Let's do it again, shall we?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
F.S. - California Rolls
Yes, I will have California rolls in my food storage - Rice, Imitation crab - frozen (which I prefer in my California rolls anyway), mayonnaise, and Cucumber from my garden if I can't get avocado. I promise these are good - really. Shane doesn't like Sushi at all, so I make these for myself at home, and they are delicious.Ingredients
2 cups sushi/short grain rice
2 cups water plus extra for rinsing
2 T rice vinegar
2 T sugar
1 T kosher salt
1 stick imitation crab (found at asian markets)
1 1/2 T Mayonnaise
Avocado
Seaweed (Nori)
2 cups sushi/short grain rice
2 cups water plus extra for rinsing
2 T rice vinegar
2 T sugar
1 T kosher salt
1 stick imitation crab (found at asian markets)
1 1/2 T Mayonnaise
Avocado
Seaweed (Nori)
Place the rice into a mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Swirl the rice in the water, pour off and repeat 2 to 3 times or until the water is clear.
Place the rice and 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer the rice into a large wooden or glass mixing bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature before using to make sushi or sashimi.
Shred the imitation crab into thin strips, toss with Mayonnaise, and a pinch of salt. Slice avocado, and cut your piece of Nori in half. Wrap your bamboo mat in cling wrap for easy clean up.
Place the rice and 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer the rice into a large wooden or glass mixing bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature before using to make sushi or sashimi.
Shred the imitation crab into thin strips, toss with Mayonnaise, and a pinch of salt. Slice avocado, and cut your piece of Nori in half. Wrap your bamboo mat in cling wrap for easy clean up.
Grab a handful of rice and spread gently across the nori (which will be dry and brittle when you begin, but will soften with the moisture from the rice).
Flip the nori over, and put down a line of crab mixture, and a few slices of avocado, leaving more space on the side opposite you.
Roll the nori over just short of the end of the piece, and tuck it in tightly with the bamboo mat.
Roll the rest of the way over, squeeze gently, and unroll the mat.
Sprinkle with black sesame seeds, slice in half, line the two pieces next to each other, and cut into thirds or fourths. Serve with pickled ginger, soy sauce, and wasabi (if you want).Monday, June 29, 2009
F.S. - Rice and Pasta
RiceCan be used as a cereal, a substitute for potatoes, a base for a soup, as a side dish, or as a dessert. The best type of rice to store in the long term is long grain white rice, but other types will store well, so if you use various types of rice, try and incorporate them into your food storage. The only exception is Brown Rice - it will only store for a few months before is goes rancid, due to a higher oil content.
Long Grain Rice - it's length is 4-5 times its width. The grains are clear and translucent. They remain separate after cooking, and are light and fluffy. (jasmine, basmati)
Medium Grain Rice - is about 3x long as it is wide. Less expensive than long grain rice because it requires a shorter growing season and produces a higher yield per acre. It is easier to mill, and when cooked, it is moister and more tender than long grain rice.
Short Grain Rice - 1 1/2-2x as long as it is wide. Generally the least expensive of the three, and clings together when cooked.
Brown Rice - is the whole, unpolished grain of rice with only the outer fibrous, inedible hull removed. Brown rice requires more water and a longer cooking time than white rice. It is chewy and has a nut-like flavor when cooked.
Regular Milled White Rice - Rice that has had the hull, germ, outer bran layers, and most of the inner bran removed in the milling process. The grains are bland in flavor, and are fluffy.
Parboiled rice - sometimes called processed or converted rice, has been treated to keep some of the natural vitamins and minerals the whole grain contains. It has been pre-cooked by a special steam pressure process, and requires a longer cooking time than regular white milled rice.
Pre-coked, or Instant Rice - is completely cooked, and needs only to stand in boiling water before serving. It generally results in a gummy mass, and is not recommended for flavor, texture, or nutritional value.
Fortified or Enriched Rice - combination of regular milled rice, and highly fortified rice. A coating of vitamins and minerals is used to fortify rice, the coating adheres to the rice, and does not dissolve with ordinary cooking or washing
Wild Rice - is not rice at all. It is the seed of a wild water grass found in the great lakes region. It is more expensive than all the above.
Rice should be stored in airtight containers in a cool dry place. Semi-dark, if possible.
Pasta
Is pretty much self-explanatory. Dried pasta stores the same as Rice, but if you are making pasta from scratch, use soft white wheat, or cake flour.
All information is courtesy of The Wooden Spoon
Long Grain Rice - it's length is 4-5 times its width. The grains are clear and translucent. They remain separate after cooking, and are light and fluffy. (jasmine, basmati)
Medium Grain Rice - is about 3x long as it is wide. Less expensive than long grain rice because it requires a shorter growing season and produces a higher yield per acre. It is easier to mill, and when cooked, it is moister and more tender than long grain rice.
Short Grain Rice - 1 1/2-2x as long as it is wide. Generally the least expensive of the three, and clings together when cooked.
Brown Rice - is the whole, unpolished grain of rice with only the outer fibrous, inedible hull removed. Brown rice requires more water and a longer cooking time than white rice. It is chewy and has a nut-like flavor when cooked.
