Posted on 07/24/2009 3:37:21 AM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition Category: Roundups | Comments(15)
Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.
To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.
The Frugal Roundup
How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)
Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)
Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)
Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)
40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)
Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)
5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)
A Few Others I Enjoyed
* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance
KNOWN HERBAL FORMULAS OF ELDER
Elder is used in a variety of different herbal formulas that are very
effective for many forms of illnesses. Here are a few recipes that were
used a long time ago and I’m sure some of them are still used today.
Infusion of Elder Flowers
2 ounces of dried Elder flowers
2 ounces of Peppermint
11/2 pints of distilled water
Let the Peppermint cold infuse all night in 1/2 of the distilled water.
Boil the other 1/2 of the water and pour over the Elder flowers letting
this steep for 15 to 20 minutes. When cool add the two liquids together.
Strain and sweeten with honey. Drink all the liquid as hot as possible
while closely wrapped up in bed. Wrap the feet in a cloth that has been
dipped in vinegar and place a hot water bottle at the feet. In a few
minutes a profuse sweat will begin, the pulse will slow and the person
will sleep peacefully for hours.
A formula where there is pus either internally or externally
4 ounces of Elder flowers
4 ounces of cut Echinacea root
1 quart of distilled water
Low simmer the herbs in the quart of water for 5 minutes and let steep
for another 30 minutes. Keep covered, when cool strain and bottle,
store in a cool, dark place. When this formula needs to be perserved for
a longer length of time add 25% vegetable glycerine.
A formula to have on hand in case of flu
2 parts Boneset herb
1 part Elder flower
1 Part Peppermint leaves
For each ounce of the herbal combination use 1 pint distilled water. Let
the Peppermint steep in part of the cold water overnight. Boil the rest
of the water and pour over the Boneset and Elder flowers and steep for
15 to 20 minutes. When cool add the two liquids together. Drink a cup as
hot as can be taken every two hours, and if the tea is found to be to
bitter, especially for small children, it can be sweetened with
Licorice root.
Elder Syrup Salve
Crush then boil down one cup of berries. Strain and boil again until
rich syrup is produced. Tallow is added to this until a pudding like
consistency is reached. This syrup salve can be used on chafing skin and
put on all burns, especially sun burns.
Diarrhea
For this remedy add 1/2 cup of dried berries to 2 cups of water and low
simmer for 10 minutes. Drink 1/2 cup of the cold tea, twice a day, and
this will alleviate the diarrhea.
Cold Flu Brew
2 1/4 teaspoons Elder blooms
2 1/4 teaspoons Yarrow flowers and leaves
1 3/4 teaspoons Peppermint
1/4 teaspoon Stevia (your choice)
2 1/4 teaspoon Echinacea leaf
3 cups of distilled water
Place all herbs except Peppermint in water, cover and simmer for 10 to
15 minutes. Take off heat then add Peppermint. Steep this for an
additional 10 minutes. Strain off herb and throw away. Drink up to 3
cups daily as needed, keep tea in refrigerator. This blend is comforting
and healing during the misery of colds and flu. It helps remove toxins
and heat from the body. It fights viral infection and acts as a
decongestant. “Hobbs”
Elder Berry Poultice
Use Elder leaves bruised of steamed just enough to wilt them and add a
little bit of olive oil. This is a really good poultice for piles,
hemorrhoids, and inflammation. For pain use as hot as can stand for an
hour or more.
Skin Wash
Take one cup dried Elder leaves and low simmer in two cups of water for
10 minutes. This makes a good skin wash for any skin problem, bee
stings, sunburn, acne, scrapes, etc. A paste can be made by mixing
tallow with the tea to make a drawing salve for boils, splinters, and such.
All Purpose Oil
Use equal parts dried Calendula, Chamomile, and Elder flowers and 1/2
part Rose and/or Lavender. Mix and cover with olive oil. Let sit for
three days then strain. Put the oil in minor skin irritations, burns,
blemishes, and rub on chest and back for flu, colds, and lung congestion.
Sore Muscle Rub
To help sore aching muscles combine equal parts of Chamomile, Carnation,
Elder flowers, Gardenia, Lavender, Mint, Mugwort, Mullein flower, Rose,
Rosemary, and St. John’s Wort. Cover with olive oil and let sit in
sunny place for three days and strain. Rub oil into sore muscles.
Elder Flower and Sage Gargle
1 tablespoon dried Elder leaves
1 tablespoon crushed Sage leaves
2 cups distilled water
1 teaspoon honey (optional)
Put the herbs in a warm teapot and pour the 2 cups of boiling distilled
water over them. Cover and steep for 10 to 20 minutes. Strain the
infusion into a sterile jar and cool to lukewarm. Pour about 4 ounces
into a glass and use unsweetened as a gargle and mouthwash, if you want,
it can be sweetened with honey. Do this every two hours until discomfort
has passed. Store the left over liquid, if any, covered in the
refrigerator no longer then six days. This gargle is used to ease
soreness in the mouth and throat, it also relieves annoying tickles.
Elder flowers are astringent and Sage (Salvia officials) and our native
Big Sage (Artemisia tridentata) are aromatic and hav been used for a
long time to treat sore throats, inflamed gums, and colds.
A salad of young Elder buds, macerated in a little hot water and dressed
with oil, vinegar, and salt has been used as a remedy against skin
eruptions.
Elder Vinegar
Elder Vinegar made from the flowers is an old remedy for sore throats.
Elder Gruel
Elder flowers were boiled in gruel as a fever- drink long ago.
For pulmonary system congestion especially if prone to consumption use
Horehound, Ground Marshmallow and Elder flowers. This can be
successfully combined with Coltsfoot. Coltsfoot should make of 1/2 of
the formula.
” The Duke of Monmouth’s Recipe “
This old recipe included Haws and Fennel root distilled in white wine
and taken with syrup of Elder berry rob.
Syrup of Elder Berries
Pick the berries when all the way ripe, from the stalks, and stew them
in a little water in a jar or pan. After straining allow 1/2 ounce of
whole Ginger and 18 Cloves to each gallon. Boil the ingredients an hour,
strain again, and bottle. The syrup is an excellent cure for a cold. To
about a wine glassful of Elder berry syrup, add hot water and if like, sugar
Elder Berry Rob
“Five pounds of fresh, ripe, crushed berries. Crushed berries are
simmered with one pound of loaf sugar and the juice evaporated down to
the thickness of honey. It is a cordial aperient and diuretic. One or
two tablespoons mixed with a tumbler full of hot water, taken at
night, promotes perspiration and is demulcent to the chest. The rob
when made can be bottled and stored for the winter.”
Lotion
“Add 2 1/2 drachms of dried Elder flower to 1 quart of boiling water.
Infuse for an hour then strain. This liquid can be applied as a lotion
with a linen rag for tumors, boils, and afflictions of the skin and it
is said to be effective on the temples against headaches and also to
ward off attacks of flies.”
The last three remedies in this paper are really old so I wrote them in
their original wording. The next encapsulated, powdered formula is
modern day, I looked at it in the herb store in town.
Elder Berries and Flowers
Elder berries and flowers, gelatine, silica. Take two capsules twice a
day preferably with food. This product was made by “Natures Way”.
Elder berries and flowers have been used by themselves or in combination
with other herbs since recorded history. They work and people have
always known it. This last recipe is the one I use. My friend and mentor
told me about it and it works really well.
Elder Berry Syrup
6 cups of Elder Berries
1/2 cup of raw honey
1/2 teaspoon powdered Ginger or 1 teaspoon of fresh grated Ginger
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoon lime Juice
2 cups of vodka
Barely cover the berries with distilled water and low simmer for 10
minutes. Pour them in the blender and blend for a few minutes, then
strain through a cheese cloth to remove the seeds and skins. Low simmer
the 6 cups of juice (adding distilled water if short the full 6 cups),
the honey, Ginger, and Cinnamon for 35 minutes. Cool until warm and add
lime juice and vodka. The vodka preserves it longer. Bottle and keep the
syrup in the refrigerator.
