Sunday in Iowa...

One of the picnic shelters at Lake Keomah State Park,  

Near Rose Hill, Iowa 

This photo was taken after our 11" snowfall Monday into Tuesday and several nights in the low teens  

Saturday Thoughts...Coffee Ice Cream

 This recipe for Coffee ice cream, was an attempt to see if I could make as good an ice cream without an ice cream freezer as the coffee ice cream I usually make. Both Sue and I thought it was very good and a lot less work. Even my daughter who does not like coffee or coffee ice cream thought it was excellent.   The recipe from Eagle Brand calls for 2 egg yolks, (this is an older recipe) I did beat the egg yolks with a fork and then set the dish in a pan of hot water on the stove till the eggs were warm. If you are going to do this be sure they have cooled down before adding to the ice cream base. If you are iffy about using uncooked eggs, try using egg beaters or just go without any eggs. Most of the Eagle Brand ice creams do not call them.
 This worked out well as I had yolks in the fridge from the chocolate cookies I made just a few days before. That left me with one egg
yolk and I just made a fried egg with two yolks for breakfast. 
 I added more coffee than the recipe calls for just because I thought it needed it but that is a matter of personal taste and added some chopped semi-sweet baking chocolate at the end. 

 These chocolate cookies were good with the ice cream!

Eagle Brand Coffee Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

1 Tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 2 Tablespoons warm water

2 beaten egg yolks

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups (1 pint) whipping cream whipped

chopped chocolate optional 

Directions:

If heating egg yolks do first so they have a chance to cool down. Don’t cook just warm.

In a large bowl combine Eagle Brand, the coffee and water mixture, 2 beaten egg yolks and 4 teaspoons vanilla. Fold in whipped cream.               

Pour into a 9x5 loaf pan lined with foil or plastic wrap. (the plastic wrap worked better). Freeze for at least 6 hours. Makes about 1 ½ quarts.

Baking with Baking Powder...Pineapple Date Loaf

This quick bread from   the "Farm Journal Country Cookbook"  is just excellent!  We loved the flavor and texture; moist but firm.  My husband said “not too sweet or rich”.  I used pineapple packed in juice.  The loaf cracked a little, but otherwise it didn’t disappoint.  This recipe will go in my regular baking rotation – it’s a winner any time of the year. It’s just as good with a summer salad as it would be over the holidays.  
                    Pineapple Date Loaf

     ¼      cup  butter -- softened

     ½      cup  sugar

  1          large  egg

     ¼       teaspoon  lemon extract

  8           ounces  crushed pineapple

     ¼       cup  pecans -- chopped

  2 ½       cups  sifted all-purpose flour -- 11 ounces

  2 ½       teaspoons  baking powder

     ¼       teaspoon  baking soda

  1           teaspoon  salt

     ½       cup  dates -- finely chopped

     ¼       cup  water

     ¼       cup  maraschino cherries -- chopped, well drained

(Prepare nuts and fruit.  Drain the pineapple, saving the liquid.)

Cream butter and sugar; add egg and lemon extract.  Add drained pineapple and nuts to creamed mixture.

Sift dry ingredients together.  Add dates and mix well, separating date pieces with your fingers.  Stir dry ingredients into creamed mixture alternately with reserved pineapple juice mixed with 1/4 cup water.  Fold in chopped maraschino cherries.

Pour into a greased 9 x 5 x 3" loaf pan.  (I used large Calphalon 8 x 5" pan).

Bake in preheated oven 375° about 55 minutes.  Cool in pan 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool completely.

One 9 x 5" loaf    About 16 slices

Some quick bread hints:

• Only grease the pan 1" up the sides; this prevents hard shoulders. 
• Use parchment as shown, (grease this on the bottom and 1" up the sides too), for easy removal.
• When adding flour and liquid alternately, stir in by hand, 1/3 of the flour, 1/2 of the liquid, 1/3 of the flour, then remaining liquid, then flour.
• Don't overstir, to prevent tunnels.
• Check your loaf with a toothpick 10 minutes before the specified time, pick should come out with only a few crumbs when done.  If not ready, check in 5 minute increments.  This prevents overbaking and a dry loaf.
• Freeze slices in plastic zip bags, they thaw quickly.

