While re-adjusting to our move, I am slowly re-learning what I loved to do. One thing is baking. The second, is sprouting. I used to love having fresh alfalfa sprouts in the fridge.
So, I decided to experiment with the supplies I already have on hand. That brings us to this video. These are the original grains (white wheat, red wheat, and barley) that I used to make my sprouted grain video 6 YEARS AGO! I show you how I had them stored and we play the game of “Will they sprout?”
It turns out they all did! The barley was the quickest to sprout, followed closely by the white wheat, then the red, which took a bit longer. They are all currently in my dehydrators, which I’m using this time instead of the oven, as it allows for more even drying and better preservation of flavors. I can’t wait to bake something with these! The anticipation is building as I think about the wonderful bread, muffins, or pastries I could create using this freshly dehydrated grain mix. The unique flavors and textures they will bring to my baked goods are sure to impress anyone who gets a taste!
Cube the focaccia. Lay it out in a single layer on baking sheets. Spray with a little oil, then season however you want.
Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10 to 15 minutes (until they just start to brown). Remove from oven and let cool completely.
For immediate-eating storage, put in a jar and store in the refrigerator (if you live in a warm climate, the oil on the croutons will go rancid after a month or so on the countertop). For longer term storage, place in quarter canning jars and bake at 250 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven, make sure the jars sealed, then store. This is an experiment. I have no idea how long they will last (this is how I store nut meats, like walnuts and pecans, which last YEARS without ever going rancid).
I have just posted my first video since we moved back to town. It’s quick and dirty (no tripods or proper lights) but to say we are happy with our move is an understatement. First, I will post the recipe and video. Then, I will give you a life update.
A simple, busy-night, macro friendly French toast.
Ingredients
Instructions
Slice your bread into one inch slices. Lay on a baking sheet and let dry out completely (one to three days, depending on your temperature and humidity).
Oil your baking dish (spread with butter or spray with Pam). Place your dried bread in your baking dish.
Crack your eggs into a bowl, add a little liquid and any other optional ingredients. Beat well, then pour as evenly as possible over each piece of bread. Cover and place in the refrigerator for an hour or two. Remove from refrigerator, flip your bread, ensuring each piece gets coated with the egg mixture. Cover and place back in your refrigerator until all of the egg mixture is absorbed (3 to 5 hours).
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Remove your bread from the refrigerator, uncover, then place in the oven. Bake for 25 to 40 minutes.
Note
This is a highly adaptable recipe. You can make one to 20 slices of French toast at once. This is why my amounts are not specific. The most important factor is allowing one egg per slice of bread and adding your chosen liquid to help the egg absorb.
Keywords:
breakfast, dinner, bake, French, toast
This year has been filled with so many endings (and beginnings) that I wouldn’t want to sit here and list them all. The most impactful were our decision to move back to town and the unexpected loss of my sister.
When I posted the last time, I did not anticipate the affect that would have on our lives. Yes, we were frustrated and felt like we were going in circles and had no options. Our situation (and a possible solution) were still coalescing, hadn’t quite completed, when I made that post. However, the reaction we got from the family was … we were gobsmacked. I’m pretty sure once my jaw dropped, it stayed there for a few weeks as the reactions kept getting worse (and more dramatic) by the day.
After looking at real estate prices, we came to the conclusion that we had no alternative but to move back to our house. That meant kicking my sons out, which took time. One decided New Jersey was the place to be (we are in California) and he’s making great progress there. The other moved in with his aunt until he can get some things taken care of and join my other son in New Jersey. He wasn’t able to make this move until July. So, for 7 months, our lives were very stressed. There were a few months solid that no one in the family would even acknowledge my existence (seriously, they would turn their head or look away if I tried to speak to them). I am grateful this was only my husband’s family and not mine.
During this prolonged death, we were dealt with the blow of my sister’s unexpected passing. In the grand scheme of things, it was gratefully quick but … she’s my big sister and it’s still (she passed May 22 of this year) just too raw.
