You’ll learn so much!

What is a Webinar?

Combine “web” + “seminar” and you get “webinar”. That’s what this is. A place on the web where we gather at a certain time to discuss something. In this webinar,  Wardeh will be discussing traditional grain preparation methods.

this is your opportunity to learn what you need to know about grain preparation. Be sure to sign up today. If you can’t attend but would still like the information in the Webinar, go ahead and register… Wardeh will email you after the webinar with a link to check out the replay. This link won’t be shared anywhere else; you must register.

I’ve very thankful for the opportunity to have a radio show. Tonight’s show is going to be very interesting and my guest is Vickilynn Haycraft. The show gives me an opportunity to talk about what I am interested in and hopefully help others.

I’m also thankful for my Church family. I like what we’re becoming, a very close-knit group of believers who work together to preach the Gospel and minister.

Another thing I’m especially thankful for today – my children. I love watching them grow. I love watching my adult children become more and more mature.  I love seeing them depend on God. Good stuff.

What are you thankful for today?

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Here’s how I cured the olives and then the marinade I soaked some of them in.

First, I cracked the olives. Actually I just cut a slice into the olive, avoiding the pit.

Next, I soaked the cracked olives in water.

The soaking process takes about 1 month. I soaked them about 6 weeks. Each week after the third week, I opened up an olive and tasted the flesh. If it was still very bitter, I left the remaining olives in the soak. I changed the water twice a day. In all it took 6 weeks to get the olives to an acceptable level of bitterness. You don’t want to soak out all the bitterness, that’s part of what makes olives so tasty.

Once the olives were ready I put them in a brine to soak some more, but I used two different methods of brining. Always use sea salt that is not iodized. Iodized salt or salt with other ingredients can cause the olives to be too soft and the water to be murky and foggy.

Method 1

• filtered or purified water
• 1/4 cup unrefined sea salt per quart of water

Mix the water and salt until the salt is completely dissolved. Place olives in a glass jar or crock, cover with the salt water. Allow to sit in the frig for at least 2 weeks before eating. These are simple and good.

Method 2

• filtered or purified water
• 1/4 cup sea salt per quart of water
• a large strip of lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon coriander per quart of water
• 1 bay leaf per quart of water
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic per quart of water
• any other seasonings you like! Try chili peppers, I did and they are great in this.

Place olives in glass jars or a crock and cover with the salt water and spices.   I allowed some olives to sit at room temperature and naturally ferment for 1 week before putting them in the frig.  the rest of them were put immediately in the frig. The naturally fermented ones are the best, they have a pleasant tang along with the mellowness of the spices.

Before serving I fish the olives out of the brine (I save the brine and add some of the plain olives to it sometimes) and add a very high quality olive oil and let them come to room temperature. They are a hit with everyone and a delicious addition to an appetizer tray.

The end product is amazing. They are the best flavored olives I’ve ever had.

Tuesdays are my errand and running day lately. Taking people to work and piano lessons then home again takes some time. And for some reason, its just who I am, if I am distracted I find it impossible to get back on track.

So I have given over myself to Tuesday. I go with the flow. I allow my life to be blown around like those sheets on the clothes line. And I don’t mind it.

I’ll work on my radio program for Thursday night, I’ll read a while, make something for everyone to eat and try to keep the house picked up. I’ll travel far and wide taking people to their appointed rounds. And read some more. The one thing I will not do is be bored.

Do you ever have days where you don’t have the usual hustle and bustle? What do you do?

There’s just something about those old fashioned recipe that I like and can’t seem to give up completely. I think now and then its ok to have some treats like those recipes.

This is a bread recipe that is pretty much thrown together and came out good. The molasses is the signature flavor.  The yeast, salt and butter is essential but everything else is mix and match. You can substitute flours for what you have on hand.

I really enjoy bread making. I put up my hair, put on music that I like and don one of my old aprons …then tune out everything else for a while as I measure, add, mix and knead.

So get your hair put up and put on that music and make this delicious bread. I think creating good food is a great way to relax after a long day or the best way to begin a busy day.

Light Whole Wheat Bread

1/4 c. water
1 c. milk
1/4 c. molasses
1/4 stick room temperature butter (1/8 c.)
1 T. brown sugar (or you could use honey)
3 c. unbleached flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 t. yeast

Warm the milk to about 110*F. When warm, add yeast and a pinch of the brown sugar. Allow to stand and foam about 3-5 minutes. If your butter is cold, you can dice it up and add to the milk to soften and melt.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the other ingredients. Add the yeast mixture and mix.

You could use any kind of flour you have on hand. I used 1 cup bread flour, 1 cups all purpose flour and 2 cups whole wheat flour this morning when I made it.

This recipe just makes one loaf, so its perfect for slow mornings when you get up earlier than the kiddoes and want to make something delicious for their breakfast.

Knead until the dough is smooth and stretchy, about 10 minutes. Add a little more white flour if the dough is too sticky.

Turn into a greased bowl. Cover with a clean towel and allow to rise til doubled in size.

Grease a loaf pan and place the risen dough in the pan.Slice the top of the dough with a small very sharp knife. Paint with milk. sprinkle with oats if desired. Allow to rise again in a warm place, about 40-45 minutes.

Bake at 350*F for about 35 minutes. Cool pan for about 10 minutes, turn the loaf out of the pan and allow to cool slightly before slicing.

Fresh greens in January

Cute kitty

Tea with a friend …

Red in a drab landscape ….

January onions from my garden ….

Join me in giving thanks?

Is homemaking your career or is it just where you are right now?

We’ll talk about why you must get serious about homemaking if you are a stay at home mom and/or wife, why not doing your best is the same as saying, “I don’t care”.

We’ll also discuss the crucial importance of changing the way you think about what you do as a stay at home wife/mom and how to go about making those changes.

How can we change our ways of living, spending and saving to live well during an inflation or hyperinflation?

Listen in tonight on The 21st Century Homekeeper Radio program. 7 pm central time.  You can download the program any time after it airs live and listen to it later as well.