Lentil Soup

This is going to make an appearance next week for lunch. I found the recipe link at Crockpot Your Way to Happiness. She converted this recipe to a crockpot version. You can find it at the link.

Lentil Soup

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp chili pepper
2 cups lentils
2 quarts chicken stock
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup whole milk plain yogurt

Pour olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, sea salt and pepper. Saute until onions are clear, about 3-5 minutes. Add celery, carrot, garlic, cumin, coriander, and chili pepper. Stir and cook until vegetables are soft. Add lentils. Stir until lentils are coated with oil. Add enough stock to cover lentils. Cover pot and let simmer 30-45 minutes, until lentils are soft and creamy. Add more stock if lentils are too thick. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and 1/2 cup of yogurt. Reheat slowly before serving. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt.

Hamburger Stew

Hamburger Stew

Brown hamburger with a jar of diced tomatoes. *I used 2 pounds of burger and 1 quart homemade Mexican diced tomatoes.

Add lots of veggies of your choice. *I used 3 green squash and 1 orange squash, diced, 6 carrots diced, 1/2 a full bunch of celery, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 6 potatoes, diced. You can add whatever kind of veggies your family enjoys or you have on hand.

Add a complex carb or two. *I used 1 cup of hulled barley. You can use pearl barley, or lentils, canned beans or brown rice.

Add spices. *I used thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic salt and onion powder. I would skip the onion powder if you use onions as one of your veggies. You just have to taste to see if you have enough spice. You use enough salt to make it just right. If it's bland, add a pinch more salt.

Add more water. *I used about 2 quarts. I also added a couple of tablespoons of Frontier Naturals Beef Bouillon powder.

Bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and let cook for an hour. Stir occasionally.

I serve it with buttermilk biscuits and raw milk.

Dry Beans Conversion Chart

I needed 96 oz of canned beans for a dish I am making, but I wanted to make it from scratch. This chart helped me convert the recipe.

One 15-ounce can of beans = one and one-half cups cooked beans, drained

One pound dry beans = six cups cooked beans, drained.

One pound dry beans = two cups dry beans.

One cup dry beans = three cups cooked beans, drained.

Baked Egg Omelet

I made this, doubled, for breakfast today. It's really good and very easy. I entered it (then copied it here) into my livestrong account and found that one serving has just 202 calories. I found the original recipe from Taste of Home.

Baked Egg Omelet

6 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper, Black
1 cup Shredded Medium Cheddar Cheese

Place eggs and milk in the blender. Add flour, salt and pepper. Cover, process until smooth. Pour into greased 9x13. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, until eggs are set. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll up omelet in pan, starting with a short side. Place seam side down on serving platter and cut into 1" slices. You can also add cooked bacon or sausage and veggies if you want.

Italian Diced Tomatoes

Italian Diced Tomatoes

Combine in a large pot:

12 cups diced tomatoes with the juice
6 Tbsp lemon juice

Bring to a low boil for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the following spice mix:

2 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
1-1/4 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp rosemary
3/4 tsp sage
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes

Prepare pint jars. Make sure they are hot. Ladle in tomatoes till 3/4 full. Add 2 1/4 tsp of spice mix, and 1/4 tsp salt to each jar. Mix gently. Ladle in remaining tomatoes. If short of tomatoes and juice, use some boiling water to fill jars. Fill to 1/2" headspace. Remove any air pockets. Process in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes. Makes 6 pints

Mexican Diced Tomatoes

This is on the stove right now. I finished off the 40 pounds of tomatoes purchased from the farmers market (along with some from my own garden) with this recipe. I'll use it in chili during the winter.

Mexican Diced Tomatoes

Combine in a large pot:

12 cups diced tomatoes with the juice
6 Tbsp lemon juice

Bring to a low boil for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the following spice mix:

1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp each ground cumin, oregano, garlic powder and coriander

Prepare pint jars. Make sure they are hot. Ladle in tomatoes till 3/4 full. Add 2 tsp of spice mix, and 1/4 tsp salt to each jar. Mix gently. Ladle in remaining tomatoes. If short of tomatoes and juice, use some boiling water to fill jars. Fill to 1/2" headspace. Remove any air pockets. Process in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes. Makes 6 pints

Picante Sauce

This is on the docket for tomorrow. I found it at Great Salsa.

• 1 ½ Gallons Fresh Ripe Tomatoes (peel tomatoes by putting in boiling water for 15 seconds and then in ice water) hand chop and if tomatoes are watery - let set for a few minutes and drain off excess juice. This will make your sauce chunky!

Using a food processor chop the next 3 ingredients.