Regular Milled White Rice - Rice that has had the hull, germ, outer bran layers, and most of the inner bran removed in the milling process. The grains are bland in flavor, and are fluffy.
Parboiled rice - sometimes called processed or converted rice, has been treated to keep some of the natural vitamins and minerals the whole grain contains. It has been pre-cooked by a special steam pressure process, and requires a longer cooking time than regular white milled rice.
Pre-coked, or Instant Rice - is completely cooked, and needs only to stand in boiling water before serving. It generally results in a gummy mass, and is not recommended for flavor, texture, or nutritional value.
Fortified or Enriched Rice - combination of regular milled rice, and highly fortified rice. A coating of vitamins and minerals is used to fortify rice, the coating adheres to the rice, and does not dissolve with ordinary cooking or washing
Wild Rice - is not rice at all. It is the seed of a wild water grass found in the great lakes region. It is more expensive than all the above.
Rice should be stored in airtight containers in a cool dry place. Semi-dark, if possible.
Pasta
Is pretty much self-explanatory. Dried pasta stores the same as Rice, but if you are making pasta from scratch, use soft white wheat, or cake flour.
All information is courtesy of The Wooden Spoon
Saturday, June 27, 2009
James
He is 5 1/2 months old right now. He started sitting up a few weeks ago, but it was still so fun to see him hanging out on the crash pad, blowing raspberries, when I came home today.For as hard as he was the first couple of months , he is equally easy now. He sleeps 11-12 hours every night (without waking up, since he was 3 1/2 months..hallelujah! It contributes greatly to my personal well-being), and he is the happiest baby! He smiles and laughs all the time.
Also, he is a MAJOR thumb-sucker. It's his favorite thing to do, besides chew on his burp cloths. And, of course, he is still extremely active, rolling all-over the place all the time, and trying to crawl. He's growing like a weed, still in the 90th percentile for height, and people tell me everyday that life as I know it will soon be over. I have visions of my baby in a harness dragging me all over and destroying everything in his path.However, despite the impending doom, I am amazed at how happy I am as a mother. Nothing could have prepared me for the amount of love and adoration Shane and I have for this child. And, I'm sure that when the next stage begins, and every inch of this house has to be baby-proofed, and things are being destroyed left and right, I will love him even more than I do now.
Monday, June 22, 2009
F.S. - Whole Wheat Pancake Mix
This recipe makes several batches, so store it in an airtight container and put it in the freezer, so it's ready whenever you want to use it.Ingredients
8 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c sugar
4 t salt
2 1/2 c powdered milk
2 c vegetable oil
5 T baking powder
Method
Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the oil. Store in an airtight container.
To Use Mix
1 1/2 c mix
3/4 c water
1 egg
Beat egg and water together, then add mix. Ladle onto skillet, cook over medium heat until bubbles form, flip pancakes and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and enjoy.
8 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c sugar
4 t salt
2 1/2 c powdered milk
2 c vegetable oil
5 T baking powder
Method
Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the oil. Store in an airtight container.
To Use Mix
1 1/2 c mix
3/4 c water
1 egg
Beat egg and water together, then add mix. Ladle onto skillet, cook over medium heat until bubbles form, flip pancakes and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and enjoy.
F.S - Vermont Oatmel Maple Honey Bread
I have put this recipe up before, so you may recognize it, but it has become my absolute favorite bread. It is my food storage bread because it has oatmeal in it, which acts a natural preservative, so this bread will last at least a week unrefrigerated. But, I promise you'll finish it off before then.Ingredients
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup maple sugar ( you can find it in bulk at health food stores) or brown sugar
1/2 t maple flavor (optional)
1 T honey
4 T butter
1 T salt
1 t cinnamon
1 T instant yeast (SAF brand is the best)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Method
In a large mixing bowl combine water, oats, maple sugar, maple flavor, honey, butter, salt, and cinnamon. Let cool to Luke warm.
Add yeast and combined flours, stirring to form a rough dough. Knead (10 minutes by hand, 5-7 by machine) until dough is smooth and satiny. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, and let rise for 1 hour - it should double in bulk.
Divide the dough in half, and shape into two loafs. Place the loafs in two greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch bread pans. Cover pans with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow to rise until loafs have crowned 1 inch above the rim of the pan - about 1 hour.
Pre-heat oven to 350. Bake loafs for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove when they are golden brown and the interior registers 190 on an instant read thermometer. (I don't have an instant read thermometer, and I've never had a problem.)
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup maple sugar ( you can find it in bulk at health food stores) or brown sugar
1/2 t maple flavor (optional)
1 T honey
4 T butter
1 T salt
1 t cinnamon
1 T instant yeast (SAF brand is the best)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Method
In a large mixing bowl combine water, oats, maple sugar, maple flavor, honey, butter, salt, and cinnamon. Let cool to Luke warm.
Add yeast and combined flours, stirring to form a rough dough. Knead (10 minutes by hand, 5-7 by machine) until dough is smooth and satiny. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, and let rise for 1 hour - it should double in bulk.
Divide the dough in half, and shape into two loafs. Place the loafs in two greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch bread pans. Cover pans with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow to rise until loafs have crowned 1 inch above the rim of the pan - about 1 hour.
