Cooke's Frontier

Cooke's Frontier Radio Hour Show Notes {Episode #7}

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:44:00 +0000

It's a fun show this week, and I cover a lot of ground. Here is the link to my show page if you would like to listen to the newest podcast, or catch up on any of the past shows. You can find me on my show page and the entire network is also available for download on iTunes as well if you are interested at that. Take a look around the Survival Mom Radio Homepage and see what the other hosts have to offer as well, there is someone covering almost every subject imaginable! First, let's talk about The Recipe of the Week!

Orange Glazed Whole Wheat Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

Whole Wheat Bread {Large Batch}

Next is Part 1 of a 2 Part interview with John Hofman, President of The WonderMill Company. These are links to websites we talked about and other ways connect with the company as well.

The WonderMill Company- This is the main company website and there is a TON of information on it. Take a look around!

Will It Grind? - This page tells you what you can and cannot grind in your WonderMill grain mills. Excellent videos and information.

Grain Mill Wagon- This is the site where Bloggers submit recipes that use grains and flours milled in the WonderMill family of grain mills. I have recipes here, and there are SO MANY good recipes to look through and try out. I find a ton of new ideas for baking and cooking at my house here.

You can also find The WonderMill Company on Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube

I hope you enjoyed this week's show, and as always, if you have comments or questions about anything we talked about or just have something you want to tell me, you can always emial me at cookesfrontier@yahoo.com. Thanks for listening!

Whole Wheat Onion Bagels

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:11:00 +0000

I LOVE bagels and they love me back, just ask my waistline and it'll tell you how much. Bagels are so tasty and can be the basis for breakfast, lunch or a snack. But, in my quest for healthy foods bagels fell to the wayside. The white flour bagels that I know and love had too many calories and not enough fiber to be filling, hence the desire to eat just one more....again and again. I stumbled upon this recipe on the Grain Mill Wagon and when I say how light, fluffy and delicious these whole wheat bagels looked I knew I had to try them.

I chose to make an onion version, since it is my favorite variety of bagel, but this recipe lends itself to sweet and savory varieties just as well. You could so blueberry, cinnamon raisin, everything or just leave them plain. For about 15 minutes of your actual time, the rest of the time they are either raising or baking, you can have 8 whole wheat, flavorful and delicious bagels. That's enough for breakfast every day of the week with a spare leftover! Or, you could use the bagel as the base to a sandwich for lunch. Or, you could just eat it as a snack. However you decide to use these, you will not be disappointed! You can find the original recipe, by the amazing Donna Miller here- Homemade Whole Wheat Bagels and I, as always, grind my flour fresh in my handy dandy WonderMill!

Whole Wheat Bagels

1 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar (whatever form you choose to bake with)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour (white whole wheat is what I used)
1 1/2 teaspoon yeast

Put all of the ingredients in the bread machine and turn on the dough setting. At the mixing beep, or the add-ins beep if your machine has it, add in anything you'd like. I added in dried onion flakes. After the dough cycle has ran, take the bagel dough out and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and poke your finger through the middle, to make the center of the bagel. Put your thumb and forefinger through the hole, and while rolling the dough around and around, shape the bagel and stretch the center hole out a bit. Place on the counter to raise for 5 minutes.

While the bagels are raising, stir together:

3 quarts water
3 Tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons salt (sea or kosher)

Put all of the above into a saucepan and heat to a boil. Drop each bagel into the water and let boil for 30 seconds on each side. Remove the bagels from the water with a slotted spoon and place on a cornmeal dusted cookie sheet. Repeat until all of the bagels are done.

At this point, you can brush on an egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water) and sprinkle with toppings, if desired. Bake the bagels in a 375 degree oven for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let the bagels cool and place them in a zip top bag if you plan to leave them on the counter or in the fridge. If you want to freeze your bagels, slice them and then place them in a zip top bag before they go into the freezer.

These are so good and they were so very, very easy. I'll be making them again soon and at least doubling the recipe so I can have a few in the freezer to feed my hungry family whenever they get the hankering for bagels.

Cooke's Frontier Radio Hour Show Notes {Show #6}

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:41:00 +0000

Show number 6! Can you believe it?

Here is a blog post that goes more in depth on the Homemade Deodorant front: Deodorant {Yes, Deodorant!}

Here is a couple links to my lotion recipe as well, since I couldn't manage to spit that one out correctly:

DIY Lotion
Lavender and Mint Lotion

Here's an easy tutorial for finger knitting that even young children can learn:
Simple Finger Knitting

As always, remember that you can email me questions/comments at cookesfrontier@yahoo.com. Ii love hearing from you and will be more than happy to answer your emails. If I get a great question, I'll address it on the show for everyone to hear :)

An Apple A Day

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Sat, 11 May 2013 23:46:00 +0000

Snacks on the weekend get a little more elaborate sometimes. I have a little more time to do more than plunk down a few graham crackers to go with some applesauce or a few cheese slices to go with crackers. This snack is fast and easy. It's healthier than some snacks and not as healthy as others, so I reserve it for special days and just serve it up a couple times a month or so.

Making these chocolate dipped apple slices couldn't be easier. Simple cut your apply into pieces, remove the core and seeds then dip into chocolate. If you want to take it one step farther, you can dip the wet chocolate into chopped nuts, coconut, granola, crushed pretzels or chopped peanuts. Let them completely set up before eating to avoid messes.

