Amish Bread Starter, creating a "Sour-dough" like bread. This starter makes a cinnamon bread, with optional raisins and nuts. From the "e-Cookbook" 65 Amish Recipes
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. milk
2/3 c. flour
2/3 c. oil
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
Combine ingredients in a large airtight container with a lid. Store at room temperature, do not refrigerate. Stir every day for 17 days. The recipe makes more than the 1 cup needed. But allows for evaporation.
Now the starter is ready. The following instructions are for either the starter you created above or received from a loving friend.
For the next 10 days handle starter according to the following instructions.
Day 1, receive the starter
Day 2, 3 & 4 - stir
Day 5, Add 1 cup each flour, sugar, and milk.
Day 6 & 7, stir
Day 8 & 9, stir
Day 10, Add 1 cup flour, sugar, and milk.
Divide into 3 containers of 1 cup each for friends.
After removing the 3 cups of batter, mix in the following ingredients: Using a fork, beat by hand until well blended.
Add 1 cup raisins and 1 cup nuts (optional).
Grease pans with butter, sprinkle with sugar instead of flour. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pans.
Winter has an effect not only pot plants outdoors, but also indoors. Find out what are the key factors that affect your plants in winter and what you can do to help them stay healthy at this time of the year.
1. LIGHT is the very first element to consider. In winter, when the light is not so strong, you can place your plants closer to the windows, and rotate them regularly so all the leaves receive enough light.
Choose the most appropriate location taking into account the following window orientations:
-North: it doesn't receive direct sunlight, but it is a good source of light for your plants. Most convenient in summer.
-South: it receives the most sunlight. Very convenient in winter.
-East: it allows early sunlight, which is very important for an excellent growing of your plants.
-West: it receives much sunlight, but its convenience depends on the amount of light the plant can receive.
2. TEMPERATURE is another key factor to consider because in winter we increase the temperature of the room via heaters, fireplaces and other heating devices. Plants suffer many times because of this, and we do not realize.
When the temperature of the room increases, the water of your plants evaporates quickly, and so it may be necessary to increase the amount of water they receive. As always, the exact amount of water will depend on the type of plant you have.
A solution to this is to place containers with water close to the plants. The leaves will absorb the water by transpiration, in a natural way.
And a quick reminder: although plants show beautifully when displayed on mantelpieces, remember to remove them before starting a fire, as the excess of heat could kill them.
3. WATERING your plants in winter is important for the reason told above. To water your plants properly, do so with abundant water fewer times, rather than with less water and very often.
The reason for this is because the water needs to reach all the roots of the plant, including the deepest ones. When you use abundant water, the plant does not need more water for a while, so you can space the watering.
If not watered properly, the plant may die, even though the surface of the soil may appear wet.
4. VENTILATION is a key factor since some indoor plants need air moving around them occasionally, so their stems and leaves can gain in strength.
Although they do not need a continuous flow of air, the truth is that they get exactly what they need under "friendly" weather conditions, that is early autumn, spring or summer, when we naturally open doors and windows and allow breeze to flow.
But in winter we keep windows closed for longer periods of time, therefore preventing air flows. Again you should ensure that your specific plant is receptive to air flows (not all indoor plants are).
5. Some plants may undergo a period of HIBERNATION during winter. Hibernation is just a natural mechanism of the plants to protect themselves of adverse weather conditions.
During this "sleeping period" the plant may stop growing or even appear weak and loose their leaves. Consequently, the owner believes (wrongly) that the plant is dying or dead and ends up throwing it away.
The thing is, while plants hibernate, they don't need so much water nor fertilizer. If you doubt whether your plant is hibernating or actually dead, just leave it where it is and water it occasionally, and you might just see it alive again in spring.
A Chrismon tree in the nave of St. Alban's Anglican Cathedral in Oviedo, Florida
Photo: Wikipedia
The tradition of Christmas trees in America came from German immigrants who had settled in Pennsylvania. It is believed that the tradition of Christmas trees started in Germany from as early as 700 A.D and was practiced by many Germans in the 1800s. It's also since that period that Christmas trees have also been available for sale in the United States. While artificial Christmas trees are popular, many people like to have a fresh Christmas tree in their homes, or outside on their lawns. And similar to all other trees, Christmas trees also have different shapes and qualities that make some types more popular than others.
