Another Potpourri

This morning, Jane over at Hard Work Homestead did a post about a luscious sounding potpourri she made with the leftover peels from a bounty of oranges someone had given her.

Her potpourri reminded me that it's the season to start using a potpourri that I make every year.

Here's the recipe I follow in making mine.

HOLIDAY POTPOURRI
2 cups dried apples, cut in pieces
2 cups fresh cranberries, halved
10 - 6" cinnamon sticks, broken
4 whole nutmegs, smashed with a hammer
1/2 cup whole cloves
1/2 cup whole allspice

Allow apples and cranberries to air dry for several days. (I do this by spreading them in a 9 x 13" open pan and stirring a couple of times each day. You could also do it in a food dehydrator.)

When cranberries are dried, mix all ingredients together and store in an air-tight jar.

To simmer the potpourri, place 1/4 cup mixture and one cup water in a small saucepan.

Place the pan over a low heat and simmer for several hours, enjoying the delightful aroma. Add more water as needed.

This recipe makes about one quart of potpourri. Eight-ounce jars of it along with instructions make a nice little gift.


I simmer ours on the wood stove. (It would be nice if I could come up with a more attractive container, wouldn't it?) It works just as well over a very low heat on any cooking range.

This concoction gives off a wonderful aroma. Often when people walk in they think it's something yummy baking in the oven. Ooops. Maybe not so nice to whet their appetites then not have something to serve them!

A Good Homemade Dressing

I think the last time I had a store bought salad dressing in the house, it sat in the refrigerator for about a year before it finally made the final walk to the compost pile. It was so unflavorful nobody wanted to eat it. It was so expensive I didn't want to throw it out.

Making my own salad dressings is another step that adds to my time in the kitchen, but as far as I'm concerned, it's the only healthy, nutritious and delicious way to get salad dressing. So, that's why I choose to do it.

I've been making this Thousand Island Dressing for umpteen years. I have no idea where I got the recipe in the first place. It's Papa Pea's favorite so it makes an appearance on our table frequently.

It was kind of a mini celebration to make it today as it requires one hard-boiled egg. We have been suffering deep egg deprivation lately. But, just this past week, our older chickens have finally ended their strike, and our new pullets have started to lay. Yippee and wa-hoo, we once again have enough eggs to eat them regularly for breakfast and to splurge (how decadent) on a hard-boiled one for this dressing. Life is good.

THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chili sauce (or ketchup)
2 tablespoons minced ripe olives
1 tablespoon chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 chopped hard-boiled egg
2 teaspoons chopped parsley (using 1/2-1 teaspoon dried is fine)

Combine and mix all ingredients. Store dressing covered in the refrigerator.

If you get a chance to make it, I hope you like it as much as we do.

Good Enough To Eat

I made a pie last Friday that I haven't made in ever so long. And the way everyone oohed and aahed and smacked their lips while eating it, I'm wondering why I haven't made it in ever so long!

If you've got any chocolate lovers around, here's the recipe should you care to give it a try.

CHOCOLATE VELVET PIE

Cream 1/2 cup softened butter and 1 cup sugar. Blend in 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate (melted and cooled if you don't use the pre-melted packets) and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Next add three eggs, one at a time beating well after the first two and then after adding the last one, beat at high mixer speed for 5 minutes. (This is important to get the volume you want in the finished filling.)

Using a spatula, pour/scrape mixture into a baked and cooled pie shell. Smooth the filling out to the edges of the shell.

Top with a sprinkling of grated chocolate.

(At this point, the pie can be frozen for an easy-peasy dessert at a later time. It freezes beautifully. You can either defrost it slowly in the refrig, a little more quickly on the counter or even slice and eat it frozen if that turns your crank. On a hot summer day, that ain't bad.)

If you plan on serving your pie the same day, it needs to be refrigerated for a couple of hours to set up.

It can be served without the dollop of whipped cream but . . . why???

Store any leftover pie in the refrigerator.