Submitted by: Darlene
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore/files/Make%20Your%20Own/
Rice A Roni
1 cup long grain rice
1 cup broken pieces of vermicelli pasta
1 Tbsp chicken bouillon granules
1 tsp dried parsley, crumbled
1/8 tsp white pepper
2 Tbsp butter or oil
4 1/4 cups hot water
To serve: Brown the vermicelli and rice in a saucepan with the butter or
oil. Add all other ingredients and cook for 20 minutes. The rice will
be light and fluffy.
Serves: 4
Submitted by: Darlene
Homemade Capers
2 c fresh green nasturtium seeds
1 c water
1/4 c salt
1 c sugar
1 c cider vinegar
Wash and drain seeds. Mix water and salt; pour over seeds in jar
or crock. Cover and let stand 2 days.
Drain seeds and pour into sterile glass jar. Heat sugar and vinegar
to boiling; pour over seeds. Seal and store in refrigerator.
Makes 1 pint
Submitted by: Darlene
Better Than Hamburger Helper’s Stroganoff
Salt as needed
12 oz wide egg noodles
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 lb lean ground beef
6 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 cup beef broth
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup sour cream
Pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the noodles and cook
until they are al dente.
Heat the old in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the
onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the meat and saute
until browned, breaking it up into small pieces with a spoon, about 5
minutes. Drain excess grease.
Add the mushrooms and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in
the flour and cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.
Add the sherry and bring to a boil. Add the broth and dill; simmer and
stir until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the sour cream and stir until heated through
— do no let the mixture boil. Season with salt.
Drain noodles; transfer them to a large bowl. Add the stroganoff mixture
and season with pepper; toss thoroughly.
Yield: 4 Servings
PER SERVING: 685 calories, 36 g protein, 71 g carbohydrate,28 g fat
(11 g saturated), 92 mg cholesterol, 89 mg sodium, 1 gm fiber.
Submitted by: Darlene
Make your own Vitamin Water
Vitamin waters have recently appeared in every drug store and natural foods
market around town, their pastel colored liquids promising flavor, their labels
promising potency and/or wisdom with every sip. They’re so hot, Coca Cola Co.
recently announced it would pay $4.1 billion to acquire Energy Brands, maker of
the most prominent product, Glacéau VitaminWater. But as every enlightened
Seattleite is aware, all those individual plastic bottles represent a tsunami of
ecological waste.
Which is why I felt called to engage in some reverse engineering.
Most of the 15 varieties of VitaminWater contain 100 percent of the FDA’s
recommended daily allowance of vitamin C per bottle, 25 to 50 percent of four B
vitamins, and unspecified amounts of magnesium lactate, calcium lactate, and
monopotassium phosphate, all labeled “electrolytes.” In addition, certain
formulas contain lutein for eyes, others chamomile for peace of mind or taurine
for power.
I consulted with nutritionists, naturopaths, and vitamin dealers to develop the
following recipes, each the equivalent of a VitaminWater variety. With the
purchase of a few easy-to-find household chemicals and some crystalline
fructose, enterprising cooks and chemists will find the recipes simple to mix up
for their hydration pak or hip flask. Of course, you’re looking at an outlay of
$60 or so for your first batch. But considering that the cheapest of these
drinks costs $1.50 a bottle, you’ll see a return on your investment in no time.
Energy (or “tropical citrus” flavor VitaminWater)
2 1/2 cups (20 ounces) filtered or distilled water
1/4 teaspoon Nature’s Path Buffered C powder ($9.99 for a 4-ounce jar at Madison
Market)1
1/4 teaspoon Twinlab Super B Complex liquid vitamins ($16.19 for an 8-ounce
bottle at Rainbow Natural
Remedies)2
3/8 capsule of Natural brand guarana seed extract ($7.79 for 90 capsules at
Madison Market)
3 tablespoons (1 ounce) crystalline fructose ($1.19 per pound bulk at Madison
Market)
Power C (”dragonfruit”) <>
2 1/2 cups filtered or distilled water
1/2 teaspoon Buffered C powder1
1/4 teaspoon Super B Complex2
1/5 drop AquaChrome chromium ($9.95 for a 300-drop vial at Rainbow Natural
Remedies)
1/16 teaspoon NOW taurine (approximately $7 plus shipping for an 8-ounce jar,
ordered online)
Several shavings off a Country Life 50-milligram zinc tablet ($7.39 for 100 at
Madison Market)
3 tablespoons (1 ounce) crystalline fructose
Focus (”kiwi-strawberry”) <>
2 1/2 cups filtered or distilled water
1/4 teaspoon Buffered C powder1
1/8 – 1/12 teaspoon Super B complex
1 small drop from a Nature’s Life 20-milligram lutein capsule ($19.99 for a
bottle of 60 at Madison Market)3
3 tablespoons (1 ounce) crystalline fructose
Perform (”lemon-lime”)
2 1/2 cups filtered or distilled water
1 packet Emergen-C multivitamin formula ($0.49, purchased singly, most
anywhere)4
2 1/2 tablespoons crystalline fructoseNotes:
1. Buffered C powder is ascorbic acid whose sourness is balanced by calcium,
magnesium, and potassium—in other words, electrolytes.
2. 1/8 ounce might be more appropriate, depending on the number of the B
vitamin.
3. Jean from Madison Market recommends pricking the capsule with a pin and
squeezing gently.
4. This shortcut unfortunately provides additional amounts of vitamins A, C, D,
E, and K, along with biotin, iodine, zinc, manganese, chromium, and sodium.
Notes:
1. Buffered C powder is ascorbic acid whose sourness is balanced by calcium,
magnesium, and potassium—in other words, electrolytes.
2. 1/8 ounce might be more appropriate, depending on the number of the B
vitamin.
3. Jean from Madison Market recommends pricking the capsule with a pin and
squeezing gently.
4. This shortcut unfortunately provides additional amounts of vitamins A, C, D,
E, and K, along with biotin, iodine, zinc, manganese, chromium, and sodium.
The experienced cook and/or chemist will note two problems with these recipes.
First: They lack vegetable-juice colorings and will appear clear, or possibly
transparent with white specks. Second: a deficiency in fruity flavors.
The solution to both problems would be either to add a sprinkling from a packet
of Kool-Aid (blue raspberry’s my favorite, and pretty) or to omit the
crystalline fructose and replace 1 cup of water with 1 cup of fruit juice. Eight
ounces of Knudson’s Pure Black Cherry Juice ($3.49 per 32-ounce bottle) has the
same 33 grams of sugar as a bottle of VitaminWater. You can even go organic
with, say, Woodstock Farms Organic Pure Pineapple ($3.69 for the same amount),
though here you’ll have to add 7 grams of fructose to achieve the same naturally
stimulating effects as the branded vitamin waters have.
Real fruit juices considerably increase your expenses. However, when you weigh
the benefits of buying and recycling a glass bottle of juice versus inflicting
four 20-ounce plastic bottles of VitaminWater upon Mother Earth, you may come to
the same realization that I did: It’s no longer your call to make, is it?
The experienced cook and/or chemist will note two problems with these recipes.
First: They lack vegetable-juice colorings and will appear clear, or possibly
transparent with white specks. Second: a deficiency in fruity flavors.
The solution to both problems would be either to add a sprinkling from a packet
of Kool-Aid (blue raspberry’s my favorite, and pretty) or to omit the
crystalline fructose and replace 1 cup of water with 1 cup of fruit juice. Eight
ounces of Knudson’s Pure Black Cherry Juice ($3.49 per 32-ounce bottle) has the
same 33 grams of sugar as a bottle of VitaminWater. You can even go organic
with, say, Woodstock Farms Organic Pure Pineapple ($3.69 for the same amount),
though here you’ll have to add 7 grams of fructose to achieve the same naturally
stimulating effects as the branded vitamin waters have.
Real fruit juices considerably increase your expenses. However, when you weigh
the benefits of buying and recycling a glass bottle of juice versus inflicting
four 20-ounce plastic bottles of VitaminWater upon Mother Earth, you may come to
the same realization that I did: It’s no longer your call to make, is it?