I spent my time going through all of our belongings, packing, catching up on yard work at the house and getting it ready for us to move back in. We are still not officially all moved in but we are getting there. It will just take some time (we will be lucky to be able to clean out our cargo containers by the end of the year). We are actually fixing (not just coping with) our property.
When we were lucky enough to buy this house, we just lived here. There were so many things wrong/things we would love to change, but this was just a temporary place to live. Now? We are actively making this our home. We are repairing the garage floor, will be replacing the kitchen cabinets, will be tearing out some walls, installing new flooring, etc. We might even build a large shed/gym, too!
We are SO happy to be here and SO excited for our future together!
For those who don’t know, this is keto/low carb french toast! Today, I made french toast dippers in my corn stick cast iron pans (and they turned out better than I have ever made them).
This is one of the easiest recipes! It’s full fat cream cheese, eggs, and melted butter in a ratio is 2:2:1. That means it can easily be adjusted up or down!
Once all of the ingredients are at room temperature, place them all in a bowl and blend until smooth. You can use a Kitchen Aid, a food processor, a blender, a stick blender, etc.
Pour into a greased baking dish (just about any will work: loaf pan, 13×9 casserole, muffin tins, etc.) and bake 30 to 45 minutes (or until brown).
This all began when I read an article (which I can’t find any longer … I wish I could because it was fascinating) in which a chef stated that refrigerated old, neglected sourdough started was completely dead, so reviving it (bringing it to room temperature, then adding flour and water) was no better than starting from scratch.
So, I pulled out my 3+ year-old ignored-in-the-refrigerator starter and got busy. Then, I realized others may not have leftover starter, so I showed you how to make fresh sourdough starter, also.
Now, I had to show how to make bread! The problem was I obviously hadn’t made sourdough anything for over 3 years and it shows in the following video. I did (after failing miserably) end up making edible bread and now I need to make more! Hopefully my next loaves will be prettier. 🙂
I have this THIS POST with a ton of recipes but I just wanted to point you to King Arthur Flour. They have some fantastic recipes (and not just sourdough).
I did not grow up eating many root vegetables, so when I found a recipe for chicken soup that included parsnips and turnips I was highly skeptical. After I made it, I was hooked! There can be no chicken soup (or broth) without them! In this video, I am not only making soup but am canning broth. For the specifics on the equipment (and tools) you will need, please read my Home Canned Meat post. I am not including a nutritional analysis with this recipe. This recipe is so variable and I have no way of knowing how many carbohydrates are in the strained broth.
Place all of the ingredients for the broth in a large pot (or slow cooker, electric roaster, or pressure cooker). Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium or medium low (you want it at a slight boil). Depending on your cooking method, let cook for 4 to 12 hours (you want everything cooked to absolute mush). Strain the broth from the solids, making sure to remove all bones.
Place the broth back in the pot. If you used whole pieces of chicken, separate the meat from the bones (once cooled enough to touch).
If you are going to can your chicken broth, you can evenly distribute your chicken meat between all of your jars and top with broth or just leave the meat out. Process in a pressure canner for the recommended pressure (and time) per your elevation. Remember that this broth can be used just like store-bought chicken broth. You do not want to over-season the broth prior to canning it to allow you the flexibility to use the broth however you wish.
Now, if you aren’t canning your broth, throw the rest of the ingredients in the broth, bring to a boil, then turn down to medium. Let it boil until everything is cooked. BAM! You have soup for days! 🙂
Canning meat at home is one of the easiest canning you will ever do! The only special items you need are a pressure canner (not a pressure cooker), jars and pickling salt. If you want to keep canning after you try this, I would also suggest a tool set. I will be including links to these items on Amazon but, aside from the pressure canner, you can get most of these at a local store. This is the picture I took at Ace Hardware. LOOK AT ALL OF THESE GOODIES! I have never seen so many canning supplies in person! There were so many I ended up buying more than I intended (they had 1/2 gallon jars!!!!).
