Home Grown Recipes

Savory Pie Crust using schmaltz

2008-01-15T14:46:32Z

This is a rich pie crust. It uses lard but you can easily substitute Crisco shortening for the lard. I did and it turned out just fine.

I am not an expert baker. Baking is not where I excell but this recipe worked fine and over time I am sure I will refine my technique.

2 1/2 cup flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Crisco or lard
1/4 cup cold chicken fat (schmaltz)*
6 tablespoons ice water

Combine flour and salt.

Cut in shortening/lard and reserved cold chicken fat until size of small peas has formed from the flour and fats.

Add water by tablespoons while mixing with a fork until all flour is moistened and dough forms ball.

On a rainy day it will take less water as the humidity in the air will saturate the flour. (Note here that alot of cooks don't bake pastries on rainy days.)

Divide the dough in half. Using a tiny bit of flour to dust with you can roll out both of your crusts. Don't use too much flour, just a dusting or your pie crust will suffer. Work quickly to keep everything as cold as possible.

*If you do not render your own you can find it in a Jewish grocery or in the ethnic isle at your market labled as schmalz.

Banana Nut Bread

2007-12-20T14:07:00Z

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter or margarine or crisco

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups mashed overripe bananas (I usually use 4 or 5 bananas)

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 pans of the small individual loaves

Sift dry ingedients together.

Using a pastry cutter or a fork cut the shortening/butter into the dry ingredients.

In another bowl mash the banana to mush. Beat the eggs. Add this to the other mixture.

Mix all well.

Spoon into loaves.

Bake until toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean.

These are great warm with just a small dollop of butter spread across the top.

This is possibly the very best banana nut bread recipe you'll ever find.

Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

2007-05-06T00:23:24Z

1/2 cup plain yogurt 3/4 cup milk 3/4 cup sugar 4 tablespoons butter, melted 2 large eggs 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 1 cup fresh blueberries 1/2 cup chopped pecans Topping Crumbles: 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar Dash cinnamon 2 tablespoons softened butter 1/4 cup oats Preheat oven to 400��. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin cups (liners). In bowl combine yogurt, milk, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, melted butter, and egg. In separate bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Combine the mixtures, stirring only until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently fold in berries. Spoon into muffin cups. In a small bowl combine the topping ingredients with a fork until crumbly. Top muffins with crumb topping. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes about 12 medium muffins.

Oatmeal Banana Nut Bread

2007-05-03T00:44:55Z

1/2 cup shortening (or half butter) 3/4 cup white sugar (or 1/2 brown and 1/2 white) 2 eggs 3 mashed bananas (or as much as 1 1/2 cups) 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 cup quick cooking oats 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Turn down oven to 300. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the banana and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Beat into creamed mixture. Stir in oats and nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. *Sprinkle unbaked top with 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp sugar and not quite 1/4 cup oatmeal flakes before baking.

Chocolate Chip Bread

2007-05-01T15:48:11Z

1 package bread machine yeast 3 cups bread flour 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 4 tablespoons soft butter 1 egg 1 cup warm milk 1/4 cup water 1 cup chocolate chips Combine all items in your bread machine as directed by the manufacturer and bake.

Cranberry Walnut Bread

2007-05-01T15:14:12Z

1/4 cup rolled oats 1/4 cup water 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature 1 egg 3 tablespoons honey 1 1/2 tablespoons margarine, softened 3 cups bread flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 3/4 cup dried craisens 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Add all ingrediets as directed by your bread machine instructions except for the walnuts and craisens. Choose the fruit setting and when signaled add the cranberries and walnuts. Bake as directed by your machine. I use the light brown setting for the crust.

Honey Buttermilk Bread

2007-05-01T00:35:14Z

2 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast 3 cups bread flour 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 3/4 cup buttermilk 3 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon butter Add ingredients to the bread machine in the order recommended. Bake according to machine directions. I had to add 1tbsp of water to this recipe because my bread machine could not mix the very dry and stiff dough. The bread turned out beautifully.

Honey Wheat Bread

2007-05-01T00:32:58Z

1 package active dry yeast 3/4 cup wheat flour 2 1/2 cups bread flour 1 tsp salt 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp butter 1 egg 1 cup water + 1 tbl. Mix according to your bread machine instructions.

