The Urban Homemaker Blog

Category: Recipes

  • The “dog days” of Summer

    Summer night sky

     

    Avoid boiling seas, languid animals and madness…

    In the northern hemisphere, the dog days of summer are the sultry, hot, sticky days from July to mid August.

    We call them the dog days, thanks to the Greeks and Romans. Ancient cultures mapped and named the constellations long before we got here. They associated the dog days with the constellation Canis Major (large dog) and the brightest star in this constellation, Sirius. Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. It’s so bright in fact that the Romans thought we received heat from it.

    Originally, the dog days were the time when Sirius rose just before sunrise and it was thought that the combined heat from the sun and Sirius produced the hottest of days when all sort of terrible things happened (languid animals, boiling seas, madness and hysteria caused by heat). In ancient Egypt, this time marked the flooding of the Nile.

    The dog days are in full swing around these parts and luckily for us we have a plan to beat the heat and return us to our senses. The solution? Ice cream, and lots of ideas how to make and top it!

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  • Busy Mom Bread Making Solution #2

    It is 93 degrees in beautiful western Colorado and I have no bread to feed 3 hungry children. Did I say I was busy? Yes, adding work into my normally busy day has made me rethink a few things.  So, might I share a few solutions for such a time as this?

    • Solution #1- buy store bought. Ugh I feel like a failure to do so…. ( go with Solution #2)
    • Solution #2- make your own!
      • Use what you have! I have an old bread machine. Time to let it work while I work!
      • Get a new recipe and try it!
      • Utilize the Sun Oven– keep the kitchen cool! Keep Mama cool! Have Sun Oven pay for itself! – all pluses!

     

    Homemaker Help

    I have a dear friend Chris, who has a wonderful, delightful, young adult daughter, Heather. Heather shared a bread recipe that we devoured in less than a minute after it came out of the oven the last time I was at their ranch. I noticed they have their “old” bread maker work for them with the quick dough prep while they run their Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmaker’s Camp,  www.ChristianFilmmakersCamp.com.  So I followed suit since I didn’t want to go with solution #1. I went with using what I had and feeling good for doing so.

    I put the recipe into my bread machine as stated below and I ran errands. As I walked into the house with arms full of groceries, etc. the timer went off and I was able to take the dough, punch it down and put it into 2- 8″ bread pans. I proceeded to preheat the Sun Oven while I put groceries away and in 10 min or so the dough was at the height recommended by Sun Oven. I spritzed the bread tops with water ( to get a brown top), put the loaves into the Sun Oven and went back to fixing lunch, etc. 40ish minutes later- fresh bread! I made this recipe yesterday in a very hot kitchen (due to my oven being on)  on a 90 degree day and made a resolution right then and there to bake in the Sun Oven for the summer.

    Heather’s Bread Recipe

    by Heather Lawrence, Co-Chef, Main- Baker, Tasty Sweet Maker of the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmaker’s Camp.  Thank you !!!

    • 3/4 c warm milk, buttermilk, kefir (Kathy used powdered milk : see note of being busy above!)
    • 1/2 c warm water
    • 2 eggs
    • 4 c wheat flour  (can use part white, part wheat flour) (Kathy used our Hard White Wheat)
    • 2 Tbsp olive oil
    • 2 Tbsp honey (approximately – I don’t measure this, but I don’t use all that much)
    • 2 tsp salt
    • 2 Tbsp Vital Wheat Gluten
    • 2 tsp yeast
    For the Sun Oven: Dough must be up to 1/2″ from top of bread pan.

    Put ingredients in bread maker in order listed on dough cycle. At the end of the 90 minutes, shape into two 1 lb loaves, let rise until double (approximately 45 minutes), then bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

    If you are using a Sun Oven.. Allow only to rise to 1/2″ of the top of the bread pan- @10 min. Then into the Sun Oven for roughly 40-60min. My Sun Oven today ran at 300 degrees. Other days I would just watch it as it can be 375 degrees and of course would bake that bread ASAP! So adjust to where you are! Nice thing is Sun Ovens don’t burn!

    I bet this recipe will do well in a mixer too! Give it a try!- but if you have an old bread maker, make it work while you work when you need a little extra help! For the record- This bread is so YUMMY! Perfect for sandwiches.