Along with other decorative Christmas items such as wreaths and garlands, having a Christmas tree in your home is very essential in creating a special atmosphere for the season. It is believed that
Christmas trees have been available for sale in America since the 1800s, which is about the same time that the former Woolworth's department store started selling ready-made ornaments for Christmas trees.
Choosing the right type of Christmas tree is important because Christmas trees are often a focal point for many family activities and traditions. Given the many types of Christmas trees that are available, it is important to think about how the tree will be used. While a tall tree may look very elegant, it may not be suitable if there aren't many adults around who can reach the tree's heights. And a very short tree may be dwarfed by other furniture in the room. It's therefore very important to carefully consider and get a tree that has a suitable height and also one that has sturdy branches to hold heavy ornaments.
Artificial and real Christmas trees can often be bought from the same retail stores these days as local businesses and retail chain stores often sell both types of trees. The best place to get a real and fresh Christmas tree, and also to see a wide variety, is likely a Christmas tree farm, however. Using modern technology, both types of trees can also be obtained through online transactions, via telephone as well as by mail-order through catalogs.
Among Christmas trees, there are certain types that are always favorites and which are bestsellers. These include Douglas, Fraser, Noble and Balsam firs, and Scotch, Virginia, and white pine trees.
These evergreen trees all have all have one or more excellent features related to shape, color or sheen and fragrance, which makes them favorites for Christmas trees.
The most favorite Christmas trees basically have a pyramid or cone shape. A pyramid-shaped tree is likely taller and has somewhat of an elegant look. Douglas Fir, which ranks first among Christmas tree favorites, is an example of a pyramid-shaped tree. Other examples are Fraser, Balsam, and Noble firs.
A cone shape tree tends to be short with dense branches, which makes them excellent for holding many ornaments and other decorations. Families that have a strong tradition of making their own ornaments, or putting mementos on Christmas trees may consider a cone-shaped tree. Virginia and Scotch Pines, Norway Spruce and the Eastern White Pine all have cone shapes.
Another feature that makes Christmas trees appealing is their color. While all trees have a green appearance, a closer look at their needles will reveal differences such as a bright or dark-green, blue-
green or yellowish-green hue. The needles may also emit a silvery sheen with the right lighting. Fraser and Noble firs both have needles with a silvery sheen, and the branches of both trees are also used for garlands and wreaths.Most people choose a fresh Christmas tree for its fragrance, which can be fairly strong or just subtle, giving off just enough of a whiff of scent.
Douglas Fir, which is the most popular Christmas tree in homes and public places, is a very fragrant tree. The Balsam fir is also fairly fragrant. The Eastern White Pine is, however, a tree that doesn't have much fragrance. Whether you have a favorite type of Christmas tree or will choose one from its appearance, there are many choices to satisfy the desire to have a fragrant and well-decorated tree for Christmas.
1. Simmer the duck legs gently in a large pan of boiling water for about 2 hours.
2. To prepare the sauce, fry peeled, chopped onions in 50 g (2 oz) of the butter for about 10 minutes or soft. Add peeled and grated ginger, with the sugar and csardomom seeds from one pod. Cook until the color of the mixture turns dark golden brown.
3. Add the stock and boil until the volume is reduced by half. Reduce by half again till syrup like after adding the white wine and dry ginger. Add salt and pepper and orange juice to taste.
4. Stir in 25 g (1 oz) of the butter into the sauce at boiling point. Separate the onions from the liquid and combine with the rest of the butter. Keep.
5. Remove excess water from the duck and put over a roasting tin on a rack. Brush the duck with oil and sprinkle with salt and the remaining cardomom seeds.
6. Roast until the skin is very crisp. About 20 to 25 minutes at gas mark 8. (230 degrees centigrade, 450 F). Add the reheated butter and onion and serve the food with heated cardomom sauce.
Garnish with coriander.
Christmas recipe serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Calories per serving: 875
Suitable for freezing after step 3.
