muffins for about 40-50 minutes. This is a very moist recipe, so leave it in the oven a few minutes longer than you think to make sure it gets baked thoroughly.
Cool. Serve it plain, with a smear of butter, or even topped with some honey buttercream frosting for a special treat!

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Homemade Brownies

Brownie Mix

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups white sugar 

Mix ingredients together and place in a jar or container.

When you are ready to make brownies add 

1 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup walnuts (optional) 

Mix until well combined. Grease a 9×13 pan. Spread batter evenly and bake at 350 for 22-25 minutes or until done.


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Apple Pie Pop Tarts with Cinnamon Glaze

For the Pastry:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 large egg (for brushing the dough)
For the Filling:

3-4 tart apples (Granny Smiths etc) peeled and chopped
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tbsp milk (or so depending on desired thickness)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Add the cold butter and break it up in the flour mixture using your fingers, a pastry cutter or a food processor. Work in the butter until only pea sized lumps remain in your mixture. The mixture should also hold together when squeezed into a ball. (Yes there is a lot of butter.)

In a small bowl, beat the egg with the milk. Add the mixture all at once to the dry ingredients and stir to make sure that moisture is introduced to all of the flour mixture. Lightly dust a clean counter with flour and knead the dough on the floured counter for a few turns until it really starts to come together. Divide the dough in two, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. *Forming the dough into a kind-of rectangular shape will make rolling it out much easier!
While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling:

In a small bowl combine melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir together to combine. Add the apples and toss in mixture until well-coated. Set aside.

On a well floured work surface, press dough into a 3×5-inch rectangle, roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness. The dough should be slightly larger than 9×12-inches. Trim dough with a pizza cutter, creating a rectangle that is 9-inches tall and 12-inches long. Using the pizza cutter, cut each side into thirds, creating 9 squares. Place dough squares in the fridge while you roll out the second piece of dough in the same way.
Set out 9 squares onto a cookie sheet. Spoon about two tablespoons of filling into the center of each dough square. Brush the edges with water to help seat it. Top with a piece of dough and use a floured fork to crimp the sides closed. Use the tines of the fork to create vent holes in each tart. Brush all tarts with egg wash.

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Let tarts rest in the fridge for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
Remove tarts from the fridge and place in the oven to bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
While the tarts bake, whisk together ingredients for the glaze and set aside.
Let baked tarts rest on a cooling rack to cool completely before glazing.
Best served within 2 days.

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