BANANA BREAD: Banana Bread In A Jar

2-2/3 c. white sugar
3-1/2 c. white flour
2/3 c. veg. shortening
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
4 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 c. buttermilk
2 tsp. baking soda
2c. mashed ripe bananas
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt

Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs-mix well. Add buttermilk and vanilla-mix well. place dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add creamed ingredients to the dry and mix. Stir in bananas. Prepare seven one-pint wide-mouth canning jars with vegetable shortening. Place one cup of batter in each jar.( do not use more than one cup or batter will overflow and jar will not seal) Place jars evenly spaced on a cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Working quickly, wipe rim, place lid and ring on jar and secure. Jars will seal quickly. Repeat with remaining jars. When ready to serve, bread will side out. A properly sealed quick bread will stay fresh for one year.

To 1 pound soaked & cooked beans - add 1 envelope Sazon (sason) seasoning ( sold at some supermarkets - it’s a Caribbean dry seasoning), a small can of tomato sauce ( any will work) 1 tablespoon Sofrito ( a wet herb mixture or make your own recipe follows) and there you have basic Puerto Rican Beans to go with rice. Sofrito is a great mixture to have on hand in the fridge - does anyone know if this could be canned?

A quick word about the peppers used in soft, apices ( ah hee says - is the way my Mother in Law taught me to say it) are not hot! they are a small softer pepper with a wonderful earthly taste and a bit more "bite" than a sweet green pepper, never use hot peppers in this as it can really burn your mouth. And I had it explained to me by my in laws "adding heat to the food is done by the person eating it" that's one of the differences between Tex-Mex ( we love it as a change) and Puerto Rican cooking, Equal weight of each - fresh cilantro, ajices ( or hajicito ) peppers (ah-HEE-says - is the way my Mother in Law taught me to say it) green peppers garlic and onion. Coarse chop all of the above and put in a food processor (or add water and puree in a blender - you will need to use more as it will be weaker but it works the same) I put my Sofrito in freezer tubs and freeze. Thaw in fridge before using it and it will keep about 2 weeks in fridge.

AND FAMOUS LOUISIANA BEANS

Instead of pinto beans use red pinto beans and Add 1 tablespoon of roux ( you can find powdered instant roux now days), some Tony's Chachere's Creole Seasoning, some tasso and sausage and you've got our famous "Louisiana Red Beans and Rice"!:

BREAD: Bread & Flour

--Sam's Club sells 25 lb. containers of baker's flour in heavy paper bags for about $4.50. This amounts to 18 cents a pound or 18 cents a loaf for theflour. Shelf life is shorter under these packaging conditions though. You can store white flour in a galvanized garbage can with bay leaves in it to discourage the 6-legged brethren 'n sistren. <g> You may also want to consider adding some soy flour to your bread and instant nonfat dried milk. By doing this you are providing a protein/carbo complete meal! Especially with little kids this is so important. I've begun baking this "Cornell" Bread and we are eating this exclusively for two weeks now. I have six kids (2-15) and they all love it. The aroma is incredible. French toast is yummy!! I also am adding wheat germ or a proportion of whole wheat flour.

Here is the recipe.

Place in a large mixing bowl and let stand:

3 cups of warm water
2 pkges or 2 Tbs. of active dry yeast
2 Tbs. honey
2 Tbs. oil
3 tsp. sea salt

In separate container ( I use a big Tupperware, measure then shake!)
6 cups unbleached flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup full-fat soy flour
1 cup non-fat dry milk

Stir the liquids and add 1/2 to 3/4 of flour mixture. Beat vigorously. Add remaining flour. Work with hands till its ready to knead. Knead for 5 minutes or so. Place in an oiled bowl and rub little oil on top. Let rise in a warm place till double in size (1-3 hours - test by seeing if fingerprint remains in dough). Punch down, fold over edges, turn upsidedown to rise for another 20-30 min. (test again). Turn onto board, divide into 3 portions. Let rest 10 minutes. Make 3 loaves. Place in oiled pans. (81/2 x 41/2 x 21/2). Let rise till double (45 min). Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Check doneness by tapping bottom of loaf - if it sounds hollow its done.

Now....about the Dutch Oven baking.

This recipe will work in two 12" ovens. Just form into two round loaves and place in greased oven for final rising. When it "ALMOST" doubles its time to bake. Bake with both top and bottom heat for 2/3's of the time and finish with only top heat. So for 350 degrees that's 17 coals on the top and 8 on the bottom. Since it takes about 45 minutes, after 30 minute take oven off bottom heat and continue with only top heat. Rotate oven every 15 min 1/4 turn for that first 30 minutes and for the final 15 minutes check to see if bread is evenly browning. Adjust coal position accordingly.

For more detailed info and recipes there are two books I'm using for help.

The Cornell Bread Book (I got this from Lehmans) by Clive M. McCay and JeanetteB. McCay

Lovin' Dutch Ovens by Joan Larsen.
I got this book from Chuckwagon Supply (along with my ovens)
http://chuckwagonsupply.com/

For the outdoor brickoven plans see:
http://shell10.ba.best.com/~ovncraft/
Also The Bread Book by Thom Leonard

Both The Bread Book and The Cornell Bread Book can be gotten from Lehmans. Lehmans 330-857-5757.

CAKE: Canning Cakes!

Applesauce Cake in Jars Yield: 1 Servings

2/3 c Shortening
2 2/3 c Granulated sugar
4 ea Large eggs
2 c Applesauce
2/3 c Water
3 1/3 c All-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
2 tsp. Baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Ground cinnamon
2 tsp. Ground cloves
2/3 c Nuts; chopped, optional

Sterilize 8 (12 oz Ball Quilted Crystal - #14400-81400) canning jars, lids and rings by boiling for 10 minutes. Remove the jars and allow to = air-dry and cool. Leave the lids and rings in the hot water until ready to use.

