[nw_arizona_granny]

Sort of expanding on your theme, but I thought ‘canning’ was a relevant topic for this time of year in the Midwest. I know you’re miles ahead of us in the gardening season right now...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2311872/posts?page=79
<<<

Good for you, what ever it takes to help folks learn what they need to know, if they want to survive.

Please do post your threads here, so we won’t miss them, as I am missing a lot and never quite get to read my ping file, so a normal ping is lost on me.

Your thread is a good one, folks do want to know.

Thank you for sending us readers too.....smile.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981214a.cfm

Looking for Dry Soup Mixes

Does anybody have any recipes for the dry soup mixes you see sometimes in fancy gourmet stores? You know, the type with the bag of pretty beans, the spice packet, and instructions? I’d love to make some for Christmas presents.
Jan T
My Recipe

I have done this a few times just for my own family so that we wouldn’t have to spend the money on the expensive pre-made ones at the store. If you have a dehydrator, then you can dehydrate small chunks of vegetables as well like carrots, peas, corn. What really works best is getting those frozen mixed vegetables and dehydrating them. They’re already mixed, you just need to dehydrate them.

For a any bean soup, simply combine:

3/4 - 1 C. beans (navy, pinto, red, etc.)
same amount for the dehydrated vegetables
same amount of orzo or whatever other type of pasta you might desire to pack with it. A suggestion would be to use whole wheat pasta because it holds up in the cooking much better than the regular type.
approximately 1 - 1 1/2 tsp. dried herbs of marjoram, sage, basil and thyme
1/2 - 1 tsp. dried oregano
1-2 Tbs. dried parsley

We never add salt, but Bragg’s Liquid Aminos because it’s so much lower in sodium than any salt and better for you anyway. Another reason would be for those people who can’t have salt or want to salt it to taste for themselves. Simple enough solution in that. Now when you give the gift, you can simply put on the label all the other ingredients they will need to add (i.e., chopped garlic, water, other vegetables if desired, salt, etc...).
Joyce K.
Mining Company Resource

The site below has a lot of excellent mix recipes. When you get there click on Make Your Own Mixes. You should find plenty to choose from (it will be hard to decide which ones to make!) http://busycooks.miningco.com/
Brenda
“Make Stuff” Site

Here’s a great site for Jan T. who wanted some recipes for dry soup mixes. There are 3 or 4 different sites that branch off of this one that I know for sure have at least 5 different dry soup mixes.
www.make-stuff.com/cooking
Beth in Minnesota
Our Gift Assembly Line

A group of friends and I all got together last November to make up bean soup mix jars to give teachers, acquaintances and anyone for whom you need a homemade last minute gift.

Using the assembly line technique, we filled washed jars (any size that you want, we used 1/2 quart) with layers of different beans (consult a recipe book and follow the instructions for different bean recipes if you’re afraid to experiment. We used great northern, black, pinto, lentils, and navy). Layer different shades and colors to give the most beautiful effect. Kids really enjoy scooping the beans and it’s a good time to talk about measures, colors, and sizes. In a small plastic bag place the spices that the bean soup recipe calls for (try pepper, garlic, marjoram, thyme, parsley, and a bay leaf). Place this in the top of the jar and seal it.

Pass the jar down the line and have circles cut out of colorful remnant fabric to tie around the top of jar with raffia, ribbon, or even a rubber band. Preprint the recipe you have chosen (including instructions for presoaking the beans) and cut out using pinking shears about 1” x 1”. Punch a hole in the recipe and tie the recipe onto the jar. It makes a beautiful gift.
Kris
Bean and Barley

Here is a soup gift recipe I found on a crockpot recipe listserve

Bean and Barley Soup
serves 8-10

1/4 Cup of each (or any combination to make 2 1/4 cups)

Anasazi Beans
Pearl Barley
Lentils
Green Spilt Peas
Red Beans
White Navy Beans
Pink Beans
Black Turtle Beans
Yellow Split Peas

Layer all together in a jar or plastic bag.

In another bag place your seasonings:

1/2 C Brown Rice
1/2 C Dried Minced Onion
!/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1T Crushed Basil Leaves
1 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1 Bay Leaf

For preparation, add:

8 C Chicken, Beef or Vegetable Broth
optional vegetables of your choice
3 lb. meaty ham hocks or 1 lb. lean ham (or other type of meat), diced

Include these directions:

Sort and rinse beans. In large covered pot, combine beans with 8 cups of water. Bring to boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, for 1 hour, (drain cover with water and refrigerate overnight) OR Drain andrinse. Combine beans with broth, rice, onion and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 3-4 hours or until beans are tender. Stir occasionally and add water as needed so that the beans are well covered. Add tomatoes the last hour of cooking (tomates make the beans cook slower). Remove bay leaf before serving.

OR After draining beans combine all ingredients except tomatoes in a slow cooker on high for most of the day. Add tomatoes during last bit and serve remember to remove the bay leaf.
Enjoy, it is wonderful and your kitchen house will smell great. If you make up the gift packages your friends will be singing your praises.
Cathy G.
Friendship Soup Mix

1/2 C. Dry Split Peas
1/3 C. Beef Bouillon Granules
1/4 C. Pearl Barley
1/3 C. Dry Lentils
1/4 C. Dried minced Onion
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 C. Uncooked Long Grain Rice
1/2 C. Alphabet macaroni or other small macaroni

Additional Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Beef
3 qt. Water
1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes

Preparation Instructions:

In a 1 1/2 pint jar, layer the first eight ingredients in the order listed. Seal tightly. Yield 1 batch. To prepare soup, carefully remove macaroni from the top of the jar and set aside. In a large saucepan, or Dutch oven, brown beef; drain. Add the water tomatoes and soup mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the reserved macaroni, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the macaroni, peas, lentils, and barley are tender. Yields 4 quarts.
Katie B.
Peas and Barley

Dried Mix:

1 (14 oz.) pkg dry green split peas
1 (12 oz.) pkg pearl barley
1 (14 oz.) pkg alphabet macaroni or other small pasta
1 (12 oz.) pkg lentils
1 1/2 cups brown rice
4 cups dried minced onion

Combine all ingredients. Keep in airtight container. Store in cool place. Makes about 12 cups of mix

The Soup:

6 cups water
1 1/3 cup soup mix
1 1/2 t. salt
2 carrots, sliced
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
1 1/2 cups cabbage, shredded
2 (15 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 (24 oz.) can vegetable juice (V-8)
1 lb. ground beef or leftover meat, cooked

Put water in large kettle. Add soup mix and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add carrots, celery, cabbage, tomato sauce, and veg. juice. Add cooked meat. Simmer 20 minutes, until vegetables are cooked. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
D.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://paturner.blogspot.com/2008/11/dried-soup-mix-recipes.html

Dried Soup Mix Recipes
Ok girls, here you go.
With some tweeking, (or not) theses are handy to have on hand and would be a great addition to any doomer pantry.
These recipes were originally for Christmas presents but I have put mine in smaller plastic zip lock bags and then put several of them in gallon plastic jars. What I’ve been doing is dehydrating my vegetables and putting them in the soup mixes instead of counting on having fresh carrots and onions and celery etc.
If you do that, for instance in the Chicken Noodle Soup recipe below, keep your pasta separate and cook the vegetables till rehydrated and tender, then add the pasta and finish cooking.

SOUP-MIX-IN-A-JAR RECIPES

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP MIX
Stir together the following ingredients, and store them in an airtight jar:
1 cup fine dry egg noodles
1 ½ tbs. chicken flavored bullion granules
½ tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. each celery seed and garlic powder
1 bay leaf

Attach to Jar:
Add entire contents of jar and 8 cups water to a large pot. Slice in 2 carrots, 1 stalk of celery, and 1/4 cup minced onion. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Allow this to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Add in 3 cups of cooked diced chicken, or even left over turkey, and heat an additional 5 minutes. Mmmmm...It’s so good!!!!

SOUP MIX IN A JAR
1/3 cup beef bouillon granules
1/4 cup dehydrated onion flakes
½ cup split peas
½ cup ABC, small shell, or ring macaroni (any small shape pasta will do)
1/4 cup barley
½ cup lentils
1/3 cup non-instant white rice
tricolor spiral pasta

Use a canning funnel or any funnel that has about a 2-inch neck. This will make it easier to fill the jars with the ingredients. Be sure to use a wide-mouth, 1-quart canning jar. Layer ingredients in the order given: bouillon, onion flakes, split peas, small shape pasta, barley, lentils, rice, and enough tricolor spiral pasta to fill jar.

Attach to Jar:
Soup Mix in a Jar
In large kettle, brown 1 pound ground beef or stew beef cut into bite-size pieces in a little olive oil. Remove tricolor pasta from top of jar and reserve. Add the rest of the jar contents to the kettle with 12 cups water. Let come to a boil and simmer 45 minutes. Add tricolor pasta and simmer 15 minutes more. Serve with your favorite bread or rolls and a tossed salad. ENJOY!!

CALICO BEAN SOUP MIX
1/3 cup yellow split peas
1/3 cup green split peas
1/3 cup dried lima beans
1/3 cup dried pinto beans
1/3 cup dry kidney beans
1/3 cup dried great Northern beans
1/4 cup dried minced onion
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine yellow split peas, green split peas, limas, pinto beans, kidney beans, great Northern beans, onion, bouillon granules, cumin and garlic powder. Pour into jar until ready to use.

Attach to jar:
Calico Bean Soup Mix
8 cups water
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 pounds smoked ham hocks

Bring Bean Soup Mix and water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit 1 hour. Return pot to heat, stir in carrots and celery. Stir in ham hocks, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 2 hours, until beans are tender, skimming fat as necessary. Remove ham hocks from soup. Remove meat from bone, chop and return to soup. Heat through and serve.

COUNTRY SOUP IN A JAR
½ cup barley
½ cup dried split peas
½ cup uncooked rice
½ cup dry lentils
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon lemon pepper
2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules
½ cup uncooked alphabet pasta
1 cup uncooked twist macaroni

In a wide mouth 1 quart jar, layer the barley, peas, rice and lentils. Then layer around the edges the onion, parsley, salt, lemon pepper, bouillon and the alphabet pasta. Fill the rest of the jar with the twist macaroni. Seal.

Attach to Jar:
Country Soup Mix
Add contents of jar to 3 quarts of water
2 stalks of chopped celery
2 sliced carrots
1 cup of shredded cabbage (optional)
2 cups diced tomatoes.
Over medium low heat, cover and simmer about 1 hour, or until vegetables are tender.

FRIENDSHIP SOUP MIX IN A JAR
½ cup dry split peas
1/3 cup beef bouillon granules
1/4 cup pearl barley
½ cup dry lentils
1/4 cup dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons Italian-style seasoning
½ cup uncooked long grain rice
½ cup uncooked alphabet pasta
2 bay leaves

In a 1 ½ pint jar, layer the split peas, bouillon, barley, lentils, onion, Italian-style seasoning, rice, and bay leaves. Place the macaroni in a square of plastic wrap and put in the jar. Seal tightly.

Attach to Jar:
Friendship Soup In A Jar
Soup Mix
1 pound ground beef
3 quarts water
1 can (28 ounce) diced tomatoes-undrained
1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
pepper and garlic to taste

Remove macaroni from top of jar and set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, brown beef with pepper and garlic; drain any excess fat. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and soup mix. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the reserved macaroni, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes more or until the macaroni, peas, lentils and barley are tender.

LAYERED PATCHWORK SOUP MIX
½ cup barley
½ cup dried split peas
½ cup uncooked white rice
½ cup dry lentils
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried sage

In a wide mouth pint jar layer the barley, split peas and lentils. In a small plastic bag combine the parsley flakes, minced garlic, pepper, salt, garlic powder, herb seasoning and sage.

Attach to Jar:
Layered Patchwork Soup Mix
Empty jar into a colander, rinse and pick over beans. 2. Place beans in a large stockpot and cover with 10 cups water. Stir in 1 chopped medium onion, and the seasoning packet. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Check after 30 minutes and add additional water if necessary.

