Recipe: Scratch Pancakes

While Creekside Farm is not going to be a "certified organic" farm, it is very much going to be a farm concerned with providing "clean" food. Clean food is that which has few downsides to eating. Most of the pancake and biscuit mixes on the market today are made with GMO (genetically modified organism) flours. The grains used in GMO flours are usually sprayed with herbicides to aid in producing larger yields. Some farmers engage in the practice of juicing up their yields by spraying herbicide directly only the grains a few day before harvest. This means that some of this toxic stuff makes it into the flour, where you ingest it, and then kills you slowly or just makes you feel like you are gluten intolerant.

This recipe relies on non-GMO flour, like Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur's (which is what I use), but is otherwise just a good simple recipe for making a good simple food.  On a plate with butter and syrup, or some of our good canned fruit preserves, and you have a fine meal which will not leave you feeling a bit sick to your stomach.

And these are lighter and fluffier too....

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Pancakes

Whisk in a bowl and set aside:

• 1 1/2 cups of flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar (C&H is still clean)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder .   

In a separate bowl whisk:

• 1 1/4 cups of organic milk
• If you think you have developed a lactose intolerance, you might consider that the same stuff they spray on wheat, they spray on corn, and then feed the corn silage to the cows that make the milk. These herbicides are everywhere in the cheap food chain. Organic meat, milk, and grains make your food better and absolutely more healthy to eat.
• 1/4 cup (or 1/2 stick) of melted butter (organic is nice),
• 2 eggs
• Cage free or pasture raised eggs are generally better. Organic eggs are chickens fed on grains which are clean of herbicides generally.  
• Dash of vanilla

Then whisk the wet into the dry flour mixture.
Ladle onto a pre-heated (medium heat) and slightly buttered, non-stick skillet and cook till half of the bubbles that emerge break. Flip and cook until the steam stops (this is usually a sure sign of the cooking process stopping, and the burning process beginning). Stack them up onto a dish covered with a linen napkin until served.

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I like to serve a wedge, cut from the larger stack, to each person. It is prettier, takes up less space, and allows either a smaller plate or more breakfast goodies (like bacon). Simple butter and Maple syrup is best (maybe with a dash of molasses stirred in), but these are particularly good with masticated  fresh berries and whipped cream. . .

Recipe: Potato Pancakes

I finally got a great recipe for potato pancakes (latkes or raggmunk), and a really easy recipe too.

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Potato Pancakes

This will make 6 or 7 pancakes. Enough for two people who eat well.

You are going to need:

• 5 - medium potatoes
• 1 - yellow onion
• One large egg
• Some ice
• Salt and Pepper
• A few clean kitchen towels

Into an ice water bath shred about five medium peeled potatoes with about one-half of a yellow onion and let them soak a few minutes to get some of the starch out, then drain off the water and put the mixture onto a clean dry kitchen towel. Roll up the towel and then roll it into another dry towel to squeeze as much water out as you can (but don't wring them tightly or you get to start all over again). What you will have, after you unwrap the towel, is a fairly dry potato and onion mixture which you put back into a medium bowl. Add an egg, a couple tablespoons of flour, and a dash of both salt and pepper and mix it all well using your hands, mix in the potato/onions.

Heat about a quarter inch of oil in a large non-stick skillet over a medium high heat.  When the oil shimmers (but not smoking) add one-third cup mounds of the mixture to the oil in mounds. Flatten with a spatula, then leave it alone until you can see crispy brown edges.

Flip and flatten again and fry until golden.

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Top with sour cream, chopped green onion, and applesauce on the side. Preferably you will have bought a nice chunky homemade one! Goes especially well with pork breakfast sausages, fried brown, and a nice egg fried over easy.

