A little slice of heaven

When I was kid my family didn't have a lot of money.  A single mom with two little kids . . . it was rough but we didn't suffer.  Mom made do with what she had . . . she was economical; she gardened and canned the produce, she bought milk and meat from local farmers, she shopped with coupons and looked for bargains.


There was always food in the house but you didn't eat anything without prior approval; groceries were purchased for intended meals.  And, because we lived about 30 miles from the nearest grocery store you couldn't just go pick something up at the corner store if you ran out.  


And, because we lived so far from the store mom did one major shopping trip a month . . . that's right . . . grocery shopping once a month.  Everything that was freezable was frozen and everything else was either refrigerated or non-perishable. Towards the end of the month pickins were getting slim.


I was what would be classified today as a latchkey-kid. So, when I got home from school and wanted a snack sometimes I had to get creative. Chips, pretzels, corn chips?  I don't think so . . . mom didn't have junk food in the house.   Getting close to shopping time there wasn't always stuff to make a full-blown sandwich.    But there was always bread.  


Options were often minimal . . . sometimes I'd make a cheese and mustard sandwich.  


Peanut butter and jelly was another choice.  Sometimes I might make a peanut butter and dill pickle sandwich . . . don't knock 'til you try it; sweet and sour and crunchy.  And if there were Bacos . . . peanut butter and Bacos; sweet and salty and crunchy.


Now if the cupboards were really running low there was always mayonnaise or ketchup.  So, I'd hook myself up with a plain ol' mayonaise sandwich (or Miracle Whip, even better) or a plain ol' ketchup sandwich . . . take a piece of bread slather some mayo or ketchup on it and eat.  Don't laugh . . . sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do.


My favorite, however, was cinnamon/sugar bread . . . smear some margarine on a piece of bread and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Like a little slice of heaven.  

Cinnamon Toast Rolls

12 Slices of Very Soft, FreshWhite Bread

1/4 Cup Melted Butter

Cinnamon Sugar (1 TbspCinnamon to ½ Cup Sugar)

Preheat the oven to 375degrees.

If desired, cut the crustsfrom a slice of bread.  Roll until verythin. Spread both sides of the bread with melted butter and then sprinkle oneside with the cinnamon sugar, making sure to cover very well.  

Fold eachside into the middle and then gently roll up and place in a buttered minimuffin tin.  Sprinkle with a little more cinnamon sugar.  

Alternately, you can fold thebread into a triangle, and then fold into another smaller triangle and place ona parchment-covered baking sheet.

When all of the rolls are made,bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are just starting to turn golden brownand get a little crisp.  Remove from the muffin tin to cool.

If desired, drizzle with someicing made with powdered sugar that's been moistened with a little milk.

Love is like an hourglass, with the heart filling up as the brain empties

Is French Toast really and truly French?  Although France has their own version of this nom-dilly-ish-ous breakfast treat it doesn't originate there.  Prior to World War I, the dish was commonly known as German toast in America, but that the name was changed due to anti-German sentiment. 

There is a different version of “French Toast” in many cultures . . . back in medieval times, when food was often scarce; every bit of food was used including what we would typically chuck in the garbage bin without a second thought.  Old stale bread was no exception; the bread would be soaked in egg to add moisture and protein and then fried in hot fat.  Even the wealthy enjoyed the egg dipped bread . . . except they would use the most expensive breads, indulgently remove the crusts and douse the toast in honey.

In fact, recipes for "French toast" can be traced to ancient Roman times.  The original French name is pain a la Romaine', or Roman bread.

French toast is so simple and inexpensive, it's no wonder it's been around so long.  Yummers!

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Strawberry-Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

• One 1- To 1 1/4-Pound Loaf Of White Bread 
• 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, Softened
• 2 Tablespoon Strawberry Preserves
• 1/2 Cup Whole Milk
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Gran Marnier         
• Pinch Salt
• Unsalted Butter
• Real Maple Syrup, Warmed

Mash the cream cheese with the preserves.  The mixture should be thick and chunky.  You can smooth it out in a food processor, if you prefer (I did).

In a shallow dish or bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, Gran Marnier, and vanilla.