Christmas recipe ingredients
Sherry or balsamic vinegar, 15 ml (1 tbsp)
Caster Sugar, 10 ml (2 tsp)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil, 120 ml (8 tbsp)
Cranberries, fresh or frozen 50 g (2 oz)
Celery, 125 g (4 oz)
Walnuts toasted 50 g (2 oz)
Turkey, roasted meat 450 g (1 lb)
Garlic cloves, 2
Olive oil, 15 ml (1 tbsp)
Fennel seeds (optional), 10 ml (2 tsp)
Oregano dried 10 ml (2 tsp)
Cranberry sauce, 30 ml (2 tbsp)
Breadcrumbs, fresh 125 g (4 oz)
Eggs, 2
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated 50 g (2 oz)
Oil
Green salad
Christmas recipe instructions
1. Chop the turkey, walnuts, and celery into small pieces. Crush peeled garlic. Cook the oregano, fennel seeds, garlic and celery in oil for about five minutes. Then add the cranberry sauce. leave to cool.
2. Add salt and pepper to the vinegar and sugar, mix in the oil and cranberries. Heat to boiling, cook for 1 minute and leave to cool.
3. Combine salt and pepper, parmesan cheese, walnuts, eggs, breadcrumbs, celery mixture and turkey. Split into twelve golf-sized meatballs.
4. Deep-fat fry the meatballs until golden brown (about 4 minutes). Place them on kitchen towel paper to soak up the oil and serve onto green salad sprinkled with cranberry dressing from step 1.
Pudding Recipes given here are easy to cook and absolutely delicious. Properly made Christmas puddings will be extremely tasty and make your Christmas celebrations a memorable experience. Enjoy these Puddings with your loved ones during this Christmas.
Christmas Pudding (1).
Ingredientsof Christmas Pudding:-
1 lb. raisins (stoned),
1 lb. chopped apples,
1 lb. currants,
1 lb. breadcrumbs,
1/2 lb. mixed peel chopped fine,
1 lb. shelled and ground Brazil nuts,
1/2 lb. chopped sweet almonds,
1 oz. bitter almonds (ground),
1 lb. sugar,
1/2 lb. butter,
1/2 oz. mixed spice and
6 eggs.
Instructions:-
Wash, pick, and dry the fruit, rub the butter into the breadcrumbs, beat up the eggs, and mix all the ingredients together; if the mixture is too dry, add a little milk. Fill some greased basins with the mixture, and boil the puddings from 3 to 4 hours.
Christmas Pudding (2).
Ingredients:-
12 oz. breadcrumbs,
1/2 lb. currants,
1/2 lb. raisins,
1/2 lb. sweet almonds,
1 doz. bitter almonds,
3/4 lb. moist sugar,
3 oz. of butter, 2 oz. candied peel,
8 eggs,
1 teaspoonful of spice and
1 teacupful of applesauce.
Instructions:-
Rub the butter into the breadcrumbs, wash, pick, and dry the fruit, stone the raisins, chop or grind the almonds, beat up the eggs, mix all well together, at the last stir in the applesauce. Boil the pudding in a buttered mold for 4 hours, and serve with white sauce.
Christmas Pudding (3).
Ingredients:-
1 lb. each of raisins, currants, sultanas, chopped apples, and Brazil nut kernels;
1/2 lb. each of moist sugar, wholemeal breadcrumbs, wheatmeal, and sweet almonds and butter;
1/4 lb. of mixed peel,
1/2 oz. of mixed spice,
6 eggs, and
some milk.
Instructions:-
Wash and pick the currants and sultanas; wash and stone the raisins; chop finely the nut kernels, blanch and chop finely the almonds, and cut up fine the mixed peel. Rub the butter into the meal and breadcrumbs. First mix all the dry ingredients, then beat well the eggs and add them. Pour as much milk as is necessary to moisten the mixture sufficiently to work it with a wooden spoon. Have ready buttered pudding basins, nearly fill them with the mixture, cover with pieces of buttered paper, tie pudding cloths over the basins, and boil for 4 hours.