    Optional Helpers: Dough Enhancer, Bread Bags, Bosch Mixer , Grain Mills

    Breads will have a lighter color in the Sun Oven.
    Same recipe, same pan, baked in kitchen oven.

     


  • Solar Cooking Tips from a Pro

    Written by Marilyn

    My friends Tara Miller and Sam Brown have compiled numerous practical tips including a Five-Day Kitchen Diary to make cooking in the Global Sun Oven successful and fun.  Sun Ovens are the perfect way to keep a kitchen cool while reducing energy consumption during the hottest days of summer.

    Ed Note: They have been cooking most of their food in their Global Sun Oven year- around for 20 years even here in the coldest part of a Colorado winter.  They enthusiastically recommend Solar Cooking to everyone and practice what they preach as they own four sun ovens and have traveled to Peru to teach natives how to cook in it.

    What can you cook in a solar oven?
    A solar oven allows you to prepare a wide variety of high quality foods including vegetables, soups, stews, beans, desserts, breads, cakes, meats and more.

    Getting Started Basics:

    • Use black or dark cooking pots or cast iron.
    • Brush oil on fresh meat to assist with browning.
    • Soak dried beans, lentils, or grains in water overnight.
    • When cooking dry foods such as rice, use slightly less water than usual.
    • To cook vegetables: Preheat your dark pot that has a cover and use a small amount of water, about 1/3 cup. This accelerates the cooking process and also preserves vitamins. A covered pot keeps the moisture and heat in the pot.
    • For soups and stews:  Don’t put too much in one pot. It’s better to use two smaller pots.
    • Plan on a little more time to cook than for conventional stove top or oven baking.
    • Use a sunny, south facing location. Plan for a convenient shelter nearby such as a deck.
    • Prop the oven toward the sun so the sunlight strikes the glass at 90 degrees and adjust the oven toward the sun every 30 to 45 minutes for maximum temperature.
    • Best cooking hours are 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. but longer in the summer.
    • A folded towel placed over the glass when the food is done will hold food warm for a couple of hours.

    Baking Tips:  Baking normally will take longer than baking in a conventional oven.  For cornbread, preheat a cast iron skillet or baking pan for a crispy crust. For cakes, yeast breads or baked potatoes, wait for a clear day so you can keep the heat high and consistent.  Quick breads have been most reliable for me.  Yeast breads baked in smaller, darker colored baking pans bake best in the Sun Oven. These are a favorite bread pan.

    Stove Top Cooking Tips: Start the liquids heating up in the cooker ahead of time, or bring water or other liquids to a boil on a conventional stove top and then put the pot in the cooker. Also, preheat the cooking pot; the lid, and the rocks to keep the heat up.

    Lower temperature or simmering Tips: Adjust the Sun Oven slightly away from the direct sun. Simmering can happen even if the day is slightly overcast.

     

    Cooking while you’re away from home: Put your food (say a pot of seasoned, pre-soaked beans) in the well-propped cooker, adjusted for noon. Enjoy the satisfaction of coming home to a solar cooked meal ready to serve.

    Quick and Easy Ideas for a busy day:  Bake extra potatoes for frying later, cook chunks of squash, whole chicken, burritos, frozen foods, and precooked entrees.

    Diary From a Northern Hemisphere Kitchen by Tara Miller

    WEDNESDAY:

    Roast chicken in solar cooker. Dust a little paprika on top so the chicken isn’t so white. This will enhance the color to the surface of the meat. Place potatoes and carrots or other vegetables alongside the chicken for the last 20 minutes or so.  Refrigerate or freeze select meat (such as the breast meat). We ate with our fingers and feasted on the chicken, saving the bones and skin for soup stock.

    THURSDAY:

    Boil leftover chicken bones several hours or more to make stock. Adjust cooker regularly to keep it simmering.

    Lunch: Cold, diced chicken breast salad or sandwiches from yesterday’s leftovers.

    Supper: Chicken Soup: In the late afternoon,: strain and discard the bones, skim fat (Refrigerate or freeze part of broth for future use). Return about a quart of the broth to the cooker and add 1/4 cup barley, cook at least an hour. About 45 minutes before supper time add other vegetables: onion, garlic, carrots, green beans; later, add chopped chard. Season at the last minute with garden sage, thyme, salt.

