Makes the most wonderful toast - cut it pretty thin, it has nooks and crannies for the butter and jam.........and has healthy ingredients in a new form for kids that might not be used to whole wheat bread yet :)
Faster and easier than regular yeast bread, freezes beautifully, easy to half but why would you? Based on a recipe from Betty Crocker.
7 cups all purpose flour (could gradually replace part/all with whole wheat, I'm going to start doing that)
1/4 cup sugar or honey
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp yeast
4 cups warmed milk ( microwave till quite warm to touch - can use canned evaporated milk in food storage to rotate - use one equal parts milk and (hot) water to "un-evaporate") Would probably work fine with just water, or with powdered milk added to dry ingredients.
1 cup hot water (from hot water tap)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat germ (store in fridge after opening)
1 cup quick oats
(can also replace 1 cup of regular flour with soy flour, white bean flour, or any other type you might have, to add variety to nutrients)
up to 1 1/2 cups more flour
Mix 7 cups flour with sugar, salt, baking soda and yeast in large mixing bowl. Add warm milk and water and beat on low to moisten, then three minutes at medium speed, scraping occasionally. Stir in whole wheat, germ, oats, and enough flour to make a stiff batter.
Grease or spray 4 loaf pans (4 1/2 x 8 1/2 kind, not the huge ones) and sprinkle with cornmeal. Divide batter between them and sprinkle with cornmeal. Let rise in warm place about 20 minutes or until at top of pan.
Bake at 400 degrees about 25 minutes (gets fairly dark brown on top) and cool on wire rack.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Lime- Cilantro Beans and Rice: Three Ways Plus
Take your pick! very fast and easy but not so cheap; pretty easy; or really cheap and healthy but more work.
All can be made with or without chicken, and can be served as dinner (that's what I do) or as a great and filling side to other Mexican-type foods. Leftovers make good quesadillas with a little cheese.
All versions can be "dressed up" by toasting thin strips of a wheat tortilla (cut with pizza cutter and put under broiler or in toaster oven for very short time) to pile on top with some grated cheese sprinkled over, cover or broil briefly til it melts.
All versions can look even prettier if you cut the carrot down to one and add 1-2 cups of butternut squash chunks (or sweet potato) to cook along with rice and beans. (cut a few thick slices from the neck of the squash, trim and chunk, put the rest in the fridge for another day)
1. Super Simple Beans and Rice
one package Archer Farms "Lime Cilantro Rice" (from Target)
one can Bush's "Black Bean Fiesta"
(thawed or partially thawed boneless chicken breast, each piece cut into two or three chunks)
Following directions on rice package, heat water and add all ingredients to large covered frying pan, (nestle chicken pieces into rice and beans), cover and cook as directed. Stir before serving.
2. Easy Rice and Beans
onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, grated
celery, chopped, optional
1 pkg Archer Farms Lime Cilantro Rice
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (or equivalent precooked beans - use the crockpot and freeze some ahead of time for easiest and cheapest)
optional: add additional seasonings to boost flavor, such as lime juice, cilantro, cumin, other favorite Mexican-type seasonings as desired
In large frying pan, saute onion till soft, add up to three large peeled and grated carrots, celery if desired, and continue cooking a few minutes to soften and develop flavors. Heat water as directed on rice package plus extra 1/4 cup, add to pan along with rice and seasoning packet and rinsed, drained beans. Sprinkle with seasonings and 1-2 Tb lime juice, stir. Cover and cook as directed til rice is done. Can add chicken as above.