I know this pie is made with uncooked eggs and if that concerns you, you may want to skip it. Because we have our own home-raised eggs, this doesn't bother me a bit. We know our hens are healthy, we know what they are fed and how fresh the eggs are. I would not use store bought eggs or ones from hens I didn't know intimately. Obviously, feel free to make your own decision on this.

A Muffin For Easter Brunch

I made this muffin for the first time about a week ago. As one of the best of the best, it's a keeper, and would be a great addition to an Easter Brunch menu.

The recipe is taken from a cook book I've had since the 1980's entitled, "The Breakfast Book," written by Marion Cunningham. It's unusual for me to thrilled with a cook book that doesn't have lots of colorful picture illustrations (call me shallow) but this book is a favorite of mine and I often pull it off the shelf. (No photographs, but there are some lovely line drawings in it.)

I'll admit I usually like my muffins to be moist and heavy. These aren't. They're more cake-like and light (but not dry) and the flavor is so fantastic (just ask Chicken Mama who really, really wanted another one yesterday morning but, alas and alack, they were long gone) that they are definitely now one of my favorite muffins.

Here's the recipe:

LEMON YOGURT MUFFINS

1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups plain yogurt
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Lemon Syrup

1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water

For the muffins, in a medium bowl, combine the sugar, honey, eggs, yogurt, melted butter and grated lemon peel. Mix thoroughly.

To above mixture add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat until just blended.

Spoon the batter evenly into 12 greased muffin cups filling each about two-thirds full.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

While the muffins are baking, prepare the syrup by combining the lemon juice, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, boil for one minute and then set aside.

When the muffins are baked, remove the muffin pan from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. Gently poke the top of each muffin 3 or 4 times with a fork. Then drizzle about 2-3 teaspoons of the syrup over each hot muffin letting it run over the top and around the edges.

Let muffins cool in the pans for a few minutes. Then remove and serve.

I have to repeat myself. These are very, very good.

The day I made them someone in my household grabbed one for a mid-afternoon snack. He (not mentioning any names) thought a little strawberry jam would compliment the lemon flavor. Although I didn't try it myself, I'll hazard a guess that it was okay.

The Flaked Oats Are Flyin'

I've been pulling out recipes that use oat flakes so we can enjoy the fresh flaked oats from our new roller/flaker. (The electric one that is. The manual hand crank unit has been sent back for a refund, but more of that in a later post.)

Seems to me I posted my recipe for Bannocks a couple of years back, but do you think I can find a post in which I did so? So I'm just going to go ahead and post it here again today. Forgive me if you clearly remember it from before . . . and pray for my brain cells that seem to be getting a little frayed lately.

But before the Bannock recipe . . . I recently mentioned I made Oatmeal Pancakes for breakfast with the home-flaked oats.

M-m-m-m, good! If you're interested, you can find the recipe in a post from last year about this time.

Okay, back to the Bannocks. I went through a period a few years back when I had to eliminate all wheat from my diet. I found this recipe using only oat flakes and oat flour and I used the Bannocks as my substitute for bread.

Bannocks, also known as oatcakes, originated in Scotland centuries ago. So this recipe, in one form or another, has been used for a long, long time. I happen to love the flavor of oats so this version has become a favorite of mine.

BANNOCKS

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup oat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter
1/2 cup water

(I make my own oat flour by putting oat groats through my flour mill. Some whole foods stores will have it on their shelves.)

In a mixing bowl, combine oat flakes, flour and salt.

With a pastry blender, cut in the 1/4 cup butter. When thoroughly and evenly combined, stir in the water and mix. Dump the dough onto a board that has been lightly dusted with oat flour. (If your mixture seems too moist and gooey, don't hesitate to mix in some more flour.)

Knead the dough about 6 times and then divide it in half. Pat each half into a circle about 1/4" thick and cut into 4-6 wedges.

Place the wedges on a greased baking sheet about 1/2" apart. Bake approximately 20 minutes at 400 degrees until lightly colored.

Cool on a wire rack and store in a tightly covered container. These freeze well also.

