Rosie's Haystack Brownies

It's not Lent right now, but seeing as how this recipe doesn't seem to be on the world wide web as of yet I thought I'd share it on a global forum instead of only on a private basis (facebook). Enjoy!

Begin with the brownie base:

• 1 cup melted butter
• 2 cups organic white sugar
• 1 tsp pure organic vanilla
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup organic cocoa
• 2 cups organic all purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugar. This works well with a mixer, but you can do it by hand.
3. After the creaming stage, do switch to a spoon for mixing. Brownies tend to get tough if worked too much.
4. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix just until smooth.
5. Pour in cocoa and flour. Again, mix until smooth and lumps are broken up. But, don't go to wild on the mixing.
6. Bake for 20 minutes in 11 X 7 pan lined with parchment paper. You are taking these out of the oven 10 minutes premature and they will not be fully baked.

Prepare the macaroons while the brownies are baking....

• 4 ounces (115 grams) semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (chocolate chips work)
• 3 large (90 grams) egg whites
• 1/4 cup (25 grams) organic cocoa powder (regular or Dutch-processed)
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) organic white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure organic vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups (220 grams) sweetened flaked coconut

1. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir in the coconut and melted chocolate, making sure the coconut is well coated.
3. Carefully spread macaroon mixture over the brownies being careful not to lift the brownie and mix it with the macaroon. Place in the 350 oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool COMPLETELY before cutting. It will be hard to resist, but if you try to cut them too soon the macaroons will be sloppy. Let it set!
4. That's it. These are absolutely decadent and delightful! Enjoy!

A very delayed conclusion....

The Lent Experiment is officially over, and the budget is back to "normal" which can vary from week to week. We almost never needed our whole $2.00/day (except the youngest), and we all managed to get lots of good (organic) veggies, fruits, meats and grains during this experiment. The top of the blog says that the experiment changed our lives, so if you care to find out how, here it is:

Because most of the world lives completely on or less than $2.00/day and we couldn't possibly manage that little with our mortgage, bills, etc. we not only cut our food bill to $2.00/day per person, but we also stopped buying things. Sound easy? It's really not. Well, not at first.

We initially committed to not buying anything outside of food during Lent, and again did not allow ourselves the reprieve on Sundays (you can do a lot of shopping damage in one day!) Now, for someone who is addicted to SALE signs and to whom CLEARANCE tags make her mouth water - February and March are rotten times to not buy anything. I would tell myself, this is just for a short time, I can spend myself into oblivion when Lent is over.

It only took a few weeks of not spending money to realize how much I liked it. Our van needed WAY less gas each week, our family had lots of time to spend together (wrangling kids at a mall does NOT count as family time), and there was never any Wal-Mart blues (you buy too much crap and you feel elated for all of 15 minutes and it fades). What I really liked about not buying STUFF to make me happy was that I had to look to relationships for happiness instead. I began to feel like the consumerism circle had been a nasty trap that I didn't know I was caught in.

During this time, we also looked into how things are made. Everything from cotton for our clothing to plastic for the kids toys. Besides the slavery involved in so many of our products, the chemicals and waste involved are enough to turn anyone's stomach. This not buying stuff seemed to be a pretty good way to live.... I knew there would be no spending spree at the end of Lent.

Concessions. Do we make them? Sometimes, regrettably. Part of our new life included using our yard to grow food and teach the kids about where REAL food comes from. I refuse to water my grass, but sometimes your veggies need a sprinkle - and we didn't have a hose. We looked for a used hose, but ended up having to purchase one that was new. We decided to buy an expensive hose we hopefully wouldn't have to replace and add to the waste cycle - but it was still something new. This was our first post-Lent purchase and I still remember how hard it was for us.

The bottom line is, we are a privileged society. Even our poorest are better off than most in other parts of the world. We complain about the cost of gas, cell phone bills, entertainment costs, etc. not realizing that everything outside of food and shelter is a luxury (and EVEN those are luxurious for us). We are humans, not consumers. If someone is hurting we need to help. One person giving up cable to move those funds to a third world country may not seem like much, but last year alone North America spent 150 BILLION on entertainment. That's an average of $100.00/month per family. For some families, $100.00/month might seem like a fortune and to some it may be pocket change you spend at a sale and hardly notice. The point is to give until you notice it! Your generosity should match your prosperity. You may hate Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie as much as you hate Satan himself, but they give an entire third of their income to charity. You may think that you could do that too if you only made millions upon millions each year., but when is enough enough? To a starving family, we ARE millionaires. If we all wake up to the reality outside of what we're told is important, we might take bigger steps to escape our roles as consumers and to move into our responsibilities as humans.