Once the jars are cool enough to handle, grease them (use a pastry = brush) with shortening (DO NOT use Pam or Baker's Secret); set aside. Cream together the shortening and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, = until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the applesauce and water; set aside.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Blend dry ingredients into the applesauce mixture. Fold in the nuts. Pour batter into the jars, filling them about 1/2 full. Place jars onto a cookie sheet or they'll fall over. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until a pick inserted deep into the center of each cake comes out clean. Remove jars from the oven, one-at-a-time (use HEAVY-DUTY MITTS, the jars ARE HOT!); place a lid, then a ring on top and screw down tightly. Place jars onto your counter top to cool. You'll know when the jars have sealed, you'll hear a "plinking" sound. If you missed the sound, test them by pressing down on the lids once the jars have cooled--they shouldn't = move at all. Store jars in a cool, dry place. They should keep for about a year. I've only been able to keep them for a few weeks, they don't last that long around here. They're wonderful for last minute gifts, especially for single friends.

Gingerbread Baked in Jars

Yield: 5 Servings
2 1/4 c Flour (all-purpose)
3/4 c Sugar
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Ginger (ground)
1 tsp. Cinnamon (ground)
1/2 tsp. Cloves (ground)
3/4 c Margarine (softened)
3/4 c Water
1/2 c Molasses

Preheat oven to 325-degrees (NO higher). Sterilize 5 (12 oz) Ball Quilted Crystal (#14400-81400) jam/jelly = canning jars, lids and rings by boiling them for 15 minutes. Remove the jars from water and allow to air-dry on your counter top; leave the lidsand rings in the hot water until you're ready to use them.

Once the jars are cool enough to handle, use a pastry brush to grease = them with shortening (DO NOT use butter, margarine, PAM or Baker's Secret); set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Stir in margarine, water and molasses until well blended. Divide batter among the 5 jars (they should be about 1/2 full). Place jars onto a cookie sheet or they'll tip over.

Bake in preheated 325-degree oven for 35 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Move the jars around in the oven = while they're baking, so they'll bake evenly. Have your HOT lids ready. Using HEAVY-DUTY MITTS (the jars ARE HOT!) = Take one jar at a time from the oven and place a lid on, then the ring. = Tightly screw on lids--do it FAST because the lid gets REAL hot! Allow jars to cool on your countertop.

Once the jars are cool, decorate with round pieces of cloth. Unscrew the ring (the lid should be sealed by now) and place a few cotton balls or a wad of batting on top of the lid (makes it poof-y on top), then a piece = of cloth (about 3" larger than the lid) on top and screw the ring back on.

Decorate as desired. I used pinking shears to cut the cloth rounds out, otherwise some material will start to unravel. --glue on dried flowers, bows, ribbons, etc....

Apple Cake in a Jar

Yield: 1 Servings
2/3 c Shortening
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
2 2/3 c Sugar
3 c Flour
4 ea Eggs
2/3 c Water
1 tsp. Cinnamon
3 c Apples; grated
2 tsp. Baking soda
2/3 c Raisins
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
2/3 c Chopped nuts

Mix the ingredients together in the order given. sterilize 7 to 9 wide = mouth pint jars and lids. Grease them with shortening. Fill the jars half full and bake on the middle wire rack in the = oven.

Bake for 45 minutes at 325 degrees. as soon as the cake is done, remove the bottles from the oven one at a time. Wipe the rim of the bottle clean with cloth and put on the hot sterilized Lids. Screw down the bands and let cool.

Important-- do not use small mouth jars. do not add any other = ingredients.

As the cake cools in the sealed jar, it will pull away from the sides of the jar and come out easily when ready to serve. Slice and serve with lemon sauce.

LEMON SAUCE

2 Tbs.. cornstarch
2 Tbs.. butter
1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 tsp. Finely grated lemon rind
pinch of salt
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 cup boiling water in a pan, thoroughly stir together the corn starch, sugar, and salt.

Gradually stir in the boiling water, stirring constantly to keep it = smooth. Continue stirring and cook over moderate heat until boiling. Boil gently for 20 minutes. remove from heat, add butter, lemon rind and = juice. Stir thoroughly. Serve hot over apple cake in a jar. Makes about 1 1/4 cups. This sauce is thicker and more tart than the usual lemon sauce.

Cake in a Jar 1 Servings

ANY quick bread-type cake can be baked in canning jars. I usually bake one jar first -- you have to know how high the batter rises. I usually fill ONE jar 1/2 full then bake it to see how high it rises, then go from there. You don't want the cake to come out of the = top of the jar, only to within 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the lip of the jar. = Write it down on your recipe (how far you filled the jars)! Once you've established how high the cake rises, you can go from there. The first time is tricky because you won't know how many jars you'll need. MOST of the recipes I've tried I end up using around 8. Sterilize as many jars as = you think you'll need and go from there. Make sure your LIDS are new, the = rings don't have to be As the jars do seal, the cakes are as moist as the day you put them into the jars--sometimes MORESO.

The baking times will vary -- the moistness of each cake recipe will determine the time. MOST of the recipes I've tried bake in 35-40 = minutes.

Start checking the cakes at 25- 30 minutes and go from there. YES, the cakes DO slide easily out of the jars IF you use the jars I've listed. They're Ball 12-oz Quilted Crystal Canning Jars (#14400-81400). They can be found at most grocery stores next to the pectin and other canning supplies. Also, I've seen the 12 oz straight-sided (plain) jars (# ?) at Smart & Final. The plain jars work fine too but they're not as pretty and you have to make your own labels--the jars I use come with decorative labels.

One IMPORTANT tip--get your jars NOW! Once summer's over with they're = very hard to find. Also, when you can, ask for the jars back, they're NOT cheap. Most folks don't mind returning them though, they usually want refills! <G>

There will be a little condensation on the lids and some in the jars so when you seal them it's trapped inside. Don't worry about getting the = water off of the lids before placing them onto the jars, the added moisture doesn't hurt the cakes in the slightest. Quick bread-type cakes work = best, I've found that lighter cakes tend to fall when the jars seal.