LOVE SOUP MIX IN A JAR
1/3 cup beef bouillon granules
1/4 cup dried minced onion
½ cup dried split peas
½ cup uncooked twist macaroni
1/4 cup barley
½ cup dry lentils
1/3 cup long-grain white rice
1 cup uncooked tri-color spiral pasta

Use a canning funnel or any funnel that has about a 2-inch neck. This will make it easier to fill the jars with the ingredients. Be sure to use a wide-mouth, 1-quart canning jar. Layer ingredients in the order given: bouillon, onion flakes, split peas, small shape pasta, barley, lentils, rice, and enough tricolor spiral pasta to fill jar.

Attach to Jar:
Love Soup
In large kettle, brown 1 pound ground beef or stew beef cut into bite-size pieces in a little olive oil. Remove tricolor pasta from top of jar and reserve. Add the rest of the jar contents to the kettle with 12 cups water. Let come to a boil and simmer 45 minutes. Add tricolor pasta and simmer 15 minutes more. Serve with your favorite bread or rolls and a tossed salad.

POTATO SOUP TO GO MIX
1 3/4 cups instant potato flakes
1 ½ cup dry powdered milk
2 tbs. chicken bullion granules
2 tsp. parsley
1 ½ tsp. dried onion flakes
1 ½ tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until mixed. Store in a 1 quart, airtight jar.

Attach to Jar:
Potato Soup to Go
Put ½ cup mix into a bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water. Stir and enjoy!!

TURKEY NOODLE SOUP MIX
1 cup uncooked fine egg noodles
1 ½ Tbsp. chicken-flavored bouillon
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. dried whole thyme
1/8 tsp. celery seeds
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 bay leaf

Combine all ingredients in a jar.

Attach this to the Jar
Turkey Noodle Soup
1 jar Turkey Noodle Soup Mix
8 cups water
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup minced onion
3 cups cooked diced turkey

Combine the Turkey Noodle Soup Mix and the water in a large stockpot. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and bring to a boil. Cover the soup and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the turkey and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

CHRISTMAS SOUP MIX
½ cup split peas
1/3 cup beef bouillon granules
1/4 cup pearl barley
½ cup lentils
1/4 cup dried minced onion
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 cup raw long-grain white rice

In a 1 ½ -pint jar, layer the ingredients in the order listed. Seal the jar tightly.

Attach to Jar:
Christmas Soup
In a large soup pot, brown 1 pound of ground beef or 1 pound cubed chicken breast; drain. Add 3 quarts of water, a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes with their liquid and the soup mix. Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 1 hour.

TRAILBLAZER BEAN SOUP MIX
Serves: 6
1 c. pinto beans
1 c. black beans
1 c. kidney beans
1 c. yellow split peas
1 c. black-eyed peas
1 c. lentils
1 c. green split peas
1 c. Great Northern beans

In a pint jar, layer 2 Tb. of each legume in order listed, until jar is full. Screw on lid.

Attach to Jar:
Trailblazer Bean Soup
1 pt. bean soup mix
7 c. water
1 ham hock
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1-2 tsp. salt
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
2 carrots, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker pot. Cover and cook on medium for 7 hours or until beans are tender.
(May cook soup in a stock-pot on the stove. Cover and simmer until done.) Remove meat from ham hock and return to soup. Before serving, add 3 T. lemon juice. Top soup with sour cream or grated cheese.

15 BEAN SOUP MIX
1 pound dried black beans
1 pound dried red beans
1 pound dried kidney beans
1 pound dried navy beans
1 pound dried great northern beans
1 pound dried baby lima beans
1 pound dried large lima beans
1 pound dried pinto beans
1 pound dried green split peas
1 pound dried yellow split peas
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1 pound dried red lentils
1 pound dried green lentils
1 pound dried brown lentils
1 pound dried cranberry beans

Combine beans in a very large bowl. Pour 2 cups into a large Mason-type jar.

Attach to Jar:
15 Bean Soup
15 bean soup mix
1 smoked Ham Hock
2 cans (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes
1 medium onion
2 ribs celery—chopped
1 clove garlic—minced
1 bay leaf—minced
6 cups water
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin

Cover bean mix with water and soak overnight. Drain beans and place in a stockpot. Add ham hock, tomatoes, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce to medium-low, cover, and simmer 1 hour. Add remaining ingredients; continue to simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender. Serve warm.

PASTA SOUP MIX IN A JAR
½ Cup Macaroni - small shells, etc.
1/4 Cup Lentils - dry
1/4 Cup Mushrooms - dried, chopped
2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese - grated
1 Tbsp. Onion Flakes
1 Tbsp. Chicken Soup Base
1 teas. Parsley
½ teas. Oregano
1 Dash Garlic Powder Granules

Mix all ingredients together in a one pint canning jar, and store with tightly sealed lid, until needed.

Attach to Jar:
Basic Pasta Soup
Combine contents of jar with 3 cups water, in a 2 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 40 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Makes 4 servings.

HOLIDAY BEAN SOUP MIX
1 Lb. Dried Black Beans
1 Lb. Dried Red Beans
1 Lb. Dried Kidney Beans
1 Lb. Dried Navy Beans
1 Lb. Dried Great Northern Beans
1 Lb. Dried Baby Lima Beans
1 Lb. Dried Large Lima Beans
1 Lb. Dried Pinto Beans
1 Lb. Dried Green Split Peas
1 Lb. Dried Yellow Split Peas
1 Lb. Dried Black-Eye Peas
1 Lb. Lb. Dried Green Lentils
1 Lb. Dried Brown Lentils

Combine beans in a very large bowl. Pour two cups of bean mix into quart jars. You could also layer the beans in the jar for prettier effect. Just put a little of each of the beans in until you fill it to the top.

Attach To Jar:
Holiday Bean Soup
Beans from Jar
1 Smoked Ham Hock
2 Cans ( 14.5 Oz each ) Stewed Tomatoes
1 Medium Onion Chopped
1 Clove Garlic Minced or 1/4 teas. Watkins Liquid Garlic Spice
1 Watkins Bay Leaf
6 Cups Water
1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley
1 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
2 teas. Salt
1 teas. Chili Powder
1 teas. Cumin Seed
Cover beans with water and soak overnight. Drain beans and place in a stockpot. Add ham hock, tomatoes, onion, garlic, bay leaf and 6 cups of water, and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover & simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serve warm. Makes 11 cups of soup.

PALOUSE SOUP MIX
You can make Palouse Soup or a Minestrone variation with this mix.
2-1/2 cups green split peas (16 oz)
2-1/2 cups lentils (16 oz)
2-1/2 cups pearl barley (16 oz)
2 cups alphabet macaroni or brown rice
1 cup dried onion flakes (2 3/8-oz. pkgs)
½ cups celery flakes (1 3/8-oz. pkg.)
½ cups parsley flakes (1 1/4-oz. pkg.)
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Store in a jar with a tight- fitting lid. Stir before using. Makes 10 cups of mix.

Attach to Jar:
Combine 1 cup of soup mix with 4 cups of water or seasoned stock in large pan. Add 1 cup of cooked chopped meat, if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover pan. Simmer gently for 45 to 60 minutes, or until peas are tender. Add ½ teaspoon salt if desired.

MINESTRONE VARIATION:
Combine 1 cup of soup mix with a 16-oz. can of stewed tomatoes, 2 to 3 cups water or stock, 1 chopped carrot, 1 to 2 chopped potatoes, and ½ teaspoon basil. (Optional: 1 clove minced garlic). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover pan. Simmer 45 to 60 minutes or until peas are tender. Add ½ teaspoon salt, if desired.

FRENCH MARKET SOUP IN A JAR
1 pound dried navy beans
1 pound dried pinto beans
1 pound dried great Northern beans
1 pound split peas
1 pound yellow split peas
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1 pound lentils
1 pound dried baby lima beans
1 pound dried lima beans
1 pound dried soybeans
1 pound pearl barley
1 pound dried red beans

In a very large container, combine navy beans, pinto beans, great Northern beans, split peas, yellow split peas, black-eyed peas, lentils, baby limas, limas, soybeans, barley and red beans; mix well. Divide evenly into 14 lidded jars.

Attach to each Jar:
French Market Soup
2 quarts water
1 ham hock
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Soak 2 cups French Market Bean Mix in water to cover, 8 hours or overnight. In a large soup pot, bring 2 quarts water and ham hock to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Remove ham hock. Stir in soaked beans, salt, pepper, diced tomatoes and green chiles, onion and garlic. Bring to a boil again, skimming foam off the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 1 hour, until beans are tender.

MUSHROOM-BARLEY SOUP MIX
½ C dried barley
1/4 C dried mushroom slices
2 T dried onions, minced
1/4 C dried carrot slices
2 T dried parsley flakes
2 T dried dill
2 bay leaves
2 beef bouillon cubes, or 2 tsp. bouillon granules

Combine ingredients in a plastic bag, glass jar, or any tightly sealed container. Store in a dark, cool place.

Attach to Jar:
Mushroom-Barley Soup
Add to 1 quart boiling water and simmer until barley is tender. Remove bay leaves before serving. Can add meat of your choice. Serves 4

MINESTRONE
4 beef bouillon cubes, or 4 tsp. bouillon granules
½ C dried onion, chopped
½ tsp. dried garlic, minced
½ C dried navy beans
½ tsp. dried oregano
2 bay leaves
6 peppercorns
1 C dried tomatoes, sliced or chopped
1 C dried celery slices
1 C dried carrot slices
2 C dried green beans
2 T dried green pepper
1 tsp. salt

Combine or layer ingredients in jar.

Attach to Jar:
Minestrone
Add to 4 quarts boiling water and simmer over low heat 2 to 3 hours, until beans are tender. Remove bay leaves and peppercorns before serving. Add meat if you desire. Serves 8 to 10.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH BOW NOODLES
approx 3 ½ cup Bow Noodles (farfalle)
1/4 cup Mushrooms — dried, chopped (opt.)
2 Tbs Minced Onion — dried
3 Tbs Chicken Bouillon granules — instant
1 Tbs Parsley flakes
1 teaspoon Thyme
6 -7 whole cloves

You can do this two ways. You can layer the bow noodles with the spices in between (except for whole cloves). Or you can put the noodles in the jar with the spices tied up in a baggie.

Attach to Jar:
Chicken Soup with Bow Noodles
Bring 8 cups water to boil in a large pot. Add contents of jars EXCEPT whole cloves. Push whole cloves into a small onion and drop into soup. Simmer until noodles are done appro 8- 12 minutes. The cloves gives this soup a WONDERFUL flavor!!

TORTILLA SOUP MIX IN A JAR
1 cup converted long grain rice
2 to 2-1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 (5 oz.) can chicken

Seasonings: Mix the following and place in a thin zipper sandwich bag.
2 T. chicken bouillon granules
2 t. lemonade powder with sugar
1 t. lemon pepper
1 t. dried cilantro leaves
½ t. garlic powder
½ t. ground cumin
½ t. salt
1/4 cup dried minced onions

In a quart jar place the ingredients in this order:
Place rice in jar first.
Place seasoning packet into jar next. Gently flatten bag so it is visible from all sides of jar.
Fill jar with tortilla chips.
Put lid on jar.
Attach can of chicken to top of jar.
.
Attach to jar:
Tortilla Soup
Carefully empty tortilla chips from jar into a dish. Set aside. Remove seasoning packet. Set aside Place rice in large pan. Add 10 cups water and 1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies and seasonings from packet. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add tortilla chips. Cover and simmer 5 more minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 12 cups soup.

SPLIT PEA SOUP MIX
2-1/2 cups green split peas (16 oz. pkg.)
2-1/2 cups lentils (16 oz. pkg.)
2-1/2 cups pearl barley (16 oz. pkg.)
2 cups alphabet macaroni (8 oz. pkg.)
1 cup dried onion flakes
½ cup celery flakes
½ cup parsley flakes
1-1/2 teaspoons thyme
1-1/2 teaspoons white pepper

Store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Stir before using. Or layer in pint or quart jars.
Makes 10 cups of mix.

Attach to Jar: Combine 1 cup of soup mix with 4 cups of water or seasoned stock in large pan. Add 1 cup of cooked chopped meat, if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover pan. Simmer gently for 45 to 60 minutes, or until peas are tender. Add ½ teaspoon of salt if desired.