This is my pressure canner.
It’s a Presto 16-quart pressure canner and holds 7 quart jars (16 quarts is the total liquid the pot holds). There are times I wish I had a bigger one but it would make it too heavy to move around if I did have a bigger one (which means, maybe, I should get a second one). Now, even though mine isn’t the largest, it IS heavy. You cannot use canners on glass top stoves! If that’s what you have, you could use them on a stable/secured turkey fryer base (you don’t want it tipping over), a propane grill, or a tabletop electric burner (as long as it can handle the weight). You need your heat source to be easily adjustable, so wood or charcoal would be much more difficult.
Pickling salt: why do you need this? Well, table salt has iodine and anti-caking agents (which can change the color of the foods and leave liquids cloudy), whereas pickling salt is just that: salt. Officially, this is the only salt you can use for canning. Unofficially, I have used kosher salt and never had any issues.
Now, you will need jars. For meats, I like to use pint or 12-ounce jelly jars. They are perfect for a meal (or adding just a little meat to a dish). Every grocery store I have been to in my area has canning jars but if your stores don’t, here’s a link to the best deal I found on Amazon. You don’t need anything fancy. How many jars will you need? It depends on how much meat you want to can. Roughly 1 pound of raw meat will fit in a pint jar.
Canning meats at home is simple once you have all of the right tools.
Ingredients
Home Canned Meats
Instructions
Instructions
Wash jars and lids.
Cut meat into cubes.
Place in a clean jar, packing the meat down to ensure there are no air pockets. Continue to fill, leaving 1 inch of space between the meat and the rim of the jar.
Pour 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of pickling salt on top of meat (amount of salt depends on your tastes).
Pour some vinegar on a paper towel and wipe the rim of the jar (this is to ensure there is no residual fat or liquids from the meat). Place lid on top of the jar, then screw on the ring. Do not over tighten the ring or it will be virtually impossible to remove later.
Process in your pressure canner for the amount of time required (I am at sea level, so I process at roughly 12-15 pounds pressure for 90 minutes). Remember to add about 1 tablespoon of vinegar to your water to prevent mineral buildup on your jars.
Turn off heat and allow the natural release of pressure (let sit until the pressure gauge is at 0).
Remove jars from canner, placing them on a towel. Let them cool (and seal).
Remove the rings, wash the jars with soapy water, write the contents and date on the lid, then store in a cool, dark place.
As long as the seals hold, these should last for at least a year.
I don’t typically crave meatloaf often (it’s not a dish my husband enjoys) but for some reason I had to have some this week. Why? I want a leftover, cold meatloaf “sandwich”. I want the mayonnaise and mustard, mostly. So, I am slapping a slice of this onto a leaf of iceberg lettuce and BAM! I have my cravings met! I let this cool in the refrigerator, sliced it, placed each slice between parchment paper, and threw those into the freezer.
This recipe is totally adaptable. You can add diced bell peppers, salsa, cheese, tomatoes, jalapenos, etc. As you can see in the video above, I added caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Use either a baking sheet with baking racks or a broiler pan, to allow as much of the fat to drain away while baking. Line the bottom with aluminum foil for easier clean-up.
Place all of your ingredients in a large bowl. With your hands (gloves help), squish all of the ingredients together. You want to make sure the seasonings and onion are well incorporated.
Pour out your meat mixture onto a platter and shape it into a loaf. Place the platter into the refrigerator to let it solidify (about 15 minutes).
Now, take your meatloaf out of the refrigerator and transfer it to your baking tray. Place it in the oven and bake for roughly 1 1/4 hours (or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees F). You can serve immediately or let cool for easier, less crumbly slices.