• 3 large onions
  
• 8 bell peppers
  
• 1 quart jalapeños
  

Measure the following:

• 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
  
• 4 Tablespoon Salt
  
• 1 Tablespoon Pepper
  
• 1 Tablespoon crushed Red Pepper
  
• 2 Tablespoon Sugar
  
• 1 Tablespoon Salad Oil
  
• ½ cup Vinegar
  
• 1 Tablespoon Cumin
  
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
  
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
  

Put all ingredients in large pot - bring to rolling boil - turn down heat - Cook 20 minutes.

Put in sterile jars and seal (boiling water bath for 10 minutes).

Makes approximately 10-12 pints.

Beef Stew for Canning

This is from Two Frog Home.

Beef Stew for Canning

• 3 1/2 lbs beef roast, cubed
• 10 Cups potatoes, peeled & cubed
• 5 Cups carrots, peeled & cut into chunks
• 2 1/2 Cups celery, chopped
• 3 Cups onions, chopped
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoons black pepper
• Boiling Water

Brown the beef in a pan with as little oil as is necessary. Combine the beef with the veggies in a large stock pot, add the spices, and cover all with boiling water. Bring it all to a boil again. Fill your jars leaving 1″ headspace – fill with the meat & veggies and top off with the boiling water. Process in a pressure-canner (check your elevation for correct pressure): pints should be 75 minutes, quarts should be 90 minutes. Yield is about 7 quarts.
Thicken it up, by adding a roux when you reheat it from the jar.

Claussen Kosher Dill Pickle Clone

These are excellent! I've made several gallons of them, even saving the brine in the cupboard for weeks, until pickling cukes came back into season. I found the recipe at Recipezaar.

Claussen Kosher Dill Pickle Clone

• 1 gallon cucumber
• 1/3 cup instant minced onion
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 6 heads fresh dill (or 6 tbsp dill seeds)
• 2 quarts water
• 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup canning salt

1. Slice cucumbers lengthwise into quarters, or slice into rounds, and add to jars along with the dill.
2. Boil liquids and seasonings to dissolve the salt then cool. Pour over pickles and let sit on counter for three days turning them occasionally, then refrigerate for up to a year.
   
3. Please do not try to use the regular grocery store cucumbers, they have wax on them and they will not turn out. You can use grocery store pickling cucumbers as they are not waxed.

Homemade Rice-A-Roni 2

This is more like the boxed version than my other recipe.

Add 1/4 cup butter to a medium sized pot. Melt over low heat.

Add 1 1/2 cup white rice and 1 cup fideo pasta. Saute till rice is translucent and fideo is slightly browned.

Add 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 4 cups chicken broth. Bring back to a boil.

Stir and cover. Simmer for 20-22 minutes, till rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed. Fluff before serving.

Vanilla Peach Jam

This is a Pomona pectin adapted recipe. I've been very happy with my bulk purchase of this. I LOVE that I can make jam with so little sugar now! I can use honey or stevia if I wish! I can also double and triple recipes with the same results, and make up my own flavor combinations. I love being able to make super big batches of jam!

I will assume you know the basics of water bath canning. If not, study up. You need to keep everything properly sterilized.


Vanilla Peach Jam

Wash peaches. Cut to remove pits, and place in blender. Do not remove skins.

Puree enough to make 4 cups. Pour into a large pot.

Add 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice and 4 tsp of calcium water. Bring to a boil.

While it is heating, prepare your sugar. Use 3/4 cup to 2 cups of sugar. Mix 3 tsp pectin powder into the sugar. When the fruit comes to a boil, whisk in the sugar-pectin mixture.

Whisk till thoroughly dissolved. Return to a boil and stir continuously. Boil for 1-2 minutes, then turn heat off. You may add 1 tsp of butter to reduce foaming, if you wish. Skim any foam.

Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and stir well. Taste. You may add vanilla in small amounts until you like the taste. (I used 5 cups sugar and 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla for 12 cups of fruit)

Ladle into properly prepared jars and boiling water bath them for 10 minutes. Yield: about 5 cups

Peach-Plum Jam

Peach-Plum Jam

2 1/2 cups finely chopped or ground peeled peaches
1 1/2 cups finely chopped or ground pitted plums
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
7 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon butter, optional
2 pouches (3 ounces each) liquid fruit pectin

In a large nonreactive kettle, combine the finely chopped or ground peaches and plums, the lemon juice, and the sugar. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until sugar is melted. Bring to a boil that can't be stirred down. Add butter, if desired, to keep foaming down. Boil, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the fruit pectin and boil, stirring, for exactly 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and skim off the excess foam.

Using tongs, carefully remove jars from the hot water, draining well. Fill them with hot fruit mixture, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims clean with a dampened cloth and fit seals on tops of jars. Screw on the lids firmly. Lower the jars into the water and add more hot or boiling water so the water is 1 to 2 inches above the jars. Bring to a boil. Cover and boil gently for 10 minutes.