This may seem preachy, or rant-like, but the more I consider others the happier I am. The more my family considers other, the better they are. I see a world trapped in debt, the consumer cycle, and self-absorbed insanity - and I'm happily digging my way out of that world into a world that makes sense. Do I think you should dig with me? Heck yes.

Peeps

Peeps

Easter is coming and I decided to give home-made Peeps a try. My hubby really likes these disgusting candies, and it's almost 100% sugar so you know kids like it too.

There is no way to find Organic or Fair Trade colored sugar, so I made my own. I know food coloring is pure evil to the health puritans, BUT as far as compromises go, I can list the ingredients I put in home made Peeps on one hand and couldn't say the same for any other candies that are popular this time of year.

How to Color Sugar

Put desired amount of sugar into ziploc bag. 1 cup is enough if you're making the Peep recipe. Lay the bag flat on your countertop with the sugar collected at the bottom. Put a few drops of coloring on the bag, not directly into the sugar. Close the bag and shimmy/shake/rub the sugar all around until the color is evenly distributed. Sound easy? It is.

Peeps, a la Martha Stewart

• 1 unflavored gelatin (2 1/2 teaspoons)

• 1/3 cup cold water, for gelatin, plus 1/4 cup for syrup

• 1 cup sugar

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/3 cup cold water. Allow gelatin to soften, about 5 minutes.

2. In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water and sugar, and stir over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring, and place a candy thermometer into sugar water; wipe sides of pan with a wet brush if sugar crystals have splattered up. Boil sugar until temperature reaches the soft-ball stage (238F). Remove syrup from heat; add to softened gelatin. Using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, hand-stir the mixture a few minutes to cool; place bowl on the mixer stand. Beat on medium high with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form and the marshmallow mixture holds shape, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Transfer marshmallow mixture to a large (14-inch) pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch tip, and use immediately.

* My Notes on the lovely Martha's recipe: Soft-ball technically begins at 230F, which is when I take my candy off the stove. You don't want to overcook the candy or you'll end up with a blob of hard candy in the middle of a pool of gelatin. Not pretty. I don't have piping bags, so as much as it pains me to throw something out, I use a large zip-loc type bag and once it's filled with mallow cut the tip off the bottom. Don't over cut. You can always make the hole bigger, but you can't shrink it! *

For piping instructions, visit:

http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/sugar-coated-marshmallow-bunnies-andchicks#slide_0

Learn from my mistakes!

- Pipe quickly. The texture of the mallow will start to change and get harder to shape after a while. It's best if you have a tray with sugar waiting and pipe all of your little creatures at once.

- Check your thermometer. I've emphasized the importance of this before - but a few degrees makes a big difference with candy. You can check your thermometer in boiling water - if it reads 100 when it's boiling, it's good - if not, adjust accordingly.

- I found it tricky to make any decent shapes. Adding eyes with royal icing (the joy of baking has a good recipe) may have helped, but I figured people were going to eat these no matter what they looked like. If you want to bring these to a party or something, maybe double the batch so you have lots of practice peeps.

Macleans.ca

Well, while the kids were playing after dinner I was browsing my news stories and found a couple who wrote a book about eating on a dollar a day. I don't have anything cool to share for today (recipe wise), but I will share the article:

http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/food-entertaining/articles/archive/rogers-macleans/feeding-yourself-on-a-dollar-a-day-2010-03-23

Peanut Butter Cookies & Banana Pops

I've been feeling poorly as of late, which makes me feel sad for the kids who think I'm in labour every time I take a deep breath. "Is the baby coming?" is something I hear quite often around here (even from my husband). I decided to make my little guys a treat since it's been a few weeks that I've made any cookies or cakes. Shoppers Drug Mart had their organic peanut butter on sale, so you might have guessed....

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

Preheat oven to 400F

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl (if you're lucky, a stand mixer bowl) combine:

1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix until smooth, and then slowly add dry ingredients. Bake in your preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, JUST until golden brown. You want the inside to be a little soft and chewy when these bad boys cool down. Enjoy.

Banana Pops

With the weather being so nice, my kids are always outside playing and don't really like to sit down to finish meals, snacks, etc. A great healthy snack for kids (or adults) running around like crazy is banana pops.....

You'll need:

Shish Kebab skewers

Granola (preferably homemade)

Yogurt

Bananas

- maybe some choc chips or dried cranberries

If you know you want to try this, look for straighter bananas at the grocery store as they're WAY easier to deal with for this snack.

Skewer the banana. You may freeze the banana at this point if it's really hot! (Only takes two hours for the banana to get good and cold/frozen.