LENTIL SOUP MIX
1 cup split peas, divided
½ cup lentils
½ cup red lentils

This recipe calls for 1 cup split peas and 1 cup lentils. Divide that quantity among several colors if you can find them. If not, just use green split peas and brown lentils.

Seasoning Packet:
1 Tb. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. dried minced garlic
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sage
½ tsp. garlic powder

Place ½ cup split peas into a wide mouth pint jar. Top with ½ cup lentils. Follow with remaining ½ cup of split peas and remaining lentils. Mix seasoning ingredients in small bowl. Place in sandwich bag and tie seasoning into a corner of bag with a piece of ribbon.

Attach seasoning packet along with this recipe to jar:
Lentil Soup
Empty jar into a colander, pick over peas and rinse well. Place in large pan with 7 cups water. Add 1 chopped medium onion, and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. For a thicker soup, remove cover for last 15 minutes.

For variation: Add 1 lb. chopped ham.

BEEF BARLEY SOUP KIT
1 pint jar or 2-cup container
3/4 cup medium pearl barley, separated
½ cup dried lentils
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1/4 cup dried minced onions
1/4 cup instant beef bouillon
2 tablespoons dried celery flakes
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic

Layer soup kit ingredients in jar in order listed, using half of barley first and then the rest at the top. Close jar securely with lid.

Attach to jar:
Beef Barley Soup
2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut in ½- to 3/4-inch pieces or 2 pounds lean hamburger
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Beef Barley Soup Kit
10 cups water

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat and brown the meat. Pour off drippings. Add the contents of soup kit jar and water to Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours or until beef is fork tender. Discard bay leaves. Makes 8 servings.
Posted by p.a.turner

[nw_arizona_granny]

I haven’t listened to this, but do read his articles and he has a lot to say, worth reading.
granny

http://cluborlov.blogspot.com/2009/08/interview-on-kpfaorg.html

Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Interview on KPFA.org
Guns and Butter
Wednesday, August 5, 2009, 1:00pm

“The Collapse Gap” with Dmitry Orlov, author of “Reinventing Collapse - The Soviet Example and American Prospects”. Orlov’s repeated travels to Russia throughout the early nineties allowed him to observe the aftermath of the Soviet collapse first-hand. Being both a Russian and an American, Dmitry was able to appreciate both the differences and the similarities between the two superpowers. Eventually he came to the conclusion that the United States is going the way of the Soviet Union. His emphasis is on all the things that can still be made to work, and he advocates simply ignoring all that will fall by the wayside.

“Guns & Butter” investigates the relationships among capitalism, militarism and politics. Maintaining a radical perspective in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, “Guns & Butter: The Economics of Politics” reports on who wins and who loses when the economic resources of civil society are diverted toward global corporatization, war, and the furtherance of a national security state.
Live on KPFA at 01:00 PM Pacific Time: Wednesdays
You can listen to it here.
Posted by kollapsnik

[nw_arizona_granny]

Pass the tinfoil!!!

Does anyone know if there is any merit in this statement, it is from the bottom of the page....

And does anyone know this website? it does have news on it.

granny....

Shorebreak said...

With regards to the H1N1 vaccines, I’ve noticed that many news articles overseas and in the US say they will go to preganant mothers and children first, and the elderly last because they are supposedly less likely to contract the virus.

I’ve also found that the ingredient Squalene is included in the vaccine and is also a critical component of a patented innoculation process that renders animals infertile.

Which explains why the media is preparing the young to be vaccinated, and the elderly don’t need it. Recent reports are saying that the innoculation process will require two shots - the same as the infertility patant.

The H1N1 vaccination process coming this fall is the planned depopulation strategy to prevent the majority of humans from reproducing.

?????

http://mikeruppert.blogspot.com/2009/08/rock-paper-scissors-germs-economy.html

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://cluborlov.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

You don’t have to go to school

A small but already by no means negligible number of Americans is starting to realize what their future looks like: no retirement, no job, no savings, plus they are getting old. Their only possible means of support in old age is their children.

And so, in the meantime, let’s continue to mindlessly send our children off to “learning” institutions, where they will be properly supervised at all times, bored half to death, medicated into submission should they rebel, even by simply refusing to pay attention, not taught anything worth knowing by demoralized, underpaid public servants, and then spat out into the world with their spirits crushed.

On second, thought, let’s stop doing that. When thinking about making big changes, sometimes it’s healthy to hear of places halfway across the world, which may have their own issues to deal with, but they are not the same ones we have here, allowing us to see past them. But the problem of institutionalization of children and emphasis on mindless discipline and rote learning is the same in all “developed” nations, being part of the worldwide legacy of industrialization and militarism, which we all have to deal with somehow. And a good first step is to starve this mindless suicide machine of fresh cannon fodder - by denying it access to our children.

Here is the story of a Russian woman’s experience with pulling her three children out of school that I thought would provide some valuable perspective to people in the States who are confronting the same decision, so I translated it.

Ksenia Podrova, St. Petersburg, Russia
http://ruk.1september.ru/article.php?ID=200701613 (Set encoding to Windows-1251)
Translated by me.

I have known this for sure for twelve years now.

During this time, two of my children have received high school diplomas while sitting at home (since it had been decided that these could turn out to be useful to them during their lives). My third child passed exams for the primary grades without attending classes, and is not about to stop there. Honestly, I am unconcerned. And I don’t get in the way of them choosing whatever substitute for school they manage to think of.

When my eldest was in secondary school, I started noticing that all too often he would recall situations of the following type: “I started reading a really interesting book during math class today;” or “I started composing a new symphony during history class;” or “It turns that Peter plays chess quite well – we played a few games during geography today.”

And I started thinking: why is he going to school? Is it to study? But then he does completely unrelated things during classes. Is it to socialize? But then it’s possible to do that outside of school.

Shift of consciousness

And then a sudden shift occurred in my consciousness. And I thought: “Maybe he shouldn’t go to school at all?” For a few days we discussed this idea. Then I went to see the school principal and told her that my son will no longer be attending school. (Afterwards many of my friends told me: “You were lucky to have such a principal! What if she didn’t agree?”) But it had nothing to do with the principal. If she didn’t agree, this would not have changed our plans at all. It’s just that in that case our further steps would have been slightly different.

The principal (whom I remember with sympathy and respect to this day) was sincerely interested in our motivations, and I was quite open with her concerning my opinion of school. She herself proposed how we should proceed: we should write a statement requesting that my child be transferred to home schooling, and she will make arrangements with the Department of Education, so that my child (supposedly because of his superior talents) will, as part of an experiment, study independently, and take tests as an external student at this same school.

And so we forgot about school almost until the end of the school year. My son was absorbed in all the things for which he had never had enough time. He spent entire days composing music and performing it on “live” instruments. He spent nights in front of the computer, building his own BBS (those of you who were fans of Fidonet know what that means). He also managed to find time to read anything he wanted, to study Chinese (just because he found it interesting at the time) and to help me with my work in translating and typing documents in various languages, installing email (still a difficult task at the time that involved consulting an expert), entertaining the younger children… In all, he was incredibly happy with his new freedom from school, and did not feel that he was missing anything.

The Price of Freedom

In April, we suddenly remembered: “Oh, we must prepare to take exams!” My son pulled out the dusty textbooks and concertedly read them for two or three weeks. Then we went to see the principal and told her that he is ready to take the exams. At this, my involvement in his school affairs ended. On his own, he caught up with the various teachers and arranged with them when and where they would met.

He managed to pass in all the subjects in one or two visits. The teachers themselves decided on the form of the exam. Sometimes it was just a conversation, sometimes a written test. Curiously, almost none of them wanted to give him an ‘A’, although my child certainly knew no less than the others. Our favorite grade became ‘B’, but this was not the least bit upsetting: this was the price of freedom.

Some time ago it had been considered that a child must attend school every day. If it turned out that someone doesn’t do this, one could get a visit from some special government agency (with something like “guardians of childhood” in the title, but I am no expert in these matters, so I could be wrong). In order for a child to gain the right to not go to school, it was necessary to receive a medical certificate that he is unable to attend school due to bad health. This is why I often heard confused questions such as: “What are your children sick with?” “Then why aren’t they in school?!” “They don’t want to be.”

An awkward silence ensued. By the way, later I found out that some parents simply bought such certificates from doctors they knew.

But in the summer of 1992 President Yeltsin issued a historic decree which announced that henceforth any child (independent of medical condition) has the right to study at home! Furthermore, the local schools must pay to the parents of such children, because they are spending the government’s education funds not on teachers and not on school buildings, but independently and at home!

And then there were two

When my daughter became old enough, I told her that she didn’t have to go to school at all. But she was a socialized child, having read many children’s books which stressed the idea that going to school was highly prestigious. Since I was in favor of a free upbringing, I wasn’t about to forbid it. And so off she went to first grade.

She lasted almost two years! Only around the end of the second year did she get sick of this empty waste of time, and she announced that she is going to study at home, like her older brother.

I delivered yet another statement to the principal. And now I had two children who did not go to school.

Yet another statement

Once in September I went to see the principal and give her yet another statement that this year my children are studying at home. She gave me the text of the presidential decree to read. (I didn’t think to write down its title, number and date, and now don’t even remember. If you are interested – search the Internet, and let me know.)

And then the principal said: “Nevertheless, we aren’t going to pay you for not sending your child to school. It’s too complicated for us to get these funds. But, on the other hand, we won’t charge you for their exams.”

I was quite satisfied with this. It would have never occurred to me to take money from her. And so we parted satisfied with each other and with the changes to our laws.

Spelled out in black and white

Last year I went to arrange home schooling for my third child.

Imagine this situation: i come to see the head teacher and tell her that I want to register my child to attend school, first grade. The head teacher writes down the name of the child and asks for the date of birth. It then turns out that then child is ten years old. And now – the really pleasant part: the head teacher reacts calmly, and even shows me an official document that stated that any person has the right to come to any school and request to take exams for any grade, and is not required to show any documents regarding completion of previous grades. The school administration is required by law to create a commission to administer all necessary exams.

That is, you can go to any school when you reach 17 years of age (by the way, along with my daughter, there were two bearded fellows who had suddenly decided that they wanted their diplomas) and directly take the exams for 11th grade. And you will receive that same diploma, which so many people consider to be so necessary.

As they explained to us

Once, after we moved, and more out of curiosity than need, I went to the school nearest to our new house, and asked to see the principal.

I told her that my children have long since and irreversibly stopped going to school, and that I am currently looking for a place where they can take exams for 7th grade, quickly and inexpensively. The principal (a pleasant young woman with progressive views) was very glad to meet me, and I was glad to tell her about my children. But at the end of our conversation she suggested that I look for some other school.

They were, by law, indeed required to accept my children, and indeed required to allow them to study at home. That would not be a problem. But, she explained, ordinary teachers, which are the majority at this school, will not agree to my conditions of home schooling: letting the child pass the entire annual course at one go. The child cannot pass the entire program in one visit! The child has to work a certain number of hours. That is, they have absolutely no interest in what the child actually knows, they are only interested in the time spent studying. They want the child to attend all quarterly exams. And, of course, the child is required to participate in the life of the school: wash windows on Saturdays, collect trash on school grounds, and so on.

Obviously, I refused.

We just do not understand

But in spite of this the principal gave me what I needed, simply because she enjoyed our conversation. Specifically: I needed to borrow all the textbooks for the 7th grade from the library, to avoid having to buy them. And so she immediately called the librarian and ordered her to issue me all the textbooks free of charge until the end of the school year.

And so my daughter read all these textbooks and, with no fuss or “class participation,” passed her exams somewhere else. Then we brought the textbooks back. After that, if only she wanted to, she could have gone to any school and studied alongside her peers.

But somehow she doesn’t want to. Quite the opposite: she, just as her brothers, just as I do, considers such a suggestion to be pure nonsense. And we just cannot understand why a normal person would want to go to school.
Posted by kollapsnik

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://gotseeds.synthasite.com/seed-exchange.php

A new garden blog, that is attempting to start an heirloom seed swap.
granny

Barter
FOR TRADE
It is an easy process. Email me for my address and then send me a self addressed stamped envelope with your request.
Honesty Plant (also known as money plant) Biennial Beautiful all year long. This plant changes drastically from spring to winter. Winter foilage. Not pictured here are the large coin sized and shaped seedpods that are the end product.

