The Hutterite Diaries

Good morning, all!

I recently purchased the book, The Hutterite Diaries, by Linda Maendel, who is herself a Hutterite.

It's a fascinating and well written look into one woman's Hutterian worldview, and often the stories are about her day-to-day life in the colony where she lives. Hutterites are a Plain sect that began around the same time as the Amish and Mennonites, and like the other Plain groups, they eventually immigrated to North America. Today there are Hutterite colonies in the northern tier of the United States as well as in Canada. They use modern equipment and technology and grow grains and other crops on massive acreage that's owned by the individual colonies. They eat communally in a centrally located building, but each family has their own home.

I'm so glad I got this book because it's given me a better understanding of this particular people group. Next, I plan on researching their cooking traditions and who knows--maybe I'll post a blog or two with a tasty Hutterite recipe!

Blessings to you and your loved ones. I hope life is treating you gently these days.
Georgia

Gather Around the Amish Table Book Endorsement

Hello, all!

Some months ago I was approached and asked to write an endorsement for a cookbook, which I was happy to do. They promised me a complimentary copy once it was in print, and true to their word, I found this in my mailbox today.

I took a quick peek inside and I'm looking forward to relaxing with a hot cup of tea and going through it at my leisure. The recipes appear to be plain, with no exotic ingredients--the kind of food that many families seem to relish. But what I think I'll enjoy even more are the short "diaries" of the Plain cooks who contributed family favorite recipes.

The book is put out by Herald Press (www.heraldpress.com) and retails for $19.99. It has some great color photos of some of the foods featured in the cookbook, and would more than likely be a great addition to your collection.

Enjoy!

May today find you and your loved ones in good health and spirits.
Georgia

Fabulous Wheat Bread Recipe

Two events came together in my little world that resulted in this wonderful bread recipe. First of all, yesterday I canned 46 pounds of albacore tuna, so of course I wanted to have a tuna sandwich for lunch today. But I had no bread. What to do? I could run to the store and buy a loaf, which I do when I'm busy, but the thought of home-canned tuna on homemade bread wouldn't be dislodged from my mind, so this morning early I set about making bread.

I ground up some hard white wheat berries and got a quart of wheat flour, which I figured would be plenty for a single loaf. I also decided that I wanted to throw in some of my powdered buttermilk (I've set myself to the task of finding ways to use powdered buttermilk because it's so handy to have around.). I wasn't planning on making anything complex--just your average loaf of good tasting bread.

But of course, it didn't turn out as I planned, and it's all my fault. (I really need to stop daydreaming while I'm cooking!) Suffice to say that I added way too much yeast (enough for 2-3 loaves, rather than 1!) in the proofing batter. Further, I'm a frugal person, so I couldn't conscience throwing out a perfectly good bowl of bread starter. So I changed plans midstream.

To wit:

Honey Buttermilk Wheat Bread (makes 3 loaves)

1 1/4 cups warm water
4 1/2 tsp. yeast
1/3 cup honey
6-8 T. melted butter
8 T. buttermilk powder
2 cups water
1 T. salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
4 cups wheat flour
4 cups+- regular flour

Grease or butter one large mixing bowl; set aside for now.

In another large mixing bowl, mix together the 1 1/4 cups warm water, yeast, and honey. Let set for about 10 minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble and froth.

Add remainder of ingredients except the regular flour. Mix together with a large wooden spoon. When well mixed, begin to add the regular flour, about a cup at a time and then mix well after each addition. When the dough pulls away from the mixing bowl and forms a loose ball, dump dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding small amounts of flour as needed so the dough doesn't stick on your counter or bread board. Form into a ball and place in the greased mixing bowl. Cover with a clean towel and let the dough rise until doubled, about 1-1 1/2 hours.

When ready to proceed, grease 3 loaf pans and set aside. Form the dough into 3 loaves and place them in the prepared loaf pans. Cover with the clean towel and let them rise until about doubled. (The loaves will be about 1-2 inches above the top of the pan at their highest peak.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake bread for 25 minutes or until done. Remove from pans and let cool on wire racks.

I have a weakness for fresh baked bread so I did what I usually do--and what the "experts" say you should never do. I cut into one of the loaves minutes after pulling them from the oven so I could slather butter onto a thick heel slice. Heaven!

This is a good recipe--perfect as sandwich bread or toast. The texture is soft and small crumbed (no doubt from the egg and all that butter!), and when completely cooled down you can cut lovely, thin slices if that's your druthers. The only thing that niggles is that it's not the cheapest bread recipe to make, but it still beats the price I would pay for 3 loaves of organic wheat bread at the store. And the freshness and taste can't be improved upon.

Lunchtime, please get here quick. I've got tuna fish sandwiches on the brain!

Hope all is well in your part of the universe. Blessings to you and yours!

Georgia

Quick and Easy Taco Soup--Delicious!

I've been so busy lately and one evening earlier this week I needed to come up with something quick for dinner. I had some hamburger thawed, so I knew I wanted to start with that. I poked around in the fridge and found a lovely bell pepper along with lots of onions, so next I perused the pantry shelves and made up my mind. Taco Soup sounded like just the thing.

The recipe below is for a smallish batch (serves 3 people), but I listed ingredients in parentheses to make a larger batch  that would easily feed a good-sized family--especially if you serve it with cornbread, biscuits, or buttered bread, etc. And bear in mind that all the ingredients can be increased or decreased according to your tastes.


Ready to Eat!

 

A Close-up View

Quick and Easy Taco Soup

1/4 lb. hamburger (1 lb.)

1/2 onion, chopped (1 onion)

1/2 bell pepper, chopped (1 bell pepper)

1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with chiles (2 cans if you like lots of spice)

1 can diced tomatoes (2 cans)

2+ cans water (4+ cans water)

1 T. powdered Ranch Dressing mix (2 T.), or use a packet if that's what you have 

1/4 tsp. garlic powder (1/2 tsp.)

1 tsp. cumin (1 1/2 tsp.)

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup uncooked white rice (1/2 cup)

 

Brown hamburger and then drain grease. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer until rice is done, about 25 minutes. Once the soup is ready, you can add more water if you want your soup soupier.

 

Eat as is, or top with cheese:

Sour cream would probably be tasty also.

 



It's a breeze to make. And it's a delight to eat!

Hope all is well with you and yours. The summer is speeding by, and tomorrow I'm going to can about 50 pounds of tuna. I can't wait!

Carry on!
Georgia

The Vortex Hand-Cranked Blender

In my continuing quest to find non-electric tools and gadgets for around my home (that really work!), I recently purchased the Vortex Hand-Cranked Blender:

So far, I've made some smoothies and mixed pancake batter, and here are my observations:

The Vortex hand-cranked blender needs a wee bit of elbow grease to turn if you have anything frozen to blend, such as ice cubes or frozen fruit. But if you begin on the low speed and then switch to the high speed, it's quite easy to use. Easy enough, in fact, that I'll use it regularly.

The blender is easy to put together and to clean after using. Not many parts and very intuitive. I like that! Plus, everything fits together super well and there's no leaking of liquid. The container is a high-grade food-safe plastic so it won't break like glass would, but I must say that I would have preferred a glass container. (That's just my personal inclination. I realize that this blender was made with campers/backpackers in mind, so the plastic makes sense in that regard. But still...)

It can hold a (surprising) lot of ingredients. One day I made about a quart of smoothie without exerting too much effort. I could have made more with room to spare, so it would be totally usable for a family.

One thing to bear in mind, however, is that you have to crank for a longer period of time to get the frozen bits (say, ice and fruit) to thoroughly break up and the smoothie to become...well, smooth! I probably industriously cranked for two minutes or so in order to get a creamy, smooth end result. Still, it wasn't hard work (although you know you're cranking!), and I was pleased with the results.

I want to try making cream soup because I love, love, LOVE cream of broccoli soup. I'm betting that it'll do a great job.

All this to say, the Vortex hand-cranked blender is a welcome addition to my kitchen. I will continue to use it often, and I'm glad I purchased it!

Blessings to you and yours,
Georgia

Great Tasting Buckwheat Pancakes and Waffles

Good morning!

I made buckwheat waffles earlier today for breakfast and wanted to share the recipe with you. This recipe is found in my book The Homestyle Amish Kitchen. (You can find ordering information for this book as well as my other books on this website under the heading "My Books". Scroll to the bottom of that page for a thumbnail image of the cover of The Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook.)

Buckwheat Waffle and Bacon--Breakfast Is Served!

Buckwheat pancakes (or waffles) are rib-sticking fare--you'll know you've had breakfast if you eat these filling cakes! Plus, buckwheat has a nutty flavor that is hearty and delicious. And what's more, buckwheat groats are gluten-free, for those of you with wheat sensitivity.


Note that after I give you the recipe, I'll add some comments that may be of interest to you. But now, I present:



Buckwheat Pancakes

2 cups buckwheat flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup water

Mix together all ingredients. Drop the batter on a well greased, hot griddle and cook the pancakes until they are brown on the edges and have bubbles popping through the top. Turn pancakes and cook second side until done.

That's all there is to it! Personally, I'm a big fan of great-tasting, easy recipes that are done in a flash, and buckwheat pancakes certainly fit the bill.

If you are new to the robust flavor of buckwheat, you can alter this recipe by substituting some regular flour for the buckwheat flour. (Try using one cup buckwheat flour and one cup regular flour to start and then gradually reduce the regular flour until you are using all buckwheat. This might be a good idea if you are feeding kids, but then again, they may just surprise you and love the full-on buckwheat taste right at the get-go!)

When I cook waffles, I usually add another egg, 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and a pinch more baking powder.

I usually have leftovers and they make great snacks: I simply toast them, spread on some butter or peanut butter, and have a filling snack-on-the-go.

Buckwheat isn't a cereal grain, even though we use it as such. (You've probably heard of the porridge called kasha.) Buckwheat are the fruit seeds from the flowers of buckwheat (which bees love, by the way)--a plant that is related to sorrel and rhubarb. Buckwheat is great for heart health and contains more fiber than oatmeal per serving. It's also a good source for magnesium, iron, zinc, and selenium, and it can help lower blood pressure and stabilize blood glucose levels when eaten regularly. Buckwheat really is a powerhouse of nutrition!

A Shout-Out from Better Homes and Gardens!

My publisher informed me this morning that two of my cookbooks are featured in the Better Homes and Gardens website. I'm so appreciative!

Here's the link:

http://bit.ly/1eeEFhl

Woohoo!