We did 1/2 in chopped pecans and 1/2 chopped pretzels this time around and I have to say those pretzel ones are really, really good. Maybe too good if you know what I mean ;) Use a nice eating apple for these, we prefer a pink lady when I can get my hands on them.

Make snack time a little special and make some chocolate dipped apple slices next time you need a little something to get you through the day!

To Whom It Concerns

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:03:00 +0000

Well hello there! Did you think I had abandoned this blog for other, greener pastures? Never fear, I'm still here. It's just that life and everything that happens along with it manages to get in the way sometimes.

I always want to blog. I always have new ideas and things I'm making and want to share, but sometimes I have 95 loads of laundry to do. Or maybe I spend my allotted blogging time reading out loud to four princesses instead. I've been known to take an imaginary adventure in a living room blanket fort or play in the garden instead of what I "should" be doing.

What kind of mom would I be if I passed up time with my family for time on this blog? Not a very good one, in my humble opinion. I LOVE to blog. I love to get into something and write about what I want to share......unless it takes away from my family time. Then, I put my foot down and say "no way!" I'm not the World's #1 Mom and if I had to guess I would say I have a long way to go before I'd even be considered a GOOD mom. But I am a mom, first and foremost- that is my **job** and I want to earn my wages.

I can hear other moms laughing now, "Wages?? HAHAHAHA who is this delusional woman??? There are no wages when you're a stay at home mom!!" I disagree. I get paid, and paid well. I find my paycheck in well mannered girls, full bellies, hugs, kisses, foot rubs and the occasional toe-or fingernail polish session. I think I'm rich, because MOMS- let me tell you.....money isn't everything but relationships are.

This blog? I'm giving it my all, but I'm balancing it with this little job called motherhood.

Oh, and this motherhood gig? I'm giving it my all, all the time. Every. Single. Day. But it has it's own demands and challenges.

I've gotten the emails and Facebook messages that wonder where I've been or why I'm not posting new recipes. I know I usually post several things a week but the answer right now is pretty simple, I'm HERE- in the moment, right here, right now with these kids and husband of mine and we are living the heck out of life. I'll blog, and blog often, but sometimes you're going to have to give me the grace to get my first, and most important, job done.

I'm a Mom.

Even when I'm folding laundry at 11 pm and muttering under my breath as I pick up stray shoes, My Little Ponies and find someone the pair of pants that they MUST wear today, I still love my job.

I wanted you all to know that just because I'm not on any sort of set schedule or posting routine doesn't mean you need to check up on me. I'm probably just folding a big laundry basket of undies.

Lavender and Mint Lotion

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:31:00 +0000

Lavender and Mint Lotion, homemade goodness for your skin!

Lotion should feel luxurious. It should be creamy, smooth, smell amazing (unless you don't do scent) and not be greasy. You skin should soak it up and feel great. Lotion is something for you, to make you feel great- so why do we so often purchase something that isn't great for us? Lotion has a L-O-N-G list of ingredients, most of which us regular folk can't even pronounce, let alone know what they are.

Lotions contain skin drying ingredients. Is this a clever ploy from the beauty industry? Make your skin dry so you need more lotion, so you buy more lotion and the cycle continues on.

I, for one, have had enough of that nonsense.

Lotion should be creamy, not greasy.

This lotion is everything you want and need. It's got 4 simple ingredients. Once you have acquired the items needed to make the recipe, you can make many, many batches of lotion in any scent you desire for so much less than a quality lotion costs. There is only 1 (!!!!) specialized ingredient and it's inexpensive.

The thing you need to remember when making homemade beauty products is this: cleanliness is everything. Everything must be spotlessly clean or you can run the risk of introducing unwanted bacteria or germs into your products. Not good!

All natural lotion is a beautiful thing

Here's what you are going to need:

Oil- You can use olive oil, coconut oil (I find this to be greasy though, so beware), grape seed oil or even shea butter- or a combination of these to equal the measurement required.

Water- Filtered, distilled or well water here folks. Have city water? It's best to invest in some distilled water for your beauty products. Those bacteria we were talking about earlier? They can be found in city water and will cause your lotion to go bad.

Essential oils- completely optional, but lovely if you choose to use it. You can custom blend a scent, or use one oil alone, it's up to you! Essential oils can have soothing, calming, energizing or relaxing qualities and that may be something you're interested in using.

Emulsifying wax- this allows the water and oil to blend into a creamy, silky substance. Can be found online and is relatively cheap. The bag I got last year is still half full and I make lotion regularly.

The recipe I have adapted was found at A Sonoma Garden and it's the recipe I come back to again and again. I've tried a lot of lotion recipes out there and this one is simple, effective and trustworthy.

Lavender and Mint Lotion

1/8 cup cocoa butter (you can opt out of this and use all olive oil)
1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 cup emulsifying wax
1 1/4 cup hot water
15 drops spearmint essential oil
15 drops lavender essential oil

In a measuring cup, melt together the cocoa butter, olive oil and wax either in a pan of water on the stove, or in the microwave. Remove from heat and add in the oils. Pour the water into the hot oils/wax and watch it turn a creamy white. Pour the hot lotion into your chosen container and place into the fridge overnight. Mine always firms up sooner than that, but it may take up to 18 hours to cure.