Will trade for any vegetable or herb seeds that can grow in partial shade.

Beautiful Red Bud Tree seeds
Yellow Ash Tree Seeds

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.dietsinreview.com/recipes/no-salt-dry-soup-mix/

No Salt Dry Soup Mix
Keep on hand for wholesome, homemade soup anytime!

Yield: 3 cups of dry mix (or 9 cups of soup)
Ingredients

*
2 c. non-fat dry milk
*
3/4 c. cornstarch
*
1/4 c. instant chicken bouillon
*
2 TBS dry onion flakes
*
1 tsp. thyme, dried or fresh
*
1 tsp. basil, dried or fresh
*
1/8 tsp. pepper

Instructions

1.
Use 1/3 cup mix to 1 cup boiling water
2.
May add vegetables
3.
Great with whole kernel corn, leftover meat and chopped fresh carrots or asparagus
4.
For a professional touch, add one whole bay leaf and two to three peeled cloves of garlic

---

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Homemade-Cream-Style-Soup-Mix/Detail.aspx

Homemade Cream-Style Soup Mix

SUBMITTED BY: DeAnn Alleva PHOTO BY: ONIOND
“This easy-to-make soup mix is great to have on hand for those nights when you need to whip up supper in a hurry. It’s also a great substitute for canned cream soup in a recipe.”
Homemade Cream-Style Soup Mix Recipe
RECIPE RATING:
This recipe has been rated 5 times with an average star rating of 4.6

PREP TIME 5 Min
READY IN 5 Min
SERVINGS
(Help)

Servings

US METRIC
INGREDIENTS

* 2 cups instant nonfat dry milk powder
* 10 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1/2 cup mashed potato flakes
* 1/4 cup chicken bouillon granules
* 2 tablespoons dried vegetable flakes
* 1 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/8 teaspoon white pepper

* add to recipe box Add to Recipe Box
My folders:
* add to shopping list Add to Shopping List
* Customize Recipe
* add a personal note Add a Personal Note

DIRECTIONS

1. In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients; cover and process until vegetable flakes are finely chopped. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 1 year.

FOOTNOTE

*
Editor’s Note: Use as a substitute for half a 10-3/4-ounce can of condensed cream of chicken, mushroom or celery soup. For half of a can of soup, in a microwave-safe dish, whisk together 2/3 cup water and 3 tablespoons soup mix. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2 to 2-1/2 minutes, whisking occasionally. For mushroom soup, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup sauteed sliced mushrooms. For celery soup, add 1/8 teaspoon celery salt or one sauteed sliced or chopped celery rib.

---

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Condensed-Soup-Mix/Detail.aspx

Condensed Soup Mix

“It is great to make your own condensed soup mix since it makes your soups taste better. It also contains 1/3 less calories and sodium than store bought condensed soup. You can make this any flavor you desire. Just add a different flavor of bouillon granules.”

Condensed Soup Mix Recipe
RECIPE RATING:
This recipe has been rated 11 times with an average star rating of 4.6
Read Reviews (11)

US METRIC
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
* 3/4 cup cornstarch
* 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup chicken bouillon powder
* 1 teaspoon dried basil (optional)
* 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

DIRECTIONS

1. Using an air tight container combine dry milk, cornstarch, onion flakes, pepper and chicken bouillon. If desired also add basil and thyme. Mix well and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
2. When using the mix combine 1/3 cup of the mix with 1 1/4 cups of water in saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/Earthbag-Building-Garden-Shed.aspx

Low-cost Multipurpose Minibuilding Made With Earthbags

By Owen Geiger

One of the most practical structures on a small farmstead is a multi-purpose garden structure that can serve as a storage shed or cool pantry above ground, or as a root cellar or storm shelter below ground. You can build this multipurpose structure for about $300 using earthbag construction (bags filled with earth and stacked like bricks). And the skills you learn by building the dome will serve you well if you plan to build a larger earthbag structure or even an earth home.

In many cases, no building permit will be needed for this little building, because it’s below the minimum size required by most building codes (for structures that are not inhabited and not attached to a residence). But because codes vary by region, check your local building regulations before you begin.

Earthbag structures provide a cool space in summer and an escape from the cold in winter, which means this earthbag dome is well suited for many purposes. Depending on your needs, the most practical combination of uses might be a root cellar/cool pantry for daily use and a disaster shelter for emergencies such as tornadoes or hurricanes.

The earthbag dome has a natural look and blends in with the land. It has a solid, organic feel — just what you’d expect from a design inspired by nature that has been combined with a little modern ingenuity and thousands of years of earth- and dome-building wisdom.
Building with Earthbags

No expensive forms or equipment are needed with earthbag building, and the technique is faster and easier than other earth-building styles including cob, rammed-earth tire construction and adobe (if you have to make your own bricks). Earthbag buildings are more water resistant than those made with straw bales, making them suitable for earth-bermed and below-grade structures. If your site is susceptible to flooding, earthbag building is one of the best options after all, sandbags have a long history of use for flood control. Just use an appropriate fill material, such as gravel, in lower courses.

The cost of building with earthbags varies. You can almost build free if you take the time to scrounge the materials, (used poly bags and barbed wire, recycled wood, and local soil and gravel). Few tools are required. Here’s a “middle of the road” cost estimate that assumes you’ll buy the major items but also take time to shop around. For example, if you don’t have used polypropylene bags, you can almost certainly find a local farmer who does.

The most significant advantage to building with bags is the simplicity of the process. No special skills are required: Fill bags with earth and tamp them solid. Building with bags requires a lot of physical effort, but brute strength is not necessary because each step can be done a little at a time at a comfortable pace.

Earthbag domes are incredibly strong and hold up well in hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes. After being plastered or bermed with earth, they are virtually fireproof. A properly constructed earthbag structure approaches the strength of stone, at a fraction of the cost, labor and necessary skills.

This earthbag shed is 8 feet in diameter inside (about 11 feet outside) and approximately 8 feet high. Plans could be scaled up to create 10- to 16-foot diameter domes. At the top of a larger dome, the earthbag thickness and cantilever (corbel distance) have to be adjusted slightly so it’s more conical.

Any building project can be dangerous, so stay alert while working. Until all the bags are in place and locked together, there’s a risk that they might fall, causing damage or injury.
Cost

View the Earthbag Building Materials Costs chart for a list of materials and prices.

continues, with full instructions for the project...

This is the printable copy full report link, above has the photos.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/print-article.aspx?id=2147484290

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.motherearthnews.com/print-article.aspx?id=2147484415

Grow Your Best Fall Garden: What, When and How

By Barbara Pleasant

Right now, before you forget, put a rubber band around your wrist to remind you of one gardening task that cannot be postponed: Planting seeds for your fall garden. As summer draws to a close, gardens everywhere can morph into a tapestry of delicious greens, from tender lettuce to frost-proof spinach, with a sprinkling of red mustard added for spice. In North America’s southern half, as long as seeds germinate in late July or early August, fall gardens can grow the best cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower you’ve ever tasted. In colder climates it’s prime time to sow carrots, rutabagas and turnips to harvest in the fall. Filling space vacated by spring crops with summer-sown vegetables will keep your garden productive well into fall, and even winter.

Granted, the height of summer is not the best time to start tender seedlings of anything. Hot days, sparse rain and heavy pest pressure must be factored into a sound planting plan, and then there’s the challenge of keeping fall plantings on schedule. But you can meet all of the basic requirements for a successful, surprisingly low-maintenance fall garden by following the steps outlined below. The time you invest now will pay off big time as you continue to harvest fresh veggies from your garden long after frost has killed your tomatoes and blackened your beans.

1. Starting Seeds
Count back 12 to 14 weeks from your average first fall frost date (see “Fall Garden Planting Schedule” below) to plan your first task: starting seeds of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale indoors, where germination conditions are better than they are in the garden. Some garden centers carry a few cabbage family seedlings for fall planting, but don’t expect a good selection. The only sure way to have vigorous young seedlings is to grow your own, using the same procedures you would use in spring (see Start Your Own Seeds). As soon as the seedlings are three weeks old, be ready to set them out during a period of cloudy weather.

If you’re already running late, you can try direct-seeding fast-growing varieties of broccoli, kale or kohlrabi. Sow the seeds in shallow furrows covered with half an inch of potting soil. Keep the soil moist until the seedlings germinate, then thin them. The important thing is to get the plants up and growing in time to catch the last waves of summer heat.

When is too late? The end of July marks the close of planting season for cabbage family crops in northern areas (USDA Zones 6 and lower); August is perfect in warmer climates. Be forewarned: If cabbage family crops are set out after temperatures have cooled, they grow so slowly that they may not make a crop. Fortunately, leafy greens (keep reading) do not have this problem.

2. Think Soil First
In addition to putting plenty of supernutritious food on your table, your fall garden provides an opportunity to manage soil fertility, and even control weeds. Rustic greens including arugula, mustard and turnips make great triple-use fall garden crops. They taste great, their broad leaves shade out weeds, and nutrients they take up in fall are cycled back into the soil as the winter-killed residue rots. If you have time, enrich the soil with compost or aged manure to replenish micronutrients and give the plants a strong start.

You can also use vigorous leafy greens to “mop up” excess nitrogen left behind by spring crops (the organic matter in soil can hold quite a bit of nitrogen, but some leaches away during winter). Space that has recently been vacated by snap beans or garden peas is often a great place to grow heavy feeders such as spinach and cabbage family crops. When sown into corn stubble, comparatively easy-to-please leafy greens such as lettuce and mustard are great at finding hidden caches of nitrogen.

3. Try New Crops
Several of the best crops for your fall garden may not only be new to your garden, but new to your kitchen, too. Set aside small spaces to experiment with nutty arugula, crunchy Chinese cabbage, and super-cold-hardy mâche (corn salad). Definitely put rutabaga on your “gotta try it” list: Dense and nutty “Swede turnips” are really good (and easy!) when grown in the fall. Many Asian greens have been specially selected for growing in fall, too. Examples include ‘Vitamin Green’ spinach-mustard, supervigorous mizuna and glossy green tatsoi (also spelled tah tsai), which is beautiful enough to use as flower bed edging.

As you consider the possibilities, veer toward open-pollinated varieties for leafy greens, which are usually as good as ;or better than hybrids when grown in home gardens. The unopened flower buds of collards and kale pass for the gourmet vegetable called broccolini, and the young green seed pods of immature turnips and all types of mustard are great in stir-fries and salads. Allow your strongest plants to produce mature seeds. Collect some of the seeds for replanting, and scatter others where you want future greens to grow. In my garden, arugula, mizuna and turnips naturalize themselves with very little help from me, as long as I leave a few plants to flower and set seed each year.

With broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and their close cousins, hybrid varieties generally excel in terms of fast, uniform growth, so this is one veggie group for which the hybrid edge is a huge asset. Breeding work is underway to develop better open-pollinated varieties for organic growers, but for now, trusted hybrids such as ‘Belstar’ broccoli, ‘Gonzales’ cabbage or ‘Snow Crown’ cauliflower are usually the best choices.

Finally, be sure to leave ample space for garlic, which is planted later on, when you can smell winter in the air. Shallots, multiplying onions and perennial “nest” onions are also best planted in mid-fall, after the soil has cooled. In short-season areas these alliums are planted in September; elsewhere they are planted in October.

4. Watering Fall Garden Plants: Keep ’Em Soaked
Even short periods of drought stress can put a nasty kink in the growth curve of most fall crops. Dry soil can be murder on slow-growing beets and carrots, and any type of setback can devastate temperamental cauliflower. Your best defense is to install a soaker hose before you set out plants or sow seeds. Try laying out the hose in various patterns and turning it on to get a good look at its coverage first. If the hose won’t stay where you put it, use short stakes or wire staples to hold it in place.

Keeping newly planted beds moist long enough for seeds to germinate is easy with leafy greens such as arugula, Chinese cabbage, collards, mizuna or turnips, because the seeds naturally germinate quickly, in five days or less. But beets, carrots, lettuce and spinach are often slower to appear, which means you must keep the seeded bed moist longer. Simple shade covers made from boards held above the bed by bricks do a great job of shielding the germination zone from drying sunshine, or you can shade seeded soil with cloth held aloft with stakes or hoops. You may still need to water by hand to make sure conditions stay moist, but shade covers can make the difference between watering once a day or four times as often.