The Bannocks can be eaten in place of toast. I've spread them with peanut butter and jam and piled sandwich fixings on top for an open-faced sandwich. Egg salad is especially good.

I'll post a couple of recipes soon for meat substitutes using oat flakes in the mixture.

Breakfast Idea with Leftovers and the Incredible, Edible Egg

This may not be anything special but I know I always appreciate coming across ideas for using up leftovers in a tasty way.

I had lentils and brown rice languishing in separate containers in the refrig this morning. And, glory be! Our chickens have finally taken the hint that it's high time to start earning their keep and we're finding ourselves with enough eggs again.

Although I did make this for breakfast, we've been known to eat it for any meal of the day. So take the idea and do with it what you will.

First I saute sliced, fresh mushrooms. (IF I have them, that is. I did this morning. The dish is fine without them though.) I use a fair amount of butter because it will be needed to keep the rice and lentils from sticking when they are added.

Then add the lentils and rice, enough for as many people as are waiting patiently at the table. I stir and saute the lentils and rice a couple of minutes before adding the eggs.

Break an egg for each serving on top of the mixture in the skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and maybe a little dill weed or parsley. Put a cover on the skillet and cook/steam until eggs are done to your liking.

Nutritionally, lentils and brown rice compliment each other and the home grown egg will give you lots of protein to get up and do what needs to be done.

Give Me a Biscuit and I'll Go Away Happy

A couple of nights ago, I whipped up a ground beef sloppy joe type mixture for dinner. I usually serve this in a bun, but still being on our "no bread" food plan, I thought of serving it over mashed potatoes.

Now although this would have delighted my husband no end (meat and potatoes . . . what could be better?), the thought of that combo just wasn't doin' it for me.

"Heck," I thought. "I'm gonna make some homemade biscuits and ladle the sloppy joe mixture over those." (Please don't call the diet police.) "But I'll make 'em as healthy as I can."

I got out my recipe for Spelt Biscuits. Spelt, you say? What is spelt?

Spelt is a sub-species of wheat that has not been widely know, grown or used in our country although it's been popular in Europe for a long while. It's an old, old (ancient actually) grain that has the nutritional value close to that of oats. It's only been in the fairly recent years of folks getting into the organic, nutritionally-conscious, whole foods frame of mind that spelt has come to be recognized as a wholesome grain. Because it hasn't been widely popular, it hasn't been hybridized as nearly all of the commercially grown wheat is in our country. An added advantage of spelt is that many folks with an allergy to common wheat can tolerate spelt.

I find it to have a sweet, nutty flavor, and I've used it interchangeably in any recipe calling for whole wheat.

SPELT BISCUITS

2-1/2 cups spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/3 cup butter
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. With a pastry blender cut in butter and grated cheese until mixture is uniform in size.

Add buttermilk (or sour milk) and stir just until well mixed. Batter will be very moist at this point.

Turn onto a floured surface (I use unbleached white flour for this part of the process) and sprinkle dough liberally with more flour so that you can gently handle it. You want to be able to work with the dough but keep in mind the more flour you add, the less tender and flaky the biscuits will be.

Knead 8-10 times and roll out to 1/2" thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2" biscuit cutter and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

I have this set of square biscuit cutters I just love. I used the biggest which is about 2-3/4" across.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. I got ten good-sized biscuits with my cutter.

These turn out to be a hearty but very moist, great tasting biscuit. They tasted particularly good with the sloppy joe mixture. We each ate one biscuit and then I froze the leftover remaining eight. (They do freeze very well, by the way.)

Eating Again

It may seem like all I'm doing or thinking about lately is food. Not true. I've also been sleeping pretty good. And not eating in between meals. And a couple of other things.

Looking for something a little different to make for breakfast this morning, I pulled this simple recipe out of the files. It's good for a fast, easy, satisfying meal for breakfast or any other time of day.

QUICK MEAL EGGS AND NOODLES

2 cups cooked noodles (whole wheat, spinach or your choice)
3 tablespoons butter or oil
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook and drain the noodles and set aside. (Of course, this is a perfect way to use up any left over pasta that may be hanging around.) Heat butter in a skillet, add the cooked noodles and stir fry briefly.

Combine the beaten eggs and milk with seasonings. Pour over noodles in the skillet and scramble until eggs are set.

Garnish with paprika, chopped fresh parsley and tomato wedges. What a pretty plate that would make. If one had chopped fresh parsley. And tomato wedges. Which I didn't. Serves 4.

This morning I knew breakfast wasn't going to taste right without a little bacon, so I fried just 1-1/2 slices in the skillet first. Then I chopped the cooked bacon into bits and added them to the egg/milk mixture.

I also had about 17 left over green peas in the refrigerator so I threw them in. (Fresh chives are wonderful, too. I didn't have those either.)

Half the above recipe was just right for the two of us.

A Great Vegetarian Main Dish

Back when we were vegetarian, Cuban Black Beans and Rice was a staple meal in our house. I still make it but not nearly as often as I once did. I made up the recipe from a suggestion in "Laurel's Kitchen," first edition. The meal tasted so good tonight that it was really hard for me not to take a second helping.

I usually serve the black beans and rice with a garnish of stewed tomatoes and chopped green onions. Since there haven't been any green onions available from the garden in a few months now, I used chopped red onions instead.

CUBAN BLACK BEANS AND RICE

1 cup uncooked black beans
4 cups water
1 sweet green pepper, chopped into 1" chunks
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

Bring the black beans and 4 cups of water to boil in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over a medium heat until beans are tender, about one hour. (Check water now and then, adding more water so the beans don't scorch.)

When beans are tender, add the green pepper, onion, garlic and bay leaf and approximately 1 cup more water and cook another 30 minutes using a lower heat. The consistency should be about like that of a thick chili. Before serving, stir in the oil and vinegar and remove the bay leaf.

For each serving, ladle black beans over a bed of hot rice. On top, add about 1/4 cup stewed chopped tomatoes and garnish with chopped green (or red) onion. I prefer the tomatoes at room temp but you could heat them if you wish.

I like to serve this menu:

Cuban Black Beans and Rice
Hard Rolls
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Lemon Pound Cake

Doesn't that sound good? We were super spartans tonight in that all we had was the main dish. No hard rolls (sigh) because of staying away from bread, no cuc salad because I don't buy cucs when I can't get them from the garden, and no Lemon Pound Cake. Such deprivation! I have to immodestly say I make the BEST Lemon Pound Cake, but you know there ain't no desserts in this here house right now. (Double sigh. The Cuban Black Beans and Rice sure were good though!) I put all leftovers (bean mixture, rice, tomatoes, onion garnish) all together and eat for lunch the next day.

Gotta Use Those Taters and Onions

Spring is coming, Folks. All you have to do is look at my onions and potatoes and you will believe.

My remaining onions are trying to tell me something. They're putting out their green shoots of summer and I'd better use them . . . or lose them.

These white potatoes haven't sprouted nearly as much as my red ones, but they're still showing signs of being in storage for many moons.

When the reds started to sprout, I used the sprouting ones and then shoved as many as I could into the bottom of the spare refrig, and I'm happy to say they seem to be happy and doing well in there.

Yesterday afternoon I remembered this recipe that would help use up some potatoes AND onions so I made it for dinner. Below I've written out the full recipe but for just the two of us, I cut all the ingredients in half.

This recipe is pretty basic and easy to put together while at the same time being more than just plain, old potatoes. If your digestive system is bothered by onions, this recipe might not be for you. But even though there are quite a few onions in the dish, I don't think it has an "onion-y" flavor after being baked.

POTATO AND ONION PIE

8 cups potatoes, thinly sliced
3 cups onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper
Cayenne Pepper

Layer potatoes and onions in a greased 9" x 13" baking pan. Sprinkle each layer with salt and pepper and dot with butter. (The above photo was taken when I had about half of the ingredients in the baking pan.)

