From the Home

     I realized after commiting to this, From the Home piece that I would be revealing who I am on a personal level.  You are about to discover that I have an inner pioneer, and an absolute fascination for doing things the old fashioned way.  I love making home made bread, jam, and jellies, root beer & ginger ale.  I love to make Maple syrup from my very own Sugar Maple trees (and occasionally those of a few neighbors).  I love to knit and crochet and learn old crafts that have gone out of fashion.  I also love to garden. There is just nothing better than tomatoes you canned yourself, or frozen strawberries from your own organic garden.

     I am by no means an expert on anything, but rather have a love affair with everything.  So, I hope to share with you some of these things and to also make you aware of resources that I tap into. My hope is that you might enjoy these things as well.

     Making your own Whole Wheat Flour

     I've always wanted to make my family homemade whole wheat bread, but everytime I purchased WW flour at the grocery store the taste was just unbearable and maybe even a little rancid.  Then, one day I overheard someone mention that they made their own flour.  I was on a mission.

     Making your own flour is so simple that you will wonder why you hadn't done it all along.  First, you need to buy whole wheat.  You can buy this at any health food store that sells food.  I have a Mennonite Store near me that I go to.  I buy, Montana Prairie Gold, Hard White Spring Wheat.

     I am blessed to own a Vita Mixer (a gift from my mother in law) which has a grain milling cutter, but you can also use a regular blender (that is what I used when I first started). 

     In the Vita Mixer using the dry ingredients attachment you simply add the wheat and turn the mixer on high for 2 minutes.  With a regular mixer you do the same, but then I recommend that you pour the flour out into a bowl, let it dry and cool for a few minutes, and then put it in the blender again for about 1 minute.

     You will notice that the flour is warm and a little courser than what you are used to, and you will need to add a little more water to your recipe.

     Do not be limited by wheat as you can make corn meal, rye flour and more using the same techinique.  I often use the process for corn and when my children were little their favoriote was popcorn bread.  For this I would use corn that they associated with popcorn and mill it a short while so that it was not so fine.  It actuall had bits of corn in it.

     I also use half WW with half white flour in recipes.  Most recipes seem to need the extra glutten in the white flour.

Recommended Reading

     My most recent bread making read: Artisan Breads in Five Minutes a Day , The Discovery that Revolutionizes Home Baking, by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.  In this awesome book is a new way of making homemade bread that does not use any kneeding.  I highly recommend it.  They also have a new book, Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, on how to make healthy breads with the same technique.  I am practicing the technique of the original book and then will move on to the healthy breads version when I have a good grasp of how the bread feels and how it looks done properly.

     Don't hesitate to buy the book used, as I always do and find them in perfect condition.

Scripture of the Day

But He answered and said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." 

Matthew 4:4