5. Go Mad for Mulch
Whether you use fresh green grass clippings, last year’s almost-rotted leaves, spoiled hay or another great mulch you have on hand, place it over sheets of newspaper between plants. The newspaper will block light, which will prevent weed growth, help keep the soil cool and moist, and attract night crawlers and other earthworms. To get the best coverage, lay down the double-mulch and wet it thoroughly before you plant your seedlings. Cover the soaker hose with mulch, too.

Mulching can have one drawback in that organic mulches are ideal nighttime hide-outs for slugs and snails, which come out at night and chew holes in the leaves of dozens of plants, and may ruin mature green tomatoes, too. Watch for mollusk outbreaks, and use iron phosphate baits or beer-baited traps, if needed, to bring problem populations under control. Visit the “garden slugs” search page to find our recent slug control update, which includes readers’ reports of slug-slaying methods that really work.

6. Deploy Your Defenses Against Garden Pests
Luscious little seedlings attract a long list of aggressive pests, including cabbageworms, army worms, and ever-voracious grasshoppers. Damage from all of these pests (and more) can be prevented by covering seedlings with row covers the day they go into the garden. Use a “summer-weight” insect barrier row cover that retains little heat, or make your own by sewing or pinning two pieces of wedding net (tulle) into a long, wide shroud. Hold the row cover above the plants with stakes or hoops, and be prepared to raise its height as the plants grow. See The No-spray Way to Protect Plants for more details on using row covers in your garden.

Summer sun can be your seedlings’ best friend or worst enemy. Always allow at least a week of adjustment time for seedlings started indoors, gradually exposing them to more direct sunlight. Even transplants that are given a week to get used to strong sun appreciate a few days of shade after they are set out, which can be easily provided by placing an old sheet over the row cover. Or, you can simply pop flower pots over the seedlings for a couple of days after transplanting. In most areas, insect pressures ease as nights become chilly in mid-fall, but you might want to keep your row covers on a little longer if your garden is visited by deer, which tend to become more troublesome as summer turns to fall.

Fall Garden Planting Schedule

There is no time to waste getting your fall garden crops into the ground, but exactly when should you plant them? Exact dates vary with location, and we have two online tools to help you find the best planting times for your garden. See Know When to Plant What: Find Your First Fall Frost Date to find an article that includes a link to tables showing average frost dates for cities in your state. For fall gardens, we suggest using the date given for a 50 percent chance of having a 28-degree night what gardeners call a killing frost. (Keep in mind that cold temperatures may come and go for several weeks in late fall. In most areas, you can easily stretch your fall season by covering plants with old blankets on subfreezing nights.) Also check out our What to Plant Now pages for monthly planting checklists of vegetables and kitchen herbs for your region.

12 to 14 weeks before your first killing frost

* Direct-sow last plantings of fast-maturing, warm-season vegetables such as snap beans, cucumbers and summer squash. Also sow parsnips and rutabagas, and begin planting cilantro, lettuce and radishes.
* Start cabbage family seedlings indoors, and set out the seedlings as promptly as possible.
* In climates with long autumns, plant celery, bulb fennel and parsley in the fall.

10 to 12 weeks before your first killing frost

* Set out broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi and cauliflower seedlings, along with celery, bulb fennel and parsley.
* Direct-sow beets, carrots, collards, leeks and scallions, along with more lettuce and radishes. In some areas, even fast-maturing peas and potatoes will do well in the fall garden.

8 to 10 weeks before your first killing frost

* Direct-sow arugula, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, turnips, spinach, mustard, pac choi, tatsoi and other Asian greens.
* Sow more lettuce and radishes, including daikons.

6 to 8 weeks before first killing frost

* Make a final sowing of spinach along with mâche, which matches spinach for super winter-hardiness. (In most regions, you can expect to enjoy these crops in your Christmas salads!)
* Make a final sowing of lettuce beneath a protective tunnel or frame.

On or around your first killing frost date

* Every fall garden should include garlic and shallots. If you love onions, be sure to try multiplying onions and perennial “nest” onions.

Getting the Most from Your Fall Garden

High-density planting in double or triple rows can increase your per-square-foot return by 40 percent with broccoli, or up to 70 percent with cabbage. Use a zigzag planting pattern to fit more plants into less space while allowing 18 inches between plants. Use dwarf varieties when spacing plants closer together, because too much crowding can lead to delayed maturation and low yields.

Cut-and-come-again harvesting can prolong the productive lives of heading crops such as spring-planted cabbage and Chinese cabbage. As long as the primary head is cut high, leaving a stout stub behind, small secondary heads often will develop within a few weeks. Many varieties of broccoli are enthusiastic cut-and-come-again vegetables, too. After the main head has been harvested (taking only 3 inches or so of stem), varieties such as ‘Belstar,’ ‘Green Goliath’ and many others produce numerous tender side shoots. The harvest will continue until temperatures drop into the teens, which seriously damages broccoli plants. In much of Zone 7 and 8, healthy broccoli plants will keep spewing out shoots for months, and sometimes all winter.

Transplant the untransplantable if that’s what it takes to get a good stand. For example, most gardeners have read that beets, carrots and rutabagas should be sown directly in the garden, but I often get better filled, more uniform rows in late summer by starting seeds indoors and setting out seedlings when they show their first true leaf. If the seedlings are kept moist and shaded for a few days after transplanting, about 75 percent of them survive. If you feel the need to brush up on your seedling-handling skills, see Garden Transplanting: Expert Advice.

Contributing editor Barbara Pleasant lives and gardens in southwest Virginia, where rutabagas are her favorite fall crop. Visit her website, Barbarapleasant.com.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://etherwork.net/ejmtph/recipes/pasta_spicy.html#favourite

Pasta with Hot Chillies and Broccoli
makes enough for 2
Ingredients

* 4 - 6 dried red chillies, coarsely cut (do not pre-soak)
* 3 - 4 Tbsps of good quality olive oil (a good splash)
* 4 - 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped but not minced
* 3 pieces of sliced smoked ham (we use black forest) cut coarsely into small squares
* 1 cup of good quality GRATED Parmesan cheese (a little more or less depends on you)
* Good bunch of spaghettini enough for 2 people
* broccoli, chopped in bite size pieces (enough for 2 people)
* Boiling salted water
* Salt and Pepper

Preparation

1. In a large frying pan heat olive oil and throw in the chillies and cook them at med heat until they are BLACK (this is important). They shouldn’t be burnt to a crisp just nicely blackened.
2. Throw in the ham and cook until the pieces are quite leathery. (No...I’m not kidding.)
3. Throw in the garlic at the last minute or so of cooking the ham so it doesn’t burn. (Nothing worse than burnt garlic).
4. Cook spaghettini in boiling water for as long as it takes to make it al dente. (6 minutes?)
5. Throw a ladle full of hot pasta pasta water into skillet about 3 minutes before pasta is done. Toss in broccoli.
6. Drain pasta. (You want a bit of water left in the pasta - it takes the cheese and turns it into a coating sauce) Throw hot cooked pasta into skillet. Toss for only 30 or so seconds.
7. Throw (looks like we throw everything doesn’t it? - we do) in the cheese and toss everything together. Salt - yes you will still need lots of salt even though there is lots of Parmesan cheese. Hot chillies seem to need more salt for some reason. -tph

I leave the chillies uneaten because I’m a wimp. But the pasta is permeated with hot spiciness. I know people who do eat them, squealing with delight. The claim is that the blackened chillies take on an amazing toasty flavour. edit April 2007: Newsflash! I have started to eat the chillies!! (only one or two, nibbling tiny bits at a time...) And it’s true. They are wonderful and do indeed have an amazing toasty flavour. -ejm

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Italian dishes:
Pasta with Hot Chillies & Tomatoes . more Italian style recipes
Pasta with Tomatoes, Chillies, Sausage

makes enough for 2 - we often make the sauce a couple of hours before cooking the pasta.
Ingredients

* 8 dried red chillies, whole (do not pre-soak)
* 3 - 4 Tbsps of good quality olive oil
* 1 double smoked Polish sausage, cut coarsely into small squares (sausage is about 12 inches long and an inch in diameter)
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 3 garlic cloves, chopped
* 4 Roma tomatoes, quartered
* ¼ c dry red wine (or vodka)
* Good bunch of spaghettini, enough for 2 people
* Boiling salted water
* Salt and Pepper
* 10 - 15 sun-dried olives
* soft goat cheese (optional)

Preparation

1. In a small pot, heat about 1 Tbsp olive oil and throw in the chillies and cook them at med heat until they are BLACK (this is important). They shouldn’t be burnt to a crisp just nicely blackened.
2. In a large non-aluminum frying pan, heat 2-3 Tbsp olive oil. Throw in the sausage and cook until the pieces are quite brown and almost crispy (No...I’m not kidding).
3. Throw in onions and saute til soft; add the garlic at the last minute or so of cooking so the garlic doesn’t burn. (Nothing worse than burnt garlic).
4. Throw in tomatoes, red wine (or vodka) salt and pepper. Add chillies and their oil. Let simmer til the tomatoes are soft. (You can take this off the heat at this point and store it in the pan til it is time to cook the pasta.)
5. Cook spaghettini in boiling water for as long as it takes to make it al dente. (6 minutes?) Throw hot cooked pasta into skillet after draining. Toss for only 30 or so seconds.
6. Throw (looks like we throw everything doesn’t it? - we do) in the olives and toss everything together. Garnish with little pieces of goat cheese for extra richness. -tph

Serve with green salad and beer. You may want to make this with fewer chillies if you are unused to hot food. The pasta gets permeated with hot spiciness. In our household, all the chillies get eaten (and sometimes there are complaints that there weren’t enough chillies). I eat one chilli very gradually over the course of the dinner. The blackened chillies take on an amazing toasty flavor. -ejm

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Italian dishes:
Fresh Pasta . more Italian style recipes
Egg Noodles - Fresh Pasta
linguine
ravioli

* 1 c semolina flour
* ¼ c unbleached all-purpose flour
* ¼ c whole wheat flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)
* 2 large eggs

Preparation

1. Mix flours together. Stir eggs in with a fork. Knead with hands to form a ball. Cover tightly with plastic and allow to sit on counter for a couple of hours.
2. Put dough through handcrank pasta maker. Leave as sheets for lasagne, ravioli and manicotti or cut each sheet into spaghettini or linguine. Lay loosely on a tray. Sprinkle a little flour over top to keep the pasta from sticking to itself.
3. In a large pot, boil well-salted water. Add noodles cooking them until just tender (very short time). Drain and toss in your favourite sauce.

