Eat Your Yard! (Continued)

Since posting about edibles in our yard, I have found even more of them!  Here are a few more things you are bound to find in and around your yard, even in the city...  don't use Round-up to poison these edibles- harvest them!  Foraging is not only fun, but it's FREE :)

Red Clover

You are probably familiar with Red Clover already, but did you know that this lovely plant (from the legume family, none the less) is edible and medicinal?  Red Clover is found all over the United States, and is commonly used as cattle feed!  As you can see in the pictures, this species of clover has pretty pink blossoms and "stripes" on the leaves.  It usually grows in large patches in open, sunny fields (or in the middle of your yard!).

The leaves and flowers can be eaten raw or tossed into a salad- they also make a nice tea!  Some people experience bloat when eating large quantities of red clover, so pace yourself.

Traditional Chinese medicine believed that it was a good tonic for colds, to purify the blood, and at one time they burned it as incense. Native Americans used it as a salve for burns, as well as for bronchial problems. Many cultures have traditionally used red clover to treat whooping cough, respiratory problems, psoriasis, eczema and even cancer. Red clover is one of the herbs in Essiac, which is a herbal blend for cancer patients, and grows in many areas around the world. 

Sweet Red Clover blossoms

Broadleaf Plantain

The next edible/medicinal herb is Broadleaf Plantain- a great herb to have around in case of an insect sting, burn, open wound, or intestinal upset!  Plantain is not only edible, but packed with nutrients.  It grows alongside roads or your driveway, in our case :)  It is easily recognizable by the long, stringy veins in the leaves, as seen in the picture below:

The stringy veins of the Braodleaf Plantain leaf

When using plantain as a wild green, it is prefered to blanch the leaves first to make them more tender.  This plant tends to be a little tough and slightly bitter when eaten fresh.  After blanching, the leaves can be frozen for future use in soups, casseroles or sauteed!  Dried leaves make a great tea for digestive problems.

Braodleaf Plantain along the driveway

As you can see, Broadleaf Plantain grows all along our driveway... I showed my youngest son how to chew the leaves and apply them to insect bites, since he tends to swell when stung.  The medicinal qualities of plantain draw out the poison from stings and hasten healing from burns or open wounds.

Oriental Poppy

I was amazed at the beauty of this Oriental Poppy!  But, poppies aren't just ornamental... their seeds are delicious to harvest after the blooms have faded away!  Just harvest the seed pods when they start to brown and let them dry in your kitchen.  When the pod is fully dried, open them to reveal the nutritious seeds inside!  

Poppy seeds are known to decrease levels of bad cholesterol in the blood and are high is dietary fiber.  The seeds are excellent source B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid. Many of these vitamins functions as co-factors in substrate metabolism especially fat and carbohydrates.  Poppy seeds contain good levels of minerals like iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium.

Small amounts of opium alkaloids in poppy seeds have been found to have some beneficial effects on the human body; soothe nervous irritability, act as painkillers. Its seed extractions found useful in pharmacy and in many traditional medicines in the preparations of cough mixtures, expectorants, etc.

Milk Thistle

The last edible I will show you is Milk Thistle.  Although this plant is very spiky and unfriendly-looking, I assure you it is quite edible!  It is a tall (it can reach 3 ft in height), spiny plant that grows in full sun just about everywhere... I have seen them as far south as Florida and well into the Rocky Mountains.

The flowers of this plant (although they aren't blooming at this altitude yet) are light purple and bloom on the terminus of the plant stalk.  All parts of the plant are edible, even the roots.  Thistle leaves can be eaten raw, sometimes as a spinach substitute, after the spines are removed.  Flower buds can be cooked, as can the stem after peeling and soaking to reduce bitterness. Thistle can be used as an asparagus or rhubarb substitute or added to salads.  Milk Thistle seeds can even be roasted and ground as a coffee substitute!

