The Common Kitchen

Butterscotch Bars

2012-02-25T12:54:00.000-08:00

1 6 ounce package of butterscotch pieces 1/4 cup of shortening 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed OR a cup of coconut sugar or sucanat 2 eggs 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 cup sifted flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional) chocolate chip cookies Melt butterscotch pieces and shortening in double boiler over hot water. Remove from heat and stir in sugar.Cool five

Yogurt

2012-02-24T21:24:00.001-08:00

Please ignore my dirty oven. Thank-you. Yogurt combine in a large bowl 3 cups powdered milk 6 cups very,very hot water (I used the water from tea-ready hot-water spout) Stir well. Add 1 2/3 cup of pasteurized milk* Stir well. Remove a cup of milk from the bowl and whisk into that cup 1/2 cup of plain yogurt with active cultures. Whisk until smooth, then return to the large bowl and whisk

Cottage Cheese Dill Bread

2012-02-24T21:09:00.000-08:00

As good as it looks. I forgot to take a picture until I'd already started slicing it, though. This makes a soft bread, good with butter or cream cheese. It's also fairly easy to make for a yeast bread. Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons yeast 1/2 cup of warm water 2 cups (16 oz container) cottage cheese 4 Tablespoons honey 3 Tablespoons minced onion 2 tablesoons butter 4 teaspoons dill 1 teaspoon

Serbian Style Beef and Potatoes

2012-02-24T08:46:00.002-08:00

Serbian Style Beef and Potatoes Adapted from this recipe Serves 12 20 Ingredients: • 3 pounds ground beef • 3 tablespoons coconut oil (or other fat) May need more • 1 bag frozen peppers and onion mix • 3 carrots, grated, or about a cup of grated sweet potato • 6 celery stalks, chopped, or use roughly 2-3 cups of any combination of fennel, cabbage, and celery. Fennel takes longer to cook,

Beef Florentine Pinwheel

2012-02-21T21:18:00.000-08:00

Recipe: Florentine Beef Pinwheel This freezes well, and I have also made miniature versions to go in the Headmaster's lunches. It's basically a glorified meatloaf, but it can look quite elegant, and you can vary the filling for a wide variety of flavors. 1 1/2 pounds of ground meat (beef, venison, turkey, etc) 3/4 cup crumbs - or ground pork rinds 1 egg salt to taste 1/8 tsp of pepper OR:

Basic Pie Crust

2012-02-18T12:39:00.000-08:00

Plain pastry Single crust 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup shortening 5 to 7 Tablespoons cold water Sift flour and salt together; cut in shortening with pastry blender till ieces are the size of small peas. (For extra tender pastry, cut in half the shortening till like ecornmeal. Cut in remaining shortening till like small peas). Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon water over

Oatmeal Muffins, using leftover oatmeal

2012-02-16T19:43:00.001-08:00

This money-saving recipe comes from one of my great-grandmother's many cookbooks, this one on saving money on the grocery bill is from around 1940. Oatmeal or cornmeal mush are two of the most inexpensive breakfasts you can make, and they also make some of the most unpleasant leftovers, unless you add them to quick breads or muffins. Sift together: 2 cups sifted flour 3 tablespoons baking

Winter Rice Salad

2012-02-16T18:46:00.001-08:00

We always use leftover rice for this (and I cook extra just so I have 'leftovers'), so it only takes a few minutes to make. Chinese Style Vegetable Rice Salad 4 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled 2 scallions, green onions, leeks, onions- very thinly sliced and/or diced 1 large carrot, grated 2 ribs celery, finely diced 1-2 turnips (optional)- grated 1/2 cup peeled, diced cucumber- or the same

Pasta E Fagioli Casserole

2012-02-16T18:42:00.001-08:00

I used to make this a lot, but haven't made it for quite a while now (perhaps years). I'm cleaning out my recipe boxes and clippings (it would be embarrassing to tell you that when organized properly they probably fill five very fat three ring binders, so I won't tell you that), and found it again. For 8 servings Prepare 12 ounces pasta (we like spiral noodles for this) according to

1973 Frugalities

2012-02-16T18:40:00.000-08:00

From a 1974 Family Circle magazine article on frugal eating. Yam chips and Pepper Slaw Yam chips: 2 large yams, ice water to cover (.19) 1 tablespoon salt 2 cups vegetable oil reused for potatoes three times (.10) Peel yams and slice in paper thin, uniform rounds (I find a vegetable peeler makes the thinnest slices). Soak in several changes of ice water for 2 hours in the refrigeroator. Just

Quick Bread Variations

2012-02-16T18:34:00.000-08:00

I've had this since my freshman year in high school- my home ec teacher passed it out. That was, um, so long ago it won't be polite for you to ask how long ago for another three decades. I've used it often. Baseline Recipe 2 1/2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 t. salt 3 Tablespoons oil 1 egg For Banana bread: to above add 3/4 cup milk; a cup mashed

Imitation Crab Soup

2012-02-16T18:01:00.000-08:00

We have made this a couple of times, and it's tasty enough, but not very filling. We are hearty eaters at The Common Room. You need substantial side dishes- hearty rolls or biscuits to go along with this. 2 cups imitation crab meat, flaked 2 cups whole milk 2 cups half and half 3 tablespoons butter 2 lemon peel strips 1/2 teaspoon ground mace salt and pepper to tste 2 Tablespoons sherry, dry (

