"Who Will Grind the Wheat?"
"Who Will Bake this Wheat into Bread?"
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Mouse.
"Then I Will," said the Little Red Hen....and she DID!
I LOVE the story of the Little Red Hen!! She has lofty goals and she has the determination to see them through. No matter what is going on around her, no matter who is too lazy to help her, she keeps plodding her course to the finish line.
Not only that, her goal is AWESOME: Making Fresh Bread!! Now, what could be better than that, I ask you?!
Are you like me, making grand plans, but never seeing them through? That is why YOU & I must channel our Inner-most Little Red Hen!!!...and what could be a better way to start than by doing exactly what she did...GRIND WHEAT & BAKE BREAD!
We got started this month in our Food Storage/Prep Class by bringing our wheat together and using different grinders to make flour. We used a simple hand grinder and a few different electric grinders. Here are the ones we tried:
1. Back to Basics, Manual Wheat Grinder
Pros: fairly easy to use and set up, fairly quiet, good for emergencies because it doesn't require electricity, small, lightweight, portable, easy to store, fairly easy to clean, INEXPENSIVE
Cons: requires muscle power, takes time....about 10 minutes to make 1 cup of Flour, has to be screwed onto a table edge and sometimes this makes it unstable as you grind, holds only about 1 cup of wheat at a time in the hopper, can be tricky turning the knob for setting the grinder from coarse to fine grinding.
2. The Kitchen Mill by Blend-Tec, Electric Wheat Grinder
Pros: large flour collection compartment, size and shape make it fairly easy to store, not complicated, few parts make it easy to clean, flour collection compartment can hold about 10 cups of flour, strong motor, AFFORDABLE appliance (around $200), can grind all sorts of grains with ease, simple setting dial for coarse/fine grinding.
Cons: VERY LOUD, has a small spongey filter that is fragile and needs to be carefully cleaned and stored, somewhat heavy....the motor sits ontop of the collection container making it top heavy/somewhat unstable, holds only 1 to 2 cups of wheat in hopper at a time.
3. The Grain Mill/Whisper Mill, Electric Wheat Grinder
Pros: QUIET in comparison to others, large hopper to hold wheat, large collection containers
Cons: multiple pieces, some what difficult to clean, sometimes blows flour out of collection tubes/containers
4. Wheat Grinder attachment for The Kitchen Aid Mixer, Electric Wheat Grinder
Pros: quick and easy to attach and use, one-piece construction, easy to clean, easy to store, simple setting dial for coarse/fine grinding, all metal construction making it strong and durable, fairly QUIET
Cons: MUST HAVE the Kitchen Aid Mixer in order to use, EXPENSIVE considering it is only an attachment to an already expensive machine, holds only about 1 cup of wheat at a time in the hopper, since the attachment is connected to the top of the machine the flour has a long way to fall and doesn't have a collection container, a tall collection container is needed to catch flour without making a mess
Next we used our Wheat Flour to make BREAD, Pizza Dough, and a Bread Tortilla. Here are the recipes:
Simply Perfect Setpoint Bread
**We made this BY HAND and also in the Kitchen Aid Mixer using a Dough Hook attachment. Bosch mixers with a dough hook attachment will also be able to handle this recipe.**
SMALL BATCH
You will need 5 cups of Whole Wheat to grind into flour for this recipe.
6 to 7 cups Whole Wheat Flour (I like to do 3 cups Wheat Flour, 3 cups White Flour)
1 rounded Tblsp. Dry Yeast
1/4 cup Vital Wheat Gluten (optional)
250 mg Vitamin C (optional)....this can be found at Health Food Stores, but ask at your local grocery store too. Vitamin C helps keep the bread from crumbling.
2 c. very Warm Water
3 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
3 Tbsp. Honey or Sugar
2 tsp. Salt (scant teaspoons)
You may use all wheat flour or varied portions of different flours. You may also add seeds, wheat germ or flax seed meal to the recipe for more graininess!
Tools
Mixer with a dough hook attachment
2 loaf pans (8x4x3)
Add 3 cups flour, yeast, vitamin C and Gluten to mixing bowl and mix.
Add water and mix for 1 minute. For lighter bread turn off mixer, cover bowl, and let dough sponge for 10 minutes. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! Add oil, honey or sugar, and salt. Turn on mixer and quickly add remaining flour, 1 cup at a time until dough forms a soft ball and cleans the sides of the bowl. Amount of flour needed may vary.
Knead 7 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Quick rise method: Preheat oven to 150, lightly oil hands, divide dough into equal parts, shape into loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Turn oven off. Place bread in oven with space between pans. Let rise until double in size, about 20 to 30 minutes. DO NOT MOVE THE PANS!!!....leave bread in oven....then...
Turn oven on to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 min.
Can also let rise on counter, covered, until doubled and bake the same as above.
Turn out immediately from pans to cool. For soft crust, mist lightly with water while still hot or butter tops.
Makes 2 loaves.
Leslie's Pizza Dough
For 1 Pie:
1 cup Warm Water
1 pkg. Yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Oil
1/2 tsp. Sugar
3-3&1/2 cups Flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil, salt, sugar, and 1 cup flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour slowly until ball forms. Knead on lightly floured surface 5 to 10 minutes adding additional flour if needed. Grease bowl and let rise about 1 hour until double. Punch down dough and roll out on greased cookie sheet or pizza stone. Top with sauce, cheese and favorite toppings. Bake at 450 F for 20-25 mins.