As a medicinal herb, it is a great tonic, increases appetite and aids in digestion. It is used by many people, including those who were addicted to alcohol to cleanse the liver. Milk thistle is used internally in the treatment of liver and gall bladder diseases, jaundice, cirrhosis, hepatitis, acne and poisoning (including mushroom poisoning). 
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Explore your surroundings!  You'll be surprised at all the edibles you find in your area :)
Enjoy nature and its bounty!

Eat Your Yard!

I am constantly looking for edibles in our yard... my kids yell at me when we are outside and I bend down to pick a snack :)  I am trying to teach my kids about wild edibles, and they are slowly accepting that you don't have to go to the grocery store to get your greens!  

There are many varieties of wild edibles in this country, but since I am in the mountains I am going to show you what we have found here.  I am sure some of these are widely available, so keep your eyes peeled next time you wander through your neighborhood...

Common Mallow

The first wild edible I found is Common Mallow.  This a wonderful green herb- it reminds me a little bit of spinach when eaten raw

The plants are usually about 1 foot high. The mid-Spring flowers can be white, pink or light purple, and all have five petals. Shortly after the flowers drop off, the plant produces a small, disc-shaped fruit that resembles a wheel of cheese about 1/4 inch across.

Common Mallow in bloom

All parts of mallow are edible, and nutritious!  Although the leaves and stems are yummy when raw in salads, all parts, including the roots, can be boiled with soups to make them thicker.  The roots can be eaten after being boiled until translucent.

If you can find enough of the roots, you might be able to use them as people have traditionally used marshmallow roots-- to make candy. To do this, peel the root, slice it and boil in just enough simple syrup  to cover. The root will first turn translucent and then seem to melt away. The liquid should be reasonably thick at this point and, after straining any remaining solids, can be dropped by the spoonful onto waxed paper to dry or whipped into a chiffon-like confection. 

Common mallow leaves are rich in vitamins A and C as well as calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and selenium.  Dried leaves can be made into a nutritious tea.

Pineapple Weed

Pineapple weed, is a beautiful, feathery edible!  The plant can reach up to 18 inches in height and has fern-like leaves.  It resembles its relative chamomile, although the flowers seem to have no petals!  

Pineapple weed got its name from the pineapple-y scent it emits when you crush it.  You have to have a pretty keen nose to get the full pineapple effect, so don't fret if you can't smell it!
Pineapple weed makes a very nice, relaxing tea when you steep the arial parts of the plant in hot water for about 5 minutes.

Close up of Pineapple Weed flowers

Since it is a cousin to chamomile, you can expect the same medicial properties- very calming, good for menstrual crams, improves digestion, alleviates gas and treats colds.  It has been noted as having mild antiseptic properties, as well!

It's also great to munch on when you find some on a hike!  Feel free to toss some flowers and leaves into your spring salad mix :)

Dandelion

One of the best known wild foods is dandelion.  Although the leaves are best harvested in early spring, before the plant blooms, the flowers can be harvested throughout the summer and made into a delicious "wine".  Once the plant blooms, the leaves become very bitter, although still edible.

The flowers and long taproot can also be eaten. The flowers are best stripped of the green sepals at their base and stir fried or used as a colorful garnish for soups or salads. The taproot needs a long simmering before eating or can also be roasted and ground to make a coffee substitute.

As I stated in my previous post on dandelion wine, the dandelion has been used traditionally as a liver detoxifier and has many vitamins and minerals, including calcium and iron.

Daisy Fleabane

I have always been a big fan of daisies, but I never knew they were edible.  This variety of daisy grows  anywhere between 1 ft to 4.5 ft in height.  The leaves of this plant tend to be hairy.

Only the leaves are edible. Since they are hairy, the leaves have a somewhat ‘furry’ texture making eating them raw not too nice. They can be used wherever you cook with greens. 

Daisy fleabane leaf extracts contain caffeic acid which is an active compound that has antioxidative and neuroprotective effects on neuronal cells.

Catmint

Every plant in the mint family is edible- just look for squared-off stems, opposite leaves and a minty scent!

