1. If my great-grandmother would not recognize it as a food--do not eat it.
2. If I cannot pronounce any ingredient on the list--do not eat it.
3. If it is a GMO--do not eat it.
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From Scratch - Hot Cocoa and Homemade Whipped Cream
The last week has been chilly and rainy and I found myself drinking lots of hot tea. Tonight though, I wanted a treat. I decided it was time for homemade hot cocoa and whipped cream. I learned how to make this last year after I read the ingredient list on a packet of premade cocoa and it definitely broke one of my food rules (if I cannot pronounce an ingredient I probably shouldn't be consuming it!) I was shocked by how amazingly simple both hot cocoa and whipped cream are too make and felt like I had been deprived of this deliciousness and settling for a very poor substitute for my entire life. I tweaked the recipes until I felt like they were perfect and now, I must share both recipes with you so you can enjoy them throughout the long cold winter.
Hot Cocoa for Four
1/2 cup sugar
There you have it, homemade hot cocoa and whipped cream. Simple and delicious ~ Enjoy!
Hot Cocoa for Four
Ingredients
1/4 cup baking cocoa1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
4 cups milk (Although most recipes say skim, I prefer whole milk, it makes the drink a little thicker and richer)
A couple of splashes of vanilla extract
Directions
In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa and water, heat thoroughly but do not boil. Stir for 2 minutes. Add in milk and vanilla; heat to serving temperature. Again, do NOT boil. Remove from the heat. Whisk until frothy. 
Now for the whipped cream. Let me just say that this stuff is so good that I will NEVER buy whipped cream in a tub or can again.
Ingredients
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar (most recipes will say confectioners sugar, I prefer regular)
1-2 teaspoons Vanilla
Directions
Dump everything into your mixing bowl and using the wisk beater, beat on high until you see stiff peaks form.
I usually make a lot and then freeze it in dollops so that they are ready to just plop into a cup of cocoa. Place a piece of parchment in the bottom of cake pan or onto a cookie sheet. Scoop serving size portions of whipped cream onto sheet and freeze. When they are frozen I put them into a freezer bag for storage. With the above recipe I got around two dozen servings. Another added benefit of frozen serving sizes is that they melt slowly and last for the entire cup of cocoa. Yummy!
There you have it, homemade hot cocoa and whipped cream. Simple and delicious ~ Enjoy!
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From Scratch - Taco Seasoning
At our house we love tacos, crunchy tacos, soft tacos, taco salad...you get the point, and now I am hungry! But were having a problem with our meat. I never have been able to eat taco seasoning, because it gave me terrible stomach issues. (Most likely due to the added chemicals so common in season mixes.) So, we always just sprinkled our meat with salt and pepper. That was way too bland so I started throwing in some cumin and cilantro, then a little chili powder and some garlic powder. Suddenly the meat wasn't so bland anymore.
Rather than pulling out all the spices each time I make tacos, I now premix my seasoning and store it in a mason jar. I found a recipe on pinterest, but it only made enough seasoning for one pan of meat and I didn't like how it tasted at all. I eliminated some of the ingredients, added some others, adjusted all of the measurements and then multiplied the whole thing times eight. The mixture makes enough seasoning to fill a pint sized canning jar half way. This amount normally lasts us about 4-6 months, but we eat a lot of tacos! I will share my recipe and encourage you to do some experimenting of your own to end up with the perfect seasoning for your tacos.
Taco Seasoning Mix
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chili powder (I like Hatch mild or medium chili powder)
3 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon oregano
Place all ingredients into a small mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Store in an airtight container. OR you can put all of the ingredients into a pint sized mason jar, filling it halfway, put on the lid and then shake until it is mixed.
When I make tacos I just sprinkle a tablespoon or so over the meat and we are ready to go. I also use it on grilled corn on the cob, in my salsa, in my chicken enchilada mixture, in chili, and sometimes sprinkled on top of cornbread before I bake it. It's a great little mix, whenever you want to add a little kick. What's even better is that there are no added chemicals. No tummy aches and yummy, zesty tacos. Natural, Healthy, Delicious!
