# Serious foodmaking from scratch?



## Christopher Bunn (Oct 26, 2010)

Anyone here into making serious food from scratch? By serious, I mean things like sauerkraut, yogurt, bread, butter, cheese - that sort of thing. I don't mean casseroles and pies and beef wellington (though, anyone who cooks these days without using a can opener or a microwave is worthy of great praise). I make yogurt from scratch. Great stuff. There's a sauerkraut seller in the farmer's market here in Monterey who sells fresh sauerkraut, and it is just freaking amazing (but costs 7 bucks a pound, which is the equivalent of seven 99 cent Kindle books, or two $2.99 Kindle books, plus a 99 center). Fennel & Apple, Jalapeno, Dill, etc. I'm starting to think I need to make my own.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

I do bread a lot, and cakes and pizza dough and such... they claim you get better cakes from mixes because they use some sort of ingredient that home cooks can't get in them, but I find that they're better from scratch myself.  I also do brownies and blondies and all that sort of thing, and just actually started making candy sort of.  I have been making these little peanut butter candies dipped in chocolate for Thanksgiving and Christmas that are kind of like peanut butter cups.  I'm always for trying to make stuff from scratch, I guess I just prefer the challenge.

I also do my own soft pretzels with homemade mustard made from mustard seeds (it can also make hard pretzels, but who'd want that over a nice soft one or even pretzel bread?)  I haven't gone so far as to make sauerkraut but that sounds like an interesting thing to try!  I've been wanting to try to make my own phyllo dough but I don't know that I'm brave enough for that yet.


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## Ruby296 (Nov 1, 2008)

Oh, those peanut butter candies sound great-do you have a recipe you can share?


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

Yup, just had it sitting right by me in fact...

1 cup cream cheese
3 cups peanut butter
2 cups of crushed graham cracker crumbs
6 cups of confectioner's sugar
20 tbsps. of unsalted butter soft
24 ounces of good quality dark chocolate for melting

Basically mix together the cream cheese and peanut butter really well, I use a mixer with a paddle or bulb whisk, then add the graham cracker and mix and finally the confectioner's sugar and butter till it's all combined.  It should be pretty thick and easy to handle.  Then you just form the mixture into balls of about a tablespoon a piece and set them aside on parchment paper while you melt the chocolate over a double boiler.

When the chocolate is melted use a skewer or fork to dip the balls in the chocolate and put them on tray lined with parchment paper to cool in the fridge until the chocolate sets up.  You can put as much chocolate on them as you like, but it's easiest just to cover most of the ball and leave a circle of the peanut butter showing since they're delicate until they're cooled and can easily break apart and fall into the chocolate if over handled.  I wouldn't refrigerate it before dipping because then it'd cool down the chocolate too much.

I've been playing with the idea of actually forming these into peanut butter cups, but that will take a lot more chocolate than the recipe calls for here as well as some sort of mold.  I don't imagine it would be any harder than forming the peanut butter mixture into a disk and setting it on top of a piece of unmelted chocolate in the mold then pouring the melted in to cover it though.  This does make a lot, so it's entirely possible to halve the recipe.  This got me about one and a half gallon size ziplocs full last time I did it.


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

I used to make all our bread from scratch, including grinding the whole wheat organic flour. I still make bread at times, but have simplified the process a bit, and no more grinding wheat. We have many bread bakeries around here that make better bread than I can, so I support their economy. I also use to make yogurt, but haven't done so in years. I have never made butter, at least not on purpose.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

I make some bread and tortillas from scratch.  I have made butter from cream and also buttermilk.  I make many baked goods from scratch rather than out of a box.  

I have made cheese before, but it's not the greatest.  I've made sour cream and it's turned out pretty good--more mild than the store bought. 

I make salsa from scratch--and I mean grown the onions, cilantro, tomatoes and jalepenos.  Some years I do have to buy some of those ingredients depending upon availability in my own garden.  

But I'm a pretty avid gardener.  I'd even use my own chicken poop in the garden if I had chickens.  I haven't figured out how to actually get chickens to survive in my neighborhood (subdivision) without causing some city-slicker to get in an uproar.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Funny you ask this... I am planning a lot of breadmaking this week. I love this time of year, I can bake all I want without making the house unbearably hot. Other things I have made in tha past from "scratch":
Butter 
Fruit roll-ups/fruit leather from fruit we grew on our trees
Jerky
Jam/jelly
an overabundance of fruit leads to lots of dehydrating.
Persimmon cookies from persimmon trees (This year)
Cream Cheese


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## Christopher Bunn (Oct 26, 2010)

Fresh, homemade salsa. Yum. That's one of the best things in life. Scheherazade, how do you make mustard from scratch? That sounds really fun.