Serve with your favourite sauce. Fresh egg noodles are wonderful tossed in butter and sage and served as a sidedish with grilled meat as well. Or tossed in butter and toasted poppy seeds to go with goulash or Beef Stroganov. They are also brilliant in Asian flavoured chicken broth.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://etherwork.net/blog/?p=553#recipe

Pasta with Nettles and Cream Sauce

pasta

* ½ c semolina flour
* 2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
* 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)
* 1 large egg

filling

* nettles
* good shot olive oil
* onions, minced
* seasalt and pepper, to taste
* grated Ilha branca (or any hard cheese)
* finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano

cream sauce

* ¼ c olive oil
* 1 medium onion, chopped finely
* 3 Tbsp flour
* 1 c skim milk
* 1 tsp chicken stock powder (or seasalt)
* splash of 10% cream
* pepper, to taste

for assembly

* good shot butter
* fresh herbs to garnish

Preparation

1. pasta Mix flours together. Stir egg in with a fork. Knead with hands to form a ball. Cover tightly with plastic and allow to sit on counter for a couple of hours.
2. Put dough through handcrank pasta maker. Leave as sheets and hang to dry a little. Cut into squares and lay loosely on a tray. Sprinkle a little flour over top to keep it from sticking to itself.
3. filling Rinse nettles. Caution: When nettles are uncooked, their tiny barbs on the leaves DO sting. Use tongs of gloves to transfer them from place to place! Put the nettles in a small amount of boiling water for about a minute, turn them a couple of times in the water to ensure that all the leaves have been blanched. Drain and set aside in a colander.
4. Sauté onions in olive oil.
5. Add nettles to the onions and sauté until the nettles look done. Season with chicken stock powder (or seasalt) and pepper. Set aside until it is time to cook the pasta.
6. Melt the butter in another frying pan. Continue heating until it turns light brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning!! When the butter is dark gold, remove from the heat, and set aside til it is time to cook the pasta.
7. cream sauce (béchamel) Finely chop the onion. Pour milk (we use skim milk powder and water) into a small pot. Add a quarter of onion. Heat the milk just until it is smiling. Remove from heat and allow to steep for about 15 minutes. Set aside.
8. Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add the rest of the onion to the oil. Sauté onions til soft and just beginning to turn golden.
9. Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon to get rid of lumps.
10. Add milk and chicken stock powder (or seasalt); cook til sauce is the right thickness. (This can be done a few hours before serving.) Cover. Set aside till it is time to cook the pasta.
11. cook the pasta In a large pot, boil well-salted water. Add pasta and cook until just tender (very short time).
12. As the water is coming to a boil, warm up the pans with the nettles, brown butter and cream sauce. Add a splash of 10% cream to the cream sauce and stir to heat through; grind in some pepper.
13. Gently drop pasta into the boiling water and cook until just tender (very short time).
14. Drain the pasta squares and toss in the brown butter. Lay a square of pasta on each serving plate. Spoon some of the nettle mixture into the center of each square of pasta. Add a little grated cheese (we used Ilha branca) any hard cheese would work - just bear in mind that you don’t want to overpower the delicate flavour of the nettles. Place another pasta square on top. Spoon on more nettle mixture. Top with pasta square. Pour cream sauce. Scatter grated parmesan overtop and garnish with fresh herbs (we used savoury, parsley and/or thyme).

Serve immediately as an appetizer, or as accompaniment with a grilled chop and green vegetable.

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This is a forum for food and all related, very interesting:

http://etherwork.net/blog/?p=553#recipe

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Bread Making Notes, good ones:

http://etherwork.net/ejmtph/recipes/breadnotes.html

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http://etherwork.net/blog/?p=667

Herbed Radish Butter
based on Jude’s (Apple Pie, Patis and Pate) radish herb butter; measurements are rather approximate; I just winged it

* 1 large radish
* splash fresh lemon juice
* 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, soft
* fresh mint leaves (a large sprig)
* fresh chives (~8 blades)
* fresh parsley leaves (a small sprig)
* seasalt and pepper

preparation

1. Wash the radish well and trim the ends. Cut it in half and then thinly thinly thinly slice it. Turn the slices a quarter turn and julienne them. Add lemon juice to the radishes and set aside.
2. Cream the butter with the back of a small wooden spoon.
3. Chop herbs finely.
4. Stir herbs, salt and pepper into the butter.
5. As best you can, without breaking the radish pieces, stir radish into the butter.

Serve immediately with crusty bread. (Of course, it can be kept in the fridge for an hour or so before serving too.)

note

* Don’t worry if the radish isn’t completely encorporated into the butter. As long as there is butter in with the mix when spooning it onto the bread, it tastes fine. More than fine, actually.

It IS really wonderful, Kalyn. And I suppose one could dispense with making the radish butter by simply making open face radish sandwiches by buttering bread and then putting thinly sliced radishes that have a squeeze of lemon juice on them, chopped mint, chives, parsley, salt and pepper. It would certainly resolve the problem of getting the radishes completely encorporated into the butter. -Elizabeth

Comment by MrsBrown — 24 July 2009 @ 11:44 EDT

We had some radishes growing in our garden but something black and furry whose name begins with Nicky the Black Dog thought it was a good idea to pull them up, eat the radishes and leave the greens neatly on the ground. She seems to think we’ve put the garden there for her personal use. Luckily, she doesn’t seem to like mustard greens or lettuce and she hasn’t discovered the carrots. At least she left the greens in a tidy pile.

Perhaps we’ll try again just so we can have radish butter.

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http://etherwork.net/blog/?cat=36

sourdough and wild yeast

Her articles and wonderful looking recipes, a must check out for the sourdough bakers.

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http://etherwork.net/blog/?p=495

Two summers ago, along with a selection of fabulous cheeses, I was given a box of the most wonderful crackers, Lesley Stowe’s Raincoast Crisps. The crackers are available throughout Canada and the USA. And they are delicious. But at their price, they really are only for special occasions.

Or so I thought.

This past summer, one of my sisters-in-law brought faux stowes as part of her offering for the family dinner. They were just as fabulous as the real thing and she claimed they weren’t all that difficult to make.

It turns out she’s right. Even though they require double baking, they’re dead easy. And they’re delicious! And being home made, MUCH less expensive so they can be for every day rather than just special occasions.

I made a few changes to the recipe my sister-in-law copied out for me. I used dried rosemary instead of fresh.

I had to use dried rosemary. Unlike my lucky western relatives’ rosemary, our rosemary does not survive outdoors in the winter. I have a small rosemary plant in the basement but it’s so spindly that removing even a teaspoon, let alone a tablespoon of leaves would render the poor little plant leafless.

And I omitted the fruit (I forgot to put it in…) I also added the left over sludge from building up my wild yeast to the batter. I’m positive that this is not a necessary addition. It’s a great way to use up the discards though!

Here’s what I did to make the crackers:

Faux Stowes
double the recipe to make twice the amount

* 1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 2 Tbsp flax seeds
* ½ tsp seasalt
* ½ tsp dried rosemary (or ½ Tbsp fresh)
* discarded sludge from wild yeast buildup, optional*
* 1 c buttermilk
* 2 Tbsp brown sugar (demerrara)
* 1 Tbsp molasses
* ¼ c pecans, chopped
* ¼ c pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
* 2 Tbsp brown sesame seeds
* ¼ c raisins or dried cranberries, optional

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Stir flour and baking soda in a medium sized bowl.
3. Use a pestle and mortar to coarsely grind the flaxseeds, salt and rosemary. Set aside.
4. Stir in buttermilk, sugar and molasses. Also add the left over sludge from building up wild yeast, if using.
5. Stir in nuts, seeds, salt and rosemary. Also add the fruit, if using.
6. first baking:Pour the batter into the parchment lined loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean.
7. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. (The bread can be eaten at this stage - it is delicious!)
8. making the crackers: Preheat oven to 300F. Slice the bread as thinly as possible.
9. second baking: Place the bread slices on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for a total of 30 minutes - 15 minutes per side.

Allow to cool on a rack before eating or storing in a tin.
Notes:
* Please note that the wild yeast sludge is my addition to my sister-in-law’s recipe. I’m certain that it is completely unnecessary. It’s just a great way to use what would normally be discarded from the wild yeast buildup. Waste not, want not….

* Piano Piano Pieno Crackers
* Don’s Health Biscuits (don’t let the name fool you; they’re delicious!
* Cheese Cookies
* Quickbreads and muffins
* recipes from OUR kitchen - index

bread for Faux Stowes As I was slicing the bread to put onto the cookie sheet, T tasted a piece and insisted that I leave half the loaf unsliced because it was so delicious that way. And he’s right! It really is good.

It also leads me to believe that any muffin recipe could be baked in a loaf pan, sliced and turned into Faux Stowes.

Sadly, the rosemary flavour got lost - but I suspect we would have found something lacking if I had left out the rosemary. When we have an abundanced of fresh rosemary, I’ll have to try these again. Maybe I’ll remember to add the raisins too!

And next time, to get our crackers to look even more like Lesley Stowes’ crisps, I’m going to put a fold of parchment paper lengthwise down the middle of the loaf pan so that the finished bread will create square slices.

Weekend Herb Blogging (WHB) Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Admittedly, fresh rosemary really is preferable to dried. Dried rosemary is quite brittle and can have a bitter taste. It also loses its beautiful green colour and turns to a quite dusty grey green. Not exactly the most appetizing colour.

However, it is very easy to grind and because it is so strong tasting, it is one of the herbs that retains a lot of its flavour and aroma.

Please read more about rosemary:

* other WHB posts featuring rosemary:
* stock making (WHB#113) - includes instructions for overwintering indoors
* focaccia again (WHB#91)
* Cherry’s Claypot Chicken is a Keeper (WHB#60)
* waffles with rosemary honey (WHB#22)
* growing rosemary
* wikipedia - Rosemary
* Plants for a Future - Rosmarinus officinalis
* Spice Pages: Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

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At times, one finds a list of so many interesting recipes, that there is no starting point for posting, so go get them here:

http://etherwork.net/ejmtph/recipes/

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Thank you for sending us readers too.....smile.”

Glad to do it. The more people we can get on board and into a more self-sufficient mode the better, IMHO.

At least we can get them thinking about it. :)

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://spicyipindia.blogspot.com/2009/08/guest-post-critical-analysis-of-indian.html

Monday, August 03, 2009
Guest Post: A critical analysis of the Indian Policy on seeds - Bane or Boon?

We’re pleased to bring to you a guest post by Nirajan Man Singh & Sheja Ehtesham, both of whom will be graduating from NALSAR this weekend. Their post deals with the Seed Act, 2004 which is scheduled to be tabled in Parliament amidst severe opposition from farmer associations.

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE INDIAN POLICY ON SEEDS – BANE OR BOON?
India is predominantly an agricultural country. 31% of its GDP comes from agriculture and around 64% of its labour force is dependent on agriculture.[1] Thus any developments in the arena of agriculture warrant a very close scrutiny. Especially in the light of the widely accepted perception that seeds belong to farmers, as they are the discoverers, selectors and protectors of agricultural biodiversity.[2]

The trend that emerges is that a majority of the private investment in the area of agriculture goes to seeds other than wheat and rice. Rice and wheat are domains wherein the investment is mainly from public research institutions funded by the Government, which naturally, is not sufficient. The merits of this policy are questionable and it has often been criticized as being a key factor in reinforcing poverty in a majority of the population. Consequentially, it has emerged as the need of the hour to attract further investment in rice and wheat. Accordingly, the Government decided to permit private participation in this field. They further endeavored to ensure that there were enough safeguards introduced in new Seed Bill and the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act (i.e. PPV & FR Act) to reduce the scope of any misuse.

The introduction of foreign and domestic private participation would inevitably increase the investment in the area of food and agriculture. It will bring new varieties of seeds to the farmer with higher productivity. This was, perhaps, the main objective behind allowing for an inevitable, yet limited monopoly to private players. It seems reflective of the Government’s consciousness of the fact that its investments alone will not suffice to provide for food security to the country. Private participation is the need of the hour. Furthermore, the disadvantages to bringing in the private players are substantially counterbalanced, considering there is nothing in the existing legislation which provides that seed saving is a crime.

BT COTTON: FARMER STITCH THEIR OWN SHROUDS

In 1996, an insect resistant Bt cotton was discovered by introducing Cry1Ac gene from a soil borne bacteria, Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT) and was commercialized in USA and subsequently in other countries. Those varieties of Bt cotton have reportedly failed in large parts of Madhya Pradesh causing serious losses to farmers. Reports of the failure of Bt cotton have been coming in steadily after the harvest of the first crop of 2002- 2003. Gene Campaign’s study of the first Bt cotton harvest in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra had shown that 60% of the farmers who cultivated Bt cotton in these regions had suffered such massive losses that they were unable to even recover their investment.[3]

As per the Andhra Pradesh Government Report of the Bt cotton failure, the state has banned the sale of such varieties of Bt cotton, due to the large scale losses incurred by farmers. The cause of such a colossal failure of Bt Cotton in India was that India’s Bt Cotton technology was faulty and inadequate to protect the cotton crops, where the major pest is the bollworm. Bt cotton hybrids being produced in India were found to be unstable and unpredictable and not very effective against the bollworm, as the variety being used here was created for the US, to protect America’s cotton crops against its major pest, which is the tobacco budworm, not the bollworm.[4]

The poor performance of Bt cotton in India can also be attributed to the fact that in India, Bt cotton seeds were produced as hybrids, not the true varieties. It could possibly have been a wiser choice if the government undertook the decision that only true breeding varieties of Bt cotton would be permitted in India, not only because they perform better but also because they would be a cheaper option for farmers who could save seeds for the next harvest.[5]

The Navbharat Bt seed was another variety selling cheap at Rs 100 per bag, since it was illegal – similar to selling on the black market, at a lower cost. The tragedy began unfolding inGujarat where over 10,000 acres of Bt cotton were planted illegally. The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, whose permission is required for cultivation of any GM crop, ordered the destruction of this illegal Bt cotton that was still standing on the field. This decision led to numerous farmers committing suicide.