I'm trying to address every question that's been asked of me before, I = hope I've done that. If I've missed anything or if anyone has any questions, don't hesitate to ask. These make WONDERFUL gifts and you can start NOW! Single friends really appreciate these because each jar = makes enough for one or two people. I'll post the recipes I've made in my next notes. Try them, they're FUN and delicious to boot! Be right back = with a few more tips...

Several folks have asked me how long the cakes can be safely = stored...I'm not sure. The longest I've been able to keep them (without getting eaten) is 6 months. The jars DO seal, like any canned good. No need to refrigerate the jars, just keep them in a COOL, dark, dry place. I've only had 6 jars go bad on me: my fault...I put them in a cupboard that got too hot and the seals broke. I now check the jars at least once a week by pushing down on the lid (in the middle); if the lid moves up and down, that means the seal has broken. If you've checked the jars frequently, they're safe to eat; otherwise, toss the cake. I've been = making cakes in canning jars for over 3 years and haven't poisoned anyone.

If you give the jars away, be sure to tell the person to check the jar periodically (if they plan on storing it for any length of time).

Not only are the cakes tasty, they're very pretty to decorate. You can = glue on dried flowers, ribbons, dough-art ...you name it, it can be glued = onto the lid, ring and side of the jar. I usually cut out a piece of cloth (about 3 inches larger in circumference than = the lid), using pinking shears (so the cloth doesn't unravel), place a wad of cotton or batting in the center of the lid (take the ring off -- the jar lid should be sealed by now), then place the piece of cloth on top and = replace the ring. Decorate to your heart's desire!

There are probably a few more tips I've forgotten...if anyone has any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Don't limit yourself to the recipes = I've given you...ANY quick-bread type cake can be baked in canning jars. = Lighter cakes tend to fall once the jar seals.

Pumpkin Spice Cake in Jars Yield: 8 Servings

1 c SEEDLESS RAISINS
1 c WALNUTS
2 c ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
2 tsp. BAKING SODA
1/4 tsp. BAKING POWDER
1/2 tsp. SALT
2 tsp. GROUND CLOVES
2 tsp. GROUND CINNAMON
1 tsp. GROUND GINGER
4 EGGS
2 c GRANULATED SUGAR
1 c SALAD OIL
16 oz Canned PUMPKIN

Preheat oven to 325-degrees.

Sterilize 8 (12 oz) Ball Quilted Crystal Canning Jars (14400-81400), = lids and rings by boiling them for 10 minutes. Leave the lids and rings in the hot water until you're ready to use them; remove jars and allow the jars to air-dry and cool. Prepare batter in the meantime. Using a pastry brush, brush the inside of the cooled jars with shortening (DO NOT use Pam or Baker's Secret); set aside.

Coarsely chop the raisins and walnuts; set aside. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, cinnamon and ginger in a large bowl. Add raisins and walnuts; toss to lightly combine.

In another large bowl, beat eggs at high speed until thick and yellow = (2-3 minutes). Gradually beat in the sugar until thick and light. At low = speed, beat in the oil and pumpkin; blend well. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until well blended.

Divide among the 8 canning jars (should be slightly less than 1/2 full. Wipe the sides of the jar off (inside/ outside) in case you slop or = it'll burn. Place jars onto a cookie sheet or they'll tip over. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center of each jar comes out clean.

Have your lids and rings ready. Take one jar at a time from the oven; place a lid and ring on and screw down tightly. Use HEAVY-DUTY mitts--the jars are HOT! Place the jars onto your counter top too cool. You'll know when they've sealed, you'll hear a "plinking sound".

CAKE: More Cake-In-Jar Canning Recipes

The web-site is http://realfood.hypermart.net

Woooo! Going out to the flea market to buy up all the straight-sided canning jars right now!

FASTING (EZEKIEL) BREAD

"Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them together ...and make them into bread for yourself." Ezekiel 4:9 Ezekiel Fasting Bread #1

1. Combine the following whole grains:

2 1/2 cups hard red wheat
1 1/2 cups spelt or rye
1/2 cup barley (hulled barley)
1/2 cup millet
1/2 cup green lentils
2 Tablespoons great northern beans
2 Tablespoons red kidney beans
2 Tablespoons pinto beans

Stir the above ingredients very well, then grind in grain mill. Use in place of 7 cups of flour in your favorite bread recipe.

Ezekiel Fasting Bread #2

1. Grind the above grain combination. Set aside.

2. Measure the following into a large bowl:

4 cups lukewarm water
1 cup honey
1/4 cup oil
2 Tablespoons yeast

Set aside for 3-5 minutes to allow yeast to grow.

3. Add to yeast mixture: 2 teaspoons salt Fresh milled flour (about 9 cups) from above mixture of grains

4. Stir or knead until well kneaded. This is a batter type bread and will not form into a smooth ball.

5. Pour dough into 2 large loaf pans (10x5x3), or 3 medium loaf pans, or 2 9x13 brownie pans.

6. Let rise in a warm place about an hour, or until the dough is almost to the top of the pan. If it rises too much, it will overflow the pan while baking.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes for loaf pans, and 35-40 minutes for brownie pans.

NOTE: The flour from step one can also be used in any basic bread recipe ...................

Ezekiel Fasting Bread #3

1. Sprout grain by placing 1 cup whole wheat (or spelt) grain in two cups water and allow to soak overnight. In the morning, drain the water and save (in the fridge) for use in the bread recipe. Allow the grain to sprout for one day (keeping well drained but damp and watering twice) until it's about 1/16" to 1/8" long.

2. On baking day, dissolve yeast with honey in water and let stand 5-10 minutes until it bubbles up:

1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 Tablespoons active dry yeast

3. Blend together in blender until sprouts are well pulverized:

2 cups hot water (water from soaking the grain may be used)
2 cups moist wheat (or spelt) sprouts

4. Blend together in mixing bowl:

Pulverized sprouts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vitamin C crystals, or 500mg Vitamin C tablet, crushed (aids in rising)
2 teaspoons salt

5. Blend flours together in separate bowl; add half to the moist ingredients:

1 1/2 cups barley flour
1/2 cup lentil flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup soy flour, toasted
3 cups whole wheat flour (or 3 - 3 1/2 cups spelt flour)

6. Blend in proofed yeast (from step two) and remaining flour.

7. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding 1/2 cup or more whole wheat or spelt flour.

