Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 12 Ways to Make a Mess with Watermelon |
Watermelon
is such a versatile food. There is virtually no end to the number of
ways you can make a mess with it. Here are a few from our family (not
an exhaustive list, I'm sure):
- Cut it up on any surface
- Eat it over a plate
- Eat it over a table
- Eat it over the floor
- Squeeze the melon over your cup to make watermelon juice
- Save the seeds, wash them in the bathroom sink, and leave them out to dry on the bathroom counter
- Touch something after eating watermelon before washing your hands
- Put your coloring paper on the table after eating watermelon but before the table has been wiped
- Feed your chickens watermelon rinds (at least this is an outside mess)
- Put your just-bought/picked melon on the counter or table before washing it (how clean is that dirt?)
- Drop your seeds (accidentally, of course) on the floor
- Miss the trash can
Care to add to my list? I love the summer, but I think that once fall gets here, things will not be nearly so...sticky.
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Thursday, June 8, 2006 - Strawberries: I'm So Clueless |
I don't know if I've been hibernating or living on another planet, or what, but somehow I did not realize that the strawberries are now ripe and have been ripe for the past week!!! That means that if I want to do strawberry anything (jam 'em, freeze 'em, shortcake 'em) I have to get in gear now
before they're gone. I think I will probably just freeze a bunch for
popsicles, smoothies and such. I still have a number of jars of jam
left from last year that we never did finish. This is because the peach
jam turned out so good last year that whenever there was a choice
between peach jam and strawberry jam, we all picked peach.
My kids are having a blast with the wild strawberries that are
everywhere around here. I think they are possibly even tastier than the
full-grown regular variety. Too bad you have to pick forever to get
enough to do anything with. By the time you get them in the house
they're mostly (if not totally) gone anyway.
Strawberries: it's what's for breakfast. 
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Saturday, June 3, 2006 - Sourdough Pineapple Sweet Rolls |
I just baked these sweet rolls this morning, and they turned out great!
I was happy with the final product. I think they could have risen
another hour or so, but we had to leave the house soon and I knew no
one would be here to "babysit", so I went ahead and baked them anyway.
That's the thing about sourdough. It has its own timetable. You have to
be prepared to either stay home and wait for it to be ready for you, or
you have to go ahead with it anyway. Don't expect it to be ready when
you want it to be. This was a new recipe for me, so I had no idea how
long it would take for them to rise. The recipe states 1-2 hours, but
the way I change recipes all around...who knows. This time I let it
rise from about 11:15 p.m. until 9:00 a.m. I think it is because we had
the windows open overnight and it got a little cool in the house. Once
I put them in a warmer place in the morning the rolls started rising
much faster.
Here's the recipe with my own modifications. The original "un-doctored" version is from Rita Davenport's Sourdough Cookery.
Rolls:
1 c. sourdough starter
app. 3/8 c. milk
app. 3/8 c. honey
1/4 c. coconut oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3-4 c. bread flour
Filling:
2 tbsp. softened butter
1/2 c. Rapadura
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. lemon peel (I used orange peel because I had no lemons)
3/4 c. crushed pineapple, drained
Note: I only used maybe 1/2 to 2/3 of the Rapadura/cinnamon mixture (it
was plenty!), and next time I make these, I will likely add a little
more pineapple than 3/4 cup.
Measure out sourdough starter in a large mixing bowl. Add milk, honey,
oil and vanilla. Mix together salt, baking soda and flour. Add to
sourdough starter mixture to form a stiff dough. Turn out onto floured
surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if
necessary. Leave in a covered bowl in the fridge for 24-30 hours. Bring
dough to room temperature. Roll out dough on a floured surface to form
a rectangle that is 15" x 9". Spread with softened butter. Sprinkle
with Rapadura, cinnamon, lemon peel and pineapple. Roll up dough
like a jelly roll. Cut in 1-inch slices. Place in greased baking pan.
Cover with a cloth. Set in warm place free from drafts and let rise
until doubled in size (whenever that might be). Bake at 375 degrees F
for 25-30 minutes. Delicious served hot with plenty of butter.
Makes 1-1/2 dozen rolls.
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Friday, June 2, 2006 - Kitchen Adventures |
I have been faithfully feeding and watering my sourdough starter since
January now. I use it once or twice a week for bread and/or pancakes.
I've made them enough now that I feel like I somewhat know what I am
doing with it. This week I'm trying something different with the
sourdough starter: pineapple sweet rolls. I will be making them with
honey and Rapadura. I hope this turns out good because this weekend is
my husband's birthday, and he loves pineapple! I had never heard of
pineapple pie before I started cavorting with him, but it's delicious.