Dip in Yogurt. You could either dip it right into the container of yogurt, or put some yogurt in an appropriate sized dish depending on how much you need and your views on contaminating the bacteria in the yogurt.

Roll in Granola. You may need to sprinkle some on with your hand for the inside curve part.

If you want to make it a bit fancy, throw on a FEW chocolate chips or some dried cranberries and you've got a delicious, kid friendly treat that is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters.

*This is also a good snack for kids parties, because the kids can enjoy "fun" food without all the sugar typically associated with "fun" food. *

Toffee Squares

We all have rough days, rough weeks, heck - rough months! I find the best way to pick up a loved one is to make them something deliciousl. My wonderful husband hasn't had a bad week, but he's had a long week and is in need of a little pick-me-up. Enter Toffee Squares.....

Compliments of Joy of Baking:

Shortbread:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (130 grams) all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 F and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch (20 cm) square baking pan with aluminum foil. Only have a large pan? Double the recipe.

Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Then add the salt and flour and mix just until incorporated. Spread the shortbread evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the shortbread is golden brown with well browned edges. This will take 35 minutes if the recipe has been doubled.

Topping:

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup (50 grams) almonds, toasted and chopped

Remove from oven and immediately scatter the chocolate over the hot shortbread. Return the shortbread to the oven for a minute or two or just until the chocolate softens. Remove from oven and, with an offset spatula or back of a spoon, evenly spread the chocolate. Sprinkle the chopped almonds over the chocolate. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool.

Once the chocolate has set, lift the shortbread from the pan using the edges of the foil. Place on a cutting board and, with a sharp knife, cut into squares.

Store in an airtight container. These will keep for several weeks at room temperature.

Note: To toast the almonds. Place the almonds on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 F oven for about 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let the nuts cool completely and then chop.

I love finding recipes that don't use graham cracker crust. You can't find organic graham crackers, and you certainly can't find fair trade graham crackers. I often substitute recipes that call for graham with shortbread (white sugar shortbread, not brown) and it always kicks the squares up a HUGE notch.

Stuffed potato, Chicken and Whoopsie Pie.

Because I bake and cook in bulk, I had the liberty of pretty much taking the week off from the kitchen last week. We were busy with field trips and fun-filled March Break days which included the Maple Syrup Festival at Westfield Heritage Village and bug-eating at the Butterfly Conservatory (no, we didn't count the bugs Ron and Sol ate as part of the food budget). Well, March Break is over and I suppose it's back to business...

Stuffed Potato

Are potatoes your best friend? They should be. These babies are so versatile it is literally amazing. Buy bulk potatoes that you have to wash and prepare - the frozen fries, instant mash, etc. are not only more expensive than they need to be but they're filled with crap you don't want to be eating. A favorite at our house is stuffed potato. These can be as healthy or indulgent as you'd like and can pretty much use anything you've got sitting in your fridge.

Plan on each adult eating one whole potato and each child for a half (if they're nice hand-sized potatoes). You can also make these in bulk and freeze them before they're baked - they're great for company and to throw on the bbq when you can't figure out what to eat with your steak or chicken.

Cut potato in half length-wise and boil until it's just soft enough to stick a fork through easily. Drain potatoes and let cool on a cutting board. When cold enough to handle take a spoon and scoop out the middles, leaving the skins and a bit of the potato "meat" attached to the skin. Place the guts of the potato in a bowl large enough to mash them and add your extras. If you wreck one of the skins by breaking it or scooping it too thin, just get all the potato out of it you can and don't sweat it. I usually end up over-boiling a few and they break apart before I even get the chance to scoop them.

Some people like to whip their potatoes so they're really creamy, some people like to hand mash - I don't care what you do here - just mash your potatoes how you like them!

When they're mashed it's time to add your extras. This is a great chance to sneak in nutrient rich veggies like broccoli, finely chopped asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, peppers, etc. Cook or steam veggies before adding them to the mash.

Don't forget to add herbs and spices. Chop up some fresh garlic and throw it in! Sautee some onions. Add a bit of rock salt, onion powder and chives for a traditional taste. Don't go too crazy with salt and pepper as people will more than likely throw it on top of the potato without even tasting it first (grrrr).

I like to add whatever scraps of cream cheese (flavored or not) I have in the fridge, I also like to empty the sour cream tubs that may be lurking in a back corner somewhere. You could add some butter at this point as well. Pick up any cheese on sale? Throw it in! Having cheese in these guys is so very tasty.

So you get it - throw in whatever you want and mix it into the mash.