Wise Woman Pot Pie

2012-02-13T09:41:00.000-08:00

The Wise Woman looks well to the ways of her household. She uses what she has. She is not wasteful. She does not show contempt for God's bounty by throwing it in the garbage because she let it go bad in her refrigerator. She makes soups, shepherd's pies, stews, and pot pie. Make a pie crust from scratch. It doesn't matter if it tears,you are not cooking for television. Get it in the pan the

Layered Crockpot Beef

2012-02-11T19:35:00.000-08:00

One pound of ground beef 4 Tablespoons diced, cooked bacon 2 small diced onions 2 small cans tomato sauce 1/2 cup water 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt and pepper 1 1/3 cups uncooked rice. 1 can corn, drained, or a little over a cup and a half of frozen corn (or cauliflower) 1 cup chopped bell peppers Crumble ground beef evenly over bottom of the crockpot. Sprinkle with bacon

Ground Beef Enchiladas

2012-02-11T19:13:00.000-08:00

Filling:1 pound lean ground beef 1/2 of medium onion 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 tablespoon fiesta chile powdera can mild green jalepeno peppers, or use spicier version if you prefer 1 teaspoon cumin salt and pepper to taste 8 ounces freshly grated cheese Sauce corn tortillas (you could try it with these, but we'll be using store-bought) Brown the beef with onion and spices.Drain,

Instant Split Pea Soup

2012-02-05T19:43:00.000-08:00

You need a grinder to make split pea flour for instant soup, or get the ground pea flours from another source. While you can have this in 15, I really prefer it cooked a bit longer. This recipe is really the way I cook. Proportions are rough estimates. I add as I go, season here, taste a bit there, add something else, taste again. Grind split peas. You want a cup of flour, more or less,

Frankenfood, GF, WF, LowCarb 'Oatmeal' style breakfast

2012-02-05T18:27:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to defend the TVP except to say that we were given it, that it was free, and that my husband is currently unemployed and I am trying to eat low-carb. I have tons more healthy, nourishing traditions style recipes on this blog. If this totally geeks you out, search for my better meals.=) In a cereal bowl or large soup/coffee mug, combine: • 1/4 C TVP granules • 1/2 cup coconut milk

The Makings of a Recipe

2012-02-03T18:30:00.000-08:00

This is an untested recipe. I'm working it out. It needs to be low-carb, Asian in flavor, and it needs to use a lot of Bok Choy because I have a lot of Bok Choy I want to cook asap. So I browsed the internet looking for something that used ingredients I had on hand. I did not find exactly what I wanted, but I did find something that gave me a nudge in what I hope is the right direction. The

Hamburger Stew

2012-02-02T07:16:00.000-08:00

Pictured to left along with a yummy home-made biscuit made from our own biscuit mix and raw milk gone sour. Mmmmm. Brown a pound of ground beef or other ground meat, along with 1/2 chopped onion (our meat is from two cows we butchered after a year on our pasture) Add 2 cups of other diced vegetables. I used carrots, rutabaga, and turnips, because I needed to use them up. stir fry a few minutes,

Slow Cooked Grains Version 632

2012-01-29T21:22:00.000-08:00

See here for previous incarnation 2 cups oat groats 1/4 cup quinoa 1/2 cup yogurt, plain or flavored Tablespoon or a bit less of cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon cloves and allspice 2 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup dried fruit (more if you like. I had some dehydrated peaches and home-dried berries) 1/2 cup coconut sugar 1/2 cup or more of coconut oil or butter. 8 cups of ice with some water added to be sure

Tortilla Soup

2012-01-21T17:40:00.000-08:00

This Tortilla Soup is amazing, I am sure. Magnificent. We didn't have some of the more special ingredients, we just used plain old mild green chiles and Fiesta Chile Powder. Here's what it Looked like with and without the tortillas:

Low-Carb Pizza

2012-01-21T11:01:00.001-08:00

I saw this recipe and drooled. I've been drooling in anticipation all week. These are the directions I gave my 13 y.o. son: Big cast iron measuring pan a plate measuring cups and spoons Get out ALL the ingredients first and get them ready. 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, grated 1/8 cup parmesan cheese Garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon each oregano, thyme, marjoram, and 3 cut up basal leaves from the

Artichoke Cheese Squares

2012-01-16T22:20:00.001-08:00

Artichoke Cheese Squares 2 tablespoons oil, olive, coconut, or other 1/3 cup minced onion (or green onion, snipped) 2 teaspoons minced garlic 4 eggs 1 jar (10 ounce) artichoke hearts packed in oil - drained and chopped- reserve drained oil to make an italian salad dressing. 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 2 teaspoons dried parsley 1/4 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon

Asian Sesame Dressing

2012-01-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

Dressing Ingredients: 1/4 cup Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar 1/4 cup Walnut oil, or other oil 2 T sesame seed oil 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground anise seed 1/2 teaspoon onion powder drop or two of plain, clear stevia, or a sprinkling of granulated stevia or a pinch of freshly ground leaf (optional) Shake all ingredients in a jar. This cries

Asian Cabbage and Beef

2012-01-16T09:34:00.000-08:00

Adapted from a recipe found here. INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 pound ground beef thyme, marjoram, oregano, pepper to taste (about a teaspoon each, except pepper, which should be 1/2 teaspoon) 4 c. green cabbage, sliced 2/3 c. bell peppers 6 green onions, chopped 8 large mushrooms, sliced 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced Dash or two of tobasco Braggs liquid amino acids, 1 tablespoon 1 1/