There’s nothing like finding a steaming hot bowl of soup waiting on the table when you come in from the cold. The Indian-inspired flavors in our Curried Squash Soup will warm you up right down to your toes, and the aromatic spices will make your tastebuds tingle!
Read on for step-by-step instructions and special tips from the Chef!
Anyone can learn to make better butter!
There are two options in this article: making your own butter from scratch, or improving on the butter you buy. You may ask, why would I want to improve on the butter I buy? Great question!
REAL butter is a wonderful product! Years ago, they used to tell us it was bad for our health, but research has shown otherwise. Today, we know that REAL butter is actually a healthier fat than those manufactured products with chemicals and dyes and hydrogenated molecules that can potentially lead to cancer and heart disease.
Now that we know that REAL Butter is good for us, we can teach you how to make it better. This is a project that you can even enjoy with your kids. Basically, it involves creating a variety of flavored butters by adding ingredients like fruits, nuts, spices and herbs. The options are endless and entirely up to your imagination.
So here we go… Continue reading
Thanks to Ida Walker from The Enabling Cook for guest blogging with us this week! Ida is sprouting wheat berries and leads us through the process, step by step.
For many of us who bake our own breads, the next logical step is to grind our wheat into flour. And once we start grinding our own, it’s on to sprouting. Many of us sprout pea shoots, mung beans, radish greens and the like, but we may not have thought about sprouting wheat berries for our flour. Though I have to confess my motivation for trying many things do not revolve around health benefits. But if I can get some benefits, why not? Nutrients, like vitamin C, are added when wheat berries are sprouted. Some people who have difficulty with wheat find products made with sprouted grains more tolerable. According to some experts, whole wheat or partial whole wheat bread is fluffier when made with sprouted grains than all regular, whole wheat flour.
Turkey Hard Red Winter wheat berries in their overnight soak
You’ll want hard red or white wheat for bread.
Our four tray sprouter is economical and handy.
Rinse the berries well, and put them in your sprouting container of choice. No metal, please. You can buy special equipment called sprouters. Since I’m a canner, I always have wide-mouth jars on hand. So I bought a sprouting lid that fits most such jars. You don’t need a special lid, though. You can always cover the opening with a clean piece of nylon stocking or cheesecloth. Add the jar ring, and you’re set. If you don’t have canning jars, you can put the seeds in a colander set in a bowl. Be sure to cover it with a clean towel or cheesecloth. sprouting wheat berries
Once you have your container, add the wheat berries. Make sure to leave space for expansion. I filled the quart jar about 1/3 of the way. Then cover with filtered or spring water. The next day, drain your berries and fill the jar with clean water, to the shoulders of the jar (if using). Because the water will be draining, you don’t need to use filtered water. Unless your tap water is suspect, it’ll do just fine. sprouting wheat berries
Drain the berries and rinse. If you’re using a colander, cover the berries and set over the bowl. If you’re using a jar, pour enough water into the jar to cover the berries by about 2 inches. Put on a lid and slosh (technical term) back and forth a couple of times. Set up the jar so it’s at an angle, which will let the water drain. I usually set mine in the sink, but since it was otherwise occupied, I put it in a large bowl. You’ll need to shake the jar a bit so more of the berries are exposed. Make sure they don’t block lid. Drain and refill 3 or 4 times each day; if you’re using a colander, you may need to do so more often. Your goal is to prevent the berries from drying out and to expose as much surface area as possible. sprouting wheat berries
Sprouting complete
So when are they ready? They’re ready when the tails are still short, about 1/8 of an inch. If you’re using them for salads, etc., they can be longer. But if you’re planning on using the seeds for flour, keep them short. You’ll get more flour if you do not let the tails grow longer. How long does it take? It depends. This time it only took a couple days. In the winter, it takes longer, but then I have a really cold kitchen. sprouting wheat berries
If you’re going to use these sprouted berries for flour, the next step is drying. This can be done in a 150-degree oven or in a dehydrator. I used the latter at 95 degrees. It took about 2 hours at that temp, and I had the trays full of berries. sprouting wheat berries
Sprouting wheat berries, then making flour!