So silky smooth and not drying on the skin. Dreamy!

Keep the lotion in the fridge and it will last a few weeks. In the winter, it can be kept in a cool room at room temperature, but in the summer it will go bad. There are no preservatives in this, so be cautious. I use this amount fast enough that I don't worry- but if you think you may not be ale to get through it and don't want to keep it in the fridge you can make half the recipe just fine.

Let your skin feel lovely this year and treat it to some truly luxurious pampering, DIY style!!

Lucky Leaf Good Things Come to Those That PIN!

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:05:00 +0000

You all know that I LOVE Lucky Leaf, right?! Not only are they a great company, they have a truly fantastic product as well. And, they just happen to be kicking off a fun "Pin It To Win It" Pinterest Contests today!

May 1- May 15th 2013, you can create a Pinterest Board and have the chance to win Cash prizes or maybe a gift pack! This graphic explains the rules and how you should create your board. You can look HERE to see my board for inspiration. Don't forget to register your board and to use the hashtag #LuckyLeafLuckyMe when pinning.

Now, as always, Lucky Leaf sent me some pie fillings and recipes to try out. I made these Cherry Coconut Squares and they were delicious! Very simple to make and the whole family enjoyed them. I really love how much actual fruit is in these pie fillings. It's not like other brands where you have to search the can for a cherry- the fruit is packed into Lucky Leaf pie fillings!

I'll have to come back and add my pictures to this post later- Blogger has decided to not upload anything for me for the past couple of days. Never fear though- I'm trying and as soon as the pictures load I'll get them on here. I don't want to wait to get this post to you, I want you to be able to get out there and start pinning!

You can follow Lucky Leaf on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest

Good luck!!!

I was provided product from this company, but all opinions are my own.

Cooke's Frontier Radio Hour Show Notes {Episode #4}

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:56:00 +0000

This week was a fun show for me to record and I hope you enjoy it as well! If you haven't yet listened in to the Survival Mom Radio Network, you can click the link to go over there. There is a show for everyone with hosts covering topics on just about any subject you can think of.

Here are the show notes for this week's show:

Recipe of the Week: Morning Glory Muffins and here are the Paper Muffin Cups I was talking about. These are FABULOUS! I cannot recommend them enough :)

Recipes you may be interested in to help drop that grocery budget:

Everyday Wheat Sandwich Bread
Whole Wheat Bread
Crockpot Red Beans and Sausage
Homemade Cheese Bagels
Beef Barley Soup
Chicken and Dumplings
Creamy Macaroni Salad

Also, I did a series about creating a Recipe Binder and Shopping Once A Month, you can find that series here:

Part 1: Creating a Kitchen Binder
Part 2: Getting it Down on a Calendar
Part 3: Making a List and Going Shopping

Homemade Cleaning Supply Re-Visit

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

I posted this picture on the Cooke's Frontier Facebook page yesterday and from the number of messages, questions and email I got about it, I thought it might be time to re-visit the Homemade Cleaning Supply topic.

What people most often want to know is 1) What supplies do you recommend? and 2) Are they really going to save me money? I'll answer both of those questions, and probably more!

What supplies do I recommend? That is going to depend on what it is you want to clean. Are you just looking to make cleaning products, or do you want to branch out to make laundry soaps, liquid soaps and dishwashing detergent? Think about what your goals are and go from there. Here are the things that I have in my house right now, and at all times, so that I am able to make whatever I need at a moments notice:

Vinegar
Baking Soda
Washing Soda
Borax
Epsom Salts
Alcohol
Peroxide
Citric Acid
Blue Dawn (or generic Dawn) Dish Soap
Fels Naptha Soap

With this list of supplies, I can make window cleaner, all purpose spray, wood cleaner, floor wash, appliance cleaner, tub cleaner, mold/mildew remover, grout cleaner, laundry soap, dishwashing detergent, soft scrub, drain cleaner and much, much more. For less than $25.00 you can have all of the ingredients at your fingertips to make the products to clean for probably close to a year that would cost you many times more to buy.

That leads us into out next question- Does it save you money? Yes. If you can wrap your mind around the concept that we don't need to clean every inch of our homes with bleach, toxic chemicals and harmful substances. So many people want to disinfect everything and they don't think homemade cleaners will do it. It will! Vinegar is a powerful disinfectant and is all natural. Not only will it not cause damage to your lungs, it won't burn your skin or ruin your clothes. There are a lot of really great websites out there that have tons of homemade cleaner recipes on them, or you could search Pinterest as well. Take a look around and try a few, I think you will find that they clean just as well, and for a LOT cheaper than store bought cleaners.

Homemade cleaners are simple, easy to make and use very basic ingredients. They are better for the environment, better for you and your family and they are effective.

If you really get into making homemade cleaners, you can dive into adding essential oils to them as well. Essential oils (depending on the type) can have disinfectant, healing, cleaning or other beneficial powers. The power of Mother Nature is amazing and she has provided us with some pretty simple ways to stay clean and healthy.

Try out a recipe or two- what do you really have to lose?

Cheater Donuts

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:26:00 +0000

I don't claim to be a perfect person. I have many faults, as I'm sure my family would tell you all about, but I never claim to be perfect or all-knowing. I'm pretty picky about what we eat, and that's probably not news to anyone either. I can count on one hand the number of times I've bought biscuits in a can in the years I've been married. They just aren't something we like, the flavor and texture is not our thing. I make killer biscuits if I do say so myself, so we just skip on the ones in a can.

