Cooking for Seven

When I first started substituting whole wheat flour for white, I had a host of problems. Nothing seemed to turn out right - my quick breads burned on the outside before they were done on the inside, or were too dry, or too wet. After reading some whole grain books and listening to the advice of seasoned bakers, I was able to change the way I looked at whole wheat flour.

Here are a few simple guidelines for substituting whole wheat flour.

Know Your Flour

I used to think that there was one kind of whole wheat flour. It never occurred to me that there were different types of wheat. After reading Whole Grain Baking, my eyes were opened. Now I use three types of wheat: hard red, hard white, and soft white. Choosing the right type of flour for a particular recipe is essential to getting good results.

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Brown sugar is such a lovely ingredient. Yet it is just as processed as regular sugar. So I decided to attempt to make my own, using ground natural sugar and molasses.  This article/video from Martha Stewart was very helpful.

Admittedly, my sugar was much different than commercial brown sugar. But I think it is a very nice alternative.

Would you like to try it for yourself? Here’s what you’ll need:

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Ingredients:

For light brown sugar:

• 1 cup ground natural sugar or 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons molasses

For Dark Brown Sugar:

• 1 cup ground natural sugar or 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses

Directions:

Place the sugar & molasses in a blender or food processor. Mix until fully combined. Store in an airtight container, with a slice of apple or bread to keep soft.

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Here is my favorite method for toasting nuts. I find it much easier than continually having to open the oven, take the nuts out, give them a stir, and put them back in the oven.

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:: How to Toast Nuts Over the Stove ::

Place the desired nuts into an appropriate sized skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until nuts are toasty and fragrant, about 5-8 minutes. Cooking time will vary, depending on the type of nuts used.

It’s just that simple!

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Have you ever been frustrated when attempting to pour something into a zippered bag? Try this head-smackingly simple trick.

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• Fold the top of the bag down around the outside of the bag, like a cuff. Open the bag wide.
• As the bag becomes full, pull up the cuff and continue to fill the bag until completely full.

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Do you see those funny markings on the bag? We like to decorate our bags when we label them.

P.S. It’s Kitchen Tip Tuesday…

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P.S.P

————~:: Make It ::~————

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Apple & Cranberry Chutney

Blueberry Syrup

Jam Jar Muffins

Cookie Scones

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

————~:: Wrap It ::~————

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