Old Fashioned English Muffins

1 tbsp yeast

1 cup warm water

4 cups flour

½ cup toasted wheat germ

2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 ½ cups warm milk

2 tbsp butter, melted

½ cornmeal

1.In a small bowl stir together yeast, warm water, and honey. Set for 10 minutes

2

        2. In a large mixing bowl combine 2 cups flour, wheat germ, and salt. Make a well and add egg, milk, butter, and yeast mixture. Beat until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add remaining flour ½ cup at a time to form a soft dough that just clears sides of the bowl.

          

          3. On lightly floured surface knead dough until smooth and springy, 1-2 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of flour at a time, as necessary to prevent sticking. The softer you can leave this dough, the lighter the muffin will be. Place dough in a deep, lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat. Cover and let rise until double about 1 ½ hours.

      4. Sprinkle work surface with corn meal. Turn dough out onto surface and roll into a rectangle about about ½ inch thick. Sprinkle top lightly with corn meal to prevent sticking. Cut in 3 inch circles. Re roll scraps using al the dough. Cover cut circle and rest 30 minutes.

      

       5. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Place several muffins on hot griddle. Cook for 10 minutes on eac side. Muffins will be quite brown. They take time to cook all the way through so don’t rush. If they are rising too fast, refrigerate while the others are baking.  

Notes: Can substitute wheat flour if wheat muffins are desired.  

Lemon Curd

I 10 times mine to can about 20 1/2 pints. I would not 20 times (learned from experience, 20 times is just too much :) I am assuming that you have canned other things before so you know how to prepare and process the jars. Let me know if you need any info about these steps. Good Luck and Happy New Year!

Recipe:

6 egg yolks

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. lemon juice

1/2 c. butter

In  a heavy bottom pot over medium heat whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Add lemon juice and switch to stirring with a wooden spoon, so as to not aerate the curd. Stir continually for 10-15 minutes(longer for larger batches), adjusting the heat as you go to ensure that is does not boil. Your curd is done when it has thickened and heavily coats the back of the spoon. Drop in the butter and stir until melted. 

Position a fine mes sieve over a glass or stainless steel bowl and pour the curd through it, to remove any bits of cooked egg. 

Pour the curd ( a single batch will make one pint of curd) into your prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch of head space. If you want to process them for shelf stability, process them in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes(start time when the water returns to a boil). It is best to process only in half-pint jars or smaller, as they allow better heat infiltration. I have also frozen in freezer ziplock bags with success. 

Whole Wheat Bread

Betty Houston Wheat Bread

Years ago a friend gave me a family cookbook that her family publishes to help fund their family reunions. I have fallen in love with most of the recipes from Betty Houston, her grandma. This is one I keep going back to. 

Mix together and set aside:

1 1/2 c. warm water

1 1/2 package yeast

1 tbsp. honey

Mix and cook the following until thick and smooth:

1 1/2 c. water

1 c. whole wheat flour

Stir constantly: put in large bowl.

Add to cooked flour in order (mixing well by hand):

1/3 c. oil

1/3 c. honey

1/3 c. powdered milk

2 eggs

1 tsp salt

1 c. whole wheat flour

Add yeast mixture Add gradually approximately 4 cups flour (any desired mix between whole wheat and white flour) mixing well. Rise one hour. Kneed 3 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes. Divide into 2 loaves and bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Lemon Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipe

From Southern Living

I made one small change to this soup before making for a birthday lunch I made for work. I deleted the lima beans for garbanzo beans because well, lima beans are kind of gross!

Active Time

20 Mins

Total Time

7 Hours 20 Mins

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Directions: Start with a layer of onions in a 6-quart slow cooker, place the chicken over onions, and top that layer with garbanzo beans and the remaining ingredients through tomatoes. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7. 

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet onions, chopped
• 6 skinned and boned chicken thighs
• 2 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
• 2 cans garbanzo beans
• 1 (9-oz.) package frozen corn, thawed
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 (14 1/2-oz.) can chicken broth
• 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
• Garnishes: lemon slices and fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Graham Cracker/Peanut Butter Bars

From Sis. Palmer-she served these at a Relief Society Meeting. They are delicious and remind me of the peanut butter bars we used to get in our school lunch on Fridays.

1 c. butter melted
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. peanut butter
Mix together until well blended then press into 9x13 pan. (I used a slightly smaller pans so bars were thicker)
Mix 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips with 1/4 c. peanut butter. Cook stirring frequently until smooth. Spread over cookie layer. chill at lease 1 hour then cut into squares.

Mexican Rice

One of the wrestling moms who's son who graduated last year offered this recipe to me when I commented how good her it was. She had made it every year that her son (Josh Criollos) wrestled for the annual wrestle lock in.
Ingredients
1/2 c. uncooked long grain white rice (4.5 c)
1 tbsp. vegetable oil (3 tbsp.)
2 tbsp. margarine (6 tbsp.)
1 tbsp. fresh garlic, chipped fine (3 tbsp.)
1/2 c. yellow onion, chopped 1/4" or less (1 c)
1/2 c. green bell pepper 1/4" or less (1 c.)
14.5 oz can whole tomatoes with juice (3 cans)
14.5 oz can water or chicken stock (3 cans)
1 tbsp. salt (3 tbsp.)
1 tbsp. coarse ground black pepper (3 tbsp.)
1 tbsp. cumin (3tbsp)
1 tbsp. chili power (3 tbsp.)
Directions:
Heat the oil and margarine in a large skillet. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is "browned" about 10 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, spices and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes that have been cut into 1/2" pieces, the tomato juice and the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, stir the rice mixture, cover , and cook another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Fluff with a fork.
If the cooked rice seems "dry" add 1/2 to 1 c of water , stir  and heat on low until hot. This rice is also great when mixed into a bowl of borracho beans.

Snoqualmie Loadge Oatmeal Cookies

I served these cookies for a Relief Society night. It was a "hack" night and I was asked to talk about kitchen hacks. One of the hacks I shared was substituting fruit for oil. In these cookies I used 1/2 c. butter and 1/2 c pureed prunes. I made the puree by putting 1/2c prunes and enough water that they will blend in the blender. I pulsed them until they were a thick liquid. You could use apple sauce as well but I like the prunes in this one because I think they add some flavor to this type of cookies.

Originally, I got this recipe from Rachel Schaffer a dear friend I met in our branch while living in Minnesota. I later when I lost the original paper she had given me I learned it is easily searched online.  

 

 

 

Number of Servings: 42

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened (cal w/smart balance)
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour (used White Whole Wheat)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups Snoqualmie Falls Lodge® Oatmeal
1 cup raisins (optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla on low speed until smooth. Stir in flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder until blended. Add oatmeal and raisins (orange peel) and continue to stir until blended. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies.