andiesenji

I have made this barley bread recipe when friends who have a child with celiac disease come for a meal. I am sure it would work well in dressing or stuffing. I have used it to make a bread pudding and it turned out nicely. Barley bread recipe/Bob's Red Mill It is on the back of the bag of barley flour. This UK site also has a bunch of wheat-free recipes that work well. wheat free recipes Spelt and Kamut are distant relatives to wheat but many people who are sensitive to wheat can tolerate them without problems. Some breads are made with a combination of grain and nut flours but without sufficient gluten will not rise like wheat bread. I have used the French bread recipe here and it is not bad, although it did not have the texture of regular French bread, it was a fair substitute. If you do a search for "Celiac diet recipes" you should be able to find more recipes. I came across a site some time ago that had an extensive list of bread recipes. I thought I had bookmarked it but can't find it now.

I had such an odd feeling reading this message from an ardent soul. Talk about deja-vu, it was almost as if I had died and he was channelling my spirit. Strangers walk into my kitchen and ask if it is a cookware shop - then they see into the pantry and ask if I sell antiques. Some have remarked I am better stocked than many shops. Perhaps it is something in my psyche that demands that I collect things used for cooking. I am not thrilled with jewelry - never have been. My last husband gave up on buying pretty things and began shopping at a hardware store that carried good kitchen ware. In fact, that is where most of my Descoware and Magnalite came from. He gave me the largest Magnalite roaster for my birthday one year and I was ecstatic. Friends thought I was nuts or, they thought I was putting on an act to hide my disappointment in not getting something "personal." This is the ceiling in my pantry.

These old pots are very heavy and very tough. The little one is over 100 years old I have several crocks and some jugs that are even older and still in excellent condition. Many people know about the Bauer "ringware" and later colored pottery but few recognize the earlier items which were often unmarked or had only a B incised by hand into the bottom. There are still a lot of the old pieces around the western Kentucky and southern Illinois area, languishing in cellars and sheds or old barns. A friend of mine was visiting an elderly relative in Golconda, IL a few years ago and discovered a large collection of Bauer crocks and jugs in the cellar. She called me and asked what I knew about them, then told her great-aunt about the value. The old lady was surprised but didn't want to "bother" with them and just gave them all to my friend who had to rent a trailer to bring them back to Calif. The sale brought in enough to pay her son's tuition to USC for two years. If you come across one of these priced cheap, buy it! Bauer history

I have a few bean pots. These are a couple of very old ones that I have had and used for many years. You can see the "4" on the large one which indicates it holds 4 quarts. The smaller one is about 2 1/2 quarts. These are both Bauer pots and the one on the left is the older one from when Bauer was still operating in Paducah, KY., before moving to Los Angeles. It has a single handle, the later ones all had two handles. I also have a McCoy and at least one Watt. They are all great for long, slow cooking in the oven, however many were used to cook beans on top of wood stoves because the entire top would be hot, less heat toward the back, further from the firebox, which was ideal for cooking beans. Since the oven was also always hot, that too was an easy and perfect way to cook beans or stews in these early versions of the "Crock-Pot" ...........

That is not an outrageous price. I have seen them sell for well over $500.00, depending on condition and accessories, i.e., a set of matching mugs with red bakelite handles and a small tray to hold everything. These accessories are very difficult to find because the bakelite handles were so fragile. Atomic espresso and for the true fanatic: Atomic espresso fanatic signs

There are several "universal" pot lids available. This one has the advantage of having the inner concentric levels below the level of the outer so any drips go into the pan instead of down the outside of it as with some other types. It is worth the money. You can also find one in stainless steel for about double the price here.

Griswold made some nickel-plated cast iron skillets and griddles for a time back in the early 1950s when their business began to fail, mainly to appeal to "modern" housewives who were turning to newer, aluminum and stainless cookware. Even though there are not a lot of these items around, they are not considered desirable by most collectors. The nickel plating actually was a cover-up for poor finishing in the newer Griswold cast iron as it was less labor intensive to plate the pieces instead of grind and polish them to a slick finish. It had little effect on the cooking qualities, appearance was the object.

I often make my own curry paste and it is never the same twice in a row. It depends on what ingredients I have on hand, the season, the phase of the moon or what kind of mood I am in at the time. It is always going to include onions, garlic, ginger and chiles, plus coriander, cumin, cloves, and turmeric and I use frest galangal if I have it. Sometimes I sweeten it with palm sugar (have a 2-pound jar that I have been trying to use up for two years.) Sometimes I add coconut paste and grated orange peel so it isn't exactly 100% authentic Madras but I fiddle with it until it is to my taste. An Indian friend told me years ago that every cook in India has their own recipe for curry paste or powder and variation is the name of the game and as long as the basic spices are included it is indeed curry. I included Madras curry paste in the recipe list because it is the easiest to find in markets just about anywhere. My favorite local "ethnic" market carries about 10 different varieties, different brands of curry paste and several brands of curry powder. I never use the powder, I don't trust that it will not be full of filler.

Here is another recipe for squash or pumpkin. Squash or pumpkin soup 6 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots 1 medium onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 2 medium carrots, grated 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 1/2 cups water 1 medium butternut squash, other winter squash or pumpkin, (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled and coarsely grated 1/2 cup half-and-half or light cream 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper In a 6-quart Dutch oven or stock pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the shallots, onion and garlic and cook until golden. Add the grated carrots and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the broth and water and bring to a boil. Add the squash, reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 10-15 minutes. (Grating the carrots and squash allows this to cook more rapidly than cubed.) Using an immersion blender, blend until completely smooth. Add the cream and the salt and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Serve with croutons. Spiced or herbed. Cut French bread into cubes, so you have about a quart, loosely measured. Toss with 4 tablespoons melted butter and a mixture of 1/4 ground allspice and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt until cubes are evenly coated. (You may substitute an herb mixture or ground hot pepper instead of the allspice.) Spread on a sheet pan and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Serve in large mugs for a starter. Six to eight generous servings.

I also see they have bamboo toaster tongs on sale for $14.99. I paid 99 cents at my local Asian 99 cents store. ;-) ← I can beat that! Last spring, a local Asian grocery here was giving them away, along with a rice paddle/scoop, when one bought a 10 pound bag of rice. They were in a neat mesh bag that I also have been using ever since to store onions. When this store first opened, about 10 years ago, they gave away a 12 inch wok with any $25.00 grocery purchase. People were still lined up half-way down the block when I drove past in mid-afternoon. (I already had a wok.)

Thanks Neil, I'll take another look. Every time I search the word "food processor" or 'blender" get recipe gullet links and a couple of single posts. Maybe I'll look for "magic bullet" ← When you do a search, don't forget to click on "Search titles only" in "Search Where"

The season for new gadgets/appliances is definitely here. Inventors with visions of "sugarplums" ($) in their little pointy heads are busy thinking up things to tempt gift givers. Of course for someone with a minimal kitchen this little gem might come in handy. And here, no less, is the Gadget of the Month Club!

I hesitate to mention it, as it is only marginally food related but (strange as it may seem) Edward Gorey's The Haunted Tea Cosy, is very popular with quite a few children. They really seem to enjoy the rather macabre drawings, especially the weird bugs. I collect Gorey and this particular book is in a bookcase right next to my DVD cabinet and kids just seem to gravitate to it. My next door neighbor's grandchildren (ages 10, 8 and 7) spent an hour reading it and laughing over the pictures just last Sunday. I was surprised but my neighbor, a retired teacher, said that it is similar to their fascination with monster toys. I never cease to be amazed with how sophistocated some children are nowadays.