    FRIDAY:

    Lunch: leftover soup, either cold or warmed in cooker.

    Midafternoon: Start the rice: bring 4 cups salted water to a boil in an oversized kettle  (the extra space will serve as a steamer later) in the solar cooker, add 2 cups brown rice. Position in slightly advanced to sun perfect position* and rice will cook with no further attention.

    Supper: When the rice is nearly done place quick cooking vegetables such as edible pea pods and chopped greens to steam on top of the rice and cover. To serve: Skim vegetables off the top of the rice and season creatively: Try garlic, olive oil and basil, or chutney, or plum sauce or whatever you have on hand.

    SATURDAY (This is a busy day diary and presumes the use of more than one cooker.)

    Early:     Set cookers in position facing where the sun will first strike.  Place an empty cast iron kettle with cover in one cooker to preheat for potatoes later.

    Breakfast: Leftover rice from the bottom of yesterday’s kettle. Fix it the way you eat your breakfast oatmeal or cold cereal with cream or yogurt, butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, nuts, dried fruits etc.

    Midmorning: Scrub potatoes and place in hot, preheated kettle or cast iron pot. Position in slightly advanced to sun perfect position* and potatoes will cook with no further attention.

     

    Lunch: Remove the hot baked potatoes. Leave kettle in cooker, readjust the solar cooker for full sun power. Eat baked potato bar with your favorite toppings such as bacon bits, shredded cheese, butter, chives, etc. Cool the rest of the potatoes and refrigerate. Leftover potatoes will be used either grated for breakfast hashbrowns and eggs, or made into potato salad later in the week.

    Throw corn on the cob in the kettle. This was tough corn, so I husked it and left the cooker at sun perfect position* so it would cook for about 45 minutes. Other options for afternoon cooking in that preheated kettle: whole beets, or  soup.

    * Sun-perfect position has the glass tilted exactly perpendicular to the angle of incoming sun light and with the shadow symmetrical behind the cooker. “Advanced” to sun perfect position has that shadow set so that “sun-perfect position” will come in about 20 minutes. My Sun Oven will bake at peak temperatures for 45 minutes to an hour with no further adjustments starting from this advanced position.

    SUNDAY

    Our little cherry tree has one final picking of sour red pie cherries. We preserved some of them by canning in the solar cooker.   Canning in a solar cooker is considered an advanced skill recommended for experienced solar oven enthusiasts only.  So I have not included the instructions.  If you want more information, please email me at marilyn@urbanhomemaker.com

    Cherry Cobbler

    Place four cups of juicy cherries in the bottom of black enamel 8 x 12 baking pan. For a festive touch, save out a handful to decorate the top.

    Stir into cherries either 2 tablespoons corn starch or 2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca. If using tapioca, let it sit for at least 15 minutes.

    Mix crispy crust by:

    Cream together 1/2 cup butter with 3/4 cup brown sugar

    Sift together in a small bowl:

    1 cup flour

    1/4 teaspoon baking soda

    1/4 teaspoon baking powder

    1/4 teaspoon salt

    Mix flour mixtures with the butter/sugar mixture, then add:

    1 cup oatmeal

     

    Stir well and spread over the top of the cherries. Just for fun make a little drawing on top of the crust with the saved cherries. Consider that the dark color of the cherries may encourage more efficient absorption of solar radiation.

    Optional version is to put the entire crust UNDER the cherries. Be sure to soak the tapioca in the cherry juice at least 15 minutes:  Use 1 1/2 Tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca for each 1/2 cup juice.

    Best of all, Have Fun with your Global Sun Oven!