Pre-heat oven to 350. Bake loafs for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove when they are golden brown and the interior registers 190 on an instant read thermometer. (I don't have an instant read thermometer, and I've never had a problem.)
F.S. - Wheat
There are three types of wheat that you need to be familiar with.
1.Hard Red Wheat - Stores the longest, has the most protein and lowest moisture content of the three, and has a stronger harsher flavor. It is the cheapest per pound, around $.70
2.Hard White Wheat - Has a milder flavor, can be used for breads, pancakes etc.
3. Soft White Wheat - Has the highest moisture content of the three, will produce more tender baked goods, and is best for pastries, pastas etc. It is the most expensive per pound around $1.20
All of these will store for years - longer than you need them to as long as they are kept in air-tight containers.
Fresh ground wheat flour will produce better bread, but it loses 90% of its nutritional value in 72 hrs if it is not refrigerated. Fresh ground flour also goes rancid - treat it like a dairy product.
If you are baking with older wheat, you can add dough enhancer (found at kitchen stores - bosch, orson gygi, william sonoma) to improve the flavor and texture - 1 T per cup of ground flour.
If you are baking with hard red wheat, you can add some yogurt as a tenderizer.
YEAST
1. Active Dry Yeast - needs to be proofed, use water just above your body heat, and your dough will need a double rise.
2. Instant/Rapid Rise Yeast - does not require proofing, is better with warmer water, and your dough does not require a double rise.
Store your yeast in your freezer, opened or unopened.
Please leave comments if you have any questions, and I will leave answers.
2.Hard White Wheat - Has a milder flavor, can be used for breads, pancakes etc.
3. Soft White Wheat - Has the highest moisture content of the three, will produce more tender baked goods, and is best for pastries, pastas etc. It is the most expensive per pound around $1.20
All of these will store for years - longer than you need them to as long as they are kept in air-tight containers.
Fresh ground wheat flour will produce better bread, but it loses 90% of its nutritional value in 72 hrs if it is not refrigerated. Fresh ground flour also goes rancid - treat it like a dairy product.
If you are baking with older wheat, you can add dough enhancer (found at kitchen stores - bosch, orson gygi, william sonoma) to improve the flavor and texture - 1 T per cup of ground flour.
If you are baking with hard red wheat, you can add some yogurt as a tenderizer.
YEAST
1. Active Dry Yeast - needs to be proofed, use water just above your body heat, and your dough will need a double rise.
2. Instant/Rapid Rise Yeast - does not require proofing, is better with warmer water, and your dough does not require a double rise.
Store your yeast in your freezer, opened or unopened.
Please leave comments if you have any questions, and I will leave answers.
F.S. - Chocolate Mousse
This is a very bad picture/representation of this recipe, but please don't hold it against the mousse. It's very good. I have done it very simply, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, but you can do anything you like with it (serve on a graham cracker crust, add yummy toppings etc...)Ingredients
4 oz chocolate pudding mix
1 envelope Dream Whip (found at your local grocer in the baking isle)
1 1/8 cup milk, divided
1/2 t vanilla
Method
Using an electric mixer, beat together 1/2 cup milk and the dream whip until soft peaks form (do not over-whip). Add the rest of the milk and the pudding mix and continue beating until soft peaks form. Stir in vanilla. Spoon into serving dishes, or pie shell, and chill. Enjoy.
4 oz chocolate pudding mix
1 envelope Dream Whip (found at your local grocer in the baking isle)
1 1/8 cup milk, divided
1/2 t vanilla
Method
Using an electric mixer, beat together 1/2 cup milk and the dream whip until soft peaks form (do not over-whip). Add the rest of the milk and the pudding mix and continue beating until soft peaks form. Stir in vanilla. Spoon into serving dishes, or pie shell, and chill. Enjoy.
BLT
This is one of my all-time favorite sandwiches. Simple, easy, and satisfying. Just fry up some bacon, finely shred romaine lettuce and toss with mayo, slice some fresh tomatoes, pile it on top of a piece of lightly toasted honey-wheat bread, and season with salt and fresh ground pepper. I like mine open faced, but you do what you like.
p.s. Food Storage updates are on their way. There's going to be a down pour of recipes and information.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
James loves his Dad
From the minute James was born, he was searching for Shane, craning his neck in the direction of Shane's voice. There has been an unmistakable bond between the two of them right from the start. James loves his Dad. If Shane is in the room, James will just stare at him until Shane looks over at him, and then light up with a big smile. It is a beautiful thing to watch, and the feeling is mutual. James is Shane's pride and joy. He takes him everywhere with him, talks with him, teaches him, and plays with him every chance he gets.Dear Shane,
Watching you transform into a Dad has been one of the happiest experiences of my life. You amaze and surprise me everyday. Thank you for for taking such good care of our baby. I love you.
Happy Father's Day.Saturday, June 20, 2009
We're back...
Have you missed this face?We have been gone for a long time. D.C., NY, D.C., Provo, St. George, and home again. Almost a month total of travel, and as nice as it was, it's always nice to be home again.
I have A LOT to catch you up on.
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