Catmint tastes minty,  although more delicate and more floral than other mints. It can be used in the same ways you might use any more common mint such as peppermint or spearmint. In other words, in just about anything. 

You can also drive your cats crazy with catmint!  It is said to be just as stimulating as catnip for some cats...

Catmint is really great for menstrual cramps, and is also a calmative and muscle relaxant. It is said to relieve the symptoms of colic in children, and can be used as a digestive aid for adults.  Just eat the leaves right off the plant or make into a fragrant tea.

Common Yarrow

On the subject of medicinal plants, Common Yarrow is a legendary powerhouse.   It sprouts in early to mid-Spring with leaves that resemble green pipe cleaners. Its flowers are white to pink and grow in large umbrella-like bunches. 

Common Yarrow in bloom

Common Yarrow's leaves, stems and flowers, dried or fresh, make an herbal tea that is particularly popular in Europe and contains more than 120 active, medicinal compounds. Some of those compounds stop bleeding from open wounds, suppress menstruation and help heal bruises and burns. Those compounds are balanced by other compounds that promote the free flow of blood. Tea brewed from the leaves has been used as a heart, circulatory, arterial wall, and kidney tonic. It also lowers blood pressure and helps sweat out colds, flu, fevers and other infectious illnesses. As if that weren't enough, it has anti-inflamatory and antiseptic qualities. A fresh leaf can be crushed and applied directly to an aching tooth to soothe the pain.

Leaves can be consumed raw or cooked. They have a somewhat bitter flavor yet they make a great addition to mixed salads. They are best used when young. Common yarrow leaves are also used as a hop-substitute for flavoring and as a preservative for beer. Although in general yarrow is a very nutritious and beneficial plant to add to the diet, it is recommended that this not be consumed in large quantities. Tea is made from the flowers and leaves.

Wild Rhubarb

I had never seen rhubarb growing wild before we moved to Colorado!  But, along the seasonal creek that flows past our home, I found a large bunch of this purple-stalked edible.  

Fresh raw stalks are crisp (similar to celery) with a strong, tart taste. The stalks are primarily used in the U.S. in desserts (think strawberry/rhubarb pie!).  Do not eat the leaf, as it contains toxic components.

Rhubarb has cathartic and laxative properties and is used in the case of constipation.

Wild Strawberry

The next two edibles are very similar, even in name- the wild strawberry and the wood strawberry. But, the two fruits are very different, so keep in mind the differences between the two plants.

Anybody who has tried a wild strawberry knows that they taste the same as strawberries sold for cultivation- just much smaller :)  As you can see in the photo, wild strawberries have three, toothed leaves and white flowers (unlike the "fake" wood strawberry- below- that has yellow flowers).
The fruits of the wild strawberry grow downward and hang from the plant, the wood strawberries point upward and are easier to spot.  Both fruits are edible, but wood strawberries are known to be disappointing- they have zero flavor.

So, if you like strawberries, don't be fooled by the beautiful red fruit of the wood strawberry!  Here is a list of things to look for when searching for real wild strawberries:

• Red fruit, pointing down
• Three, toothed leaves, plants close to ground
• white flowers

The roots and leaves of the wild strawberry can be made into tea.  It has been used to treat cases of diarrhea, ailments of the lungs and stomach and can be used raw or dried for skin infections.  Like the dandelion, all parts of the plant are edible!  Like the wild strawberry, the leaves and roots of the wood strawberry can be used for much of the same purposes...just not as tasty.

Wood Strawberry

Common Mullein

This is the most exciting find yet!  Known more for its healing properties than its edibleness, mullein is a very useful herb. As with many of the most useful plants, mullein has many names, including Jacob's staff, flannelleaf and feltwort. I have even heard Coloradans call it "Indian toilet paper"! 

Mullein leaves can be more than 2 feet long. The leaves feel exactly like felt. In its second year, mullein sends up a thick flower stalk that can reach 10 feet in height. Yellow flowers, then seed pods develop on the terminus of the stalk.  When we moved here in December, I remember seeing all these stalks, still persisting in the cold weather...

