Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:30
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Apr. 7, 2008

Dehydrating Strawberries

Posted in Recipes
We bought some strawberries this weekend.  They were big and beautiful, not to mention delicious!  We ate almost half the one basket on the way home, cut up the other half for pancakes last night and now I am dehydrating the rest.  I have been in search of dried strawberries for some time.  The dried fruits in the store are usually full of preservatives and I just want the natural fruit for granola and muffins. 

These turned out wonderfully! 


Now the question is, will my children stop eating the "strawberry chips" long enough for me to use them in something???  I am needing to make a trip to the local strawberry farm soon.  I cannot wait to dehydrate blueberries!!

Check out this website for more tips on dehydrating.

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Mar. 12, 2008

Macadamia Bars

Posted in Recipes
These bars are the best ever!  I found the recipe here.  Of course, I had to make a few changes to it.  I could say I made the changes to "health it up" a bit, but then I do not know that all the changes would be THAT healthy!  This is a bar that you do not want to miss!  For those who are allergic to nuts, I am really sorry.  I'll eat your piece!  Enjoy!



Macadamia Nut Bars
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

¾ cup butter
1 ½ cups Savannah Gold with Honey (can use light brown sugar)
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs beaten
2 cups fresh ground flour blend*
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts (unsalted if you can find it)
1 twelve ounce bag white chocolate chips
1 cup unsweetened coconut shredded
 
Melt ¾ cup butter and Savannah Gold on stove top.  When the butter is completely melted, remove from heat.  Add vanilla and beaten eggs.  Mix well.  Add flour blend and baking powder and stir well.  Stir in the nuts, chips and coconut.  Pour into a greased 9X13 pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.


*My ground flour blend is the following:  4 cups soft white, 1 cup millet and 1 cup oat groats.  Toss it all into your mill and grind it.  Be sure to stir up the flour before you use it.

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Feb. 18, 2008

7 Grain Bread Recipe

Posted in Recipes
I found this recipe and bought some 7 grain flaked cereal to try it out.  Of course, I had to make some changes.  Here is my recipe.  I am very pleased with the outcome!  Enjoy!


SEVEN GRAIN BREAD 

1 1/2 c. uncooked seven-grain cereal
2 c. boiling water
6 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. Savannah Gold with Molasses
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons yeast
1 c. warm water
6 c. whole wheat flour

Pour boiling water over seven-grain cereal; add butter, Savannah Gold and salt. Combine the yeast and warm water, when dissolved add to cereal mixture. Add eggs and 2 cups whole wheat flour, beat well. Continue to add in flour and knead to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Put in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled. Punch down and divide dough in half. Let rest 10 minutes. Shape into loaves; place in pans and let rise until nearly doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

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Jan. 26, 2008

Mission Complete!!!

Posted in Recipes
Well, I think I have done it.  As you know (or maybe you do not), I have been on a quest for the last year and a half to make the perfect yellow cake using fresh ground wheat.  Today, I have done it.  My Darling Daughter Number Two had her eleventh birthday today and requested a homemade cake (not one of those box ones).  That was fine except, I still had not perfected the soft yellow cake.  I had nice ones of the "pound cake" persuasion, but not light and fluffy.  I spent all week looking for the recipe.  There are a lot of great cake recipes out there, just none for a soft, fluffy yellow cake.

I found it!  It was from a cookbook I purchased when I bought my grain mill.  Christine Downs' cookbook "Cooking and Baking with Fresh Ground Flour" is a wonderful investment.  It has taught me pretty much everything I know about fresh ground wheat.  I found her recipe and doubtfully began following it.  I, of course, made some changes.  I am going to share my recipe because I have never made hers, but it was a great starting point. 


Just look at that beautiful sponge.  Keep in mind, this is the first "from scratch" sponge cake I have ever made!  I had to make another because it was not going to be enough cake.  I made the next into cupcakes and frosted them with chocolate frosting.

It makes my Grandmother laugh when I say this, but I think these beauties actually made me tear up a bit...

Key to this recipe, be sure to bring the eggs to room temperature.  Also, blending the Savannah Gold to powder makes a wonderfully smooth batter.  Do not forget, my typical cake flour blend is 3 parts soft white wheat to 1 part millet.  I threw (gently set) the grain in my mill and ground it as fine as I could.  Next, I sifted it through a fine sieve to take out the large pieces of bran.  That is what darkens the finished product and makes it heavier.  Trust me, this recipe is worth all the extra steps.


