tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3706903474497023042024-03-05T17:23:46.435-08:00The Parma Food Storage BlogThis blog has been created for us to share ideas about food storage. We have so many creative and intelligent people in Parma. Share your thoughts and comments freely!Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-79924081408230773352011-09-29T13:38:00.002-07:002011-09-29T13:39:04.572-07:00apple pie filling!Canning Apples<br /><br />Filed under The Kitchen<br /><br />Apple Pie Filling in A Jar<br />Crystal Miller<br /><br />24 cups of peeled, sliced cooking apples<br />2 1/2 cups honey<br />2 tsp. cinnamon<br />1/4 tsp. nutmeg optional<br />1 tsp. salt<br />10 cup water<br />1 ½ cups Clear Jel (not the instant clear jel)<br />(http://www.kitchenkrafts.com/product.asp?pn=IN0900 )<br />3 TBS lemon juice<br /><br />In a large saucepan combine honey, cinnamon, nutmeg salt and water. Heat on medium heat until hot but not boiling. Slowly add Clear Jel using a whire whisk to mix and stir until smooth. Add lemon juice.<br /><br />Place prepared apples in a very large bowl and pour syrup over them. Gently stir apples and syrup together.<br /><br />Fill jars with the apples/syrup mix leaving ½ inch of head space at the top of the jar.<br /><br />Wipe the jar tops with a clean cloth and put a new lid on the jar. Put a ring on the jar and adjust to finger tightness.<br /><br />Can in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. This recipe will make 7 quarts of ready to go apple pie filling that will fill and 9” pie plate. For an additional options you can also use this to make cobbler.Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-8632362367945981712011-09-29T13:38:00.001-07:002011-09-29T13:38:20.135-07:00canning applesauceCanning Applesauce<br /><br /><br /><br />I get a large pot to hold my apples. I put a little water in the bottom to keep the apples from scorching. I fill with the apples and set them on the burner on about medium heat. I let them start cooking. As they cook they breakdown and soon have the look of applesauce. This can take a bit of time. If your temps are too hot you will scorch the apples. So turn down the burner if you need to and stir often. Once all the apples are well cooked and look like they should I test the applesauce to see if it needs to be sweetened. Sometimes I have used apples that were so sweet nothing else was needed. Sometimes I have had tart apples (I know there are types of apples better suited for sauce than others but typically I am just thankful for whatever type they are and work with it from there! ~smile~).<br /><br />If you find you need to sweeten your apples I recommend a natural sweetener. I have used honey before and am always happy with that. One year I added a can of apple juice concentrate to my big pot of sauce and it sweetened everything up just perfectly.<br /><br />The last added touch is optional but something we enjoy and that is a bit of cinnamon. I can’t give you amounts because I have no idea how many apples you are working with. Even if I did, I probably still could not tell you because I just sprinkle, stir, taste and don’t worry too much about it. Remember when adding any spices, “less is best”. Add a small amount and test. You can always add more but you can’t take it away.<br /><br />Now you can either freeze your sauce or can it. If you are going to freeze it put it in zip type bags or reusable freezer containers (glass or plastic) and put in the freezer. If you want to can your sauce then you will need canning jars (pints or quarts), new lids and rings and a pot large enough to hold your jars and cover them with water.<br /><br />For canning, fill about half full your canning pot with hot water and put on a stove burner to heat up. Wash the jars and fill with hot water to sterilize and heat the jar. When your sauce is ready fill hot jars with hot sauce to within one inch of the top of the jar. Apply a brand new lid and a ring (you can reuse rings). Screw down the lid and using a jar lifter put the jar of sauce into your pot of hot water. After all jars are full (or your canner has all that it will hold), fill the canner with hot water and bring to a boil. Cover with lid and let the jars boil in the water for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars. If you are at higher altitudes you need to boil for longer periods (for altitudes 1000 -3000ft add 5 minutes (to the original times given), for 3000 -6000 add 5 minutes to pints and 10 minutes to quarts and for 6000+ add 10 minutes to pints and 15 minutes to quarts).<br /><br />When the time is done, lift out the jars and let them cool to room temp. You may hear pinging and popping sounds as each jar is sealing. When the jars are cool you can touch the lid and to make sure it feels tight and well sealed. Remove the rings, wash and dry them for later use. You can store the jars in a cool place and enjoy through the winter!Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-40771229972197106312011-09-29T13:35:00.000-07:002011-09-29T13:37:00.245-07:00Making your own pumpkin puree from Fresh PumpkinsMaking Your Own Pumpkin Puree from Fresh Pumpkins<br /><br />I planted smaller size pumpkins that were meant for pies. The big ones you get in the grocery store this time of year are not really pie pumpkins. I have heard that they tend to be stringy and not too tasty. Pie pumpkins are sweeter.. so my suggestion is if you want to do this at home see if you can locate some pumpkin varieties that were grown for making into pies (maybe farmers markets or health food stores).<br /><br />// //<br /><br />I processed 4 pumpkins on this day weighing a total of 33bs. Here is how I did it…<br /><br />The first pumpkin was about 8lbs.<br /><br />I started by carefully cutting it in half..<br /><br /><br />Then cleaning out the insides by scooping with a spoon until all the seeds and insides were gone. Make sure you save the seeds.. I will show you at the end how to roast them.. I did all 4 of them this way..<br /><br />// //<br /><br />Then it was time to cook them. I have a 14 quart stock pot and that was big enough to hold half of them. I would have used my big canner pot for the job but at the time it was sitting on the stove simmering beef broth. So I did the cooking in two batches. I added a couple inches of water in the bottom of the pot, cut my pumpkin halves in half again to get them to fit in the pot. I brought the water to a boil, put the lid on, reduced the heat and let it basically steam until the pumpkins for fork tender. This took about 45 minutes..<br /><br />When they were done cooking I pulled them out of the pot and put them in a bowl.<br /><br />Then I began to peel them. The peels come off pretty easy at this point. You can use a knife to loosen the peel and take it off…<br /><br />But what I found to be the easiest way is to use the same thing I use to peel potatoes.. a cheese slicer .. if you have never peeled potatoes with one of these little guys.. you should.. once I tried it, I never went back to a regular potato peeler. I found the skins came off quick and easy this way..<br /><br />After peeling, it was time to puree… I used my food processor. You could also use a hand blender. But the food processor made very fast work of it all…<br /><br />After all the pumpkin had been processed I had a large bowl full of puree….<br /><br />Which I bagged up into quart size bags. I ended up with 5 ½ quarts of pumpkin puree…<br /><br />Now you can freeze this. You can not safely can pumpkin puree. It is too heavy and dense and can not get hot enough to be able to can safely so it must be frozen.<br /><br />This puree can now be used in any of your favorite pumpkin recipes! You can do this or I even cook it and then dehydrate it. There is a wonderful website for this. Go to<br />dehydrate2store.comKim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-88067921651583549232010-06-22T13:56:00.000-07:002010-06-22T14:04:17.311-07:00Freezing spinachIts that time of year when most of us that have grown a garden have way too much spinach. Here is a way to put up that spinach for future use. This article was written by simply canning:<br /><br /><br /><br />Freezing Spinach<br />and other greens<br /><br />What you choose to pack in is personal choice. I used quart size freezer bags. If you pack in freezer containers you will not be able to remove air as well and run the risk of freezer burn. <br /><br />Freezer boxes work best for things that are frozen wet in a syrup. Spinach is frozen blanched and dry. <br /><br />A quart of spinach is too much for us to use at a time. The way I like to freeze spinach is in smaller quantities, a cup or so.<br /><br />I wrap those in inexpensive sandwich baggies then store several of these in a quart size or even gallon size freezer bags.<br /><br />freezing spinach That way I still get the heavier plastic made for the freezer from the quart bags. But the smaller less expensive bags hold the amount we need.<br /><br />I use fresh spinach in my green smoothies. I am going to try using the frozen spinach to make smoothies this winter when I am longing for fresh garden foods.<br />Freezing Spinach<br />First harvest your spinach early in the morning when it is at its freshest.<br /><br />Rinse the spinach well. Sorting out any weeds, browned or damaged leaves or other things (bugs) that might have gotten mixed in.<br /><br />Spinach will often have dirt hiding in its leaves so you need to rinse well. I'll rinse and drain several times before I am content that all dirt, bugs or dead leaves are taken care of.<br />freezing spinach rinsing<br />Blanching<br />Spinach and other greens need to be blanched before freezing. This helps retain the color and nutrition.<br /><br />Bring enough water to cover your spinach to a boil. I use my blancher but a large pot will work as well. When the water is boiling throw in the spinach.<br /><br />freezing spinach blanching<br />Start timing right away for 2 minutes. As soon as time is up remove spinach to a bowl of very cold or even ice water.<br />freezing spinach cooling<br /><br />This stops the cooking. The spinach will have reduced in mass somewhat but not as much as you might think.<br /><br />The last step is to drain the spinach and dry. I have a salad spinner that I use to spin the water off. If you don't have one you can simple drain in a colander then spread out on paper towels and blot dry.<br /><br />freezing spinach drain<br />My good friend Cindy has a great method of spinning her salad that I think would work here too. Drain your spinach then place in a tea towel. bring up the corners of the towel forming a sort of sack of spinach. Give it a whirl. Go ahead and spin it around. The water will be spun out into the towel.<br /><br />Now package the spinach in whatever freezer containers you prefer. Here are my smaller baggies of spinach. I flatten the spinach out in the baggie and squeeze out as much air as possible.<br /><br />freezing spinach baggies<br /><br />Here is my labeled quart bag. It has 2 sandwich baggies inside with room for a couple more.<br /><br />freezing spinach bag<br /><br /><br />Remove as much air as possible. Label, seal and freeze. Freezing spinach is super easy!Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-37512478369678465292010-06-22T13:41:00.000-07:002010-06-22T13:55:46.949-07:00Latter day Prophets speak on preparednessLatter-day Prophets Speak on Preparedness<br /><br />“Latter-day Prophets Speak on Preparedness,” Ensign, Aug. 2007, 33<br />Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–)<br />Fifteenth President of the Church<br /><br />“The best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary. …<br /><br />“We can begin with a one week’s food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. I am speaking now of food to cover basic needs” (“To Men of the Priesthood,” Ensign, Nov. 2002, 58).<br />Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994)<br />Thirteenth President of the Church<br /><br />“The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah” (“Prepare Ye,” Ensign, Jan. 1974, 69).<br />Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985)<br />Twelfth President of the Church<br /><br />“We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property. Berry bushes, grapevines, fruit trees—plant them if your climate is right for their growth. Grow vegetables and eat them from your own yard. Even those residing in apartments or condominiums can generally grow a little food in pots and planters. … Make your garden as neat and attractive as well as productive. If there are children in your home, involve them in the process with assigned responsibilities” (“Family Preparedness,” Ensign, May 1976, 124).<br />Harold B. Lee (1899–1973)<br />Eleventh President of the Church<br /><br />“We expect the individual to do all he can to help himself, whether it be an emergency for a single family or for a whole community, that the relatives will do all they can to help, then the Church steps in with commodities from the storehouse, with fast offerings to meet their needs that commodities from the storehouse will not supply, and finally, the Relief Society and the priesthood quorums will assist with rehabilitation” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 171).<br />Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972)<br />Tenth President of the Church<br /><br />“[The pioneers] were taught by their leaders to produce, as far as possible, all that they consumed, and to be frugal and not wasteful of their substance. This is still excellent counsel” (“The Pioneer Spirit,” Improvement Era, July 1970, 3).<br />Wilford Woodruff (1807–98)<br />Fourth President of the Church<br /><br />“We feel led to caution the Latter-day Saints against forming the bad habit of incurring debt and taking upon themselves obligations which frequently burden them heavier than they can bear, and lead to the loss of their homes and other possessions. … Our business should be done, as much as possible, on the principle of paying for that which we purchase, and our needs should be brought within the limit of our resources” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff [2004], 232–33).<br />George Albert Smith (1870–1951)<br />Eighth President of the Church<br /><br />“How on the face of the earth could a man enjoy his religion when he had been told by the Lord how to prepare for a day of famine, when instead of doing so he had fooled away that which would have sustained him and his family” (Deseret News, Mar. 4, 1868, 26).<br />Brigham Young (1801–77)<br />Second President of the Church<br /><br />“If you are without bread, how much wisdom can you boast and of what real utility are your talents, if you cannot procure for yourselves and save against a day of scarcity those substances designed to sustain your natural lives?” (Deseret News, July 18, 1860, 153).Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-36182307425127888332010-06-22T13:34:00.000-07:002010-06-22T13:41:19.112-07:00Pie CrustDont know about you guys, but for all the things I "can" do....I cant make a pie crust to save my life. But I came across a great post found at www.homesteadhomemaker@blogspot.com that has a great tutorial. Crystal always has a way of making things look so easy. Thought I would share it!<br />Whole Wheat Pie Crust<br /><br /><br /><br />I love making pies! I never use to as much, mostly because of making the pie crust. I was not happy with the whole wheat pie crusts I was coming up with. I did not want to use shortening so at first I subbed butter for the shortening. That was not too bad, but could be hard to work with sometimes. Then I tried olive oil. That was ok too.. but finally I tweaked a recipe and played around with it until I came up with something that I absolutely love now! I use both butter and coconut oil. I also make the pie crust in my Bosch. If you have a Kitchen Aid that will work too. One lady told me she has also done it by hand with success. In my directions below I am using my Bosch.<br /><br /><br /><br />The recipe makes 4 crusts. If this is more than you want at one time, the<br />remaining crusts can be refrigerated for up to two weeks or frozen. Wrap the unused pie crust dough pieces in plastic wrap and store in your fridge or freezer. If you refrigerate or freeze them make sure you let them come to room temp before trying to roll them out.<br /><br /><br /><br />You can find the recipe here:<br /><br />http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/wwpiecrustbosh.htm<br /><br />My daughter Sierra made the crust while I too the pics...<br /><br /><br /><br />Begin by gathering your ingredients together:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />If your flour is freshly ground you will need to pack the cups with flour<br />because freshly ground flour is light and fluffy and you need the full amount of flour for this to work.Add the flour to your mixer bowl:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Add the salt:<br /><br />Mix this together:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now add the coconut oil and butter. Make sure your butter is room temp:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Begin by using the wire whips to mix the flour and coconut oil and butter. Mix them until you have a crumbly looking mixture:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Measure out the cold water in a measuring cup. Add the vinegar and egg and mix well:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Change from the wire whips to the dough hook in your mixer. Add the<br />water/vinegar/egg mixture:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Mix this in your mixer on low speed until the dough has been cleaned off the side of your bowl. This process can take 3 or 4 minutes. If you find your dough is too dry or stiff you can add more water, a teaspoon at a time until the dough is nice and soft. If it is too moist add flour a teaspoon at a time until the dough is nice and soft:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Take the dough out of the bowl and divide it into 4 balls:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now it is time to roll out the dough. I use plastic wrap for this….