King Arthur Gluten Free Bread

 For those of our readers who are eating Gluten Free this bread recipe from King Arthur Flour is very, very, good. Not too hard to make as it is a batter bread and with the Instant Yeast goes fairly fast. 

 Bread products are the thing I miss the most with eating Gluten Free. However with Celiac there is no other option. Most of the bread I have tried is very bad. The bread from Aldi’s is at least edible and gives you at least some choices. This however has that beat. 

 King Arthur is saying what I have found that GF baked goods dry out fast so either eat it soon, (l share it) or slice and freeze the slices. The last two is what I did. After I ate a slice while it was still slightly warm. This is not inexpensive to make but store bought GF bread is not cheap either. When you want bread for toast, french toast or fresh this is surely worth the time and cost. I will definitely make this again and hope that some of you will give it a try.

  I would stick to King Arthur All Purpose Flour as flour blends are different from different companies and I don’t  know how it will work with a different flour.

King Arthur Gluten Free Bread
YIELD 1
 3 cups King Arthur All Purpose GF Flour
 3 tablespoons sugar
 2 teaspoons Instant Yeast
 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
 1 1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum 
1 cup warm milk
 4 tablespoons soft butter
 3 large eggs
Directions

•  Place the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and xanthan gum in a bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix till combined.
•  Using an electric mixer (hand mixer, or stand), drizzle in the milk, beating all the time; the mixture will be crumbly at first, but once all the milk is added, it'll come together.
•  Add the butter and beat until thoroughly blended.
•  Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating each in thoroughly before adding the next. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, then beat at high speed for 3 minutes, to make a very smooth, thick batter.
•  Cover the bowl, and let the thick batter rise for 1 hour.
•  Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, gently deflating the batter in the process.
•  Grease an 8 1/2" by 4 1/2" loaf pan, or a 9" x 4" x 4" pain de mie pan.
•  Scoop the dough into the pan. Press it level, using a spatula or your wet fingers.
•  Cover with greased plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise until the loaf barely crowns above the rim of the 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" pan; or until it comes to within about an inch of the rim of the 9" pain de mie pan. This should take about 45 to 60 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
•  Bake the bread for 38 to 42 minutes, until golden brown. If you're using a pain de mie pan, leave the lid on the entire time. Remove the bread from the oven, turn it out of the pan, and cool on a rack.

Tips 

•  Bread machine: Use an additional 1 large egg and 1 ounce (3 tablespoons) gluten-free flour. For best results, use a bread machine that has a pre-programmed gluten-free setting.
• If you have a 9"x4"x4" pain de mie pan, this is a great place to use it. It'll bake a taller loaf than a standard loaf pan. Bake with the lid on, or off; baking with the lid off will give you a slightly more crowned loaf; leaving the lid on will give you a slightly closer-grained loaf. If you use the lid, bake the bread for 50 minutes, with the lid on the whole time. Remove it from the oven, remove the lid, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.
• Like a baguette, this bread has a short shelf life. For best texture, reheat or toast after the first day.

Sunday in Iowa...

 

Part of the deer herd at Lake Keomah State Park  
Near Rose Hill, Iowa  

We took this photo yesterday; there were more deer scattered through the trees beside the park entrance road; they are not disturbed by cars going by or stopping.  We are told to expect more snow next week; it has been below freezing every day this week so the last snowfall hasn't completely melted yet.

Saturday Thoughts...Home Canning Easy Chili with Beans

Home Canning Easy Chili with Beans  

 
After Michelle said she canned her chili recipe to take to work for lunches (she has a small kitchen in her shop), I thought that I had to try it with my easy chili recipe that uses already canned tomatoes, tomato sauce and chili beans in sauce.  I was worried that canning the recipe would make the beans too mushy, but I didn’t have to worry!  I had been freezing the extra servings of this chili, but I liked canning it so much I have already made a second batch!   I canned them in my 10 quart All-American Pressure Canner.  
I use the smaller jars (about 1 ½ cups) in chili mac, tamale bake or chili with hominy or corn, or over fritos, (or topped with fritos); over baked potatoes, or over hot dogs for the two of us or as chili for one.