Bread Tortillas
Mix Together:
5 c. Flour (Whole Wheat or White or...try mixtures like half wheat/half white)
1 & 1/2 tsp. Salt
4 tsp. Baking Powder
Add:
3/4 c. Vegetable Oil
1 & 1/2 c. Lukewarm Water
Mix until it forms a ball. Cut into 16 pieces, forming each into separate balls. Roll out until thin using lots of flour on the rolling surface. Cook in a HOT frying pan...NO OIL IN PAN!!!
Cook them lightly for a soft tortilla or leave them in a little longer for a crispy, crunchy snack!
***When we made these we actually made about 26 small balls and rolled them out thin.***
Optional: You can also fry these in a pan of oil if you'd like more of a "tostada" result. You can even make a desert out of these by sprinkling with Cinnamon-Sugar, Powdered Sugar, or Honey after frying. We even spread Nutella on them for a yummy treat....you can fill them with fruit and cream as well for a make-shift crepe!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
How Well Do You Know Your Wheat??
Wheat is Wheat, right? Well, yes and no. In an emergency situation, you really aren't going to care if you have a certain kind of wheat...you'll just eat what you have. But, on a regular day, it may be helpful to know which wheat is good for what kind of baking you are doing.
Look at the list below and see what will suit YOUR needs the most!!
1. Hard Red Spring – Hard, brownish, high-protein wheat used for bread and hard baked goods. Bread Flour and high-gluten flours are commonly made from hard red spring wheat.
2. Hard Red Winter – Hard, brownish, mellow high-protein wheat used for bread, hard baked goods and as an adjunct in other flours to increase protein in pastry flour for pie crusts. Some brands of unbleached all-purpose flours are commonly made from hard red winter wheat alone.
3. Soft Red Winter – Soft, low-protein wheat used for cakes, pie crusts, biscuits, and muffins.
4. Hard White – Hard, light-colored, opaque, chalky, medium-protein wheat planted in dry, temperate areas. Used for bread and brewing.
5. Soft White – Soft, light-colored, very low protein wheat grown in temperate moist areas. Used for pie crusts and pastry. Pastry flour, for example, is sometimes made from soft white winter wheat.
6. Durum – Very hard, translucent, light-colored grain used to make semolina flour for pasta and bulgur.
***Hard RED Wheat & White Wheat are available at the LDS Storehouse/Cannery...but I don’t know what “season” they are.
Look at the list below and see what will suit YOUR needs the most!!
1. Hard Red Spring – Hard, brownish, high-protein wheat used for bread and hard baked goods. Bread Flour and high-gluten flours are commonly made from hard red spring wheat.
2. Hard Red Winter – Hard, brownish, mellow high-protein wheat used for bread, hard baked goods and as an adjunct in other flours to increase protein in pastry flour for pie crusts. Some brands of unbleached all-purpose flours are commonly made from hard red winter wheat alone.
3. Soft Red Winter – Soft, low-protein wheat used for cakes, pie crusts, biscuits, and muffins.
4. Hard White – Hard, light-colored, opaque, chalky, medium-protein wheat planted in dry, temperate areas. Used for bread and brewing.
5. Soft White – Soft, light-colored, very low protein wheat grown in temperate moist areas. Used for pie crusts and pastry. Pastry flour, for example, is sometimes made from soft white winter wheat.
6. Durum – Very hard, translucent, light-colored grain used to make semolina flour for pasta and bulgur.
***Hard RED Wheat & White Wheat are available at the LDS Storehouse/Cannery...but I don’t know what “season” they are.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year!!!
It’s January, the start of a New Year, and time to take INVENTORY of your Food Storage!!
1. Go down into your basement (or where ever you keep your food storage) and try counting what you already HAVE. (do the best you can)
2. Bring up any foods that are old or close to expiring....be creative and make some fun meals with them so they don’t go to waste!!! Remember that many of your long-term storage lasts a good 30+ years....look on:
https://lds.org/family/family-well-being/home-storage/longer-term-food-supply?lang=eng#1
3. Now, CALCULATE what your family NEEDS for a YEAR SUPPLY...here is a food storage calculator to help you in this process:
http://lds.about.com/library/bl/faq/blcalculator.htm
4. Do some MATH to see what you are LACKING.
5. DO NOT GET overwhelmed or depressed over this process or the numbers, etc. Start SMALL....a little at a time. Buy one extra can of something you lack in your supply each time you go shopping, or make a goal to order a certain number of cans every month (or 2 or 3, etc.) at the Church Storehouse.
6. RE-CHECK your inventory as the months go by.....re-stock as needed.
**Remember: Food Storage is NOT a one-stop shop deal! It is a continuous cycle of buying/stocking up, using, taking inventory...over and over.
****February Food Storage Class: WHEAT....Grinding it a making it into BREAD!!! YUM!.....stay tuned for exact dates and times!!!!
1. Go down into your basement (or where ever you keep your food storage) and try counting what you already HAVE. (do the best you can)
2. Bring up any foods that are old or close to expiring....be creative and make some fun meals with them so they don’t go to waste!!! Remember that many of your long-term storage lasts a good 30+ years....look on:
https://lds.org/family/family-well-being/home-storage/longer-term-food-supply?lang=eng#1
3. Now, CALCULATE what your family NEEDS for a YEAR SUPPLY...here is a food storage calculator to help you in this process:
http://lds.about.com/library/bl/faq/blcalculator.htm
4. Do some MATH to see what you are LACKING.
5. DO NOT GET overwhelmed or depressed over this process or the numbers, etc. Start SMALL....a little at a time. Buy one extra can of something you lack in your supply each time you go shopping, or make a goal to order a certain number of cans every month (or 2 or 3, etc.) at the Church Storehouse.