<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Lay a sheet on the counter:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Flatten one of the dough balls and set it in the center of the plastic:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Lay a second sheet of plastic wrap over the dough:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now begin to roll the dough out. Start at the center and roll outward in all directions, keeping the dough as round as possible:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />To see if your circle of dough is big enough set the pie plate over the dough:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />When the circle is the right size it is time to put it in the pie plate. Peel off the top layer of plastic wrap:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Lift the bottom layer off the counter and slide your hand under it and lift it up:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now lay the pie plate upside down on your hand, centering it in the middle of the dough:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Flip the pie plate and dough over. Realign the dough if it is off center:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now remove the plastic wrap:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now pick up the pie plate and using a butter knife go around the edges of the pie plate to clean off the dough that is hanging over the edge:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />If you have an area on the crust that does not cover the pie plate:<br /><br /><br /><br />Take a piece of the dough that you cut off and cover the spot. Then scrape off the excess that is hanging over the edge:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now you can leave the pie dough as is or you can make the rim a little fancy. Holding two fingers on the inside edge, squeeze the dough together as you push the dough in with another finger on the outside of the edge to give you fluted look:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />There you have it.. your dough is ready to be filled with whatever type of pie filling you desire!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />On the night that we made this pie crust we made an apple pie. The recipe for the apple pie can be found here:<br /><br />http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/favapplepie.htm <br /><br /><br /><br />Begin by peeling and slicing the apples:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Stir in the remaining ingredients:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Fill your pie shell with the filling:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Make the topping mixture:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Cover the top of the pie with it:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Bake your pie and enjoy!Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-18802495260165906402010-03-01T11:28:00.000-08:002010-03-01T11:30:35.015-08:00This is a great recipe for sourdough starter. Having this on hand really makes good use of your food storage and is wonderful for digestion, not to mention your pocketbook! And its yummy!!!<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sourdough Starter</span><br />08:55, 2006-Apr-26 .. 3 comments .. Link <br /><br />*******************************************<br /> <br />About 5 days ago I started a batch of sourdough starter. I am using Sally Fallon’s recipe from her book Nourishing Traditions. She uses equal parts freshly ground rye berries and water. <br /> <br />I started with 2 cups of each (per her instructions) I ground the rye berries up in my mill... <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />and mixed with water in a bowl......<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Then poured into a gallon size glass jar. I put a double layer of cheese cloth over the top and secured it with a rubber band. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />After 24 hours I poured the whole mix into a clean bowl and fed my starter with 1 cup freshly ground rye berries and 1 cup water and poured it all into a new clean gallon size jar. <br /> <br /> <br />I have been repeating these steps each day. At the end of 7 days, which will be this Wednesday, I will be ready to use it in various recipes. I plan on trying out her bread recipe and maybe do a bit of experimenting on my own. <br /> <br />After one week, you can put it in the refrigerator in an air tight jar and feed it less often, unless you are using regularly then you can feed it daily. Sourdough that is fed and cared for can last for years. I am not sure how long mine will last as I have done this once before and kept it going for awhile before I forgot all about it! I will keep you posted on my progress! <br /> <br />Our food co-op president just sent out an e-mail about making sourdough bread...an interesting tip I hadn't heard before is to put the loaf in boiling water for a minute before baking, as you would bagels or soft pretzels. Apparently this helps give that chewy outer crust characteristic of the good sourdoughs. I haven't made any yet but will be attempting it soon.<br />.Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-66892833616973346602010-03-01T11:24:00.000-08:002010-03-01T11:27:59.032-08:00Muffins Galore. Make ahead mix!<span style="font-weight:bold;">Make ahead muffin mix<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br />8 cups all-purpose flour<br />2/3 cup sugar<br />1/3 cup baking powder<br />1 tablespoon salt<br />1 cup vegetable shortening<br /><br />In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. With a pastry blender, cut shortening into dry ingredients until evenly distributed. Put in a large airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place. use within 3 months. Makes 10 cups of muffin mix<b>MELT IN YOUR MOUTH MUFFINS</b><br />2 1/3 cups of muffin mix<br />1 egg, beaten<br />1 cup milk<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 degrees.<br /><br />Put muffin mix in a medium bowl. Combine egg and milk in a small bowl, add all at once to muffin mix. Stir just until mix is moistened. Batter should be lumpy<br /><br />Fill greased pans 2/3 full (or use cupcake liners). B ake 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Makes 12 large muffins.<br /><br /><b>JELLY/JAM MUFFINS</b><br />Fill each cup 1/3 full with batter. Drop 1 teaspoon jelly or jam on top of batter, fill cups 2/3 full with more batter.<br /><br /><b>CHEESE MUFFINS</b><br />Add 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese to Muffin Mix before adding liquid ingredients<br /><br /><b>APRICOT MUFFINS</b><br />Add 1 cup chopped dried apricots to liquid ingredients before adding liquid.<br /><br /><b>BANANA MUFFINS</b><br />Add 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg to muffin mix. Mash 1 banana and add to liquid ingredients before adding liquid to mix.<br /><br /><b>BLUEBERRY MUFFINS</b><br />Add 1 cup well-drained blueberries to liquid ingredients before adding to muffin mix.<br /><br /><b>PINEAPPLE MUFFINS</b><br />Decrease milk to 2/3 cup. Add 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice to liquid ingredients before adding to muffin mix<br /><br /><b>BUTTERSCOTCH-PECAN MUFFINS</b><br />Melt 6 tablespoons butter/margarine. Stir in 6 tablespoons brown sugar. Place 1 tablespoon of brown sugar mixture and 2 -3 pecans in bottom of each muffin cup. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. <o:p></o:p></p> <!-- / message --><!-- sig --> <p class="MsoNormal">__________________<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>APPLE MUFFINS</b><br />2 1/3 cups muffin mix<br />1/2 cup chopped nuts<br />1/4 teaspoon cloves<br />1 cup sweet applesauce<br />1/4 cup milk<br />1 egg, beaten<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 degrees<br /><br />Combine muffin mix, nuts and cloves. In another bowl, combine applesauce, milk and egg. Add all at once to dry ingredients. Stir just till moistened. Fill greased pans 2/3 full<br /><br />Bake 15-20 minutes. Makes 12 large muffins</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>CRANBERRY CAKES</b><br />Sweet, tart & irresistible<br /><br />1 cup raw whole cranberries<br />1/2 cup sugar<br />2 1/3 cups muffin mix<br />1 cup evaporated mil,<br />1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine<br />Hot Butter Sauce<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease muffin pans.<br /><br />Combine cranberries and sugar and let stand a few minutes.<br /><br />Put muffin mix in a medium bowl. Add evaporated milk and butter to sweetened cranberries. Add cranberry mixture all at once to muffin mix. Stir just until moistened-batter will be lumpy. Fill prepared pans half full. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot with warm butter sauce. Makes about 24 cakes.<br /><br /><b>Hot Butter Sauce</b><br />1/2 cup butter<br />1 cup sugar<br />1 cup cream or evaporated milk<br />Dash of nutmeg<br /><br />Combine butter, sugar and cream or evap milk in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat about 3 to 5 minutes, until butter melts and sugar is dissolved. Do not boil. Remove from heat. Add nutmeg. Serve warm.<br /><br />Makes about 1 1/4 cups sauce.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-27348820220683312462010-02-22T08:52:00.000-08:002010-02-22T08:58:34.611-08:00What to do with 25lbs of Oats<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;">There is a wonderful website TheFamilyHomestead.com and she had this article I wanted to share.</span></span><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What to Do with 25lbs of Oats<br /></span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">by Crystal Miller</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"> <img id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://thefamilyhomestead.com/oatmeal.png" width="180" border="0" height="145" /></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><br />Buying grains in bulk quantities (25 or 50lb bags) is a great way to save money. Oats are a great food source and low in cost. They are high in vitamins B1 and E and also contain protein and many other valuable minerals that our bodies need. They have the most soluble fiber of any grain. They also help to stabilize blood sugar. What a great economical source of health providing food to feed your family!<br /><br />Now that you know how great oats are for your health and your budget what are some ways to use this power packed food?<br /><br />Oats are a great choice for breakfast! Cold breakfast cereals can be very hard on a budget and feeding oatmeal for breakfast is a great alternative.<br /><br /><u>Our Breakfast Oatmeal</u><br />Oatmeal is a breakfast that my children see often, especially in the winter months where a hot breakfast feels so good. It warms the insides and starts the day off right. I always serve oatmeal with toast made from my homemade bread.<br /><br />Basic recipe, adjust to feed your family<br /><br />1 cup water<br />½ cup oats<br />pinch of salt<br /><br />Bring water and salt to a boil, add oats. Cook 5 minutes for quick oats and 10 to 15 minutes for regular oats. Serve with real maple syrup or honey to sweeten a bit and milk. Raisins and cinnamon added are optional. My son likes to stir in a big spoonful of peanut butter into his oatmeal.<br /><br />If you want to improve the nutritional aspect of your oatmeal you can soak it the night before. I do this quite often. Combine water and oats in a cooking pot and add 1T yogurt, kefir, or whey for every cup of water. Let this soak overnight and in the morning add salt and cook oats. Soaking any grain before cooking allows for better absorption of the nutrients. </span></p> <p align="center"><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-3451655759747387"; /* 728x90, created 12/3/08 */ google_ad_slot = "2199553162"; google_ad_width = 728; google_ad_height = 90; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/expansion_embed.js"></script><script src="http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/test_domain.js"></script><script>google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);</script><ins style="border: medium none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline-table; height: 90px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 728px;"><ins style="border: medium none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: block; height: 90px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 728px;"><iframe allowtransparency="true" hspace="0" id="google_ads_frame1" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_frame" src="http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-3451655759747387&output=html&h=90&slotname=2199553162&w=728&lmt=1241293610&flash=10.0.42&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthefamilyhomestead.com%2F25lboats.htm&dt=1266857770001&correlator=1266857770004&jscb=1&jscd=1&frm=0&ga_vid=1476988664.1266857770&ga_sid=1266857770&ga_hid=1720133528&ga_fc=0&u_tz=-420&u_his=23&u_java=1&u_h=768&u_w=1024&u_ah=738&u_aw=1024&u_cd=32&u_nplug=20&u_nmime=111&biw=999&bih=536&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fthefamilyhomestead.com%2Frecipes.htm&fu=0&ifi=1&dtd=34&xpc=AVtSI6Ksqd&p=http%3A//thefamilyhomestead.com" style="left: 0pt; position: absolute; top: 0pt;" vspace="0" width="728" frameborder="0" height="90" scrolling="no"></iframe></ins></ins><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" endspan --></p> <p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><br />Besides oatmeal I have a few more favorite breakfast recipes that use oats:<br /><br />Homemade Instant Oatmeal Mix <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoatmix1.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoatmix1.htm</a> <br />Baked Oatmeal <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/bakedoatmea1.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/bakedoatmea1.htm</a> <br />Oatmeal Pancakes <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/oatmealpancakes.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/oatmealpancakes.htm</a> <br />Overnight Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/cinnoatpancakes1.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/cinnoatpancakes1.htm</a> <br />Cinnamon Oat Waffles <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/cinnoatwaffles.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/cinnoatwaffles.htm</a> <br />Raisin Oatmeal Scones <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/raisinoatscones.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/raisinoatscones.htm</a> <br />Granola <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/granola1.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/granola1.htm</a> <br />Peanut butter Granola <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/peanutbuttergranola.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/peanutbuttergranola.htm</a> <br />Stir a couple of tablespoons oats into a cup of yogurt<br /><br /><br />Oats can be added to baked goods. They are great in breads, muffins and cookies. Here are some of my favorite recipes:<br /><br />Oat Dinner Rolls <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/wwoatdinnerrolls.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/wwoatdinnerrolls.htm</a> <br /><br />I really love this recipe. The rolls also make great hamburger buns. If I want to use them for hamburger buns I make 18 rolls instead of the 24 the recipe calls for in dinner roll form. I also will often use this recipe to make cinnamon rolls.<br /><br />Leftover Oatmeal Make too much oatmeal for breakfast? No problem!<br /><br />Leftover Oatmeal Muffins <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/leftoveroatmealmuffins.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/leftoveroatmealmuffins.htm</a> <br />Leftover Oatmeal Cake <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/leftoveroatmealcake.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/leftoveroatmealcake.htm</a> <br /><br />Cookies and Cakes Oats are wonderful addition to cookies and cakes. Here are my favorites:<br /><br />Oatmeal Cookies <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/oatmealcookies.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/oatmealcookies.htm</a> <br />Big Batch Oatmeal Raisin Cookies <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/oatmealraisincookies.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/oatmealraisincookies.htm</a> <br />Peanut butter Oatmeal Cookies <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/peanutbutteroatcookies.