Jerky! I've always wanted to make that but it intimidates me. Do you need a dehydrator for that, or do you do yours in the oven?


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Jerky, salsa, breads, cinnaman rolls.  I did a lot more when my kids lived at home.  
I would love to do fruit rollups from the fruit we and our friends get.  Is there a trick I should know?
deb


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

I've never gotten a homemade salsa to turn out tasting good, though I must admit to not really trying too hard after my first failure either.  I tried my hand at homemade pasta the other day as well, I made ravioli... I really need one of those pasta flattening machines cuz they were too thick, but I was otherwise really impressed with myself.  Something similar to the ravioli, I love making perogies.  I also found that with some filling you can make them into fried pies like those cheap-o ones you get in vending machines but thousands of times better.


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## CandyTX (Apr 13, 2009)

I make a mean grilled cheese... 

My hubby is the cook around here. He makes the wonderful dishes and does a good bit of scratch cooking. All pizza dough and most breads/rolls are homemade. He makes cinnamon rolls a few times per year. His desserts are usually homemade, although he has given up the ghost trying to make a pie crust, his never turn out right for some reason.

LOVE those peanut butter balls! http://www.flickr.com/photos/candyb/2284151607/in/set-72157600301188136/

(That's a link to my flickr cooking set. He cooks, I like to take photos, so it's a nice little semi-shared hobby)

The full set is at http://www.flickr.com/photos/candyb/sets/72157600301188136/with/2294237025/ (the ones towards the bottom are better as I've learned more about photography and food photography as a rule).

ANYWAY, we try hard to cook with mostly whole foods and eat healthier. Not always 100% possible, but we try  And he's an amazing cook.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

chbunn said:


> Jerky! I've always wanted to make that but it intimidates me. Do you need a dehydrator for that, or do you do yours in the oven?


jerky is about the easiest thing in the world to make. I used to use a dehydrator, but after watching Alton Brown make it once years ago on Good Eats, I do what he does now.. His recipe:
Ingredients
•1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
•2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
•2/3 cup soy sauce
•1 tablespoon honey
•2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
•2 teaspoons onion powder
•1 teaspoon liquid smoke
•1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
•Special Equipment: 1 box fan, 4 paper air-conditioning filters, and 2 bungee cords
Directions
Trim the flank steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up.

Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips.

Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.

Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. Evenly distribute the strips of meat onto 3 of the air filters, laying them in the grooves and then stacking the filters on top of one another. Top these with 1 empty filter. Next, lay the box fan on its side and lay the filters on top of it. Strap the filters to the fan with 2 bungee cords. Stand the fan upright, plug in and set to medium. Allow the meat dry for 8 to 12 hours. If using a commercial dehydrator, follow the manufacturer's directions.

Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months.

(I usually double everything, but I have kids that love Jerky... and I rotate the actual marinade ingredients.)


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

All these posts have given me thought that I need to add some things I make....or have made in the past.

I used to make our pasta....still have the machine, should dust it off.
Dry all the herbs we grow in the garden. Make jerky, dried fruits from the orchards around us.
I make a mean salsa, but we have a Mexican grocer hear us who makes a meaner one.
Make all our marinades and salad dressings.
I don't make jam anymore because my neighbor makes enough for all of us.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Oh I didn't think about salad dressing. I only make Italian, but I do make it.


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## Alice Y. Yeh (Jul 14, 2010)

I'm seriously impressed by what some of you have made!

My list is a bit more basic, I suppose: bread, stuffed pasta (both stuffing and noodle), various other baked goods, and apple butter. That last one took forever, and I've vowed never to do it again until I move out of my studio and can confine the smell to ONE room.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Alice Y. Yeh said:


> I'm seriously impressed by what some of you have made!
> 
> My list is a bit more basic, I suppose: bread, stuffed pasta (both stuffing and noodle), various other baked goods, and apple butter. That last one took forever, and I've vowed never to do it again until I move out of my studio and can confine the smell to ONE room.


Oh taht reminded me, I've made applesauce many times. (but I love the smell.)


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## Alice Y. Yeh (Jul 14, 2010)

BTackitt said:


> Oh taht reminded me, I've made applesauce many times. (but I love the smell.)