Mullein, shooting up a flower stalk

Mullein thrives in places where few other plants can grow, like sandy or overly alkaline soils.  It has antihistimine, antiseptic, pain inhibiting, antispasmodic, tranquilizing and sedative qualities. In addition, it can help heal wounds, soothe burns, reduce swelling, stimulate growth and soften skin.

A tea made from the leaves and carefully strained to remove the hairs contains loads of B vitamins as well as vitamin D, choline, hesperidin, PABA, sulfur, magnesium, mucilage, saponins and other active substances. It's one of the most effective remedies around for a sore throat or bad cough. Smoking the leaves can alleviate asthma, bronchitis and other lung ailments. 

A tea with many of the same properties can also be made from the root; this is especially helpful during the winter after the leaves have vanished. Tea made from the flowers has been used to treat migraine headaches, and oil extracted from the flowers has cured ear infections. The yellow flowers contain a color-fast dye that can be used on cloth or, as many Roman women did, to dye hair blonde.

The leaves can be used to treat arthritis because they increase blood flow wherever they are applied. They are also one of the best things around to use as an impromptu bandage.  After having been bruised, just wrap the leaf around the wound!

Mullein leaves and flowers are edible, but tea is probably the preferred method of ingestion :)

This is one herb/edible with many uses!  One of my favorites :)

Juniper 

I found juniper bushes all around our property and in the forest behind us.  The berries are a beautiful shade of blue and have many uses as well!

Bruised juniper berries have traditionally been used as a spice in meat dishes in Europe.  It has also been used to flavor gin (the name "gin" is derived from either the French "genievre" or the Dutch "jenever", both meaning "juniper") and other traditional beverages.

Juniper has diuretic effects, is believed to be an appetite stimulant, and is used to treat rheumatism and arthritis.  It is also being studied as a possible treatment for diabetes, as it releases insulin from the pancreas.  Some Native American tribes used juniper as a female contraceptive.

Juniper essential oil is readily available for use in skincare and aromatherapy.

Be sure to identify the species of juniper you find in your area, as the  Juniperus sabina is toxic and should not be eaten.

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Go out and explore your local area!  Find out which edibles are available and show your own family that greens don't always come from the produce section of the grocery store!  Enjoy!


For part 2 of my edibles post, click here!

Homemade, Cultured Butternut Squash Soup

This recipe is amazing and perfect for those of you on the GAPS Diet!  Just as Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride recommends in her book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome,  this soup is enhanced with probiotic food. Cultured cream is not only good for your digestive health, but it gives this soup an added richness.  Make this soup with homemade chicken broth and it's a perfect cold-weather meal, chock-full of nutrition!

I found some yummy organic butternut squash at my local grocery yesterday- on sale!  And since soup/stew is one of my favorite wintertime (or anytime) foods, I knew just what to do with it :)

Butter and season the squash before roasting.

To bring out the flavor of butternut squash, what better way to cook it than roasting it?  Before putting your soup together, this is what you need to do:
1. Cut a butternut squash in half, lengthwise. Discard seeds.
2. Place, open side up, onto baking sheet and smear with butter (about 1/2 T per half)
3. Season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Roast on 425 F for about an hour, until the skin is blistered and the open side is browned.

The squash browned nicely!

To make the soup, you will need:
1 butternut squash, roasted (directions above)
1 T butter, or ghee
1/2 granny smith apple,cut in small cubes
1/4 onion, minced
2 1/2 c homemade chicken stock
a large dollop cultured cream for each bowl
salt and pepper

Once the squash is roasted, set it aside to cool somewhat.  Melt 1 T butter in a heavy pan and sauté  the apple and onion until soft.  Scoop out meat from squash skins and add this to the apple/onion mixture.  Add in your homemade chicken stock and stir to combine.  Heat to a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes.  Adjust seasonings to your liking.  Using a stick blender, purée soup in the cooking pot until creamy.

Saute the apple and onion in butter or ghee.

Mix in the homemade chicken stock and roasted squash.