Anyway, back to the pineapple sweet rolls. I found the recipe in an old
cookbook. I don't even know where it came from (it was probably my
husband's from before we got married, since I don't know how we got it
- also because it is so OLD  ). It's called Rita Davenport's Sourdough Cookery.
I'll let you know how it turns out. If it's any good I'll post the
recipe (with my modifications, of course). If it's no good, then you
probably wouldn't care to know the recipe. Unfortunately, although this
book looks like it's got some great recipes, about half of it is
missing! It ends right before the section on "Pancakes and Waffles".
Boo! I'm looking down the table of contents and there are also sections
on "Main Dishes" and "Cakes". Ever tried a main dish or a cake made
with sourdough? I don't think I have.
In other kitchen news, we now have a meat grinder attachment for my old
KitchenAid mixer. Last summer when we bought our beef (an entirely
grass-fed miniature hereford), we didn't get the round ground, and now
we are out of ground beef! That little meat grinder does a great job!
I'm glad we got electric instead of trying one of those hand cranking
things. Plus, since it's electric my husband is intrigued by the
machine and wants to grind the meat himself, so it is a great time
saver for me! I figure this meat grinder will be perfect for making our
own sausage at some point in the future (I'm thinking turkey sausage).
Blessings!
Amey
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Sunday, May 7, 2006 - Honey Celery Seed Salad Dressing |
Our first local farmer's market was this weekend, and I came home with
a bunch of loose-leaf lettuce, fresh picked. Delicious! If you like
(sweet) celery seed dressing, I found this great recipe in the book Cooking With Honey,
by Hazel Berto. The book I have is 34 years old. I found it at a resale
store when we were vacationing in Arizona last month. It's a super book
for honey lovers! There is a good-sized section on salads and salad
dressings. Here's the recipe:
3/4 c. honey
2 Tbsp. salad oil (I used olive oil, and probably actually added a bit more than 2 Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1/4 tsp. minced onion
1/8 tsp. dry mustard
Combine all ingredients, stirring well to blend (or shake in a covered
jar, which is what I do). Refrigerate one hour or longer. Shake before
using. Makes 1 cup.
Blessings!
Amey
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Saturday, April 22, 2006 - Sauerkraut and Spilled Milk |
Just here to w h i n e.
Oh no, one jar of my homemade sauerkraut did not ferment properly. It
is true what I have read - if it is bad, no amount of money could
induce you to eat it. You'll know as soon as you open up that jar and
take a whiff. Uggg.
Something else to whine about: Daisy knocked over her milk pail yesterday. Grrr....
Don't worry, I never cry over spilled milk. 
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Saturday, April 15, 2006 - Soaked Granola Recipe |
For Old Paths Family Farm, and anyone else who has allowed an old dead guy named Weston Price to take over your kitchen:
Soaked Granola
Combine in a large bowl:
8 c. rolled oats
2 c. dry coconut
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
In a saucepan, stir together:
1 c. coconut oil (or 1/2 c. coconut oil, 1/2 c. butter)
1 c. honey
1/2 c. maple syrup
2 Tbsp. vanilla
3-4 Tbsp. whey
Warm the wet mixture (don't let it get too hot), pour over oats and
stir. Let sit for 12-24 hours at room temperature, covered. Spread on a
baking sheet and bake at 150 degrees for 12 hours.
Notes:
I set my oven on the lowest temperature possible (170), and it seems to
work just fine. I think my oven's temperature runs a little low. Of
course, once it's done, you can add whatever you like to have in your
granola. I like pecans and raisins in mine. It's nice to have a cold
cereal again for the kids in the morning when I don't have time for a
"regular" breakfast.
One more thing: it's not clumpy at all, so it is very messy if you try
to eat it dry. Trust me on that one. I haven't tried making granola
bars out of it yet, but that would be a better idea if you want to eat
it without milk. Especially on airplanes. 
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Friday, March 3, 2006 - Food Friday: Porridge |
Porridge sounds bland and old-fashioned, doesn't it? Not a very fancy
name. Maybe I should think of a new name...hmmm...I'm drawing a blank.
Anyone have any ideas?
I started making porridge for my children for breakfast last fall, and
we have it at least twice a week now. Here's how I make mine (based on
the Nourishing Traditions recipe):
Stir together and allow to soak overnight (or at least seven hours), covered:
2 c. warm water
1/4 c. whey
2 c. oatmeal
In the morning, bring 2 more cups of water to boiling in a medium-sized
saucepan. Add oatmeal mixture, stir and cook until thickened and
bubbling (about 4 minutes or so).