That's actually a good idea. I was making vegan brownies once and couldn't find any commercial applesauce without high fructose corn syrup. I ended up making my own out of frustration.


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## Ruby296 (Nov 1, 2008)

Schereherazade, thank you so much for sharing your recipe! Can't wait to try these!!


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

Alice Y. Yeh said:


> I'm seriously impressed by what some of you have made!
> 
> My list is a bit more basic, I suppose: bread, stuffed pasta (both stuffing and noodle), various other baked goods, and *apple butter*. That last one took forever, and I've vowed never to do it again until I move out of my studio and can confine the smell to ONE room.


I've made applebutter pretty much all my life. I've made it a couple of times from apples, but it takes too long and it's just as cheap to do it from apple sauce. When we make it, we usually make enough for 80 quarts or so and we get a bunch of family and friends over to help w/ the stirring. We have big copper kettles and we just make a big party out of it. It smells so good (wood fire, apples, and whatever food has been made to keep everyone warm) and after the applebutter has been canned, out comes the fresh biscuits to wipe down the kettles. Now here's the funny part, I'm not too keen on applebutter. I really wanted it when I was preggers, but usually I have to be in the mood for it.

As for other foods I make from scratch, pumpkin pie is a biggie. I cook down the pumpkin and make it from real pumpkin and not the canned stuff you buy @ the store. My MIL is really good about canning pumpkin and giving it to us for Christmas gifts and whatnot. I also make cheesecake from scratch b/c DH doesn't like the Jello version. I do bread and cookies from scratch as well, on occasion and DH loves to make peanut butter fudge (he's not too good about the sharing part, though).


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

I never thought of making apple butter... I need to try that. I usually make things from scratch the first time out of desperation. I don't want to go to the store and we have nothing in the house except base ingredients so my mind gets buzzing. I've been wondering how possible it would be to make your own cereal lately for some reason. I'm a huge fan of from scratch, I think some things are so cheap and easy to just get in a box that we sometimes miss the opportunity to try or even think about trying to make it ourselves.

I've been trying to find a good way to make my own pressed gyro meat for a long time, but actually found a way to make them with just thinly sliced beef which is almost just as good. Drown it with enough tatziki sauce and you'll never know the difference!



CandyTX said:


> LOVE those peanut butter balls! http://www.flickr.com/photos/candyb/2284151607/in/set-72157600301188136/
> 
> (That's a link to my flickr cooking set. He cooks, I like to take photos, so it's a nice little semi-shared hobby)


Yep! That's what they look like for those of you having trouble visualizing the recipe... I've heard them called buck eyes, but they also look a lot like chestnuts to me.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

chbunn said:


> Anyone here into making serious food from scratch? By serious, I mean things like sauerkraut, yogurt, bread, butter, cheese - that sort of thing. I don't mean casseroles and pies and beef wellington (though, anyone who cooks these days without using a can opener or a microwave is worthy of great praise). I make yogurt from scratch. Great stuff. There's a sauerkraut seller in the farmer's market here in Monterey who sells fresh sauerkraut, and it is just freaking amazing (but costs 7 bucks a pound, which is the equivalent of seven 99 cent Kindle books, or two $2.99 Kindle books, plus a 99 center). Fennel & Apple, Jalapeno, Dill, etc. I'm starting to think I need to make my own.


That's a description of me to a T. If I have wanted to eat it or cook with it, I have probably made it entirely from scratch. What a challenge it is to create something delicious from a collection of ingredients!

The biggest hassle I get is from people who know that I make my own crackers. As a friend once said (before tasting the hardtack crackers), "I thought Keebler had the market sewn-up." Another friend and I used to 
make our own sauerkraut, and that was fun. I make my own fresh sausage (and variations), mozzarella, have made lots of yogurt, make a lot of bread, noodles, spaetzle, English muffins, bagels, won ton wrappers, etc. My homemade candies are a favorite among my friends, and I make a killer cheese and onion enchilada (and sauce) entirely from scratch.

(Can you tell that you have hit upon my a topic near and dear to my heart?)


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## Bonbonlover (Oct 17, 2010)

I make beef jerky quite often.  don't use any special equipment... (though I am intrigued by the air-conditioning filters and bungee cords).  I simply freeze my flank steak for about 1/2 hour (this makes it easier to cut) then cut into thin strips... I then marinate the strips in a marinade similar to chbunn's for about 12 hours.  Then I place the strips on the oven rack and put on a very low heat (maybe 250) and let it dry out overnight.  Oh it is sooo good!! and soo easy!!