Rather than pulling out all the spices each time I make tacos, I now premix my seasoning and store it in a mason jar. I found a recipe on pinterest, but it only made enough seasoning for one pan of meat and I didn't like how it tasted at all. I eliminated some of the ingredients, added some others, adjusted all of the measurements and then multiplied the whole thing times eight. The mixture makes enough seasoning to fill a pint sized canning jar half way. This amount normally lasts us about 4-6 months, but we eat a lot of tacos! I will share my recipe and encourage you to do some experimenting of your own to end up with the perfect seasoning for your tacos.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chili powder (I like Hatch mild or medium chili powder)
3 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon oregano
Place all ingredients into a small mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Store in an airtight container. OR you can put all of the ingredients into a pint sized mason jar, filling it halfway, put on the lid and then shake until it is mixed.
When I make tacos I just sprinkle a tablespoon or so over the meat and we are ready to go. I also use it on grilled corn on the cob, in my salsa, in my chicken enchilada mixture, in chili, and sometimes sprinkled on top of cornbread before I bake it. It's a great little mix, whenever you want to add a little kick. What's even better is that there are no added chemicals. No tummy aches and yummy, zesty tacos. Natural, Healthy, Delicious!
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From Scratch - Salsa
Who doesn't love the taste of fresh salsa? With all the tacos we eat at our house, salsa is almost a staple. My favorite is restaurant style salsa, but it is hard to find in stores and never tastes quite right. We had some recently that tasted like spaghetti sauce. I actually double checked the jar to make sure it was indeed salsa. Homemade with garden fresh ingredients is definitely the best.
My amazingly generous neighbor has been giving me tomatoes and peppers from her garden all summer. I had one sad tomato this year and my darling daughter picked it and took it right over to her to share. A great demonstration of generosity on my daughter's part, but I was a little sad to see that tomato go. But my sweet neighbor has repaid me a 100 fold or more.
I canned and froze tomatoes, made pasta sauce, and salsa. I canned salsa for the winter and I have made it to eat immediately. And it does get eaten immediately. My family finds a fresh jar in the fridge and it is gone before I even know that they found it. I guess that means they like it :)
Salsa Recipe
Ingredients:
10 Roma tomatoes (or any tomato will work)
1 jalapeño pepper (seeds removed for mild, a few for medium and all for hot)
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon of homemade taco seasoning (see the following post for recipe)
Directions:
Roughly chop tomatoes, pepper and cilantro. Throw everything into the food processor and process until it is as chunky or smooth as you like. I use the pulse so I can control the texture a little easier.
**a word of caution, be very careful handling the pepper and do not touch your eyes, mouth etc if you touch any of the seeds**
Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy! We also eat ours on salad with avocado, with tacos, on mac and cheese, and more! Natural, Healthy, Salsa!
No comments:
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From Scratch - Granola Bars
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From Scratch - Pesto
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From Scratch - Granola Bars
I love oats. Not the slimy gray instant version, but the golden, steel cut oats. They take longer to cook, but when I have time that is what I love for breakfast. My hubby never has time to wait for oats to cook, so I started making him homemade granola bars. They keep him full until lunch and the honey gives him a little boost of energy first thing in the morning.
I have given out the recipe many times over and everybody I know who makes them seems to love them. So I thought I would share a healthy, homemade breakfast option here. You might be wondering why we don't just buy granola bars and save the time, effort and energy. We used to but then I started reading the ingredients and researching the preservatives used, not only in the bars but also in the packaging. Too many chemicals and too much corn syrup for us! I don't know where I originally found this recipe, but as always I have modified it many times over to get what I feel like is the perfect end result. I encourage you to do the same, play with recipes until you are happy with the outcome!