Bake covered at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

Remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper.

Return to oven (uncovered) to brown cheese. (Leave in oven until desired brown-ness and crispness to top layer is achieved.) Makes 8 servings.

Even making only half the recipe last night, we had plenty left to warm up with eggs for breakfast. It's a mighty tasty potato casserole.

Oatmeal (Otherwise Known as Downfall) Bread

This recipe came out of a small soft cover book put out by Fleischmann's Yeast.

I have no idea when I got it (can't find any date in it at all as to when it was published) but it has so many good recipes in it that I've used over and over and over.

As you can see, there is a distinct possibility the whole thing is going to self-destruct one of these days but I don't know what to do to preserve it. I sure do treasure this little book.

OATMEAL BREAD

1/2 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F.)
2 packages active dry yeast (I use 2 slightly rounded tablespoons)
1-3/4 cups warm milk (105-115 degrees F.)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
5-6 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup quick rolled oats

Measure warm water into large warm bowl. Sprinkle in yeast and stir until dissolved.

Put milk, sugar, salt and butter in a small saucepan and heat to desired temperature.

Add to yeast mixture. Add 2 cups flour and beat with rotary beater until smooth. Add 1 cup flour and the 1 cup oats. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add enough additional flour to make a soft dough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.

Cover with plastic wrap and then a towel. Let rest 20 minutes.

Divide dough in half. Roll each half out and form into loaves. Place each loaf into a greased loaf pan. Brush loaves with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator. Uncover dough carefully. Let stand uncovered 10 minutes at room temp.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until done. Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes 2 loaves.

Notes: Previously I've always used regular rolled oats but I did have quick oats to use yesterday. The quick oats "disappeared" in the baked bread so I think I like using regular rolled oats better because they give a heartier look and taste to the bread.

Yesterday I let the loaves rise in the refrig only 2 hours and they came out beautifully. I baked them the full 40 minutes.

Thanks Again to My Friend Betty

Winter time is oven casserole time in our house. This casserole I made last night is a bit different, but one that I've made for many, many years and both hubby and I continue to gobble it up.

Once again, I have to thank Betty Crocker for this recipe. I can't help but wonder if it was originally pulled together to use up some leftovers . . . some hot dogs, a dish of green beans that didn't get finished and that extra slice or two of bread that's always hangin' around.

If I remember correctly, the original name was "Frankfurter Supper Dish." (Does anyone call hot dogs "frankfurters" anymore?) Over the years I've come to call it "Green Bean and Hot Dog Casserole." Not very classy, but that's the name that's stuck. And so . . .

GREEN BEAN AND HOT DOG CASSEROLE

4 hot dogs (I use "chicken" hot dogs)
2 cups green beans
1 cup medium cream sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (important for the flavor)
2 slices of bread, cubed
Grated cheddar cheese

Drop hot dogs in boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes. Slice into 1/2"-1" pieces. If the green beans aren't already cooked leftovers languishing in the refrig, cook them about half the usual time.

Make the cream sauce by melting 2 tablespoons butter, stirring in 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Slowly add one cup of milk, and then the Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened.

Stir the cooked, sliced hot dogs and beans into the cream sauce.

Pour mixture into a pie plate. (An 8" x 8" pan seems just a smidge too big so judge your size pie plate or casserole pan accordingly.)

Cover top of casserole with bread cubes and as much grated cheese as you want. (I probably use about 3/4 cup.)

Bake uncovered in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Serves 3-4.

Last night I served this with pickled beets which I think are a nice compliment to the creamy consistency of the casserole.

If you're making it in the summer time, serving it with fresh, sliced tomatoes and Brownies with Ice Cream for dessert would be lovely. (Boy, would it ever!)

A Gooood Salad!

We've been craving fresh greens so much lately that I've been buying fresh organic spinach at our local co-op. They've also had wonderful navel oranges that we've been enjoying for a month or so.

Many of you may already make this salad but I think my dressing that goes with it is especially good so I thought I'd share it.