HOWEVER, you cannot look around Pinterest right now and not see biscuits turned into a donut. They looked so good, so fast and so easy that I couldn't resist. A donut you can be eating in less than 5 minutes? If these tasted good, they could be a really good idea to stash away for really special treat days. You know, those days when you want to make something really good but are maybe going to be short on time. Or, those times when it's 11 pm and you NEED a donut. Am I the only one that sometimes needs a donut at 11? Say it isn't so!

There really isn't a recipe. You buy a can of the extra fluffy buttermilk (I liked the buttermilk) biscuits and cut a hole out of the center. I found that the cap off of my vanilla worked perfectly for the hole in the middle. Fry the biscuits in 350 degree oil until nice and golden brown. Drain and roll in sugar, cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla glaze or chocolate glaze- whatever you like. Eat!

These are so far removed from our everyday, standard diet that my kids thought they were in heaven. My husband, bless his little heart, said to me, "Whatever you did with the donuts this time I like. These are the best ones you've ever made!" LOL So much for making yeast ones that take hours when he liked these better! They aren't something we will eat often but they were good. I was impressed!

So, are these part of my whole foods, from scratch, mostly organic diet? No. Don't I feel bad for feeding them to my family?? No. Are they really good? Yes. Am I glad I made them and tested them out? Yes!

I ever feel bad for trying something I wouldn't usually make. It's nice to step out of the same old, same old once in a while. Moderation is the key, after all :)

Show Notes Episode #3

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:09:00 +0000

These are the recipes I went over in this weeks show. I hope you try them and come back to tell me how it went.

Everyday Wheat Sandwich Bread

Montana Salad

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:56:00 +0000

Some days you just need a cookie. Today is one of those days for me. We had mountains of laundry to wash, fold and put away, homeschool work to get through, floors that needed swept desperately and 2 bedrooms that frankly scare the crud out of me. Side note: Little girls are supposed to be lovely, not live like pigs, right?????

I took a deep breath, tried to still my rapidly beating heart and declared it time to make cookies. I tend to bake when I'm overwhelmed in other parts of my life (which, by looking at this blog, you can see is quite often) because it gives me some temporary control. I can settle down, get my thoughts straight and move on to other jobs after I bake. It's therapy for me- and HEY! if you end up with a cookie you can munch on at the end of it all the better in my book.

I chose to make a simple, classic oatmeal chocolate chip cookie today. Let's face it- I needed a dose of chocolate and FAST and I knew these would get that job done. It also makes quite a few and you know by now (I hope) how I feel about recipes that give me enough to pass around and have some left over for later or lunches tomorrow.

I have to admit that sometimes I feel guilty about the number of bread/cookie/sweet recipes I post here. I do cook real food, everyday in fact, I just don't always have the time to photograph food at night when it's time for dinner. It's usually dark, my kitchen has zero natural light so photos are always terrible in there and my natives are always restless and they want to eat now. It just doesn't work out very well for me most of the time. Should I feel guilty? No! But I still do. It's silly, I know.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening (I used lard :))
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups oats
1 package chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and sugars. Add in eggs and beat until light in color and very fluffy. Add in the remaining ingredients, except the oats and chocolate chips, and stir well. Fold in the oats and chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

We have to add cleaning the kitchen to our list of things to do, but it was worth it. I feel calmer now. I can handle my day and I will get it all done. Everyone has a much better attitude now, post cookie baking. It's amazing to me sometimes how powerful something so simple can be.

I blame it on the cookies.

Applesauce Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Muffins work for our family for a lot of reasons. I can make a lot at one time. They make a good snack. Muffins are perfect for breakfast along side some fluffy scrambled eggs and bacon, or yogurt and fruit. They are easy to pack into lunches or to eat on the way to work or school. Muffins just make sense for us.

Because they work so well for us, I tend to make them often. There are several muffin recipes here on this blog and I love each one because they are so quick and simple. Oh,, and tasty too!

This recipe is a Gooseberry Patch recipe and if you've ever made one of their recipes, you KNOW how good they are. I'm never disappointed in them. Since we have been trying to switch to more whole foods and less processed ones, this recipe has some changes from the original to better suit my baking style right now. I'll note where I made my changes so you can decide for yourself if you'd like to as well, but the biggest one was using freshly ground whole wheat flour from grain mill.

Applesauce Muffins

For the muffin:

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar (I used 1 cup cane sugar and 1 cup organic packed brown sugar)
2 cups applesauce (I used home canned unsweetened)
2 eggs
4 cups flour (I used soft wheat, freshly ground but I think white whole wheat would work just as well)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the topping:

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cups flour (I used soft wheat, white whole wheat can be used)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oats (I used old-fashioned)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside. Combine all of the topping ingredients first. Mi with a pastry cutter, two forks or your fingers until it forms small, well mixed lumps. Set aside. Stir all of the muffin ingredients together and mix until just moistened. Fill paper lined muffin cups 2/3 of the way full and sprinkle on the topping, dividing it equally between the 24 muffins. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and a cake tested inserted near the center comes out clean. Makes 24 muffins.