8. Divide dough, shape, and place in greased pans.

9. Let rise in a warm place until doubled. (You may brush with water and sprinkle with sesame seeds before baking, if desired).

10. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until done.

HOE CAKES

(You can also use ground popcorn)

IN honor of freshly ground dried corn, a Y2k recipe:

1-1/2 cups cornmeal
3 tablespoons self-rising flour (or 3 tablespoons regular flour and a half teaspoon of baking powder) 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
hot water
oil

Combine the salt, flour, and cornmeal in a bowl, add enough hot water to make a batter. Pour a little oil on the griddle. When it sizzles, add half the batter. Allow the cake to brown on one side. then flip to the other side (adding a little more oil first. An easy way to flip the cake is to put a plate on top of it, then lift the griddle and turn it upside down, holding the plate with the other hand. Slide the hoe cake, uncooked side down, back onto the re-oiled griddle. When done, repeat with the other half of the batter.

Traditionally, you're not supposed to cut this, rather, just break it off in pieces. Best cooked on a cast iron griddle that is quite black from use.

JELLY: Corn Cob Jelly

This jelly is very similar in flavor and color to apple jelly, with a honey overtone. During the depression...families might sell their apples, if they had any, and since corncobs were plentiful, after the kernels were used...this recipe was developed. No waste!!!

12 sweet corn cobs 4 c. water 4 c. sugar l box fruit pectin

Bring water with cobs, to a boil; boil for l0 mins. Measure 3 c. liquid & strain through a cheesecloth. Put strained fluid into a large saucepan, add pectin. Bring to rolling boil. Add sugar; bring mixture back to a boil. Simmer for 3 mins., then skim. Add food coloring, if desired. Pour into scalded jars & seal. Jelly will be clear & taste like apple-honey.

PASTA: Odd Grains/Make Noodles

Here is my recipe for Noodles...

4 med eggs 4 half eggshells water 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt flour (can be white, wheat, amaranth, spelt, triticale, rice, bean, etc.)

Mix eggs, water, baking powder and salt thoroughly. Add enough flour to form stiff dough. (I'm not saying how much flour, because different flours have different absorbency and will require different amounts. Just add til it "feels" like a stiff dough.) Roll out thin and cut into strips. Let dry. Drop into boiling chicken, ham, or beef broth. Stir lightly. Then cover and boil, without stirring, until tender (approx.. 10 minutes).

PASTA: Pasta FAQs And Recipes

1. Tips on forming the dough
2. Tips on cooking the noodles
3. Tips on drying noodles
4. Tips on storage
5. "Is it time-consuming? Is it worth doing yourself?"
6. "EGGS!!!! YIKES!!!! What about cholesterol???"
7. "What kind of machine do you have?"
8. "Please, please!!! Just a few recipes!!" Black Pepper, Herb, Orange Zest, Lemon and Grain-free pasta recipes

1. Tips on forming the dough: a. I find it helps if I wet my palms with cold water and form the dough mixture into balls.

b. You may need to adjust the liquid to get the right consistency of the dough. It should be firm and not sticky.

c. When adding liquids, start with half of the listed measure. Add additional water, one tablespoonful at a time until dough is at a workable consistency. You may have to do a trial run with your pasta machine to see if it is OK. Err on the too dry side - too wet will be sticky-icky!!!!! You can always add a drop or two more to get the dough "just right". Amount of water depends on the relative humidity and temperature in your kitchen.

2. Tips on cooking the noodles: a. Cook in wide pot, thus allowing lots of room to expand.

b. Use boiling water - a good rolling boil! You want the noodles to cook quickly.

c. Keep in mind that fresh pasta cooks very quickly. You drop it in boiling water, wait for it to re-boil, and set a timer for no longer than 3 minutes. Then test for doneness.

d. The pasta that I will save for later I allow to dry pretty thoroughly on the rack after cutting. After a few hours drying time you can place it in a Ziploc freezer bag and throw into the freezer. Do not thaw before cooking, just throw frozen pasta into boiling water. Again, check for doneness after about 3 minutes.

3. Tips on drying the noodles. a. If you don't have a pasta drying rack, use a folding laundry one. The little pasta racks aren't big enough anyway! :) I use a mix (half and half) of whole wheat and unbleached white flour, but my sister has used all whole wheat pastry flour and the noodles turned out fine.

b. Once you have pressed out your noodles, gently transfer them to a drying rack. Separate them without stretching them or they will get "tough".

c. I most times now, lay a clean towel on the dining room table and place the long sheets of pasta over them as I roll out the whole batch, then I go back and start cutting the ones that I laid down first, (they are slightly drier now) and then place the cut noodles in mounds back on those towels on the DR table until I¹m ready to either cook or bag for freezing. I don¹t like the spindle drying rack either, it holds about 1 serving of pasta and I make BATCHES :-) I have used the backs of chairs, and I have used the wooden laundry racks, and I MUCH prefer the towels on the dining room table. I have had too many beautiful long sheets and soft fresh made pasta ended up on the floor because they stretched and broke on the rack or chair...so now I play it safe!

4. Tips on storage. a. I let the noodles air dry slightly before placing them in a Ziploc baggie and in the freezer, you know I¹m not sure how long they last...a good while I believe...at our house, we eat pasta so often, it doesn¹t last more than 1 week!! Usually, recipes say to refrigerate the fresh pasta and use within 3 days or freeze and use within 3 months.

b. I usually make 2-4 batches of pasta when I make it since we eat so much of it. I set the rolled or extruded pasta out to air dry a bit, until just dry but not brittle, then I place it in a clean gallon Ziploc baggie and pop it in the freezer. To use frozen pasta...do not thaw...just drop the frozen pasta into boiling water or stock...stir a minute to break up any clumps and cook as usual. It takes a minute or two longer when it¹s frozen. TEST FREQUENTLY!