                     
Home Canned Easy Chili with Beans
  2      pounds  ground beef -- thawed
  1      cup  onion -- chopped
     ½  cup  green pepper -- chopped
  2      15 ounce cans  canned tomatoes -- diced 2 cans
  2      15 ounce cans  canned chili beans in sauce -- 2 cans
  2      8 ounce cans  tomato sauce -- 2 small cans
  5      pints  jars, rings, lids
  2      12 ounce  jars, rings, lids
Thaw beef overnight if frozen, prepare onion and green pepper ahead or use frozen.  
Get out canner, jars, lids and rings and let come to room temperature.
Get out tools:  jar tongs, jar lifter, plastic knife, lid magnet, slotted spoon and ladle, jar funnel, jar filling pan with paper towels, 2 quarter sheet pans lined with paper towels or towels for cooling jars.
Prepare canner with 2 – 3 quarts water; heat with jars to warm them; prepare lids in simmered water, let stand 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, brown beef, green pepper and onion.  Drain if needed.
Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.
After bringing to a boil, pour into five pint jars and two 12 ounce jars, leaving 1" headspace, and filling 3/4 full with solids and finishing with liquid to 1" level.  Can 1 hour 15 minutes at 10 pounds pressure for 1000' altitude.  
2020:  65¢ per serving...$1.30 per pint, 98¢ per 12 ounce jar using sale ingredients

Here are a few recipes to use with your chili with beans. 

 

                    
                                Chili Mac
  1 1/2         ounces  Elbow Macaroni -- or cellentani (1 1/2 ounce)
  1 1/2         cups  chili with beans
  1               ounce  cheddar cheese -- shredded
Cook macaroni 7 minutes, drain.
Combine all ingredients except cheese; mix well.
BRING to boil; cover. Simmer on low heat 5 min., stirring occasionally, or until macaroni is done. Serve topped with cheese.
Or cook macaroni, drain and add to 1 1/2 cups hot chili.  Serve topped with cheese.
                 

        Tamale and Chili Bake

  1 ½    Cups  chili with beans
  2        Canned Tamales -- 2 Tamales for recipe (Freeze the extras)
  3        Tablespoons  Onion -- chopped
  1        ounce  Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Pour chili into two greased individual oval casseroles. Unwrap tamales and place on top of sauce.  
Top with onion and cheese and bake at 350° until bubbling hot, about 20-30 minutes.
                 

  Chili with Hominy
Combine 1 ½ cups Chili with beans and ½ can golden hominy, rinsed and drained; heat through.  Serves 2.  (You can substitute whole kernel corn for the hominy.)

Baking with Baking Powder... Baked Hush Puppies

  Southern Living has several of the best Southern Cookbooks. Not the annuals from the magazine which are good, but the cookbooks they print. 

 This recipe uses a fair amount of Baking Powder so check the date on your container.

  Everyone thought they really were more like mini corn muffins than hush puppies, but good and so much better for you.

  I use my 24 cup mini muffin pan and grease them well with Crisco. They took about ten minutes to put together and 15 minutes in the oven and no greasy mess from frying them. I use my 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to put them in the pan and that goes quite fast. I don't get quite get 24 so I put water in the three empty cups so my pan won't warp. 

  Folks, if you like hushpuppies this is a really good way to go. My grandson, who is my biggest hushpuppy fan gave them 2 thumbs up, so I make them often.

Baked Hush Puppies

½ cup cornmeal

½ cup all purpose flour

½ teaspoon sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Dash cayenne pepper

⅓ cup milk

1 egg beaten

¼ cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons melted shortening or vegetable oil

  Combine dry ingredients; add remaining ingredients and stir only until blended. Place about 1 tablespoon batter into well greased 1 ½ inch mini muffin pans. Bake at 425° for 15 to 20 minutes.

YIELD: about 24       Freeze leftovers 

Gluten Free Pumpkin Custard

The Gluten Free Made Simple cookbook has many good simple recipes of which today’s is a good example. 

 Pie crust is not a thing any gluten free eaters can have and this recipe for pumpkin custard fills the bill nicely.

  It has a great flavor and texture. The only problem I had with it was that it took longer to bake than the time listed. I might not have had my oven quite hot enough and I did put all the ramekins on a rimmed cookie sheet to make sure they were easy to remove from the oven. The longer baking time didn’t hurt the taste at all, so I would just bake until a cold table knife inserted halfway between rim and center comes out clean.