3. Made from Scratch Lime Cilantro Rice and Beans
large onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, peeled and grated
2-3 stalks celery chopped
2 cans black beans rinsed and drained. or equivalent cooked black beans
1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain or basmati rice
OR 3-4 cups precooked brown rice
OR equivalent instant brown rice
Knorr Vegetarian Vegetable bouillon (optional)
lime juice
cilantro
cumin
optional - other favorite seasonings such as Penzey's "Adobo Seasoning", Ancho chili powder, fajita seasoning, oregano, Penzey's "Arizona Dreaming", garlic....if you like diced tomatoes and green chilis they could go in.....
saute onion til soft, add carrots and celery and continue cooking a few minutes till soft and flavorful. Then, depending on the type of rice used:
for regular rice, heat 2 bouillon cubes in 3 1/2 cups water and stir til dissolved, add along with rice and beans, sprinkle with spices and juice, stir and cover tightly, simmer 15-20 minutes. (I just add spices til it smells like walking into my favorite Mexican restaurant.)
(for pre-cooked brown rice:
heat one boullion cube in 3/4 cup water and stir til dissolved, add along with rice, beans, and spices and lime juice, stir and simmer 5-10 minutes)
(for instant brown rice:
follow package directions for amount of liquid, add hot liquid, rice, beans, spices and juice and cover tightly, simmer 5 minutes, let sit five minutes.)
If adding chicken, the second two options do not allow sufficient cooking time, so precook or simmer longer or chop chicken up smaller.
*Serves up nicely next to some steamed broccoli.
If you don't use the squash, you could also serve a baked sweet potato as another healthy side.
You can add some shredded cabbage in the mix before simmering, if you have some on hand, or a can of "Mexi-corn" if your kids like it and you want to "up" the vegetables.
All can be made with or without chicken, and can be served as dinner (that's what I do) or as a great and filling side to other Mexican-type foods. Leftovers make good quesadillas with a little cheese.
All versions can be "dressed up" by toasting thin strips of a wheat tortilla (cut with pizza cutter and put under broiler or in toaster oven for very short time) to pile on top with some grated cheese sprinkled over, cover or broil briefly til it melts.
All versions can look even prettier if you cut the carrot down to one and add 1-2 cups of butternut squash chunks (or sweet potato) to cook along with rice and beans. (cut a few thick slices from the neck of the squash, trim and chunk, put the rest in the fridge for another day)
1. Super Simple Beans and Rice
one package Archer Farms "Lime Cilantro Rice" (from Target)
one can Bush's "Black Bean Fiesta"
(thawed or partially thawed boneless chicken breast, each piece cut into two or three chunks)
Following directions on rice package, heat water and add all ingredients to large covered frying pan, (nestle chicken pieces into rice and beans), cover and cook as directed. Stir before serving.
2. Easy Rice and Beans
onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, grated
celery, chopped, optional
1 pkg Archer Farms Lime Cilantro Rice
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (or equivalent precooked beans - use the crockpot and freeze some ahead of time for easiest and cheapest)
optional: add additional seasonings to boost flavor, such as lime juice, cilantro, cumin, other favorite Mexican-type seasonings as desired
In large frying pan, saute onion till soft, add up to three large peeled and grated carrots, celery if desired, and continue cooking a few minutes to soften and develop flavors. Heat water as directed on rice package plus extra 1/4 cup, add to pan along with rice and seasoning packet and rinsed, drained beans. Sprinkle with seasonings and 1-2 Tb lime juice, stir. Cover and cook as directed til rice is done. Can add chicken as above.
3. Made from Scratch Lime Cilantro Rice and Beans
large onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, peeled and grated
2-3 stalks celery chopped
2 cans black beans rinsed and drained. or equivalent cooked black beans
1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain or basmati rice
OR 3-4 cups precooked brown rice
OR equivalent instant brown rice
Knorr Vegetarian Vegetable bouillon (optional)
lime juice
cilantro
cumin
optional - other favorite seasonings such as Penzey's "Adobo Seasoning", Ancho chili powder, fajita seasoning, oregano, Penzey's "Arizona Dreaming", garlic....if you like diced tomatoes and green chilis they could go in.....
saute onion til soft, add carrots and celery and continue cooking a few minutes till soft and flavorful. Then, depending on the type of rice used:
for regular rice, heat 2 bouillon cubes in 3 1/2 cups water and stir til dissolved, add along with rice and beans, sprinkle with spices and juice, stir and cover tightly, simmer 15-20 minutes. (I just add spices til it smells like walking into my favorite Mexican restaurant.)