Sponge Cake

Adapted from Christine Down “Cooking and Baking with Fresh Ground Flour”
6 eggs at room temperature
¼ cup water
1 cup Savannah Gold with Honey, blended to powder
1 tablespoon vanilla or almond extract
1 ½ cup fresh ground flour (3:1 ratio of soft white and millet) sifted to remove large bran pieces
1 teaspoon cream of tarter

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • In mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks, water, Savannah Gold with Honey and extract for 5 to 7 minutes.  The mixture should be very thick and creamy with a soft yellow color.
  • Add flour and a pinch of salt and beat on low.
  • In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tarter until stiff.  Fold the egg white mixture into the flour batter.  Be sure the egg whites are completely stirred in, but to not over stir.  Pour the mixture into an ungreased tube pan and bake for 60 minutes or until firm and golden brown.  Cool the cake thoroughly before removing from the pan.

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Jan. 8, 2008

Yummy Shrimp Creole

Posted in Recipes
I am relatively new in the the seafood arena.  I have made shrimp scampi and baked tilapia sprinkled with garlic and parsley.  This is a second step into Creole.  I made a gumbo once before, but it left much to be desired!!  Yesterday, I decided to use up the cooked shrimp I had leftover from holiday parties (it was in the freezer).  I do not have any okra so gumbo was out of the question.  If you error in this recipe in any way...the best way is to add as much shrimp as you can!  It is truly worth it!!!  Here is the recipe I found and following is the recipe I followed (this serves a family of 7 twice):

Shrimp Creole
3 to 4 lbs medium-size fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined (I used pre-cooked shrimp, had to remove tails)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup  fresh ground flour
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper, ground
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice, vinegar, or orange juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
several dashes ground red pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
hot cooked rice  (See Recipe Below)

Combine oil and flour in a Dutch oven; cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture is golden colored. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Add onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic.

Cook, stirring often, 15 minutes or more until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes, the water, salt, black and red pepper, bay leaves, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If using pre-cooked shrimp, add shrimp during the last few minutes and let it warm up.  If adding raw shrimp, add shrimp and simmer for about 10 minutes more, or until the shrimp turn pink. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in parsley and serve over rice.

Creole Rice
3 cups brown rice
1 cup tomato sauce
5 cups water or chicken broth
1 teaspoon dry basil
dash ground red pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper 

Pour liquid and seasoning into sauce pan.  Bring to boil.  Add rice and bring to boil.  Then lower heat and let simmer for 40 minutes.  Add water if necessary.

This is wonderful the second day.  Sorry, again I did not get pictures.  I will try to do better!! 
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Dec. 15, 2007

Corn Casserole and Peppermint Bark

Posted in Recipes
Praise God, the Rain has come!!!  Just had to start my post with that!



My good friend gave me a recipe for corn casserole a long time ago.  This is a very quick and easy way to "dress up " corn.  It is also very yummy!  I could eat this as a main dish!!

Corn Casserole
1 family size bag of frozen corn
1 brick cream cheese
1 stick butter
1 can chopped green chilies

In a microwave save casserole combine corn cream cheese and butter.  Heat for 10 minutes, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes.  When all combined well, add green chilies and heat for another 3 minutes.  Stir well and serve warm.




I had my first taste of peppermint bark at a Christmas show this past November.  It was wonderful.  Most peppermint I have seen is made with white chocolate only.  I found this recipe online and love it!  I use Ghirardelli bittersweet and Ghirardelli white chocolate.

Peppermint Bark
12 oz. quality white chocolate, finely chopped
30 red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed (about 6 ounces)
12 oz. bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 Teaspoon peppermint extract

Yields 1-1/2 pounds
   1. Line the cookie sheet with a 12" length of foil.

   2. Combine bittersweet/semisweet chocolate, whipping cream, and peppermint extract in a bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water -- do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) until chocolate is melted and smooth. The chocolate will feel warm to touch. Remove from over water. Pour the chocolate onto the foil. Using the rubber spatula spread an even layer of chocolate over the foil.

   3. Sprinkle half of the crushed peppermints over the chocolate. Chill in the refrigerator until set, about 20 minutes.

   4. Remove the chocolate and peppermint from the refrigerator. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) until chocolate is melted and smooth. (The chocolate will feel warm to touch.) Remove from over water. Pour all of the white chocolate over the chilled chocolate and peppermints. Using the rubber spatula spread the white chocolate in even layer. Top with the remaining crushed peppermints. Refrigerate until very cold and firm, about 25 minutes.

   5. Once hardened, use your hands to break the bark into chunks. Allow bark to stand 15 minutes at room temperature before serving. (Note: This recipe can be made 2 weeks ahead and chilled in an airtight container.)

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I love being a wife and mother. There is no better job in the world! I have been blessed with so many wonderful opportunities and I want to share them!







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