Ingredients:
2 cups oats (not quick)
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg (you can leave the egg out, the bars will just be slightly denser)
1/2 cup add-ins (sliced almonds, chopped pecans, coconut, dried fruit, chocolate chips, etc)
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove and cut into serving sizes before they cool completely. They should hold together well and come out of your dish fairly easily.
I have given out the recipe many times over and everybody I know who makes them seems to love them. So I thought I would share a healthy, homemade breakfast option here. You might be wondering why we don't just buy granola bars and save the time, effort and energy. We used to but then I started reading the ingredients and researching the preservatives used, not only in the bars but also in the packaging. Too many chemicals and too much corn syrup for us! I don't know where I originally found this recipe, but as always I have modified it many times over to get what I feel like is the perfect end result. I encourage you to do the same, play with recipes until you are happy with the outcome!
Ingredients:
2 cups oats (not quick)
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg (you can leave the egg out, the bars will just be slightly denser)
1/2 cup add-ins (sliced almonds, chopped pecans, coconut, dried fruit, chocolate chips, etc)
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a stand mixer or mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Then add the oil, honey, vanilla and egg and mix on medium speed until all ingredients are well combined.
Press the mixture into a lightly oiled 9X13 glass baking dish. You will really have to use your hands to spread the thick mixture into the dish.
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove and cut into serving sizes before they cool completely. They should hold together well and come out of your dish fairly easily.
Enjoy a breakfast or snack you can feel good about! Natural, Healthy, Delicious!
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From Scratch - Pesto
Tonight we had crab ravioli for dinner, which I did not make from scratch. On mine I had wonderful, delicious pesto, which I did make from scratch. I LOVE pesto and eat it on pasta, pizza, fresh baked bread, in salad and more. It can be pricey if you buy it at a health food store, so I grow my own little basil garden in the summer and then prepare enough to last for the winter.
Here is my recipe(with variations) which, in my opinion, makes a delicious pesto.
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil
Variation: 1 cup basil, 1 cup carrot tops
Variation 2: 1 cup basil, 1 cup fresh spinach
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (you can add a little more if you like your pesto less thick)
Directions:
Process all ingredients in the food processor. Place serving size spoonfuls into an ice tray. Place in freezer until thoroughly frozen. Pop them out of tray and store in freezer bag or other sealable container.
When I want some pesto I usually just thaw it in a hot water bath and spread it on my hot pasta. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. Natural, Healthy, Pesto!
Here is my recipe(with variations) which, in my opinion, makes a delicious pesto.
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil
Variation: 1 cup basil, 1 cup carrot tops
Variation 2: 1 cup basil, 1 cup fresh spinach
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (you can add a little more if you like your pesto less thick)
Directions:
Process all ingredients in the food processor. Place serving size spoonfuls into an ice tray. Place in freezer until thoroughly frozen. Pop them out of tray and store in freezer bag or other sealable container.
When I want some pesto I usually just thaw it in a hot water bath and spread it on my hot pasta. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. Natural, Healthy, Pesto!
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From Scratch - Bread
Fall here has brought a winter like chill to the air. My favorite kind of weather for hot soups and delicious, fresh baked bread. I started baking my own bread about a year and half ago and haven't turned back. My husband prefers store bought bread for his sandwiches, but the rest of the family likes homemade. When my husband made my daughter's lunch he would just use the store bought bread. I later found out that my daughter had been throwing away her bread and just eating whatever was in the sandwich. When I asked her why, she responded, "it's just not as good as yours mama." Now how could I be mad about that?
My recipe comes from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg MD and Zoe Francois. It is a fabulous book full of wonderful recipes and very detailed instructions. I would highly recommend it.
As with most recipes I have changed it to make what I consider the best end product. I will include the original recipe with my changes to it italics and in blue. This can also be made into a peasant loaf, but I usually make mine in a bread pan for sandwiches. So I changed the directions for use of a bread pan. At the end I will include the instructions for a peasant loaf, which is super yummy with stews and soups.