Submitted by: Darlene
Marshmallow Syrup
One of the ingredients commonly found in commercially produced
marshmallows is high-fructose corn syrup, but you can make your own
syrup from cane sugar. It takes about 30 minutes to make approximately 1
quart, which will keep in a covered jar for as long as 2 months at room
temperature.
This recipe can be doubled or tripled if you are going to be making a
lot of marshmallows; just be sure to use a pan large enough to allow for
the ingredients to boil if you increase the recipe. If you don’t allow
the syrup to cool for 15 minutes before ladling into glass jars, it will
crystallize.
2 cups water
5 1/3 cups granulated cane sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar Pinch of salt
Place the ingredients in a heavy 4-quart pan, stirring gently with a
heatproof spatula until the sugar is moistened. Bring to a boil over
medium-high heat, and cover the pan for 2 minutes to allow the steam to
wash any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan. Then uncover the pan,
insert a candy thermometer, and increase the heat to high until it
reaches 240 degrees. Do not stir it at all after you have removed the
lid, or the syrup will crystallize as it cools.
Remove the syrup from the heat and let it cool for 15 minutes. Ladle it
into clean jars and attach the lids.
If the syrup begins to form crystals at the bottom of the jar, don’t be
alarmed; pour out the amount of syrup you need when you use it, without
scraping the jar.
Discard any crystallized part that is left.
Makes about 1 quart
Nutrition information per 1 tablespoon serving: 68 calories, 0 fat, 0
cholesterol, 0 protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, no dietary fiber, 2
milligrams sodium.
This is your most basic marshmallow recipe. Garnish marshmallows with
the basic coatings listed below, or roll them in colored sugars, stud
them with mini chocolate chips or drizzle them with caramel.
Vegetable cooking spray for coating pan
For the bloom:
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
For the base:
3/4 cup water
1 1/4 cups Marshmallow Syrup (see recipe) Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups granulated cane sugar
Basic coating:
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
Spray the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13 inch or 11 by 15 by 1 inch pan
or another mold you will be using for the batter with vegetable cooking
spray, and wipe it lightly with a paper towel, leaving only a thin film
of oil.
For the bloom: Measure the cold water into a measuring cup and add the
vanilla. Place the gelatin into a small bowl and pour the water and
vanilla over it, stirring with a whisk or fork until there are no lumps.
Set the bowl near the stove.
For the base: Place the water, syrup, salt and sugar, in that order,
into a 4 quart pan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat.
Then place a lid on the pan and boil it, covered, for 2 minutes. This
step is essential to eliminate sugar crystals on the side of the pan
that might cause the marshmallows to crystallize.
Remove the lid, insert a candy thermometer, and continue boiling until
the thermometer reaches 250 degrees F. Do not stir the mixture after the
lid has been removed. Remove the thermometer and gently stir in the
bloomed gelatin.
Pour the batter into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Beat it on
high speed for 10 to 12 minutes, using the wire whisk attachment. Cover
the mixer with a clean kitchen towel for the first 3 to 4 minutes to
avoid splattering hot liquid.
At first, the marshmallow batter will look very watery; as it beats, it
will become thick, white and glossy and will increase in volume by two
to threefold. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and spread the batter
into the pan. Smooth the top with a spatula, or wet your hand and smooth
the mixture with your palm. Let the pan sit at room temperature,
uncovered, for at least 4 hours or overnight.
For the coating: Sift the sugar and cornstarch together, or pulse in a
food processor until there are no lumps. Store the coating indefinitely
in an airtight container.
To cut: Prepare the cutting surface by lightly sprinkling with coating
mixture. Ease the marshmallows away from the sides of the pan and flip
the pan over, gently releasing the slab onto the surface. Cut the
marshmallows with a pizza cutter into the desired shape. Toss the cut
marshmallows with coating mix, shaking off any excess. Store in an
airtight container for as long as a week.
Coating variations: For gingerbread, add 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger, 1
teaspoon cinnamon and 3/4 teaspoon cloves to the basic coating. For
cocoa-ancho chile, add 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa and 2 teaspoons
ancho chile powder to the basic coating. For cinnamon, add 2 to 3
teaspoons ground Vietnamese cinnamon to the basic coating.
Makes 36 servings.
Nutrition information per marshmallow: 86 calories, 0 fat, 0
cholesterol, trace protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, trace dietary fiber,
4 milligrams sodium.
Vegetable cooking spray for coating pan
For the bloom:
3 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups 100 percent passion fruit or mango juice concentrate or nectar
For the base:
1 cup 100 percent passion fruit or mango juice concentrate or nectar
1 1/4 cups Marshmallow Syrup (see recipe) Pinch of salt
1 3/4 cups granulated cane sugar
For the coating:
Coconut flakes
Coat a 9 by 13 inch or 11 by 15 by 1 inch pan with vegetable cooking
spray, wiping it lightly with a paper towel so that only a thin film of
oil remains.
For the bloom: Place the gelatin in a small bowl and whisk in the juice
until smooth. Set the bowl near the stove.
For the base: Place all the ingredients into a heavy 4-quart saucepan
over medium-high heat, stirring to moisten all the sugar. Bring the
mixture to a boil, cover the pan, and boil for 2 minutes. Remove the
cover, insert a candy thermometer, and cook the base to 250 degrees. Do
not stir the mixture after the lid has been removed. Turn off the heat,
remove the thermometer, and gently stir in the bloom.
Pour the batter into the bowl of a stand mixture with a wire whisk
attachment and gradually increase the speed to high, beating the mixture
for 10 minutes. (Cover the mixture with a clean kitchen towel for the
first 3 to 4 minutes to avoid splattering.) Spread the batter into a
prepared pan and let cure, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Spread coconut flakes evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake
for 20 to 30 minutes in a 325 degree F. oven, stirring often. Allow to
cool.
Cut the marshmallows and coat with the toasted coconut flakes.
Makes 36 servings.
Nutrition information per marshmallow: 86 calories, 0 fat, 0
cholesterol, trace protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, trace dietary fiber,
8 milligrams sodium.
This recipe is from “Marshmallows: Homemade Gourmet Treats” (Gibbs,
Smith, 2008) by Eileen Talanian.
Vegetable cooking spray for coating pan
For the bloom:
3 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
For the base:
3/4 cup water
1 1/4 cups honey Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups granulated cane sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons lavender, in a tea ball
Coat a 9 by 13 inch or 11 by 15 by 1 inch pan with vegetable cooking
spray, wiping it lightly with a paper towel so that only a thin film of
oil remains.
For the bloom: Place the gelatin into a small bowl and whisk in the
water until there are no lumps. Set the bowl near the stove.
For the base: Place the water, honey, salt and sugar, in that order,
into a 6-quart pan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat,
put the tea ball in the pan so that the lavender is immersed in the
base, and turn off the heat. Cover the pan and let the lavender steep
for 30 minutes.
Bring the base back to a boil, covered, for 2 minutes. Remove the lid,
insert a candy thermometer, and continue boiling until the thermometer
reaches 250 degrees. Do not stir the mixture after the lid has been
removed.
Remove the thermometer and tea ball, and gently stir in the bloomed
gelatin.
Pour the batter in an electric stand mixer fitted with a wire whisk and
gradually increase the speed to high, beating for 10 to 12 minutes.
(Cover the mixer with a clean kitchen towel for the first 3 to 4 minutes
to avoid splattering hot liquid.)
Spread the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Let the
batter cure at room temperature, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or
overnight. Cut and coat as desired with Basic Coating and garnish with
edible flowers.
Makes 36 servings.
Nutrition information per marshmallow: 73 calories, 0 fat, 0
cholesterol, trace protein, 19 grams carbohydrates, trace dietary fiber,
7 milligrams sodium.