Despite the widespread failure of such Bt cotton varieties neither the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) nor the Ministry of Agriculture, have so far moved to take action against the offending company. The company contended that the failure was attributable solely to agronomic conditions like shortage of water or heavy rain, hence it was reported only from a few pockets, and not the whole country.

continued, in depth discussion of seeds and modern ways.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2312637/posts?page=20#20

Lost Dog Saves Man With Down Syndrome From Nearly Fatal Seizure (three tissue story)
Fox News ^ | August 10, 2009 | Unattributed

Posted on Monday, August 10, 2009 10:08:36 AM by Ben Mugged

Yolanda Segovia heard a knock on her door one morning, just before 8 a.m.

Her neighbor was on the porch, with a dog and a story.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,538733,00.html?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a16:g2:r2:c0.165816:b27048140:z0

Gang Forces Python to Bite Boy in Suspected Racial Attack

Monday, August 10, 2009

Emergency medical personnel used a Google search to help save the life of a British teenager who was held down by a gang of teens while a python was forced to sink its fangs into him.

The unidentified 14-year-old boy, who was attacked by a group of teens in Bristol, England, sustained two deep puncture wounds after one member of the gang forced a python to bite him.

snipped....

British police suspect that the boy, who is of Afro-Caribbean descent, may have been the victim of a racial attack.

[any weapon that works, appears to be the weapon of today.]

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/pastry/bread/free_bread_machine_bread_recipes.html

There are many free bread machine recipes available online, so don’t go out a spend money on books - instead, spend the money on delicious ingredients. Here are some mouth watering bread recipes to get you started.

There are literally thousands of bread machine bread recipes that are free and readily available online from both home cooking websites and bread making forums. You can find not only unusual and delicious recipes; you will also get advice on how to get the best out of your bread machine so you get perfect loaves of bread every time.

Easy Sourdough Bread

If you love sourdough bread but don’t relish the idea of the effort involved in making it, you can try this easy sourdough bread recipe.

Ingredients - this will make a 1.5lb loaf

1/2 cup of plain, nonfat yogurt
2/3 cup water (room temperature)
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon softened butter (margarine can be used instead)
3.25 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1.5 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons regular active dry yeast

Directions

Never use the delay bake option with this recipe. Put all the other ingredients into the bread pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the French bread cycle.

Apple Oatmeal and Raisin Bread

This is a delicious, sweet and moist bread; perfect for children and adults alike.

Ingredients - this will make a 1.5lb loaf

1/2 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats
5/8 cup of water
1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce
2 3/4 cups of bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons of nonfat dry milk powder
1 1/2 tablespoons of butter (margarine can be used instead)
1/2 cup of raisins
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons of active dry yeast

Directions

Put all the other ingredients into the bread pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the basic bread cycle with the light crust option and press start. After baking, leave the loaf to cool for at least one hour.

Carrot and Thyme Bread

This is a moist multi-grain and versatile bread that goes with fruit or vegetable salad or pulse soups.

Ingredients - this will make a 1.5lb loaf

2 1/4 cups of bread flour
1 cup of rye flour
1/2 cup of yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1 1/2 tablespoons of dried thyme
2 cups of freshly grated carrots
1 cup of water (some bread machines may require a little more)
2 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast

Directions

Put all the other ingredients into the bread pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the basic bread cycle and press start. After baking, leave the loaf to cool.

All of the above recipes are not only flavorful; they are full of fiber and vitamins. Preparation time is also minimal; grating the carrots for the above bread machine bread recipe is the part that requires any work at all. Other, equally delicious bread recipes for bread makers are available online.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/pastry/bread/simple_delicious_and_free_bread_machine_recipes.html

There are thousands of free bread machine recipes online, so you really don’t need to buy any recipe books. You can easily find them of recipe sites and forums. Here are a few to get you started.

Just because a bread maker recipe is free doesn’t mean it’s bland; many folks with a passion for home baking love to share their knowledge with others. And, don’t be afraid in trying out a new one; bread machines allow you make perfect bread easily - you just have to follow the directions given and, in a couple of hours, you’ll be eating delicious wholesome bread.

Italian Rosemary Bread

Ingredients - this will make a 1.5lb loaf

1 cup warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil - use good quality oil as it really does make a difference in the overall taste
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried rosemary - you can also use fresh as well.
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions

Put all the ingredients into the bread pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the basic bread cycle.

Spicy Apricot Bread

Ingredients - this will make a 1lb loaf

1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup water
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon dry milk
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground anise seed
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3/8 cup to 1/2 cup apricot nectar
1 tablespoon canola, safflower — or oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions

Put the apricots in a small saucepan with a little water and bring to boil. When at boiling point, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Drain the apricots, reserving the liquid, and spread them out on a double thickness of paper towels. Allow the apricots and the liquid to cool to room temperature. Except for the apricots, place all ingredients in the bread machine according to the manufacturer’s directions. Measure the reserved cooking liquid and add enough apricot nectar to measure 5/8 of a cup. Select the whole wheat mode and start the machine. When you hear the signal to add extra ingredients, add the finely chopped apricots. At the end of the baking cycle immediately remove the loaf and allow it to cool completely before slicing or wrapping for storage.

Blueberry and Oatmeal Bread

Ingredients - this will make a 2lb loaf

1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 (16-ounce) can of blueberries
3 cups bread flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions

Pour the contents of the can of blueberries into a 2 cup measure. Add water or reduce juice so that the total volume is 1 1/2 cups. Put all the ingredients into the bread pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the basic bread cycle.

The above are just some of the delicious and free bread machine recipes available online. There are thousands available, so spend some time looking and find some that really appeal to your taste buds.

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http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/pastry/bread/four_easy_zucchini_bread_recipes.html

Tired of the same old zucchini bread recipe and want to try something new? Here is a standard zucchini bread recipe in addition to three variations your family is sure to love.

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs 1 cup oil 2 cups sugar 2 cups peeled and grated zucchini 3 tsp. vanilla 2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup nuts 3 cups flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. baking powder

Stir together eggs, oil, sugar, zucchini. Sift together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add to zucchini mixture. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. May need 15 minutes more. Cool completely before freezing. Makes 2 loaves.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

2 cups grated zucchini 3 eggs 1 cup applesauce 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup vegetable oil 3 teaspoons cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 1/4 cups flour 6 ounces chocolate chips 1/2 cup cocoa

Grease and flour two loaf pans. Stir together zucchini, eggs, applesauce, sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the rest of the ingredients. Divide batter between the loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Reduce temperature to 300 degrees and bake an additional 15 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

3 eggs 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla 3 cups flour 2 cups zucchini, grated 3 teaspoons cinnamon 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (optional) 1 8-ounce can pineapple, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Stir in oil, sugar, vanilla, and zucchini. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour. Add nuts and pineapple. Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour.

Zucchini Cheddar Bread

1 c. chopped onions 1/4 c. butter 2 1/2 c. Bisquick 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 tsp. thyme 1/2 tsp. basil 3 eggs 1/4 c. milk 1 c. grated cheese 1 1/2 c. to 2 c. shredded zucchini

Saute onions in butter. Cool a little and then add remaining ingredients. Pour into an 8x8-in. baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

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[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/pastry/cakes/zucchini_pancake_recipe.html

I know that almost everyone has had potato pancakes but did you ever try zucchini pancakes? When I was a child I was a very picky eater and there was very little things that I would eat; my favorite was potato pancakes. I just loved them so much I could eat them every day, so one day I came home from school and my mother had potato pancakes or so I thought. I sat down to dinner and began eating my favorite food but something seemed a little strange. I said to my mother, “these pancakes taste different” and she said “I used a different kind of potato this time” and so I was satisfied with her explanation and kept on eating my fill as usual. When dinner was over she asked me how I liked dinner and I said it was wonderful as usual, then she replied these were a new zucchini pancake recipe that she just got from a neighbor and decided to try it on me. I was never so surprised in my life and since then I have been making the same zucchini pancake recipe and now I am passing it on to you.

1-3 pound zucchini
½ to ¾ cup flour
1 large egg
½ tsp. Salt
Pinch of pepper or as you like it
Some graded onion (optional)

Wash and peal the skin from the zucchini, slice it down the center, remove the seeds from the center and shred the zucchini into a large bowl and add one egg, salt, pepper, and flour. Mix all the ingredients together.

In a large skillet place about a ¼ inch of oil or even a little less (as you prefer) on your range until hot enough to fry in, place the pancake batter in the frying pan a couple of spoons at a time until you reach the desired size of each zucchini pancake, let fry until a golden brown on each side is reached and the pancake is crispy around the edges, remove the pancakes from the pan and place them on some paper towels to drain the oil from them and then enjoy.

This zucchini pancake recipe will probably be the best you ever had.

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http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/105434/cooking_recipes/solving_the_7_most_common_whole_wheat_bread_baking_mistakes.html

Let’s face it EVERY cook makes mistakes (yes, even us professional bakers make boo boo’s).

I’m going to list here, the 7 most common whole wheat bread baking mistakes that you’re probably making, or might make if you’re not forewarned, and what you can do about them.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 1

By far the most common bread baking mistake is when the salt is forgotten to be added to the whole wheat bread dough.

This results in very bland bread, and even effects the rising of the dough. Making your whole wheat bread flat on top.

The best solution for this is to use a post it note as a reminder to yourself, to add the salt to the whole wheat bread dough.

You can stick the post it note where ever you’re most likely to see it (fridge, recipe book, etc..)

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 2

The second most common mistake is when the whole wheat bread dough is allowed to over rise, which leads to it falling.

This usually happens when the whole wheat bread dough is forgotten about. And with so much going on our lives, who doesn’t forget things like this now and then?

But don’t fret, there is a solution: If the whole wheat bread is already in the bread pans when it over rises simply use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the excess dough off the sides of the unbaked loaves.

Separate and roll this dough into a few small balls of dough. Allow them to rise 20 minutes to 30 minutes on a small oiled cookie sheet, and then bake them on 350 Fahrenheit, for 15 to 20 minutes as whole wheat rolls.

Also allow the whole wheat bread dough to rise for about 15 to 20 more minutes before baking if it is extremely flat on top.

Another solution to help you keep from forgetting about your bread, is to use a timer which will beep loudly after the selected time period is up.

Using a timer can also help stop other whole wheat bread baking catastrophes from happening.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 3

When you heat up your water to put your yeast in, it is easy to accidentally make the water a bit too hot. This mistake will kill the yeast and your bread will not rise

To correct this mistake I strongly recommend you invest in a cooking thermometer, to measure the temperature of the water with.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 4

If the recipe you use makes too much dough for your family’s needs and you worry that the extra bread will grow stale before you use it, fear not.

It is perfectly safe to refrigerate unused dough for a few days and allow the whole wheat bread dough to finish it’s rising time once you get it out to use it.

You can use a Ziploc bag or plastic wrap over bowls that contain your whole wheat bread dough, to store it in your fridge and still prevent oxidation.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 5

Burned bread. Yup, nothing tastes worse than whole wheat bread which is black as charcoal.

To avoid this, be sure you follow baking times and temperatures strictly. And again use a timer to remind yourself when it’s time to remove your whole wheat bread from the oven.

Also remember that gas ovens and electric ovens vary in their temperatures. If you’re using an electric oven you should bake almost all pastries on 350 Fahrenheit.

Sometimes a recipe will call for you to start baking a loaf of bread on a higher temperature, but will also usually tell you to turn the heat down after a certain amount of time.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 6

Mistakenly or purposefully using the wrong type of flour. If you are baking whole wheat bread, the only way to get good results is by using whole wheat flour to bake your bread.

There are different recipes for all the different types of bread and they all use one specific flour for each recipe.

So don’t try any substitution hoping that by adding rye flour for instance, you will actually turn a whole wheat bread recipe into rye bread. Because you won’t.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 7

Last but not least there is the problem of air bubbles (also called “pockets”) which create large holes inside the whole wheat bread, after it’s done baking.