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/peanutbutteroatcookies.htm</a> <br />Cowboy Cookies <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/cowboycookies.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/cowboycookies.htm</a> <br />Oatmeal Spice Cake <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/oatmealspicecake.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"> http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/oatmealspicecake.htm</a> <br /><br /><b>Other Ways to use oats:</b><br /><br />~You can use oats in place of cracker crumbs or bread in foods like meatloaf and meatballs.<br /><br />~You can use oats to thicken stews and soups<br /><br />~In baking you can replace up to 1/3 of the flour called for in a recipe with oats<br /><br />~Add a 2 to 4 Tablespoons of oats to your next smoothie<br /><br />~Ice Cream Sandwiches: Make a batch of oatmeal cookies and let them cool. Take vanilla ice cream and spread thickly on one cookie and top with a second cookie, freeze.<br /><br />There are a few uses of oats that are not food related, but health related. Oats help to smooth and soften skin. They can also be helpful with eczema as well as itchy skin. Take an oatmeal bath! Put oats into a muslin bag or even an old nylon that has been washed and cleaned and tie this to the spout of your tub. As the water fills the tub it will run through the oats. Or you can boil a cup of oats in 2 quarts of water for a few minutes, stain out the oats and add the water to your bath.<br /><br /><b>A Few More Tidbits of Info on Oats</b><br /><br />You can buy regular or quick cooking oats and typically use them interchangeably in recipes. The only difference between the two types is how thin they have been rolled. There are other varieties of oats such as “Scottish” oats which are very thick cut and may not work well in baking. Steel cut oats are the oat groat (the oat grain) that are cut in small pieces. They are great for a breakfast cereal but do not work well in other applications such as baking and cooking.<br /><br />In the mid 1880’s here in the US, a German grocer in Ohio began hulling and selling oats to his fellow immigrants. At the time the main staple for breakfast in the Midwest was typically meat, eggs and potatoes, fruit. For most immigrants this was beyond what they could produce. Oats were mainly considered horse food, not people food when this Ohio grocer began selling it. He was ridiculed and made fun of for selling them! And today, oats are looked at as a very important part of a healthy diet.<br /><br />Incidentally in a town that was not far from the first milling of oats a group of 3 men began doing the same thing as the German grocer. But instead of selling their steel cut oats in bulk they put them in a nice box, added cooking directions and called their product “Quaker Oats”.<br /><br />So as you can see oats are a healthy and delicious way to help you stretch your grocery budget and provide good quality food for your family. </span></p> <!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-3451655759747387"; /* 728x90, created 12/3/08 */ google_ad_slot = "2199553162"; google_ad_width = 728; google_ad_height = 90; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><script>google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);</script><ins style="border: medium none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline-table; height: 90px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 728px;"><ins style="border: medium none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: block; height: 90px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 728px;"><iframe allowtransparency="true" hspace="0" id="google_ads_frame2" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_frame" src="http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-3451655759747387&output=html&h=90&slotname=2199553162&w=728&lmt=1241293610&flash=10.0.42&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthefamilyhomestead.com%2F25lboats.htm&dt=1266857770114&prev_slotnames=2199553162&correlator=1266857770004&jscb=1&jscd=1&frm=0&ga_vid=1476988664.1266857770&ga_sid=1266857770&ga_hid=1720133528&ga_fc=0&u_tz=-420&u_his=23&u_java=1&u_h=768&u_w=1024&u_ah=738&u_aw=1024&u_cd=32&u_nplug=20&u_nmime=111&biw=999&bih=536&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fthefamilyhomestead.com%2Frecipes.htm&fu=0&ifi=2&dtd=7&xpc=2QDeenNG85&p=http%3A//thefamilyhomestead.com" style="left: 0pt; position: absolute; top: 0pt;" vspace="0" width="728" frameborder="0" height="90" scrolling="no"></iframe></ins></ins>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-37720466399469590522010-02-22T08:25:00.000-08:002010-02-22T08:31:15.240-08:00Bulk Taco Seasoning Mix<h2>Bulk Taco Seasoning Mix</h2> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">We are having taco salad for dinner tonight.<span style=""> </span>I always cook up my hamburger and add taco seasonings to it before adding it to my salad.<span style=""> </span>I realized this morning I was out of taco seasoning and it was time to make more.<span style=""> </span>This is another product that I make myself now.<span style=""> </span>We are not real big fans of the taste of the taco seasonings I at the store. A recent article I read said</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span style=""></span> that if a product lists “spices” in their ingredient list and they purchase bulk mixed spices from a supplier that adds MSG to their spice mix then the company that uses the spice mix does not have to claim that it contains MSG. So basically something can say it is MSG free but still may contain MSG if they have the word "spices" listed in the ingredients.<span style=""> </span>If you have MSG sensitivities like my hubby does or you just want to avoid it for health reasons …<span style=""> </span>read your labels carefully!<span style=""> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Taco mix is so easy to make. It takes less than 15 minutes to make up a batch, the recipe doubles easily.<span style=""> </span>I usually make a double batch but today I did not have enough dried onion, so I settled for a single batch.<span style=""> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Bulk Taco Seasoning Mix</span></u></strong></p> <strong><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> <p><img alt="" src="http://crystalscountrystore.com/bulktacomix1.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="308" /></p> </o:p></span></u></strong> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">¾ c dried onions<br /></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">½ c chili powder<br /></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">¼ c salt<br /></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">3T garlic powder<br /></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">3T cornstarch<br /></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">3T ground cumin<br /></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">1T to 3T cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like it)</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.<span style=""> </span>Store in plastic or glass container with a lid. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">It takes approx. 3T of this mix to equal one packet that you would buy in the store.<span style=""> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">This recipe makes about 2 cups.<span style=""> </span>I store it in a canning jar in my cupboard.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><img alt="" src="http://crystalscountrystore.com/bulktacomix2.jpg" width="162" border="0" height="300" /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-48105446286310877062010-02-22T08:20:00.000-08:002010-02-22T08:25:38.211-08:00Bulk Whole Wheat Pancake Mix<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Whole Wheat Pancake Mix</span></u></strong></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">25 cups whole wheat pastry flour</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">1 ¼ cups baking powder</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">¼ cup salt</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">6 2/3 cups powdered milk</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Combine all ingredients very well in a large bowl. Transfer to zip type freezer bags, label. Store in freezer to keep flour fresh.</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">To make one batch: </span></u></strong></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">3 cups mix</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">2 eggs</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">¼ cup olive oil</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">2 cups water</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Combine mix, eggs and olive oil. Add half the water, stir and only add enough of the remaining water to achieve the consistency you desire. Bake on a hot skillet. Serve with butter and real maple syrup! Yum!! </span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Variations:</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Banana Pancakes:</span></u></strong></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Add:</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">1 cup mashed bananas (approx. 2 large bananas) to one batch of pancake batter. </span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Blueberry Pancakes:</span></u></strong></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Add:</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries to one cup of pancake batter. </span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Chocolate Chip Pancakes:</span></u></strong></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Add:</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">½ to 1 cup chocolate chips to one batch of pancake batter. </span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Pumpkin Pancakes: </span></u></strong></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Add:</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">1t cinnamon</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">½ t ginger </span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">To dry mix. </span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Add:</span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">1 cup pureed pumpkin to one batch of pancake batter. </span></div> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-66140196958609891252010-02-22T08:15:00.000-08:002010-02-22T08:19:31.617-08:00Trim the Budget: Breakfast Bargain<h2>Trim the Budget: Breakfast Bargain</h2> <div class="timedate"> <b><br /></b><a href="http://www.homesteadblogger.com/quiverfull/154028/"></a> </div> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/trimbudgetpic2.jpg" width="250" border="0" height="166" /> Breakfast is a great meal to incorporate those low cost basic foods..<span style=""> </span>Grains make a nutritious and filling meal.<span style=""> </span>I am always looking to simplify my weekday breakfast routine in my home. I like to get breakfast done and over with quickly so we can move onto the important issues of the day.<span style=""> </span>One food my children like me to have on hand is Instant Oatmeal.<span style=""> </span>I like to have it because I know they will get a good and filling breakfast quickly while making a minimal amount of mess in the kitchen while they are at it! </span><span style="font-family:Wingdings;"><span style=""><img alt="" src="http://www.homesteadblogger.com/include/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/teeth_smile.gif" /></span></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style=""> </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style=""></span>Today’s post will be on how to make your own instant oatmeal and a cost comparison of making your own to buying the little packets of Quaker Instant Oatmeal.<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">Bulk Instant Oatmeal (the recipe can be found <strong><a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoatmix1.htm">HERE</a></strong> ):</span></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> Here is how you make it.... </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">Gather together your ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoat2.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="300" /></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">Take half the oats (10 cups) and run a few cups at a time through your food process or blender to make smaller<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoat3.jpg" width="300" border="0" height="400" /></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">Combine them with the other 10 cups of oats and add the powdered milk, cinnamon and salt<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoat4.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="300" /></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoat5.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="300" /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoat6.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="300" /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">Stir well and put in a gallon size jar<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoat7.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="300" /></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoat8.jpg" width="300" border="0" height="400" /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">To make a serving combine ½ cup of the mix with 1 cup boiling water<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> <img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoat9.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="249" /></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoat10.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="246" /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoat11.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="300" /></o:p></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">Put something over the top of the bowl (I use a small plate) and let is sit for a few minutes<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoat12.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="228" /></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">When it is done, stir<span style=""> </span>and it is ready to serve<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/instantoat13.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="300" /></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';">You can add your sweetener of choice and a little milk for a yummy, quick, hot breakfast </span><span style="font-family:Wingdings;"><span style=""><img alt="" src="http://www.homesteadblogger.com/include/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/regular_smile.gif" /></span></span></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">Now for the cost:</span></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="font-size:130%;">I came up with these numbers:</span></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">$1.33 Powdered Milk<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">$2.09 Quick Oats (this was the price for the non organic oats)</span></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">The cost was $3.42<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">I did not calculate the cost of the cinnamon and salt but I don't believe it makes a significant change in the total amount.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">At $3.42 I calculated this to cost 4 cents per ounce.<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">Compared to buying a box of 10 instant oatmeal packets (Quaker Oats brand, regular, no flavoring or sugar added, total weight for one box was 11.8 oz) at: $3.84 per box (generic brands could be cheaper) brings the cost to 32.5 cents an ounce.<span style=""> </span>Even if you could find them cheaper the cost would still be very high compared to making it yourself.<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">One last note of interest, the store bought instant oatmeal also has MSG added to it.<span style=""> </span>It is the second ingredient after oats.<span style=""> </span>The sweetened types also have sugar added, the second ingredient after oats with the MSG following in 3rd place.<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;">Homemade is not only way less expensive but much healthier as well!<span style=""><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="">Also If you are dehydrating your fruit my kids love to add dried apricots, or peaches, or stawberries, or cherries. The list is endless!!!!<br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=""></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-69690576855543609822010-02-22T08:11:00.000-08:002010-02-22T08:19:50.631-08:00Trim the Budget: Black Bean Sloppy Joes!<a name="e154613"></a> <h2>Trim the Budget: Black Bean Sloppy Joes!</h2> <div class="timedate"> <b><br /></b><a href="http://www.homesteadblogger.com/quiverfull/154613/"></a> </div> <span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" ><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/trimbudgetpic2.jpg" width="250" border="0" height="166" /> </span><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Here is another meal that makes a large serving, tastes great, utilizes a low cost basic food (beans), and is delicious!!