  • Going Solar: Cooking for FREE

    When I tell people that I purchased a solar oven they look at me funny, like they don’t get it. It’s almost as if they wonder how you plug it in. Or how do you get the sun to come into your kitchen where the oven is? YEP- I was asked this and once I explained the person didn’t believe me! But it is true and every time I use it I too am shocked. As of this week, I have used my Sun Oven about 3x a week. I have enjoyed not worrying about dinner (since I thought about it earlier!)  nor a hot kitchen ( which will inevitably end summer cooking). I almost go into a camping mindset.. No rules, cooking freedom, etc

     

    Why did we buy a solar oven?
    1.      Free energy! Seriously, that was part of it.
    2.      Camping
    3.      Emergency use
    4.      Ease of use (think of a crock pot you don’t plug in)
    5.      Novelty (hello, it’s a SOLAR oven)

    We liked our solar oven so much that we contacted the company that makes the Global Sun Oven to become a reseller. Is it turns out the owner of the company was on vacation in Western Colorado and came to our home to conduct a training seminar with a crowd of about 20 people. We met in the breezeway and learned quite a bit. Here are some photos!


    A solar oven is designed for a useful life of about 30 years. There are no burners to go out and very few moving parts. A large portion of these ovens are sold overseas in developing countries, so simplicity, ease of use and durability are a key feature (and benefit).
    Here are some points which may answer your questions:

    • Food cooks at 178 degrees F. Anything above that will cook. Yes, adjusting cooking time may be slightly longer, but I had brownies cook in 30 min when the oven temp was 350 degrees!
    • Treat the wood top with Linseed oil every 2 yrs if it is left to the elements.
    • It is hot! Yes, use oven mitts! The glass, cooking pots, and the metal inside are hot if the oven is on.
    • Dog proof? Yes- Dogs don’t like their noses burned anymore than you like your fingers! The glass can be hot.
    • For every oven sold in the USA a portion goes into equipping others in deforested countries where fuel is a premium.
    • The reflectors can be scratched or just plain old and beat up – and they will still work!
    • The reflectors can be wiped with a Norwex cloth or simply use Windex.. However I thought no chemicals was best.
    • It is easy! Yes,  It was scarey until I actually used it for the 1st time. Every time after has been E-A-S-Y!
    • Any recipe you like to cook can probably be cooked in this Sun Oven.
    • Sun Ovens make a perfect vehicle to have a personal challenge. This is my personal challenge and so far, I just have to readjust my thinking on timing. Also I am not so burned out in the morning as I am in the evening.. so it has helped with meal planning!

     

    Points from our newsletter below!

    • A solar oven heats up quickly and can be used in summer and winter. You can cook at temperatures as low a 8 degrees F.
    • A solar oven cooks food evenly and will not dry your food out. This is one of the most amazing things about the way it cooks. The heat in the unit surrounds the cooking area and cooks from all sides. You can even hard boil eggs without boiling them. Eggs placed on a pan will become hard-unboiled (in just 30min!) just like hard boiled eggs. That’s because the heat around the egg is an even heat – just like when boiling.
    • A solar oven won’t burn your food either. Rice or baked beans in a pot will not get that hard burned layer at the bottom, because there is no flame at the bottom burning the items.

    Here’s what we learned in our test kitchen, or south facing deck for this project…

    Pre-heating ( all of 7 minutes) began after breakfast; the oven was placed towards the sun (obvious, I know) and positioned as the owner’s manual suggests.

    I placed a FROZEN 4lb. chicken with seasonings into the 3QT pot and when I placed it in the oven, it was at 300 degrees. I was pleasantly surprised that this little 20 pound cooker really puts out the heat!

    My frozen chicken cooked from 11:45am to 4:15pm. The smell around the Sun Oven was delectable! The roasted chicken smelled wonderful, looked gorgeous, and was fully cooked and made a perfect dinner!

    I have several more test case scenarios to put to the test- however so far the concept is wonderful. The ability to actually cook a frozen chicken with little to no effort using the free energy of the sun was downright fun.

    Brownies are wonderful. I used my own recipe. They cooked beautifully in 30 min.

    I wish I had taken a photo of my frozen rock of a round roast. Yes- As I ran out the door to take the kids to swimming lessons the thought came to me.. Put a frozen roast inthe Sun Oven, pour BBQ sauce over the top, and wha la- have no stress for dinner. So I went about my day, took the roast out around 5:45pm and served wonderful BBQ Beef Sandwiches for dinner.Serve with  Cole Slaw, and a fruit salad.