. Candy thermometer
. Small wire whisk
. Heavy-duty stand mixer with wire whisk attachment
. Pizza cutter
. Clean jars for marshmallow syrup
. Heatproof spatula
. Cookie cutters (optional)
. An old work shirt or apron (although the sugar washes out, making
marshmallows is a sticky endeavor)
Submitted by: Darlene
Homemade Marshmallow Fluff (Cream)
3 egg whites, room temperature
2 cups light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sifted powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
In large bowl of an electric mixer, add egg whites, corn syrup, and
salt. Using your electric mixer on high speed, mix for approximately 5
minutes or until the mixture is thick and volume has almost doubled.
On low speed, add powdered sugar and mix until well blended. Add vanilla
extract just until well blended.
Your homemade marshmallow fluff/cream is now ready to use in your
recipes. Use immediately, or refrigerate in a covered container for up
to 2 weeks.
Makes a large quantity.
Submitted by: Darlene
Make Herbal Infusions
1 ounce of herb
1 quart Mason jar (or any heat proof container that will hold 1 quart)
metal lid for Mason jar (plastic lids made for Mason jars don’t work well in this application)
something to boil 1 quart of water in
1 quart of water
chopstick or knife
scale to weigh herb
large mouth funnel (optional, but keeps the mess down)
1.Bring your water to a boil.
2. While the water is coming to a boil, weigh out 1 ounce of herb into the Mason
jar. You may need to use the funnel here.
3. Pour boiling water over the herb until the water reaches about 1 inch from
the top of the jar.
4. Stir with chopstick to release any trapped air.
5. Fill Mason jar the rest of the way.
6. Cap tightly with lid.
7. Let steep for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Straining the Infusion:
What you’ll need:
Jar of infusion
Large mouth funnel
Strainer or potato ricer
Tea towel, muslin, cheesecloth, etc.
Another container
1. Take lid of your finished infusion (you may need a bottle opener, since the
lid will vacuum down).
2. Line your strainer or potato ricer.
3. Put wide-mouth funnel into empty jar and put strainer on top of funnel.
4. Pour liquid into strainer to catch the herby bits. You may need a spoon to
get the herb out.
5. Press the remaining liquid out of the herb. If you’re using a regular
strainer you can gather up the corners of the cloth and squeeze out the liquid
or press with the back of a spoon.
6. Once you’ve all the liquid into the new jar, cap it & store it in the fridge.
It’ll keep for about 36 - 48 hours. If it smells “sour”, it’s done. Don’t
drink it, use it to water your plants or put it in the compost or dump it in the
yard.
7. Compost the herb.
Submitted by: Darlene
Oh Granny. Wish you had some of the beautiful rain we got early this morning around 3:00 AM. It lowered the temperatures to the lower 80’s. I am going to try to do one outdoor chore early in the morning while it’s cool. Otherwise, I am having to really avoid the heat. Those 104 degree days ruined my fall tomato plants. But, the deer would probably have eaten them anyway. LOL
Magic Roux Powder
You use much less oil in a gumbo with this method.
On a half sheet pan (one of those big commercial style cookie sheets
with a rim, like a big jelly roll pan) spread an entire 5 pound bag of
plain unbleached all purpose flour. Put it in the oven at 350 degrees F.
Every half hour or so, stir it up with a spatula. It takes at least 1
1/2 to 2 hours to toast. Be patient.
Test it by taking some out and stirring it into some water or oil. It
should turn a nice nutty, pecan shell brown. Keep roasting it until it’s
the color you like. (When you use it, you can always make it darker, but
you can’t make it lighter!)
To use: Sauté vegetables in oil / butter / bacon drippings and then
sprinkle the roux powder on them. Mix until it’s well blended and
thoroughly wet. Proceed with the rest of your gumbo recipe.
Store the powder in a tightly sealed jar. It seems to store indefinitely.
Submitted by: Darlene
Fruit & Vegetable Flours
Fruit & vegetable flours can be made with sweet potatoes, carrots,
beets, beans, peas, onions, sweet corn, blueberries, apples almost any
garden produce. The flavor, vitamins and minerals from the whole fruit
or vegetable can be concentrated into a couple of tablespoons. Only the
water is missing.
All you do is slice the fruit or vegetable very thin, dry it to a crisp
and grind it into a powder. These flours offer many of the advantages of
dried foods but greatly expand the ways to cook with them.
There are several advantages: *A high percentage of vitamins and
minerals survive the drying time ( some estimate 90% ), so you can add
them to other foods for a nutritional boost. *Flours reconstitute much
more evenly than chunks of dried food.
*Fruit and vegetable flours blend smoothly into batters, sauces and dips.
*Flours from high acid fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and apricots
soften the gluten, giving breads a fine, even texture, a softer crumb,
and a greater loaf volume.
*These flours absorb liquid so they fit well into thick, creamy puddings
and custards. *The best fruit and vegetables for flours are those that
can be easily be dried crisp.
The more sugar the food has, the more you’ll have to struggle to remove
the moisture. Damp slices are almost impossible to grind into a powder.
Easy vegetables to start with are spinach, parsley and other leafy
greens, as well as root vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots.
Apples have a higher sugar content but the many uses for their flour may
encourage you to try them.
Grapes ands plums are difficult; they turn into raisins and prunes and
end up gummy.
Peel apples, eggplants and tomatoes because their skins get rubbery and
won’t grind well. Root vegetables don’t have to be peeled.
Slice the foods as thin as you can. You want to quarter a fruit the size
of an apple , then slice it transversely so you end up with thin chips.
Blanch the vegetables for 30 seconds to a minute. It deactivates the
enzymes which contribute to spoilage and color loss. Blanching is
particularly important because you’ll do all this drying under 140 F,
the temperature that begins to destroy the enzymes. Arrange slices in a
single
layer; they shouldn’t touch each other. Set the dehydrator on “low”,
about 125 F. Let the slices dry until they are brittle, or as close to
brittle as a fruit like an apple can get.
Because of weather changes, uneven slices and varying thickness, it’s
difficult to predict how long something will take to dry. Most foods dry
overnight in an electric dehydrator. A leaf like spinach should dry
until it is brittle. Dried spinach has the texture of a leaf you might
find in autumn under an oak tree but
keeps its dark color. Onion strips dry very rigid, but seem delicate,
like a moth wing. When the slices are dry, store them as soon as they cool.
Don’t grind them.
These flours, especially the sweet ones, don’t store well. Even the
dried slices will take up water, so make an effort to use airtight
containers.
Drying protects food from spoiling because microorganisms can’t find
enough moisture to survive. Keeping
the slices is critical.
Grinding the flour is easy. You can make the flour very easily in a
blender or coffee mill. Make sure the
blender is dry inside, the put a handful of slices in, and cover and
blend at high speed. Leave the blender on for 30 seconds. You may have
to scrape the flakes and fragments back down onto the blades, cover and
blend again.
Grinding goes fast-
you can grind a cup of flour, enough for a loaf of bread, in under 10
minutes. Grind the flour as finely as possible. Some dried slices turn
to powder very easily. Spinach turns to powder the consistency of black
pepper. Don’t worry if other fruit or vegetables don’t make perfectly
uniform powders. Tomatoes acquire the consistency of whole wheat flour
except for about 5% of the flakes. This variation does not affect
cooking with the flour.
Cooking with fruit and vegetable flours requires a pioneer spirit
because you’ll find that few recipes call for them. Try using them first
as seasonings, mixing onion flour into sour cream for a dip, adding
apple flour to pancake batter, heating peach flour with peanut butter
for a sauce or spread. Try to remember that little flour came from a lot
of fruit or vegetables, so the flavor can be very strong.
1 Tbsp of green pepper, for example, can overpower a loaf of bread.
Apple flour has a milder taste and mixes with just about anything. To
adapt yeast bread recipes, add 1/4-1/2 cup of the fruit or vegetable
flour for each cup of flour in the original recipe. You may have to
knead slightly less whole wheat flour into the dough.
~Tomato Bread~
! 1/2 tsp dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
4 tsp honey
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1 egg
1/2 cup tomato flour
1 Tbsp onion flour
1 Tbsp celery flour
1 Tbsp parsley flour
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Dissolve yeast in water. Stir in 1 tsp honey. Allow to set until bubbly.