6. RE-CHECK your inventory as the months go by.....re-stock as needed.
**Remember: Food Storage is NOT a one-stop shop deal! It is a continuous cycle of buying/stocking up, using, taking inventory...over and over.
****February Food Storage Class: WHEAT....Grinding it a making it into BREAD!!! YUM!.....stay tuned for exact dates and times!!!!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Sweet Treats With BEANS!!!
Well, for our second class I decided to focus on BEANS!!! Why? Because for me I really don't know what to do with them besides break open a can and dump them into chili or rice or a burrito! I have never really soaked dry beans and used them for anything....Honestly, I don't eat them that much, but I really want to incorporate them more into my diet....and with good reason!....
Beans are truly an amazing food. As far as Nutrition goes, they are loaded with lean protein and fiber...we should have at least 2 servings of beans, legumes, or lentils each day! Beans are a "filling" food too, so a little goes a long way in keeping you satified and full. As far as Food Storage goes, Beans are GREAT! If packaged appropriately they can have as long a shelf life as Wheat....30+ years!!! WOW!! In an emergency, beans will be nutritious and filling.
So wouldn't it be great if there were more ways to use them???
Enter, the sweet tooth!!! Yay! We were able to search online and find some great recipes that add beans to the Dessert catergory. Some of the bean recipes we used just added them to the mix and some were focused on keeping the beans in the spotlight!
REMEMBER:
YOU CAN ALWAYS USE DRY BEANS IN THESE RECIPES EVEN IF THEY CALL FOR CANNED BEANS. TO DO SO, YOU MUST...
1. SORT THROUGH THE BEANS LOOKING FOR ANY ROCKS OR BROKEN BEANS.
2. NEXT, RINSE THEM WITH WATER AND DRAIN.
3. PLACE BEANS IN A POT AND FILL THE POT WITH WATER...AT LEAST DOUBLE THE AMOUNT WATER TO BEANS.
4. YOU CAN SOAK THESE OVERNIGHT, PRESSURE COOK THEM OR SPEED SOAK.
5. FOR SPEED SOAKING, HEAT WATER IN A POT TO A ROLLING BOIL...REMOVE FROM HEAT, ADD RINSED BEANS TO POT AND COVER. LET SOAK FOR AN HOUR, CHECK FOR SOFTNESS...MAY TAKE A LITTLE LONGER, BUT SHOULD BE READY IN UNDER 2 HOURS!
****YOU MUST DRAIN OFF THE WATER AFTER SOAKING ANY DRY BEANS!!!! EVEN IF A RECIPE CALLS FOR PUTTING THEM INTO WATER AFTER SOAKING, ALWAYS USE FRESH WATER!!! BEANS RELEASE CHEMICALS DURING THE SOAKING PROCESS THAT IF CONSUMED LEADS TO GAS, BLOATING, AND DIGESTION PAIN.***
Here is what we made:
Black Bean Coconut Brownies
Yield – 16 brownies Preparation Time – 20 minutes Cooking Time – 40 minutes
Ingredients
• 3 cups pureed black beans (I poured in a full can of black beans, undrained, then drained the other can before putting in the blender...I filled up the blender to the 4 cup line, adding extra water if needed)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk (I used Evaporated Milk from my food storage)
• 1 1/2 cup flour (I used Brown Rice Flour, but try ANY kind you want)
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened) (and optional)
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
• Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray.
• Puree black beans with a little water. I went for a “smoothie” like consistency.
• Add the sugar to the mixer or mixing bowl and then pour in the pureed black beans. Mix until smooth, adding the vanilla and milk as it mixes.
• Dump in all the dry ingredients, flour, cocoa, powder, soda and salt.
• Mix up, then toss in the coconut and chocolate chips.
• On the lowest speed, mix in the coconut and chocolate chips for 10-20 seconds.
• Pour the brownie batter into the greased pan and bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean in the center. Let cool on a cooling rack before cutting.
Read more:
Pinto Bean Fudge
1 cup cooked soft pinto beans (drained and mashed)
1/4 cup milk (I used Evaporated Milk)
1 Tbsp vanilla
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
6 Tbsp butter or margarine
2lbs. powdered sugar
nuts (optional)
In a large bowl stir beans and milk together, adding enough milk to resemble mashed potatoes; stir in vanilla. Melt chocolate and butter and stir in bean mixture. Gradually stir in powdered sugar. Knead with hands to get it well blended. Spread into lightly buttered 9-inch baking dish or form into 1-1/2 inch rolls. Chill 1-2 hours.
Flourless Black Bean Brownies
Preheat oven to 350 F
Oil or spray an 8x8 square pan.
1 19oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 Eggs
3 Tbsp. Veg. Oil
1 tsp. Vanilla
¾ c. White Sugar
¼ c. Cocoa Powder
1 Pinch of Salt
Optional: ½ c. Chocolate Chips and/or nuts
Process beans in food processor or blender until very smooth. Add eggs and beat the mixture with a hand mixer on medium to high for at least 1 minute. Add all other ingredients and beat on high for another minute.
Pour into baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is dry and the edges are pulling from the pan. Allow to cool then cut into squares.
Blueberry Bean Muffins
2 cans (15 ounces each) Red Kidney beans or 3 cups cooked dry-packaged Red Kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1/3 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/2 teaspoon allspice, ground
1/2 teaspoon cloves, ground
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
Process beans and milk in food processor or blender until smooth.