    BBQ Sauce:

  • SAUCE:
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup chili sauce
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • ** put half on the meat, save half for serving**

    • Cole Slaw:

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon celery seed
  • 4 cups chopped cabbage ( Use both green and purple cabbage or a Broccoli slaw mix)

    • Directions

    1. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, and celery seed. Add cabbage and toss to coat.  This is a very basic slaw recipe. I end up adding seeds, nuts, noodles, or dried fruit to make it right for the taste buds!

    Fruit Salad: ( Yummy Yummy!- Can you tell I am a mother to young kids?)

    • Add any fruit you have, cut into bite sized pieces. Mix together
    • Dollop vanilla yogurt as dressing OR equal parts yogurt/orange juice with crystallized ginger chopped up through out. Having this made early so flavors can mingle is best, but not required!

    For more information and recipes for our solar ovens visit our web site here.

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  • Father’s Day Family Favorite Recipes

    Dad’s are so easy! The way to a man’s heart really is through his stomach. Make these fantastic and oh so simple meals for dad on “his” day and watch the grin spread from ear to ear… throw in a little back rub and a few words of encouragement and his ‘tank’ will be filled.

    Dad's Favorite Burger

    Dad’s Favorite Hamburgers with Herbs

    I have been using this easy recipe for over 30 years. After you try these tasty seasoned hamburgers, you will never go back to plain old hamburgers. I make lots and freeze the patties individually on cookie sheets and then place into zip lock baggies. If you don’t have all the herbs, use whatever you have.  Double, triple, or quadruple amounts for extra hamburgers for a crowd or for the freezer!

     

    2 lbs. hamburger

    1 Tbsp chopped chives

    1/2 tsp. crumbled tarragon, optional

    2 tsp. salt

    1/4 tsp. pepper

    1/4 c. chopped parsley

    1/4 c. chopped green onion

    1 egg

     

    Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl by hand. Shape into 6-8 large patties. Grill or broil until done.

     

    Even dad likes this!

    Strawberry Spinach Salad

    I like this recipe for Father’s Day because it takes advantage of what’s in season and is delicious.  Use whatever other ingredients you like and have on hand.

     

    6 or more Cups spinach or other mixed greens, torn up

    1 Cup strawberries, sliced

    2 green onions, sliced

    1 small red onion, cut into thin rings

    1 garlic clove, minced

    2 Tbsp sunflower seeds (raw or toasted), optional

    1/2 Cup bacon pieces, crumbled

    1/2 Cup chopped walnuts or slivered almonds (toasted if desired)

    1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese OR1/4  Cup Feta Cheese, crumbled

    Cucumbers,  sliced, optional

    Avocado slices, optional

     

    Assemble the greens in a large salad bowl and add additional ingredients in layers as attractively as possible.  Let the children help and get creative.  Be sure to take pictures!

     

    Balsamic Dressing:

    1/4 cup honey

    2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted if desired

    1/4 Cup Balsamic vinegar (wine vinegar is fine)

    1/4 Cup olive oil

    Salt and pepper to taste

    Combine ingredients in a jar with tight fitting lid and shake well.  Dress the salad when ready to serve, or use salad dressings of choice.

     

     

    Marilyn’s Potato Salad

    My late husband loved any kind of potato salad.  This recipe is the way I like to make it, but many ingredients are optional, so use what you have.

     

    2 1/2 lbs Red Potatoes, cooked and cubed (I use the Duromatic Pressure Cooker to save time)

    3/4 Cup French dressing or Marilyn’s French Dressing

    2-4 Tbsp Fresh Dill to taste, snipped

    1/2 Cup bacon, crumbled

    1/2 cup finely diced red onion OR

    1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives, optional

    4 hard boiled eggs, chopped or sliced

    1/2-1 Cup celery, chopped

    1/2 cup diced dill pickle, optional

    1/2 cup diced red pepper, optional

    1/2 -1 Cup mayonnaise or to taste

    Salt and pepper to taste

    Paprika

    Snipped fresh or dried parsley, optional

    Marinate the cooked, cubed potatoes in French dressing in a refrigerator container overnight.

    Combine the rest of the ingredients, except for the eggs and paprika with the marinated potatoes in a medium bowl.  Adjust seasonings.  Pour into an attractive serving bowl.  Garnish the salad with parsley, sliced eggs, and paprika.