When the soup is done, let it cool to at least 117 F.  You don't want to kill all the good probiotics in your cultured cream.  Serve the soup with a dollop of cultured cream in each bowl.

The perfect cold-weather soup!

This soup was meant for a cold winter day!  Enjoy!

Homemade, Crock Pot Chicken Stock

It's been a long time since I last posted something, BUT I have a good excuse!  For the past few months, my family has been prepping for a big move- to Colorado!  Well, we are finally here.  And, I am ready to start some new and exciting projects/experiments.  For one, I have to replenish ALL of my cultures... yes, I left them in Florida.  But, they are in good hands and being cared for :)

So far, I have started a new sourdough starter, and I am working on a new SCOBY for kombucha. (Here is the link for my sourdough starter, if you haven't seen it yet!)  Since sourdough is different everywhere, I am really excited to start using it next week!  As for the SCOBY, it is still developing... very slowly.  More to come on that...

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My first project will be to replenish my freezer with homemade stocks!  I've had friends tell me how good my beef stock is... so, I've decided to demonstrate my crock pot chicken stock as well! 

You have probably bought chicken stock/broth at the store to make homemade soups and sauces, right?  Well, what was the consistency?  Did you read the label?  What about MSG?  Your mind will be blown if you just take the time to look at what is in store-bought stock... BUT, making your own chicken stock is so easy!   Not to mention how delicious it is in homemade soups, sauces and rice dishes :)  

If you use a crock pot, like me, you don't have to worry about a leaving a burner on all night.  It is also easier to control the temperature of your stock!  Back in the day (before electric stoves), women used to put their stock pot on the back of the stove- that was the place that stayed warm but not too hot- so that their stock would be hot but not boil.  For them, just knocking the fire down was enough to keep the stove at the right temperature.  Fast forward to the modern-day wonder- the crock pot! 

First, to make chicken stock, you need a chicken carcass or two and all the skin and left-over parts that didn't get picked from the bones.  Don't be stingy, throw it all in!  I even throw in the juices that are left after making my French roast chicken.  This time, I made two roast chickens and put all the unused parts into my large crock pot.

Fill the crock up so that all the bones will be covered and add a couple T apple cider vinegar to help draw out all the good minerals.  After about 30 minutes, turn the crock pot on high.  This will bring your stock to a simmer.  At this time, you need to keep a pretty good watch over it so that you can scoop out and discard any foam that rises to the top.  After scooping, you can add carrots, onions or garlic and some pepper corns (or leave plain to season later).

Turn your crock pot down to "warm".  My crock pot still allows the stock to "gurgle"- not quite a simmer, but with an occasional bubble.  If your warm setting doesn't seem warm enough, just set it on "low".  Now comes the waiting... I usually start my stock after dinner one night and strain it off after dinner the next night.  That way, it is "gurgling" for about 24 hours.  You can stop yours anywhere between 12 and 24 hours.  The longer it cooks, the stronger the flavors will be!

When you strain off your stock, place the liquid into cold storage overnight.  I placed mine in our sun room because it got down in the 20's last night!  And the above picture is what I found this morning- a beautiful layer of congealed fat on top of a wonderfully-gelled stock!  

You can discard this layer of fat or keep all or part of it in your stock.  I like keeping at least half of it, since it is not nearly as greasy as beef stock fat.  This stock goes into my 2-cup containers and then I pop them in the freezer!  This time, my son is begging for chicken and dumplings, so I can't put it all away :)

Have a wonderful Christmas holiday and may all your stocks gel!  Enjoy!

Homemade Sausage and Seafood Gumbo

This is the real thing, y'all- real Creole gumbo, straight from New Orleans.  Did you know that the word "gumbo" traces its root back across the Atlantic, where it derived from an African word meaning "okra"... Okra is what makes this soup thick.  It is the combination of African, French and Spanish cuisine that makes Creole food so delicious, sometimes a bit spicy, and always unique.

 

 

 

 

My mother-in-law, a Creole food master, passed her recipe on to me and I'm going to share it with you today.  She learned it from her mother-in-law, who grew up in the French quarter- the heart of New Orleans.  This soup is usually served with rice and French bread (great for sopping up the remaining broth), but as you can see from the picture I am nixing the rice and bread because I am trying to eat fewer grains.  It is fantastic as is!

 

What you'll need for a little bit of Creole heaven:

 

1.5 lbs raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined

12 oz lump crab meat, flaked

6 oz oysters (optional)

1 lb smoked sausage or andouille, sliced in disks

1/2 lb okra, cut in disks (discard the tops)

butter

1 med. onion (chopped)

2 ribs celery (chopped)

1 green bell pepper (chopped)
2 large garlic cloves (pressed)
3 bay leaves
1/4 t dried thyme
1 T Cajun seasoning ( I like Tony Chachere's)
1/4 t red pepper
1/2 t black pepper
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
7 cups water
2 t dried parsley
rice and French bread (optional)

Brown sausage in a large pot, then remove.  In the sausage drippings, saute the okra for about 5 minutes (add butter if too dry).  Add the other vegetables to the pot and saute for another 3 minutes.  Add meat, tomatoes, water and other seasonings to the pot (except parsley and seafood).  Simmer over med. heat for 30 minutes.  If you want a thicker soup, simmer uncovered- if you like broth, cover while simmering.  Finally, add seafood and parsley to pot and simmer another 10 minutes. 

Serve with a scoop of rice on top of the gumbo (That's the New Orleans way) and a large slice of French bread on the side.  You may want to put a bottle of Tabasco on the table for those who like to spice it up!  Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Chowder

Ok, so I'm on a soup kick!  I LOVE soup... and it is so comforting  to sip on a cool fall evening :)  This time, I am making a soup that I have enjoyed for years but thought I could only get out of a can:  Chicken Chowder!  Yum.  And, this dish can be made from leftover roast chicken and just a few more ingredients that are always in our pantry :)

This is a recipe I just came up with a couple days ago, but I've already made it twice!  Here's what you'll need for this creamy, delicious soup:

Chicken Chowder

1 chicken breast (or about 1-1/2 cups left-over roast chicken pieces), chopped and browned in butter
1 medium organic yellow onion, chopped
2 medium or 3 small organic potatoes, chopped in cubes
1 c frozen, organic corn
about 1.5 quarts chicken stock
1/2 c organic heavy cream
3/4 c  whole-fat milk

to thicken, make a roux with 2 T butter and 1 heaping T unbleached flour- heat in skillet until combined.
For those who are gluten intolerant, use corn starch mixed with a little water.

Directions:
Melt 1 T butter in a 2-qt saucepan and saute onions, potatoes and corn for about 5 minutes.
Add chicken stock, cream,milk and cooked chicken.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are done.  Thicken (optional) with either method, as described above.

This is a quick way to make a wholesome, delicious dinner for your family!  Enjoy!

Homemade Borscht With Beef Stock

When I was pregnant with my third child, we lived in an apartment building with many wonderful neighbors... one was from Lithuania.  We spent one afternoon play date at our foreign friend's home when she offered me some of the borscht she had made that day.  Never having had it before, I was naturally very curious!  Cold beet soup (with lots of sour cream) sounded delightful, and being pregnant gave me a good excuse to eat four meals that day :)

 

I have always loved beets, mostly the pickled beets my mother used to can, but this soup was amazing!  So, as homage to my generous Lithuanian neighbor, I have made borscht for my family.  It is gorgeous (just look at the picture!) and chock full of nutrients.  I made it with my homemade beef stock to make it even more digestible...

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the recipe I tweaked;  It comes from the Most for Your Money Cookbook, published in 1938:

 

4 medium beets, peeled (and chopped)

1 onion, grated on medium grater

juice of two lemons

3 Tablespoons sugar ( I used organic evaporated cane juice)

salt and pepper to fancy

2 eggs

1 pint sour cream

 

Put beets and onion in a 2-quart saucepan and boil 20 minutes. (I boiled them in half beef stock and half water)  Add lemon juice, sugar and seasonings and boil 5 more minutes.  Beat eggs with cream; stir in slowly. Take off the fire and allow to chill.  Makes 6 to 8 portions.  

 

This a great lunch, since there is no heating involved!  Just take out of the fridge and enjoy!



Tonight We're Gonna Eat Like It's 1899 (Clam Soup Recipe!)

Are you tired of all the new recipes out there that call for processed, boxed, chemical-laden, fake food?  I sure am.  Thankfully, I have the Internet :)  It is my friend when it comes to finding wholesome, nutritious, easy recipes that are good for my family.  My latest obsession is vintage cookbooks!  If you haven't looked for them online, you probably don't know that there are literally thousands of free cookbooks online that date from before 1900 and onward.  My favorites are the pre-1900's cookbooks because they use real food ingredients- nothing fake, nothing processed, all dripping in real butter and animal fats!

 

Speaking of animal fats and butter, did you know that the first heart attack in the U.S. wasn't until 1920?  That was a few years after the invention of Crisco in 1911.  I think I'll stick with the God-given natural fats that people have used for thousands of years.  Obesity and clogged arteries weren't a problem back in our great-great-grandparents' day.

 

 

 

 

 

As I said before, I have been obsessed with vintage cookbooks lately.  Here is one link that takes you to thousands of fantastic books that have expired copyrights- FREE to everyone who has a need or interest in them :)

 

The recipe I am going to share with you comes from the Church of the Good Shepherd Cookbook of 1896. 

As pictured above, I made the delicious Clam Soup, submitted by Mrs. P.W. Talbott:

 

Clam Soup

 

One pint water, one pint of sliced peeled potatoes and one onion.

Boil until potatoes and onion are thoroughly cooked then mash. (I didn't mash)

One dozen clams chopped, one quart of rich milk, seasoned with butter, pepper, salt and celery to taste.

 

Most of the recipes in these books are just as simple!  If you have never cooked from scratch, this is a great place to start.  There are also household tips at the end of a few cookbooks :)  It is really interesting to read about herbal remedies and clothes washing in the 1800's! 

 

So, put on your apron and try to get back to your roots...  and enjoy the fruits of your labor!



Homemade Beef Stock

This is not your typical grocery store stock! The stock that you find in the store will be loaded with MSG and other unwanted additives... and it will be watery with very little nutritional value.

On the other hand, homemade stock is loaded with nutrition. You control what goes in it (and what doesn't!). And, if you make it right, homemade stock is full of gelatin- just look at the picture. Gelatin is essential for joint health, and may reduce the risk of stomach ulcers.

For my homemade beef stock, I placed in my 7-qt. stock pot:

1 package marrow bones
1 package ox tails
1 package meaty ribs
1 package neck bones
2 calf hooves

I then covered the bones with water (just a couple inches below the lip of the pot), added about 2 T raw apple cider vinegar, and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Next, I brought it all to a boil and spooned out the foam that came to the top. After that, I added 1 med. onion (roughly chopped), a couple cloves of garlic, four carrots (roughly chopped), and about 1t pepper corns and 1t sea salt. You can adjust the seasonings to your taste.

Now comes the waiting! Turn down the heat to a low simmer, cover your pot, and let the stock cook for 24-72 hours. The longer you let it cook, the stronger the flavor and the darker the color.

When the stock is done to your liking, strain off the chunky stuff and store in the fridge overnight. In the morning, spoon off the fat that has congealed on the surface. I fed the fat to my chickens and they loved it!

Now, the stock is ready for storage- it will keep for days in the fridge, or for months in the freezer. Since I always make large batches, I store mine in 2-cup containers in the freezer. Then, it is easy to take out and thaw when I need it! This stock makes great soups, sauces or can replace water in your favorite recipes (rice cooked in stock is delicious!).

Because of the calf's hooves, my stock is loaded with gelatin! My kids took turns twisting the bowl to watch it jiggle :) Enjoy!