Basic Pancake Batter

2007-04-28T23:54:29Z

2 cups self-rise flour 1/4 cup sugar 2 tsp baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups milk 1/4 cup butter (melted) 2 large eggs (beaten) 1 tsp vanilla extract Sift the dry ingredients together. Mix the wet ingredients together. Pour the wet into the dry. Mix but do NOT over mix -just until incorporated. Set aside and alow to stand while your skillet or griddle is coming up to temperature. Very VERY lightly oil your griddle. Use a 1/4 cup scoop and pour batter onto the griddle. When the bubbles rise and the batter looks a little set give them a quick flip. Once browned, remove from griddle. Stack and serve with butter and syrup. Serves 4 - 5.

Georgia Pea Picker's Cake

2007-02-28T17:11:38Z

Cake: 1 box Duncan Hines yellow butter cake mix 1/2 c. Crisco oil 3 eggs 1 c. mandarin oranges and juice Beat together and pour into 3 greased and floured pans and bake for 20 minutes. Cool and frost. Icing 1 lg. Cool Whip 1 sm. vanilla instant pudding 1 c. crushed pineapple and juice Beat until thick. Frost between layers and over all outside. Keep in refrigerator. This is a cool dessert for a warm eveing or a hot summer afternoon. Sometimes this is refered to as a Sunshine Cake.

Low Carb Pasta Salad

2007-02-07T21:07:35Z

2 servings dreamfields rotini pasta (1 1/2 c. before cooking)(10 carbs) 5 sliced green olives (1 carbs) 1/3 jar roasted red peppers (1.5 carbs) 2 cups spinach leaves (1 carb) 1/4 cup Athenos greek dressing (4 carbs) 4 boiled eggs, sliced (0 carbs) 2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped (broiled or grilled or boiled)(0carbs) 1/4 cup feta cheese (3 carbs) Dried parsley flakes Salt and pepper to taste. While the pasta and chicken are hot toss with the spinach to wilt it down just a little bit. Pour over the dressing and allow it to marinate the main ingredients. Add remaining ingrediants. Toss well. Makes 5 large servings = 20.5 carbs 4.1 carbs per serving

More Mac and Cheese

2007-02-06T20:54:18Z

6 servings Dreamfields rotini pasta (30 carbs) 2 cups heavy whipping cream (0 carbs) 2 cups shredded colby cheese (2 carbs) 2 eggs beaten (0 carbs) Salt and pepper to taste Cook pasta according to box directions. In a sauce pan slowly heat the cream and stir in the grated cheese. Stir often as the cheese melts into the cream. Temper the eggs and add them to the hot cream and cheese mix. Stir well to mix the eggs and not let them curdle. Place pasta in a casserole dish large enough to leave room for the sauce of cream and cheese. Pour hot cream and cheese mix over the pasta. Top with more grated cheese. Bake in a 375 degree oven 30 - 45 minutes until cassrole is set and the cheese is just before turning golden. 32 carbs for the entire casserole. Makes 8 - 10 servings. At 8 servings that is 4 carbs/serving.