Warm the milk enough to melt the butter in it. Add the remaining honey.
Beat the egg in a medium large bowl. Beat in the milk mixture, then the
yeast. Beat in vegetable flours, the half the whole wheat flour.
Gradually stir in and then knead the remaining wheat flour, adding just
enough to work the dough. It will be a little sticky. Knead about 5
minutes. Shape into a ball, oil the dough and place in an oiled bowl.
Allow to rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes or until doubled.
Punch down, knead briefly, and allow to rise again until doubled. Punch
down the dough and roll into a rectangular shape about 8” wide on a
floured board. Make sure you roll the dough in both directions. This
improves the texture. Roll tightly into a loaf, pinch the edges and
place into a buttered 8 x 4” loaf pan. Allow to rise until it doubles,
about 30 minutes or until browned and hollow sounding when tapped. It
will not sound as hollow as breads made without vegetable flours. If
it’s browning too much, cover and top with foil. Remove from pan and
cool on a rack.
Makes 1 loaf.
~Sweet Potato Muffins~
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup oat flour
1 cup dried sweet potato flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup coarsely chopped raisins
Combine the whole wheat flour, oat flour, sweet potato flour, baking
soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl, and mix
well. Combine the eggs, oil, milk and honey, and mix together well with
a wire whisk. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, and combine well.
Stir in walnuts and raisins. Bake in greased and floured muffin tins (or
use paper liners ) at 350 F for 25 minutes.
Makes 18 muffins
To take advantage of these special flours’ absorbing ability, combine 1
cup of fruit or vegetable flour with 4 cups of milk and 3 eggs for a
custard. For pudding, add 1 cup fruit or vegetable flour to 4 cups of
milk and 6 Tbsp of cornstarch.
~Apple Pudding~
4 cups of milk
1 cup dried apple flour
1/4 cup dried peach flour
6 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground dried orange rind
raisins and cinnamon ( optional )
Heat 3 cups of milk over medium heat until a skin forms on top.
Meanwhile, combine apple and peach flours, cornstarch, and the remaining
cup of cold milk and mix well. Stir some of the hot milk into the
mixture, then slowly pour the mixture into the remaining hot milk. Stir
and cook over medium low heat until mixture thickens and begins to
bubble. Cook about 2 more minutes until the starchy flavor disappears.
Stir in the vanilla, orange rind, and raisins, if desired. Put into
serving dishes, and sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired. Cool before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
Submitted by: David
The perfect google for this thread, it goes all over the place and covers several that do look interesting....
granny
Title: How To Make Vegetable Flakes & Powders
Categories: Dehydrator, Vegetables, Info
Yield: 1 Textfile
1 Textfile only
Use your blender to chop dried vegetables into flakes or a fine
powder and you will never again have to buy commercially prepared
soup bases or seasonings for salads and other dishes.
HOW TO PREPARE THEM
The storage life and nutritional value of powdered or flaked
vegetables is much less than that of sliced or whole dried
vegetables, so do not chop or powder more dried vegetables than you
will use within 1 month. Vegetables may be flaked or powdered
separately or several vegetables may be blended together to make
mixed flakes or powder.
Dried vegetables should be very dry and crisp before chopping. Be
sure the blender is completely dry. If any moisture is present, the
vegetables will clump instead of becoming powder or flakes.
Process about 1/2 to 1 cup of dried vegetable pieces at one time.
Larger amounts will not powder or flake evenly. A blender mini-jar,
which is available for some blenders, is convenient but not
necessary. A standard 1/2 pint or 1 pint canning jar fits the cutting
assembly of some blenders.
Put the dried vegetable pieces in the blender. Set the blender speed
on chop for several seconds. Turn it off, scrape down the sides with
a rubber spatula and chop again for several more seconds. Repeat
until the vegetables are flaked or powdered.
Fresh vegetables may be pureed before drying, then dried as vegetables
leather. (See other textfile on vegetable leathers.) Vegetable
leather can be powdered or flaked in the blender for use in soups,
sauces or baby food. The nutrient and flavor loss is higher than with
pieces of dried vegetables because of additional exposure to air
during drying.
HOW TO STORE THEM
Store vegetable flakes and powders in airtight containers with as
little air as possible. Select the size container which best
corresponds to the amount of flakes or powder. Empty spice jars and
baby food jars are a good size. Store them in a cool dry place and
use them within 1 month.
Flakes and powders made from unblanched vegetables will not keep as
long as those made from blanched vegetables. They may also develop an
unpleasant flavor during storage.
HOW TO USE FLAKES AND POWDERS
CREAMED SOUPS AND SAUCES — Flavor a creamed soup or sauce base with
reconstituted vegetable powder. Combine 1 Tbsp vegetable powder and
1/4 cup boiling water for each cup of soup or sauce. Let the mixture
stand for 10 to 15 minutes before adding to the soup or sauce base.
SALAD SPRINKLES — Coarsely chopped vegetable flakes such as carrots,
cucumbers, zucchini, onions, celery or tomatoes add flavor and
texture to salads. They don’t need to be reconstituted because they
will absorb moisture from the salad and dressing.
SEASONINGS — Both vegetables and herbs can be powdered and flaked
and used alone or combined with other seasonings. Because home dried
vegetable seasonings and herbs have no anti-caking additives, make
small quantities and store them in airtight containers. Make
seasoning salts by mixing vegetable and herb powders with table salt.
The addition of salt decreases the tendency of the powder to cake.
BABY FOOD — See textfile on “How To Make Your Own Baby Food”
RECIPES — Substitute reconstituted vegetable powders and flakes for
finely chopped fresh vegetables in recipes. If you don’t reconstitute
the powders or flakes before adding to the recipe ingredients, add a
small amount of liquid to the recipe. Allow 1/4 cup liquid for each
tablespoon of powder and each 1 1/2 tablespoons of flakes.
Tomatoes powder well but are extremely concentrated. One tablespoon of
tomato powder is equivalent to 1 medium fresh tomato.
EQUIVALENT MEASUREMENTS FOR MOST VEGETABLES
1 Tbsp vegetable powder 4
OR Tbsp 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable
flakes = chopped
OR fresh 2 Tbsp dried pieces
vegetables ** How To Dry Foods by Deanna DeLong HPBooks, California
1992 ISBN = 1-55788-050-6
Scanned and formatted for you by The WEE Scot — paul macGregor
An excellent google, must be checked out.
granny.
Wheat Flakes
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups boiling water
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
brown sugar to taste
1 tsp vanilla extract or other flavoring if desired
Optional: cinnamon or nutmeg to taste.
Mix with good egg beater, flour, salt and water in a double boiler.
Cook about 20 minutes or until thick. Adjust amount of water to suit
yourself, to make it the consistency of puree for leather.
Flavor with brown sugar to taste and add vanilla. Add nutmeg, cinnamon
or both if desired. Spread on leather tray and dry until completely
dry. It should break into pieces when taken off the tray. Use for
cereal with milk.
Submitted by: Darlene
Stewed Dried Okra and Rice
3 cups boiling water
1 cup dried okra slices
1 cup dried tomato slices
1/4 cup chopped dried onion
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp uncooked rice
1/2 tsp salt
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over low
heat for 30 to 45 minutes, or until rice is cooked and vegetables are
tender. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.
Serves: 4 to 6
Submitted by: Darlene
Candied Roma Tomatoes / Mock Figs
Mock figs, really candied Roma tomatoes, make wonderful snacks; you can eat them
like candy they are so good! One caution: Don’t try to make these with any other
type of tomato, the thicker texture of the Roma is necessary to the success of
the finished product.
1 lb (about 7 medium) Roma tomatoes
4-6 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
Confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling
To peel tomatoes, drop into boiling water to loosen skins. Remove tomatoes with
a slotted spoon and plunge them into a bowl of cold water. With a serrated
knife, core tomatoes, remove skins, and cut off a slice from both the top and
bottom. Quarter tomatoes lengthwise.