I just cut the pumpkin into chunks, scrape off the seeds and strands and steam it for about 20-30 minutes which is usually long enough to make it soft enough to remove the skin. From that point it can be stewed in stock then pureed in a blender or with an immersion blender right in the pot when it is soft enough - I usually test it by sticking a fork in a chunk and if it falls right off the fork then it is soft enough to blend. And here is my recipe for a different PUMPKIN SOUP 1 large onion, diced 1/4 cup, butter (1/2 stick) 1/2 teaspoon Madras curry paste 2 1/2 cups, chicken or vegetable stock 3 cups cooked pumpkin cut into 1 inch cubes 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (1 teaspoon if regular table salt) 2 cups heavy cream 1/8 teaspoon each of allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Melt the butter in a large sauté pan or wide shallow pan and allow it to just begin to brown. Add the diced onions and cook until translucent. Add the curry paste and stir well. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the pumpkin and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender (or in small batches in a stand blender) Puree the mixture until smooth. (Return to the pan if using blender.) Continue to blend with a whisk while adding the salt, cream and spices. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Do not allow soup to boil. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with toasted chopped pecans. Alternatively you can garnish with a teaspoon of mango chutney and crushed sesame crackers. This also works well in mugs for a carry-around starter. Serves 6 If you don't like curry, you can use alternative flavors, such as a herb mixture, a little hot sauce, siracha, etc.

And HERE is yet another incredible gadget/appliance that I am sure everyone is panting to rush right out and buy!!!!! (The Solutions catalog arrived in today's mail.)

I love the idea of making these items youself and giving them as gifts - can I ask how you do the drying? Do you need to buy one of those special drying machines or is there another trick? I've never even thought of making my own dried herbs, candied fruit, etc. but I'm intrigued! I have 2 large Excalibur dehydrators but herbs can be dried at room temp or in a very low oven. Some people even dry them in a microwave. Fruits can also be dried in an oven. When I was a child, peaches, pears and apples were halved or sliced and dried on the galvanized roof of a shed, covered with screen cloth to keep birds and bugs off. The metal roof would get very hot with the sun shining on it. Where I live is desert and we get a lot of sun. I often dry tomato slices in the sun on a sheet pan with fine nylon netting stretched over it. They will dry completely in a day when the temps are near 100. One of my friends, who lives in a tiny studio apartment with a miniscule kitchen, dries fruits and herbs from her landlord's garden, spread on a homemade screen over the tub in her bathroom using a heat lamp suspended about 2 feet over the screen. I think this is very clever but have never tried it myself. Gail also makes turkey jerky for gifts using this same method.

I am going to have Thanksgiving with my neighbors. Mr. Obregon has gone to his ranch in Durango, Mexico to shoot "a few" javelina. Roast pig definitely on the menu. Homemade tamale, chicken, beef and pork, pumpkin empanadas, bean and corn fritters, barbecue turkey, barbecue goat. I am going to make some squash casseroles, seed bread, cornbread, potato dumplings, fruit salad and whatever else is needed to fill in the gaps. Mrs. Obregon's sister, a molera from Morelia, Mexico. She is bringing a bunch of spices and is going to teach me about molé. I am really looking forward to it.

This recipe fried apple pies is pretty much exactly the way I make them except I use lard in my pie crust. There is an Amish or Mennonite cookbook somewhere in my collection that has a little different recipe. The Amish and Penn Dutch are very adept at making these tasty little treasures. I think the name of the cookbook is "Good Food that Really Schmecks" and I was searching for it a while back and couldn't find it. If you should come across it, take a look. I bought mine about 35- 40 years ago.

I like to give things I make that are somewhat unusual as homemade gifts - candied ginger, glacé fruits, dried fruits, dried sliced shallots, dried sliced garlic, things that most people no longer do at home. Also dried herbs from my garden, bay and/or rosemary and sage wreaths. Tea herbs such as anise hyssop, various mints, sachets made from lavender, costmary (also known as "bible leaf") etc. I sometimes still make cheese, cream cheese, ricotta, other fresh cheese. Occasionally aged cheeses but no longer as much as I did in years past. I also make some cakes that keep well, some fruited cakes, a cocoa/fruit cake that is unusual and tasty. I used to make a lot of cookies but not this year.