     

     

     

    Marilyn’s French Salad Dressing

    This recipe, courtesy of a chef, has been my family’s favorite salad dressing recipe for nearly 25 years. I use this versatile dressing to marinate veggies, and potato salad as well. Double or triple the recipe as it goes fast!


    1/4 Cup vinegar, Balsamic, Red wine, or Apple-Cider Vinegar
    1 TB Dijon mustard, prepared
    2 or more cloves garlic, minced
    1 tsp. salt
    1/4 tsp. pepper, fresh ground if possible
    1/2 tsp. paprika
    2/3 Cup quality oil such as olive oil,     coconut oil, sesame oil, or combination of oils. Be sure to use pure pressed or expeller pressed oils which contain the anti-oxidants and vitamin E.

     

    Combine these ingredients in a carafe, glass jar, or whisk together with a fork in a small mixing bowl.

     

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  • Coconut Oil is Queen Among Saturated Fats

    Since I have had several inquiries, recently, I wanted to explain how I use coconut oil, the benefits of using coconut oil in everyday cooking and baking, and a few reader testimonials.

    I first discovered that Coconut Oil is a healthy fat about five years ago when I read Eat Fat Lose Fat by Sally Fallon Morrel, President of Weston A Price Foundation, and Dr Mary Enig, International Expert on the Biochemstry of Food and Fat.

    Here are some ways I use coconut oil in baking:

    Melt it and measure it like regular oil.  The melting point for coconut oil is 76 degrees.

    If you use it in salad dressing – mix it with olive oil, at least half and half since it wants to be a solid – don’t refrigerate it – it will get really solid.

    I use it to saute veggies of all kinds.

    I especially like to use Coconut oil  in baked goods – bread – muffins-pancakes-brownies- Marilyn’s Famous Whole Wheat Bread, etc.  I have found when I use Coconut Oil in homemade bread it does not mold readily when stored at room temperature for many days.

    I also use it as a skin lotion for chapped lips and dry, cracked places on my feet because it is pure and natural and very effective. You will  get the benefits of coconut oil through your skin when applied topically.

    I transitioned into using the Extra Virgin Coconut Oil because my family commented that the taste and flavor of the foods I had prepared  were so much better when I used Coconut Oil.   Eventually it just became a habit as I used it more and more.

    Check out how and why others are using coconut oil.

    Sally Fallon Morrel says that “coconut is queen” among saturated fats because:
    • Coconut Contains Abundant Medium-Chain Fatty Acids – medium chain fatty acids digest more easily than long chain fatty acids so it is an excellent choice for people having digestive difficulties with fats.
    • Coconut Oil Contains Significant amounts of Lauric Acid – Lauric Acid, also found in mother’s milk, has proven antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.  This substance helps  stimulate the immune system and helps your body fight off viruses, bacteria and other pathogens, and protect you from other diseases.  Lauric acid is highly beneficial and is only found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and in a small percentage of butterfat.
    • Coconut Oil is Synergistic with Essential Fatty Acids – Although popular media would want you to think all saturated fats are bad, that is not true.  When our bodies consume saturated fats t it reduces the body’s need for essential fatty acids – both the omega-3 and omega –6’s.

    Healthy Popcorn
    1. Use 2-3 Tbsp organic virgin coconut oil into your pre-heated stove top popcorn popper (I use an old beat up 4 qt pressure cooker) using high heat.
    2. Drop 3-4 kernels into the melting oil.  When those kernels pop add the rest of your popcorn.
    3. Add 1/2 to 3/4 Cup popcorn depending on the size of your cooker  (If you use organic popcorn it probably won’t be GMO)
    4. After popping the corn, remove the pot from the heat, pour the corn into a large mixing bowl or popcorn bowl.
    5. Drizzle about 2-3 Tbsp melted butter over the popped corn and sprinkle with Real Salt or sea salt to taste. Mix  the butter and salt around well  and serve.

    Don’t feel guilty about using plenty of healthy fats!  They offer satiety, and keep you from snacking on unhealthy junk as well as many other health benefits.

  • Summer Tradition- Granola Bars

    “What’s that recipe for granola bars?” – my hair stylist asked me. (She’s the best!) 