Light Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon salt or 1 ½ tablespoons of kosher salt
1 cup whole wheat flour (2 cups whole wheat PASTRY flour)
5 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (4 1/2 cups unbleached BREAD flour)
Directions:
Changes in directions for a peasant loaf in numbers 6, 7, and 9:
From Scratch - Bread
Fall here has brought a winter like chill to the air. My favorite kind of weather for hot soups and delicious, fresh baked bread. I started baking my own bread about a year and half ago and haven't turned back. My husband prefers store bought bread for his sandwiches, but the rest of the family likes homemade. When my husband made my daughter's lunch he would just use the store bought bread. I later found out that my daughter had been throwing away her bread and just eating whatever was in the sandwich. When I asked her why, she responded, "it's just not as good as yours mama." Now how could I be mad about that?
My recipe comes from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg MD and Zoe Francois. It is a fabulous book full of wonderful recipes and very detailed instructions. I would highly recommend it.
As with most recipes I have changed it to make what I consider the best end product. I will include the original recipe with my changes to it italics and in blue. This can also be made into a peasant loaf, but I usually make mine in a bread pan for sandwiches. So I changed the directions for use of a bread pan. At the end I will include the instructions for a peasant loaf, which is super yummy with stews and soups.
Light Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients:
3 cups lukewarm water
1 ½ tablespoons granulated yeast1 tablespoon salt or 1 ½ tablespoons of kosher salt
1 cup whole wheat flour (2 cups whole wheat PASTRY flour)
5 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (4 1/2 cups unbleached BREAD flour)
Directions:
1. Mix the yeast and salt with the water in mixer. Make sure the water is only lukewarm, hot water will kill the yeast.
2. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, using the dough hook attachment.
3. Transfer to a large container, that has been lightly greased with olive oil, and has a lid (NOT airtight) and allow to rise for 2 hours.
4. Split the dough in half, leaving half in the container and put it in the refrigerator for later use (within 5 days).
5. With the half you are going to bake dust that piece with flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball in a quarter-turn as you go.
6. Stretch to an oblong shape that will fit in a bread pan. Place in lightly greased (with olive oil) ceramic bread pan. Allow to rest for 40 minutes. If it has been in the refrigerator, it may need up to two hours to rise again.
7. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450°, Place an empty broiler tray (or an empty muffin tin) on the bottom rack.
8. After the bread has risen again sprinkle liberally with four and then slash the bread three time or make a tic tac toe slash.
9. Place the bread pan in the oven. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray or muffin pan, and quickly close the oven door. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm. (If you use the original recipe you may need to lengthen baking time to 40 minutes.)
10. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.
6. Allow to rest on a cornmeal-covered cutting board for 40 minutes (if it has been in the refrigerator I find that it needs about 2 hours to rise again.)
7. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450°, place a baking stone on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray (or an empty muffin tin) on the bottom rack.
9. Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray or muffin pan, and quickly close the oven door. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm. (If you use the original recipe you may need to lengthen baking time to 40 minutes.)
I hope you enjoy this delicious bread as much as we do! It is really difficult to eat anything other than homemade now :) Here's to Natural, Healthy and Homemade!
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Delicious Whole Wheat Brownies
I have a confession. I don't like brownies. Before you decide to hate me, let me explain. I don't like brownies from a box. I LOVE brownies from scratch. I have tried a lot of recipes and found one that I like. And then of course I changed it and now I love it. I really like baking with whole wheat pastry flour instead of all purpose flour. My only exception is pie crust (but that's for another day). So here is my recipe for whole wheat brownies.
Ingredients
1 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and/or white chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
Mix the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each.
Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean (this is tricky because the chips can make the brownies look underdone), 40 to 45 minutes. Remove and cool before cutting.
I hope you enjoy these delicious whole wheat brownies as much as my family does!
A Few Simple Food Changes
From Scratch - Irish Shepherd's Pie
**Pie Crust original recipe from theprairiehomestead.com**