Arrange your potatoes on a baking tray either lined with parchment paper, aluminum foil or lightly greased. If you're planning on freezing these before baking - still arrange them on a tray so you can individually freeze them before storing them. Take a hearty scoop of your filling mixture and begin to fill each potato skin. Start out by giving each potato a full scoop and add more at the end when you see how much you've got. You will probably end up with more filling than you expected depending on how many extas you added to the mash. Your potatoes will be heaping over the top with the filling mixture, but it looks so pretty and bakes fine like that. If needed, use the palm of your hand to round the filling.

If freezing, place cookie sheet flat in your freezer for a few hours. Don't forget about them or they'll dry out. When solid, transfer to a freezer bag or a box of some kind and you'll be able to take out as many or as little as you'd like.

If baking, place tray in oven at 400F for 45 minutes or until golden brown. You may want to cook them for a longer or shorter period of time depending on how soft your potatoes were to begin with. I really like over-doing mine, so I usually leave them in for an hour.

If you're going to throw these on the BBQ, place them on a sheet of aluminum foil and tent a bit of foil on the top to trap the heat better. Be sure to keep the heat low and steady until they're ready.

Serve with sour cream and ENJOY.

Chicken

I clearly live in a meat eating

household. We may not have meat every day, but we do have it often and we enjoy it. Zehrs carries a free-from meat that we like to get when it's marked down 30% or 50%. Even at a discount we can't afford the skinless boneless chicken breast, and that's fine with us because the dark meats are tastier and having to eat food from bones is a great way to stay connected to what you're eating (especially for kids).

Chicken drumsticks are most often what is marked down, so that's what we have the most of. I like to think of them as jumbo wings - that way, it's deluxe not discount!

You can prepare your chicken however you please, but I like to toss mine in a bit of vineager and salt and let it sit for a day before seasoning it. Vineager and salt sounds nasty, but it really tenderizes the meat and makes it so very very delicious. After a day of sitting in this brine mixture, I rinse the legs off and prepare to season. Asian food markets are wonderful for many reasons, but a top reason is their spices and seasoning mixes. Most asian food marts will carry a tandoori mix (red powder) and this is a great way to mix up your bbq flavors (getting away from typical bbq sauce, Diana sauce, etc.) I throw a few Tbsp of tandoori in a large plastic bag (leftover bread bag will do) and throw the legs in. Keep some air in the bag and twist the top. Shake the bag until the powder has coated the legs evenly. Throw in a bit of sauce (I use my favorite Polynesian soy sauce and liquid amino) to keep the legs moist and leave in the fridge until you're ready to bbq. If you want to eat them that night, try to get this done in the morning so the tandoori flavor can soak right in to the meat.

Be sure to cook meat that's on the bone long and slow. You'll get a nicer flavor and you won't over cook the outside by the time the inside is done. Keep an eye on meats that have more fat because they'll make your bbq flare up (yummy but keep and eye on it).

Chicken thighs are EXCELLENT for making homemade chicken parmesan. If they're not skinless and boneless when you buy them, simply do that at home (save the bones for soup stock). The dark meat is so forgiving, you can cook these a bit longer than usual and still end up with a delicious meal.

Get three cereal bowls ready - one with flour, the next with egg, the last with bread crumbs. Preheat your frying pan with a bit of oil (not olive oil, it will burn) and let it get really hot on medium heat (keep it on medium for a long time instead of high for a short time). Dip your chicken in the flour, then the egg and lastly the breadcrumbs. GENTLY place in hot oil and cook a few minutes on each side until brown and crispy. The meat should be pretty thin and if you cook these on medium heat you shouldn't have to worry about them being fully cooked. If you want to remove one of the thighs to cut it open and peek at the meat, no harm done - it's better than eating raw chicken.

When the thighs are still hot, place a scoop of either spaghetti sauce or bruschetta mix and place a slice or two of mozza cheese on top. The heat from the chicken should be enough to melt the cheese. If you want to keep them on the pan for this step, simply turn the heat off and place a lid on top to trap the heat. Don't leave it for too long or you'll risk burning the chicken.

Serve with a fresh and delicious salad and you can't go wrong.

Whoopsie Pies

I overboiled an awful lot of potatoes and they fell apart before I could stuff them. I used the extra mashed potato to stuff some sort of lunch thingy for the kids. I threw in broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, onion, and cheese and made a double batch of my pizza dough. Baked it for 20 minutes and now I have a cool lunch alternative that I wasn't necessarily planning on.

Tortilla

It's getting warmer, and you feel like the food you eat should match your feelings. Make HOMEMADE TORTILLAS. You can put anything in them (even little guys like a bit of peanut butter rolled up on a tortilla) and they are perfect for the whole family. Don't get frustrated if you mess a few up or don't roll them thin enough. If you somehow manage to ruin this recipe (very hard to do, but not unheard of) simply cut the tortillas into triangle shapes and fry them until crispy with a wee bit of oil in a frying pan. Use them to dip in hummus or salsa - you may "wreck" them again and again.