Nutrition Per Serving (includes sugared ketchup): 193 Cal; 19 g Protein; 10 g Tot Fat; 4 g Sat Fat; 4 g Mono Fat; 0 g Trans Fat; 7 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 5 g Sugar
My favorite biscuits are Baking Powder Biscuits from Kraft (https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/051722/baking-powder-biscuits). Out of all of the recipes I have ever tried, these always turn out fantastic. So, I thought I would try to adapt that recipe for my sprouted grain flour. I think I have a winner!
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Grate the frozen butter into the flour and, using a fork, coat the butter with the flour. Add the buttermilk and mix until almost all of the flour in incorporated (do not mix too much or the biscuits will be dense).
Sprinkle flour on your countertop and scoop out the biscuit dough. Gently fold the dough until it becomes more solid (roughly 20 times), only adding flour to prevent it sticking to your hands or countertop. Pat flat so the dough is at least 1/2 inch thick.
If you want circles, cut with any item that is at least 2 inches round (a biscuit cutter, a drinking glass, an empty food can, etc.). If you want squares, just cut with a knife. Place biscuits on the parchment-lined baking sheet an bake for 8 to 12 minutes (until the edges start to brown). Let cool a few minutes, then split with a fork (use the tines of a fork to split the biscuit instead of a knife). Serve.
Yes! I made jerky (and since this is low carb, I am posting this everywhere)! Join me for my first time and check out the updated recipe below. I learned a lot. The first thing I learned is it’s not as difficult as I thought it would be. The second thing is, when it comes to dehydrating, time is relative. In this video, I cut the meat VERY thin and now I know it didn’t need to be in the dehydrator for over 5 hours. This was fun and I can’t wait to try other meats (maybe some fish?).
First, decide what meat to use. If it is frozen, let it thaw a bit (when the outer edges are thawed, that’s good). If the meat is fresh, place it in the freezer until almost frozen. This makes slicing any meat easier.
Next, make your smoked salt. You can either place some salt on a heat resistant pan (metal pie pans work great) and place it in your smoker. Here’s a write up all about how to do it: https://heygrillhey.com/smoked-salt/. OR you can cheat. Mix 1/2 cup of your chosen salt (I used kosher) with 1 Tablespoon of liquid smoke. It doesn’t matter what flavor of smoke you use. Spread it onto a heat resistant pan and place it in your oven. Turn the oven on warm and stir the salt to ensure it dries evenly. Once dry (and cooled) store in a container. Use to add a bit of smoky goodness to any recipe! Place all of the ingredients (except your meat) in a Ziploc bag and mix.
Next, slice your meat 1/4 inch thick (thinner will take less time in the dehydrator and give you a crisper result) and add to the Ziploc bag. Close the bag and squish the meat to ensure the marinade coats every slice. Seal, trying to remove as much air as possible. Place in your refrigerator for 1-12 hours (or more, depending on how flavorful you want your jerky).
To kill most food borne pathogens, you need to heat your beef to 160 degrees F and your chicken to 165 degrees F. To do this when your dehydrator temperature is too low, heat your oven to 300 degrees F. Pour your meat into a baking dish and heat in the oven for 10 minutes (if you aren’t sure, wrap a piece of meat around a meat thermometer). For other jerky safety tips, check out this page: https://www.jerkyholic.com/6-steps-to… Line your dehydrator shelves with parchment paper and add your meat slices, making sure the slices are not folded or touching.
Dehydrate at 145 degrees F for 5 to 7 hours (but begin checking it at the 3 hour mark). Let cool and store in an airtight container. If you are worried about shelf life (especially if you live in a warm area), store in the refrigerator.
For only Chicken Breast Per Serving: 140 Cal (22% from Fat, 71% from Protein, 7% from Carb); 24 g Protein; 3 g Tot Fat; 2 g Carb; 0 g Fiber
For only London Broil Per Serving: 166 Cal (58% from Fat, 37% from Protein, 5% from Carb); 15 g Protein; 11 g Tot Fat; 2 g Carb; 0 g Fiber