(for pre-cooked brown rice:
heat one boullion cube in 3/4 cup water and stir til dissolved, add along with rice, beans, and spices and lime juice, stir and simmer 5-10 minutes)
(for instant brown rice:
follow package directions for amount of liquid, add hot liquid, rice, beans, spices and juice and cover tightly, simmer 5 minutes, let sit five minutes.)
If adding chicken, the second two options do not allow sufficient cooking time, so precook or simmer longer or chop chicken up smaller.
*Serves up nicely next to some steamed broccoli.
If you don't use the squash, you could also serve a baked sweet potato as another healthy side.
You can add some shredded cabbage in the mix before simmering, if you have some on hand, or a can of "Mexi-corn" if your kids like it and you want to "up" the vegetables.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Quick and Easy V-8 Soup
3 minutes prep, 20 minutes simmering
I love using lots of fresh vegetables, making a good stock, etc. but sometimes that just isn’t in the cards. When you are really on the run, here’s a super quickie made with things you can keep on hand and that kids like - and mine like the leftovers too.
One large can generic V-8 juice
two cans mixed vegetables (or one large can)
some pre-browned hamburger from your freezer (or soy "beef" granules, or add a can of rinsed and drained beans or black-eyed peas)
a good handful of uncooked rice
optional: depending on how many you are feeding, 1-4 cups of broth made in the microwave from your favorite bouillon (I love Knorr vegetarian vegetable but you might want it beefier) OR just throw the water and boullion cubes in the pot but then make sure you stir every few minutes. You can adjust the amount of rice accordingly too.
Throw it all in a stockpot and simmer at least 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Notes:
If you have time, for healthier soup use brown rice and simmer 40 minutes (or use minute brown rice in a hurry)
You are welcome to add favorite seasonings (I like "Mrs. Dash", Penzey's "Fox Point", but the canned goods have plenty of salt.
You can easily adapt vegetables to include favorites (or leftovers!), such as adding a can of corn, substituting frozen veg, etc.
This is good with a green salad and crusty bread - maybe you’re lucky and there’s some in the freezer!. (See french bread recipe)
I love using lots of fresh vegetables, making a good stock, etc. but sometimes that just isn’t in the cards. When you are really on the run, here’s a super quickie made with things you can keep on hand and that kids like - and mine like the leftovers too.
One large can generic V-8 juice
two cans mixed vegetables (or one large can)
some pre-browned hamburger from your freezer (or soy "beef" granules, or add a can of rinsed and drained beans or black-eyed peas)
a good handful of uncooked rice
optional: depending on how many you are feeding, 1-4 cups of broth made in the microwave from your favorite bouillon (I love Knorr vegetarian vegetable but you might want it beefier) OR just throw the water and boullion cubes in the pot but then make sure you stir every few minutes. You can adjust the amount of rice accordingly too.
Throw it all in a stockpot and simmer at least 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Notes:
If you have time, for healthier soup use brown rice and simmer 40 minutes (or use minute brown rice in a hurry)
You are welcome to add favorite seasonings (I like "Mrs. Dash", Penzey's "Fox Point", but the canned goods have plenty of salt.
You can easily adapt vegetables to include favorites (or leftovers!), such as adding a can of corn, substituting frozen veg, etc.
This is good with a green salad and crusty bread - maybe you’re lucky and there’s some in the freezer!. (See french bread recipe)
French Bread
I used to think having the best pasta dinner meant a run to the store for crusty French bread - but my daughter Bethany changed that when she discovered how easy it is to make your own. There is very little prep time but long rising time, so you need to pick a day when you are working at home and make enough to freeze for future use. If you can't find long bags just tear it in half and freeze two halves in a regular freezer bag. You can reheat it in a toaster oven or regular oven (375 or 400 degrees) for about 8 minutes after thawing and it will be crusty and delicious. This recipe is based on one from Betty Crocker and makes 4 good-sized loaves.
