'Tis the Season for Hot Breakfast Cereal

Well as much as I HATE to admit it . . . it's time to break out the hot cereal. 

I have a tendency to only do certain things in the cold season - like crochet, make soups and chili, plan my gardens, plan my next school year - and make creamy, hot cereal for breakfast!

I can cook and eat oatmeal most any time of year, but I get a hankering for cream of wheat when it gets cold!  I grew up on the old fashioned Farina . . .  Oh my gosh, even the picture looks familiar!!!  Now I'm not sure how good this particular cereal is for you, my guess is that it is highly processed and has no fiber left in it.  :(     But I do remember it tasting so good!

So what is farina anyway?  Well, basically it is a whole grain made into a meal or powdered form for cooking.  My suggestion would be to try Bob's Red Mill Farina if you are looking for the convenient kind.  Or you can make your own by grinding your own whole wheat finely in your grain mill or blender.  According to Sue Gregg's Breakfast Cookbook, you want to use approximately 4 parts of water to 1 part ground grain.  Make sure you check out my Books page this week as Sue Gregg's Cookbooks will be the additions!

These days, creamed cereal comes in all kinds of varieties . . .

                               Chocolate??  Really?!!

But you want to remember to check your ingredient list!!  Anything that needs to sit on the shelf for any length of time may very well have undesirable things added to it AND desirable things taken out of it (like your germ and bran)!!

Sue Gregg's Breakfast Cookbook gives you many different creamed cereals to try -    like millet, rye, and rice.  Actually any grain that you can run through your mill will make a creamed cereal. 

AND don't forget about oat bran!  That is another of my cold season favorites . . .
Here is one of my favorite recipes from my Sue Gregg's cookbook . . . with my own twist, of course!

Oatmeal Bran Cereal - p 109
(my version - single serving - a large portion really!)

1 cup water
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup oatmeal
2 Tablespoons oat bran
2 Tablespoons raisins
Pinch of cinnamon

Bring your water and salt to a boil.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Turn down to low heat and simmer until creamy or desired consistency.

I like butter and sugar in mine - I know, some old habits are hard to break! - But you can add honey, agave nectar, or anything that suits.  Actually, I have added walnuts to this mix before too and I enjoy that as well.

HAVE FUN!!!!

Black Friday Sale coming from Vintage Remedies!!!

I am so excited about the Black Friday sale that begins next Monday on the Vintage Remedies site.  The sale runs from midnight to midnight, starting at 12:01am on Monday, November 24, and ending at 11:59pm on Tuesday, December 2nd. (All times central standard time.)

I have so many of the classes on my list that I want to take that I am not sure which one will be first!

I am kind of pulled in a couple of directions these days because I have started working on my Aromatherapy website, so perhaps I will take their Essential Oils class first.  Whichever direction I go, check back next week and I will have their sale prices available for you.

Want a bit of a carrot??  Try out their free course . . . but beware!!!  One bite and you'll be hooked!!!

WonderMill (aka WhisperMill) vs NutriMill . . . and maybe some others!

This post has probably been a long time coming.  Obviously, it is impossible to use whole grains unless you have a grinder - well not impossible, but that is another post in itself!  ;)  This is a subject given to much opinion, and I too have mine!

For the last 20+ years I have used a WhisperMill (now being sold as the WonderMill).  I LOVE MINE!!!  I am not planning on changing any time soon, and when this one dies I will probably buy one just like it (old habits die hard).  But this machine has at least ONE major drawback . . . you have to turn it on BEFORE you pour in the grain OR you can tear it up.  Thankfully, this has only happened to me one time and I immediately turned it off and dumped it over to get everything out . . . I was blessed!!!  The only other possible drawback is the loudness, but I remember when my sister-in-law had a mill that we literally had to wear ear plugs with because it sounded like a jet engine . . . this mill is NOT that loud, but WhisperMill?? -- naw, that's probably why they changed the name.  ;D  The WonderMill has fine to coarse adjustments, is easy to clean, just an all around awesome machine.

The other machine worth mentioning is the NutriMill.  When we were in business a few years back I did carry this one.  I like the fact that the NutriMill has a hopper that you can fill and turn on and off at will.  That is a wonderful feature -- need two cups today, grind the wheat you need, need two cups tomorrow of the same thing, turn it on, grind a couple of cups, turn it off . . . AWESOME!  I have not owned one of these personally but I have a friend that has one and loves hers.  She has been through two WhisperMills and one other NutriMill.  My friend has a larger family than mine and she grinds corn with hers - which I NEVER do - not because it can't grind corn, but because it scares me to do it!  Crazy, huh?

I have also known women who own a KitchenAid with the grinder attachment.  You know the important thing is to find something to get started with.  When I first got started grinding wheat, my husband found a $10 wooden grain mill in our local trader and purchased it for me.  I was tickled pink to have something to start with.  We used it for years before we invested in a modern one and I gave that one to a friend.  Little did I know what it would be worth now - hee hee!!