Once the berries are dry, there are 2 options. You can put them in an airtight container and freeze them for later grinding. Or, if you’re like me and figure you’ve waited long enough, grind away! Use your grinding implement of choice. If you’re using an electric mill or blender, the berries will get heated in the process. Many, including me, put the berries in the freezer for a while before grinding.
How much flour will you get from your berries? The amount of flour your berries will provide depends on how finely you grind them. From 606 grams of berries, I got 600 grams of flour. Not a bad return! Store any newly milled flour in a bag or airtight container in the freezer. I use a vacuum sealer. sprouting wheat berries
This process was fun. Seriously. The hardest part was waiting for the seeds to sprout. It’s worth the wait, however, as I have organic sprouted flour for my bread.
Thank you again, Ida! Please be sure to visit Ida at The Enabling Cook. You’ll love her website, recipes and tips.
Exclusive offer for our customers! The Nesco Snackmaster Dehydrator & Jerky Maker Kit
I’m so excited about our new products I wanted to tell you about this one here, not just in the newsletter as usual. I have 100 pounds of pastured beef ordered and am expecting delivery any day now. I’ll be making jerky from some of the ground and at least one roast. I thought I’d share some of my favorite recipes along with this new product announcement.
This exclusive package deal includes the Nesco FD-80 Dehydrator. It comes with four trays, and we’re adding another four for a total of eight trays! The kit also includes screens and sheets, a jerky gun, spices, and a how-to book. Nesco Snackmaster Dehydrator
This square dehydrator features an innovative design with 700 watts of drying power that generates maximum speed and quality for dehydrating fruits, vegetables, beef jerky, and venison jerky. I’m sure you can make turkey jerky, too! The top mounted fan eliminates liquids dripping into the heating chamber! Nesco Snackmaster Dehydrator
FD-80HW includes the following upgrades and additions:
I use this marinade on my beef strips. You can use a tougher cut of meat thanks to the tenderizing properties of the pineapple juice.
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
Combine all ingredients in two quart pan. Warm over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool. Pour the marinade in a 9 x 13″ pan. Lay 1/4″ strips of beef, deer, moose or other large game in the marinade and allow to sit in the refrigerator at least overnight. Pat the meat dry. Follow the dehydrator’s instructions.
Enjoy!
Asparagus and eggs are trying to take over the kitchen. I was out bright and early this morning, before sunrise, to see why the roosters were crowing louder and longer than usual. Whatever it was, it wasn’t in the hen house when I walked in. I picked up the first duck eggs of the day and snapped enough asparagus for a breakfast quiche. I made the quiche and while it baked, called a friend. “Happy Monday! Your breakfast is in the oven. Stop in on the way to work and it will be ready to take with you.”
Asparagus, two duck eggs and a chicken egg
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Rhubarb is a perennial that lasts for decades. One young plant will grow, spread out, and need to be divided about every third year for best growth. It’s a great perennial to share with friends. It’s one of the first vegetables to produce in the spring and always a welcome sight.
This recipe was my grandmother’s. She would be in her 90’s were she still alive. It’s tried and true, simple as can be, and versatile.
Simmer water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. This is known as a simple syrup. Cut rhubarb into 1/2″ pieces and add to the syrup. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring a few times. The sauce is done when the rhubarb is breaking down. Add cinnamon or nutmeg after removing the sauce from heat. Rhubarb is low in pectin so you might want to cut down to 1/4 cup water after the first batch, or add a tablespoon of pectin according to the directions.
Simple Rhubarb Sauce can be served on warm biscuits, ice cream, Angle Food cake and many other ways. It cans well and if you put up enough, you’ll be able to enjoy it over the winter. While rhubarb is a spring treat, it’s hardy enough for a winter dessert.
We’re linking up with Maple Hill 101‘s blog hop. Join us!