Dunk the stuffed bread slices into the egg mixture and turn to coat evenly, until saturated but short of falling apart.

Warm 1 tablespoon butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Briefly cook the French toast in batches until golden brown and lightly crisp, turning once.

Place the first slices on a plate and top with a dollop of cream cheese.  

Top with a second slice and another dollop of cream cheese.  

Garnish with a sliced strawberry and drizzle with syrup. 

A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou

I’ve had problems making rye bread.  It just never seems to come out right.  It turns out that the rye flour you buy in a store is ground too fine and that makes the bread like glue inside.

That’s why most recipes instruct to mix some wheat flour with the rye flour.  Even better, buy rolled rye flakes, put them in the food processor or blender and grind until it is the texture of cornmeal.

Then use whole wheat flour made from hard wheat instead of regular white flour but add about 25% unbleached bread flour for a portion of all flour.

The dough should be fairly heavy and sticky because the coarse rye and the wheat will soak up some water during kneading, rising and baking.

You do NOT need caraway seeds to make it taste like rye bread.  I like them so I add them.

You don’t need a sour.  You can get by with making a "young" sour or sponge the evening before you bake.

This is the recipe I used.  It came out better than other rye breads I have made.  Very tasty.

Makes one 1 3/4-pound round loaf

Sponge
3/4 Cup Bread Flour
3/4 Cup Rye Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Instant Yeast
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Water, At Room Temperature

Flour Mixture
2 1/4 Cups Bread Flour
1/2 Plus 1/8 Teaspoon Instant Yeast
2 Tablespoons Caraway Seeds
1/2 Tablespoon Coarse Salt

Dough And Baking
1/2 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
About 2 Teaspoons Cornmeal For Sprinkling

Make the sponge: Combine sponge ingredients in a large or mixer bowl and whisk until very smooth, to intentionally incorporate air — this will yield a thick batter. Set it aside.

Make the flour mixture and cover the sponge: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour mixture and gently scoop it over the sponge to cover it completely. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to ferment for 1 to 4 hours at room temperature. (The sponge will bubble through the flour mixture in places.)

Mix the dough [Either with a mixer] Add the oil and mix with the dough hook on low speed for about 1 minute, until the flour is moistened enough to form a rough dough. then raise the speed to medium and mix it for 10 minutes. The dough should be very smooth and elastic, and it should jump back when pressed with a fingertip; if it is sticky, turn it out on a counter and knead in a little extra flour.

[Or by hand] Add the oil and, with a wooden spoon or your hand, stir until the flour is moistened. Knead the dough in the bowl until it comes together, then scrape it onto a very lightly floured counter. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, after which it might be a little sticky. Cover it with the inverted bowl and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. Knead the dough for another 5 to 10 minutes or until it is very smooth and elastic and your upper arms are strapless gown-ready.

Let the dough rise: Place the dough in a large container or bowl, lightly oiled. Oil the top of the dough as well. Allow the dough to rise until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Flip the bowl over and let the dough fall out on to a lightly floured counter, press it down gently, fold or form it back into a square-ish ball and allow it to rise a second time, back in the (re-oiled) bowl covered with plastic wrap for about 45 minutes.

Shape it and wait out the final rise: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and gently press it down again. Round it into a ball and set it on a cornmeal sprinkled baking sheet. Cover it with oiled plastic wrap and let it rise until almost doubled, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. When it is gently press with a fingertip, the depression will very slowly fill in.

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 450°F for about 30 minutes

Slash and bake the bread: With a sharp knife or singled-edged razor blade, make 1/4- to 1/2-inch-deep slashes in the top of the dough. Mist the dough with water and quickly but gently set the baking sheet on the hot stone or hot baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 400°F and continue baking for 30 to 40 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean

Cool the bread on a wire rack.

Frick and Frack

So, there’s me and my boy.  Working on a gardening chore together and hubby strolls along and says, “Move aside Frick and Frack, I’ll get it done faster”.  Frick and Frack?  Who’s Frick and who’s Frack?  And, what does that mean anyway?

Hubby says I am Frick and the boy is Frack.  He says because Frick is smarter than Frack.  But, really . . . Who is Frick and Frack?  Inquiring minds want to know . . . or, at least, I do.