Mix sugar and butter in large bowl; beat in eggs and vanilla. Add bean mixture, mixing until well blended. Mix in combined flours, baking soda, salt and spices. Gently mix in blueberries. Spoon mixture into 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups; sprinkle with pecans.
Bake muffins in preheated 375-degree oven until toothpicks inserted in centers come out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes; remove from pans and cool.
Makes 1 dozen
NOTE: Although B.E.A.N. recipes usually call for a specific variety, any canned or dry-packaged bean variety can be easily substituted for another.
Per serving: Calories 288; Fat 10g; Calcium 46mg; % Calories from Fat 31; Carbohydrate 43g; Folate 49mcg; Sodium 500mg; Protein 8g; Dietary Fiber 5g; Cholesterol 64mg
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Dessert Hummus
Ingredients:
• 2 cups chickpeas (canned works too!)
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter (or other butters, like Almond or Cashew)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• Drain, measure, wash, and peel your chickpeas. Peeling them isn’t absolutely necessary but it makes for the creamiest hummus and really is worth the effort.
• In a food processor, add the first 4 ingredients and process until the hummus is smooth and emulsified(the one thing no one wants for dessert is chunky chickpea pieces in their dessert).
Remove and clean the blade and fold in the chocolate chips. Move into a deep serving bowl and serve with graham crackers or baby carrots.
Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip (and Bean!) Cookies
vegetable oil cooking spray
1 12 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
12 tsp baking powder
12 tsp baking soda
14 tsp salt
34 cup white beans (drained great northern cannellini or any white beans liquid reserved)
3 tbsps softened butter
1 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed)
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. In blender, process oats until finely ground but not powdery. Combine with flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In a clean blender, puree beans and 2 tbsp reserved bean liquid until smooth. Combine bean puree, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a separate bowl and beat well. With the mixer on low speed, beat in oat and flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Drop batter (by the tablespoon) onto baking sheets. Bake 15 to 17 minutes until centers are firm and edges are lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
NOT-SO-SWEET-TREATS with Beans!
If you still are looking for a way to use beans for a snack, but don't want all the sugar, try these yummy alternatives:
Bean Salsa
1 can Black Beans
1 can Black-Eyed Peas
1 can Sweet Corn
(all cans 15 oz. size)
Empty each can into a collander placed in the sink. Rinse thoroughly and drain. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add:
1 small Purple Onion OR a few Scallions....diced
1 large Tomato or 2 small...chopped
1/2 c. Fresh Cilantro...chopped
1/2 c. Italian Dressing, made from the packet....I used a homemade dressing with some Lemon added.
Optional:
Lemon or Lime juice to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Great Additions: Chopped Avocado, Chopped Olives
Mix all ingredients in the bowl, making sure the dressing evenly coats the mixture. Chill in fridge if you have the time. Serve with tortilla chips, tacos, burritos, salads, as a side dish, etc.
Beans are truly an amazing food. As far as Nutrition goes, they are loaded with lean protein and fiber...we should have at least 2 servings of beans, legumes, or lentils each day! Beans are a "filling" food too, so a little goes a long way in keeping you satified and full. As far as Food Storage goes, Beans are GREAT! If packaged appropriately they can have as long a shelf life as Wheat....30+ years!!! WOW!! In an emergency, beans will be nutritious and filling.
So wouldn't it be great if there were more ways to use them???
Enter, the sweet tooth!!! Yay! We were able to search online and find some great recipes that add beans to the Dessert catergory. Some of the bean recipes we used just added them to the mix and some were focused on keeping the beans in the spotlight!
REMEMBER:
YOU CAN ALWAYS USE DRY BEANS IN THESE RECIPES EVEN IF THEY CALL FOR CANNED BEANS. TO DO SO, YOU MUST...
1. SORT THROUGH THE BEANS LOOKING FOR ANY ROCKS OR BROKEN BEANS.
2. NEXT, RINSE THEM WITH WATER AND DRAIN.
3. PLACE BEANS IN A POT AND FILL THE POT WITH WATER...AT LEAST DOUBLE THE AMOUNT WATER TO BEANS.
4. YOU CAN SOAK THESE OVERNIGHT, PRESSURE COOK THEM OR SPEED SOAK.
5. FOR SPEED SOAKING, HEAT WATER IN A POT TO A ROLLING BOIL...REMOVE FROM HEAT, ADD RINSED BEANS TO POT AND COVER. LET SOAK FOR AN HOUR, CHECK FOR SOFTNESS...MAY TAKE A LITTLE LONGER, BUT SHOULD BE READY IN UNDER 2 HOURS!
****YOU MUST DRAIN OFF THE WATER AFTER SOAKING ANY DRY BEANS!!!! EVEN IF A RECIPE CALLS FOR PUTTING THEM INTO WATER AFTER SOAKING, ALWAYS USE FRESH WATER!!! BEANS RELEASE CHEMICALS DURING THE SOAKING PROCESS THAT IF CONSUMED LEADS TO GAS, BLOATING, AND DIGESTION PAIN.***
Here is what we made:
Black Bean Coconut Brownies
Yield – 16 brownies Preparation Time – 20 minutes Cooking Time – 40 minutes
Ingredients
• 3 cups pureed black beans (I poured in a full can of black beans, undrained, then drained the other can before putting in the blender...I filled up the blender to the 4 cup line, adding extra water if needed)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk (I used Evaporated Milk from my food storage)
• 1 1/2 cup flour (I used Brown Rice Flour, but try ANY kind you want)
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened) (and optional)
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
• Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray.