  I did add a dash of allspice, cloves, and nutmeg as we like it better with these spices added. I will list them as optional in the ingredients. I used some crystalized ginger I had on hand for a garnish on the whipped cream. A good recipe from a good cookbook

Pumpkin Custard

Ingredients

2 large eggs

½ cup sugar

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ ground ginger

⅛ teaspoon each of allspice, nutmeg and cloves (Optional)

¼ teaspoon salt

1 15 oz. Can pumpkin

5 oz. Evaporated milk

Whipped cream and crystallized ginger for garnish (Optional)

Directions

  Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease eight 1 cup ramekins. In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar, spices and salt. Stir in pumpkin and evaporated milk.

  Pour into the greased dishes . Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until centers are set.

Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. When ready to eat, garnish with whipped cream and the crystallized ginger. Keep any remaining refrigerated.

Sunday in Iowa...

Calvary Wayside Chapel  

On Highway 163 east of Pella, Iowa

This roadside chapel is lovingly maintained by a group from Pella Calvary Christian Reformed Church.  Built in  1965; the structure was rebuilt by volunteers in 1996.

Saturday Thoughts...Fudgy Chocolate Flourless Cookies

 When you have egg whites left from a recipe you need to make these cookies.  Sue and John and my family all loved these!
In my case I make the cookies and then use the leftover egg yolks. I have made a similar recipe except it was a true meringue type (much harder for new cooks) and uses coconut and vinegar among the ingredients and I don’t keep coconut on hand.
The cookies are simple to make, use only ingredients that most home bakers will have on hand or are easily bought in most grocery or even dollar stores. They are flourless so they are great for Celiacs or people needing to eat Gluten Free.
 Light and crispy on the outside they are soft and fudgy on the inside. Baking them the shorter baking time makes them softer in the centers and the longer time makes the centers set up more. I have done them both ways and like them equally well. The cocoa is baking cocoa, not presweetened hot chocolate mix and I used a 4 ounce bar of semisweet Bakers baking chocolate for the chopped chocolate called for. 
 This makes about 20 cookies, just enough so that it doesn’t take a lot of time to make them and there is not a large amount of cookies to tempt you to eat them all. Now all I have to do is find something to do with the egg yolks! The recipe is from My Recipes web site and I have had good results from their recipes.

Fudgy Chocolate Flourless Cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Ingredients:
3 cups powdered sugar
11/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (4-oz.) bar semisweet chocolate bar, chopped
1 cup toasted chopped pecans
Directions
While oven is preheating sift together powdered sugar, cocoa and salt in large bowl.
Whisk egg whites until frothy. Stir egg whites and vanilla into powdered sugar mixture. The batter will be stiff. Stir in chocolate and pecans (or nuts of your choice) until combined.
Drop cookies 2 ½ to 3 inches apart, a cookie scoop works well, about 2 tablespoons on cookie sheet lined with parchment, lightly greased with shortening or cooking spray.
Bake until tops are shiny and cracked, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes; transfer to wire racks and cool, completely.(or they are really good warm).
 

Baking Powder Facts and History

Baking Powder is a leavening agent that contains a combination of baking soda, cream of tartar, and a moisture absorber (like cornstarch).  It is used like yeast, but it acts much more quickly.

Baking Powder is used in batters where there is no acid present, such as in: cookies, cakes, pastries, pies, quick bread, etc. It makes the baked goods voluminous by allowing gas formation when an acid comes into contact with it and/or when it is heated.

Because it acts immediately upon the addition of water, a filler (usually cornstarch) is added to absorb the moisture and prevent premature activity.

Types of Baking Powder:

Double-acting:  Most baking powders are double-acting, which means it reacts twice;  one acid that dissolves when it comes in contact with water and a second acid that does not dissolve until it reaches a higher temperature.  This type of double action ensures that the finished product is light and fluffy.

Single-acting:  Mainly used by manufacturers and are usually not available for retail sale.

How To Purchase Baking Powder:

When buying and stocking up, try to find the most current date available by looking for a manufacturing or expiration date on the product.  Keep in mind when it was manufactured and how long it has been sitting on the store’s shelf, because time weakens its potency.

Just because you bought it last week, it does not mean it was made last week and is as fresh as possible.

Once a can is opened, it should be good for 3 to 6 months.

How To Store Baking Powder:

Store at room temperature in a dry place.

A cabinet or pantry away from the sink or heat source (such as the stove, direct sunlight), is a perfect place.