Frick and Frack were a comedic ice-skating duo from Switzerland.    They earned their fame in Ice Follies skating in Alpine is a Lederhosen in a style that was a mockery of the grace of traditional skaters . . . that is, they did square turns rather than curved, sharp moves rather than smooth and gliding, feet pointing opposite directions, wobbly legs, cantilevered backbends that seem to defy gravity.  They were partnered for nearly 50 years and they were so well known that their names are now in common usage in many different languages.

 

“Frick and Frack” is now common slang for two people ‘who are to two people so closely associated as to be indistinguishable’.   It’s usually used in a derogatory manner.

I’m Frick and the boy is Frack . . . thanks, hunny

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Guinness Raisin Quick Bread

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 Tsp Baking Powder

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1 12-Ounce Guinness

1/2 Cup Raisins

2/3 Cup Chopped Walnuts

1 Tsp Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, then spoon into a greased loaf pan.

Bake 50 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature.

Makes one loaf.

Religion is meant to be bread for daily use, not cake for special occasions

I have a good friend that I’ve had since childhood.   He lives in the heart of Amish country in Pennsylvania.  He once told me a story that I found surprising.  He passed a horse and buggy parked on the side of the road  . . . clearly not an uncommon sight.  What was so unexpected was that two teenagers . . . a boy and a girl emerged from the woods . . . that the girl was wearing a short skirt, a revealing top and make-up, the boy was wearing jeans and a t-shirt  . . . they tossed their proper Amish garb into the buggy and walked down the road.    Amish boys and girls do not wear common English (English is the world that exists outside the Amish community) clothing and certainly not make-up.

  

The Amish maintain an 18th century lifestyle in the modern world. They are very devout in their faith. They believe in the literal interpretation and application of Scripture as the Word of God. They take seriously the Biblical commands to separate themselves from the things of the world. They believe worldliness can keep them from being close to God, and can introduce influences that could be destructive to their communities and to their way of life.

The more traditional groups are called 'old order'. They do not permit electricity or telephones in their homes. They also do not own or operate automobiles.  They do this because they believe that these things are destructive to their simple way of life. 

They do not permit the use of tractors in their fields; however, they do use modern farm equipment pulled by teams of horses or mules.

These traditional groups wear plain clothing styles, which has earned them the name "Plain People". They are a simple people that believe in God, family and community . . . in that order.

Amish communities who are members of the old order practice what is known as Rumspringa, which literally means running around. The Amish believe that adulthood begins at age 16 . . . exactly on the 16^th birthday.  It is the day to put away childish things and become an adult.  It is when young men and women are allowed to look at members of the opposite sex with romantic interest and boys are given their own horse and buggy . . . just like getting a new car! 

Unlike what has been portrayed in the popular media, Rumspringa is not a time when teenagers are permitted to run amok . . . in other words, just because they ‘an adult’ they are not allowed to experiment with drugs, alcohol, sex and other practices that decidedly go against the Amish belief system. 

Rumspringa is for young adults who are age 16 and beyond and not married.  This running around is going to sings, attend youth gatherings and dating.  The purpose of Rumspringa is a time to socialize with peers and to find a marriage partner. Once married, Rumspringa is over.

It is true that the youngsters deviate from acceptable behavior but stowing away a transistor radio or changing into English clothing and sneak off to see what the English world is like.  Some even decide to join that other world . . . but the majority stays within the Amish community for the entire lives.  

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Amish Bread Pudding


(I made two versions of this recipe.  One with dates and one with raisins. Both yummy)

This bread pudding recipe, from an old Amish cookbook, is absolutely incredible.

 You can substitute golden raisins or dates with equally delicious results.

2 cups whole milk (or 2 cups half & half)

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup brown sugar (light or dark, depending on taste preference)

3 eggs

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups bread, torn into small pieces

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Version with dates:

In medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat milk (or half & half) just until film forms over top. Combine butter and milk, stirring until butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm.

Combine sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Slowly add milk mixture.

Place bread in a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole.  Sprinkle with raisins if desired. Pour batter on top of bread.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Serve warm.

Version with Raisins: