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Crock-pot Vegetable Lentil Soup

Crock-pot Vegetable Lentil SoupI love when I don’t have to go to the store and can make a wholesome meal from my food storage and garden.  This vegetarian soup is hearty and filling.  Because it’s made with lentils and rice you get a complete protein!

Recipe

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

3-4 ribs celery, chopped

3-4 carrots, chopped

1 pound baby mushrooms, chopped

1 cup dry lentils

1 cup dry brown rice

8 cups organic chicken stock or vegetable stock if you wan to make it vegan

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

2 cups fresh chopped Swiss chard

Sea salt and pepper

Add all ingredients to the crock-pot except for the Swiss chard.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.  Add the Swiss chard at the very end just before serving and stir to heat through.  Add salt and pepper to taste.   Serve with warm homemade bread and green salad.

 

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Spaghetti Squash Mash with Basil and Mozzarella

Spaghetti Squash Mash with Basil and MozerrellaI wasn’t a fan of squash growing up as a kid, but over time I have learned to love squash prepared certain ways.  This is one that I salivate over!  It’s so good and very simple to make!

Recipe

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Cut a large spaghetti squash in half and fill the cavities with 8 garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons butter.  Drizzle with olive oil and cover with foil.  Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes until squash is soft.

Scrape out the squash into a bowl and add 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 1/4 cup basil pesto.  Add 1 cup shredded mozzarella, salt and pepper to taste and mix well.  Serve warm with fresh tomatoes.

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Rosemary Honey Pound Cake

Rosemary Honey Pound CakeI would have to say rosemary is one of my most favorite herbs.  It’s right up there with butter in making just about any dish better!  This rich dense pound cake is lovely all by itself, but is also very good with an extra drizzle of honey and herbal tea.

Recipe

Rosemary Honey

1 cup honey

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

In a small sauce pan heat the honey and rosemary on very low heat.  Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes and set aside.

Rosemary Honey

If you have two weeks before you plan on making the pound cake try making your rosemary honey in the warmth of a south facing window seal by placing the sprigs of rosemary in honey.

Pound Cake

1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), softened

1  1/4 cups  organic sugar

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons rosemary honey

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped finely

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Zest of one lemon

2 cups cake flour or (7/8 cup + 2 tablespoons corn starch (per cup))

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a bread loaf pan with Pam spray or grease with butter.

In an electric bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar.  Add the eggs, honey, vanilla, rosemary and zest and beat until combined.  Add the flour, salt and powder.  Mix until combined and pour into the loaf pan, smoothing the top.  Bake for 50-60 minutes.  Make sure the cake is done by inserting a toothpick or knife and make sure it pulls out clean.  Cool for 15 minutes and then invert onto a baking rack.  While still warm, pour the remainder of the rosemary honey on top of the cake.  Allow to completely cool and serve with your favorite herbal tea.

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Winter Minestrone

Winter MinestroneThis soup is so delicious and so good for you!  It could almost be a stew it’s so rich and hearty and goes perfectly with my Homemade Croutons!

Recipe

olive oil

2 onions, chopped

3-4 carrots, chopped

3-4 celery stalks, chopped

1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 quart (28 oz.) chopped tomatoes

8 cups Organic chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1 cup uncooked small pasta, such as macaroni

1 (15-oz.) can northern white beans, drained and rinsed

8-10 ounces fresh spinach

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons pesto

Fresh Parmesan cheese

In a large dutch oven heat the oil and add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic and thyme.  Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.  Add tomatoes, stock and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil and cook until the vegetables are almost tender.  Add the pasta.  Once the pasta is almost cooked add the beans to heat through. Add the wine and spinach, heat until spinach has just wilted.  Turn off heat and add pesto.  Serve with Parmesan and croutons.

 

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Batter Dinner Rolls with Orange Roll Variation

Orange RollsThis is a long time family recipe!  The regular batter roll recipe came from my grandma Marilyn and the orange variation is from my mother.   Both are wonderful for just about any meal, including dessert!   The batter rolls (and orange variation) are very simple to make.  All pictures show the orange variation, but the batter roll instructions are posted as well.  This recipe makes 24 rolls, but is easily doubled.

Recipe

1  1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup organic sugar

1/4 cup butter

2 eggs

1 tablespoon yeast

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups cups all-purpose flour

 

In a medium sauce pan heat butter, milk and sugar just until the butter is melted.  Beat the eggs in an electric mixer.  Add the milk mixture to the eggs very slowly.  Add 2 cups flour and mix.  Add the yeast and salt, mix.  Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour.  Knead for 4 minutes.  Dough will be sticky.  Allow to raise until doubled, about an hour.  On a floured surface divide the dough in half and knead a few times shaping into a ball.

Orange Rolls 4

Roll each ball of dough into a 10-12 inch round disc.  Spread melted butter onto the surface.

 

Orange Rolls 3

For orange rolls, mix together 3/4 cup sugar and 4 tablespoons orange zest.  Spread onto dough.  Cut the disc into 12 equal pie slices with a pizza cutter.

 

Orange Rolls 2

Roll each piece from the outside in, pinching the end to the bottom so the rolls don’t come apart when baking.

 

Orange Rolls 1

Place rolls onto a jelly roll pan that has been greased.  Brush the tops of the rolls with more melted butter and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

 

Orange Glaze

While the rolls are baking make the glaze for the orange rolls.  In a large sauce pan boil for 6 minutes the following ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate or juice of 2 oranges and 4-5 drops orange essential oil

1 stick butter

Let cool slightly and pour over cooled rolls.  Enjoy!

 

 

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Crockpot Chicken Stew

Crock Pot Chicken StewI love really good comfort food that isn’t too fattening.  Especially if I don’t have to slave over it for hours.  This is healthy, hearty and full of flavor!  You’ll love the way your house smells with this simmering all day in the crock-pot.

Recipe

2 organic chicken breasts (about 2-3 pounds)

olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup white wine

4 cups organic chicken stock

3-4 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 bay leaves

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the onion, garlic, tomato paste and thyme until softened.  Add the flour and cook for one minute.  Add the wine and cook for another minute.  Add 1 cup chicken broth and stir until blended well.  Add onion mixture to the crock-pot along with the remaining 3 cups broth, potatoes, carrots, bay leaves and chicken.  Cook on high for 4hrs. or low for 6-8hrs.  Shred the chicken and add the peas and parsley at the end for the last 10 minutes to heat through.  Serve with your favorite rolls and green salad.

 

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Roasted Fall Squash Soup

Fall Squash SoupThis soup is perfect for using all the extra fall squash from the garden!  And if you didn’t grow any this year, the stores have them on sale right now!  A friend of mine shared this recipe with me and I have made it in the fall ever since.  The flavor of this soup is savory/sweet with a little hint of heat from the chipotle seasoning.  Serve with Sourdough Rosemary Flat Bread

Recipe

1 butternut squash, cut in half

1 amber cup squash, cut in half

2 yellow crookneck squash

2 onions, cut in half

6-10 cloves garlic

1 big apple

1 yam, scrubbed but not peeled

2 Anaheim or Pablano peppers, split in half and seeded

1 handful of dried tomatoes

1 cup yogurt

cream or half and half

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon chipotle seasoning

1 teaspoon dried oregano

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Roasted Veggies for Fall Squash Soup 2

As you can see in the picture I have stuffed the butternut squash with tomatoes and garlic. The peppers in the amber cup squash and placed the yellow squash, apple and onions on the pan.

 

Roasted Veggies for Fall Squash Soup 1

Flip over the squash and drizzle a little olive oil over everything.  Wrap the yam in foil and poke with a knife a few times.  Bake at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes until vegetables are soft and a little charred.

Discard peppers, scrape squash out of skins.  Add all roasted ingredients into a blender and blend or use an immersion blender in a large dutch oven pot.  In a large pot, add the yogurt and cream until thinned (you can even use chicken stock to decrease the calories).  Add the honey, chipotle, oregano and salt and pepper.  Adjust seasonings to your liking.  Serve warm.

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Sourdough Rosemary Flatbread

Sourdough Rosemary FlatbreadThis flat bread is so good!  It has the perfect combination of tartness from the sourdough, savory from the rosemary and saltiness from the sea salt.  It’s simple to make and you don’t have to worry about making pretty loaves.  This bread goes perfectly with any soup!

Recipe

1/2 cup sourdough starter

2 cups lukewarm water

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped rosemary

2 tsp. salt

5-6 cups whole wheat flour

Combine the starter, water, oil and salt in mixer.  Add 5 cups flour, then continue adding more flour until the dough “cleans” the sides of the bowl.  Knead for 10 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow to rise for 6-10 hours.  (I usually do this at night and then make the bread in the morning).  Once the dough has risen, divide in half.  Prepare 2 jelly roll pans with Pam spray.  Pat one half of the dough into a rectangular shape inside the pan with your hands.

Sourdough Rosemary Flatbread 1

Press fingertips into the dough to make divets.  Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper onto the dough.   Let raise for an hour and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

 

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Homemade Cold Processed Soap

Homemade Cold Pressed SoapA friend of mine taught me how to make cold processed soap about 5 years ago and I have been making it ever since for family and friends.  This is a variation of the recipe she used and I have loved it ever since!  It lathers and cleans very well.  You can use whatever essential oils you like.  I like to use a combination of peppermint, lavender and rosemary or tea tree.