5. "Is it time-consuming? Is it worth doing yourself?" a. It takes me about 10 minutes to mix and knead my pasta dough in the Bosch. Then I wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes (I skip this step if I'm in a hurry) to help the dough roll out better. Sometimes I'll make pasta dough in the morning and refrigerate it until the afternoon when I'm ready to roll it out. The rolling and cutting goes very quickly with the Atlas, the rest of the time depends on whether I let the pasta dry some. Drying is optional, but if your noodles are sticking together it will help them not to stick to each other while cooking. The actual cooking takes only about 3 minutes for fresh pasta. I like to make a double or triple batch of pasta, let the extra dry a bit, then bag and freeze it for a quick, healthy meal on another day. The frozen pasta can be plopped straight into boiling water. Easy!

b. When I made pasta, I remember it being somewhat time-consuming, and definitely not an activity I wanted to try with little ones under foot. Now that my kids are older, I let them help me. They can make the balls of dough to drop in the extruder. They can also take the extruded noodles and spread them to dry. (NOTE: LOTS of "sampling" happens!" :D) I like to make them and serve sautéed fresh veggies over them in the summer. A great no-heat kitchen recipe for those hot, hot summers. I don't mean to make it sound like an ordeal to make your own pasta. You just have to get with it and DO it, and my time in the kitchen these days seems to get interrupted a lot (or my big cooking schemes are occurring after the kids are in bed...)

c. Pasta is a time-consuming process, and sometimes it seems like you'll never get done with the dough - BUT - if you make it, is it’s cheaper. It has healthier ingredients. You can use whole eggs, egg whites only or egg substitutes. There are no preservatives or "dough stabilizers" in it...

d. I like the texture of fresh ground Kamut but we like the Durum too. Was the durum flour ground it fine enough? Remember also, whole grain flours are not like refined flours and you'll need to work the dough a bit to get a satiny feel. Yes, more liquid might make it softer and easier to roll. Yes, I can't roll my dough think enough with just my strength, that's why I got the Atlas roller and it rolls them beautifully. yes, it really does get faster the more you do it. What I do is divide up the parts like this: Early in the morning or the night before I want pasta, I make up the dough in the Bosch, kneading it until smooth. I dust it with flour and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in fridge. Later I take it out, let come to room temp, divide in 4ths, dust again with flour and roll out into wide, long sheets. I lay these on the dining room table on a clean towel until all are rolled out. Then I start w/ the first I rolled and place the long sheets in the cutter. This is really the time consuming part, but only takes me about 20-30 per batch. I then leave the cut noodles on my kitchen table, dust w/ flour to keep from sticking and don't bother with it again until later when I boil the water and throw them in!!!

6. "EGGS!!!! YIKES!!!! What about cholesterol???" a. if you have a "cholesterol-conscious" family member, you can use egg whites or the powdered egg whites you can find in the grocery store. However, since two whole eggs makes a LOT of noodles, it isn't really that much cholesterol per serving when you come down to it, (unless of course you eat the whole recipe yourself <VBG>!!!) b. You can control whether or not you use whole eggs or egg whites. c. I tried making them with the flax seed egg substitute and they turned out pretty well (a little grainy, though.)

7. "What kind of machine do you have?" a. I have an attachment that goes on my Kitchen Aid large stand mixer. The pasta attachment is a separate purchase. It actually came with the grinder attachment in a Kitchen Aid accessories kit. I think if was purchased from one of those kitchen stores like you see in the malls. If you get on the right mailing lists <VBG> you may see it in catalogues, too.

b. My daughter saw Mr. Rogers (on TV) make noodles using an Atlas when she was 3 1/2 (she's now almost 10). She decided right then she had to have one! To her, it was like playdough fun factory, with a product you're supposed to eat! :-) For her fourth birthday grandma came through with her pasta roller (only it is a Pasta Queen, not an Atlas). She loved it - and so do I!

c. We tried something new the last time we made noodles - we dried them in our food dehydrator. They dried very quickly, dust free, toddler-free, without taking up a lot of space. We made noodles in the eve., went to bed, and they were ready to put in the jar in the morning. Eggs noodles will be fresh for about a month that way.

d. Pasta machines: I like my Atlas hand crank and for the price of about $35.00, you can't beat it. It does *only* roll out flat noodles, but it is sturdy and I have had mine for more than 12 years. I have trouble with my joints and muscles so I cannot crank it very often, but my children can do this for me. You also can do flat spaghetti, ravioli and lasagna with it.

e. As far an a pasta extruder, I have a Cuisinart DPM -3. It is actually made by Simac, a very good name. It retails in the Chef's Catalogue for $299.00 (I think) I bought the extra die set as well for an additional $25.00. It makes spaghetti (round not flat) small tube macaroni, larger tube ribbed ziti, breadsticks, gnocchi, shells and some more. It does NOT make the rotini (twists) I wish it did :-(. The reason I bought it is because as I was researching extruders, I found that even though some other machines' ads said they could handle semolina or whole grain pasta, when I spoke to customers who used those machines, and in some cases the companies themselves, I was told that those machines would not hold up and each had high repair rates especially with dies, and housing. The dies were all plastic, except the Cuisinart which has brass reinforcing the plastic. Another reason, the other machines advertised 1 and 1/2 pound capacity, so I thought "Great". But when I looked further, I found the 1 1/2 pound batches were only using white flour, the whole grains were *twice* as heavy therefore, the machine could only handle 3/4 pound per batch. For our big family, that meant a lot of batches. The Cuisinart advertises 3 pound capacity, again that is for white flour, so with my 100% Kamut or Durum, I make 1 1/2 pounds at a time, which is perfect for us. If the reason you want to make pasta is for whole grains, I'd use the Atlas or the Cuisinart. For the $$, I found them to be the best buys for what I wanted.

f. The Simac MX700 is a good machine. The capacity is only the 1 1/2 pounds. It's fine for my small family (only 5.) Keep in mind 1 1/2 pounds means all-purpose flour for the dough, if you use 100% Kamut, it will be 3/4 pounds per batch. It has a rotelle die (something I REALLY wanted!) and the Cuisinart doesn't have it with theirs.

g. One more pasta machine is the Popeios Automatic Pasta Maker Deluxe. This is a machine that is sold through one of those info-mercials (plus various retail outlets). It comes with 39 dies. A lady in our homeschool coop has one and just loves it. She uses it 3-4 times/week and thinks it's great. Retails for around $150. She said her only concern is about its longevity because it has a lot of plastic parts.