<span style=""> </span></span></span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" ><strong>Black Bean Sloppy Joes</strong></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/blackbeansloppyjoes2.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="300" /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Usually sloppy joes are made with all hamburger.<span style=""> </span>That can be a lot of expense in meat.<span style=""> </span>The last time I looked at Costco hamburger was $2.79 a pound.<span style=""> </span>One way to still enjoy sloppy joes and save some money is to make Black Bean Sloppy Joes.<span style=""> </span>The black beans stretch the hamburger while giving you a delicious and nutritious meal! You can find the recipe here: </span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/blackbeansloppyjoes.htm"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" ><em>http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/blackbeansloppyjoes.htm</em></span></a><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> <span style=""> </span></span></span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Make sure to get your beans cooking in the morning so all you have to do come evening is assemble the rest of the recipe.<span style=""> </span>This will also give you the afternoon to make the rolls to serve the sloppy joes on.<span style=""> </span></span></span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Making your own high quality bread products is also a good way to cut costs.<span style=""> </span>White bread will always be dirt cheap, but with no nutritional value and not worth the cost.. no matter how cheap.<span style=""> </span>Making homemade bread is one way to ensure better quality bread products in your home for a very reasonable price.<span style=""> </span></span></span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size:130%;">This was a new recipe I tried out for the dinner rolls.<span style=""> </span>They were delicious!!<span style=""> </span>I wanted a sub sandwich type bread that was soft and would make great sandwiches or could be used for recipes like sloppy joes.<span style=""> </span>I was very happy with this one!<span style=""> </span></span></span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" ><strong>Sub <st1:place>Sandwich</st1:place> Rolls</strong><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" ><img alt="" src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/blackbeansloppyjoes1.jpg" width="400" border="0" height="300" /> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >1½ cups water<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >½ cup honey<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >6T butter<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >½ cup oats<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >2t salt<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >1T yeast<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >2 eggs<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >5½ to 7 cups whole wheat flour</span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size:130%;">In a small sauce pan combine water, honey, butter and oats and heat over medium high until hot and butter has melted, do not boil.<span style=""> </span>Pour this mixture into your Bosch or Kitchen Aid mixing bowl. Allow the mixture to cool for 15 to 20 minutes.<span style=""> </span>When it is very warm, but not hot to the touch add the salt, yeast and eggs.<span style=""> </span>Now begin adding flour.<span style=""> </span>Add 5 ½ cups and then add a half cup at a time until the dough is no longer sticky, but still is a soft dough.<span style=""> </span>Knead 4 to 5 minutes in a Bosch or <st1:time hour="9" minute="53">7 to 10</st1:time> in a Kitchen Aid or 12 to 15 minutes if you are doing this by hand.<span style=""> </span></span></span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Let the dough rise for one hour.<span style=""> </span>Punch down and knead again for a few minutes to remove air bubbles.</span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Divide dough into 10 pieces.<span style=""> </span>Roll each piece into an 8 inch log. Spray a large cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with non stick spray. Lay the bread dough pieces on the cookie sheet and cover with a towel. Let rise until double in size, about 30 to 45 minutes. </span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. </span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >To use for the Black Bean Sloppy Joe recipe I cut the rolls in half (lengthwise) and then sliced them in center (like you would if you were going to make a sandwich out of them).<span style=""> </span>You can toast the bread first before topping with the sloppy joe mix. Serve the sloppy joes over the bread. </span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >----------------------</span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size:130%;">This meal is filling!<span style=""> </span>It is big enough to easily serve 8 to 10 people.<span style=""> </span>So if your family is smaller, you can freeze half of this for another night.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span></span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size:130%;">I feed 5 people and I will have left overs. <span style=""></span>I will serve the last of the sloppy joes to the family that is home today for lunch <span style=""> </span></span></span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >T</span></o:p><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size:130%;">his meal gave me a lot of mileage for my money!<span style=""> </span></span></span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Now for the budget cost breakdown..<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>I don’t calculate the costs of things like salt or a ½ of an onion.<span style=""> </span></span></span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" ></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Here is what I figured for last night’s meal:</span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Black Bean Sloppy Joes:<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Hamburger: $2.79<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Black Beans: .95<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Ketchup: $1.08<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >6oz tomato paste: .90 </span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Approx. cost: $5.72 or rounded up to $6.00 </span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Dinner Rolls:<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Honey: .91<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Whole Wheat (I grind my own wheat so this is the cost of the actual wheat berries, not the cost of flour): <span style=""> </span>.80<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Oats: .05<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Butter: .33<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Eggs: .25 </span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >Approx. cost of rolls: $2.34 or rounded to $2.50 </span><o:p><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" > </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:130%;" >In the end, $8.50 fed my family a delicious, nutritious dinner plus I have leftovers.<span style=""> </span>If I had wanted to stretch this meal out for two full dinner meals for my family I could have added another cup or two of cooked beans and a little of the bean broth to give it the right consistency.<span style=""> </span>That would have increased the cost by just a few cents, and I may do that the next time I make this meal.</span><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-69068298404977356742010-02-01T12:49:00.000-08:002010-02-01T12:52:05.514-08:00Pumpkin and other squasheshttp://dehydrate2store.com/videos/?id=66<br /><br />This is so cool and it works so awesome. I did some big banana squash that Paul Robinson gave us and and it is so great! Try it!Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-53772828503017134582010-02-01T12:48:00.001-08:002010-02-01T12:49:10.223-08:00dehydrating potatoesGreat video on dehydrating potatoes!!!!!!!!!!<br /><br />http://dehydrate2store.com/videos/?id=21<br /><br /><br />So handy!Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-38446064377972237472010-02-01T12:36:00.000-08:002010-02-01T12:47:57.612-08:00dehydratingRecently I have been on a dehydrating kick. This is a wonderful thing to do especially in the winter time when it is cold outside and you aren't harvesting other things. I found a AWESOME website on how to dehydrate almost anything!!!!!!!!!!!!I will be sharing many of these things with you. Also many of her tips.<br />If you want to check out her site she has lots of how to videos that are great!<br />dehydrate2store.com<br /><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP34" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Foods You Just Throw on the Dehydrator</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>Oranges<br />Lemons<br />Limes<br />Collard Greens<br />Spinach<br />Mushrooms (If wet or soaked in water before dehydrating mushrooms will turn dark in color. They are OK to eat this way)<br />Parsley<br />Dill<br />All herbs</p></span><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP22" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Fruit Roll-ups</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>MY KIDS LOVE FRUIT ROLL UPS!<br /></p><p>Never use sugar in fruit rollups, the sugar will crystallize over time. Instead use honey or corn syrup.</p> <p>When using zip bags to dry your fruit rollups make sure any print on the bag is facing away from the rollup. Otherwise, it will pull the print up when the rollup when removed.</p> <p>I like to use duct tape when taping down the zip bag because it does not fall off in the dehydrator and it is easy to remove from the trays.</p> <p>Shrink wrap makes a great package for the rollups when sealed using your sealer.</p> <p>Also, the wax inserts in cereal boxes make a great package for fruit rollups.</p> <p>Cooking the fruit in a sauce pan before dehydrating makes a translucent roll-up whereas uncooked makes a more firm and solid color roll-up.</p> <p><strong>INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO<br /></strong><a href="http://dehydrate2store.com/videos/?id=14">http://dehydrate2store.com/videos/?id=14</a> </p><p><br /></p></span><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP27" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Fruit Skins</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>When peeling your oranges, mangos, papayas, apples, peaches, pears, and lemons place the skins on the tray with the skin side facing DOWN and dehydrate. After dehydrating most skins can be ground and put in homemade herbal teas, sauces, cookies, cakes, and breads.</p></span><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP52" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Glass Jars</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>I use my glass jars for short term storage. When they become empty I refill them with my items that have been vacuum packed, Mylar bagged, or oxygen packed. Don’t get me wrong , your food will last for a year and longer in the jars, but the issue is the light breaking down the food. If you place your jars in a dark area then your food will last virtually forever, so your biggest concern is light exposure over a long period of time. Years ago jar companies made a blue jar for canning to detour light. You can still find the blue jars (I have some) if you go to attic or garage sales. Three years ago you couldn’t even give them away (as with clear Masson/ Ball jars) but today you have to fight to get them. I would not recommend these old jars for canning due to safety reasons, but they are great for long term storage of dried foods.</p></span><div id="tips"><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP21" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">How Long Can You Store Dehydrated Foods?</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>When stored properly and kept in a cool dry place your foods can last up to 30 years depending on the item.<br />I would recommend going to <a href="http://www.survivalacres.com/">www.survivalacres.com</a> and clicking on their dehydrated shelf life chart.</p></span><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP10" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Lemon Juice</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Whenever food is processed in any way nutrients are lost. For this reason it is important that you spray lemon juice on your carrots, apples, bananas, pears, strawberries, papaya or any low acid item before dehydrating in order to add extra vitamin C. This process will also help to retain the natural beautiful colors of your fruits and vegetables.</span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">I spray lemon juice directly on the items instead of soaking them in a bowl. If you soak your bananas in the juice they will become soggy. Also, soaking food takes away important vitamins and minerals. If you put honey in the lemon juice, like some people suggest, I find that the bananas become sticky and soggy and after dehydrating they will stick together, which is not good. Also, when soaking in lemon juice there is a lot of waste when you toss the leftover juice down the sink. Spraying or misting with concentrated lemon juice is the best technique.</span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Things you do not want to spray with your lemon juice are green leafy produce like spinach or broccoli because it will brown or burn the items. </span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Pineapple juice is also a possible vitamin C rich liquid you may spray onto your foods before dehydrating. However, I recommend concentrated lemon juice because pineapple juice tends to make your dehydrated items more on the sticky side due to the excess sugars.</span></strong></p> <p>Foods that should be sprayed with concentrated lemon/pineapple juice:<br /><em>(All your low acid fruits. This maintains color and adds a little extra vitamin C)<span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></em></p> <p><strong>A MUST:</strong><br /><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Apples<br /><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Banana<br /><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Pears<br /><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Strawberries<br /><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Apricots </p> <p><strong>IF YOU WANT:</strong><br /><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Raspberries<br /><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Rhubarb<br /></p></span><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP35" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Let's Talk About Drying Time</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>It is very difficult to give an exact time frame for dehydrating foods because of all the variables. Humidity outside and in the home, thickness and type of cut, how loaded the trays are, and even different brands of produce play a big part in dehydration time. Also the type of dehydrator you use plays a large role. If the fan is on the top or bottom of your dehydrator it will take longer for the food to dry because the circulation of air flow is disrupted by the other trays. If the fan is in the back of the dehydrator (where it should be) your food will dry faster and more evenly. </p> <p><strong>What I can tell you is this:</strong><br />You never want to increase the temperature to dry faster this will cause “case hardening”. This is when the outside of the food hardens and moisture is trapped on the inside and is unable to dry because it is incased in a hard shell. This will cause your food to sour and have to be tossed. Your best bet is long time and low temp. Never try to speed things up by increasing the temp in order to finish at a certain time. Regardless if I am doing a fruit or vegetable I never go over 125°F.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">An </span><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">average</span></strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> drying time list</span><br />8-15 hours<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>All fresh vegetables including peppers <span style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span>8-10 hours<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Frozen vegetables (remember to place on the tray while frozen ) <br />8-10 hours<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Mushrooms and onions (sliced and chopped) <br />12-15 hours<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sweet and white potatoes (thin sliced, chopped)<br />8-10 hours<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fruits, very thinly sliced<br />12-15 hours<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fruits ¼ inch slice <br />15 hours plus<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fruit rollups (depending on how much corn syrup and honey used)<br />15-20 hours<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Grapes<br />18-20 hours<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Blueberries<br />Up to 2 days<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Whole prunes (remove pits)<br />12-15 hours<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Peaches, plums, pears, apples, nectarines, rhubarb </p> <p>The most important part is not so much the length of time in the dehydrator, but the percentage of remaining moisture left. For long term storage you want to stay at 95% and above. Testing for dryness will be your best barometer. Your food should easily snap and should not be sticking together.