Do not store in the refrigerator as it may shorten the shelf life due to condensation that occurs on the can.

King Arthur GF Brownies

  Most baked goods that are Gluten Free are tasteless, dry and crumbly. I have been trying some recipes to see if I can  find one that is not too expensive to make and worth the time and money it costs. Since I seem to have a craving for Chocolate right now, I tried this recipe for brownies from King Arthur flour. 

 I have found that recipes from companies that make the product are usually good. After all they want to sell that product. I have used their Measure for Measure with some success, but it is not cheap and I can’t find locally. 

 Their All purpose Gluten Free flour is less expensive and both of the grocery stores here carry it. That is what is used in this recipe and while I might not know how long they would keep as when my daughter and grandkids stopped most of them walked out the door and I will eat what I have left in a few days. They recommend wrapping them in plastic wrap to keep better.

 They are rich and chocolatey and really don’t need frosting. Would be good as a desert with ice cream or whipped cream or just plain with a cup of coffee for coffee time. I baked mine in my counter top convection oven and baked about 10 minutes longer at 325° instead of 350°.

Gluten Free Brownies
YIELD 16 brownies
1 1/2 cups sugar 
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup (2 1/2 ounces) baking cocoa 
3 large eggs
3/4 cup King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips, optional
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
Directions
 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8" square pan or 9" round pan; either should be at least 2" deep.
 Place the sugar, butter, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl or saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring with a heatproof spatula until the butter melts and the mixture lightens in color. This step helps melt the sugar, which will give the brownies a shiny crust.
 If you've heated the sugar and butter in a saucepan, transfer the mixture to a bowl; otherwise, just leave the hot ingredients right in their microwave-safe bowl. Blend in the vanilla and cocoa, then add the eggs and mix until shiny.
 Blend in the flour blend and the baking powder. Stir in the chips and/or nuts, if you're using them.
 Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it to the edges.
 Bake the brownies for 33 to 38 minutes, until the top is set; and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or nearly so, with perhaps a few wet crumbs, or a tiny touch of chocolate at the tip of the tester.
 Remove from the oven and cool for about 15 minutes before cutting. Once the brownies are cool, cover tightly with plastic.
 Yield: 16 brownies.

For easiest slicing, wait at least 15 minutes before serving. And for prettiest (crumb-free) servings, wait till brownies are completely cool before cutting.

Sunday in Iowa...

The Keokuk County Fairgrounds  

  In What Cheer, Iowa    

About the only time of year they are quiet;  

although they usually have bingo in the winter, and harness racing, figure 8 car races, motocross, tractor pulls in season and a huge, well-known flea market that is usually on in May, August and October, as well as the county fair.

Saturday Thoughts...Longing for a Hoosier cabinet...

Myrna and I were talking about Hoosier cabinets…I’ve always admired them; they were built and sold to ladies who actually baked from scratch!  The ads for them mention that they were scientifically designed…for step-saving and ergonomics.  Everything you really needed to bake was right in front of you.

I loved the flour bins, a sugar jar, and the other accessories you could buy.  What I really love is the pull-out large sanitary enameled work surface…you could roll out your cookies, knead your bread, make pie crust right on that surface!  And all the accessories that were available!

Our Mom and Grandmother didn’t have Hoosier cabinets because they were married to men in the construction and home building business and they had built-in cabinets…but with things like flour and sugar bins, pull-out bread boards and counters that were custom height. 

If you look around kitchens today, they are not really convenient.  Whenever I move to a new kitchen…and because my husband was in the military for some time and we have moved around since he got out, I have done that more than I like, I try to set it up as conveniently as possible, with a baking center, dishes between the sink and table, pots and utensils by the stove, etc. I keep those Hoosier cabinets in mind when I set up my baking area, and I use the inside upper doors for my most used recipes, and other useful information.

Baking with Baking Powder...Cookbook Reviews

If you like to bake from scratch I found these excellent, well-written old cook booklets you can download from Michigan State University’s "little" cookbook collection.  They include most of the recipes that Mom and Grandma made, and that you see in other cookbooks.  They give clear directions, black and white how-to photos, and lots of variations of basic recipes.
These recipes are all for baking using baking powder, and were put out the Calumet…the baking powder Myrna and I still use.  They also have recipes to use your cake flour.
It’s interesting that all the cake recipes indicate right under the title how many eggs are needed…they’re from an era when many housewives had chickens in the back yard, like our Mom and Grandma.  Many of the cooks of these eras made their reputation on wonderful cakes.