8. "Please, please!!! Just a few recipes!!"

Directions for mixing all recipes: 1) sift dry ingredients together and make a "well" in the middle. 2) add oil and eggs and any other ingredients EXCEPT water/juice to the "well"; mix with fork until well blended. 3) add water/juice, starting with half of the listed measure. Add additional water, one tablespoonful at a time until dough is at a workable consistency.

Black Pepper Pasta
2 c flour 2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
4 Tbs. water
1 heaping teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Herb Pasta
2 1/4 c flour
3 eggs, room temperature
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. lukewarm water or milk
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. marjoram
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
(NOTE: if using fresh spices, use 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh spice instead of 1 tsp. dried)

Orange Zest Pasta
3 c flour 3 eggs, room temperature, slightly beaten
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. orange zest
3-4 Tbs. strained orange juice
1/2 tsp. salt

Lemon Pasta
2 1/3 c flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 Tbs. lemon zest
3 Tbs. strained lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
3-4 Tbs. warm water

Grain Free Pasta - Serves 2
1 2/3 cups amaranth flour
1/3 cup arrowroot or tapioca-starch flour
2 eggs

Mix flours in a small bowl. Measure out 1 cup of the flour and set the rest aside. In another small bowl, beat eggs lightly with a fork. Gradually beat in the 1 cup flour mixture until it forms a ball.

Use the remaining flour to knead the dough until a good pasta consistency . Cover and let rest at least 30 minutes before rolling. Roll out by hand or with Atlas and cut into noodles. Dust with flour if dough is sticky while rolling. ***You can use buckwheat flour if this is tolerated in place of the amaranth.

ROOTBEER: Rootbeer Recipe

Here's the recipe:

4 gal. water
4 lbs. sugar
1/2 tsp.. yeast
1 PKT OLD HICKORY BRAND ROOTBEER EXTRACT

Mix water and sugar together til dissolved. Put yeast in 1 pint of warm water to dissolve. Pour in with water and sugar. Add contents of one bottle of Rootbeer extract. Mix well and bottle immediately.

Keep out of sun and let sit 2-3 days.

Here are the amendments we make: NO YEAST - we like it better without it. We don't bottle it, we just let it sit in a cool place overnight in a stoneware crock.

SOURDOUGH

Sourdough Starter and Sponge

Sourdough starter: Mix 1 cup flour, 1 cup water, 1/2 to 1 package (or cake) of yeast in a pint jar. Let stand in a warm place overnight. Sponge: Empty starter into a bowl. Fill the pint jar with war water (2 cups), empty it into the bowl, add 2 cups flour and eat to a smooth batter. let bowl stand in a warm place overnight. Batter should be thin enough to pour,. If too thick add a little warm water.

In the morning, take out 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the sponge, put in clean pint jar, and place in refrigerator or cool place for the next sponge.

A sourdough starter will be good for many years if kept in a cool place and used every week. never add anything to the starter except flour and water.

To carry the starter, or keep it longer than a week, thicken it with flour to form a ball and keep it in the flour or in a covered container.

To activate it, thin it out with water.

Sourdough Brown Bread

1 cup sourdough sponge
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons fat
2 cups coarse graham flour

To the sourdough sponge add the salt, molasses and fat. Mix well. Add the 2 cups graham flour, or enough to make a stiff dough. Knead lightly. Place in warm greased loaf tin, let stand 1/2 hour, then bake at 375 degrees F. until lightly browned, about 40 minutes. This is a coarse, heavy bread with a good flavor.

BEER SOURDOUGH FOR BREAD

Mix one can of beer with one cup of flour. Stir and cover lightly and let sit on the counter for few days till its got that great sour smell. Stir it a few times a day while its sitting. Then refrigerate and use in any recipe.

SOURDOUGH: Sourdough Bread In Dutch Oven

Step 1: Culture prep

1) Remove culture from refrigerator. 2) Add 1/2 cup of white flour and 1/2 cup warm water to the culture jar and mix briefly. Total mixture =about 2 1/4 cups. It need not be lump free. 3) Proof at 85 deg. F. for about 6 to 12 hours until actively fermenting (as shown by bubbles on the surface). Always use plastic or glass or ceramic utensils and bowls with sourdough---- not metal.

Step 2 The First Proof 1) Mix all of the active culture with 3 cups of white flour and 2 cups of warm water in a 4 quart mixing bowl. It need not be lump free. 2) Proof at 85 deg. for 12 hours. 3) Return 1 cup of culture to the culture jar. Add 1/3 cup of white flour and 1/3 cup of warm water and proof at 85 deg. for one hour. Then refrigerate immediately. This is your new starter for the next batch!

Step 3 The Second Proof

INGREDIENTS 4 cups of culture from the first proof (if there is more use it all) 2 TBLS butter, or oil 1 cup milk (or water) 2 tsp. salt 2 TBLS honey or sugar 6 cups flour (white OR 1/2 white and 1/2 whole wheat)

Melt the butter over moderate heat, add the milk, warm briefly, add salt and sugar, stir until dissolved. Add to the culture and mix well.

2) Add the flour a cup at a time until dough is too stiff to mix by hand. Then turn onto a floured board and knead in remaining flour until the dough is smooth and satiny. (about 15 minutes) 3) divide dough in half. and form two balls. (one slightly larger than the other - read on to see why)

4) flatten ball slightly and place in lightly oiled Dutch Ovens ( one 10" and one 12")

If you use so much dough that it rises above the lip of the Dutch Oven, you have trouble. This takes experience to know how much dough to use. This recipe can make 3 loaves for a 10" oven or one for a 10" and one for a 12". If it isn't quite warm enough, place one or two coals on the lid of the oven to let the bread rise.