This recipe is compliments of The Fresh Loaf

Tortilla

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt (give or take a bit, to taste)

1/4 cup oil

1 cup warm water (approx)

Mix all the dry ingredients together, then make a hole in the middle.

Put the oil and 3/4 of the water in the hole. Mix together with hands; add more of the water until the dough is soft and not too sticky.

Divide the dough into 12 or 13 balls.

Take a ball in your hands and with the palm of your hand flatten as much as possible.

Roll out with a rolling pin

Cook in a hot pan with just a little oil, flipping as soon as bubbles appear.

That's it! If you want keep them warm while you make the whole batch, either put a damp cloth on a frying pan on medium heat with the lid on (kind of like a steamer - be careful and use discretion) or keep them in tin foil to keep them warm and pliable.

Cheap & Easy Filling Ideas

Egg Salad

Eggs are a cheap and wholesome food that everyone should incorporate into their day. For a little change in your regular egg salad, use Ranch or Caesar dressing instead of Mayonnaise, it is SO good.

Veggies

Deli meat can be expensive, why not fill the wrap with veggies and your favorite sauce? Lettuce, shredded carrot, cucumber and bean sprouts are delicious with a bit of raspberry vinaigrette. Sprinkle a bit of cheese in there for variety and you've got one tasty wrap.

Mexican Fare

Why not make a traditional tortilla? Spread refried beans all over the tortilla, put in some ground meat (seasoned of course), salsa, lettuce and cheese and you will have a family favorite. You may think Taco Bell is "cheap" but not when you compare it to the cost of making it at home - PLUS when you're making it at home you know exactly what is in your food.

"Don't Throw that Peel Away"

We took a field trip to Westfield Heritage Village today, and I am POOPED! Even Ron fell asleep on the drive home, and he's not 8 months pregnant! Anyways, while I don't have any recipes for the day I did read a really good article on why not to throw out skins, etc. Enjoy, and definitely think about skins before peeling them off and throwing them out!

From: The Healthy Plate, by Mairlyn Smith

As a champion for the world of fruits and vegetables it has occurred to me that a lot of us are throwing out valuable parts of our produce with nether a care.

So before you peel that carrot here are some produce part tips.

I can't remember the last time I peeled a carrot or a parsnip. The peel or outer layer of any fruit and vegetable has a concentration of antioxidants that protect the plant from disease. When we eat those outer layers we too get protection from disease. These naturally occurring defense mechanisms are called antioxidants and research unveils almost daily yet another reason why we need to eat our produce.

As long as you scrub this outer peel well there is no need to peel carrots, parsnips, new potatoes, or young sweet potatoes. Rutabagas are a different story - the outer peel has been waxed so off it comes.

I save the washed ends of carrots, parsnips, celery, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, or cauliflower, and any kind of onion in a freezer-safe container until I have enough to make a vegetable soup stock. I simply add all of the frozen bits and pieces to water, throw in some garlic and a bay leaf, and simmer covered for at least an hour. Voilá homemade stock.

Baking potatoes only need a scrub. I toss well scrubbed sweet potatoes and baking potatoes that are chopped into smaller pieces with canola oil and roast them in the oven. I even mash new potatoes with the peel on - mind you I have changed the name to Smashed Spring Potatoes to explain why the peel is on, but it gets rave reviews.

Beet tops are in my opinion the best part of the beet. When I was a kid my parents had a huge vegetable garden and beets were one of their favourite crops. The best part of those purple orbs was the deep leafy greens my mom steamed and served with a little bit of butter or vinegar.

The zest off an orange, lemon or lime is a bonus for home cooks. Wash citrus really well, dry and then using a zester remove the thin outer peel to add to your baking, pasta or rice dishes, or a bowl of yogurt. The zest really kicks up the flavour as well as the nutrient density of what you're eating. I love adding orange zest to my chocolate chip cookie recipe.

After you have squeezed the juice from a lemon throw them into a big jug of water for a hint of lemon flavour.

Have a small heel of cabbage left over? Shred it to a make an easy cole slaw. Add a diced apple and some red onion, dress with oil and vinegar and you have a side salad.

Leave the peel on a well washed English cucumber or a really tender cucumber. They peel is the most nutrient dense part.

Don't throw out the fluffy green ends of celery - they can go into a soup stock or can be diced and added to a rice pilaf.

I now eat peach peel. I just gently rub off the fuzzy stuff under running water.