These are spicy from the cinnamon, slightly sweet, very moist because of the applesauce and the topping gives them a very nice crunch. I omitted the raisins and chunks of apples simply because they wouldn't be well received here, but feel free to add them (amounts listed on the original recipe linked at the top of the page).

These were a great start to our rainy, dreary Tuesday morning and I'm confident they will help keep us going until lunchtime. Did I mention they were delicious? Because, my oh my, they are!

Looking for more muffin recipes? Here are a few of my favorites:

Coffee Cake Muffins
Coconut Banana Whole Wheat Muffins
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Morning Glory Muffins
Apple Oatmeal Muffins with Maple Glaze

Butter Dips

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:17:00 +0000

In a perfect world, this post would have a picture of a golden brown, fresh bread stick lounging on a plate with a dish of marinara for dipping.

In the real world, these are so good that my girls (and I, *ahem*) ate them all with our pasta lunch and left none for me to take a picture of. Yes, I could have snapped a quick photo before we ate, but I was hungry. It's been a long morning. Forgive me, please.

This recipe is from my family cookbook and I have been making it to go along soups, salads and pasta for YEARS now. The bread sticks are a cross between a biscuit and a dinner rolls. They are very moist, not crumbly and the butter you dip them in yields a crisp, buttery crust.

And now I'm wishing I had doubled the batch....sigh.

Butter Dips

1/3 cup butter, melted
2 1/4 cups flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Pour half of the melted butter into a 9x9 inch baking dish, set reserved butter aside. Combine the remaining ingredients and mix well. Roll out on a floured surface into a 9x9 inch square. Cut into strips and place on top of the melted butter. Pour reserved butter over the top of the bread sticks and spread around. Sprinkle with garlic, Parmesan or other desired flavorings if you'd like. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

These are even good cold. I'm not joking.....so good.

It's hard to convince someone to make a recipe when there is no picture to see how they look BUT I beg you to try these sometime. Not only are the fast and use really basic ingredients, they are absolutely delicious. Trust me, I won't lead you astray!

Cooke's Frontier Radio Show Notes (Show #2)

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

These are the articles and websites that I used to research this week's show. Really great information :)

http://www.naturalnews.com/035039_raw_milk_pasteurized_CDC.html
http://onlygrassfed.com/
http://www.healthytheory.com/corn-fed-vs-grass-fed-beef
http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/grass-fed-natural-beef.asp
http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm
http://www.takepart.com/foodinc Movie available for streaming on Netflix or to rent as well.
http://www.hungryforchange.tv/

Also, last month we butchered a steer using a mobile butchering truck. You can see that post HERE. It was I feel, a prime example of a very clean, very humane butchering day.

Have you listened to my podcast yet? You can find me on The Survival Mom Radio Network

Filled Oatmeal Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:38:00 +0000

I had to try these after I saw them on the Paratus Familia Blog. Enola calls them "Survival Bars" but I was afraid if I used a title like that none of you would click the link to see what I'd been baking. Basically, these cookies are a filled oatmeal cookie. You choose the filling, I used raspberry jam, and then they are baked to perfection. They are chalk full of oats and whole wheat flour, so they keep you full for a long time. This recipe makes 32 double crust cookies, so I feel like the 1.5 cups of sugar gets divided out quite thin.

I made these for fast breakfasts for my early morning risers. While I try to make my family a hot breakfast everyday, I am only human and I fail every so often in that goal. Also, the teen who lives here has a tendency to run late and not have time for breakfast. These cookies should fit the portable, fast and filling categories making them a perfect on-the-go breakfast.

Or snack.

Or lunch box treat.

Or just because.

I think "just because" is my favorite reason of all!!

Getting back to the recipe at hand....The 30 minutes TOTAL I spent making these was well worth the time. Oh, and an added bonus? These cookies use no eggs so you can make them out of 100% food storage or pantry staples. That is an excellent bonus for me! Breakfast has been saved and I have these cookies to thank.

I think they taste quite a bit like the Franz Filled Oatmeal cookies we can buy here in my neck of the woods, but better because they are free of all of the nasty preservatives and artificial flavors. No Beaver Gland Extract in these cookies!! I'm sorry in advance if you read that and didn't know where raspberry flavoring comes from, I know it's gross.

Filled Oatmeal Survival Cookies
recipe found on the Paratus Familia Blog

1 1/2 cups shortening or lard (I used rendered beef tallow)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in 6 Tablespoons hot water
3 cups oatmeal (I used Old fashioned Oats)
3 cups whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Desired filling (any flavor of jam, jelly or pie filling will work)

Mix the first 3 ingredients together. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except for the oats, and stir well. Stir in oats and add more water or flour to make a stiff dough, You need to be able to roll it out, so be doubly sure that it isn't too soft and sticky. Roll the dough thin (I rolled mine about 1/4 inch thick) and cut out circles. Place one circle on the cookies sheet, add a teaspoon of filling to the center and add another round to the top to make a sandwich. Press down the edges, sealing them well. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Makes 32 cookies.

You will get a few more or a few less cookies depending on the size cutter you use. I always use a regular mouth mason jar to cut cookies and biscuits. These don't spread out very much, so you can crowd them a bit on your cookie sheets if you need to.

I was really impressed that these turned out as well as they did. For a cookie with so few ingredients, and the flour being whole wheat, you wold NEVER guess it. Make some to take hiking, camping, biking, afternoon pick me ups, or for your breakfast and kiss preservative and artificial color laden granola bars good-bye forever!