• Puree black beans with a little water. I went for a “smoothie” like consistency.
• Add the sugar to the mixer or mixing bowl and then pour in the pureed black beans. Mix until smooth, adding the vanilla and milk as it mixes.
• Dump in all the dry ingredients, flour, cocoa, powder, soda and salt.
• Mix up, then toss in the coconut and chocolate chips.
• On the lowest speed, mix in the coconut and chocolate chips for 10-20 seconds.
• Pour the brownie batter into the greased pan and bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean in the center. Let cool on a cooling rack before cutting.
Read more:
Pinto Bean Fudge
1 cup cooked soft pinto beans (drained and mashed)
1/4 cup milk (I used Evaporated Milk)
1 Tbsp vanilla
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
6 Tbsp butter or margarine
2lbs. powdered sugar
nuts (optional)
In a large bowl stir beans and milk together, adding enough milk to resemble mashed potatoes; stir in vanilla. Melt chocolate and butter and stir in bean mixture. Gradually stir in powdered sugar. Knead with hands to get it well blended. Spread into lightly buttered 9-inch baking dish or form into 1-1/2 inch rolls. Chill 1-2 hours.
Flourless Black Bean Brownies
Preheat oven to 350 F
Oil or spray an 8x8 square pan.
1 19oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 Eggs
3 Tbsp. Veg. Oil
1 tsp. Vanilla
¾ c. White Sugar
¼ c. Cocoa Powder
1 Pinch of Salt
Optional: ½ c. Chocolate Chips and/or nuts
Process beans in food processor or blender until very smooth. Add eggs and beat the mixture with a hand mixer on medium to high for at least 1 minute. Add all other ingredients and beat on high for another minute.
Pour into baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is dry and the edges are pulling from the pan. Allow to cool then cut into squares.
Blueberry Bean Muffins
2 cans (15 ounces each) Red Kidney beans or 3 cups cooked dry-packaged Red Kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1/3 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/2 teaspoon allspice, ground
1/2 teaspoon cloves, ground
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
Process beans and milk in food processor or blender until smooth.
Mix sugar and butter in large bowl; beat in eggs and vanilla. Add bean mixture, mixing until well blended. Mix in combined flours, baking soda, salt and spices. Gently mix in blueberries. Spoon mixture into 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups; sprinkle with pecans.
Bake muffins in preheated 375-degree oven until toothpicks inserted in centers come out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes; remove from pans and cool.
Makes 1 dozen
NOTE: Although B.E.A.N. recipes usually call for a specific variety, any canned or dry-packaged bean variety can be easily substituted for another.
Per serving: Calories 288; Fat 10g; Calcium 46mg; % Calories from Fat 31; Carbohydrate 43g; Folate 49mcg; Sodium 500mg; Protein 8g; Dietary Fiber 5g; Cholesterol 64mg
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Dessert Hummus
Ingredients:
• 2 cups chickpeas (canned works too!)
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter (or other butters, like Almond or Cashew)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• Drain, measure, wash, and peel your chickpeas. Peeling them isn’t absolutely necessary but it makes for the creamiest hummus and really is worth the effort.
• In a food processor, add the first 4 ingredients and process until the hummus is smooth and emulsified(the one thing no one wants for dessert is chunky chickpea pieces in their dessert).
Remove and clean the blade and fold in the chocolate chips. Move into a deep serving bowl and serve with graham crackers or baby carrots.
Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip (and Bean!) Cookies
vegetable oil cooking spray
1 12 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
12 tsp baking powder
12 tsp baking soda
14 tsp salt
34 cup white beans (drained great northern cannellini or any white beans liquid reserved)
3 tbsps softened butter
1 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed)
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. In blender, process oats until finely ground but not powdery. Combine with flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In a clean blender, puree beans and 2 tbsp reserved bean liquid until smooth. Combine bean puree, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a separate bowl and beat well. With the mixer on low speed, beat in oat and flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Drop batter (by the tablespoon) onto baking sheets. Bake 15 to 17 minutes until centers are firm and edges are lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
NOT-SO-SWEET-TREATS with Beans!
If you still are looking for a way to use beans for a snack, but don't want all the sugar, try these yummy alternatives:
Bean Salsa
1 can Black Beans
1 can Black-Eyed Peas
1 can Sweet Corn
(all cans 15 oz. size)
Empty each can into a collander placed in the sink. Rinse thoroughly and drain. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add:
1 small Purple Onion OR a few Scallions....diced
1 large Tomato or 2 small...chopped
1/2 c. Fresh Cilantro...chopped
1/2 c. Italian Dressing, made from the packet....I used a homemade dressing with some Lemon added.
Optional:
Lemon or Lime juice to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Great Additions: Chopped Avocado, Chopped Olives
Mix all ingredients in the bowl, making sure the dressing evenly coats the mixture. Chill in fridge if you have the time. Serve with tortilla chips, tacos, burritos, salads, as a side dish, etc.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Apple Sauce Ideas
So now that we've made Applesauce and canned it, what do you do with it? Well...you eat it of course!! haha!
Seriously, eating a bowl of Applesauce warm or cold can get a little hum-drum sometimes, so here are some ways to eat it and use it that you may not have thought of before!
Apple Sauce Granola Breakfast/Snack.....top a bowl of applesauce with your favorite granola and serve warm or cold.
Apple Sauce and Gingerbread....gingerbread is actually a cake and topped with homemade applesauce and whipped cream, you'd think you would have died and gone to heaven.....mmmmmmmm!