Banana peels? Well I don't want you to eat them but my mother, who grew prize roses, swore that her roses were so amazing because she buried banana peels around each rose bush. They will compost, just bury them deep enough so the skunks and raccoons don't dig up your flowers.

And don't even think about peeling an apple, even for cooking. I have grated whole apples into pancakes, muffins and soups and no one knows the peel was even on it. And, yes, that is where most of the disease lowering antioxidants are. Just scrub well.

The general rule is if the peel is soft, thin, and tastes like the fruit or vegetable you can eat it. If the outer layer is hairy, warty, thick or bitter you can't eat it. Let common sense prevail.

Some people call this economical cooking. I like to call it nutrient dense cooking.

If you're concerned about pesticides then buy organic, but remember they still use pesticides albeit more environmentally friendly ones and you still need to wash or scrub all your produce before you start cooking or eating it.

Bagels, and ALMOST Linda's Chelsea Buns

Bagels

Homemade bagels are INCREDIBLY simple. Not only do you not need the same rising time or baking time as bread, you don't really need any skill either! Seriously, if you try nothing else from the Lent Experiment, give bagels a chance.

* A comment about yeast * If you plan on making things that require yeast on a regular basis DO NOT buy the individual packets. The price difference between those little packages and bulk is unreal. Places like Zehrs and RCSS carry a bulk package of "Bakers Yeast" that costs pennies per tsp. Yeast is time sensitive and should be kept in a cool, dry place. You should also keep it in a container that is sealed to optimize it's life. Instant yeast doesn't always need to be "proofed" for all recipes, but it's a good way to check that it hasn't died. I've kept mine for up to a year with n

o problems - just be sure to check it before

you waste ingredients.

Homemade Bagel

1 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1-1/4- 1-1/2 cups of warm water

2 tsp yeast

4 cups flour

Dissolve, sugar and salt in warm water. Add oil and sprinkle with yeast. Add flour until dough pulls from the side of the bowl. Transfer to work surface and knead for 10 min. or so. This dough should be quite tough to knead and very firm. Cut dough into 8 equal sized pieces, roll into balls, cover with dry towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

To shape the bagels, the easiest thing to do is put your finger or thumb through the middle of the dough ball. Work the dough into the standard bagel shape, making sure it's even all around. If it's not even, don't sweat it - homemade can look less than professional - no one, and I mean no one will complain.

Let rest again for another 20-30 minutes. After 10 minutes are up turn your oven on to 500F and get a big pot of water boiling.

Prepare your baking tray by lining it with parchment paper or greasing it very lightly with vegetable oil.

Once water is at a rolling boil and bagels have rested for at least 20 minutes (they should start to look puffy) drop the bagels in the water and boil on each side for 1 minute. If you have a cooling rack, let the bagels rest on it for a few minutes before putting on baking tray - if not, no sweat.

This is the time for toppings. As you may guess, anything goes. I've made everything bagels (poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dehydrated onion and garlic salt), sesame bagels, plain, etc. once you're more familiar with bagel making you can add ingredients to the dough (cinnamon raisin) but plain is best to start.

Bake at 500F for 10 minutes. Let cool for as long as you can stand it & enjoy.

* If you have malt powder or liquid at home, find a recipe that uses malt. It's the more authentic way to make bagels, and improves their color. I don't use it because I have no other need for it, but if you've got it - try it!*

Almost Linda's Chelsea Buns

Somehow, with all the siblings my Mom and Dad gave me, they managed to miss one. Linda DEFINITELY should have been my sister. She bakes like a queen, but is also very funny and beautiful. I absolutely adore her. One night around a campfire I got her Chelsea bun recipe off of her. She only spoke it to me (there's no pen and paper at a campfire!) so there are a few alteratio

ns that may or may not be part of the recipe. It still tastes great, but that's why they're called ALMOST Linda's Chelsea Buns.

2 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp oil

1 tsp salt

4 cups warm water

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp yeast

Dissolve sugar and salt in warm water. Add oil. Combine flour and yeast, add to wet ingredients and let proof (15 minutes).

Add up to 5 more cups of flour until you get the right dough consistency. You're looking for something similar to a bread dough but a bit firmer.

Let rise until doubled in bulk.

Butter (roughly 3/4 cup)

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon (or to taste)

While bread is rising, prepare butter by whipping some into a frenzy. It needs to be easily spreadable but still thick.

Prepare baking dish by slathering the bottom with a generous helping of butter. You don't want to be able to see through the bottom if you're using glass.

