Apple Raisin Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup water
2 cups rapadura
2 cups grated apples
2 cups raisins
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 1/2 cups fresh ground hard wheat

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the water, sugar, apples, raisins, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and cool completely.

In a large bowl, stir the nuts and baking soda into the flour. Add the cooled mixture to the bowl, and stir until blended. Fill greased miniature muffin tins with batter to the top. Bake for 15 minutes.

Note: Extra muffins can be stored in a re-sealable freezer bag





Source: Regina Bennett via Food Network via Paula Dean

Regina's Homemade Bread

1 cup Rapadura
1 TBS Celtic Sea Salt
1 cup melted butter, or lard, or sunflower oil
4 1/2 cups water 100-110 degrees

Combine and whisk really good, set bowl aside.

Grind Hard Wheat mixed with flax seed (1c. flax to 4-6c. wheat) on medium size, about 8 cups.

Put 6 cups flour in Bosch and 3 TBS yeast (if chilled let it sit at room temp. 5 min. before) Don't level off, just rough estimates.

Add liquid. Stir on medium for about 5 minutes. Add flour one cup at a time on medium speed. About 4 cups. Turn Bosch on low speed and grind more wheat. (about 5 cups)

Add flour on low 1 cup at a time until texture is right. Put dough on counter and knead by hand by pushing, not stretching. Knead about 6 times and form into a ball. Cover with cloth and raise for 15 minues. (20 minutes in winter)

Grease bread pans with a small amount of butter. Separate dough into 4 sections. Punch and roll by hand into shape.

Put bread on bottom rack and turn oven on to 350 for about 15 seconds and then turn off. Let bread sit in there for 35 minutes.

Bake at 330 and set timer for 40 minutes. Check if done. For extra moisture put a bowl of water in the oven, ideally underneath but on a separate rack.

Source: Regina Bennett

Green Bean and Artichoke Casserole

Celtic Sea Salt

Pepper

1 lb green beans, cut and steamed

4 tbs. butter

3 tbs. whole wheat flour

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups raw milk

1 jar (14 oz) artichoke hearts

Cayenne Pepper

6 slices homemade bread (we used 2)

Preheat oven to 425. In a large saucepan heat butter until barely melted and pour half of it in a bowl and set aside. Add garlic and flour to the saucepan and cook for 1 minute, don't let it brown. Gradually add milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until it thickens, about 3 minutes. Stir in green beans and artichoke hearts and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a 2 quart baking dish.

Toss bread crumbs in bowl with butter and put on top of casserole. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Source: Martha Stewart

Whipped Frosting

Not a lot of flavor to it like a cream cheese frosting, but it was so fluffy we rather liked it.

3 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Place in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a new bowl and beat on high until fluffy. Beat on low and add vanilla.


Source: Martha Stewart

Breakfast Cookies - Ellie Krieger

Kristen had these when she came to visit. SO DELICIOUS!! I had no self control. Not surprising. I ate a ton. The best part is, it's healthy! I changed the recipe a bit though.

3/4 & 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (you do the math)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup coconut oil, or sunflower oil
1/4 cup rapadura
1 egg
1/4 cup shredded carrots, pumkin, or sweet potato, cooked or uncooked
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup bran cereal flakes or fiber one
1/3 cup raisins, or dried cranberries, or dried blueberries, or all 3
1/3 cup soaked/dried walnuts, chopped (recipe in Nourishing Traditions)

Directions:

Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and Celtic Sea Salt in a medium-sized bowl. Combine butter, oil and Rapadura in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, scraping down sides if necessary, until Rapadura have dissolved and mixture is light in color, about 1 minute. Add egg, shredded carrots and vanilla and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add oats, flakes, raisins and walnuts and mix over low speed just until incorporated.

Dough will be slightly sticky and less cohesive than traditional cookie dough. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using between 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter, form a ball and place on cookie sheet.

Repeat with remaining batter, leaving about 3 inches between cookies. Wet hands and use palm of hand to flatten cookies until about 1/4-inch thick.

Bake for 12 minutes, until cookies are fragrant but still soft. Let cookies cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Kristen

Almond Butter Cranberry Go-Bars

Amazing snack! I altered the recipe a bit.




Garden of Life Coconut oil
1 cup regular rolled oats
1/3 cup ground oats
3 Tbsp flax seed
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp each, baking powder & Celtic Sea salt
1/2 cup chopped soaked pecans (see Nourishing Traditions)
1/2 dried cranberries
1/2 cup finely chopped dried mission figs (can use raisins instead, or dried blueberries-yum)
3/4 cup freshly ground almond butter
1/4 cup raw milk
1 large fresh egg
1/2 cup raw honey
finely shredded zest from 1 lemon
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. Line a 9 x 13″ pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on the 9″ sides, and coat with coconut oil. In a large mixing bowl, stir together oats, oat bran, flax seeds, flour, baking powder, salt , pecans, cranberries, and figs until well blended.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together almond butter, raw milk, fresh egg, raw honey, lemon zest, and lemon juice until well blended.

3. Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture and beat until completely blended. Scrape dough into lined pan and with wet fingers or a rubber spatula, pat to fill pan completely and even. Chill dough until firm, about 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Invert pan onto a work surface, lift off pan, and peel off plastic. Using a knife, cut straight down lengthwise through middle, then crosswise to make 16 bars, each 1 1/2″ wide. Place bars about 1″ apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or greased baking sheet.

5. Bake bars until lightly browned and somewhat firm to touch, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

If you make this ahead, it can be stored for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Could also soak the whole wheat before use. Perfect for travel. Keeps you regular.



Source: Melissa