In a saucepan, melt the butter, add brown sugar and cook until sugar melts.
Add the tomatoes and cook them over low heat until the brown sugar permeates the
tomatoes, about 15 to 15 minutes.
With slotted spoon, remove tomatoes to lightly oiled solid leather sheets on
drying trays. Place the drying trays in the dehydrator and dry for about 8
hours, during which time the tomatoes will darken in color, resembling figs.
When dried, sprinkle tomatoes with confectioners’ sugar.
Store in layers separated by wax paper in an airtight container.
Makes: 28 pieces
Submitted by: Darlene
Dehydrated Cream Soup Base
From: Carina Sage
Sample Recipe: Cream of Broccoli / Potato Soup
5 or 6 medium potatoes, washed and cut into chunks
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 pound broccoli, stems chopped, florets separated
Boil potatoes and onion until tender. Steam or boil broccoli until
barely done. Combine and puree. Spread on dehydrator sheets. Dry until
brittle and no damp portions remain. Pulverize. Label and store in
airtight container.
To use, rehydrate, add milk, season, and heat per instructions below.
Stir in grated cheese, if desired.
Steps for making dehydrated soup base:
1. Choose a recipe (Potato Broccoli included below).
2. Wash, peel (if you must), and coarsely chop the vegetables. For good
nutrition, I include the peels of most veggies, and also the tougher
parts of such things as broccoli, since pureeing will disguise them.
3. Cover with water or vegetable broth, and cook until soft. You may
need to cook the ingredients separately if the cooking times are vastly
different, such as potatoes and broccoli. Don’t use chicken stock
unless you plan do dehydrate at a higher temp than mentioned below.
4. Puree the veggies in the cooking water, adding more water if needed
to operate the food processor or blender.
5. Measure out 1 serving of the pureed ingredients (I use 8 fluid ounces
per bowl of finished soup). Spread this serving about as thick as cake
frosting onto its own dehydrator sheet/tray (parchment paper serves the
purpose if you have no dryer sheets).
6. Spread the rest of the puree on as many other sheets as needed.
7. Dehydrate, flipping over the drying product after it has formed a dry
skin and you can handle it (several hours), until brittle and no damp
places remain. If the dehydrator has a thermostat, set it at about 125
degrees. (It’s all veggies, so a higher temp isn’t needed.)
8. When dry, pulverize (blender / food processor) the 1 dry serving and
measure it. Note this measurement for inclusion on the storage label.
9. Pulverize the balance of the soup base.
10. Store in zipper baggies or vacuum packed jars, label with
ingredients and amount needed per serving.
Steps for rehydrating the soup base:
1. Measure into a saucepan the amount of pulverized soup base needed for
the number of servings you’re preparing.
2. Pour in boiling water to cover. As it soaks up the hot water over the
next 20 minutes or so, stir occasionally and add more water until it is
the thickness it was prior to dehydration.
3. Whisk, or whirl in a blender / food processor, to smooth the mixture.
4. Add milk (about 1/2 cup per serving) until the it’s the consistency
you like.
5. Add seasonings, such as herbs, salt and pepper, and perhaps some
bacon crumbles or grated cheese.
6. Gently heat to simmering (not boiling), taste, adjust seasonings, and
serve.
NOTES: To make soup bases for dehydration, I cook the veggies without
fat. This increases the storage time, because fat turns rancid over time
if exposed to air. Of course if they are vacuum packed, the viable
storage time is lengthened.
I put no seasonings into the soup base, so that I can flavor it
according to the whim of the . You can include herbs, salt and
pepper as you’re cooking the base, if you like.
Submitted by: Darlene
Cream Of Vegetable Soup
1 1/2 cup vegetable puree (NOTE)
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp onion flakes
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp basil
3 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp parsley flakes
NOTE: Prepare Vegetable Puree: Prepare vegetable flakes and powders in a
completely dry blender until powdered. In a small bowl, pour boiling water over 6
to 8 Tbsp vegetable powder or flakes such as green beans, carrot, celery, pea,
potato, or cauliflower and allow to reconstitute for 10 to 15 minutes.
In a 2 qt saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, add onion flakes, saute until
golden. Stir in flour, salt, pepper and basil. Gradually add milk, stirring
constantly over low heat to prevent lumping. Do not boil. Stir in Vegetable puree.
Heat to serving temperature. Garnish with parsley flakes.
Makes: 4 servings
Submitted by: Darlene
Vegetable Soup Mix
1/4 cup dried carrots
1/4 cup dried celery
1 Tbsp crushed parsley flakes
2 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp crushed thyme
1 tsp crushed basil
1/2 tsp white pepper
Stir together all ingredients. Divide the mixture into individual
packets, each containing 4 teaspoons. (Using the 4 oz baby bottle liners
will work for this.) Close securely and mark. Store in airtight containers
Hearty Vegetable Soup
1 cup water
1 packet Vegetable Soup Mix
1/2 cup tomato juice or vegetable cocktail juice
1/4 cup diced cooked chicken or beef
1 tsp butter
In small saucepan, stir together all ingredients. Bring to a boil and
reduce heat to simmer. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes.
Vegetable Macaroni Soup
1 cup water
1 packet Vegetable Soup Mix
2 Tbsp whole wheat elbow macaroni
1 tsp butter
In a small saucepan, stir together all ingredients. Bring to a boil and
reduce heat to simmer. Cook, uncovered, until macaroni is tender. Stir
occasionally.
Tomato Vegetable Soup
1 cup water
1 packet Vegetable Soup Mix
1/2 cup tomato juice or vegetable cocktail juice
1 tsp butter
In a small saucepan, stir together all ingredients. Bring to a boil and
reduce heat to simmer. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes.
Submitted by: Darlene
Cream of Celery Soup Mix
1 1/2 cups dried celery slices
1/4 cup chopped dried onions
2 Tbsp plain flour (or clear jel)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup dry milk powder
2 tsp chicken flavored bouillon granules
Combine all ingredients and store in canning jar.
To Use: Add to 1 1/2 quarts boiling water. Cook over low heat, stirring
constantly, until thickened. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes more.
Makes: 6 servings
Submitted by: Darlene
Cream of Celery Soup Mix
2 2/3 cups instant powdered milk
1/2 cup celery powder
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp onion flakes
1 Tbsp dried, crushed parsley flakes
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp white pepper
Stir together all ingredients, Divide the mixture into individual
packets, each containing 7 Tbsp (You can use the 8 oz baby bottle liners
for this purpose.) Store in an air tight container
To serve: In a small saucepan, whisk together the water and soup mix.
Stirring frequently, simmer, uncovered, over medium high heat for 15
minutes, or until thick and creamy.
Quick Cream of Celery Soup
1 cup water
1 packet Cream of Celery Soup Mix
In a small saucepan, whisk together the water and soup mix. Stirring
frequently, simmer, uncovered, over medium high heat for 15 minutes, or
until thick and creamy.
Zucchini, Oat and Carrot Muffins
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup dry oatmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/4 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini (rehydrated)
1/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup oil
Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Pour into greased muffin tins, with each muffin
cup about 2/3 full.
Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
Submitted by: Darlene
Zucchini Pudding Cake
1 package pudding-included cake mix (yellow or any other flavor)
1 package (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
3 cups grated zucchini (rehydrated)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Mix together, then beat at
medium speed of electric mixer for 4 minutes. Pour into greased and
floured Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 to 55
minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and cake
pulls away from sides of pan. Don’t underbake.
Submitted by: Darlene
Oatmeal Cookies (Raw Vegan)
2 cups oats (groats, whole)
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup agave nectar (or maple syrup)
1/4 cup cashews
Put oat groats in food processor and grind until fine. Transfer to a
mixing bowl.
Put almonds in food processor and pulse a few times to chop them until
just coarsely chopped. Transfer to bowl with the oats.
Add raisins and agave nectar to bowl and mix everything well.
Grind cashews in coffee grinder, and use this to coat your palms as you
handle the cookie batter.