After it's cooked, here is what I add:
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
Plenty of honey (I never measure it, so I don't know how much)
After dishing it out into bowls, I add:
1 small spoon of coconut oil
Fresh goat's milk
I know this is pretty much the same as regular oatmeal, but soaking it
ahead of time makes it more healthful. It also changes the consistency
a little (mushier). And it gives me something good to use my whey for
after I make cream cheese. Personally, I think that adding the butter
and coconut oil make a huge difference in porridge. Much more tasty and
filling with all the FAT.
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Friday, February 3, 2006 - Something New for Dinner |
Our new food this week: quinoa! I found some organic quinoa at Trader
Joe's a few weeks ago and decided to try it. The box says it's
pronounced keen-wah. I thought it was kwin-oah. Whatever.
Quinoa (however you say it), is originally from South America, and is
not technically a grain, but a fruit (weird, it seems pretty grainy to
me!). I cooked ours in some good chicken broth and added some onions,
garlic, and green pepper. It tasted like the fried rice you get at
Chinese restaurants. Pretty good! I liked it, my husband liked it. My
kids...well, they'll get used to it if we have it once in a while (you
know the story). We ate it as a side with meatloaf.
I think I'll put quinoa on my shopping list again.
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Saturday, January 28, 2006 - Soaking Flour in Kefir for Bread |
I just tried my hand at making a long-rise yeast bread yesterday, and
tasted it this morning for the first time, and it was bitter. Not very
tasty at all. I was just wondering, does anyone have a link to a good
bread recipe in which the flour is soaked in something like kefir,
buttermilk, or whey? I do have the Nourishing Traditions
"yeasted buttermilk bread" recipe, and also the Sue Gregg/Urban
Homemaker recipe. I will probably try one of these next. My hypothesis
is that the bread was bitter because I didn't just soak the flour in
the water/acid mixture. I mixed all the ingredients first (including
yeast), and then let it sit (rise) for a long period of time (about 9
hours).
Another thing I can't figure out is this: I want to soak my flour in
kefir, but one place I read makes it sound like you substitute kefir
for ALL the water, and other places say only use a small amount mixed
into the water. Does anyone here soak their flour in kefir? What ratio
should I use? I can't find much information about this on a Google
search, which is a little unusual.
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Sunday, January 22, 2006 - Wow! Was I Wrong! |
I set out some fresh milk last week to make cream cheese and whey. I
mainly wanted the whey for soaking grains and fermenting vegetables. I
used to get whey from a friend, but couldn't get it anymore because her
cow stopped giving milk. I thought the cream cheese would be just a
"by-product", and maybe it would get eaten - and maybe it wouldn't.
That cream cheese is great! I can't believe that milk sitting out that
long can make something that tastes so good! The only experience I had
in the past of milk sitting out for several days was when I would find
an old sippy cup of store-bought milk under the couch or something.
Yuck! Real milk is so much better!
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Thursday, January 19, 2006 - Homeschool Math for Homestead Moms |
Note to self: one triple-batch of meatloaf at one meatloaf per batch,
plus one triple batch of bread at 2 loaves per batch does not equal
eight loaf pans. 
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Monday, January 16, 2006 - Chicken Broth |
We did something very "homestead-ish" this weekend - my husband
butchered two of our chickens, and I cleaned them up and stewed them. I
almost like the broth that chicken makes more than the chicken itself!
I just love homemade soups made with fresh, homemade chicken broth. It
is tops! Lots of onions, carrots, celery, and whatever else is on
hand...I'd like to dip into the pot of leftover soup in the fridge
right now, and it's almost midnight!
This quote is too good not to share (I found this in Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon):
Why is chicken soup superior to all the
things we have, even more relaxing than "Tylenol?" It is because
chicken soup has a natural ingredient which feeds, repairs, and calms
the mucous lining in the small intestine. This inner lining is the
beginning or ending of the nervous system. It is easily pulled away
from the intestine through too many laxatives, too many food
additives...and parasites. Chicken soup...heals the nerves, improves
digestion, reduces allergies, relaxes and gives strength.
Hanna Kroeger Ageless Remedies from Mother's Kitchen
Blessings!
Amey
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Monday, January 9, 2006 - Sourdough Update #6469 (Seems That Way, Anyway) |
I made the sourdough pancakes again this morning, using only 1/2 tsp.
baking soda. Everything else was pretty much the same. They didn't have
any baking soda taste to them, but they somehow seemed a little
rubbery. Maybe it's just because mine weren't fresh when I ate them. Or
maybe I didn't use enough baking soda this time. Maybe I'll try 3/4 tsp. baking soda next time. Any advice from anyone?
