Raspberry Syrup

Mommy invention

12 oz. raspberries
1/4-1/2 C. sugar

Put the raspberries in a saucepan and sprinkle sugar on top.  Mash the fruit and cook over medium heat.  Serve over pancakes or stir into yogurt.

You can use any type of berries.

We had Breakfast for Dinner last week and we made up this syrup for our pancakes.  The children love it.  If the seeds are bothersome it could be strained through cheesecloth before serving.  We have been using the leftovers in our raw milk yogurt. Yum!
Love Always,
Mommy

Alfredo Sauce

Homestead Cooking cookbook

1/4 C. butter
2 C. raw cream
1 C. Romano or Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients.  HEat until steaming, stirring occasionally.  Don't let it boil or it will curdle.  Use immediately.

This sauce does not warm up well in the microwave.

This is Daddy's favorite Alfredo sauce.  In the spring and summer we can get the raw cream from Nors dairy and it makes the best Alfredo sauce.  The cream from the store just doesn't taste the same.  Mommy has tried several different Alfredo recipes but none of them have turned out well until we tried this one.  
Love Always,
Mommy

Beef and Bean Burritos

Mommy modified recipe

1 lb. ground beef

¾ can refried beans

1/3 C. salsa

1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

12 flour tortillas

Brown the ground beef.  Mix beef, beans, salsa, and cheese in a bowl.  Spoon the mixture onto the middle of the tortillas.  Roll up tortillas and place them seam side down in a 9x13 inch pan.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.  Sprink with more cheese and bake until cheese is melted.

Serve with Spanish rice.

This is a very easy recipe to put together and it tastes good too!  It is very filling.  We enjoy this burrito recipe.  It's the only one Mommy makes for our family.

Love Always,

Mommy

Honey Corn Bread

A Wilkes Team recipe 

2 C. whole wheat flour or all-purpose white flour

2 C. yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup of sugar

2 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 eggs

2 cup of milk or whipping cream

1/2 of oil do not use olive oil, it does not work!

1/2 cup of honey

In a bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small mixing bowl, beat the eggs, Add cream, oil and honey; beat well. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened.

Pour into a greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 min.

Tips from the Wilkes: We don't like it over done so we watch it carefully, around 20 min. we check to see if there is any slight browning on the top at that point it is baked through but makes a soft corn bread. If you like it more crumbly and just more done bake it another 5-8min. Then check for more browning on the top. Then enjoy it with some butter, and honey on top!!

This is good stuff!  This is the only cornbread Mommy has made ever since the Wilkes shared this with us.  The first time we went camping on the Wilkes Team Land they made this for the trip.  Their land was over run with bushes and we had to cut a path to make a bathroom.  We had a girl's room and a boy's room.  There were so many bushes that one was completely hidden while using the restroom.  The most beautiful sky I have ever seen was late that night.  It was so pitch black but the sky will completely covered with dazzling and sparkling stars.  It was amazing and overwhelming.  We serve a mighty God!!!

Love Always,

Mommy

3-2-1 Lemonade

A MOMYS recipe

3 large lemons
2 C. sugar
1 gallon water

Thinly slice the lemons into rounds.  Layer the lemons and the sugar in a bowl.  Use a potato masher to mash and combine the lemons and sugar.  Allow to set for 10 minutes.  Put the mixture in a sieve over a gallon pitcher.  Smash the juice through the sieve.  Add 1 gallon of ice.  Chill and serve.

This is really awesome lemonade.  Mommy craved this when pregnant with Ezra and Jonathan.  We usually use more lemons than the recipes states.  This is very sweet and yummy!  Probably not the best drink in the world but a very yummy treat.
Love Always,
Mommy

Pizza Dough

A Wilkes Team and Team Southerland Creation- The Wilkes Team gave us the dough recipe; Team Southerland added the spices.

6 C. flour, divided
1/4 C. sugar
4 1/2 tsp. yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 TB oregano
2 C. warm water, warmed to 120-130 degrees
1/4 C. oil

In the Bosch mixer, combine 2 C. flour, sugar, yeast, and all the spices.  Blend well.

Gradually add the oil and water to the mixture.  Blend at low speed until moistened, then beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.  Ass 3-4 C. more flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Add more flour if necessary.

Knead on Speed 2 for 7 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.

Divide dough into two even balls.  Roll out into a circle, place on baking stone, and prick crust with a fork.

Bake crust @ 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until crust is just beginning to brown.  DON'T overbake!  Add sauce and toppings and bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until toppings are hot and cheese is melted.
 
TO FREEZE:
Prebake crust according to directions.  Allow crust to cool completely.  Wrap in plastic wrap then wrap in foil.  To bake from freezer: unwrap crust and assemble pizza.  Allow crust to defrost before baking at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until top pins are hot and cheese is melted.

Yield: 2 pizzas

This is awesome pizza!  I love having the crust in the freezer to pull out to make this yummy dinner.  We have a pizza sauce we like to make, add hamburger fried up and seasoned with garlic salt, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese.  That is so good eating!
Love Always,
Mommy

Mommy's Wheat Bread

Angel White Bread (Changed to Angel Wheat Bread!)

From the Wilkes Team.  Jason’s favorite rolls!  Recipe can be doubled in a Bosch mixer.