Low Carb Chicken and Spinach Lasagne

2007-02-05T14:33:04Z

6 dreamfeilds lasagne noodles (<5 carbs) 2 chicken breasts thinly sliced (0 carbs) 2 cups heavy cream (0 carbs) 1 stick butter (0 Carbs) 4 cups baby spinach leaves (1 carbs) 1 small onion Garlic (or garlic powder) Parsley (or parsley flakes) Salt and pepper Olive oil 2 cups ricotta cheese (15 carbs) 2 cups grated mozzerella cheese (2 carbs) 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup parmesian cheese (0 carbs) Prepare lasagne noodles according to package. In a sautee pan heat olive oil, gently cook the onions and garlic without browning them or the pan. Add the thinly sliced chicken and cook without creating a fond or browning the chicken. Stir in the butter cut into pieces so that it melts quickly. Do not allow the butter to begin to brown. Just let it melt. Add the cream. Simmer, stirring often until the mixture begins to thicken. It may take 10 minutes or more to slowly thicken. Sprinkle in the parsley flakes and salt and pepper to taste. While the sauce and chicken, place the washed and still damp spinach leaves in a glass dish with a lid and microwave for 4 minutes. The spinach will wilt down and be almost as thin as a sheet of paper on the bottom of your dish. Drain off the water and juices. Only use the spinach and carefull fork it out of the bottom of your dish or it will just create one ball of a mess and won't spread easily in your lasagne. Mix ricotta, parmesian and beaten eggs well with a spinkle of garlic powder. Set aside. When the sauce is thicken begin assembling your lasagne. The cassrole dish I use is about the width of 3 lasagne noodles, so with a little cream sauce or butter in the bottom of my dish: layer of 3 noodles a layer of 1/2 of the chicken and cream sauce a layer of of the spinach a layer of 1/2 of the shredded mozzerella a layer of the ricotta/parmesian mixture a layer of 3 noodles topped with last of the chicken and cream sauce and a final layer of mozzerella Place in a 375 degree oven. Bake for 30 - 45 minutes until bubbly and hot and the cheese on top is just beginning to become golden. Allow to sit and cool for 15 minutes or so before serving with a nice green salad. Ken's steakhouse light northern italian dressing is 1 carb for 2 tbsp. That is a lot. Total carb count for the casserole: 23 carbs The casserole made 8 servings (but could actually extend to 10 servings) 2.8 carbs. A serving with salad and dressing 3.8 carbs. Under 4 carbs for a delicious meal! *Taste the cream sauce and make sure it is seasoned to your taste. The salt and pepper and granulated garlic is adjustable to you palatte which is why I didn't add any measures. We like a fair amount of garlic our italian style foods. I know some people do not. If you leave out the garlic it will a bland dish.

Low Carb Chicken Alfredo

2007-01-31T15:14:00Z

2 chicken breasts cubed 3 tbsp finely diced onion 2 cloves garlic crushed 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp parsley flakes salt and pepper to taste 1 stick butter 1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream 1/2 box Dreamfeilds fettachinni Heat a pan with olive oil, sautee the onions and garlic, add the chicken, sprinkle with the parsley flakes, salt and pepper and stir letting the chicken cook through and become a little brown. I do not care about a perfectly white colored alfredo sauce so when the chicken is cooked and the fond is in the bottom of the pan (where all the real flavor is) so that when the chicken is cooked I remove the pan from the heat and let the butter melt down into the chicken and herbs and spice. Once the butter is melted and the pan is cooling a bit then add the heavy cream. Let the pan simmer gently while stirring often. The cream and btter will thicken into a beautiful sauce without adding anything like flour or cornstarch or arrowroot to thicken it. While it simmers and you stir the fond will begin to loosen from the pan and the sauce will turn off white. It is ok! That is all the flavor of the chicken. Serve over hot pasta. The only carbs in this is the pasta which is 5 carbs per digestable serving.

Low Carb Mac and Cheese

2007-01-30T11:51:58Z

1/2 box Dreamfields low carb pasta 1 cup carb count milk 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream 2 tbsp butter 2 eggs beaten 4 oz cheddar cheese, grated (check the lable some cheddar brands have more carbs than others) Boil pasta as directed in salt water. Drain. In a sauce pan over low heat bring the cream and the milk up to a warm temperature. Melt the butter into the milk. Stir in 3/4 of the grated cheese until melted. Temper the beat eggs then add to the milk and cheese mixture. Add a little salt and pepper to taste. Place drained pasta in a casserole dish and slowly pour over the hot milk/cheese/egg mix. Stir gently to mix well with the pasta. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 375 degrees until set and the cheese topping is bubbly and just beginning to get golden. The cream, butter and eggs contain 0 carbs. The carb count milk has 3 carbs for one cup. The pasta is 5 digestable carbs per 1/2 cup DRY pasta. I used 3 cups dry pasta @ 30 carbs. The cheddar is <1 carb/1oz. 4 oz is about 1 carb. The casserole dish made 10 servings which works out to be 3.4 carbs per serving that we ate. Not too bad at all for good mac and cheese. Carbs remain under 5g.