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

Cindy416 said:


> The biggest hassle I get is from people who know that I make my own crackers. (Can you tell that you have hit upon my a topic near and dear to my heart?)


I have made my own graham crackers before, and they are delightful. Love home made bagels. Seems I just don't do that kind of from-scratch cooking anymore.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Back in the day when Imhad a huge garden, I made lots of homemade catsup. It took all day, and was a great excuse to get to stay home. .  I sometimes make homemade mayonnaise, but usually use Hellmann's Light because I am always counting calories. Homemade mayo is delicious, though. I've mad homemade coffee liquer before, and really want to make some homemade limoncello sometime.


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

Cindy416 said:


> Back in the day when Imhad a huge garden, I made lots of homemade catsup. It took all day, and was a great excuse to get to stay home. . I sometimes make homemade mayonnaise, but usually use Hellmann's Light because I am always counting calories. Homemade mayo is delicious, though. I've mad homemade coffee liquer before, and really want to make some homemade limoncello sometime.


I recently bought all the ingredients to make limoncello. Just in case.....I also walked out of the liquor store with a bottle of limoncello. The lemons have all been used for something else by now, but I am sure enjoying my Lemon Drops!


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## Alain Gomez (Nov 12, 2010)

I love limoncello.  I got hooked on it when I went to Italy.  All their restaurants serve you a glass of limoncello at the end of every meal instead of a breath mint.  Every place has their own secret recipe.  All fantastic.

Come holiday time (so, now) I'll make fudge from scratch.  It takes a great deal of patience to melt sugar but the result is simply divine.


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## loonlover (Jul 4, 2009)

I make homemade bread , just not as frequently as when the boys were at home.  Dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls were also part of my yeast dough repertoire.  Cookies and brownies are always from scratch at my house.  I haven't made a chocolate cake from a mix in many a year.  I also make angel food cakes from scratch - they are so much fresher tasting than those from a mix.  II says they don't need to be frosted.  I sometimes use cherry, lemon, or peppermint extract to have a change of flavor.  My grandmother gave me a recipe for a cake that uses the egg yolks left after making the angel food cake.  It has become one of my favorite cakes.  Baking would have to be my first love in the kitchen.   II thinks I could start a bakery if only I was willing to get up that early and work that hard.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

This thread is yet another reason that I love it here. Not only have I found many kindred souls based on a love of reading, but many here love to cook as much as I do.


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## Christopher Bunn (Oct 26, 2010)

BTackitt, I'm going to try your jerky recipe, but the fan/bungee cord part of it kind of alarms me. I'll try substituting Bonbonlover's oven-drying instead.

This thread is making me hungry. Did someone mention making fudge? I tried that recently and it came out horrible. All granuley and greasy at the same time. Pretty disappointing. Is there a fool-proof way to make it?


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

chbunn said:


> BTackitt, I'm going to try your jerky recipe, but the fan/bungee cord part of it kind of alarms me. I'll try substituting Bonbonlover's oven-drying instead.
> 
> This thread is making me hungry. Did someone mention making fudge? I tried that recently and it came out horrible. All granuley and greasy at the same time. Pretty disappointing. Is there a fool-proof way to make it?


There are several ways to make fudge. The true, old-fashioned way makes delicious candy, but you have to be very careful to prevent sugar crystals from forming. The tried-and-true fudge that I make most often is what is known as the Fantasy Fudge recipe, and was originallynon the label of Kraft's marshmallow cream. I have to Google it, as my cookbook in which I have written my mom's recipesmis at my daughter's house (and Imfeel totally lost without it). Although there's a recipe on the label of marsh,allow fudge now, it's a bit different than the older recipe. I'll retry to post it soon.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Here it is. I usually use a candy thermometer and cook the mixture to the soft-ball stage (235 to 240 degrees F.), but you can use the timed method here. (I cook this in a 3-qt. Pan on the stove, and pour it into a 
Fantasy Fudge

Makes about 117

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup margarine (I use unsalted butter.)
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 12-oz. (340 g) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 7-oz. (198 g) jar Kraft Marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (preferably real vanilla extract, rather than artificial)

Traditional method:
Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling bail, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate till melted. Add marshmallow creme, nuts & vanilla beat till blended. Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Let cool and cut into 1-inch squares.


Microwave method:
Microwave margarine in 4-quart microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) 1 minute or until melted. Add sugar and milk; mix well. Microwave on HIGH 5 minutes or until mixture begins to boil, stirring after 3 minutes. Mix well; scrape bowl. Continue microwaving on HIGH 5-1/2 minutes; stir after 3 minutes. Stir in chips until melted. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Cool at room 
temperature; cut into squares. Makes 3 pounds.

Note: Can be made in a smaller pan for thicker squares (yield will be reduced).

Extra note:  The comments in parentheses are mine.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

Ooo, that reminds me.  We make our own marshmallows and marshmallow fluff.  The fluff is easy, but the marshmallows are a bit tougher.  They're so good though and it's hard to go back to Stay-Puft after you've done a batch.  We like to flavor them with mint or orange and swirl colors into them.


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

Did before during high school. Now my only by scratch recipe is my Korean red pepper dressing. Throw all ingredients together, shake, and throw in lunch bag


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Scheherazade said:


> Ooo, that reminds me. We make our own marshmallows and marshmallow fluff. The fluff is easy, but the marshmallows are a bit tougher. They're so good though and it's hard to go back to Stay-Puft after you've done a batch. We like to flavor them with mint or orange and swirl colors into them.


My mother and I used to make marshmallows and gumdrops (called Knox Dainties back then) every year, as well as divinity. I'm thinking about making marshmallows to give to my hot cocoa-drinking friends this year.


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## Christopher Bunn (Oct 26, 2010)

Cindy, just to make sure I understand your fudge recipe completely - do you use the thermometer during the boiling milk stage? Thanks for posting the recipe.


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## Alice Y. Yeh (Jul 14, 2010)

Thanks for the recipe, Cindy! I look forward to trying it!


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

chbunn said:


> Cindy, just to make sure I understand your fudge recipe completely - do you use the thermometer during the boiling milk stage? Thanks for posting the recipe.


Yes. As the recipe states, you can boil the sugar, margarine (or butter), and milk for 5 minutes, or else put your candy thermometer in the mixture once it begins boiling, and let it get to 235 degrees. I know people who use the 5 minute time as their guide, and they apparently get along well with it. I prefer to be more precise.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

I have made egg custard, blondies, scrambled eggs, and chicken chili from scratch, layer pellets, started/grower mash, scraps, time, and 25 day-old chicks.  I plan to make cheese after we get goats but that is still several years away.

I also make pizza dough, soft pretzels, and bread. I have made dried vegetable chips from squash.

I remember my mom making homemade sauerkraut.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Annalog said:


> I have made egg custard, blondies, scrambled eggs, and chicken chili from scratch, layer pellets, started/grower mash, scraps, time, and 25 day-old chicks.  I plan to make cheese after we get goats but that is still several years away.
> 
> I also make pizza dough, soft pretzels, and bread. I have made dried vegetable chips from squash.
> 
> I remember my mom making homemade sauerkraut.


I'd love to make goat cheese! We used to have a dairy farm just a mile north of us, and I wish I'd known that I could make my own cheese when the dairy was in business. Now, I use milk from the store, but milk directly from the farm would have been better.


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## Ruby296 (Nov 1, 2008)

My fudge recipe is pretty close to Cindy's but I use mini marshmallows instead of the creme/fluff. I also put a pinch of salt in mine. I've been making this for about 20 yrs and just go by the 5 minute rolling boil rule. I've never had a bad batch yet! And the better quality chocolate makes a difference, I usually use Ghirardelli or better.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

chbunn said:


> BTackitt, I'm going to try your jerky recipe, but the fan/bungee cord part of it kind of alarms me.


AS I said, I used to use a dehydrator, but after watching Alton Brown make it, and the reason WHY he uses filters/fan, I switched. Ovens & dehydrators cook the meat a bit as they dehydrate (unless you have a fan only option) so the meat can be a little tougher. The fan/filter method doesn't cook it at all. We can go through 6lbs of jerky a week (darn teenage boys).


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## Christopher Bunn (Oct 26, 2010)

Okay, I gotta stop being a wimp. Couple questions for you, though. By "fan", do you just mean a non-heating fan, the kind just used for airflow? Are the airfilters the ones you'd put into a air condition or heating duct intake (mostly made out of paper, with some internal wire to give them structure)? Last question: if you strap them against the fan and then stand the fan up, doesn't liquid from the meat trickle down onto the ground?


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

I have been known to bake my own bread.  This includes using a hand-mill to grind grain into flour and going on from there.  If I get ambitious, I'll write a post on baking bread.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Ruby296 said:


> My fudge recipe is pretty close to Cindy's but I use mini marshmallows instead of the creme/fluff. I also put a pinch of salt in mine. I've been making this for about 20 yrs and just go by the 5 minute rolling boil rule. I've never had a bad batch yet! And the better quality chocolate makes a difference, I usually use Ghirardelli or better.


Good points, Ruby. I add a pinch of salt to nearly everything, and didn't think to add it to the recipe above. As for quality chocolate, it definitely makes a difference. (I have made fudge using Nestle's or Toll House semisweet chocolate chips, though, and it's still very good. I love to use Ghiardelli when I have it.



T.L. Haddix said:


> To whoever lamented over the dairy that moved/closed, do you have a health food store? They might have raw or local milk.


No, I don't. I live smackdab in the middle of nowhere, evidenced by the fact that I lived a mile from a dairy, and, until a couple of years ago, we raised thousands of hogs on our farm.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Somebody list some salad dressing recipes! I only make ceasar, but would love to make Ranch (I've tried. Very bland) and Italian dressing and a good vinagarette!!!

Here's the link to the Ceasar:

http://www.bearmountainbooks.com/hobbies/recipes/appetizers/caesar-salad/

Maria


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## AnnetteL (Jul 14, 2010)

Talk about a walk down memory lane! 

My mom was the queen of from scratch. (We were the health-nut freaks before being a health nuts was cool.) She made yogurt, mayo, sprouted sprouts, had an entire whole-wheat bread baking day each month (we'd freeze 30 loaves to last us for a month), and so on. 

And my dad often made and canned this amazing tomato soup. 

I think I need to ask them for some recipes!


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

T.L. Haddix said:


> On the beef jerky - you lay the fan flat but I'll be daggoned if I remember what you prop it up with - maybe a couple bricks placed underneath to allow for air flow. So you put the fan on its back and point it toward the ceiling. Yes, pleated air filters like your furnace uses. The ones with the accordion cotton-type stuff. Regular ol' box fan, like you would put in a window during the summer when the A/C goes out. I hope it's okay that I answered that....


That's exactly it. Thanks for posting it TL.. I had internet connection issues for a while yesterday.
Box fan + Air conditioner filters 
No, they don't drip, as long as you drain them a bit before putting on the filters.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

I just discovered and made this recipe this afternoon, and have to pass it on to those of you who are candy makers (either experienced or aspiring). It's called Bavarian Mint Fudge, and I found it on the Taste of Home website. It's smooth, minty, and delicious. (I melted a bit of green candy disks, drizzled it over the top of the candy, and then quickly made tracks through it with a fork so that people will know that it's mint flavored. I also made a layered chocolate and mint fudge, but I figure it will be apparent that it's mint because of the light green center layer.

Here's the recipe (and it's really easy to make, for those of you who don't like involved recipes). 
Here's the link if some of you want to see the finished photo or get another view of the recipe.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Bavarian-Mint-Fudge/Print










77 ServingsPrep: 20 min. + chilling
Ingredients

* 1-1/2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon butter, divided
* 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 package (11-1/2 ounces) milk chocolate chips
* 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
* 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
* 1 teaspoon Spice Island® Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions

* Line an 11-in. x 7-in. pan with foil and grease the foil with 1-1/2
* teaspoons butter; set aside.
*
* In a heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and remaining butter
* over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in the
* milk and extracts until well blended. Spread into prepared pan.
* Refrigerate until set.
*
* Using the foil, lift fudge out of the pan. Discard the foil; cut
* fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: about
* 2-1/2 pounds.
*

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 62 calories, 3 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 13 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

T.L. Haddix said:


> That sounds yummy! Question - is peppermint essential oil interchangeable with peppermint extract? Please don't cringe!


It's not the same thing, as the extract is a combination of peppermint oil, I think, and vodka. If you were to use peppermint oil, I'd use a very small amount. (Start with 1/8 tsp. oil of peppermint.) (I'm assuming that the oil that you have is made to be ingested.) I use oil of cloves, peppermint, spearmint, etc. for hard candy making, and am sure it would work here.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

For Essential oils, they are only food safe if they say they are. Some are chemically removed from the plant materials, and those chemicals may not be safe for ingestion.
Food safe extracts are much different.


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