This can be made ahead of time refrigerated or even frozen then just heated to serve. If you have a problem with oven space on the big day, this is one good make-ahead side. Baked squash with apples and chutney. 2 medium sized butternut squash, peeled and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick. 1 stick butter sliced into pats 3 tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2 inch dice 2/3 cup mango chutney (Major Grey's is okay) 2 tablespoons maple syrup Mix the chopped apples with the chutney and syrup. Arrange half of the squash slices in a buttered baking dish so the slices overlap by half for the first layer. Dot with half the butter evenly over the squash. Spread half the apple/chutney mixture over the squash. Arrange the remaining squash slices in the opposite direction, again overlapping the slices. Dot with the remaining butter Spread the remaining apple/chutney mixture over the squash. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes. A fork should easily penetrate through to the bottom of the dish without resistance. If the squash is still a bit firm, continue baking for another 15 minutes. Serves 6 to 8 Medium butternut squash would be 10 inches in length and 4 inches in diameter at the narrow end. You can also use 4 large acorn squash or equivalent.

I posted the site for lots of apple recipes on the other apple thread. In case you missed it here it is again. Recipe Source, once known as SOAR The original list of recipes was started at Berkeley in the early 90s and one could get to it using Compuserve or Delphi or one of the other services with which to connect to workgroups, user lists, etc., that charged by the minute. My Compuserve bill used to be huge, compared to today and the connection was via a 600 baud modem - talk about slooooooow!

The newer refrigerators with automatic defrost remove moisture from the refrigerator as well as from the freezer. Ever notice how things will dry out faster in the newer appliances? In my ancient huge side by side Kelvinator (32 cubic foot monster) I could leave a head of lettuce or a bunch of leaf lettuce on any shelf and it would stay fresh for a couple of days at least, longer in the vegetable bin. I kept that thing for 30+ years, gave it to a friend and it is still working. They don't make them like that anymore! (4 ft wide and 6 ft tall) In the newer appliances it will have dry blackened leaves on the outside in less than a day and the leaf lettuce will practically disintegrate unless wrapped or in a plastic bag. The Apple Farm on Angeles Forest Highway has an old walk-in cooler with unpainted wooden walls inside, cooled by an antique compressor outside that runs off an old engine that looks like it came off an equally ancient washing machine. I store apples in my pantry that has its own air conditioning unit that keeps the temp around 55 degrees. Chilly but not cold. I have some milk crates in which I store them with each layer separated by loosely crumpled newspaper. I also keep them away from other fruits and vegetables as they tend to cause other fruits to ripen too quickly.

Check out Recipe Source It used to be SOAR years ago - the first online recipe place, back in the days when Compuserve cost by the minute to be online. See the list on page 1 then - - Click on pages 10, 16, 30, 45 and 81. Some of my favorites are on those pages. Apples In Gilded Cages Apple Cheese Bread pg10 Apelkuchen pg 16 Apple Cream Cheese Pie pg 30 Apple Oat Muffins pg 45 Winter Apple Chutney pg 81 There are lots more but I have tried these with great success. Do check out the sorbets on page 58 and the Apple-Pie-In-A-Scoop. Use carmelized apples instead of the canned stuff.

I have several Ice Cream cookbooks. One particular favorite is the Williams-Sonoma one - I can't recall the exact name, it has a purple cover with a photo of a dish of ice cream. It has good basic information and also a lot of sources in the glossary. The illustrations are great, as in all the W-S cookbooks. The actual number of recipes is not huge - less than 50, however there are a lot of variations and there is a chapter on making fancy frozen desserts using ice cream, sorbet, gelato, etc. I also have Bruce Weinstein's Ultimate Ice Cream cookbook which has hundreds of recipes, some quite unusual (and quite good). Besides sweets there are also savory ones and I have made the avocado one several times. The Tomato gratina is exceptional. He doesn't include a lot of detail about the basics of preparing ingredients or why you do certain tasks in a certain order but the recipes themselves, with the combinations of flavors and flavorings, is worth the price of this very inexpensive book. Robert Marshall's book is an excellent professional text. It deals with every phase of ice cream from theory to making to selling. I am pretty sure you can find it at Alibris.com at a discounted price. ABEbooks is another source but they are usually more expensive.

I just posted about dried apple slices on another thread. This site has the basic instructions. I use 7-Up or a lemon lime soda instead of ascorbic acid, to keep the slices from discoloring.