Take small chunks of dough and flatten into rounds on the mesh sheet of
a dehydrator tray.
Dehydrate for about 12 hours on 110 degrees F. Dehydrating time needed
will vary according to how thick you’ve made the cookies, and the
desired chewy / crunchiness.
Submitted by: Darlene
Dried Fruit Cookies
1/2 pound dried figs
1/4 pound raisins
2 ounces candied cherries, coarsely chopped
2 ounces dried apricots, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 ounces chopped pecans
Kosher salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 extra-large egg
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
Snip off the hard stems of the figs with scissors or a small knife and coarsely
chop the figs. In a medium bowl, combine the figs, raisins, cherries, apricots,
honey, sherry, lemon juice, pecans, and a pinch of salt. Cover with plastic
wrap and allow to sit overnight at room temperature.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the
butter, cloves, superfine sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth,
about 3 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the egg and mix until
incorporated. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour and 1/4
teaspoon salt just until combined. Don’t overmix! Add the fruits and nuts,
including any liquid in the bowl. Divide the dough in half and place each half
on the long edge of a 12 by 18-inch piece of parchment or waxed paper. Roll
each half into a log, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4-inch thick, making an 18 inch long roll.
Refrigerate the dough for several hours, or until firm.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
With a small, sharp knife, cut the logs into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place the
slices 1/2-inch apart on ungreased sheet pans and bake for 15 to 20 minutes,
until lightly golden.
Makes: 5 dozen small cookies
Submitted by: Linda
Dehydrator Au Gratin Potato Chips
3 cups potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix.
Spread onto a Fruit Roll sheet and dry for 4 hours.
With a clean butter knife, lift entire ring off sheet, turn over and dry for 1
hour longer, or until dry enough to break into pieces.
Makes: 6 servings
Submitted by: Darlene
Carrot Oat Cookies
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 cup grated dried carrots
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups dried seedless grapes, chopped dried plums (raisins or dates)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 Tbsp grated dried orange peel
Mix sugar, shortening, eggs, milk and carrots. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Combine dry ingredients in another bowl. Mix dry ingredients, wet ingredients
and dried fruit, nuts and orange peel.
Drop by teaspoon on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 10 to
12 minutes in 350 degree F. oven.
Makes: 4 dozen cookies
Submitted by: Darlene
Cajun Spiced Dried Onion Rings
These peppy snacks call for some sour cream and a frosty beer.
6 small onions
2Tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp finely crushed dried thyme
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or white vinegar
Cut onions crosswise into rings about 1/8” thick. Carefully separate
layers into individual rings.
In a shallow dish, combine onions, paprika, salt, thyme, cayenne and
vinegar. Cover and let stand for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
Drain onions, discarding marinade. Place on mesh drying trays, setting
smaller rings inside larger rings to save space. Dry at 130 degrees F.
for 8 to 10 hours or until rings are dry and crisp, with no sign of
moisture inside. Let cool completely on trays or transfer to a cool
container. Serve immediately or store in an air tight container at room
temperature for up to 6 months.
Makes: 3 cups
Variation: For a smoky touch replace 1/2 tsp of the sweet paprika with
smoked paprika.
Submitted by: Darlene
Dried Bran Snacks
1/2 cup chunky style peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
3 Tbsp butter
2 cups bran cereal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dry milk powder
3 Tbsp sesame seeds
3 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
Melt peanut butter, honey and butter over low heat, stirring often to
blend. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Press firmly in bottom
of 9 x 12 inch baking pan. Cool and cut into squares. No baking is
necessary.
In Dehydrator: Spread cut squares over trays and dry at 110 degrees F.
for 4 to 6 hours or until crisp and no longer sticky.
To Use: Store in air tight container. Serve as ready to eat snack.
Submitted by: Darlene
Interesting page about how folks fix edible flowers and new parts of vegetables to fix for dinner.
How do you do that?
http://www.idigmygarden.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-20953.html
Zucchini Relish?
reavilh
July 23rd, 2009, 03:28 AM
I had a recipe for this, and can’t find it. Anybody got one they are willing to share?
Imp
July 23rd, 2009, 05:14 AM
This one- http://southernfood.about.com/od/picklesrelishes/r/bl90228f.htm is close to the one I make, but I don’t use the cornstarch, and I make smaller batches. I chop it a bit coarsely at about , mmm, 1/4 inch dice or so in the food processor if i am in a hurry or feeling too lazy to chop by hand.
Sometimes I hand chop to leave it chunkier and used different colored peppers in it, maybe 1/2 inch dice. It has a sort of relish/salsa feel to it then, more chewing.
The following one is a “creamier”, more finely chopped one that I have used, but I added preserved lemon instead of the rind and added the juice of one large lemon as well.
gardencrazy
July 23rd, 2009, 08:10 AM
That recipe is almost identical to the one I make. I leave out the cornstarch too. It’s my favorite relish. I shred the zucchini in a food processor.
reavilh
July 31st, 2009, 02:38 PM
I talked to an 87 YO friend of the family. She told me to simply substitute the zucchini for the cucumber, which is what I did. Tasted it just before canning, and it was great. A good way to get rid of some og the overgrown ones!
DeanRIowa
July 31st, 2009, 03:22 PM
Here is a recipe I used last night. My first try.
10 cups sliced squash sliced
2 med onions sliced
—soak in ice water for 2 hours with 1/3 cup of salt. Drain when mixing with spices.
3 cup vinegar
3 cup sugar
1 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp black pepper
Boil syrup,than add vegetables, bring to a boil for 2 minutes.Pack in jars and seal.
water bath for 10 minutes
Optional:
1 red bell pepper sliced or chopped
1 green bell pepper sliced or chopped
reavilh
July 31st, 2009, 03:34 PM
I grated 12 cups of Zucchini and two large onions, covered the mixture with 1/2 cup of salt, and covered with cold water for 3 hrs. I then drained it, rinsed it, and squeezed out as much water as possible. Then mixed 4 cups sugar with 4 cups of vinegar, 2 teaspoons each of celery seed, dry mustard, turmeric, and nutmeg. Then add the vegetable mix along with two bell peppers chopped. You can also add two jalapenos if you want a little heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, pack in jars, and process for 10 minutes.
http://www.idigmygarden.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-19204.html
EZ BREAD RECIPES:
lorna-organic
July 3rd, 2009, 12:03 PM
Here you go, Garrett, photos and everything:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-Bread-without-a-bread-machine/
jpsmithny
July 7th, 2009, 12:20 PM
Here is the link for the No Knead Bread
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html
manatree
July 7th, 2009, 03:51 PM
Jim, Lehey, as mentioned in the NYTimes piece has written a book “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day”
I’ve heard good things about it, including a writeup and a few recipes in Mother Earth News. It’s on my list for September from my BOMC2.com account.
3580Rosie
July 8th, 2009, 06:38 AM
I have a quickie bread recipe which is probably NOT the one you are searching for. Ingredients: 3 c. self-rising flour, 5 TBSP. sugar, 1 can room temperature beer, 1/4 c. melted butter/margarine. Options—cheese, herbs, onions, etc. Mix the flour and sugar together well. If you want to add herbs, cheese, etc. do so now. Stir in room temperature beer. You can sprinkle herbs, cheese, etc. on top also. Divide into 2 bread pans which have sprayed w/non-stick. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Pour 1/4 c. melted butter/margarine over top of loaves. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Enjoy.
http://www.idigmygarden.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-18361.html
what kinda breads do you make from your garden produce?
redneckplanter
May 14th, 2009, 08:01 AM
i got squash out the rear and tons of other stuff making.
i heard you can make zuke bread?
how bout tomato cheese bread or watermellon or cantelope bread?lol
any weird recipies to share?i’m up for it.
once i learn how to make it.lol
i got an old kitchenmaid i got at a garage sale that i’ll have to learn to use....
grow on...
planter
lorna-organic
May 14th, 2009, 08:16 AM
Yes, you can make squash and pumpkin breads, Garrett. They are sweet quick breads. Is that what you had in mind?