So what is soap and how is it made?  Simply put, it is a chemical reaction  between lye (sodium hydroxide) and fat (animal or plant based, usually oils) called saponification.  When mixed together in just the right amounts, it forms a salt or soap!  Hisotrically, soap was made from rendering animal fat and adding natural lye (leached from ashes) to make soap.  There were no calculators or scales way back in the day so they would add more lye to the soap just in case so it would set up.  This irritated or burned the skin sometimes, but it was better than using to little and letting the oils separate leaving all their hard work  to go to waste.  We don’t have to worry about that today with scales and calculators.  When made correctly there shouldn’t be any lye remaining in the soap.  That’s the beauty of saponification!

Here are a few resources I like to go to for supplies and recipes.

The first website is great for recipes and lye calculator  http://pinemeadows.net/

The second is great for oils, lye and molds http://wholesalesuppliesplus.com/

The third source available locally is Jone’s Bees in Salt Lake City (2586 w. 500 s.) for lye and other oils

Supplies

One large glass bowl or heat resistant plastic bowl (for lye)
One very large metal pot for gently heating oils
One scale (preferably electric)
One electric blending stick or wooden spoon
One instant read thermometer
Rubber Gloves
Goggles
Newspaper/paper towels to put down on your counter to protect it from lye
molds to pour soap (I used a cardboard box lined with a large garbage bag)
Vinegar, in case lye gets on your skin and you need to relieve the burn

 

Recipe

40 oz. coconut oil
32 oz. palm oil
24 oz. olive oil
12 oz. avocado, grape seed or jojoba oil
4 oz. cocoa butter
16 oz. lye (sodium hydroxide)
52 oz. distilled water
1.5 oz essential oils (optional)

Put on your gloves and goggles with newspaper under the counter to protect it from the chemical reaction between lye and water.

*Warning!!! Always add lye to liquid, NOT liquid to lye!!!

Measure by weight in your scale the right amount of water, put it into bowl, then measure lye and carefully add to water. Mix with wooden spoon thoroughly, (open a window to allow airflow from fumes) and set aside.

Measure oils by weight and place in pot over a very low heat just until melted. You can use the blending stick to help break up the oils. Be careful to do it slowly and do not raise temp higher than lye temp mixture.

Check the temp of both lye and oil separately of course. When both are in between 125`- 100` then they are ready to come together. (Keep them as close together in temp as possible) Carefully add your lye mixture to the oil mixture without splashing. (I actually used a very large 6 gallon bucket) Start to mix thoroughly with blending stick or wooden spoon, (perfect time to add essential oils) until it starts to trail (leaving a trail of soap behind when it drizzles off the spoon). It will harden quickly! When this happens it is ready to pour, again be careful not to splash. Cover soap with plastic wrap and blankets to keep from cooling to quickly. Soap should be ready to cut within 24-48 hours. Once cut stack on a cooling rack allowing for air flow. Do not use soap for 4-6 weeks while it cures. Enjoy! Let me know if you have any questions. ! 🙂

 

Simplified Recipe

41 oz. coconut oil

47 oz. olive oil

47 oz. palm or palm kernel oil

20 oz. lye

47 oz. water

Follow the same directions as above.  Makes about 40 regular size bars.

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Cranberry Pear Pie

Cranberry Pear Pie 4This pie is bursting with fall flavor!  Perfect for Thanksgiving or any fall gathering party!  I have a weakness for pies and nothing beats homemade!  The sweetness of the pears and tartness of the cranberries balance each other very well.  If making pies are a bit intimidating to you, this one is perfect for beginners because it’s very straight forward, no need to make the edges perfect.  It all comes together very nicely.  Let me show you how!

Recipe

1 recipe Buttery Pie Pastry (see below)

5 large pears, peeled, cored and sliced

1  1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 egg (for egg wash)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Roll one of the dough halves out onto a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round and 1/2-inch thick disc.  Place dough into the pie plate, cut off the edges with a knife right up against the edge of the pie plate and refrigerate.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the other dough half to a 10-inch disc.

In a medium bowl mix together the sugar and cornstarch first. Add the pear slices, cranberries (fresh and dried), lemon zest and ginger.

Cranberry Pear Pie 1

Place the cranberry-pear mixture into the pie shell that was placed in the fridge.

 

Cranberry Pear Pie 2

Place the second rolled out pie disc on top of the fruit mixture and finish cutting any excess dough off the top crust.

 

Cranberry Pear Pie 3

Crimp the the edges together with a fork and cut venting slits into the pie at the top.  Crack one egg, mix with 1 tablespoon water and brush all over the top of the pie.  Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake another 45 minutes.  (As a precautionary, you may want to place a cookie sheet pan on the rack below the pie in case any juices bubble out and burn the bottom of the oven).  Let the pie cool completely and serve with whip cream or vanilla ice cream.