    Ok I’ll share! Enjoy…. I make these for most camping trips (whether camper camping or backpacking.) We eat them during the summer and it has become a summer tradition of sorts. I love that my family expects them and I am pleased to make them.

    Kathy’s Granola Bars– for 1- 9×13 (Pyrex is preferable)

    Ingredients:

    1/3 C oil- Coconut or olive is yummy

    ¾ C Brown Sugar

    2 T Honey

    1 tsp. vanilla

    2 Eggs

    1 C Flour (mill it fresh if you can! whole wheat, 6 grain works!)

    1 tsp. Cinnamon

    ½ tsp. Baking Powder

    ¼ tsp. salt

    1 ½ C 9 grain rolled (oats work well too!)

    2 C Crisp Rice Cereal

    1 C Chocolate Chips, chopped nuts, dried fruit, or seeds (or any combination you like) *pumpkin seeds and chocolate chips are YUM!

     

    In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, honey, vanilla and eggs. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Mix well. Stir in rolled grain or oats, cereal, and nuts, fruits, or chocolate chips. Spray treat or wipe oil into a 9×13 glass pan. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of pan.

    For Chewy bars: Bake 350 for 25 min.. THEN TAKE OUT!

    For Crunchy Bars: Bake at 300 for 40-50 min and top is brown.

    Cool bars completely. Cut bars into 16 pieces.  These may be frozen.

    Nutritional Info: roughly 230 calories, 10g fat, 29g Carbohydrates.. I am a Diabetic so carbs are important to know!

  • Rhubarb Cream Pie

    Rhubarb is now in season!   Here is a delicious, unusual twist on the traditional rhubarb pie since it contains eggs.

    Now is the time to harvest rhubarb and freeze 1″ slices in 2 cup portions for quick and easy fruit desserts this summer or later in the winter. Try the no-fail pie crust – it is exceptional.

    Rhubarb Cream Pie

    1  1/2 Cups sugar

    3/4 tsp nutmeg

    4 cups rhubarb (1” slice)

    2 Tbsp butter

    1/4 cup flour

    3 eggs, slightly beaten

    Mix the sugar, flour and nutmeg by hand or in a mixer.  Beat in eggs.  Add the rhubarb.  Let the mixture sit while preparing the crust.  Line a 9” pie pan with the pie crust, fill the pie pan with the rhubarb mixture, dot with the butter.  Top with a lattice crust.  Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes.  Cover crust, if necessary to protect from excessive browning and make sure egg mixture is thoroughly set.

    No Fail Pie Dough

    This recipe is higher in fat than most pie dough recipes which discourages gluten development and makes for a very flaky,  delicious pie crust.  I got this recipe from my friend Jodie, who is an expert pie maker.

    2  1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour (I use one cup freshly milled pastry flour packed into the measuring cup)

    1 tsp Real salt

    2 Tbsp sugar

    12 Tbsp very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch slices

    1/2 cup chilled Spectrum’s natural shortening or regular shortening

    1/4 cup vodka, cold ( or equivalent amount of water)

    1/4 cup cold water (total of 1/2 cup liquid if not using Vodka)

    Process 1 1/2 cups of the flour, all of the salt, the sugar in  Bosch mixer using short Pulses. (This is the  momentary feature.).  Add the butter and shortening and process until the dough is homogeneous or starts to make uneven clumps, about 15 seconds.  The dough will be similar to the curds of cottage cheese in consistency and all the flour will be absorbed.

    Add the remaining one cup of flour and pulse until the mixture is evenly distributed and broken up – about 4-6 quick pulses.  Empty the mixture into a medium sized mixing bowl.

    Sprinkle with vodka and water, or just water if not using the vodka.  The purpose of the vodka is to reduce the water content which promotes gluten formation.  (Any 80-proof liquor will work and the alcohol burns off during baking along with any liquor flavor.)  Remember this is an optional ingredient.

    Using a rubber spatula you can use a folding motion to mix the dough until it is slightly tacky or sticks together.  Don’t over mix pie dough or it becomes tough.

    Divide the pie dough into 2 even pieces and flatten each into a 4 inch round.  Wrap each round in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 24 hours.