Find something that works for you - and get started!!!
                                                                                                                                 

This Weeks Book Additions . .

                                        

 

                                

Just a quick post to direct you to this weeks book additions . . .   

The Joy of Muffins

Alkalize or Die

The Back to Eden Cookbook

Enjoy!!!!

                                   

Scratch Biscuits

I love the time of year when summer wanes and fall comes on!  For me it is time to pull out my crocheting and make a pot of chili!!  Tonight was no exception . . .

Usually I serve chili with rice and/or chips, but tonight was spontaneous and I had no chips nor felt like making rice, so a batch of cheese biscuits was in order.


Scratch Biscuits ~

     1 3/4 cup soft white wheat, freshly ground (I started with a little less than a cup of berries)
     1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose or bread flour (you can use all whole wheat)
     3 teaspoons baking powder
     3/4 teaspoon salt
     1/4 cup oil
     3/4 cup milk (and maybe a little more - NO MORE than a cup but start with the 3/4)

Start with the dry ingredients.  Mix in oil then milk, stir just until moistened.  Drop by heaping tablespoon on greased baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Makes approx. 8 biscuits.

Cheesy, Garlic Variation ~
     Use olive oil for oil in recipe.  Add about a cup of shredded cheese and 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder.  You can additionally add any herb of your choice.

Sweet Biscuit Variation ~
    Recipe above but add 1/4 sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.  I like to use coconut oil or you could use a lighter vegetable oil - the olive oil is too strong for this.  You can also add raisins and icing if you must. ;-)

My Almost FAMOUS Pecan Tea Biscuit ~                                                       
 I bet you can't believe that I am resurrecting this again!!  Well some things I just can't seem to let go of!!!  This is by far the best version of this recipe - if you haven't read the long version and really want to, click here.

Use scratch recipe above with the sweet biscuit variation.  To this add 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans and - because my daughter begged me - 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional).  Finally a biscuit quality to satisfy!!   Hope you enjoy!

If at First you don't Succeed . . .

Added 10/8/2014 ~ For those of you who don't want to read my ramblings or the extensive journey of the Pecan Tea Biscuit, feel free to click here for the cut and dried "revised" recipe! :D

Busy day at the Hootenanny today!  I've been scrounging around for days looking for a blog post that isn't just ho-hum!  So I found a recipe from a Better Homes & Garden 1973 Homemade Bread Cookbook for Pecan Tea Biscuits and thought I would try them out for breakfast this morning.

Pecan Tea Biscuits ~
     In mixing bowl stir to combine thoroughly 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Cut in 1/4 shortening till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Combine 1 beaten egg and 3/4 cup milk;  add all at once to dry mixture, stirring just till dough clings together.  Stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans.  Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet.  Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon;  sprinkle over biscuits.  Bake at 425 for 8 to 10 minutes.  Makes 36 biscuits.

Of course I had to manipulate the recipe to make them whole wheat, so here's my take . . .

Whole Wheat Pecan Tea Biscuits ~
     1 3/4 cups soft white wheat flour, freshly ground (started with a little less than a cup of berries)
     3 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour

     1/4 cup sugar (probably should have used sucanat, but I didn't)
     2 teaspoons baking powder
     1/2 teaspoon sea salt
     1/4 cup coconut oil
     1 beaten egg
     3/4 cup milk
     1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
     2 tablespoons sugar
     1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
     I mixed it according to the directions above.  I made these bigger drops than the teaspoon drop they recommended - more like biscuit size.  About 14.

Well the batter seemed REALLY wet (not exactly "drop" consistency) and thus I added the extra flour.  It seemed better . . . but as soon as I popped these in the oven they became like pancakes!  (Left side of photo)  They tasted good, but were kind of hard on the eyes!  ;-)  Oh well,  I decided maybe I wouldn't blog about them after all.

So, school as usual . . . ran my son to his Nana's to mow . . . cleaning, dishes, laundry . . . and I realized I was out of dishwasher detergent AND laundry powder.  For the past three months I have been using Doterra Essential Oils and have been replacing store bought cleaners/soaps with homemade . . . see a post on this soon!!!  So I threw together a couple of batches . . .

By dinnertime, that Pecan Tea Biscuit recipe was STILL nagging at me.  So after dinner I was going to try them again.  When I started I was truly just going to make the same recipe, but with more flour adjustment.  I had good intentions, truly I did, I'm not sure what came over me, but what came out was more like . . . DESSERT!  Introducing

Double Chocolate Pecan Tea "Cakes" (I'm sorry but these things are NOT biscuits)
     1 3/4 cups soft white wheat flour
     1/4 cup sugar
     1/4 cup unbleached flour
     1/4 cup cocoa
     2 teaspoons baking powder
     1/2 teaspoons sea salt
     1/4 cup coconut oil
     1 beaten egg
     3/4 cup milk
     1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
     1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
     2 tablespoons sugar
     1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
     I mixed these the same as the directions above and dropped them about biscuit size again.