These usually go rubbery if you don't eat them hot, and they just don't freeze at all. So eat the whole lot and be done with it.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Hermit Cookies

Schmelling Hay (David) loves a hearty snack cookie, something that sticks to the ribs. These are a spicy bar cookie which won't sit around and get old. Dark and chewy…wonderfully brown…these cookies will warm a dreary day.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Into a small bowl add:

• 2 - Cups  Plus one Tablespoon All purpose Flour
• Use Bob's Red Mill Flour, it is GMO free
• 2 - Teaspoons baking soda
• 2 - Teaspoons Ground Ginger
• 1¾  -  Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1¾  -  Teaspoons Ground Cloves

In a mixing bowl cream (mix together until creamy)

• 9 - Tablespoons of softened butter
• 1 - Cup of packed brown sugar (C&H is "clean" by our standards)
• 1 - Large egg (cage free, pasture Raised, or organic)
• ¼ = Cup of Brier Rabbit Molasses

Cream the butter and sugar with your mixer until it turns pale and fluffy. Then add the egg, then molasses.  The slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat just until the dough comes together, about 1 minute.

Then add:

• ¾ cup of Raisins (chopped or not)

Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a log about one and a half inches in diameter and about twelve inches long. Arrange the logs about two or three inches apart on an un-greased baking sheet.

Bake until the logs flatten out and are golden brown (fifteen to eighteen minutes), and while still very soft to the touch and puffy in the center. The dough will crack during baking and will seem slightly raw inside even when the logs are done. Allow them to cool completely before glazing.

GLAZE

• 1¾ Cups powdered sugar (C & H is still pretty good sugar)
• 3 Tablespoons milk (Buy the organic milk. You will really enjoy it with these cookies.)
•  ½ Teaspoon of lemon or orange peel zest
• Grate the fresh peel using a fine toothed grater, or buy the stuff already dried at Penskeys or Costco. 

Whisk the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl and drizzle over cooled logs using a fork or a spoon. Once the glaze is hardened, cut each log in 2 inch wide slices and love them as they ought to be loved.

Store airtight to maintain chewiness.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Navajo Tacos

This is a nice change from regular tacos. As a matter of fact, they are barely "tacos at all. more of a tostada if the truth be told. But people call them tacos, so there you go. Native Americans (like David) have a cultural affinity with what they call "fry bread". This recipe uses a wonderful and easy fried bread to serve these "tacos" on. Any day of the week these are amazingly easy to make and even easier to eat. A spicy treat for lunch or dinner and the left overs are good for about a week.

The original recipe called for a full tablespoon of cayenne pepper, and although it was indeed tasty, it was also the definition of lightning hot! Trial and error has me using a generous teaspoon instead but if you are feeling adventurous go for the tablespoon. The original recipe also calls for Cojito (co-he-to) cheese, but we substitute Cottage Cheese most of the time (it adds a creamy cool-ness but looks pretty horrifying).

Navajo Tacos

Chili

If you have already made the best chili in the world (Camp Creekside Chili) use it here. Otherwise the following is an easier substitute which makes a smaller batch a lot quicker.

Sweat (cook in a small saute pan over a medium low heat)

• 1 - Cup diced yello onion
• 2 - Tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 - Teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
• 2 - Teaspoons Ground Cumin
• 1 - Teaspoons Ground Corriander
• 1 - Teaspoon Dried Oregano 
• (soaked for a while in 3 Tablespoons of cooking oil).  

Once onion has softened and begin to become clear add:

• 2 - pounds of ground ground sirloin
• 3 - Tablespoons of Goya Chipotle in Adobo Sauce
• You are going to use this a bit with my recipes.
• 1 - Tablespoon tomato sauce, 
• 1 - 16 oz can of pinto beans with the liquid.  

Cook until the beef is not longer pink.

Leave it simmering while you make the fry bread.

Fry Bread:

Whisk together in a medium bowl:

• 2 -  Cups flour (Bob's Red Mill is GMO free)
• 2 - Teaspoons  baking powder

Then cut into the bowl

• 4 - Tablespoons cold butter.

Then stir in

• 2/3  - Cup of cold water. 

Knead together until smooth and let it rest while you make the chili.