When dough has risen, punch down and place on work surface. Roll into rectangle shape 1/4" thick. Brush with butter (don't be shy). Mix sugars and cinnamon in a bowl and sprinkle the buttered rectangle - make sure you save some of the sugar mixture and sprinkle the bottom of the baking dish with whatever remains. You want enough sugar to make a syrup with the butter, but not to make a crust. Roll dough into log, pinch seam, and slice into 1-2" rounds. Place buns into prepared pan, cover with damp cloth and let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F.

When oven and buns are ready, place buns on middle rack and bake for ROUGLY 30 minutes. If you make 8 humungous buns (as I did today) you will need to bake them for around 45 minutes, but if you use a larger pan and make 12-15 smaller buns, 30 minutes should be adequate. When you think your buns are done, take them out of the oven and carefully peek between two of them - if the dough is cooked it's ready, if not - it's not. If you are worried about the top getting too crunchy before the buns are thoroughly cooked, you can "tent" aluminum foil over the tops for 10 minutes or so.

Enjoy, and thank Linda.

Bread Tips with Rose of Sharon

You know that I couldn't use the oven for only TWO measly items. Sol is addicted to egg salad on bread right now, so I figured I might as well throw a few loaves in while I was baking anyway. I thought I'd share some tips that I don't always use, unless I'm trying to impress people with my amazing bread. Typically, I just throw bread in the oven because it gets gobbled so quickly - but when it's for a gift or company is coming, there are a few things to do that can improve your favorite loaf.

1. Super-heat your oven. If the recipe calls for the oven to be at 350F, blast it to 450 or even 500 and when you put the bread it turn it back to whatever it's supposed to bake at. This gives your yeast a quick burst of heat to really make your bread rise.

2. Steam. Know your oven before attempting this one, because all kitchen appliances are NOT made equal. If you have an oven that can handle it, there are a few ways to steam your bread while baking. You can boil water and put it in a baking dish below the bread so that there is a constant steam in the oven. You can put your bread in and carefully "throw" 1/2 cup hot water on the bottom of your oven to create a burst of steam that will keep your bread moist. Use an oven mitt while doing the last one incase your arm/hand gets in the way of the steam.

3. Boost your heat. Do you have a baking stone? Even if you're not using it for the bread you're making, place it on the rack below your bread to keep the temperature as solid as possible. Be sure to place it in the oven as you're heating it, not when it's at it's goal temperature. You can also use unglazed terra-cotta for this, but I've yet to find any.

That's it for today.... Happy Baking!

Busy Bee Baking

Yesterday I wrote about cabbage rolls and that you should bake other things while the oven is at 350 for four hours. Well... today, I threw in some frozen cabbage rolls and rolled up my sleeves...

Starter: White Sandwich Bread 1tsp sugar 1/2 cup warm water 1 2/3 cups warm milk 2 Tbsp active dry yeast Dissolve sugar in warm water and milk, and sprinkle top with yeast. Let stand for 5-10 minutes or frothy. 3 Tbsp honey 2 tsp salt 2 Tbsp oil 5 cups flour (may need more for kneading

