Saturday, October 25, 2014

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!!!
                                                                                                                                 

Thursday, October 9, 2014

This Weeks Book Additions . .


                                        

 
                                

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


Enjoy!!!!


                                   

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

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!

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

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