Cut the dough into 8 pieces. Press each into a 6 inch round. Fry the rounds in oil til golden on both sides. They cook quick, fast, and in a hurry, so watch them.

To serve: ladle some of the chili over the fry bread, then add cheese. We like some cottage cheese, it really balances the flavors. Cheddar works well, as does cojito, or shredded cheese blends. Cover with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and sliced avocado.
This recipe prepares well and is better when eaten with a fork. You can make the chili days in advance (use the Camp Creekside Chili Recipe) and do the bread on the spot. In about ten minutes you have a nice little supper dish.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Cheesy Potato Cups

This is a very nice little potato dish which is a great deal like Scalloped Potaoes. Creamy deliciousness inside a crispy cheese shell outside. They freeze well, so you can make a batch and pop one or two into the microwave, or fry them for breakfast by popping them in a hot frying pan with a little butter, smashing them slightly with a spatula as they start to heat up (flipping them once they’ve browned just a bit).

Cheesy Potato Cups

Makes 12 cups

• ½ - Cups Panko bread crumbs
• 1 - Tablespoon softened butter
• 2 - pounds peeled potatoes 
• I use regular old Russet Burbanks, but imagine other potatoes would work fine.
• 1¼ - Cup Half and Half
• 1 1/3 - Cup sharp cheddar cheese (about 5½ ounces)
• 2/3 - Cups grated Parmesan  cheese (about 1¼ oz)
• 2 - Teaspoons Cornstarch
• A sprinkle of salt and pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees farenheit. 

Prepare muffin tins by buttering them and  then coating each well with Panko crumbs.

Cut each potato in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 3 wedges. Then cut each wedge into one-quarter inch slices. 

Combine the potatoes, half and half, and salt and pepper into a large bowl, cover the bowl with a plate, and microwave until just barely tender (12 – 15 minutes) stirring once midway through cooking.

While you are waiting out the microwave cooking time, reserving about a third of a cup of the cheddar cheese and toss rest of the Cheddar with the Parmesan cheese and cornstarch together, then add the mix to the hot potatoes, and stir until smooth. 

Divide potato mixture evenly into the muffin-tin cups and top each with the Cheddar you put aside in the last step. (More cheese isn't a problem, so if you missed that step, add some cheese.)

Spray a sheet of aluminum foil (sufficient to cover the muffin-tin) with non-stick oil (Pam or something like it) and cover the muffin-tin tightly, then bake for ten minutes. Uncover the muffin-tin and continue baking until golden brown (another 13 – 15 minutes). 

Run a knife along the edges so they break free, but allow everything to to set up (cool) for five 5 minutes in before removing them from the muffin-tin. They're going to be very hot, so let them cool another five minutes before serving or you might hurt someone.

This is a great little side dish for breakfast, lunch , or dinner.

Enjoy!

Tools: OXO Good Grips Baker's Dusting Wand

For Mother's Day this year David gave me a small flour shaker. It rather looks like a metal tea ball on the end of a stick.  You turn the bottom of the handle to swing the ball open to fill it and to close it .  Need the counter lightly dusted? Tap! Tap! Tap! Done- even and light and beautiful!

Can hardly wait to use it with with powdered sugar or cocoa!


It's my new favorite tool!

The OXO Good Grips Baker's Dusting Wand

on Amazon. $9.95

Welcome - from Heide Hay

I will be posting many things related to food preparation and food preservation here.  Our goal will be to produce and use as many of own ingredients as possible, so that we have control over how the food was produced. As we start to grow there will be wonderful offerings at our produce stand, a barn store, and a pie shop. 

I have a very large collection of recipes, collected from everywhere over many years. There will be main dishes, cookies, pies and pastries, candies, vegetables, and ice cream, plus anything else I find interesting enough to share. Aking with these I will pass along any tricks I learned along the way, tools I find useful, and the origin of the recipes if I can recall them.

I hope you enjoy this portion of our Creekside Farm.