Add honey, salt, and oil. Add flour two cups at a time, until dough pulls from side of bowl and becomes hard to mix with spoon. The actual amount of flour you will need depends on your environmental factors. Turn dough onto floured board and knead for 10 minutes or so. You don't want the dough to stick to your hands, but you don't want it to become too dry either - so be careful when adding flour to your work surface. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat it. Cover with damp dishtowel/cloth and let rise for 1hr or until double in size. Punch dough, removing most bubbles. Cut as evenly in half as you can and shape your loaves. There are online tutorials on how to shape loaves if you need help with this step. Place loaves in prepared bread pans - I use parchment paper but you can grease your pan lightly. (If you use parchment, re-use it over and over again until it flakes apart - it's a great way to save time and money. Just keep it in your bread pan until next time). Cover with damp dishtowel/cloth, and let rise for 45 minutes - 1 hour. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes. Cool 10-15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy. *If you want to cut home made bread into nice thin pieces, just wait until it's completely cool (or even wait overnight if you can). We usually lop off a nice thick piece while it's warm and devour it, saving the rest for actual sandwiches.* Rewind.... 10 minutes until bread is done and it's time to start some muffins: Ready-to-go snacks and breakfast foods are key to keeping yourself on a budget. We don't have a lot of sweets around right now, and the cookies Ron made on Sunday have completely disappeared so I decided to make.... Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins • 1/2 cup butter, melted • 3/4 cup milk (or 1/2c milk and 1/4 cup water) • 2 large • 1 3/4 cups flour • 1/2 cup sugar • 1 tablespoon baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 3/4 cups chocolate chips • 1 cup fresh or frozen whole raspberries Preheat your oven to 350°F Lightly grease (or line with cupcake papers) a 12-cup muffin pan In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, milk, and eggs. Be sure your melted butter is not hot or you'll cook the eggs! In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips. Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir until combined. Add raspberries and stir until it's evenly distributed in batter. Bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes, until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out relatively clean (there may be raspberry or melted chocolate on it). Your baking time will depend on whether or not you used fresh or frozen fruit, and if you chose to replace raspberries with blueberries or blackberries. Keep an eye on them from 25 minutes on, you may find you need to cook them a little past 30 minutes. Remove muffins from the oven, and let them cool.... if you can. While my muffins were baking, I had a peek through the fridge and found 1/4 pack of bacon that needed to be used almost that minute! The meat wasn't bad (please don't use rotten meat) but it was definitely ready to say adieu. Wasting food is not an option, so I threw the frying pan on some heat and got ready to cook the bacon. I decided to make: Bacon and Cheese Biscuits These look shiny because I JUST brushed them with milk. Tim Hortons charges 2.50 for a bacon and egg biscuit, and I've had it - it's yummy. Is it worth almost double what it costs to make breakfast for a whole week? No. Even if you decide to slice this open, fry and egg and make a sandwich you're still WAY ahead of the game. This batch made 13 biscuits and cost a little under 1.50 for the whole thing (that's a mere 11 cents each). If you do cook an egg, they average 40c each which would bring you to a grand total of 51 cents for brekkie! I started with a basic biscuit recipe from a Depression Era cookbook my Mom gave me: 2 c flour 1/2 tsp salt 4 tsp baking powder 2 Tbsp shortening 3/4 cup milk (or mix milk and water) Sift dry ingredients together and cut shortening into flour mix with fingers or pastry cutter. I added scraps of cheese that were in my deli drawer (maybe 1/4 cup of mixed shredded cheeses), and a tsp of dried herbs. I used my Epicure Tapinade mix, but you can add whatever you like - chives, garlic, basil are all good for this recipe. Once the bacon was cooked and cooled I chopped it into tiny pieces (as small as bacon bits) and added it to the dry biscuits BEFORE adding my milk. I've heard of people cooking breakfast sausage, chopping it up and putting them in biscuits as well.... could be yummy. This is also a good opportunity to use up any leftover chicken, steak, etc. you may have in your fridge from a previous dinner. Don't make it too deluxe or you'll never go back to "normal" biscuits again.

Add milk and mix until it needs a brief "kneading". You may find you need more milk/water than the recipe calls for. In this case, add it 1tsp at a time (like pie crust) until it reaches desired consistency.

After a quick knead on floured board, roll out to 1/2" - 3/4" thick and cut with biscuit cutter or floured glass.

The recipe calls for these to be baked at 425F for 12-15 minutes, but our oven is at 350 for the cabbage rolls. I bumped my oven to 375 for the biscuits and cooked them for 20 minutes, turning it back to 350 when they were done. Brush with water or milk when out of oven (if desired) to keep the tops soft.

For a little treat, here's an exerpt from my Depression Era cookbook:

"The chief requirements for "good biscuits" are: 1. Very soft dough, so soft as to be almost sticky; 2. Very little handling, because much manipulation destroys their lightness; 3. A very quick oven. If biscuits are not allowed to touch each other in the pan, they will be lighter and more delicate than when placed close together."

You'd think that would be enough for the day, but my two youngest aren't keen on cabbage rolls and I'd like to make a sort of bruchetta to go with the meal.

Bruschetta and Garlic Bread

Make a batch of my basic pizza dough, if necessary cut the rising time to 1/2 hour.

Shape your dough into the classic pizza circle/oval.

Finely mince garlic and cook in a little bit of butter until soft. If you belong to my family, you may want to use an awful lot of garlic here.

When garlic is soft, add a few chunks of butter (maybe 2-3tbsp) and let soften until half way melted. Remove from heat (you may want to transfer it into a small bowl) with a hand blender or fork, begin to "mash" the butter and garlic. Because half of it is melted and half is not, it will make a creamy butter/garlic paste you can then use to top your pizza dough.

After spreading your garlic butter, sprinkle with shredded cheese. How much you use is optional.

You can bake this as-is for a garlic/cheese bread, or go the extra mile and top it with bruschetta topping. There are toppings in your refrigerated section of the grocery store, the canned aisle, the tomato sauce aisle - pretty much everywhere. You can also make your own, but since I have a jar I got on sale I'm going to use that and call it a day!

You're going to need to bump your oven up for this bread, so when its almost time to eat - turn the oven up to 450F, take the cabbage rolls out and leave the tin on the top so it can begin to cool but not get too cool. The bruschetta/garlic bread should take 12-15 minutes to cook - serve piping hot with delicious cabbage rolls!