  • Which Ranch Dressing Tastes Best?

    At our last Mentoring Moms, I did a blind taste test with three different versions of Ranch Dressing.  I’ve noticed the commercial, bottled Ranch Dressing is getting prohibitively expensive and I hate the soy oil and MSG in it, so I decided to stop being lazy and make my own.

    Our blind taste test included the following three choices.

    1. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing in the bottle (including all the bad, unpronounceable ingredients and MSG)

    2. Kroger Ranch Dip Mix with Sour cream

    3. Homemade Ranch Dressing

    Can you guess which choice was the winner for taste?  I’ll confess I thought number one, the commercial Ranch would be the winner hands down.  I was astounded and surprised that the ladies chose, by an overwhelming majority, the Homemade Ranch Dressing.

    Here is the recipe for Ranch Dressing taken from Sensational Summer Salads ebook.

     

    Homemade Ranch Dressing

    Mix in a blender the following ingredients until smooth:

    3/4 cup mayonnaise

    3/4 cup sour cream or cultured buttermilk*

    1 tsp garlic powder

    1 tsp dill weed

    1 Tbsp finely chopped onion

    1 Tbsp parsley

    1/2 tsp salt

    1/4 tsp pepper

    You can thin this dressing with buttermilk or milk to the desired consistency.  Authentic Ranch Dressing uses buttermilk.  Another option is to use 1 –2 Tbsp buttermilk powder and get the same effect.   Refrigerate.

    *I use sour cream for making a Ranch Dip and I use buttermilk for making the dressing.

    Sensational Summer Salads includes a wide assortment of recipes including vegetable salads, fruit salads, pasta salads, grain salads, and main dish salads so you can easily prepare a complete meal with little or no cooking during the long, hot, dog days of summer.

     

     

     

  • Making Bone Broth Video Demonstration

     

    Today I’m going to talk about the time-tested process of making bone broths in your  kitchen to restore your health.

    Today’s busy lifestyles, wide use of antibiotics and nutrient deficient foods have pre-disposed many children and young adults to unhealthy gut health resulting in sinus problems, gluten intolerance, chronic fatigue, arthritis,  allergies, and other degenerative conditions.  Having said that, I remind you I’m not a doctor but I speak based on my own experience and that of others.

    Watch the How to Make Bone Broth Video by Anne Marie Michaels
    You can easily master the art of making your own bone broths or stocks from leftover chicken, beef, or fish bones.  Add chopped carrot, celery, and onion.  Simmer for 24–72 hours.

    Bone broths are very nourishing to the intestines because they are full of natural gelatin that coats and soothes the gut and contain high amounts of calcium, magnesium, and other  trace minerals.  View the video for details.  The broths can be made into gravy, soups and stews, or even used as a tonic – type drink.  They are delicious, and thick when properly made.

    For free information, including an emailed list of things you can do to get started with better health, as well as tips, recipes and resources,  click on the
    Reversing Food Allergies On -Line Cooking Class Link .

    The 12 week class includes over 50 video demonstrations, and over 200 recipes.  Class registration goes through April 4 at the discounted price, classes start April 6.  Save $20 with coupon Code HEAL which is good through April 1.  Remember, registration is for life-time access to the materials.  Class schedule is as follows:

    • Lesson 1: Overview & Basics
    • Lesson 2: Detoxifying
    • Lesson 3: Making Stock
    • Lesson 4: Fermented Foods
    • Lesson 5: Soups & Stews
    • Lesson 6: Breakfasts
    • Lesson 7: Lunches
    • Lesson 8: Dinners – Poultry & Pork
    • Lesson 9: Dinners – Beef & Lamb
    • Lesson 10: Dinners – Seafood
    • Lesson 11: Appetizers, Snacks & Side Dishes
    • Lesson 12: Desserts

    Bonus Video:  How to Make Ghee – Free of allergens such as milk solids and lactose and safe for dairy intolerant individuals.

    Register for the 12 Week Reversing Food Allergies Class Here.

    Disclaimer: While I can’t guarantee your food allergies will be reversed by mastering the art of traditional cooking methods, I do believe your health will be improved.

    Disclosure: http://cmp.ly/5