Apple Sauce and Meat....served over or on the side of meats such as Pork chops or tenderloin, chicken breast, or even beef makes a great combination of sweet and salty!
Apple Sauce Crisp....instead of making an apple crip, use your applesauce, cover it with your struesel topping and bake for 10 minutes at 350 or just until the topping is browned....quick and easy dessert!
Apple Sauce Cake,Bread, Muffins....search online and you will find many recipes! Applesauce makes a great addition to carrot and zuccini type breads and cakes, muffins, even pancakes! You could also use it as a filling in cakes....spreading it thinly between layers of a spice cake for example.
Apple Sauce in Baking....speaking of baking, Applesauce is know to be a great substitue for OIL in baking recipes. Substitute equal amounts of Applesauce for oil and you can greatly reduce the fat in a baking recipe!
Apple Sauce and Sweet Potatoes...whip some Applesauce into your mashed sweet potatoes with a little butter and brown sugar....oh yum! You could even reduce the amount of butter used because the Applesauce will help smooth out the texture.
Apple Sauce and Ice Cream....just pour it over, add some graham crackers or granola and you have a great treat!
Can you think of any more ideas or tips? If so, please feel free to share!!!
Seriously, eating a bowl of Applesauce warm or cold can get a little hum-drum sometimes, so here are some ways to eat it and use it that you may not have thought of before!
Apple Sauce Granola Breakfast/Snack.....top a bowl of applesauce with your favorite granola and serve warm or cold.
Apple Sauce and Gingerbread....gingerbread is actually a cake and topped with homemade applesauce and whipped cream, you'd think you would have died and gone to heaven.....mmmmmmmm!
Apple Sauce and Meat....served over or on the side of meats such as Pork chops or tenderloin, chicken breast, or even beef makes a great combination of sweet and salty!
Apple Sauce Crisp....instead of making an apple crip, use your applesauce, cover it with your struesel topping and bake for 10 minutes at 350 or just until the topping is browned....quick and easy dessert!
Apple Sauce Cake,Bread, Muffins....search online and you will find many recipes! Applesauce makes a great addition to carrot and zuccini type breads and cakes, muffins, even pancakes! You could also use it as a filling in cakes....spreading it thinly between layers of a spice cake for example.
Apple Sauce in Baking....speaking of baking, Applesauce is know to be a great substitue for OIL in baking recipes. Substitute equal amounts of Applesauce for oil and you can greatly reduce the fat in a baking recipe!
Apple Sauce and Sweet Potatoes...whip some Applesauce into your mashed sweet potatoes with a little butter and brown sugar....oh yum! You could even reduce the amount of butter used because the Applesauce will help smooth out the texture.
Apple Sauce and Ice Cream....just pour it over, add some graham crackers or granola and you have a great treat!
Can you think of any more ideas or tips? If so, please feel free to share!!!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Making Applesauce!!!
Today we made Applesauce and I thought I'd share a few tips and some steps in getting this done!
As a general rule, pick Apples that are sweet tasting: Gala, Cortland, Jonagold, Crispin, Pink Lady, Braeburn, and others. I also like to toss in some tart tasting Apples such as Staymen Winesap and MacIntosh....you can see a great list of these at www.pickyourown.org/apples.htm
There are several ways to make your apples into sauce. Some peel and core right into a large pot on the stove and while they cook, they smash them with a potatoe masher or whip them with an emersion hand blender. Others peel and core, cook and then put thru a food mill. However, I use a hand-cranked food mill/strainer that eliminates the need for peeling and coring. I purchased this at Lehmans.com
I start by placing a large pot of water to boil on High. I also scrub my bottles and rings clean with dish soap and hot water. They need to stay hot, so I turn my oven on to its lowest temperature (about 170 degrees) and place the bottles on a lowered rack. I fill an oven-safe bowl with water and place my rings and lids in it so they can stay hot and sterilized as well
While the water is coming to a boil on the stove top, I wash the apples and cut them into quarters.
Next, place the cut apples in the boiling water. Boil for about 8 minutes or until you can see the skin separating from the flesh of the apple.
Remove the apples from the water with a slotted spoon, into a bowl and over to the hopper of the food strainer.
Using the plunger, push the apples down the hole of the hopper while turning the hand crank. A bowl should be placed to catch the applesauce and one for the "junk"(peels, seeds, cores).
Keep repeating this boiling and straining/milling. When the bowl is full of applesauce, I transfer it to an extra large stock pot on the stove. I keep the stove on low heat and stir occasionally, especially if I'm still boiling and mashing apples.
At this point I make sure my water bath canning pot is filled with water and the stove is turned on medium to get the water heated up and ready to receive jars.
Once all the apples have been made into sauce and placed in the big stockpot, I take begin to fill jars. I always make a few jars with NO SUGAR in case I want to give it to someone with special diet restrictions, such as diabetes. But, most of my sauce gets sugar added....you can also add some cinnamon or other spices to your sauce if you like. I add at least 2 to 3 cups of sugar to begin the sweetening process. Stir and stir to incorporate that sugar!! Also, turn the heat up a bit, from low to medium or medium/high but remember to stir continuously....watch for bubbling, popping, hot applesauce!!
Take a small spoonfull and taste your mixture each time you add sugar. Continue to add sugar if you like it really sweet or leave it how it is. The amount of sugar you add is really up to YOUR TASTE!!