Everyday Wheat Sandwich Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:46:00 +0000

One of the things I do that I think blesses my family the most, even if they don't feel the same way, is the baking of our bread. While I LOVE and regularly bake my large batch of bread weekly, sometimes I feel like changing it up and baking a loaf that isn't 100% whole wheat. This is the loaf I choose when I feel like that.

Whole wheat baking can be a challenge. The results can be disappointing at best and better suited for masonry at worst. I'v baked my fair share of hard, lumpy, dry loaves of bread I assure you. But, after we made the purchase of a large quantity of wheat berries, I was determined to learn to use them- and use them well. No use having the berries if I can't make something edible, right? Exactly.

I didn't bake this loaf with all wheat flour today, but I have done so before and it's turned out just as well. When Enola from Paratus Familia Blog said this was wonderful wheat bread, she wasn't joking. Here is a link to her "simply perfect wheat bread" as well as a link to her more recent Versatile Wheat Berry post, which includes a Survival Cookie recipe you'll be seeing on this blog soon. I made some today and WOW! So good. More on that later, though.

I used white whole wheat flour today, but know that hard red wheat could be used as well. I prefer to grind my own flours now, so that is the first step in this process. Using my WonderMill, I milled up 4 cups of flour. I can say it again and again, but it really is true: freshly ground flours taste so amazingly good. If you ever get the chance to grind your own DO IT! You will be floored (and sometimes, if you aren't careful floured too!).

Everyday Wheat Sandwich Bread

3 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons yeast
1/3 cup honey

Mix and add:

5 cups unbleached white flour

Let sit for 30 minutes to sponge. The mixture will get bubbly and increase in volume.

Mix in:

3 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cups honey (in addition to the earlier amount)
1 Tablespoon salt
2-4 cups white wheat flour

Knead in enough flour to create a smooth dough without being too dry. Knead for 10 minutes; cover and let raise until double (about an hour). Punch down dough and shape into loaves. Place into greased 8x4 inch loaf pans and let raise until the top of the loaf raises above the edge of the pan by about 1 inch. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Brush tops of loaves with melted butter for a soft, buttery crust. Yield: 3 loaves

Another bread recipe for my files that meets all of my bread criteria: Soft, light and delicious. It's just as delicious for toast or sandwiches as it is for bread pudding and french toast. Truly a wonderful wheat bread recipe, indeed!

This recipe is linked up to Little House Living's Old Fashioned Recipe Exchange

Plastic Egg Letter Matching Game

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:44:00 +0000

I do have a new recipe post that I'll get up in a bit, but I wanted to share this craft with you all first. I have a couple kids who are just learning to identify their letters and this is a fun way to let them "play" while they learn uppercase and lowercase letter matching.

It's very simple and all you need are some plastic eggs and a sharpie. Put the two halves of the letter together and write the uppercase letter on the large side of the egg and the lowercase letter on the smaller part of the egg. This reinforces the idea of the "big" letter and the "little" letter.

When you have all of the letters written on the eggs, take them apart and put them into a basket of some sort. Let your kids put the letters back together and see how well they do! I've been amazed at how well my girls did after playing with them for the first time. The rest of the day they would point to something and be able to identify an uppercase or lowercase letter. It was a really fun learning activity and it was free! My favorite kind :)

My girls really enjoyed this one and I'm thinking of other was we can use letter eggs, maybe to play ABC bingo...I haven't decided yet. But, I do know that the kids were excited to use these yesterday and went in search of them this morning as well.

It's a cute and clever way to reuse the plastic eggs. You have to love it when learning and fun collide!

Secret Ingredient Coffee Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:19:00 +0000

Coffee cake is good cake. It's sturdy, dense and, if made correctly, moist. It's good for breakfast, lunch, snack, and any time in between. Coffee cake and I have a special relationship you see. I love it and it loves me, maybe a little too much. I tend to make this coffee cake when I'm feeling uninspired and I need to make a treat for lunches or to take somewhere. It's my "go-to" good snack cake.

It is very simple and has a surprise ingredient that contributes to it's deliciousness- mayo. Yup, good old mayonnaise makes an appearance in this cake and it is what makes is so good and moist. It's slightly sweet with a hint of spicy cinnamon, but it is just the basic version. Add nuts, fruit, chocolate chips, coconut or whatever else you might want to try out in the middle along with the cinnamon-sugar swirl and make it different every time.

I use the basic recipe the most, because everyone I have ever made it for loves it. You can bake this in a 9x13 inch baking dish for very tall pieces of cake, or in a jelly roll pan for a slightly smaller one. The jelly roll pan will yield more individual pieces while the 9x13 will yield very, very moist, tall slices. It's up to you!!!

Coffee Cake
Recipe found in my trusty Treasury of Mennonite Recipes :)

1 cup softened butter
2 3/4 cups sugar (I used 2 cups raw sugar and 3/4 cup brown sugar)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Topping and Filling

1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 º F. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Stir together the sour cream and mayo. Add the dry ingredients and the sour cream/mayo mixture alternately to the creamed egg/sugar/butter. Mix the topping in a small bowl. Spray your pan with non stick spray and spread out half of the batter. Sprinkle half of the filling over the batter and cover with the other 1/2 of the batter. Sprinkle on the remaining topping and bake for 55 min to 1 hour. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Drizzle with 1/2 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla and enough milk to make it spreadable if desired.