The best solution for this is to pinch any such bubbles whenever you see them in your whole wheat bread dough, before you bake it. This will immediately deflate the bubble.

Now you are armed with the knowledge of the 7 most common whole wheat bread baking mistakes (most of which also apply to all other rising breads) and how you should deal with them.

So don’t let the bread mistake blues get you down ever again.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/203864/cooking_recipes/who_else_wants_an_easy_parmesan_zucchini_bread_recipe.html

Many people like to have their zucchini cooked and mixed with other vegetables. Some people also love zucchini bread among other zucchini recipes. But have you ever tried parmesan zucchini bread?

Many people actually grow their own zucchini and that is recommended for the best, fresh zucchini. However, not everyone has a green thumb and a garden in their backyard. Luckily for you, you can find organic grown zucchini at your local health food store. That is the closest you can come to picking it out of your garden and using fresh ingredients. Back to the Zucchini bread recipe.

Zucchini, Onions And Parmesan Cheese

Unlike many other zucchini breads, this zucchini bread is not sweet or spicy bread. This zucchini bread recipe gets its flavor from the zucchini, onions and Parmesan cheese. You will find this bread is suitable for all meals and you will even be able to make hearty sandwiches with it or toast it for your breakfast.

This zucchini bread recipe is also a quick bread that uses baking powder and baking soda to allow the bread to rise. The zucchini bread recipe is also enriched with the addition of buttermilk although you can substitute cream, milk or water for this addition.

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 tablespoon grated onion

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil and flour a baking pan that is sized 9” x 5”. In a large bowl, add and mix the flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Blend well and set aside. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the buttermilk, sugar and butter and beat the mixture with a fork until it is well blended. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and only blend until the flour is moistened and the batter is still lumpy.

Add the zucchini and onion to your zucchini bread batter. Pour your batter into the greased and floured baking pan. Put it into the oven and bake for one hour or more. Check for doneness by putting a toothpick into the middle of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean, your zucchini bread is done.

Place your bread in the pan on a rack to cool for ten minutes. Remove from the pan.

This zucchini bread recipe is suitable for all cooks, including novices. You can serve this bread as nutritious bread for your soup or it also is suitable for the dinner table. The most important thing to remember when making zucchini bread is to use fresh, organic ingredients.

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http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/pastry/bread/galician_bread_with_raisins.html

The above having been said not all of Galicia’s finest recipes are all seafood based and the region can lay claim to quite a variety of dishes all of which are most definitely worth investigating further.

Lets top talking about the food and get down to business. Let’s eat!
As with cooking all types of bread you need to do the preparation for this at least 24 hours in advance if you are going to be making the starter dough. If you’re not then continue with the recipe that we’re about to describe, just remember to add an extra teaspoon yeast.

If you don’t make the starter dough then the ingredients you would need would be as follows:

15 g fresh yeast
300 ml of water
250 g of strong white bread flour.

Cream the yeast with a little of the war in a fairly large bowl and then take this yeast cream and mix it with the remaining water and mix with the flour. At this point it is wise to remember to ensure that the bowl that you are using is large enough to allow plenty of room for the dough to expand. Cover this bowl with a damp cloth and then leave at room temperature for at least 24 hours and if you can even better leave it for two days. If you’re not ready to use the starter dough just yet you can keep it in a jar the refrigerator. A sign that the starter dough is still fresh and can be used is that it should smell almost like champagne. Take the raisins that you are going to use and put them in a heatproof bowl and add boiling water to cover the raisins and then leave these to soak what you make bread.

For the bread, the ingredients that you will need to use would be as follows:

150 g of raisins.
600 ml of water
200 g of fresh yeast
450 g of strong white bread flour
300 g of rye flour
50 g of cool meal
Salt
Oil for oiling
Sifted plain flour dusting the bread with.

Take a few tablespoons all walked to the east and like he did with the starter dough stir it into a creamy paste.

Take the bread flour the rye flour and the corn meal and mix them all together in a large mixing bowl. At this point at the generous tablespoon of salt a tablespoon of yeast and half of your starter dough.
The next stage is to add enough water to make a soft but not too sticky dough out of the entire mixture. Take this dough and tip it out onto a large flat surface.

Now for the physical part of the action to be brutally blunt, if this is handled well this part of the process could be so much more rewarding than taking a trip to the local gym. You need to knead the dough for about 10 minutes. This is going to be tough initially with all the heavy rye flour and the cornmeal. Once the dough starts to feel quite elastic the idea is to drain the raisins out of the water and knead the entire mixture together.

Transfer of this mixture to a slightly oiled bowl cover up with a baking sheet or some Clingfilm. Let this mixture rise at room temperature for at least one hour or a general rule of thumb here would be leave it until it is doubled in size.

Take the dough out start manipulating and punching the bread and shape it into a large flat round shape about 12 inches across. Take the bread put it onto a oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel and leave it to rise again until it’s doubled approximately in size.

At this point take the often and preheat the oven to 220 degrees centigrade or gas mark 7.

Take the loaf and sprinkle the top of the loaf with the sifted plain flour and bake for 10 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 190 centigrade or gas mark 5 and bake the loaf for a further 40 minutes. Once the bread just slips off the baking sheet and the bottom sounds hollow when you turn it upside down and you tap it. Place the loaf back into the often directly onto an oven shelf for a couple of minutes longer till the base is nice and crisp.

Then leave and let the bread to cool on a wire rack and then eat.

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http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/pastry/bread/old_fashion_recipes_for_walnut_breads.html

Walking into the house to the smell of fresh baked bread always brings to mind memories of grandma’s house or coming home hungry after school and knowing mom had been spending time in the kitchen. Following are a couple of old recipes retrieved from my mother’s old tin recipe box that I got when she passed away. Walnut date loaf and orange walnut bread can both be made with pecans, if you don’t like walnuts. However, walnuts have known health benefits and we could all stand to eat more of them. Also, both of these breads make good gift breads. Give as hostess gifts, take to the office, wrap in plastic wrap, tie with a pretty bow and give for Christmas gifts, etc.

ORANGE-WALNUT BREAD

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

shredded peel of 1 orange

5 tsp double-acting baking powder
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup salad oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, with fork, mix flour and walnuts, sugar, salt, orange peel, and baking powder. In a small bowl, with fork, beat eggs slightly; stir in milk and salad oil. Stir into flour mixture just until flour is moistened. Pour batter into a 9x5” loaf pan. Bake one hour and twenty minutes or until bread pulls away from sides of pan. Cool in pan on wire rack for ten minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on rack. Makes one loaf of bread. NOTE: Diabetics can enjoy this bread by replacing 1 cup of the sugar with Splenda granular.

WALNUT-DATE LOAF BREAD

1 cup chopped dates
1 cup boiling water

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

In a mixing bowl, combine the dates, water, and oil. Let stand for 10 minutes; do not drain. Add the brown sugar, egg and vanilla; mix well. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir flour mixture into the date mixture just until combined. Do not beat. Fold in walnuts. Transfer batter into a greased 8-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool ten minutes before removing from pan. Finish cooling on a wire rack.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/pastry/bread/apple_bread_recipes_how_to_make_delicious_apple_bread.html

Apple bread is very healthy and suitable for the whole family. Apple cinnamon bread, apple cranberry nut bread and apple oatmeal bread with raisins are 3 delicious and easy to make apple bread.

Below are the 3 recipes for you to try at home:

1. Apple Cinnamon Bread

Amount Measure Ingredient - Preparation Method

- 1/2 cup - water
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Apple juice concentrate
- 1/4 cup Applesauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons Sugar - brown
- 1/4 teaspoon - salt
- 1 cup Flour - whole wheat
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Vital gluten - optional
- 1 cup Flour - bread
- 1 teaspoon Yeast

Medium:

- 3/4 cup - water
- 3 3/4 tablespoons Apple juice concentrate
- 1/3 cup Applesauce
- 3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon Sugar - brown
- 1/3 teaspoon - salt
- 1 1/2 cups Flour - whole wheat
- 2 tablespoons Vital gluten - optional
- 1 1/2 cups Flour - bread
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Yeast

- 1 cup - water
- 5 tablespoons Apple juice concentrate
- 1/2 cup Applesauce
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 1/3 tablespoons Sugar - brown
- 1/2 teaspoon - salt
- 2 cups Flour - whole wheat
- 3 tablespoons vital gluten
- 2 cups Flour - bread
- 2 teaspoons Yeast.

Definitely use the vital gluten as it rises much better. I use frozen apple juice concentrate. You could also add raisins or chopped apples, either fresh or dried, or even nuts might be nice.

2. Apple Cranberry Nut Bread

Amount Measure Ingredient - Preparation Method

Ingredients:

- 8 ounces Bread Flour
- 8 ounces Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
- 2 tablespoons Sugar - white or brown
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 2/3 cup Applesauce
- 1/2 cup Apple juice (or Orange Juice)
- 1/3 cup Dried cranberries
- 1 ounce Chopped walnuts
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Yeast

Directions:

- Add ingredients to baking pan in order given.
- Bake on basic/light mode (4 hour).
- Drop in cranberries which have been coated with the cinnamon and nutmeg after first knead.
- Add yeast to dispenser.

Created for Panasonic 65P. Adjust as needed for other machines.

Makes a nice loaf for holiday giving or serving.

3. Apple Oatmeal Bread with Raisins

Amount Measure Ingredient - Preparation Method

For 1 1/2 Pound Loaf

- 1/2 cup Old-fashioned rolled oats
- 5/8 cup -Water — (for Welbilt add 2 Tb. more water)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 3/4 cups Bread flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
- 2 tablespoons Brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Nonfat dry milk powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Butter or margarine
- 1/2 cup Raisins
- 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons Red Star active dry yeast

Directions:

- Place all ingredients in bread pan. Select Light Crust setting, and press Start.
- After the baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan, place on cake rack, and allow to cool 1 hour before slicing.

Very moist and delicious bread!

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http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/pastry/bread/bread_bread_sweet_bread.html

In America, bread is a staple food in every house hold, for breakfast one might have French toast, for lunch one might eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and for dinner one might have a bun on their hot dog or hamburger. In fact, if a meal does not include some form of bread, it somehow feels incomplete.

However, in this healthy obsessed culture of today, many diets want us to restrict the amount of breads we include in our diets. To get around this, use your daily bread “serving” as your desert for the day. I have three great bread recipes that are not only delicious but fun to make:

· Applesauce Pecan Bread Recipe
· Aloha Bread Recipe
· Amish Poppy seed Bread

Applesauce Pecan Bread

Applesauce pecan bread is as good as it sounds. You need two large eggs, applesauce, sugar, vegetable oil, milk (skim for healthier diets), cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, salt, white flour, pecans, and mixed candied fruit. If you want to make it a fancier desert, use any kind of frosting or icing for the top. To make this bread you need to preheat your oven to 325F degrees. Take two mixing bowls, and in one stir in your eggs, apple sauce, sugar, and milk. In the other, mix your dry ingredients until they are well mixed. Mix both bowls of ingredients together, gradually stirring in the nuts and fruits. Put into your loaf pan, and sprinkle any extra sugar, cinnamon and nuts on top. Only takes an hour to bake!

Aloha Bread

This fun bread combines the fun of Hawaii into its batter and the sweetness of maraschino cherries, bananas, macadamia and walnuts. This is a simple bread which uses just flour, baking soda, salt, butter, sugar, and eggs. Combine the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and mash bananas in until completely mixed. Then stir in the cherries and nuts. To give it an extra fun twist, sprinkle brown sugar in your pan before baking it at 350F. Usually it takes an hour to bake completely. Remember that because of the bananas this bread is very moist and can be easy to over bake.

Amish Poppy Seed Bread

You can use your favorite basic bread recipe, just make sure to add in almond and butter flavor, as well as a tablespoon of poppy seeds. It is the glaze in this recipe that makes it a great dish. You need a quarter cup of orange juice, three fourths of a cup of sugar, vanilla, butter flavor, and butter flavor. Mix the ingredients like you would in any other bread, just make sure to pour the glaze on the bread when the bread is still hot out of the oven.

If you would like more information on cooking or other bread recipes, visit http://www.cdkitchen.com today!