Christmas Plum Pudding (1)
Ingredients of Christmas Plum Pudding:-
One cupful of finely-chopped beef suet,
two cupfuls of fine breadcrumbs,
one heaping cupful of sugar,
one cupful of seeded raisins,
one cupful of well-washed currants,
one cupful of chopped blanched almonds,
half a cupful of citron, sliced thin,
a teaspoonful of salt,
one of the cloves,
two of cinnamon,
half a grated nutmeg and
four well-beaten eggs.
Making of Christmas Plum Pudding:-
Dissolve a level teaspoonful of soda in a tablespoonful of warm water. Flour the fruit thoroughly from a pint of flour; then mix the remainder as follows: In a large bowl put the well-beaten eggs, sugar, spices, and salt in one cupful of milk. Stir in the fruit, chopped nuts, bread crumbs and suet, one after the other, until all are used, putting in the dissolved soda last and adding enough flour to make the fruit stick together, which will take all the pint. Boil or steam three to four hours. Serve with wine or any well-flavored sauce.
Christmas Plum Pudding (2)
Ingredients:-
2 cups ground suet,
2 cups breadcrumbs,
2 cups flour,
2 teaspoons Baking Powder,
2 cups sugar.
2 cups seeded raisins.
2 cups currants,
1 cup finely cut citron,
1 cup finely cut figs,
1 tablespoon finely cut orange peel,
1 tablespoon finely cut lemon peel,
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
1 teaspoon ground ginger,
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves,
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg,
1/4 teaspoon ground mace,
1 tablespoon salt,
1 cup water or prune juice and
1 cup grape or other fruit juice
Instructions:-
Mix thoroughly all dry ingredients and add fruit; stir in water and fruit juice and mix thoroughly. Add more water if necessary to make a stiff dough. Fill greased molds 2/3 full, and steam two or three hours. This pudding should be prepared and cooked a week or more before used. Before serving steam one hour and serve with hard, lemon or foamy sauce.
Out of all of the herbal supplements on the market today, Ginseng is the most widely used. In earlier times Ginseng went by a different name, "man root." because the root resembled that of the shape of a man. To this day many people believe in the powers of Ginseng as they believe that it has healing and mystical powers. The Ancient Chinese thought that when a plant resembles a human body part that it would have a healing effect on that part of the body. In other words, if a plant resembled a hand it would have the ability to heal the hands. But since Ginseng resembles the entire body it is thought that is can bring balance and well being to the whole body.
Ginseng contains complex carbohydrates, is an anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, and has anti-cancer elements. Notice today that many energy drinks contain Ginseng which is because it is known for creating energy, this was brought to the forefront by the Chinese but Americans have a different plan for Ginseng which uses it for mental lucidity and treating stress. There has been a growing relationship between Ginseng and its ability to strengthen physically as well as mentally and maintain good balance.
It was the Russians who actually made that discovery however the Asians have discovered that Ginseng helps mental improvement, eliminates anemia, and helps prevent diabetes, neurosis, coughs, asthma, and TB. Further, they found that it can be very beneficial to the liver and can also reduce the effects significantly of a hangover.
There has been more recent research on Ginseng than on any other herbal supplement, ever. The concern is that many times when people purchase Ginseng at various stores it may have been over processed and therefore not as effective. The best way is to make sure that you are purchasing authentic Ginseng and in order to do that, you may have to purchase the Ginseng root. Oddly enough, with all of the research and studies that have been conducted on Ginseng, the FDA has yet to endorse it. It is known that people who suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, bleeding or clotting disorders, or diabetes should not use Ginseng unless they speak with their physician first.
While it is true that Ginseng is most widely recognized as a medicinal herb it is also used quite frequently in teas and in cooking. Most people are aware of the infamous Ginseng tea but many are not aware that Ginseng is sliced and put into soups and often boiled and mashed, added to stir-fry dishes, and added to boiling water when making rice. It is much more common for cooking in Chinese, Korean, and Asian foods.
Often Ginseng is used when cooking chicken and mushroom dishes. Many people also use it in desserts for some added zing. It is often used in soups, salads, and even jellies. It seems that most people who enjoy the benefits of Ginseng for cooking are vegetarians but it might be becoming more popular since people are now learning the true benefits of this very popular herb.