</p> <p>After, dehydrating your food place it in a zip-lock bag for a few days before storing away in your vacuum bags. This will give you a chance to see that your food has fully dehydrated. If your food appears limp you can put it back in the dehydrator again for a few more hours.</p></span><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP4" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Some Basics Before You Start</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>Wash everything down with an anti-bacterial cleanser of your choice. Just like when canning foods, it is important to practice good hygiene while dehydrating as well. This ensures a good end product with a longer shelf life.</p> <p><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Wear latex or vinyl gloves!</span></strong></p> <p>There are natural oils and moistures in your hands which will contaminate your foods by reintroducing moisture. The whole idea to dehydrating foods is to maintain a good quality food with a long shelf life. Wearing protective gloves helps you obtain these goals.</p> <p>Warm up your dehydrator</p> <p>Air circulation helps eliminate the growth of contaminates, therefore it is best to start the dehydrator and get the air moving before putting your food in.</p> <p><strong>TIP</strong>: It is so much easier to cut your dehydrated foods with kitchen scissors instead of using a knife<strong>. </strong>Some of the dehydrated foods you can simply crumble in your hands.</p></span><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP25" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">The Cannery</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) has canneries that you can go to and purchase Mylar bags and oxygen packs for very little money. You can also purchase wheat, oats, corn meal, beans and other dried foods and have it placed in #10 cans. The LDS members are very kind, willing to help, and very knowledgeable in food storage. You do not have to be a member to go to some of the canneries; however the canneries are non-profit and therefore run through tithing in the church. For this reason some locations require that you be a member to purchase from them. I recommend you call your local cannery and ask their policy prior to visiting. By going there you can build your pantry fast and for very little money. The Cannery is a smart tool in helping you build your pantry so please take advantage of it. If you are interested e-mail me the town or city you live in and I will try to find one in your area.</p></span><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP29" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Tomato Paste and Tomato Sauce Roll-Ups</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>There several ways you can do tomato paste.</p> <p>1) You can puree tomatoes that have been canned<br />2) You can use whole tomatoes and scald off the skin then puree<br />3) You can puree whole tomatoes with the skins on<br />4) You can pre-cook your puree as you would with fruit roll-ups or do it raw</p> <p>A trick you can use to help remove water from the tomatoes is to put them in a clear gravy separator and place them in the refrigerator over night. The next day pour off the water that separated from the tomatoes. Your paste is now thicker and easier to make into a roll-up.</p></span><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP18" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Tricky Fruit Tips</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p><strong>Blueberries<br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">Place the blueberries in a pot of boiling water for about one minute. The information I received over the years said to place them on a paper towel and then on the dehydrator tray. Lately, I have been placing my dehydrator tray across the sink like a strainer and pouring the blanched blueberries over the top of the tray. The less you have to move them around the better. I found this makes a big difference and the berries don’t mush. I suggest adding cold water to the pot before pouring it over the dehydrator tray. After placing them on the tray I prick them one by one with a toothpick to let the air out. My Blueberries are done in about 18 hours. If you remove the tray and some blueberries are still large and soft or can be easily mashed in your fingers they are not fully dehydrated. Puncture another hole in them and place in the dehydrator longer.</span></strong></p> <p><strong>Bananas<br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">Always use a stainless steel knife when cutting your bananas, if you use a regular knife the finished product may be brown in color (These are still fine to eat, just aren‘t and appealing). Use concentrated lemon and lightly spray the bananas as soon as they are cut. Handle your fruit as little as possible. Test the banana to see if it is done by removing one slice and letting it cool for 5-10 minutes. The slice should be crisp and not sticky. Place them into a zip-lock bag for 2-3 days before packing. After a day, shake the plastic bag; if they are sticking together place them back in the dehydrator for 3 more hours. If the bananas are over ripe to begin with they may be on the chewy side after dehydrating. If the banana is somewhat green to begin it may turn a little pink in color after dehydrating, not to worry they are still good to eat. I have never had my sliced bananas encounter case hardening when the temp. was higher. Even so, I still keep my temp. at 125°F.</span></strong></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong>Raspberries<br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">Try to keep your raspberries as dry as possible. Rinse, but do not soak, in water prior to dehydrating and wash minutes before dehydrating.</span></strong></span></strong></p> <p><strong>Papayas and Pineapple<br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">Papayas and pineapple</span></strong><strong> </strong>should both be steams prior to dehydrating if you are going to use them un Jell-O. Also I believe pineapple is better if steamed prior to dehydrating if you plan to use it in an upside down cake, breads, cookies, smoothies and so on. The only time I do not steam my pineapple before dehydrating is when I plan to grind it up in powdered form for teas and sauces. You can eat steamed or unsteamed dehydrated pineapple and papaya for a great on-the-go snack.</p></span><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP7" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">When To Salt</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>Remember to add salt AFTER everything is cooked. Salt slows down the re-hydrating process.</p></span><div id="tips"><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP16" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Where NOT To Store Your Food</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>You should never store your food on a concrete floor. Place it on a skid or elevate it off the floor so it is not directly on the concrete. Never place your stored food where the sun is beating down on it, by a furnace, or anywhere really hot.</p></span></div><div id="tips"><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP37" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Winter</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>Winter is great because the furnace is always going and it’s dry in your house. The down side is your garden is 3 feet under snow. The upside to winter is you can load up an all the produce that grocery stores put on sale to lure you in. How many people can load up on 10 lbs of carrots, bananas, etc.? <br /><strong>YOU CAN, because YOU have a dehydrator!</strong></p></span><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP43" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Your Enemies in Long-Term Storage</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>Water / moisture<br />Oxygen<br />Light<br />Heat<br />Rodents and bugs</p></span><table><tbody><tr><td><a name="TIP33" class="nolink"><img src="http://dehydrate2store.com/images/triangle-tips.png" width="16" border="0" height="16" /></a></td><td><span class="niceFontLarge-bold">Blanching and Skin Scalding (which foods?)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="niceFont"><p>Blanching is when you place your food in boiling water for about one minute prior to dehydrating.</p> <p><strong>Why do you have to steam or blanch some items and not others?</strong><br />Skin scalding occurs during the blanching process. Skin scalding is done to either soften the skin of a fruit or vegetable you want to dehydrate, or to soften the skin to allow for its removal. While blanching a grape, for example, you must blanch it prior to dehydrating in order to ‘skin scald’ or soften the skin. While blanching a tomato or peach, however, you will find the skins fall right off. By doing this it is possible to dehydrate your food without any unwanted skin or peach fuzz.</p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p><strong>Food that should be blanched or skin scalded</strong></p> <p>Grapes<br />Tomatoes<br />Blueberries<br />Plum<br />Cherries<br />Peaches<br />Cranberries<br />Peaches<br />Pears<br />Summer Squash<br />Zucchini<br /></p><p><br /></p></span></div><span class="niceFont"></span><span class="niceFont"></span><span class="niceFont"></span><span class="niceFont"></span><span class="niceFont"></span></div><span class="niceFont"></span><span class="niceFont"></span><span class="niceFont"></span>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-20474106825575675792010-02-01T12:27:00.000-08:002010-02-01T12:36:03.206-08:00Canning Dried Beans and soupsThis time of year when we aren't canning our harvest is still a time you can be working on your food storage. These ideas are also frugal and helpful on your budget and time saving for those nights when you just weren't prepared!<br />I love being able to grab a quart of beans off my shelf to use instead of soaking and cooking them each time.<br />I got these directions off a wonderful canning site:<br />http://www.pickyourown.org<br /><br /><h1 align="center">How to Make Homemade Canned Dried Beans and Peas (from Lima Beans, Snap Beans, Pole Beans, Runner Beans, Cowpeas, Chickpeas, Peas, etc.)</h1> <p align="left"> Kidney, navy and other varieties of dried beans are good candidates for canning or storage. Of course, you can store the dried, too, but some people prefer them canned. In your own home garden, leave the beans on the vine to mature. They will dry naturally.</p> <p align="left"> In canning the dried beans, there is a key tip: Water plays an important part in the final quality of canned beans. The harder the water used for soaking and blanching, the harder and firmer the finished beans. Also, excessive alkalinity will cause the beans to disintegrate somewhat, becoming soft and mushy. However, this will not be seen until after canning them. there's not much you can do about this, but try to avoid "softened" water.</p> <p align="left"> The only other trick is, you really do need a pressure canner. Every university food science department and the government will tell you that it just is not safe to use the water bath bath method; it takes the higher temperatures of the pressure canner to kill the botulism bacteria.<br /></p><p align="left">BUT, with a pressure canner it's easy. And although a pressure canner costs $100 to $200 (see this page for pressure canners models, makes and prices), they last a lifetime, and your children and grandchildren may be using it</p><h2 align="center">Directions for Making Canned Dried Beans and Peas</h2> <h3 align="center">Ingredients and Equipment</h3> <div align="center"> <table width="80%" border="0"> <tbody><tr> <td width="50%"> <ul><li>Dried Beans or Peas (see step 1)</li><li>Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)</li><li>Jar funnel ($2 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates)</li><li>At least 1 large pot</li><li>Large spoons and ladles</li><li>Ball jars (Publix, Kroger, other grocery stores and some "big box" stores carry them - about $8 per dozen quart jars including the lids and rings)</li><li>Salt (optional - I don't use any)<br /> </li></ul> </td> <td width="50%"> <ul><li>1 Pressure Canner (a large pressure pot with a lifting rack to sterilize the jars after filling (about $75 to $200 at mall kitchen stores and "big box" stores, but it is cheaper online; <a target="_top" href="http://www.pickyourown.org/pressurecanners.htm">see this page for more information</a>). For low acid foods (most vegetables, you can't use an open water bath canner, it has to be a pressure canner to get the high temperatures to kill the bacteria. If you plan on canning every year, they're worth the investment.</li></ul> </td> <td width="50%"> <!-- googlead was here --> <br /></td> </tr> </tbody></table> </div> <h2 align="center">Recipe and Directions</h2> <h3>Step 1 - Selecting the dried beans or peas</h3> <p>The most important step! You need dried beans that are FRESH - not old to begin with! Remove and discard any soft, diseased or spotted beans.</p><h3>How many dried beans or peas and where to get them</h3> <p>You can grow your own, pick your own, or buy them at the grocery store. About 14 pounds of beans makes 7 quart jars; or 9 pounds is needed per 9 pints. A bushel, which produces anywhere from 13 to 20 quarts, weighs 30 pounds. That works out to an average of 2 pounds of beans per finished quart jar.</p> <p align="center"> <img src="http://www.pickyourown.org/pickles/picklejars.jpg" width="279" align="left" border="0" height="210" /></p> <h3>Step 2 - Prepare the jars and pressure canner</h3> <h4>Wash the jars and lids</h4> <p>This is a good time to get the jars ready! The dishwasher is fine for the jars; especially if it has a "sterilize" cycle. Otherwise put the jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. I just put the lids in a small pot of almost boiling water for 5 minutes, and use the magnetic "lid lifter wand" (available from target, other big box stores, and often grocery stores; and available online - see this page) to pull them out.</p> <h4>Get a large pot of water boiling</h4> <p>We will use this water to pour over the beans and fill each jar with liquid, after we've packed them full of beans. I use the largest pot I have, so that there is plenty of clean, boiling water ready when I need it.</p> <p align="center"> <img src="http://www.pickyourown.org/beans/potsonstove.jpg" width="276" align="left" border="0" height="207" /></p> <h4>Get the pressure canner heating up</h4> <p>Rinse out your pressure canner, put the rack plate in the bottom, and fill it to a depth of 4 inches with hot tap water. (of course, follow the instruction that came with the canner, if they are different). Put it on the stove over low heat, with the lid OFF of it, just to get it heating up for later on.</p> <p align="center"> </p> <h3> Step 3 -Wash the dried beans or peas!</h3> <p align="left">I'm sure you can figure out how to rinse the dried beans or peas in plain cold or lukewarm water.</p> <h3>Step 4 - Soak to Rehydrate the beans</h3> <p>You can use one of the following methods: </p> <ul><li><b>Method 1</b>. Place washed dried beans or peas in a large pot and cover with water. Soak 12 to 18 hours in a cool place. Drain and discard the water.</li><li><b>Method 2</b>. To quickly hydrate beans, you may cover washed beans with boiling water in a saucepan. Boil 2 minutes, remove from heat, soak 1 hour and drain. Discard the water.</li></ul> <h3>Step 5 - Heat/cook the beans</h3> <p>Cover beans soaked by either method with fresh water and boil 30 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt per pint or teaspoon per quart to the jar, if desired. Save the water you cook them in!</p> <h3> Step 6 - Packing the beans in the canning jars</h3> <p>Fill jars with beans or peas . Pack the jars evenly, but be sure to leave 1 inch of space at the TOP of the jar. </p> <p align="center"> </p> <h3>Step 8 - Pour boiling water into each packed jar</h3> <p> Fill the space around the beans to 1 inch from the top of the jar with the water you cooked the beans in. That 1 inch space is called "headspace" and is needed for expansion during heading. Use a ladle or pyrex measuring cup to carefully fill each packed jar with water from pot of boiling water. The beans should be covered and there should still be 1 inch of airspace left in the top of each jar. Be careful not to burn yourself, (or anyone else - children should be kept back during this step!)</p><h3> Step 9 - Put the lids and rings on</h3> <p>Put the lids on each jar and seal them by putting a ring on and screwing it down snugly (but not with all your might, just "snug").