2 Tbsp yeast
2 1/2 cups hot tap water
2 Tb sugar
2 tsp salt
6-7 cups all-purpose flour (if you want to use whole wheat, more than 1/3 will make it lose its airy, light character)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Dissolve yeast in water in large mixing bowl. With mixer on slow, add in sugar, salt, 4 cups of flour and oil. If its too dry to mix add more water. Beat until smooth.
Stir in enough flour to make it easy to handle then knead on lightly floured surface about 5 minutes.
(OR for super fast food processor method, cut recipe in half and after dissolving yeast by processing yeast and water on and off for a few seconds, add all the rest and process for about 30 seconds til a ball forms. That's it! except it won't come out as light or as big, in my experience.)
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise 2 hours (can cut to 1 1/2 if you must).
Divide dough in fourths (halves if food processor version) and shape into balls. Grease (spray) two large cookie sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll each ball of dough into a rectangle no longer than your pan and roll up tightly and seal, turning ends under a little if needed or rolling them a bit to taper. Place two on each sheet (seam down). Slash with sharp knife about every 2" and brush with water. Let rise another full hour (- in cold weather or a hurry, put in a slightly warmed oven to speed up)
Bake at 375, one pan at a time, for 25-30 minutes. You can brush with egg white and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds before baking if you want to be classy. This freezes beautifully and is a great accompaniment for all sorts of soups or pasta dishes.
2 Tbsp yeast
2 1/2 cups hot tap water
2 Tb sugar
2 tsp salt
6-7 cups all-purpose flour (if you want to use whole wheat, more than 1/3 will make it lose its airy, light character)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Dissolve yeast in water in large mixing bowl. With mixer on slow, add in sugar, salt, 4 cups of flour and oil. If its too dry to mix add more water. Beat until smooth.
Stir in enough flour to make it easy to handle then knead on lightly floured surface about 5 minutes.
(OR for super fast food processor method, cut recipe in half and after dissolving yeast by processing yeast and water on and off for a few seconds, add all the rest and process for about 30 seconds til a ball forms. That's it! except it won't come out as light or as big, in my experience.)
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise 2 hours (can cut to 1 1/2 if you must).
Divide dough in fourths (halves if food processor version) and shape into balls. Grease (spray) two large cookie sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll each ball of dough into a rectangle no longer than your pan and roll up tightly and seal, turning ends under a little if needed or rolling them a bit to taper. Place two on each sheet (seam down). Slash with sharp knife about every 2" and brush with water. Let rise another full hour (- in cold weather or a hurry, put in a slightly warmed oven to speed up)
Bake at 375, one pan at a time, for 25-30 minutes. You can brush with egg white and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds before baking if you want to be classy. This freezes beautifully and is a great accompaniment for all sorts of soups or pasta dishes.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
junk or food?
David Kessler, MD
"By now Americans know that there's overwhelming evidence of a link between diet and health. But at the same time they seem to be asking themselves, Why do I feel so powerless to control what I eat? The fact is, when food is highly processed and loaded and layered with sugar, salt, and fat, it becomes so stimulating that it hijacks our brain --and our behavior. " (author of "The End of Overeating...")
(me) So, if you have wondered about why its hard to resist junk food, just think of the millions upon millions of dollars that are spent by food company labs to find the combinations of chemicals and additives that give you the most mouth-stimulating effects. They can't make the big bucks selling you fresh produce but they can make a lot giving you smooth, rich, creamy, sweet, crunchy, whatever - Our best way to fight back is to help our own families learn to love real food, and be rewarded with better health.