I also tried sourdough bread for the first time over the weekend, and
it did rise without yeast, but I let it sit for too long, and the
flavor was so strong it burned the roof of my mouth! I like the
sourdough taste, so the taste wasn't a problem for me (I liked it!),
but my husband didn't like it. Here's the recipe I used (obtained from
the same person I got the starter from):
3/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. potato water (the water left over after you boil potatoes)
1 Tbsp. butter (melted)
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. honey
Mix these ingredients together with 1-1/2 c. starter. Then mix in 3 c.
whole grain flour until all is incorporated. Knead not more than 25
times. Set in an oiled bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
Set out dough and let it come to room temperature, and punch down.
Shape into loaves, buns, or pizza dough and place in desired cooking
pans. Allow to rise to desired height. Bake bread at 375 for 40-60
minutes; buns at 375 for about 25 minutes; and pizza dough with
toppings at 400 for about 15-20 minutes.
What I didn't realize about this recipe was that it will take a l-o-n-g
time for the dough to rise once you bring it out of the fridge. I let
it sit in the fridge for about 36 hours, then let it rise for about 12
hours, then it rose again in the bread pan for about 8 hours. I think
that's why it was so strong. I'm trying it again today, and will only
let it sit in the fridge 24 hours at the most. We'll see how that turns
out. I'll let you know!
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Saturday, January 7, 2006 - My Very Own Sourdough Pancake Recipe |
Since I'm just getting started on this "sourdough odyssey", I feel a
little underqualified to be giving anyone advice about it! But, I can
tell you where I succeeded and where I failed during my
experimentation. Also: I didn't create my own starter. It was given to
me by someone who is barely an acquaintance. So I can't really give any
input on starting your own starter.
A friend of mine also got some of the same starter, and she is using
freshly milled wheat flour to feed it, and her pancakes turned out
thick and heavy (I found out about this before I did my pancakes, so it
helped me figure out how to 'craft' my recipe). I've been feeding mine
with King Arthur bread flour. Bread flour is high in gluten, so I think
that makes a big difference.
The night before I made the
pancakes, I set out about 2 cups of starter (it was in the fridge), and
fed it with 2/3 c. bread flour and 1/2 c. water (filtered), then let it
set overnight on the counter. The next morning I mixed the starter with
these ingredients:
2 eggs (room temp.)
1 tsp. baking soda mixed in 1 Tbsp. warm water (next time I will decrease the baking soda)
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
My plan was to add milk if the batter was too thick, but it didn't need
it. The only problem was, I could barely detect a baking soda taste (it
wasn't too bad, though), and would probably go down to 1/2 tsp. baking
soda next time.
I found some internet recipes that said you
could just use the starter by itself to make pancakes! But I really
wanted the eggs and the fat in there (butter is my friend)! The
pancakes were very light in weight and color (previously I had been
making whole wheat pancakes, so we weren't used to the light color).
These pancakes were so good! And also (Kay in PA), I cooked them on my cast-iron griddle. 
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Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - Here's the Story on My Sourdough Starter |
Just thought I would share about my sourdough starter. It is newly
acquired from a woman I met at a Weston Price meeting. She said it was
first started by a professional baker who made it from grape skins.
Apparently grapes have a natural kind of yeast or bacteria in the skins
that can make a good sourdough starter. This particular starter was
started over 15 years ago! So, I don't have the recipe used to create
this starter, although I do have A recipe. But I've never used it
before. It's in Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon. Here's another decent looking starter recipe I found on-line. The directions are long and complicated-looking. Otherwise, I would type it all out here.
I don't know what the Amish friendship bread is. Is it the kind I tried
before - lots of sugar in it, and you use it to make a cinnamon quick
bread? The starter I have is for making real sourdough bread, not a
quick bread, although you can use it to make biscuits, pancakes, and
tortillas, too. You have to "feed" it with flour and water at least
every 18 hours when left at room temperature, or you can refrigerate it
when you're not using it for up to 6 months. I'll let everyone knows
how my adventures in sourdough go. I hope to try it in another day or
so (after I build up my supply of starter a bit).
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Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - Sourdough, Anyone? |
I am now the proud owner of my own grape sourdough starter. This is the
real deal. A few years back I had a sourdough starter that was for some
sweet cinnamon quick bread recipe that you use, then divide, and pass
on to your friends. It was good, but had a lot of sugar in it. This is
a starter you use to make actual sourdough bread that rises over a long
period of time. Any of you homestead types have any good pancake or
bread recipes for this starter? I hope I don't kill it...
Amey
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About Me
I'm a midwestern gal, living my dream life on 7 acres in the country. I love Jesus, my husband, three children, Daisy the Wonder Goat, and our chickens. I'd still love to someday have a miniature jersey milk cow.
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