</p><h3>Step 10 - Put the jars in the canner and the lid on the canner (but still vented)</h3> <p> Using the jar tongs, put the jars on the rack in the canner. By now the water level has probably boiled down to 3 inches. If it is lower than that, add more hot tap water to the canner. When all the jars that the canner will hold are in, put on the lid and twist it into place, but leave the weight off (or valve open, if you have that type of pressure canner). </p><h3 align="left"> <img src="http://www.pickyourown.org/beans/pcanner0lb.jpg" width="281" align="right" border="0" height="294" />Step 11 - Let the canner vent steam for 10 minutes</h3> <p align="left">Put the heat on high and let the steam escape through the vent for 10 minutes to purge the airspace inside the canner.</p><p align="left"> </p><h3> <img src="http://www.pickyourown.org/beans/pcanner11lb.jpg" width="276" align="left" border="0" height="207" />Step 12 - Put the weight on and let the pressure build</h3> <p>After 10 minutes of venting, put the weight on and close any openings to allow the pressure to build to 11 to 13 pounds in a dial-type gauge canner - shown in the photos (or at 10 to 15 pounds pressure in a weighted gauge canner. </p><h3> </h3> <h3>Step 13 - Process for the required time</h3> <p>Once the gauge hits 11 pounds (or 10 pounds in a weighted gauge type), start your timer going - for 75 minutes for pint jars and quarts for 90 minutes. Adjust the heat, as needed, to maintain 10 pounds of pressure.</p> <p>Pressure required depends on the altitude where canning is being done. Note: the chart below will help you determine the right processing time and pressure, if you are above sea level.</p> <p>It is important to learn how to operate your pressure canner by reading the owner's manual that came with your particular canner. If you can not find your owner's manual, you can obtain find one online: Here is where to find some common manufacturer's manuals:</p> <ul><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.pickyourown.org/PYO.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gopresto.com/products/manuals.php">Presto canner manuals</a></li></ul> <p>or by contacting the company that made your canner. Give the model number to the manufacturer, and they will send you the right manual. More <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pickyourown.org/PYO.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/columncc/cc020423.html">notes on pressure canners from Colorado State University</a>. <table id="table8" border="1" cellpadding="5"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="6"> <p align="center">Recommended process time for Dried Beans in a <u>dial-gauge</u> pressure canner.</p></td> </tr> <tr valign="center" align="middle"> <td colspan="2"> </td> <td colspan="4"><strong>Minimum Canner Pressure (PSI) at Various Altitudes</strong></td> </tr> <tr valign="center" align="middle"> <td><strong>Jar Size</strong></td> <td><strong>Process Time</strong></td> <td><strong>0 - 2,000 ft</strong></td> <td><strong>2,001 - 4,000 ft</strong></td> <td><strong>4,001 - 6,000 ft</strong></td> <td><strong>6,001 - 8,000 ft</strong></td> </tr> <tr valign="center" align="middle"> <td>Pints</td> <td>75 min</td> <td><strong>11 lb</strong></td> <td>12 lb</td> <td>13 lb</td> <td>14 lb</td> </tr> <tr valign="center" align="middle"> <td>Quarts</td> <td>90</td> <td><strong>11 lb</strong></td> <td>12</td> <td>13</td> <td>14</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </p><p align="center"> <img src="http://www.pickyourown.org/beans/pcanner11lb.jpg" width="276" align="left" border="0" height="207" /></p> <h3>Step 14 - Turn off the heat and let it cool down</h3> <p>After 75 minutes for pints, 90 minutes for quart jars, turn off the heat and let the canner cool down. After the pressure drops to zero (usually, you can tell but the "click" sound of the safety release vents opening, as well as but the gauge. Wait 3 more minutes, then open the vent or remove the weight and allow the steam to escape. </p><h3> Step 15 - Remove the jars</h3> <p>Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool on a wooden cutting board or a towel, without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight), here they won't be bumped. You can then remove the rings if you like. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess the jar, then that's a bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up, re-jar them (with a new lid) and the full time in the canner, it's usually ok. You're done!</p><h3 align="center">Other Equipment:</h3> <p> <img src="http://www.pickyourown.org/cooking/applesaucetools.jpg" width="518" align="right" border="0" height="323" />From left to right:</p> <ol><li>Jar lifting tongs<br /> helpful to pick up hot jars</li><li>Lid lifter<br /> - to remove lids from the pot<br /> of hot water </li><li>Lid<br /> - disposable - you may only<br /> use them once</li><li>Ring<br /> - holds the lids on the jar until after<br /> the jars cool - then you don't need them</li><li>Canning jar funnel<br /> - to fill the jars<hr /></li></ol> <div dir="ltr" align="left"> <h2 align="center"><span class="281102023-25082005"> <span style="color:#0000ff;">Frequently Asked Questions </span></span></h2> <p>Q. Is it safe to can dried beans or peas in a traditional water bath? If so how long do you do process them? </p> <p><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;">A. The answer, quite simply is no. Quoting from the </span> <span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;color:#0000ff;"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pickyourown.org/PYO.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5344.html">Ohio State University Extension's Fact Sheet</a></span><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;">: </span></p></div> <blockquote dir="ltr" style="margin-right: 0px;"> <blockquote dir="ltr" style="margin-right: 0px;"> <div dir="ltr" align="left"> "Pressure canning is the only safe method for home canning vegetables.<i> Clostridium botulinum</i> is the bacterium that causes botulism food poisoning in low-acid foods, such as vegetables. The bacterial spores are destroyed only when the vegetables are processed in a pressure canner at 240 degrees Fahrenheit (F) for the correct amount of time. <p><i>Clostridium botulinum</i> is the bacterium commonly found in vegetables and meats. It is harmless until it finds itself in a moist, low-acid, oxygen-free environment or a partial vacuum. Under these conditions, the bacterium can grow and produce toxins dangerous to people and animals. </p> <p><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;"><i>Do not process (low acid) vegetables using the boiling water bath because the botulinum bacteria can survive that method.</i> </span></p></div> </blockquote> </blockquote> <div> <span class="281102023-25082005"><span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;">And Clemson University provides these questions and answers:</span></span></div> <blockquote dir="ltr" style="margin-right: 0px;"> <div> <b>Can fruits and vegetables be canned without heating if aspirin is used? </b>No. Aspirin should not be used in canning. It cannot be relied on to prevent spoilage or to give satisfactory products. Adequate heat treatment is the only safe procedure. <p><b>Is it safe to can dried beans or peas in a boiling water bath if vinegar is used? </b>No. Recommended processing methods must be used to assure safety. Recommended processing times cannot be shortened if vinegar is used in canning fresh vegetables. (This does not refer to pickled vegetables.) </p></div> </blockquote> <p>Salt and sugar are not preservatives for vegetables: they are added to stabilize and improve flavor, but will not prevent spoilage.</p> <p>Salicylic acid is also NOT a preservative. The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.solutions.uiuc.edu/content.cfm?series=3&item=86"> University of Illinois reports</a>:</p> <blockquote> <h2>Using Aspirin for Canning</h2> <p>Several years ago, a recipe circulated using aspirin to acidify tomatoes and dried beans or peas for canning. Aspirin is not recommended for canning. While it contains salicylic acid, it does not sufficiently acidify tomatoes or dried beans or peas for safe hot water bath canning. dried beans or peas are low acid foods and may only be processed safely in a pressure canner. Lemon juice or vinegar is recommended to acidify tomato products for safe water bath processing. </p> </blockquote> <p align="left">Think of it like smoking. We all know someone who smoke their entire life and lived to be 90. But the cemeteries are filled with the vast majority who didn't. You'll hear people say "my grandmother did it that way for 20 years". But of course, the people who died from food poisoning aren't around and often didn't have descendents to tell their tale...</p><span class="281102023-25082005"> </span> <h2 align="center">Pressure canners!</h2> <p>If you want to can low-acid foods such as red meats, sea food, poultry, milk, and all fresh vegetables with the exception of most tomatoes, you will need a pressure canner. These foods fit into the low acid group since they have an acidity, or pH level, of 4.6 or greater. The temperature which must be reached and maintained (for a specified amount of time) to kill the bacteria is 240 F. Pressure canning is the only canning method recommended safe by the U.S.D.A. for low-acid foods such as vegetables, meats, and fish. Ordinary water bath canners can only reach 212 F and can not to kill the types of bacteria that will grow in low acid foods. This temperature can be reached only by creating steam under pressure as achieved in quality pressure canners. </p><p>There are several manufacturers of pressure canners. The two leading ones are Presto and All American (Wisconsin Aluminum). They are more expensive than water bath canners, but extremely well built - I bought mine in 1988 and it still looks and works like new! </p><table style="width: 289px; height: 596px;" dir="ltr" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="1%"> <br /></td><td valign="top" width="24"><br /></td><!--msnavigation--><td valign="top"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-23786563032052808722009-07-11T10:52:00.000-07:002009-07-11T10:57:59.923-07:00Bridal Shower for Emily Capistran<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBxyFI_MR7cPWJDhUrE5g98jtwKe8lsavFOwYbGiQ9t-yrAP62BiUJHWgs82GKP6Nf_mqa1Cx2QH6FeiHBHTHglH7OvUBNUIPwgTLgKibBm-KFIVsfA1NS1yBnTrukZ7rKNfHUczjVeOn/s1600-h/couch.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBxyFI_MR7cPWJDhUrE5g98jtwKe8lsavFOwYbGiQ9t-yrAP62BiUJHWgs82GKP6Nf_mqa1Cx2QH6FeiHBHTHglH7OvUBNUIPwgTLgKibBm-KFIVsfA1NS1yBnTrukZ7rKNfHUczjVeOn/s320/couch.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357262339426019906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">COME ONE COME ALL!!!!!!!!!!!</span><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">WE know this is last minute, but all are welcome to come and help Emily Capistran celebrate her wedding with a shower held in her honor on Monday 6/13/09 at 730pm.</span><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">It will be held at Cindy Hansons home on the top of Shelton Rd. If you need further directions, please call Melanie Capistran at 722-7683.</span><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Thanks! See you there.</span></span>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-63945759924613317802009-05-15T07:57:00.000-07:002009-05-15T08:00:00.519-07:00Rice ~50 ways to make it extraordinary!<span style="font-weight:bold;">50 WAYS TO MAKE RICE EXTRAORDINARY<br />Source: USA Rice Federation<br />1. Butter, lime juice and chopped cilantro<br />2. Wild mushrooms sauteed in butter, thawed frozen petite peas and parmesan cheese<br />3. Diced tomatoes and basil pesto<br />4. Heavy cream, sugar, cinnamon and browned butter<br />5. Sliced green onions, salted cashews, toasted sesame seeds and rice vinegar<br />6. Dried cranberries, chopped pecans, sliced green onions and parmesan cheese<br />7. Red beans, coconut milk and chopped cilantro<br />8. Heavy cream, sliced bananas, chopped pecans and chocolate chips<br />9. Thawed frozen peas and chopped smoked ham<br />10. Grilled chicken strips cut into bite-sized pieces, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, basil pesto, provolone cheese cubes and balsamic vinaigrette<br />11. Chopped roasted chicken, toasted sliced almonds, sliced green onions and orange marmalade<br />12. Black beans, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and chopped cilantro<br />13. Kidney beans, caramelized onions, sour cream and Asiago cheese<br />14. Crisp bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped chives<br />15. Smoked gouda (cubed), smoked turkey breast cut into bite-size pieces, chopped tomatoes, sliced red onion, ranch dressing and chopped cilantro<br />16. Crushed pineapple, green bell pepper slices and chopped fresh mint<br />17. Fresh green beans sauteed in butter and toasted sliced almonds<br />18. Scrambled eggs, chopped Canadian bacon and chopped chives<br />19. Orange segments, toasted sliced almonds and sliced green onions<br />20. Granola, vanilla yogurt and golden raisins<br />21. Mushrooms sauteed in butter, and chopped, steamed asparagus<br />22. Cashews, chopped roasted chicken and chopped chives<br />23. Thawed frozen peas and finely chopped fresh mint<br />24. Butter, lemon zest and fresh lemon juice<br />25. Grilled shrimp, corn, crisp bacon bits and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil<br />26. Minced garlic and mushrooms sauteed in butter<br />27. Fresh corn off the cob, chopped tomatoes and chopped fresh basil<br />28. Sliced kielbasa sausage and barbecue sauce<br />29. Sauteed okra and chopped stewed tomatoes<br />30. Navel orange slices, chopped red onions or chives and vinaigrette dressing<br />31. Steamed asparagus tips, toasted pine nuts, sliced red or yellow bell pepper and parmesan cheese<br />32. Diced tomatoes, sliced green onions and shredded monterey jack cheese<br />33. Vanilla ice cream and a dash of cinnamon<br />34. Scrambled eggs, crumbled sausage, cream cheese cubes and sliced green onions<br />35. Yogurt and fresh fruit<br />36. Zucchini and carrot "matchsticks" Sauteed in butter, and parmesan cheese<br />37. Heavy cream, raisins, sugar and vanilla<br />38. Minced garlic sauteed in butter and toasted pine nuts<br />39. Sliced apples sauteed in butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, chopped nuts, and vanilla yogurt<br />40. Black beans, minced red onion, chopped bell pepper, chopped cilantro and vinaigrette<br />41. Sauteed chanterelle mushrooms, dried apricots and toasted almonds<br />42. Chopped fresh spinach, asiago cheese and toasted walnuts<br />43. Fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries, heavy cream, vanilla and sugar<br />44. Currants and toasted pine nuts<br />45. Thawed frozen corn, mild green chiles and sour cream<br />46. Feta cheese, chopped kalamata olives, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and chopped fresh basil<br />47. Finely diced carrots, thawed frozen peas, scrambled eggs, grated ginger root and soy sauce<br />48. Chopped rotisserie chicken and sun-dried tomato pesto<br />49. Grilled shrimp, lime juice and fresh pico de gallo<br />50. Grilled chicken, cut into bite-size pieces, and chile con queso<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-10023765253957223522009-05-03T13:45:00.000-07:002009-05-03T13:48:12.179-07:00Home made laundry soap recipesPowdered Laundry Detergent <br />12 cups Borax<br />8 cups Baking Soda<br />8 cups Washing Soda<br />8 cups Bar soap (grated)<br />• Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.<br />• Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.</span></span><br />The Recipe<br /> <br />Now that you have assembled all the needed ingredients here is the recipe:<br /> <br />Homemade Laundry Soap Gel<br />1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap, as listed above <br />½ cup washing soda <br />½ cup borax powder <br />~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~<br /> <br />Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use ½ cup per load.Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-76906901125935402182009-05-03T13:42:00.000-07:002009-05-03T13:45:18.785-07:0030 min. Mozzarella Cheese ~Yes, made at home too!<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CParent%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p>30 Minute Mozzarella Cheese</p> <p>Materials needed:</p> <p>1 non-aluminum pot that will hold at least a gallon of liquid</p> <p>1 measuring cup of bowl to dissolve the rennet (see note below)</p> <p>1 spoon</p> <p>1 candy thermometer</p> <p>1 large slotted spoon, or small sieve</p> <p>Ingredients:</p> <p>½ rennet tablet</p> <p>¼ cup cool, chlorine-free water (most bottled waters are chlorine-free)</p> <p>1 gallon milk (2% 1% or skim)</p> <p>2 teaspoons citric acid (see additional note below) </p> <p>Directions: </p> <p> </p> <p>Crush the rennet into the water and stir to dissolve. Pour milk into a non-reactive pot (no aluminum or cast iron). Place over medium heat. Sprinkle the citric acid over the milk and stir a few times. Heat milk to 88 degrees. Milk will begin to curdle. At 88 degrees add the rennet solution and continue stirring slowly every few minutes until the milk reaches 105 degrees. Turn off the heat. Large curds will appear and begin to separate from the whey (the clear, greenish liquid).