Orange Vinegar

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I picked up a resealable bucket for free from one of the Amish shops I visit. It contained black ground pepper and still smells very strongly from it.

What I am doing is making an orange vinegar with it. I put the peels from an orange into the bucket, and have covered it with vinegar. I add new peels every time i peel and re cover the bucket with the sealed lid.

I can use this vinegar in a variety of ways. I can use it for an interesting kick to my recipes that require vinegar. I can use half vinegar and half water in a spray bottle as an effective surface cleaner. I can use an even more diluted vinegar mix as an acid rinse for my hair (dandruff fighting) and as a soap scum remover for the bath.


Cost? About 60 cents for the vinegar.

Replaces or enhances: Gourmet Balsamic Vinegar, Dandruff Shampoo, Hard Surface Cleaner, Fabric Softener, Water softener.

Reduces Plastic Packaging, and gas wasted on distribution of other products :)

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Cinnamon Rolls

1 cup of warm water (like a baby bottle warm)
Pour into the Breadmachine or in a large freaking bowl
Add
1 tbsp of sugar
Then sprinkle
2 tbsp of yeast over the top

Let this sit for about 5 minutes
When it starts to get all foamy and smelling slightly (this is called a bloom)
Add:
½ cup of oil (I use coconut)
2 eggs
½ cup sugar
1-1/2 cups warm milk (I use reconstituted powdered)
and 3 cups of flour (I use half whole wheat and half All purpose)

Turn on the bread machine or mixer and let work for about a minute (or use a spoon mixing 50 time clockwise and 50 times counter clock wise)

It should be stringy at this point. That means you have started to activate the gluten.
Add another 3 to 4 cups of flour and mix until the dough forms a good ball, coming away from the sides of the bowl. (It's okay to add a bit more)

Now if you are kneading by hand you want to turn it out on a lightly floured surface and let 'rest' for about 10 minutes. Then start kneading for 5-10 minutes. The more you knead, the better the crumb. If it is still in the bread machine, don't worry about it. Let it rise for at least an hour in a warm place (I leave mine in the bread machine) until it doubles. Then punch it down. Wait until it doubles again and then divide it in half (don't punch it down) Let it rest for about 10 minutes.

I put half of it in a bowl in my fridge for refridgerator rolls, but for cinnamon rolls:

Put half of the dough on a non stick jelly roll pan. Put saran wrap over the dough and then roll it flat. You can stick it in the dough in the fridge if you want at this point to make it easier to roll.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Now mix up the spread for the inside

1 cup sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup softened Margarine

Spread it evenly over the rolled out dough. At this point I keep my fingers buttered to make it easier to roll up the dough. Starting from the wide side of the pan roll up the dough. Going slowly and smoothly, roll it all up until it is on the other side. Now you can cut it into 12-16 rolls either with a sharp knife or some kitchen string (tying each piece off) Put the individual rolls on a baking pan.

Put the baking pan in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown

While it is baking- mix up the icing:

2 cups of powdered sugar (in halves)
tsp of vanilla extract
1 cup of "I can't believe you bought this at ALDI" butter spread or softened butter stuff
4 tbsp of softened cream cheese.

Gather your ingredients, nuke the butter and cream cheese if you forgot to put them out to soften earlier. Medium sized bowl and a fork (which is what I used) or whisk thingymabob.

Put 1 cup of powdered sugar in the bowl.Add the butter and vanilla. Mix constantly. When it is all incorporated, add the cream cheese. When that is all mixed in add the last bit of sugar a bit at a time until you reach the consistency you want. I like it thick so I add the whole cup of powdered sugar.

At this point the rolls should be done. Take them out and put the icing on them immediately.

Try to let them cool and then gobble them up! 

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Mockie's Blueberry Cordial- First attempt Shared Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 9:49am

You will need:

1 Qt Mason Jar
2 cups of blueberries
1 cup of sugar
650 ml of Everclear or Vodka (The Everclear is going to be MUCH stronger than the vodka. You have been warned)
Honey
Patience.

In a wide mouth 1 quart mason jar I layered sugar and blueberries.
I stuck these in the microwave on 30 power for 1.5 minutes, screwing the cap on shaking every 30 seconds.

After that I poured the Everclear until it reached the lip of the jar. I sealed and now I am putting it away for two weeks. At that point I will do a taste test and add a tbsp of honey for complexity, and bottle it. If it doesn't taste ready, I will continue this until 2 months is up.

Here is the yummy concoction already showing it's pretty blue color!

Blueberry Cordial

And in it's resting place next to the honey that will be added later.

yummy!

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Cookies of awesome

I used the Kitchenaid Mixer recipe and adapted it based on my childhood memories:

Ingredients:

1 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of granulated white and organic sugar all mixed together (because I am not putting them in

their own containers, sugar is sugar.... it works)

1 cup of shortening.

2 Tbsp of powdered eggs and 1/4 cup water (or 2 whole fresh eggs)

3 cups of flour (mix of your own whole wheat and All purpose. I used all purpose because I didn't feel like grinding up some flour for this)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

12 oz of chocolate chips (I used 2 cups of Ghiardelli milk chocolate chips from the freezer)

Cream the sugars, shortening, eggs and vanilla for about 30 seconds, scrape down and cream for another minute. Slowly add the salt, baking soda and and flour. Mix for about 2 minutes, and then stir in the chocolate chips

Drop in rounded teaspoons on a greased baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

Take them out and cool them on wire racks.

Makes about 56 or so I am told. I am using half the cookie dough for ice cream in a few.