5) Put 4 coals on the bottom and 9 on the top of the 10" oven. Cook for about 35 minutes. Put 5 coals on the bottom and 11 on the top of the 12" oven. Same bake time. If it is very cold out it may take more time and your may need more coals.

6) When done just turn the oven over and the bread falls out onto the wire rack for cooling.

Also -- if you decrease the flour in recipe by 1 1/2 cups and add one cup of soy flour instead and 1/3 cup of wheat germ, and one cup of dried milk you have drastically improved the nutritional quality of the bread.

-------------------------------------------------

HOW MANY BRIQUETS TO BAKE BREAD? We put the dough in the Dutch oven, and calculated the number of briquettes to use by the following formula:

DESIRED TEMP/75 = # briquettes on bottom of Dutch oven ea. 1/2 hour Double that number is put on top. each 1/2 hour. Round up all fractions.

For instance, if the desired temp is 375 deg., then there should be 5 coals

put on the bottom each 1/2 hour, and 10 coals on top each 1/2 hour. =============================

SOURDOUGH STARTER RECIPE

Starter # 1: 2 cups unbleached flour 1 cup water Mix to make thick batter. Let stand uncovered for 4 or 5 days or until it begins working. (little bubbles rising) This basic recipe requires a carefully scalded container.

Starter # 2: 2 cups unbleached flour 1 cup warm milk Same instructions as above.

Starter # 3: 1 x unbleached flour 1 x potato water (left from boiling potatoes - waste not want not!) Boil some potatoes for supper, save the water, use it lukewarm with enough flour to make a thick batter. This is how farm girls made it in the olden days. Let it stand a day or so until it smells right. Mmmm... Sourdough smell.

Starter # 4: 4 cups unbleached flour 2 T sugar 2 T salt 4 cups lukewarm potato water Put all ingredients in a crock or large and let stand in a warm place uncovered several days.

Starter # 5: 1 cup milk 1 cup unbleached flour Let milk stand for a day or so in an uncovered container at room temperature. Add flour to milk and let stand for another couple of days. When it starts working well and smells right it is ready to use.

Starter #6: 1 bottle of beer 1 cup of flour Mix in scalded container let stand for a few days till it smells right (sourdough) and its working (little bubbles rising). This particular starter separates and a liquid (hooch) rises to the top. Just stir it in with a non-metal, scalded utensil.

I have had the most success with this starter. Could this be the ol' Irish in me? Who knows. I tend to think its because the alcohol in the mixture makes for a very sterile place for the yeast to grow.

In the past I have grown a nasty smelling batch of stuff that went down the sink. If it smells bad it is bad. A good smell is very yeasty, earthy. Anything that smells nauseating is probably a nasty bacteria that has grown instead. This has only happened to me once. It is VERY obvious. In the morning the whole kitchen smelled --- ugh, yucky.

When all works well the fragrance of sourdough bread baking is one of life’s simple pleasures!!! ENJOY!!!!

******all starters must be prepared in a non-metal container using non-metal utensils and the containers must be scalded or the starter will fail************

SOURDOUGH: Two Great Sites!

http://www.ajlc.waterloo.on.ca/Recipies/Sourdough.html

http://members.aol.com/hleelewis/Sourdough.html

SOY: And More Soy

SOYNUTS

1 cup dried soybeans
2 cups water
1/4 olive oil (I'd use less)
Salt or garlic salt

Soak beans in water overnight in refrigerator (if you can't refrigerate, do the quick method: cover beans with 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, boil for a few minutes, remove from heat and let stand an hour). Pour off water and dry the beans with a paper towel. Spread in a large flat pan and bake at 200 degrees, stirring occasionally until dry (3 hours.) Add olive oil, salt or garlic salt to taste and cook another 15 minutes. Store in airtight container. If they're not dry enough, or if they collect moisture from the air, bake at 300 degrees for another half hour.

SOY SPREAD

Cooked soybeans
Diced onion
Diced celery
Mayonnaise

Above in proportions to suit you taste. Smoosh it all together and use as a dip or spread on toast or crackers.

SOYBEAN MEDLEY

1 clove garlic
1 large onion
4 large stalks celery
2 T. oil or butter
1/2 large green pepper
1 cup canned tomatoes or 2 large ripe tomatoes, cut up
salt to taste
1/2 t. savory
3 cups soybeans, cooked

Chop coarsely the garlic, onion, celery and green pepper. Simmer in covered pan in the oil or butter for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cut up. Cook 5 minutes. Add salt to taste and 1/2 teaspoon savory. Add to 3 cups cooked soybeans, heat and serve. Serves 4 to 6.

COOKED SOYBEANS :

2 cups soybeans
2 bay leaves
hot water
1 teaspoon salt
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup celery, diced

Cover soybeans with hot water and soak overnight. Drain, rinse, and cover with water. Add all other ingredients. Bring to boil in a covered pan, lower heat, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Makes 6 cups cooked beans.

SOY CAKES: ( using cooked beans or soy paste)

3 cups cooked soy beans, chopped or mashed
1 T soy sauce
1/4 Cup onion chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. parsley, minced
1/4 t. basil or oregano
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 bouillon cube
1/2 bran flakes
1/4 cup cooking water from soy beans, stock or water

Combine all ingredients well. Shape into 8 small or 6 large patties. Coat with fine bread crumbs or additional wheat germ or bran flakes. Sauté gently in vegetable oil until brown.

SOYBEAN PASTE: BASIC

Many uses for this pulp from the bean: mix with minced onion and mayonnaise for sandwich filling, or use in soups, meatloaf, etc.

2 cups cooked soy beans

Drain cooked soybeans through a strainer or colander. Put drained beans though a food press, sieve or strainer, or mash thoroughly into a paste. Store in the refrigerator for use as needed. Makes 2 cups.