Update!!

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 22:00:00 +0000

A couple quick updates for you all....nothing scary I promise :)

I changed the blog layout/color scheme. If you can't find something you normally have no problem finding, let me know. Leave me a comment or email me at cookesfrontier@yahoo.com.
I shortened the posts that show on the homepage to 2. It was taking too long to load a whole bunch and I got tired of it, so I can imagine you did too.
At the bottom of the homepage, there is not a long bar across the bottom of the page, after the last post, that will let you subscribe by email to this blog. Enter your email address, input the secret code on the pop up screen and you'll get my posts delivered to your inbox. It seems like the best way to combat Google Reader closing down shop.
It's Spring! Have you planted anything yet? Me either.
Have a nice weekend!!

That's it folks, I just wanted you all to know what was going on and I needed to let you know about email subscription. Sign up so you don't miss a thing!!!

Almond Joy No Bake Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:56:00 +0000

Sometimes, not very often but *sometimes*, I make additions to a recipe that I have been making forever and it makes me feel like I'm a genius. No bake cookies are something that I'm pretty sure every house in America makes at some point or another. They are fast, the recipes usually make about a million and they are a favorite of kids and big kids alike.

My brilliant mind looked at my cookbook this morning while making them and had a brilliant idea. Instead of adding peanut butter to these like I always do, what would happen if I used the coconut that it actually called for and added chopped toasted almonds instead?

Magic happened my friends. Fireworks went off, horns sounded and I'm almost convinced that a ray of light from Heaven was shining down on our house from the clouds for a few minutes. Seriously- that good.

Almond Joy No Bake Cookies

1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup cocoa
3 cups oatmeal (I used 3 minute oats)
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large saucepan combine the first 4 ingredients. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Let boil 3 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Pour in all of the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.Drop by rounded tablespoon onto wax paper and let harden. Makes about 2/12 dozen.

Yum! I'm was so excited when these turned out as well as they did. My experiments in the kitchen don't always turn out as good! I made a double batch and these will be riding along in lunch boxes to be the treats for this week and probably most of next week as well. Since these cookies were such a hit, I wanted to share them with you too. Try them!!

Grind Your Own Almond Butter

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:47:00 +0000

Making almond butter at home is a snap- if you have a WonderMill Junior Deluxe hand crank mill that is. I bought mine a looooong time ago and have only used it for the singular task of milling grains. Why I haven't tried peanut butter or almond butter before is beyond me, but the thought that I ought to try finally crossed my mind.

It is really, really simple. I bought some raw almonds and roasted them in the oven. Pretty simple, spread them out on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees. Give them a little stir every 5 minutes. It took my almonds 20 minutes to get to the toasty-ness that I liked. One of the bonuses of grinding your own nut butters is that you can add (or not add) the amount of oil, sugar and salt you want to be in your butter. We had a jar of name brand peanut butter on the jar, so I went and took a look at it. It has 16 (16!!!!) ingredients on the label. That almond butter up there in the picture? 3. 3 ingredients: almonds, honey and a teeny, tiny pinch of sea salt.

I highly recommend this grinder for this! It was easy to use, the clean up was simple and the butter was smoother than I can buy at the store. I was really impressed. The oil in the almonds makes turning the crank a breeze and it took about 10 minutes to grind the 3 cups of almonds into about a pint of butter. Make sure you are using the stainless steel burrs, the stone burrs will gum up and you will have a serious mess on your hands.

After grinding, clean up took little to no time at all. I just removed the flour shield and the stainless steel burs, washed them in the sink and set them aside to dry. The mill itself, I just undid the clamp and ran some water through the mill itself. I used the spray hose to make sure there weren't any little almonds hanging out in there. I dried it off as best I could and then set it aside to dry completely. Obviously, you aren't going to want to grind anything in the mill until it is completely dry.

I stirred in some honey and a pinch of salt into my almond butter. What you add, or how much, is completely up to you. Cinnamon, cocoa or even sugar or brown sugar could be added as to taste. This makes a really good spread for toast and on crackers! My kids have been enjoying it so much that in less than one day, there is only this much left!

Do you make your own almond butter? What do you use to make it- a grain mill or a food processor? I'm enjoying this handy grain mill. Not only can I grind flours, meals and crack grains- I can also grind oily seeds and nuts to create my own butters! Sunflower butter is up next for me, I can hardly wait.

This was an interesting and educational experiment for me. I really enjoy my WonderMill grain mills, they are some of the biggest workhorses I have in my kitchen. It's nice to have an appliance like this that you can count on AND that can do so many things. It gets my full stamp of approval!

This review is my honest opinion of a product. I purchased the grain mill myself and this is my personal experience with the product. I love this product and wanted to share it with all of you.

Montana Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:30:00 +0000

For Valentine's Day this year, Kevin got me an old Oregon Cancer Society Fundraiser Cookbook. The copyright in the book is 1961 and I was mildly surprised to find this recipe among the salads listed. I didn't know cooking with wheat berries was hip among the cancer society cookbook circles, but hey- I'm glad it was! This salad is delicious, hands down, but also surprisingly different. The cooked wheat berries lend a chewy texture akin to tapioca and a nuttiness, too.