Once you like what you are tasting, turn the heat down to LOW again and get ready to fill your jars. Take a hot jar from the oven and place on a cookie tray with sides (this helps with clean up if you spill). Place a canning funnel on top of the jar. Ladel the sauce into the funnel until the sauce fills the jar....leave 1/2 inch between the top of the jar and the top of the sauce.
With a butter knife, remove the air bubbles in the sauce by inserting it straight down the sides of the jar and while lifting the knife move to the center of the jar. Go all the way around the sides of the jar, down and up with the knife until the air bubbles or spaces are removed....sometimes I tap the jar on the countertop a bit as well.
Remove the funnel. With a clean, hot dishcloth CLEAN THE TOP RIM OF THE JAR!!!! This is soooo important!!! You must have the rim clean for the lid to make a good, tight seal to the jar. When it is clean, take a hot lid and ring from the oven....shake off any water...and place on the rim of jar. Twist on the ring as tight as you can by hand...don't use any tools to tighten it down...just your own strengh is good!
Set the rack in your water bath canner to sit on the edge of the pot. As you fill jars place them in the rack suspended above the boiling water....this will help them stay hot while you fill the remaining jars.
Once the rack is full, check that the jars are NOT touching each other. This can be tricky especially with quart jars, but do your best! Gently lower them into the water, making sure that the water rises at least an inch or 2 above the lids....you may have to add more water. Place pot lid on top and...
Turn your stove up to HIGH. When the water comes to a steady boil, you can turn the heat down slowly to medium high....start your timer!! Generally 20 minutes from the time you turn down your heat is all you need to process applesauce.
When the time is up, carefully remove the pot lid and turn the stove off. Have a folded kitchen towel or 2 lined up on the counter. With canning tongs, grab each jar out of the water and set it on the towel to dry and cool off.
Leave the jars to sit for at least 24 hours...as they sit you will hear the lids POP showing they are sealed. After they have cooled completely, check for sealing by gently pressing down and up on the lids....if there is no "give" they have sealed correctly. If the lid moves up and down with your finger (and sometimes you can hear the pop of the metal lid bending) then the seal has NOT been made. You can either re-process this jar or just put it in the fridge making that jar the first one to be eaten!!
After the 24 hour cooling period, remove the ring from the top of the jar....do not store with the ring on as they can rust and be hard to remove after long term storage. Also, take a clean, damp rag and "wash" the bottles to remove any residue of applesauce that may have bubble over and down the sides. Label your lids with date with a permanent marker and store in a cool, dry, dark place. Now you can enjoy fresh, homemade applesauce all year long!!
As a general rule, pick Apples that are sweet tasting: Gala, Cortland, Jonagold, Crispin, Pink Lady, Braeburn, and others. I also like to toss in some tart tasting Apples such as Staymen Winesap and MacIntosh....you can see a great list of these at www.pickyourown.org/apples.htm
There are several ways to make your apples into sauce. Some peel and core right into a large pot on the stove and while they cook, they smash them with a potatoe masher or whip them with an emersion hand blender. Others peel and core, cook and then put thru a food mill. However, I use a hand-cranked food mill/strainer that eliminates the need for peeling and coring. I purchased this at Lehmans.com
I start by placing a large pot of water to boil on High. I also scrub my bottles and rings clean with dish soap and hot water. They need to stay hot, so I turn my oven on to its lowest temperature (about 170 degrees) and place the bottles on a lowered rack. I fill an oven-safe bowl with water and place my rings and lids in it so they can stay hot and sterilized as well
While the water is coming to a boil on the stove top, I wash the apples and cut them into quarters.
Next, place the cut apples in the boiling water. Boil for about 8 minutes or until you can see the skin separating from the flesh of the apple.
Remove the apples from the water with a slotted spoon, into a bowl and over to the hopper of the food strainer.
Using the plunger, push the apples down the hole of the hopper while turning the hand crank. A bowl should be placed to catch the applesauce and one for the "junk"(peels, seeds, cores).
Keep repeating this boiling and straining/milling. When the bowl is full of applesauce, I transfer it to an extra large stock pot on the stove. I keep the stove on low heat and stir occasionally, especially if I'm still boiling and mashing apples.
At this point I make sure my water bath canning pot is filled with water and the stove is turned on medium to get the water heated up and ready to receive jars.
Once all the apples have been made into sauce and placed in the big stockpot, I take begin to fill jars. I always make a few jars with NO SUGAR in case I want to give it to someone with special diet restrictions, such as diabetes. But, most of my sauce gets sugar added....you can also add some cinnamon or other spices to your sauce if you like. I add at least 2 to 3 cups of sugar to begin the sweetening process. Stir and stir to incorporate that sugar!! Also, turn the heat up a bit, from low to medium or medium/high but remember to stir continuously....watch for bubbling, popping, hot applesauce!!
Take a small spoonfull and taste your mixture each time you add sugar. Continue to add sugar if you like it really sweet or leave it how it is. The amount of sugar you add is really up to YOUR TASTE!!
Once you like what you are tasting, turn the heat down to LOW again and get ready to fill your jars. Take a hot jar from the oven and place on a cookie tray with sides (this helps with clean up if you spill). Place a canning funnel on top of the jar. Ladel the sauce into the funnel until the sauce fills the jar....leave 1/2 inch between the top of the jar and the top of the sauce.
With a butter knife, remove the air bubbles in the sauce by inserting it straight down the sides of the jar and while lifting the knife move to the center of the jar. Go all the way around the sides of the jar, down and up with the knife until the air bubbles or spaces are removed....sometimes I tap the jar on the countertop a bit as well.
