Easy Chicken and Veggie Soup

2 c homemade chicken broth

1/2 bag of frozen mixed veggies (peas, corn, carrots)

Instant pot on ‘soup’ setting. Great with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Oaty Sandwich Bread

Oaty Sandwich Bread

• 2 c oats
• 6 c whey (from yogurt straining)
• 1 packet fast-rising flour
• 1/2 c honey (I never actually measure)
• 1 c coconut oil (or vegetable shortening)
• 2 c whole wheat flour
• Lots of wheat flour. Maybe 8 c? It will depend on your moisture levels and the flour itself.

Microwave the oats in 2-3 cups of the whey for three minutes, or at long enough to get them nice and soft. I use my 4c pyrex mixing cup, which doesn’t boil over like a narrower jar. Let the mixture cool down to 90F. This can take as long as an hour, but don’t skimp on this step. If the mixture is too hot, it will kill your yeast!

Mix in honey, coconut oil and yeast. Slowly, 1 c at a time, mix in flour 1 c at a time until dough holds together well. Let rise until doubled in size (depends on temperature).

Punch down. Divide into two bread pans, and you may have enough left over for a small baguette or two. Preheat oven to 450F while loaves rise for 45 minutes. Slash tops and bake for 45 minutes.

After cooling, I often slice one up and stick it i the freezer. It can be toasted straight from the freezer without going stale.

Homemade Healthy Granola

2 c oats
1 c chopped pecans
1 c chopped cashews
¼ c sunflower seeds
½ tbs wheat germ
1 tbs flax seeds
¼ tsp salt
½ tbs cinnamon
2 tbs vegetable oil
¼ c agave nectar


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, mix oil and agave nectar, then pour over dry ingredients.  Spread granola on parchment paper on a baking sheet.  Bake for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.   Remove from oven.  Break up large clumps with a wooden and allow to cool.

Lemon Curd

I've made this many times, and it's always a huge hit. It's great on bread or scones, and even on ice cream. It's from Dorie Greenspan's baking book.



1 ¼ c sugar
6 tbs cut into 6 pieces
1 large egg
6 large egg yolks
Juice of 4 lemons
Lemon zest

Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan and mix together until well moistened.  Put on medium low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until moisture thickens.  It’s done when you can draw a line in the bottom and the mixture doesn’t flow back into it.  Remove pan from heat and scrape into a heatproof jar.

Blueberry Mango Honey Swirl Jam

This is from the Ball website, which I have found to be the most reliable source of jam recipes.

This particular recipe has been a huge hit with the Little Dude, especially. It's visually interesting because the mangoes and blueberries stay separate in the har. It would make a great gift (if you don't eat it all yourself)!


1.5 cups sugar, divided
1.59-oz pkgs Ball® Simple Creations® Freezer Jam Fruit Pectin
1.25 cups crushed mango
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, divided
1/4 cup honey, divided
1.75 cups crushed blueberries
5 Plastic Ball Freezer Jars
Directions:
Stir half of the sugar and half of the pectin package in a bowl until well blended. Add mango, half of the lime juice and half of the honey. Stir 3 minutes.
Stir remaining sugar and pectin in a bowl until well blended. Add mixed berries, remaining lime juice and honey. Stir 3 minutes.
Tilt jar, one at a time, pouring about 1/2 full with one flavor freezer jam. Keeping jar tilted, spoon second flavor on other side of jar. Repeat for remaining jars.
Twist on lids. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year.

Black and Blue Jam

4 c blueberries
1 c blackberries
1 pouch freezer pectin
1 c sugar

Mashed berries with potato masher. Mixed sugar and pectin together, then mixed in berries. Put in freezer jars and let stand 30 minutes. Froze.
Made 1 june, 2010. Liam loved using the potato masher and did nearly all of the berry smashing. He also loved eating it, so there were less than 5 jars when we were done.

(#1 of 2010-2011)