When my family first tried this dessert fluff out, they were very surprised and they all tried to figure out what it was they were eating. It's mellow and smooth but the berries are so different with their unique flavor and texture. This is one of my most favorite desserts now. I'm just in love with it for so many reasons. I did have to laugh at the original recipe though- when it called for the wheat berries, the instructions pointed you to the feed store to buy them! Thank goodness we've come far enough to be able to buy wheat berries at every health food store and most chain super stores. How funny :)

It's very simple to whip up, but needs to chill a couple hours before serving. It calls for a lot of convenience foods, but I transformed it to an all homemade version that is divine. However, I can vouch to the tastiness of the other way as well. Either way you choose to whip this up will yield the same delectable salad.

Montana Salad

1 cup wheat berries
2 cups crushed pineapple, drained well
1 (8 oz) brick cream cheese, softened
3 cups vanilla homemade vanilla pudding (or 1 large box of instant pudding combined with the milk called for and chilled)
2 cups whipped cream ( or 1- 8 oz tub whipped topping, defrosted)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cover the wheat berries with water and soak overnight. To cook, pour berries and water into a pan, add enough water to cover by 1 inch and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook berries for 2 hours. Drain; chill completely. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and the pudding together. Fold in the pineapple, whipped cream, vanilla and cooked wheat berries. Let chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

So, as you can see this is a very simple recipe. I know those of you who buy wheat berries in large quantities like I do will appreciate an extra way to use them up. A sweet treat that has some nutritional merits (it is a dessert after all) is nice to have under your cap for something a little different.

Coffee Cake Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 18:09:00 +0000

I love this picture of these muffins peaking out of my bread basket! What a nice way to start the morning and really make Monday, or any day, special. Coffee cake is one of my most beloved creations, but sometimes I don't want to wait an hour or more to have a slice. Muffins make the magic possible in a lot less time and they are portioned out so I don't accidentally overindulge.

This is the most simple, basic muffin recipe that produces a tender, moist, superbly delicious muffin topped with crunchy cinnamon-sugar topping. Or, add in some extras to make it over-the-top good and top with a cream cheese drizzle. You can add in berries, finely chopped or grated apples, choc chips, raisins, nuts- anything your heart desires!

Health-ify the recipe and make it with whole wheat flour, reduce or remove the cinnamon-sugar topping altogether, but I can't vouch for their flavor with those changes. I'm sure they'll still be just as delicious but I can't know for sure.

Coffee Cake Muffins
original coffee cake recipe given to me by a dear, dear friend. I've slightly adapted it to make my version.

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
4 cups flour
2 cups buttermilk (I made sour milk instead)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350º F. In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and not sugar crystals remain. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour, buttermilk, cinnamon and vanilla. in a separate bowl, mix the sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon together; set aside. Line a muffin tin with paper cups and scoop the cup 1/2 full of batter. Sprinkle with reserved sugar mixture. Top with more batter, filling the cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with more cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Makes 24 large muffins.

All I can say is this- MAKE THESE! They freeze well and are great to pop into a lunch. Breakfast on the go when paired with a piece of fruit or a smoothie. We love these for breakfast along with scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and toast. Delicious!

Campfire Baked Beans

noreply@blogger.com (Charley Cooke) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 16:22:00 +0000

When I was a little girl, I would read my treasured copy of Little Town on the Prairie and my mouth would water at the description of Ma's baked beans. You know, the ones she put in the oven Sunday morning before church and let slow cook all day. Who knew wood stoves were the original crock pot?!

In Ma's version, the beans are poured into the pan (presumably with water), drizzled with molasses and a slab of salt pork placed on the top. Simple, easy food, right? Easy to recreate at home, but I knew that we would want a little more flavor than just molasses and pork. No problem! I have always had the suspicion that Ma's beans had some extra flavors in there anyway. Through a lot of trial and error, I have finally come to the baked bean recipe of my dreams.

These are beans are on the sweeter side and are perfect with anything off the grill: BBQ burgers, steak or chicken. A little coleslaw to go along with it and you have one heck of a feast. I call them campfire baked beans because I bake them up in a dutch oven, and they could be easily cooked over a campfire. Also, if you are interested int his sort of thing- all of the ingredients are really food storage friendly. Oh, and did I mention that it's just another delicious way to use up beans? Don't be afraid to buy them in large quantities. They are cheaper that way, store well and have about a million uses!

Campfire Baked Beans

2 cups small white beans
10 cups water
6-8 slices thick cut bacon or side pork, cooked and chopped into large pieces
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup ketchup OR BBQ sauce, optional
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons mustard
3 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large sauce pot, bring 10 cups of water and the beans to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. In a dutch oven, combine the rest of the ingredients, except for the 3 cups water, and stir to combine. Pour in the beans and their cooking water and bake, covered, in the oven for 4 hours. After they have cooked for 4 hours, remove the lid and add in the remaining water. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours more, until they have reached your desired thickness and the beans are completely cooked through.

Not only are these really, really good as a side dish- they are also great in recipes where you would use canned pork-n-beans. My family loves it when I make these Beanie Weenies with these beans instead of canned pork and beans. Don't be put off by the large recipe if you don't need to make that many- these freeze really well or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Honestly, they are even better the net day. If they become very thick when reheating, just add a little water to get them back to your desired consistency.