Squash bread with or without nut topping ( recipe from U. of Illinois Ext.)
oven 350, bake for approx. 60 minutes (done when bread begins to shrink from sides of pan)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 egg plus 1 egg white
1 1/4 cup pureed, cooked winter squash
1. On a plate, sift together first six ingredients. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix oil, sugar and honey together until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in egg and white. Add squash puree and beat until smooth.
4. Fold in dry ingredients. Turn into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
5. Bake until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about one hour. Remove from the oven, cool on wire rack for 30 minutes before removing from pan. Optional, sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar.
Variation:
Nut Topping
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
Sifted powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
After Step 4, pour melted butter over the top and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake as directed above. Cool and dust with sifted powdered sugar.
melodyelf
May 14th, 2009, 10:12 AM
I have a good cheese bread recipe. I bet if you substituted pureed tomatoes for part or all of the milk (and maybe add some chunks of tomato), it would make a good tomato cheese bread.
Cheese Bread
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups grated cheese (preferably sharp cheddar)
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
herbs of your choice to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend the dry ingredients and mix in the cheese. Beat the egg, milk, and butter together and add the dry ingredients. Add the herbs and stir just enough to blend. Let the batter stand for about 20 minutes. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour.
redneckplanter
May 14th, 2009, 10:23 AM
hey thanks lorna and melody.
can already taste that bread....mmmmnnnnnn mmmmnnnnnn.
grow on ya’ll
melodyelf
May 14th, 2009, 10:40 AM
I did a search for cantaloupe bread recipes, not expecting to find any really, and found three! I haven’t tried any of them so I don’t know how good they are, but here ya go:
http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=cantaloupe+bread&SearchIn=All
Desert Rat
May 14th, 2009, 02:52 PM
Carrot zucchini Muffins
3 Tbspl shortening or butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 egg whites lightly beaten
2/3 cup milk
2 cups oldfashioned oats, uncooked - divided
1 cup all-purpous flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1 Tbsp. chopped almonds
1 Tbsp. butter melted
Preheat oven 400 deg. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
Combine 3 Tbsp.butter and brown sugar in large bowl. Beat w/electric mixer at medium speed til well blended. Gradually stir in egg whites and milk.
Combine 1 3/4 cups oats, flour, baking powder and nutmeg. Stir into liquid ingredients. All carrots and zucchini. Stir until just blended. Fill muffin cups almost full.
For topping, combine 1/4 cup oats, chopped almonds and melted butter. Sprinkle over each muffin. Pressinto batter lightly.
Bake 400 deg. til golden brown, 20 to 25 min.
Serve warm, makes 12 muffins
Quigs
May 14th, 2009, 03:20 PM
Zucchini bread is wonderful! Similar to banana bread but better in my opinion. I first had it last year and you can bet I’ll be grating zucchini and freezing packages of it for bread this year!
Q
lorna-organic
May 14th, 2009, 03:52 PM
This is one of my own recipes. This pudding can be served as a desert, or as a side dish (omit sweetening) at dinner.
Winter Squash Pudding
2 cups cooked winter squash
2 eggs
1-3/4 cups of half&half, or 14 oz. of evaporated milk
1/3 cup brown sugar (can substitute honey or maple syrup)
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger
¼ tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Put prepared squash into a food processor (or a blender), pulse until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until well blended.. Butter (grease) a 1-1/2 quart baking dish with straight sides, pour squash mixture into dish and bake in a water bath for about one hour. (Place medium size roasting pan in oven, fill with boiling water to 1”, then place custard dish inside water bath to bake.) Use a toothpick to test for doneness—toothpick should come up clean. Serve warm or chilled. Good with plain whipped cream on top, or vanilla ice cream.
*Be very careful upon removing water bath from oven, the hot water can slosh on you.
Variation: omit sweetner to make a savory pudding. Use as vegetable side dish.
lorna-organic
May 14th, 2009, 03:58 PM
Amaranth and calabaza soup (summer garden soup)
Ingredients:
• 3 tablespoons corn oil
• 1/2 lb. zucchini squash, diced
• corn kernels freshly cut from 2 cobs
• 1 cup amaranth leaves or young spinach leaves, chopped
• 3/4 lb. tomatoes, seeded and peeled
• 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 sprig epazote (optional)
• 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup popped amaranth grain
• salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
In a large stockpot, heat the oil, add the zucchini, corn and amaranth or spinach leaves, cooking just until the zucchini is crisp-tender.
Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, epazote and 1 cup of the broth in the blender and puree. (Remember hot liquids expand in the blender, so be careful—start at low speed and increase to puree speed.)
Add the puree to the stockpot, cook another 10 minutes, and add the rest of the broth.
Heat through, add salt and pepper to taste.
Just before serving, add the popped amaranth.
Serves 8 as a soup course, 4 as a main course.
To pop amaranth, heat dry skillet, add amaranth seeds, stirring or shaking constantly to prevent scorching. Seeds will pop into tiny puffs, Turn off heat slightly before seeds are finished popping to prevent burning and continue to stir.
lorna-organic
May 14th, 2009, 03:59 PM
Another one of my own recipes for summer garden produce.
Summer Squash Frittata
Ingredients
2 tsps. olive oil
1 tsp. butter
2 medium size summer squash, diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 eggs, beaten
1 Tblsp. water
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
Heat the oil and butter in a small cast iron or other oven-safe skillet. Swirl mixture around so that sides and bottom of skillet are coated.
Saute the squash and onions until mostly cooked. Beat eggs, mix in water, salt and pepper. Pour eggs on top of squash and onions. Do not stir. As sides begin to set, lift carefully and allow uncooked eggs to slide to the bottom, repeat until frittata resembles an omelet. Top with shredded cheese when eggs are almost set. Finish off in 350 degree F oven, bake for 15 minutes. Cut into halves, use spatula to lift wedges from pan. Serves two.
*Chopped tomatoes could be added with the diced squash.
Imp
May 14th, 2009, 04:06 PM
This is one of my own recipes. This pudding can be served as a desert, or as a side dish (omit sweetening) at dinner.
Winter Squash Pudding
2 cups cooked winter squash
2 eggs
1-3/4 cups of half&half, or 14 oz. of evaporated milk
1/3 cup brown sugar (can substitute honey or maple syrup)
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger
¼ tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Put prepared squash into a food processor (or a blender), pulse until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until well blended.. Butter (grease) a 1-1/2 quart baking dish with straight sides, pour squash mixture into dish and bake in a water bath for about one hour. (Place medium size roasting pan in oven, fill with boiling water to 1”, then place custard dish inside water bath to bake.) Use a toothpick to test for doneness—toothpick should come up clean. Serve warm or chilled. Good with plain whipped cream on top, or vanilla ice cream.
*Be very careful upon removing water bath from oven, the hot water can slosh on you.
Variation: omit sweetner to make a savory pudding. Use as vegetable side dish.
Instead of the squash or pumpkin, you can sub cooked and mashed carrots in the above and it is also very good.
redneckplanter
May 14th, 2009, 05:22 PM
squash pudding....ohhhhhh baby i’m in love....lol
lorna-organic
May 14th, 2009, 05:54 PM
Got a little whipped cream, or ice cream to top off that pudding?! :) MMMmmmm
moonlilyhead
May 14th, 2009, 08:46 PM
I make a white bread with fresh basil and garlic from the garden. Yummy!
lorna-organic
May 14th, 2009, 09:28 PM
I make pesto pizza. I put a clove of garlic into foccacia dough (make it in a food processor), pat the dough out to make a thin crust, then paint the dough with olive oil, spoon on a generous slathering of pesto, top with sliced mushrooms, olives, and jalapenos, top with Mozarella and Parmesan.
Desert Rat
May 15th, 2009, 11:07 AM
Onion Herb bread. To a basic yeast bread dough (I use half whole wheat and half all purpose flour) add about a cup of diced caramelized onion and the herb of your choice and make rolls or loaves and bake as usual.
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