Hummus Recipe

Hummus

• 1 16 oz. can or 1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
• juice of one lemon or1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 cloves of garlic
• dash of cayenne

Blend in a food processor until smooth. Enjoy as a spread or dip with vegetables, warm pita chip, or toast.
 

My Favorite Corn Bread Recipe

There are many styles of cornbread. Cornbread can be sweet, it can be made with flour or without  flour, it can be rich, it can be cake-like, it can be crumbly, and on and on.

I am not a purist that claims cornbread is not "authentic" if it has sugar, if it has eggs, if it is not 100% stone ground heirloom cornmeal.

I am a Northern girl and apparently that means I am not qualified to judge what "real" cornbread is in some circles.

 My jar of bacon grease that I store in the fridge.

 With that being said I have found that I do prefer a cornbread made with bacon grease and buttermilk, without sugar and without flour, and baked in a cast iron skillet. Some would consider this the most "real" or "Southern" (those words seem to be synonyms) cornbread of all.

You can read a really interesting article about where the whole, "Cornbread should not have sugar," sentiment came from HERE.

Mr. In The Mid-West prefers his cornbread to have a little sweetness and with more bread qualities. (More like the recipe I wrote about in this post.) So,I get to enjoy this recipe all by myself. :) It makes a very yummy breakfast after Mr. In The Mid-West is off to work in the morning.

With all of the disclaimers out of the way I am going to share my favorite cornbread recipe.

No Flour Cornbread

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbs. bacon grease

Mix all ingredients, except for the bacon grease, in a bowl.

Heat oven to 425* F.

Heat bacon grease in a 8 inch cast iron skillet on stove until it is about to start smoking.

Swirl the grease around in the skillet to grease the sides. Pour grease into bowl with other ingredients, stirring as you pour.  

Mix well and pour into hot skillet.

Bake 15-20 minutes. 

Remove from oven and invert on a cooling rack to remove cornbread from skillet. Cool slightly before serving.

This recipe can easily be doubled and cooked in a 12 inch skillet.

What Is Different Is Not The Same: 009

Matthew 12:35

KJV
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

NIV
 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

ESV
 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.

NRSV
 The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure.

Quick Tip: Onion Flavored Bagels

I really like onion flavored bagels.

I have not been able to re-create the same onion-y flavor as you would expect from Panera's bakery. I have come pretty close and I will share my tip.

I have tried using dehydrated onion flakes. I have also tried fresh onion minced in tiny pieces. Both with unsatisfactory results.

The most success I have had is by grating the onion with a cheese grater, dipping the bagels (after they are boiled and before they're baked) into the onion juices and spooning some pureed onion bits on top.
This method produces a satisfying onion flavor in the fresh warm bagels. The flavor fades as the bagels age, though, so there is room for improvement.

.
If you know of a better way to make onion flavored bagels let me know! :)

New York Style Bagels

This bagel recipe is the best!

Other bagel recipes I have tried were all more trouble than the bagels were worth.

This recipe has it's fair share of trouble, but the bagels are worth every bit. And I mean it! :) 

They are so chewy and delicious! The crust is my favorite part. It is blistered and crisp. So good! Mmmm!

I hope you give them a try! :)

 I have made these bagels with 1 cup of whole wheat graham flour and the results were still fabulous!

I copied this recipe from Cooking Up A Story.

East Coast Style Bagel Recipe

24-hour bagels
Yield: 12 (2.5 ounces each) bagels
Oven temperature: 500ºF
courtesy of Nicole Rees and Lisa Bell

Ingredients:

Biga(aka Starter)

• 16 oz. (About 3 1/3 to 3 1/2 cups) flour
• 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
• 1 1/2 cups very warm water
• 2 tsp. barley malt syrup or dark honey or molasses

Final Dough

• 4 oz. (Almost 1 cup) flour
• 2 Tbs. very warm water
• 2 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. barley malt syrup or dark honey or molasses

Method

Day 1

1. 10:30am-12:30pm Knead together ingredients for the biga and let rise on counter, covered, in oiled bowl for 2 hours.
2. 12:30pm- 7pm Refrigerate the poolish.
3. 7:30pm-8pm Make the final dough, kneading in the remaining ingredients into the biga. Dough will be extremely firm and difficult to knead at the first, just keep at, kneading at least 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and stretchy.
4. 8:00pm-6am Let dough rise overnight, covered, in an oiled bowl, in the refrigerator.

Day 2

1. 6am-6:30am Let the dough warm up on the counter.
2. 6:30am-6:45am Divide the dough into twelve 2 ½ ounce pieces. Form pieces into rounds by rolling with cupped palm against surface in circular motion
3. 6:45am-7am Rest the dough rounds for 10 minutes; form round into bagels by poking thumb through the center and then stretching gently with thumbs and fingers into rings. Place the bagels on a semolina-dusted baking sheet ; cover lightly with oiled plastic.
4. 7:00am-8am Let the bagels rise in a warm place 1 hour.
5. 8am-8:10am Turn on oven and preheat to 500* F. Bring a large pot filled with at least 4” of water and ½ tsp. salt to a boil. Add the bagels to pot (in 2 batches). When they rise to the top, cook for 1 minute. Turn the bagels and cook for one more minute. Remove the bagels with the round handle of a wooden spoon inserted into the holes, letting the water drip off. Return bagels to semolina-dusted pan and top with seeds as desired.
6. 8:10-8:25 Bake the bagels on a preheated pizza stone or baking sheet in the top third of oven for 14-15 minutes or until nicely browned on the tops. Repeat for remaining 6 bagels.
7. Cool on wire rack at least 30 minutes before slicing.
8. 9:30am Serve bagels with cream cheese and lox or other toppings as desired.

Reading through this recipe can make you think making these bagels is quite intimidating, at least I would. :) 

It is much easier for me to learn and understand by watching rather than reading. If you are the same way you may find this video helpful. Nicole and Lisa make the whole process look so easy!

What Is Different Is Not The Same: 008

Matthew 12:6

KJV
But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

NIV
 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.

ESV
I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.

NRSV
 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.

What Is Different Is Not The Same: 007

Matthew 11:23

KJV
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

NIV
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

ESV
 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

NRSV

And you, Capernaum,

will you be exalted to heaven?
    No, you will be brought down to Hades.

For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.