Grapefruit Hints

My daughter received some grapefruit spoons for a wedding gift. On the back of the package we found this gem:

Fresh Hints

Grapefruit does nt ripen after picking so look for heavy, tightly skinned fruit as a sign of freshness. A greenish color late in the season may indicate a mature fruit with high sugar content. Always chill at once as grape fruit keeps better at lower temperatures.

Sherrie Goff's Salsa Bean Dip

This was the yummy bean dip that Sherrie served at Jennifer's bridal shower.

2 Cans Black Beans
2 Cans Kidney Beans
2 Cans Corn
3-4 Tomatoes
3 Avocados
1 Small Bottle of Zesty Italian Dressing, or a bottle of Zesty Italian made from the packet (I make mine with Raspberry Vinegar), or my variation of this recipe, I use Kraft's Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette.

Drain cans, cube tomatoes and avocados, combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve with chips, on a salad, or in a tortilla wrap.

Donna's Notes:

When using the Zesty Italian in recipies on this blog, I usually do not buy the bottled Zesty Italian. I but the dry Zesty Italian packets and mix it up using raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar. For those concerned about "wine" in red wine vinegar, you need to understand that all vinegars are a result of the next stage in the fermentation process of wines, cider, beers, fermented fruit, etc. and are no longer alcoholic.

100% Whole Wheat Bread

This was the bread I made by hand, before I was married and until I bought a Bosch. I still like this recipe because it is full of flavor. I always made this with hard red winter wheat.

Ingredients:
3 cups milk or water*
3 Tablespoons oil
½ cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
6-7 ½ cups whole wheat flour

*water brings out the flavor, milk adds protein and calcium.

Directions:
Combine milk, oil, honey and molasses in a saucepan. Heat and stir until blended; remove from heat and cool until lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water (if you use the cup you measured the honey and molasses in it will bubble faster. Pour liquids from the sauce pan into a large bowl and add yeast. Stir in 3 cups of flour, beating well to develop the gluten. Stir in remaining flour and turn on to a well floured board. Knead thoroughly, until dough is smooth and elastic. Turn into well oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise 1 hour. Punch down, form two loaves, place in two well greased bread tins; let rise covered, 45 minutes. Bake at 375 F for 45 minutes, or until loaf sounds hollow when thumped. Remove from pan, brush with butter or oil, cover with a cloth until cool.

This will keep for a week in the fridge if stored in a plastic bag. If it gets crumbly, just toast it.

If using for sandwiches, do not let over rise or it will have holes!

Baker's Yeast

1 cake compressed yeast= 1 package active dry yeast
1 package dry yeast= 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
active dry yeast and instant/rapid rise yeast can be used interchangeably in recipes.

What is the difference?
Instant/Rapid rise is:
* finer, so it absorbs liquid faster
* does not need to be dissolved before using, but can be added into the dry ingredients
* takes half the time to rise
* only requires one rising.

Ginger Snaps

This is the same recipe as another one on this site referred to as Molasses Sugar Cookies. The difference is that this one is made with butter instead of shortening. Jennifer Robertson made these cookies and brought them to Princess Academy December 2007. I must say I prefer the flavor of the butter over shortening. Butter is better for you too.

Ginger Snaps

3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp ginger

Cream butter and sugar together. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add egg and molasses to creamed butter and beat well. Mix in dry ingredients. Chill one hour. Roll into 1" balls; roll balls in granulated sugar. Place balls 2" apart on un-greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.

Donna's Apple Stuffing

I do not like to cook my stuffing in the turkey. So, I created this dish that I can bake in the oven.

Ingredients:
1 lb. of dry stuffing
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 stick of butter
1 cup celery, sliced into moons
1 diced onion
1 cored and sliced apple

Directions:

Saute' onions and celery in melted butter until celery turns bright green. bring stock to a boil. Toss all ingredients together and mix with a fork until all is moist and mixed. Pour into a 4 quart casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Royal Icing

Ingredients:

3 egg whites, room temperature
1 pound powdered sugar
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
A drop of peppermint extract if desired

Directions:

Beat thoroughly in mixing bowl until icing holds stiff peaks, then keep bowl covered at all times with damp cloth. (It will dry out if you don’t.) This will dry hard.