Basics- Wheat

Bags of wheat! Buckets of wheat! Barrels of wheat! Bushels of wheat! Stored in the forgotten corners of your basement or garage!

Yes, you all know what I'm talking about.

Your food storage.

So....what do you do with it? Years ago my mother set out to answer that exact question, in an attempt to both use our food storage and create an inexpensive alternative to the whole grain bread we buy. It began with a manual hand grinder and about a million and a half bread-making experiments. Now we have two grinders, manual and electric, and we make our own whole wheat, preservative-free bread, bagels, cookies, cinnamon rolls, etc.

First a word about the type of wheat. There are different types of wheat, the most common being red, closely followed by white. The difference though, is less to do with the color and more to do with the protein content of the wheat. We have found that white wheat works best as a replacement for white flour, because of the similar protein content, and can work in pastries and desserts without much change in texture and flavor (just make sure it's ground very fine). Red wheat tends to make baked goods heavier, but can be remedied by adding an extra egg in place of some of the liquid in a recipe. In general high protein flours make good loaves of chewy artisan bread while low protein creates a better crumb for cakes and muffins.

Here is one of our favorite recipes to get you started.

Honey-Whole Wheat Bagels

1 cup water (75 to 85 degrees)

3 cups whole wheat flour (preferably white wheat)

1-1/2 Tbsp. honey

1-1/2 tsp. salt

1-1/2 tsp yeast

For bread machine: place ingredients in bread pan in following order: water, honey, wheat flour, salt. Make small indentation in flour and add yeast to indentation, making sure yeast does not come in contact with liquid. Start bread machine--set on “bagel” or “dough” program.

By hand: double recipe if desired. Measure water into a bowl. Add yeast and dissolve. Add honey to water mixture and stir. In a separate bowl mix flour and salt, and then add to water mixture, saving 1 cup to flour board and knead with. Stir flour into water and then turn out onto floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic. Cover with a cloth and let rise until double.

to finish: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. Divide dough into equal pieces (6 for 1 recipe, 12 for double recipe) Roll into a ball and poke a hole in the middle. Roll and shape into a bagel shape. Place on baking sheet. Let rise 20 min. Fill a large pan 3’’ deep with water, add 1/4 cup sugar and bring to a boil. Gently lift bagel from baking sheet and gently submerge in water, cooking 30 seconds on each side. Remove bagel to paper towels and let drain, then place on baking sheet. Bake 20-25 min until bagels are lightly browned and surface is shiny; remove from baking sheet to wire rack to cool. Serve with Honey-Walnut spread.

Honey-Walnut Spread

Mix one 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (reg. or light) or yogurt cheese, softened, with 1 1/2 Tbsp honey. Add 3 Tbsp. walnuts. Chill

Best Whole Grain and Nut Pancakes

 My most favorite pancakes ever! The oats and walnuts make them so light compared to the usual whole wheat pancakes. And They're so good for you! I am thinking about experimenting with changing the oil and sugar content.....

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Grind the oats in a blender or food processor until fine. In a large bowl, combine ground oats, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, milk, oil, egg, and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix wet ingredients into dry with a few swift strokes. Stir in nuts, if desired.
3. Lightly oil a skillet or griddle, and preheat it to medium heat. Ladle 1/3 cup of the batter onto the hot skillet; cook the pancakes for 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until brown. 

Chicken Noodle Soup

• 2 breasts, 4 thighs, or 2 leg quarters
• 2 1/2 quarts water
• 2 T chicken bouillon
• 2 tsp sugar
• 4 celery
• 4 carrots
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Grandma Swenson's Homemade Noodles:

• 1 cup flour
  
• 1 egg
• 2 T butter
• 1/2 egg shell water

Add all ingredients except noodles to a pot. After chicken is cooked thoroughly, take the meat from the bones and return the meat to the soup. Mix together noodle ingredients, knead. Roll out very thin and slice into strips. Add to soup. Bring to a boil and cook until noodles are done.

Aunt Dawnie’s Corn Beef & Cabbage

• 4 lb corn beef w/ seasonings
  
• red currant jelly
• red potatoes
  
• cabbage
  
• 1 red pepper

Boil corn beef w/seasoning for 3 1/2 hrs. until tender. Remove and place on a broiling pan. Cover with a fairly thick layer of currant jelly. Place under broiler until jelly is bubbly.

Peel just the centers of the red potatoes, and boil in the water left from the corn beef.

Saute’ cabbage and red pepper together in oil until just limp. Add following mixture: 2 T sugar, 2 T distilled white vinegar, 1/4 t caraway seed, 1/2 t salt (variation: saute’ in butter, season w/salt, pepper and garlic powder)

Linguini with Garlic and Clam Sauce

• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1 green pepper, seeded
• 6-10 cloves of garlic (depending on your own tastes)
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/2-1 lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2-3 cans minced clams, liquid reserved
• 2 Tbs. chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp. thyme, crumbled
• pinch of cayenne, salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Saute’ mushrooms and set aside. Saute’ onion, green pepper, and garlic in oil until softened. Add mushrooms, clam liquid, parsley, thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper. Simmer until heated through. Add clams and continue heating for another minute or two. Serve over linguini and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Terri's Almond Roca Bars

• 2 c. flour
  
• 1 1/2 c. butter
• 1 3/4 c. brown sugar
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 c. chopped almonds
  
• 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Cream 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar. Add 2 cups flour and press into a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with 1 cup almonds and bake for 10 minutes. In sauce pan combine 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 cup butter and bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 tsp vanilla and pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. Remove from oven and cover with chocolate chips. Spread chips after melting like frosting and sprinkle with the remaining almonds.

Laura's Salad

• head of romaine lettuce
• 4 oz. sugared almonds
• 1 large granny smith apple, slice thin
  
• 1/2 c. craisins

Adjust ingredient amounts to suit own tastes. Sugar almonds by placing almonds in a pan, sprinkling w/sugar, and then cooking and stirring until coated. Place the following dressing ingredients in the blender:

• 1/3 cup white vinegar
  
• 3/4 tsp. grated onion
• 3/4 tsp. poppy seeds
  
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
  
• 1/3 tsp. dry mustard

Turn blender on. Slowly add: 3/4 c. olive oil

Add dressing to salad and toss.

Grandma Jerri’s Yams

• 2 1/2 lbs. yams (boil until soft)
  
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/3 c. butter, melted
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs. beaten
  
• 1/2 c. sugar

Mash and mix together.

Topping:

• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
  
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. shredded coconut
  
• 3 Tbsp. butter

Mix until crumbly.--sprinkle on top. Heat through

(I double the first half of this recipe, put into a 9x13 pan, and use same topping)

Grandma Jean's Yummy Treat

• 1/2 box Honey Golden Grahams
  
• 1 1/2 c. coconut
• 1/2 box rice Chex
  
• 1 to 2 c. sliced almonds

Mix. In a sauce pan cook:

• 1 c. sugar
  
• 3/4 c. butter
• 1 c. corn syrup

Bring to a boil--cook 2 to 3 min. Pour over cereal mixture and stir, mixing well. Spread out on cookie sheets to dry.