There's no need for a recipe for the salad. It's just spinach on a plate with alternating sections of red onion and peeled and sliced oranges.

DRESSING FOR SPINACH/ORANGE/RED ONION SALAD

In a jar with a tight fitting lid combine:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper (I use a bit more 'cause I like pepper)
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Put all ingredients in the jar and shake (the jar) until well combined. Drizzle over spinach salad on plate. Store any remaining dressing in refrigerator.

An easy-peasy salad that tastes pretty darn good this time of year!

Cold Morning Hot Cereal

One of the hot cereals I make for us in the morning is this one that I adapted from Helen Nearing's book, "Simple Food for the Good Life." (I think it's kind of funny that she wanted to title the book, "Simple Food for Simple People" but the publisher nixed that idea.)

The cereal is really quite tasty and gives us good fuel via the grains to start a cold winter's day.

COLD MORNING HOT CEREAL

1/3 cup millet
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup buckwheat groats
1/2 cup raisins

After I mix the grains in the saucepan, I mix in one tablespoon of either kefir or yogurt. This neutralizes the negative effects of phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors found in whole grains. Phytates bind up minerals naturally found in grains so that the minerals can't be assimilated when we eat the grains. Neutralizing phytates and enzyme inhibitors, in effect, pre-digests grains so that all their nutrients are more available.

Soak the millet, oats, buckwheat groats and raisins over night in ample water to cover.

(This is what the soaked cereal looked like in the morning. Seems the grains drank up quite a bit of the water so . . .

. . . I added some more before starting to cook.)

In the morning, bring to a boil, adding more water if necessary. (Yup, we did that.)

If you keep the cereal cooking just at the boiling point, the grains will stay separate and not glop up. I think I cooked ours about 25 minutes this morning stirring now and then to make sure they weren't sticking on the bottom.

To serve, you can sprinkle with sunflower seeds, add a pat of butter and milk. If you desire more sweetening than the raisins, add honey or maple syrup. The cereal has a very nutty taste and is a nice change from plain old oatmeal.

The amounts in the recipe are ample for two hungry breakfast eaters.

Because I Like To Torture Myself

Since we aren't eating any bread or buns or rolls on our month-long experimental eating plan (have you noticed I hate to say "diet?"), I haven't been baking bread nor have we had any in the house. (Well, except for hidden down in the deep, dark recesses of the freezer where I won't see it and it's difficult to get to.)

But because I was invited out to lunch today and wanted to take something for the hostess (and because I apparently felt a need to torture myself), I baked a couple of loaves of homemade bread last night.

I haven't made this particular bread in the longest time, and I don't know why because it is divine! A smidge on the sweet side, it makes the most heavenly toast. (Oh my gawd, how I miss my toast in the morning with eggs! [Picture me despondently banging my head on my desk as I write this.] Life shouldn't be this hard. Sigh.)

DARK ORANGE RAISIN RYE BREAD

2 cups rye flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
2 slightly rounded tablespoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup butter
2 cups warm (110-120 degrees) water
1-1/2 cups raisins (I always soak my raisins in boiling water before using)
4 to 4-1/2 cups unbleached white flour

In a large bowl, combine rye flour, salt, orange peel and yeast. Heat the molasses, butter and water in a small saucepan, then add to dry mixture.

With a mixer, blend at lowest speed until moistened. Then beat 3 minutes at medium speed.

By hand, stir in raisins and unbleached white flour to form a stiff dough.

Knead on well-floured surface until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place . . .

. . . until doubled in size, about one hour.

Divide dough in half and shape into 2 loaves.

Place loaves in greased 9 x 5" bread pans. Cover and let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes.

Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

Not only did making this bread cause me acute longing for a warm slice slathered with butter, but hubby who was upstairs in his office as it was baking said the aroma wafting up to him nearly drove him out of his mind. What is it about the smell and taste of homemade bread that is so very appealing? Whatever, this is a good, good bread and I hope you can find the time to give it a try.