SOFTENED SOYA GRITS

Super as a meat extender. Use in scrambled eggs, casseroles, soufflés, meat patties, breads, muffins, cookies. If you want them nut-like, as in cookies, let them soak only 15 minutes.

1 cup boiling water or stock
1 cup soy grits

Pour boiling water over soy grits and soak until moisture is absorbed, about 1 hour. Store in covered container in refrigerator to use as needed.

TOFU

Tofu is a soybean curd. It has a bland flavor and texture similar to soft cheese. it is easy to make and has many uses. This version is firm enough to cut up and use like cheese in hot dishes or casseroles. Crumble it in a salad, sauté it, or use in any of gluten recipe.

1 cup soy beans
4 T. lemon juice
4 cups water

Soak beans in water to cover overnight. drain beans and rinse well. Place one cup soaked soy beans with 2 cups water in a bender for 2 minutes. Strain this mixture through a fine sieve into a large pan. Repeat until all beans are ground. (Save the drained, ground soy bean pulp for soups, casseroles or breads). to the strained liquid add enough water t make 8 cups of soy milk. Bring this mixture to a boil over low heat to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and stir. Place in a bowl covered with cheesecloth and allow to stand several hours in a warm place until mixture separates and cheese coagulates. Strain through cheesecloth. remove the cheese-like curd from the cheesecloth and store covered with water in a container in the fridge. This bean curd may be used in recipes calling for tofu or soy cheese.

SOY CHEESE:

Soy cheese is similar in taste to Tofu but is softer, more like cottage cheese. Serve it seasoned with vegetable salt and chives. The remaining liquid may be used in soups or breads.

1 cup soy powder (full fat)
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup lemon juice

Combine soy powder with cold water to a smooth paste. Add to boiling water, stirring thoroughly. Cook for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, stir. Remove from heat and cool. When mixture separates into curds, strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Drain well. Store in refrigerator up to 3/4 days.

SYRUP: Nutritious Pancake Syrup

We mix a container of cottage cheese in the food processor with just a little sour cream, a bit of sugar and a little vanilla. Mix till smooth, and then use as a topping with fresh strawberries, blackberries, etc. We also still top with syrups, but having the cheese topping, too, makes a better meal.

VENISON: Recipes

Venison Jerky makes enough marinade for 3 pounds boneless meat cut in thin strips

1/2 cup Each soy & teriyaki sauce 2 Tablespoons either brown sugar or steamed cane syrup garlic powder and onion powder to taste fresh ground black pepper Do Not Add Salt & add just enough spice to a bit less than what you like As the jerky dries out the flavors intensify. Just mix all ingredients together marinate over nite. I use meat that has been soaked and cleaned before marinating it ( cuz hubby said to)

Venison & Beans ( serve with cornbread or biscuits) Soak venison meat ( cut for stew) in a beer & water or vinegar and water mix for a couple hours ( this helps remove "gamey strong taste") in a crock pot ( or Dutch oven) place meat that's been browned well, onions ( or onion soup mix don't add any more salt) carrots in big chunks, and 1 pound of either Lima, Pinto, Roman or Great Northern beans that have been soaked for at least 7 hours ( my family thinks changing the beans radically changes the flavor they call it variety) add 1/4 cup cooked roux**( rue? roo?) and water to cover, cook 8 hours on low ( while you sleep) or 4 hours on high & then 2 hours on low( if I cook it during the day) You can add in potatoes if you like Too - I almost forgot.

** To make Roux ( or rue or roo) Measure equal parts fat ( butter is our favorite - but you can use olive oil, or any fat your family likes) and flour. Melt the fat over medium heat till really warm ( butter just starts to brown) add flour and reduce heat, stir while cooking till as browned as you like. I make a batch light for fish and poultry and a darker brown ( not black though") for beef, and game.

WHEAT: Basic Wheat Cereal Recipe

Simmer a cup of wheat in about one and a half cups of water (from your stored water supply, for a little realism) until some of the kernels start to burst. If the cooked cereal is too strong for your taste, discard the cooking water and rinse wheat kernels; a little sugar, butter or margarine will make them more enjoyable. If you soak the wheat kernels in the water overnight, they will start to burst after about forty minutes of simmering.

If you soak them for a few days, they will soften to the point where you can even eat them without cooking them. But remember that a given quantity of seeds will expand to about double its original volume after absorbing water, so don't soak them in a too-small container. Although I have never had a problem eating whole kernels of wheat, there have been experiments where people ate nothing but boiled whole kernels of wheat for 2 days and wound up with loose bowels. Further experimentation revealed that cracking the wheat into small pieces before boiling it got rid of the problem. A pepper mill or even stones can be used to crack wheat if necessary.

From: Maurice Smith <msmith02@snet.net>

Any one can get hops at any health food store or herb farm.

Boil 12 potatoes in 4 qts of water. Till reduced to 3 qts. Then take out and mash the potatoes and throw into the water 3 handfuls of hops. When the hops have boiled to a good tea- strain the water over the potatoes, a small quantity at a time, mixing them well together.

Add
1 teacup of brown sugar
1 teacup of salt
1 tablespoon of ground ginger

When mixture is warm add your yeast of the same sort to make it rise. Put it in bottles or a jug, leaving it uncorked for a day. Set in a cool place.

Put 2 large tablespoonfuls of it to a qt. of flour and when making up. Peel a potato and mix with it. This yeast never will sour and is good as long as it lasts.

Hints: the best flour is worthless without a good yeast. Yeast made up in the morning ought to be fit for use at night. It should be foamy and frothy with a scent of slightly like ammonia. flour should always be sunned and aired before being used. Sift it in a tray and put it out in the sun or near a kitchen fire.

Recipe for Leaven
2tblsp of flour
1 Tbs. of lard or butter
2 Tbs. of yeast
2 eggs
1 potato
2 tsp. of sugar

Make the leaven soon after breakfast. in winter and at one o'clock p.m. in summer. Let it be of the consistency of batter. Put it in a small bucket in a warn place, to rise till four o'clock p.m. This amount of leaven is sufficient for two qts of flour