You can either view these booklets online or download it free to keep.

The Calumet Treasury Of Home Baking: A Collection Of Plain And Fancy Recipes You'll Want To Bake Again And Again [1979]    
(View)
This is a 23 page booklet that includes everything you can bake with baking powder…biscuits in 10 variations, muffins, pancakes and waffles including crepes and chocolate waffles, shortcakes and coffeecakes, cornbread recipes including cornbread shortcake, and cakes and frostings including Blitz Torte.  If you want to bake from scratch, this is your book!

The Perfect Baking Combination-Calumet Baking Powder And Swans Down Cake Flour  1936 

(View)
This 12 page booklet has recipes for 1, 2 and 3 egg cakes, including appropriate frostings.  At the end of the booklet they recommend the next booklet.

The Calumet Book Of Oven Triumphs!  (1934)  
(View)
If you want to make those favorite recipes Grandma and Mom made they are in this booklet from Calumet.
This 32 page book has some good ideas…I especially liked the idea that you can make your cake or muffin batter and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to bake…they explain how to do it.  The idea is used in their “Miracle Cake” (on page 11) which make 3 different cakes from the same batch of batter…a cupcake recipe, jam squares and an orange layer cake.  The idea is to make the batter, divide it into pans for storing and baking in all 3 ways.  You can bake a new dessert for 3 days in a row!  Great when you have company for the weekend.
The booklet has favorite recipes for butter cakes, sponge cakes and roll cakes, cookies, frostings and fillings, biscuits of all kinds, coffee cakes, cornbreads, muffins, waffles and pancakes.  There are at least several versions in each category…it’s a keeper!

King Arthur Gluten Free Web Site and Recipes

If, like me, you need to bake Gluten Free, you need to check out the King Arthur web site. https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free

 They have a great collection of GF recipes not all of them for sweet things. I recently tried their yeast bread recipe and it was a major hit. 

 Directions in all of their recipes are clear and concise and when followed give you great tasting baked goods. I highly recommend them and also their regular recipes if you don’t need or want to bake GF.  

 I don’t do a lot of baking for Gluten Free items as it becomes costly, but if you want a great site for recipes this is the site to go to. When the recipe works it then becomes worth the cost. The Brownies are also excellent. Buying the flour instead of the GF  mixes helps with the cost and is more versatile.

 While you are there take a look at the store items they have for sale. I can sometimes find the all purpose and the baking mix in my local store but if you have enough of an order the postage is often free and they run quite a few sales if you sign up for their email.

 Great web sites that are clear, easy to follow and arranged in a logical manner are not as easy for find and this site manages to do all of the above. Worth looking at no manner how you bake. Keep in mind that web sites that are selling an item that is used in a recipe are going to post their best recipes so you will bake from them which I have no problem doing.

Sunday in Iowa...

Snow or not...

still have to hang the wash 

near Cantril, Iowa  

We got 2 rounds of snow this week, about 6 inches on the ground with freezing rain on top...not our first snow but it's lasting a few days

Saturday Thoughts...Small Recipes...Grandma's Peas and Carrots

 

If you remember Grandma making creamed peas and carrots, here’s the best recipe, from the "Farm Journal Country Cookbook 1959".  
The sauce is thickened with the cream and egg yolk which makes it gluten-free too, and it also freezes if you want to save half of the sauce for another time and prepare half the vegetables each time for 1 or 2 servings.  If you have a mandoline, it makes slicing the carrots easy.
Creamed Peas and Carrots
  1             cup  carrot slices, sliced thinly
¼              cup   onion, diced (optional)
  1             cup  frozen peas
  1             large  egg yolk
  1             cup  heavy cream
  2             tablespoons  butter
     1/2      teaspoon  sugar
                 salt and pepper -- to taste
                 fresh dill, if you have it
Slice carrots and cook with onion in 1 inch of water for 15 minutes.  Add frozen peas and cook another 2 or 3 minutes.  Drain.
Combine the egg yolk with the cream, butter and sugar.  Heat until mixture thickens in same pan.
Add the cooked vegetables, heat through.  Season with salt and pepper and fresh dill if desired.  

4 servings