Now I know that we are usually our own worst enemy . . . I STILL was not happy with how flat they were, or how they spread out on the pan.  Nor was I happy with the overall consistency.  If these are supposed to be biscuits then I felt they needed to be drier - denser maybe.  They were so flat they could have been cookies, but again the consistency wasn't right for a cookie either.  They were truly the consistency of cake.  Again they tasted GREAT!!  Oh well . . . I don't dare try these again today!  :D

Know Your Wheat - Hard or Soft / Red or White!

When I started buying whole wheat flour from the grocery store some 25 years ago, the only choices on the grocery shelf were "whole wheat" flour - whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, stone ground whole wheat flour.  There was no distinction between hard or soft, red or white.

Nowadays, you CAN find flour with a hard or soft/red or white distinction.  There are still a lot of just "whole wheat" flours out there though.  And I can tell you from experience that making bread with the whole wheat flour that you buy from the store DOES NOT make the same kind of bread that grinding your own can yield.  Obviously you have to start somewhere if you don't have a grinder yet and so I suggest that you put forth a little more effort and purchase specialty flours from Amazon or a whole food store nearby.

Once you start purchasing whole grain wheat, a basic knowledge of varieties is beneficial.

1)  Soft White Wheat Berries - Soft white is the type of wheat you would use for ALL your quick bread or pastry needs, such as, pancakes, muffins, brownies, biscuits, tortillas, or cookies -- anything that you might make with baking powder or soda.  Due to the low protein content of this wheat it doesn't work well with yeast breads.

2)  Soft Red Wheat Berries - Soft wheat also comes in a red variety.  Interestingly enough, this soft red wheat is grown in the TN valley.  I regret to say that I have NEVER used this one.  Perhaps it is because most of the sources I purchase from are out west.  Anyway, this variety would be used in the same capacity as the soft white.  Due to it being a red variety, it will yield darker results in cookies, cakes, etc.

3)  Hard White Wheat Berries - This is a variety used in yeast breads or any kind of recipe calling for yeast.  Because it is white in color - almost a golden - it will yield lighter in color breads than its red counterpart.  I most frequently use this variety when making my french bread recipe.  I have tried it in other bread recipes and actually know several others who use it solely in their bread recipes, but I am a creature of habit, and I simply love my bread made with a hard red variety or spelt especially.

4)  Hard Red Spring Berries - This variety distinguishes itself from the other red wheat because it is planted in the spring and harvested late summer or early fall.  The hard varieties of wheat are higher in protein content which produces more gluten making these ideal for yeast breads.  For more details you can click here, but basically the hard red spring is supposed to be the highest protein content wheat there is.

5)  Hard Red Winter Berries - Very similar to the hard red spring, the main distinction of this variety is that it is planted in the fall.  There are many sources that say the protein content of the hard red winter wheat is just slightly lower than than of the spring red.

So to recap in simplicity!
     *Soft wheat for baking needs where you use baking powder or soda for leavening.

     *Hard wheat for baking needs using yeast.

Hopefully this will give you a good overview of the differences between the basic wheat.  Perhaps someday I will touch on the many other varieties.  ;-)

NOTE:  I may be shooting myself in the foot here, but after placing my Amazon links on this post I will say again -- in order to get the most bang for your buck, the best way to buy bulk grains is going together with a group of friends and ordering from a co-op such as Cloverdale.   

Seven Grain Pancakes

Well I'm back!!  With a new look and a commitment to myself to post regularly!

Thought I would start back with a house favorite!

Several years ago when we had our grain business, I was introduced to Wheat Montana's Whole Seven Grain mix.  This mix includes hard red wheat, soft white wheat, triticale, eye, oat groats, pearled barley, and spelt.  It is a wonderful blend that adds a unique twist to any of your whole grain recipes.  I am particularly partial to using this mix in my pancake recipe.  I am hoping to start experimenting with it more and sharing my results with you.  In the meantime I hope you enjoy this recipe.

I'm going to give you the original pancake recipe from my 1981 Better Homes & Garden NEW(;-D) Cookbook and my version in parentheses . . .

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour  (I grind 3/4 c. Seven grain mix which yields 1 1/2 c flour - actually for my crew     I usually double this recipe)
2 T. sugar (I ALWAYS omit this - with syrup there is no need!)
2 teas. baking powder (Rumford's aluminum free)
1/2 teas. salt (sea salt)
1 beaten egg
1 T. vegetable oil (I use Nutiva coconut oil - oh my!  It makes them especially yummy!!!)
1 c. milk ( I use 1/2 milk and 1/2 water - I just prefer a thinner batter)

Just for a smile, this morning when I doubled the recipe I accidently put too much salt in the batch.  I thought I had, so luckily I tested the batter before cooking - YUCK! - so I had to triple the batch!!!  Well, the good news is that I will NOT have to cook breakfast on Saturday morning - there will be PLENTY of pancakes.  ;-)