Mark Bittman
"To me, the message is so incredibly simple: The more unprocessed foods you eat--especially plant-based food--the healthier you're going to be. That's it. It doesn't really matter what the plants are, what order you eat them, or what proportion you eat them in. If you start eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds--and less of everything else--you've radically improved your diet. One of the best ways to do this is to cook at home. I'm living proof that cooking doesn't have to be complicated or difficult, and the investment pays off a billion times." (Author of cookbooks such as "Food Matters" and "How to Cook Everything")
Try reading "In Defense of Food" (Pollan) if you want to know more -- he suggests "food" should mean something your grandmother would recognise as such. OR consider "Twinkie Deconstructed" (Ettlinger) if you are more interested in just what is in processed foods - and why its there and where it comes from.
Isn't it interesting that the more we learn about good nutrition, the more it sounds like the health and eating code taught by the church (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) http://providentliving.org/content/list/0,11664,8960-1,00.html
"By now Americans know that there's overwhelming evidence of a link between diet and health. But at the same time they seem to be asking themselves, Why do I feel so powerless to control what I eat? The fact is, when food is highly processed and loaded and layered with sugar, salt, and fat, it becomes so stimulating that it hijacks our brain --and our behavior. " (author of "The End of Overeating...")
(me) So, if you have wondered about why its hard to resist junk food, just think of the millions upon millions of dollars that are spent by food company labs to find the combinations of chemicals and additives that give you the most mouth-stimulating effects. They can't make the big bucks selling you fresh produce but they can make a lot giving you smooth, rich, creamy, sweet, crunchy, whatever - Our best way to fight back is to help our own families learn to love real food, and be rewarded with better health.
Mark Bittman
"To me, the message is so incredibly simple: The more unprocessed foods you eat--especially plant-based food--the healthier you're going to be. That's it. It doesn't really matter what the plants are, what order you eat them, or what proportion you eat them in. If you start eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds--and less of everything else--you've radically improved your diet. One of the best ways to do this is to cook at home. I'm living proof that cooking doesn't have to be complicated or difficult, and the investment pays off a billion times." (Author of cookbooks such as "Food Matters" and "How to Cook Everything")
Try reading "In Defense of Food" (Pollan) if you want to know more -- he suggests "food" should mean something your grandmother would recognise as such. OR consider "Twinkie Deconstructed" (Ettlinger) if you are more interested in just what is in processed foods - and why its there and where it comes from.
Isn't it interesting that the more we learn about good nutrition, the more it sounds like the health and eating code taught by the church (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) http://providentliving.org/content/list/0,11664,8960-1,00.html
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Simple Sweet and Sour Sauce
(adapted from "Chinese Cookbook" by Kiko Kay who taught Chinese cooking to Marine Corps wives in Okinawa)
Here's a great dish that will let you slip that brown rice into the diet:
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tb soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1 Tb red wine vinegar
1/2 cup pineapple juice
4 Tb catsup
1/2 cup water
3 Tb cornstarch
whisk together in saucepan, bring to boil (stirring often), boil and stir for one minute
great for dipping and as a vehicle for all sorts of veg and meat choices over rice (lower heat to medium and add other ingredients as suggested below)
notes:
easy to double, can freeze half for another day.
to make Sweet-n-Sour Chicken:
prepare about one generous cup each of about 6 items to feed a family of 4, use more items and/or larger amounts in a double batch of sauce to feed 8-10 (you can choose familiar things for kids or get adventurous):
-chunks of cooked chicken ("saute" thawed chicken breast covered in non-stick pan with slight drizzle of oil just til done, add juices to sauce)
-thinly sliced carrots (precook slightly along with onion, microwave two minutes)
-chunks of onion (one large)
-diagonally sliced celery
-3/4 inch chunks green pepper
-pineapple chunks
you can stop there for a perfectly good, economical dish or keep going......
-broccoli florets (precook in microwave slightly unless you like it very crunchy)
-sugar or snap peas - broken or cut in half
-baby corn
-bean sprouts
-sliced water chestnuts
-red pepper
-summer squash
or whatever you have or that is in season or that your kids like! Try to keep a good mix of color and to make the pieces as much the same size as you can, although since you can adjust cooking times by adding each ingredient when you want, this is mostly for looks and not worth getting too fussy about.