Single batch                                                                        Double batch

2 1/2 cups warm water, 110-115 degrees                  5 C warm water

1/2 cup honey                                                                  1 C honey

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast                                                3 TB yeast

8 cups whole wheat flour, divided                              16 C. flour, divided

2 1/4 teaspoons sea salt                                                4 ½ tsp. sea salt

2 large eggs, beaten                                                       4 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup butter, softened                                                1 C. butter

2 TB butter, melted (optional- for soft crust)            ¼ C. butter, melted

1 TB apple cider vinegar                                                2 TB apple cider vinegar

      

(Double batch quantities in parenthesis).

Combine water, honey, and yeast in a 4-5 quart mixer bowl with dough hook.  Stir mixture to dissolve yeast.  Sponge the yeast (let sit until foamy: 5-10 minutes).

Add 3 (6) cups of flour, salt, vinegar, and eggs to the mixer.  Mix on low until combined.

While mixing, add 5 (10) cups of flour until almost fully incorporated.

Cut butter into tablespoon pieces and add to mixer while it’s running.  Mix for 7-8 minutes (Bosch speed 2) or until gluten is developed.  Gluten is developed when a small piece of dough can be stretched paper thin without tearing.

NOTE: Dough should pull away from the bowl halfway through the kneading time- if not, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Place dough in a greased bowl.  Flip it over and then cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour.  (You can turn the oven on 170 degrees for just a few minutes the turn it OFF.  Turn the oven light on and let your bread rise in there.)

Divide dough for desired use.  (See below.)

Cover and let dough rest for 20 minutes.  (Let it rise in the oven.)

Shape, let dough rise until double in size (app. 1 ½ hrs.), and bake according to directions below.  (Let it rise in the oven.)

BREAD: Grease or butter the bread pans.  Divide dough into 3 (6) balls.  Press each ball into a ½” thick rectangle.  Roll up tightly, pressing dough into roll with each turn.  Pinch the end together.  Place dough, seam side down, in greased pan (8 ½ ” x 4 ½”).  Let rise for 1 ½ hours or until double in size.  Take bread out of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and wait 5-10 minutes and remove from pan to wire racks.  Brush tops with melted butter (2 TB of butter for 3 loaves or 1/4 C for 6 loaves) for a soft crust after removing from pans.

ROLLS: Divide dough into 4 balls.  Roll each ball into a 12 1/2" log.  Cut into 12, 1" slices.  Roll each piece into a smooth ball.  Place on greased cookies sheets, 6 rows of 4.  (Sides can be touching.)  Let rise for 1-1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom.

To freeze rolls: Bake the prepared rolls at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes.  Cool them then freeze them on the cookie sheets until solid.  Place frozen rolls in ziplock bags for future use.  To cook frozen rolls, place rolls on a cookie sheet on the counter while the oven preheats to 350 degrees.  Bake rolls for 14-16 minutes.  Brush baked rolls with butter for soften tops.

CINNAMON ROLLS: Divide dough into 3 ½ balls.  On lightly oiled surface, roll each ball into a 13” square (or 13” x 20” rectangle for more layers of dough).  Brush with butter- 1 TB per ball.  Sprinkle with 1/3 C. brown sugar or Sucanat.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Roll up tightly and cut into 12 1” slices.  Use dental floss to cut easily.  Put a length of floss underneath the roll and bring the strings up and cross them to slice.  Place slices on greased cookie sheets (6 rows of 4) or in round cake pans (6 per pan).  Sides can be touching.  Let rise for 1 ½ hours or until double in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

To freeze cinnamon rolls: Freeze after slicing.  Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then let them rise at room temperature until double (app. 2 ¼- 4 hours.)  Bake as directed.

PIZZA CRUSTS: Divide dough into 3 balls.  Roll out dough on lightly oiled surface.  Place on greased pizza pan.  Prick in center and along crust inside edge to prevent bubbling.  Let rise until desired thickness is reached (15-30 minutes).  Par-bake at 375 degrees for 6-7 minutes or until starting to brown.  Add toppings and cook until cheese is melted.

CRESCENT ROLLS:  Divide dough into 4 balls.  On a lightly oiled surface, roll out the dough into a 1/8-1/4” thick circle.  Brush the surface with 1 ½ TB melted butter per ball.  Cut into 12 wedges with floured pizza cutter.  Beginning at the base of each triangle, roll towards the center, stretching out top of each section.  Curve the ends to form a half-moon shape.  Place on greased cookie sheets, 6 rows of 3.  Let rise for 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.

HAMBURGER BUNS: Divide dough into 4 balls.  Roll each ball into an 11” log.  Cut into 10 1” slices.  Roll each piece into a smooth ball.  Place on greased cookie sheets, 5 rows of 3.  Let sit for 10-15 minutes.  Flatten each ball it ¾” thickness with the bottom of a cup or the palm of your hand.  Let rise for 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom.  

This is the most delicious whole wheat bread.  We grind our wheat and make this incredible bread.  Oh so yum!  Daddy was never a big fan of role wheat bread until we made this.  Freshly ground wheat is so nutritious.  A company called the Bread Beckers taught us so much about all the health benefits of using freshly ground wheat.  We make this and whole wheat pizza dough.  So delicious!  This bread also freezes well;  allow it to cool completely then seal in an airtight plastic bag with all the air out of it.  It will defrost in a couple of hours on the counter. I hope your family will enjoy this as well. 

Love Always,

Mommy