</p> <p> </p> <p>With a slotted spoon or mesh strainer, scoop the curd into a large glass bowl. (If it’s still too liquid , let it set for a few more minutes). Press the curds gently with your hand and pour off as much whey as possible. Microwave curds on high for 1 minute, then drain off all the excess whey. With a spoon, press curds into a ball until cool. Microwave two more times for 35 seconds each, and continue to drain the whey and work cheese into a ball. In the meantime, place the whey over medium heat and let it heat to about 175 degrees. When cheese is cool enough to touch, knead it like bread dough until smooth. When you can stretch it like taffy, it is done. You can sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons salt into the cheese while kneading and stretching it. The cheese will become stretchy, smooth and shiny. If it is difficult to stretch and breaks easily, dip it into the hot whey for a few seconds to make it warm and pliable. Then pick it up again and stretch it into a long rope. Fold over and stretch again. Dip in hot whey as needed to make the cheese pliable. When the cheese is smooth and shiny (this takes just a few minutes), it is ready to eat. Shape it into a log or golf-size balls, then store it in a solution of 2 teaspoons salt to 1 cup water.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-25480690293096558832009-05-03T13:40:00.000-07:002009-05-03T13:41:54.077-07:00Canning Hamburger ~with pics!<div style="font-weight: bold;">Canning Hamburger ~from Anteagrarian Blog</div> <h3 class="post-title"><a href="http://www.anteagrarians.com/2009/01/canning-hamburger.html">Canning Hamburger</a> </h3> <div class="post-body"> <p>I've canned 28 pounds of hamburger, and so I have 28 pints of hamburger ready to be used. You can use canned hamburger in any of your favorite recipes. All you need to do is heat it up, drain the fat off, and put it your dish.<br /><br /><br /><br />I had to really scrub the jars yesterday because I was using jars that have already been used. We purchased them at a thrift store. Remember to check your jars for chips or cracks before using them.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAjAo3WnPENTbvgHUhy00ES9oAPYOmk7Qr1uE8vLODKPtQKCFnsN2OogG9bz9hOMVEKFhfuwI-IlKWp7BvR_8aRYISAwqav-jeSGOOU-iUj7D8Y24gJUg0v9jmPvJsq1fFZ0r1EZcaOo/s1600-h/hamburger+009.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAjAo3WnPENTbvgHUhy00ES9oAPYOmk7Qr1uE8vLODKPtQKCFnsN2OogG9bz9hOMVEKFhfuwI-IlKWp7BvR_8aRYISAwqav-jeSGOOU-iUj7D8Y24gJUg0v9jmPvJsq1fFZ0r1EZcaOo/s320/hamburger+009.JPG" alt="" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 213px; text-align: center;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290599993211278146" border="0" /></a> I used the new super fabulous cast iron enamel coated dutch oven to brown the ground hamburger in.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdU7RV8dcGXa1mXVt-4yqEfFd_iiqk_AK8ljnOep6KMVBLwRkG0DINAPoG5mUZSpwzNUaOXu852Ud35h95talvZcL_agzsLfmFeETK9t7WjhStnstgEuMXPXAUgJ8-NLBsNA2jDtsaX8/s1600-h/hamburger+014.JPG"><br /></a><br /><br /> After the hamburger is browned I use the canning funnel to put the meat in the jars. You'll want to make sure you also fill the jar about half full with some of the fat. I don't use water at all in canning my hamburger or sausage. I also can all our ground sausage the same way.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0L1xy0cgMKUrC2gcXC6Tca0o-2vgY58pP64qhXoB4j2WT6OJPEJJtHRK99ttMm6DtLHSWbJfPtNIpAbCKjS-JBuuO2le5No0u0CU62ze3FpAckNmaxo8s41luc3ZeEjvrEqp5VNDuQI/s1600-h/hamburger+010.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0L1xy0cgMKUrC2gcXC6Tca0o-2vgY58pP64qhXoB4j2WT6OJPEJJtHRK99ttMm6DtLHSWbJfPtNIpAbCKjS-JBuuO2le5No0u0CU62ze3FpAckNmaxo8s41luc3ZeEjvrEqp5VNDuQI/s320/hamburger+010.JPG" alt="" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 213px; text-align: center;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290808422621704914" border="0" /></a> Here I have the lids boiling.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxedIwFGz06Iyvkva27d9DqpNkTGLNlS613cLPjQizwZNc0rCFQuGmTveKzBAcxdiHqiPd-9uaUqlRryWcpqdPU4P86zECSQ8ACWFaDEDMcgXiN95DWvrKP1nMNeEih0WDU3uSHXOQKc/s1600-h/hamburger+015.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxedIwFGz06Iyvkva27d9DqpNkTGLNlS613cLPjQizwZNc0rCFQuGmTveKzBAcxdiHqiPd-9uaUqlRryWcpqdPU4P86zECSQ8ACWFaDEDMcgXiN95DWvrKP1nMNeEih0WDU3uSHXOQKc/s320/hamburger+015.JPG" alt="" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 213px; text-align: center;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290809578564757682" border="0" /></a> When I clean the threads and rim of the jars I'll use a paper towel, or dish cloth dipped in the boiling hot water. This allows the jar rims to be sterile when I place the lid on.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhld08NblWGA56WD6Kabf6fofxQ3Nvngrmc9suumuk5aiJMxpgj789xxYXf2ElyudKhCjXMGi63QPHtTgrgntuWAxC_LX0tNnBMokLo77vFin5IK9-9oMegI1SKA00eFYwPG1GCGm9hcow/s1600-h/hamburger+017.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhld08NblWGA56WD6Kabf6fofxQ3Nvngrmc9suumuk5aiJMxpgj789xxYXf2ElyudKhCjXMGi63QPHtTgrgntuWAxC_LX0tNnBMokLo77vFin5IK9-9oMegI1SKA00eFYwPG1GCGm9hcow/s320/hamburger+017.JPG" alt="" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 213px; text-align: center;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290810028541356258" border="0" /></a> Here I'm cleaning the threads and rims. I'll then use my lid grabber, which has a magnet on the end to pick up the lids in the hot water. I'll place the lids on and then put on the bands. Remember to only tighten them slightly to finger tip tight.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuuKswfuj5Q66wyVv_zex3SdN2_IAKAki08L-cFEquWWmwXQ60TUhzYgdwqifB6viI-lSThxsdy64E7AdwcBk_m1yGeFTbsbqG8_6qUKQ24sEvaCxTpVhDF30lEdXsDgc6yNY7Fi6sJfI/s1600-h/hamburger+018.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuuKswfuj5Q66wyVv_zex3SdN2_IAKAki08L-cFEquWWmwXQ60TUhzYgdwqifB6viI-lSThxsdy64E7AdwcBk_m1yGeFTbsbqG8_6qUKQ24sEvaCxTpVhDF30lEdXsDgc6yNY7Fi6sJfI/s320/hamburger+018.JPG" alt="" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 213px; text-align: center;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290811196884053618" border="0" /></a> In this cannier load I had 15 pints, so I canned for 90 mins. at 15 lbs. I would have uploaded more pics, but the computer started giving me trouble. My cannier is an All American Cannier, and it was a wonderful investment. It has the gauge along with the weight, and has a metal to metal seal. You can google them if you'd like more info on them. The cannier is a double decker, and I can put 14 quarts, or 19 pints in it at once. Later I'll post pics of it and how it works for those who have commented on how to use one. Well I better get back to canning. I have 20 lbs. of ground sausage to can as well.<br /><br /></p> </div>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-66541148915996225522009-05-03T13:37:00.000-07:002009-05-03T13:39:53.477-07:00Canning Bacon ~with Pics<p><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >Canning Bacon~ with pics</span><br /></p> <p>When the local grocery store puts these 10 lbs boxes up for sale we usually buy several. We purchased these boxes for $11.99 a box. Roger only bought 30 lbs. this time for me to can.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBgVvpR1IE5hod3rRaI0lE1VcycuQdVQx4IybkzrNU0Hg9vtaJqdxoG5xBd91V6hpWHz-uUU47mj7Cxk6KTII8q10urG7I7T9opEXonKz1k4uxE3UF52vejUYaF9TUnwvum1uyREO36w/s1600-h/bacon+002.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBgVvpR1IE5hod3rRaI0lE1VcycuQdVQx4IybkzrNU0Hg9vtaJqdxoG5xBd91V6hpWHz-uUU47mj7Cxk6KTII8q10urG7I7T9opEXonKz1k4uxE3UF52vejUYaF9TUnwvum1uyREO36w/s320/bacon+002.JPG" alt="" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 213px; text-align: center;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289378873068434530" border="0" /></a> Everyone has their own method of canning bacon. Some like to fry it up in stripes and then wrap it in Parchment paper, or cut it up in pieces then can it. Cutting it up into pieces works best for our family. Having it cut up into pieces usually cuts down on the cook time, and is just faster for us.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6yDaWszwvTEzFrw5HmNCbAFchhqjgc6YvH3eMU94gHA8U8ssqDJ3eHXrg2jrHCVwlw5ohQVgwEPHE2VcOcpvWiLZF9g-dwVrUBFiJuwNNaW8srUs07_LASg46U5R4QCnIDZWaeCH0nI/s1600-h/bacon+001.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6yDaWszwvTEzFrw5HmNCbAFchhqjgc6YvH3eMU94gHA8U8ssqDJ3eHXrg2jrHCVwlw5ohQVgwEPHE2VcOcpvWiLZF9g-dwVrUBFiJuwNNaW8srUs07_LASg46U5R4QCnIDZWaeCH0nI/s320/bacon+001.JPG" alt="" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 213px; text-align: center;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289378882385882482" border="0" /></a> Here's the jars ready and some bacon already frying. Make sure you've cleaned the jars, and looked them over for any cracks or chips.<br /><br /></p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6oEzKAghTCuc7dotPIYjxTskvueTxlQJQX-T3ON5DlJIwMVpLK-aHMBM_oajwGRbwaJcvBPDRUTDJd0pE6wyzNfpRhxJYT55JWcNOwvzFbP85A7E4ZkEiucs9pgK7iPOgIoTQbmnpMU/s1600-h/bacon+004.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6oEzKAghTCuc7dotPIYjxTskvueTxlQJQX-T3ON5DlJIwMVpLK-aHMBM_oajwGRbwaJcvBPDRUTDJd0pE6wyzNfpRhxJYT55JWcNOwvzFbP85A7E4ZkEiucs9pgK7iPOgIoTQbmnpMU/s320/bacon+004.JPG" alt="" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 213px; text-align: center;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289383315985401554" border="0" /></a> Some of the bacon sometimes has alot of fat on them, so I'll cut away the fat and keep it. With the fat we save I'll then render into lard.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vJ1kmidum4-bpB7YKPNzgil2uVPgNBLWvRDhJ47-u5scXi1DyZRoVaNvkyd9jrcE1ChKnwxa9sJbWVzJiSWF6g6lGQtxH2OfJ3r4smJy0atBwn3Gmyeu8S-7qFvJ44XatwSaJKKuJOM/s1600-h/bacon+003.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vJ1kmidum4-bpB7YKPNzgil2uVPgNBLWvRDhJ47-u5scXi1DyZRoVaNvkyd9jrcE1ChKnwxa9sJbWVzJiSWF6g6lGQtxH2OfJ3r4smJy0atBwn3Gmyeu8S-7qFvJ44XatwSaJKKuJOM/s320/bacon+003.JPG" alt="" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 213px; text-align: center;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289383304319565106" border="0" /></a> Once you've fried the bacon place it in the jars. You'll want to leave alittle fat on the bacon so you'll have fat to pour over the pieces in the jar. Usually you'll want to pour the fat about half way in the jar. Here's some pics of mine ready to go into the cannier. Place your lids in boiling water to sterilize them. Clean the jars and rims (especially the rim and threads) after you've place the meat in and before you place your lid on. Place the lid on using a lid wand. This usually comes with canning utensil sets. Then place the band on till it feels slightly tight, just finger tip tight.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_hL7DbZShiQRQqq9kqacu4nQa9GIYEvL8pS-7suOpxolN0ba1GiFUhvavJeYcLmts873egVMu2OcA6iBJHubUZM-6hcSaNTqIsGo5f5fg0BMWNXQLkmSYPABXjad7htAkN7v68bndPg/s1600-h/bacon+005.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_hL7DbZShiQRQqq9kqacu4nQa9GIYEvL8pS-7suOpxolN0ba1GiFUhvavJeYcLmts873egVMu2OcA6iBJHubUZM-6hcSaNTqIsGo5f5fg0BMWNXQLkmSYPABXjad7htAkN7v68bndPg/s320/bacon+005.JPG" alt="" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 213px; text-align: center;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289392645553749042" border="0" /></a>You can the bacon for 90 mins according to however many lbs. of course you have. A full cannier load I'll can for 90 mins at 15 lbs. This cannier load was only eight pints which was one box, and I canned it for 90 mins. at 10 lbs. You can see the fat has cooled and the bacon is ready to be stored.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmHhhjYnxb2QZy7KSjo9Fsy6sRySqNWqoOnEHJxBCE4K4afwy7pYktaAWsokaux3YGW5SRKhc5EvqK7Vf1DvIBJpgNfCBm7RsGFvpYWJPUc4HhbcCfjDZxAKrB3SyS6aYQvFk2UMMz6k/s1600-h/bacon+006.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmHhhjYnxb2QZy7KSjo9Fsy6sRySqNWqoOnEHJxBCE4K4afwy7pYktaAWsokaux3YGW5SRKhc5EvqK7Vf1DvIBJpgNfCBm7RsGFvpYWJPUc4HhbcCfjDZxAKrB3SyS6aYQvFk2UMMz6k/s320/bacon+006.JPG" alt="" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 213px; text-align: center;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289392651724557474" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><h3 class="post-title"> <a href="http://www.anteagrarians.com/2009/01/answering-s-about-bacon-canning.html">Answering ?'s about bacon canning.</a> </h3> <em><strong>Thanks for the tutorial, I do have a couple questions though, if you don't mind.</strong></em><br /><em><strong></strong></em><br /><em><strong>1. How do you normally use the bacon once its canned.</strong></em><br /><em><strong></strong></em><br /><em><strong>2. Do you fry the bacon crispy or do you just somewhat fry it because it cooks more during the canning process?</strong></em><br /><em><strong></strong></em><br /><em><strong>3. Does the taste/texture change because it has been canned?</strong></em><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br />Thanks for the questions, and I'll answer them in order.<br /><br />1. I normally use the bacon in the morning in eggs. I'll open the can and scope out some of the bacon along with the fat and heat it up in my frying pan. The fat helps to coat your pan so when you add your eggs they won't stick. Once your bacon is slightly heated and fat melted add your eggs and cook. Then if you want add cheese, salt, & pepper. Easy, yummy, scrambled eggs.<br /><br />I use the bacon in anything that calls for bacon. I'll put it on salads for bacon bits, and in broccoli salad. The great thing is the bacon is already cooked. All you may have to do is slightly heat it up, and there's no mess. I've used the bacon in potato cheese soup, and for quick BLT sandwiches. You can use it however you want. If we have leftover's from a jar I've opened we'll just eat the bacon for a snack. I can't really say I have a favorite recipe I use it in, because we use it <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">alot</span>.<br /><br />2. I fry my bacon till it's done. Not really crispy, but done enough to go ahead and eat. Then I'll place it in the jars.<br /><br />3. Canning it doesn't really change the texture except you won't have really crispy bacon. The flavor is still the same, and no one I've ever given it to has noticed it was canned bacon instead of freshly made. People usually say how great it is.</div>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-74995476847112740402009-05-03T13:36:00.000-07:002009-05-03T13:37:07.335-07:00Artisian Bread Recipe<h1>Five Minutes a Day for Fresh-Baked Bread</h1> <h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Ingredients and Equipment</h3> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>Great breads really only require four basic ingredients: flour, water, yeast and salt. The rest is detail. Here’s a short guide to the basic ingredients and equipment you’ll need to make artisan loaves.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span><strong>Unbleached, white, all-purpose flour:</strong> Has adequate protein (around 10 percent) to create a satisfying “chew,” but low enough to prevent heaviness. We prefer unbleached flours because bleaching removes some protein, not to mention adding unnecessary chemicals.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><strong><span style=""> </span>Whole wheat flour:</strong> Contains the germ and bran, both of which are healthful and tasty. Together they add a slightly bitter, nutty flavor that many people enjoy.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span><strong>Bread flour:</strong> For chewier bread, substitute bread flour (about 12 percent protein) for all-purpose white flour by decreasing the amount slightly (by about a quarter cup for every 6 cups of all-purpose).</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><strong><span style=""> </span>Yeast:</strong> Use what’s readily available and buy in bulk rather than packets, which are much more expensive.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span><strong>Salt:</strong> Use noniodized coarse kosher or sea salt.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span><strong>Baking stone:</strong> Use a high-quality, half-inch-thick stone. The porous stone absorbs moisture from your dough, allowing a thin, crackling, crisp crust to form — one of the keys to artisanal baking.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span><strong>Pizza peel:</strong> This long-handled board helps slide doughs onto a hot stone. A cookie sheet or cutting board will work, but will be more difficult to handle.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span><strong>Broiler tray:</strong> A pan to hold water for steam during baking.</p> <h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span></h3> <h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The Master Recipe</h3> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>The artisan free-form loaf called the French boule is the basic model for all the no-knead recipes. The round shape (<em>boule</em> in French means “ball”) is the easiest to master. You’ll learn how wet the dough needs to be (wet, but not so wet that the finished loaf won’t retain its form) and how to shape a loaf without kneading. And you’ll discover a truly revolutionary approach to baking: Take some dough from the fridge, shape it, leave it to rest, then let it bake while you’re preparing the rest of the meal.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>Keep your dough wet — wetter doughs favor the development of sourdough character during storage. <em><strong>You should become familiar with the following recipe before going through any of the others.</strong></em></p> <h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span></h3> <h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Mixing and Storing the Dough</h3> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>1. Heat the water to just a little warmer than body temperature (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit).</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>2. Add yeast and salt to the water in a 5-quart bowl or, preferably, in a resealable, lidded container (not airtight — use container with gasket or lift a corner). Don’t worry about getting it all to dissolve.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>3. Mix in the flour by gently scooping it up, then leveling the top of the measuring cup with a knife; don’t pat down. Mix with a wooden spoon, a high-capacity food processor with dough attachment, or a heavy-duty stand mixer with dough hook, until uniformly moist. If hand-mixing becomes too difficult, use very wet hands to press it together. Don’t knead! This step is done in a matter of minutes, and yields a wet dough loose enough to conform to the container.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>4. Cover loosely. Do not use screw-topped jars, which could explode from trapped gases. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse (or at least flatten on top), approximately two hours, depending on temperature. Longer rising times, up to about five hours, will not harm the result. You can use a portion of the dough any time after this period. Refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and easier to work with than room-temperature dough. We recommend refrigerating the dough at least three hours before shaping a loaf. And relax! You don’t need to monitor doubling or tripling of volume as in traditional recipes.</p> <h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span></h3> <h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">On Baking Day</h3> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>5. Prepare a pizza peel by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal to prevent the loaf from sticking to it when you slide it into the oven.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour, then cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-sized) piece with a serrated knife. Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won’t stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on four “sides,” rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go, until the bottom is a collection of four bunched ends. Most of the dusting flour will fall off; it doesn’t need to be incorporated. The bottom of the loaf will flatten out during resting and baking.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>6. Place the ball on the pizza peel. Let it rest uncovered for about 40 minutes. Depending on the dough’s age, you may see little rise during this period; more rising will occur during baking.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>7. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on another shelf.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>8. Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour, which will allow the slashing, serrated knife to pass without sticking. Slash a 1⁄4-inch-deep cross, scallop or tick-tack-toe pattern into the top. (This helps the bread expand during baking.)</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>9. With a forward jerking motion of the wrist, slide the loaf off the pizza peel and onto the baking stone. Quickly but carefully pour about a cup of hot water into the broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is browned and firm to the touch. With wet dough, there’s little risk of drying out the interior, despite the dark crust. When you remove the loaf from the oven, it will audibly crackle, or “sing,” when initially exposed to room temperature air. Allow to cool completely, preferably on a wire rack, for best flavor, texture and slicing. The perfect crust may initially soften, but will firm up again when cooled.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span>10. Refrigerate the remaining dough in your lidded (not airtight) container and use it over the next two weeks: You’ll find that even one day’s storage improves the flavor and texture of your bread. This maturation continues over the two-week period. Cut off and shape loaves as you need them. The dough can also be frozen in 1-pound portions in an airtight container and defrosted overnight in the refrigerator prior to baking day.</p> <div style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" align="center"> <hr size="2" width="100%" align="center"> </div> <h2 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The Master Recipe: Boule</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">(Artisan Free-Form Loaf)</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Makes 4 1-pound loaves</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><em>3 cups lukewarm water</em><em><br /><em>1 1⁄2 tbsp granulated yeast (1 1⁄2 packets)</em><br /><em>1 1⁄2 tbsp coarse kosher or sea salt</em><br /><em>6 1⁄2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour</em><br /><em>Cornmeal for pizza peel</em></em></p> <div style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" align="center"> <hr size="2" width="100%" align="center"> </div> <h2 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Tips to Amaze Your Friends</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><strong>The “6-3-3-13” rule.</strong> To store enough for eight loaves, remember 6-3-3-13. It’s 6 cups water, 3 tablespoons salt, 3 tablespoons yeast, and then add 13 cups of flour. It’ll amaze your friends when you do this in their homes without a recipe!</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><strong>Lazy sourdough shortcut.</strong> When your dough container is empty, don’t wash it! Just scrape it down and incorporate it into the next batch. In addition to saving cleanup, the aged dough stuck to the sides will give your new batch a head start on sourdough flavor.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><strong>Variation: Herb Bread.</strong> Add a couple teaspoons of your favorite dried herbs (double if fresh) to the water mixture.</p> <strong><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /> </span></strong> <h2>Neapolitan Pizza Dough</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The secrets to this pizza are to keep the crust thin, don’t overload it, and to bake it quickly at a high temperature so it doesn’t cook down to a soup. It’s unlike anything most of us are used to eating — especially if you make fresh mozzarella!</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><em>1 pound pre-mixed boule dough</em><em><br /><em>Cornmeal for covering the pizza peel</em><br /><strong>Topping:</strong><em> your favorite seasonal ingredients</em></em></p> <ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li style="" class="MsoNormal">20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven with a baking stone (scraped clean) at your oven’s maximum temperature — the hotter, the better. (Another option is to use the baking stone over a grill, which takes about two-thirds of the time.)</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Prepare the toppings in advance. The key to a pizza that slides right off the peel is to work quickly.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Follow Step 5 of The Master Recipe (above).</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Flatten the dough into a 1/8-inch-thick round with your hands and a rolling pin on a wooden board. Dust with flour to keep the dough from sticking. (A little sticking can help overcome the dough’s resistance to stretching, though, so don’t overuse flour.) You also can let the partially rolled dough relax for a few minutes to allow further rolling. Stretching by hand may help, followed by additional rolling. Place the rolled-out dough onto a liberally cornmeal-covered pizza peel.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Distribute your toppings over the surface, leaving some of its surface exposed so you can appreciate the individual ingredients<span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> </span>—<span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> </span>and the magnificent crust! — of the final product. No further resting is needed.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Turn on the exhaust fan (or use lower heat and bake a few minutes longer), because some of the cornmeal will smoke. Slide the pizza onto the stone (back-and-forth shakes can help dislodge it). Check for doneness in 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the pizza around if one side is browning too fast. It may need up to 5 more minutes.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Allow to cool slightly on a rack before serving.</li></ol> <p><em>Makes 1 12- to 14-inch pizza to serve 2 to 4.</em></p> <div style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" align="center"> <hr size="2" width="100%" align="center"> </div> <h2 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">100 Percent Whole-Wheat <st1:place st="on">Sandwich</st1:place> Bread</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Whole wheat flour has a nutty, slightly bitter flavor, and it caramelizes easily, yielding a rich, brown loaf. Milk and honey are tenderizers, and their sweetness complements the bitter notes. Although we’ve showcased a loaf-pan method here, this dough also makes lovely free-form loaves on a baking stone.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><em>1 1⁄2 tbsp granulated yeast (1 1⁄2 packets)</em><em><br /><em>1 tbsp plus 1 tsp salt</em><br /><em>1/2 cup honey</em><br /><em>5 tbsp neutral-flavored oil, plus more for greasing the pan</em><br /><em>1 1⁄2 cups lukewarm milk</em><br /><em>1 1⁄2 cups lukewarm water</em><br /><em>6 2⁄3 cups whole wheat flour</em></em></p> <ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Mix the yeast, salt, honey, oil, milk and water in a 5-quart bowl or other container.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Mix in the flour using a spoon, high-capacity food processor with dough attachment, or a heavy-duty stand mixer with dough hook.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Cover loosely, and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top); about 2 to 3 hours.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next several days.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">On baking day, lightly grease a 9-by-4-by-3-inch loaf pan. Using wet hands, scoop out a 11⁄2 pound (cantaloupe-sized) hunk of dough. Keeping your hands wet (it’ll be sticky!), quickly shape it into a ball following the method in Step 5 of The Master Recipe (above).</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Drop the loaf into the prepared pan. You’ll want enough dough to fill the pan slightly more than half-full.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Allow the dough to rest for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Flour the top of the loaf and slash, using the tip of a serrated bread knife.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">5 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, with an empty broiler tray on another shelf.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Place the loaf in the center of the oven. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the broiler tray and quickly close the door. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Allow to cool completely before slicing in order to cut reasonable sandwich slices.</li></ol> <p><em>Makes 3 1 1⁄2 pound loaves.</em></p> <div style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" align="center"> <hr size="2" width="100%" align="center"> </div> <h2 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Sticky Pecan Caramel Rolls</h2> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">This crowd-pleaser was our first attempt to make dessert from stored bread dough. It was so successful that it reshaped our view of what this technique could accomplish. The flavors were enhanced by using stored dough, and the butter and sugar seeped into the folds, approximating enriched sweet doughs.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><em>1 1⁄2 pounds pre-mixed boule dough</em></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><strong>TOPPING<span style=""> </span>FILLING</strong><strong><br /></strong><em>6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>4 tbsp salted butter, softened</em><em><br /><em>1/2 tsp salt<span style=""> </span>1/4 cup sugar</em><br /><em>1/2 cup brown sugar<span style=""> </span>1 tsp ground cinnamon</em><br /><em>30 pecan halves<span style=""> </span>1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg</em><br /><span style=""> </span><em>Pinch of ground black pepper</em><br /><span style=""> </span><em>1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped</em></em></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Cream together the butter, salt and brown sugar. Spread evenly in a 9-inch cake pan. Scatter the pecan halves over the mixture and set aside.</p> <ol start="1" type="1"><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Dust the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a cantaloupe-sized piece. Dust the piece with flour and shape it into a ball following the method in Step 5 of The Master Recipe (above).</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 1/8-inch thick rectangle. Add only enough flour to prevent it from sticking.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Cream together the butter, sugar and spices for the filling. Spread evenly over the dough and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Roll the dough into a log. If it’s too soft to cut, chill for 20 minutes.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">With a serrated knife, cut the log into 8 pieces and arrange over the pecans, with the “swirled” edge facing up. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest and rise 1 hour (or 40 minutes if you’re using fresh, unrefrigerated dough).</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">5 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.</li><li style="" class="MsoNormal">Bake about 40 minutes, or until golden brown and set in center. While still hot, run a knife around the pan to release the rolls, and invert immediately onto a serving dish.</li></ol> <p><em>Makes 6 to 8 large rolls.</em></p>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370690347449702304.post-41299640100335342812009-05-03T13:35:00.001-07:002009-05-03T13:35:44.367-07:00Making Feta Cheese at Home!<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">If you want to dabble in cheese making then feta cheese is a great place to start.<span style=""> </span>I have been using a lot of whey lately and was making yogurt and straining that to get the whey but I don’t get to much whey from a quart of yogurt.<span style=""> </span>So I decided to make feta instead.<span style=""> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Here is what the process looked like… </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">I start with a gallon of milk and my culture and rennet.<span style=""> </span>Then after the cheese has been made I hang it in an old sheet that I wash well in hot, soapy water with bleach added.<span style=""> </span>I set a big pan under it to collect the whey:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> <img src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/feb1109foodpreps1.jpg" alt="" width="400" border="0" height="323" /></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Then after 24 hours or so I take the cheese down.<span style=""> </span>Sometimes I will take the cheese down before the 24 hours are up and stir it and hang it up again to help get the whey completely drained out.<span style=""> </span>When I am done this is what the cheese looks like:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><img src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/feb1109foodpreps3.jpg" alt="" width="326" border="0" height="350" /></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">And this is how much whey I have:<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> <img src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/feb1109foodpreps2.jpg" alt="" width="270" border="0" height="400" /></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">The last step is to cut the cheese up and layer cheese, salt and herbs in a quart jar.<span style=""> </span>This time I used basil and marjoram.<span style=""> </span>When I have it all in the jar I cover it with olive oil.<span style=""> </span>Then it sits on the counter for 3 days.<span style=""> </span>I turn the jar upside down once and then right side up during those 3 days..<span style=""> </span>after that, it is ready to eat!<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><img src="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/feb1109foodpreps4.jpg" alt="" width="244" border="0" height="400" /></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>Kim Myershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13884716909075642323noreply@blogger.com1