Remove the funnel. With a clean, hot dishcloth CLEAN THE TOP RIM OF THE JAR!!!! This is soooo important!!! You must have the rim clean for the lid to make a good, tight seal to the jar. When it is clean, take a hot lid and ring from the oven....shake off any water...and place on the rim of jar. Twist on the ring as tight as you can by hand...don't use any tools to tighten it down...just your own strengh is good!
Set the rack in your water bath canner to sit on the edge of the pot. As you fill jars place them in the rack suspended above the boiling water....this will help them stay hot while you fill the remaining jars.
Once the rack is full, check that the jars are NOT touching each other. This can be tricky especially with quart jars, but do your best! Gently lower them into the water, making sure that the water rises at least an inch or 2 above the lids....you may have to add more water. Place pot lid on top and...
Turn your stove up to HIGH. When the water comes to a steady boil, you can turn the heat down slowly to medium high....start your timer!! Generally 20 minutes from the time you turn down your heat is all you need to process applesauce.
When the time is up, carefully remove the pot lid and turn the stove off. Have a folded kitchen towel or 2 lined up on the counter. With canning tongs, grab each jar out of the water and set it on the towel to dry and cool off.
Leave the jars to sit for at least 24 hours...as they sit you will hear the lids POP showing they are sealed. After they have cooled completely, check for sealing by gently pressing down and up on the lids....if there is no "give" they have sealed correctly. If the lid moves up and down with your finger (and sometimes you can hear the pop of the metal lid bending) then the seal has NOT been made. You can either re-process this jar or just put it in the fridge making that jar the first one to be eaten!!
After the 24 hour cooling period, remove the ring from the top of the jar....do not store with the ring on as they can rust and be hard to remove after long term storage. Also, take a clean, damp rag and "wash" the bottles to remove any residue of applesauce that may have bubble over and down the sides. Label your lids with date with a permanent marker and store in a cool, dry, dark place. Now you can enjoy fresh, homemade applesauce all year long!!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Getting Started!
Readiness is all about being prepared and that is what I hope to do with this blog! I think we all have grand plans and ideas about being ready for any circumstance that may befall us, but really when it comes down to it, do we do anything with those thoughts? I know I don't! So, we need to JUST DO IT!!
I have started a group at my church, The Churh of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, through the organization of the Relief Society, to help me and my fellow Sisters GET READY...GET PREPARED!! I've named it and organized it as follows:
Food Storage: Preparing It & Using It
1. Using food storage items, make creative recipes (ie: fudge from dry beans)
2. Using food storage items, create recipes that can then be stored again (ie: Granola)
3. Using fresh foods, can or freeze them for longer term storage (ie: Applesauce)
4. Using fresh foods, dehydrate for longer term storage
5. Using dried foods, vacuum can or bag for longer term storage
6. Possibly, meeting at the Cannery or obtaining the machine to package basic/staple food storage items
Proposed Plan:
1. Meet together 1 time/ 2 months
2. Meet at a person’s house.....taking turns using each other’s kitchens (for those who are comfortable doing so)
3. Share tools/supplies to help everyone make/prepare food for themselves and their families....this would be a HANDS ON class!!
4. One item every other month, unless the process calls for more time (ie: dehydration and storage of dehydrated items)
5. Share recipes/how-to’s, etc. while also taking home finished products for their home food storage....no standing around watching someone else do it!!
6. Time: this would be a big commitment each month as many of these processes take several hours.
7. Cost: people would purchase their own food, or if someone finds a good deal they can purchase for others (if they are willing) and individuals would pay them for it. Some supplies would have to be purchased by each individual (ie: canning jars & lids), while others could be shared and reused (ie: canning pot or food-saver machine).
The main GOAL of this is to learn how to obtain food, store it in various ways, and then learn what to do with it once you have it!!
So....stop sitting there reading this!! Get up and get on over here to Get it Done!!
Get Ready...Get Set...Get Prepared!!! :)
I have started a group at my church, The Churh of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, through the organization of the Relief Society, to help me and my fellow Sisters GET READY...GET PREPARED!! I've named it and organized it as follows:
Food Storage: Preparing It & Using It
1. Using food storage items, make creative recipes (ie: fudge from dry beans)
2. Using food storage items, create recipes that can then be stored again (ie: Granola)
3. Using fresh foods, can or freeze them for longer term storage (ie: Applesauce)
4. Using fresh foods, dehydrate for longer term storage
5. Using dried foods, vacuum can or bag for longer term storage
6. Possibly, meeting at the Cannery or obtaining the machine to package basic/staple food storage items
Proposed Plan:
1. Meet together 1 time/ 2 months
2. Meet at a person’s house.....taking turns using each other’s kitchens (for those who are comfortable doing so)
3. Share tools/supplies to help everyone make/prepare food for themselves and their families....this would be a HANDS ON class!!
4. One item every other month, unless the process calls for more time (ie: dehydration and storage of dehydrated items)
5. Share recipes/how-to’s, etc. while also taking home finished products for their home food storage....no standing around watching someone else do it!!
6. Time: this would be a big commitment each month as many of these processes take several hours.
7. Cost: people would purchase their own food, or if someone finds a good deal they can purchase for others (if they are willing) and individuals would pay them for it. Some supplies would have to be purchased by each individual (ie: canning jars & lids), while others could be shared and reused (ie: canning pot or food-saver machine).
The main GOAL of this is to learn how to obtain food, store it in various ways, and then learn what to do with it once you have it!!
So....stop sitting there reading this!! Get up and get on over here to Get it Done!!
Get Ready...Get Set...Get Prepared!!! :)
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