Whatever you choose to use, you can stir it all in right after the sauce gets its boil, or if some of your vegetables need more than warming up, you can add them first and give them time to simmmer in the sauce - but always add green things very last even if you must pre-cook broccoli separately, because the acid in the sauce will kill the bright green after a few minutes.
You can feed a good-sized family plus a couple of missionaries with a double batch filled with veggies and chicken over rice. Or use meatballs - out of the freezer if you are very efficient (to save a lot of time and trouble, you can put the meat mixture in a flat baking dish and cut into squares with a pizza cutter and bake for "meatsquares" - when browned, drain and then freeze spread on a cookie sheet and gather into freezer bags so you can take out just what you need)
You can use this as a way to rotate canned chunk chicken from your food storage. If you had frozen some sauce and some rice, had a can of baby corn, some frozen broccoli or snap peas and a few carrots in the fridge, you're on your way to a super-easy dinner much tastier than store-bought canned oriental meals.
You've pretty much covered your whole need for fruits and veggies so just serve with some whole wheat bread and butter, maybe a cabbage wedge if you like or sliced tomato on lettuce.
Here's a great dish that will let you slip that brown rice into the diet:
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tb soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1 Tb red wine vinegar
1/2 cup pineapple juice
4 Tb catsup
1/2 cup water
3 Tb cornstarch
whisk together in saucepan, bring to boil (stirring often), boil and stir for one minute
great for dipping and as a vehicle for all sorts of veg and meat choices over rice (lower heat to medium and add other ingredients as suggested below)
notes:
easy to double, can freeze half for another day.
to make Sweet-n-Sour Chicken:
prepare about one generous cup each of about 6 items to feed a family of 4, use more items and/or larger amounts in a double batch of sauce to feed 8-10 (you can choose familiar things for kids or get adventurous):
-chunks of cooked chicken ("saute" thawed chicken breast covered in non-stick pan with slight drizzle of oil just til done, add juices to sauce)
-thinly sliced carrots (precook slightly along with onion, microwave two minutes)
-chunks of onion (one large)
-diagonally sliced celery
-3/4 inch chunks green pepper
-pineapple chunks
you can stop there for a perfectly good, economical dish or keep going......
-broccoli florets (precook in microwave slightly unless you like it very crunchy)
-sugar or snap peas - broken or cut in half
-baby corn
-bean sprouts
-sliced water chestnuts
-red pepper
-summer squash
or whatever you have or that is in season or that your kids like! Try to keep a good mix of color and to make the pieces as much the same size as you can, although since you can adjust cooking times by adding each ingredient when you want, this is mostly for looks and not worth getting too fussy about.
Whatever you choose to use, you can stir it all in right after the sauce gets its boil, or if some of your vegetables need more than warming up, you can add them first and give them time to simmmer in the sauce - but always add green things very last even if you must pre-cook broccoli separately, because the acid in the sauce will kill the bright green after a few minutes.
You can feed a good-sized family plus a couple of missionaries with a double batch filled with veggies and chicken over rice. Or use meatballs - out of the freezer if you are very efficient (to save a lot of time and trouble, you can put the meat mixture in a flat baking dish and cut into squares with a pizza cutter and bake for "meatsquares" - when browned, drain and then freeze spread on a cookie sheet and gather into freezer bags so you can take out just what you need)
You can use this as a way to rotate canned chunk chicken from your food storage. If you had frozen some sauce and some rice, had a can of baby corn, some frozen broccoli or snap peas and a few carrots in the fridge, you're on your way to a super-easy dinner much tastier than store-bought canned oriental meals.
You've pretty much covered your whole need for fruits and veggies so just serve with some whole wheat bread and butter, maybe a cabbage wedge if you like or sliced tomato on lettuce.
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