Makes 7 half-pints

Sourdough Strawberry Muffins

Another excellent recipe from Two Frog Home.

Sourdough Strawberry Muffins

• 1 Cup Sourdough Starter
• 1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 1/2 C Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 C Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 C Milk
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/3 Cup Strawberries, diced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix everything but the strawberries in a large bowl, until combined. Fold in the strawberries. Pour into greased muffin tins. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing to cool completely on wire racks. Makes 18 muffins.

Homemade Dish Washing Liquid

This is from Two Frog Home and is high on my list of things to try. I need to find a local source for Castile soap and glycerin. Any ideas?

Homemade Dish Washing Liquid

• 4 Tablespoons of Liquid Castile Soap
• 2 teaspoons Vegetable Glycerine
• 2 Tablespoons Vinegar
• 2 Cups Warm Water
• 3 Drops Tea Tree Oil

Mix everything in a clean container and use as you would normally.

Slow Cooker Blueberry Butter

I found this at Food In Jars. It sounds delectable!

Slow Cooker Blueberry Butter
makes approximately 3 1/2 pints of butter

8 cups of pureed blueberries
2 cups sugar
1 lemon, zested
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Put the pureed blueberries in a slow cooker. Place a lid on the pot and turn it on to low. After about an hour, give it a stir. At this point, you use something to prop the lid a bit. Laying a wooden spoon across the rim of the cooker and then placing the lid on gives just enough room to let the steam evaporate.

At the beginning of hour five, add the spices and the sugar, remove the lid completely and turn the heat up to high, in order to speed the cooking down.

Once it’s cooked down sufficiently (perhaps an hour or so at high), pour into jars (leave a good 1/2 inch of head space), wipe rims, apply lids and screw on bands. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

40 Minute Rolls

I like the taste of these better than the 30 Minute Rolls I make sometimes.

40 Minute Rolls

Combine:
2 Tbsp SAF yeast
1 cup + 2 Tbsp warm water

Add:
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar or honey

Let sit for 5 minutes.

Mix in:
1 egg
1 tsp sea salt (or 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt)
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Knead for three minutes. Divide into 12 rolls. Place on greased baking sheet or in a greased 9x13” baking pan. Let rise for 10-15 minutes. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush tops with butter, if desired. 

Lemon Meringue Pie Green Smoothie

I found this at The Green Smoothie Queen.

Lemon Meringue Pie Green Smoothie

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (or you can simply use the juice of one lemon, depending how strong you like the taste of your smoothie to be)
• Few drops of vanilla flavored stevia (or few drops stevia with vanilla essence/pod)
• 2 bananas
• One head Romaine lettuce

Blend and Enjoy!

Honey-Almond Triangles

I found this intriguing recipe over at The Common Room, one of the very few blogs I read daily. I am looking forward to trying it next week, after I visit the grocery store to get the almonds.

Honey-Almond Triangles

1/2 cup butter
1/4 sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup chopped, slivered, or sliced almonds
1 tsp almond extract
1 3/4 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg

In saucepan combine 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, honey, milk, almonds and almond extract. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool slightly.

Sift together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender, cut in 1/2 cup butter until particles are very fine.

Beat egg with a fork until blended; add to crumb mixture, tossing with a fork to mix. Gather dough and work with hands until mixture holds together, with lightly floured fingertips, press evenly over bottom of lightly greased 15 1/2 X 10 1/2 x 1" Jelly roll pan.

Pour honey-almond topping over dough and spread evenly. Bake in moderate oven (350) 20 to 25 minutes, or until a deep golden color. Place pan on rack at least 10 minutes, or until cool. Cut in 2 1/2 inch squares, then cut each square diagonally to make triangles. Makes 4 dozen.

Pepperoni Sausage

Pepperoni Sausage- Found at Sustainable Eats, Adapted from Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn

5 pounds lean, grass fed beef, ground
3 tablespoons kosher or sea salt
1/3 cup dry red wine
3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 tablespoons organic sugar
2 tablespoons paprika

Combine all ingredients well then freeze as is or fry and freeze until needed for spaghetti, pizza or pasta salads. Another thing you could do is adapt these ingredients and make pepperoni beef jerky with it by slicing the meat as thinly as possible, marinating in this spice mix overnight and then drying on low in an oven or dehydrator until the meat is no longer moist.

For 1.5 pounds of ground beef (one serving for our family)

1 Tbsp salt

1 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp allspice

scant 1/2 tsp fennel

4 tsp sugar

2 tsp paprika

Simple Ranch Dressing

Simple Ranch Dressing

1cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp EACH chives, parsley, dill weed
1/4 tsp garlic powder and onion powder
1/8 tsp salt
milk or cream to thin to desired consistency

Combine all ingredients.

This is a thick recipe, perfect for dipping veggies. Thin it for use on salad.