Dolce Salsiccia Italiana da Valentine (Sweet Italian Sausage by Valentine)

I love Italian Sausage.  The smell of it sizzling in the pan makes my stomach groan for all it can take.  Mixed into meatballs with some fresh spaghetti sauce and I am in heaven.  My oldest son's birthday is coming up and every year he asks for the same meal to celebrate the annual event; spaghetti and meatballs.  Normally I purchase some Italian sausage already made up but as I have learned more about the ingredients manufacturers use to produce some of our favorite foods I have been turned off by most prepared grocery foods.  Check out my post on additives to avoid if you can .  It is a partial list of the top food additives to try and avoid. 

In order to make your own sausage you have to decide whether purchasing a meat grinder is for you.  I was able to purchase an Oster Kitchen System with all the attachments about two years ago and I purchased the entire set because it had a meat grinder attachment.  This particular kitchen system was made in the 1980's and I love it!  I only paid $80 for all of it and so it was worth it for the meat grinder.  The set pictured is a partial collection of all the attachments.  I think the ice cream maker is missing and the pasta attachment. 


You can purchase attachments to go with other modern appliances such as the KitchenAid, or you can purchase a machine that is a stand alone grinder either electric or manual.  The price can be formidable initially but this is one of those kitchen investment pieces that pays for itself quickly.  I have been able to purchase bulk cuts of meat at a lower cost  and grind my own hamburger and other meats at home.


I went searching for a recipe that would come close to my favorite brand and have been able to create something infinitely better.  Why would I ever make my own sausage?  I suppose for the same reason I make just about everything else; I want to control what goes in the food I feed my family.  I have discovered homemade sausage to be not only easy, but far superior to anything I can purchase at the store.
As with all discussions about what foods to prepare at home versus purchasing them already made up, the interminable question of why always rises to the top.  This answer is not just as simple as because you can.  The three reasons I have decided to educate myself on how to be a better home cook are because I can save money on my grocery bill and more importantly, I control the ingredients. The obvious outcome is that my family is healthier for it.  Finally, the feelings of satisfaction that come from being truly self-reliant are worth the time and money to commit to eating this way.
There are some good brands of sausage that attempt to be as clean as possible but still run into problems with added ingredients such as celery powder.  Celery has some of the highest amounts of pesticide sprayed on them of all produce.  This means the celery powder used to make the sausage can have high amounts of pesticide in it therefore it will be in your sausage.  This may seem trivial and too much to worry about but as consumers we need to be concerned with the concentrations of pesticides and other additives in our diets because they compound in our systems as we eat throughout the our days.  Consider all the ingredients that may go into producing your store bought sausage and if it is not certified organic then the clean ingredients the manufacturers do use can be negated by something like the spices which are added for flavor.  It is exhausting, I know!  Why can't it all just be easy?  This is why I have decided to take matters into my own hands and simply make my own.  Like I said before, then I control the ingredients. 

Moving on, let's get to making some sausage. If you don't have a meat grinder then you will need to purchase some ground pork.  This is readily available at supermarkets just make sure it has not had any seasoning added to it.  This recipe screams for organic ingredients if you can make it happen.  The better the ingredients, the better the end product.  The sausage will need to cure in the refrigerator overnight so you want to have ingredients that will not give off any weird flavors after sitting for that length of time, so use the best and freshest you can.  I highly recommend organic pork if you can find it.  I grind my own meat and from start to finish it took me about 20 minutes to prepare the sausage mixture and get it into the fridge.  You can also measure out all of the dry ingredients (less the sugar) and bag it up to make your sausage prep even quicker next time. 

Equipment:
Large mixing bowl
Several prep bowls for mixing spices, etc.
Large bowl scraper/spatula
Measuring spoons
Microplane or garlic press
Meat grinder if you plan on grinding your own meat

Ingredients:
3 lbs of ground pork butt.  You can also create a leaner sausage by using 2lbs ground turkey and 1 lb lean ground pork
2 T brown sugar
3/4 T salt
3/4 T ground pepper
3 T dry red wine-optional
2 T minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp toasted anise seed
1 1/2 tsp toasted fennel seed
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried minced onion
2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp ground mace
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

Procedure:
1. Place meat in your large bowl.
2.  In a small prep bowl mix wine, brown sugar and salt so that the salt and sugar disolve.
3.  Briefly toast the fennel and anise seeds.  To do this take a small skillet (6 inch) and heat over medium heat.  Add the measure amount of seeds to the hot pan and swirl them around until you can smell their aroma.  This process heats the oils in the spices and "activates" the flavor.  It happens quickly so don't walk away.  Once you can smell the aroma of the spices quickly remove them from the heat and pour them into a prep bowl.  
4.  Add the remaining spices and the pepper to the prep bowl and mix together.
5.  Pour all of the ingredients into the bowl over the meat and then use your hands to mix it together thoroughly.  I use a kneading motion with my hands like I would use for kneading dough.
6.  Once the spices and flavorings have been completely mixed into the meat, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.  I recommend doing this in the evening and just leave it overnight.
7.  In the morning you can then take the mixture and test it to see if you like the flavoring.  Take about a tsp of sausage and cook it up in a skillet to taste.  Adjust the seasoning as you see fit.
8.  Once you have your sausage seasoned the way you like it, then you can use it in recipes, pump it into sausage casings, or pat it out into patties for freezing.
9.  I like to create my meatballs for spaghetti and meatballs once the sausage is ready to use.
* If you would like a spicy sausage, then simply add more cayenne pepper and even red pepper flakes to achieve desired heat.  
** Remember to cook the meat up if you are using meat that was previously frozen.  If you used fresh meat then you can freeze the sausage raw for use later.  

National Center for Home Food Preservation

http://nchfp.uga.edu/
This link is to the National Center for Home Food Preservation.  They are a website created to help educate people on the safest ways to preserve foods at home.  It is a great resource for the home preservationist. I highly recommend looking at what they have to say given the scientific data and research involved in their findings. 
Here is their project summary and a list of some of the topics they cover:

"Home food preservation remains an important and popular cultural activity. It is critical that those who practice preserving and processing foods at home have access to the most reliable information available concerning food safety and food quality. The Cooperative Extension System (CES) and USDA have long been recognized as credible sources for science-based recommendations. However, developmental work on new or continued recommendations has been sporadic since the 1950s due to availability of resources and probably interested persons. Two national surveys conducted by the Center in 2000 and 2005 both revealed a high percentage of home food processors are using practices that put them at high risk for foodborne illness and/or economic losses due to food spoilage.
The National Center for Home Food Processing and Preservation was established with funding from the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES-USDA) in 2000 as a multi-institutional effort with The University of Georgia and Alabama A&M University as the primary institutions. Expert scientists in home food preservation from industry and eight other U.S. universities comprised an advisory committee for the Center.  Home food preservation recommendations were updated through laboratory development and testing of products and critical literature reviews; recommendations from USDA and the Cooperative Extension System have been made available through this website; a new video series; on online self-study course; revision of the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning (December 2009); updating of Extension professionals in various states; and, various other publications on the website."

Seasonal Tips

Seasonal Topics

Winter

Be Safe Eating Your Homemade Gifts
Canning Chocolate Sauces Unsafe
Canning in Winter Can Be a Blast
Freezing Casseroles, Soups and Stews
Mailing Food Gifts to U.S. Military
Mail Order Food Safety
New Cranberry Recipes Add Spice to your Holiday Table
Resources for Home Food Preservation Gifts
Spring Gardening: Getting Ready
Food Safety for those Glorious Holiday Goodies

Spring

Keep a Garden Record Book - Thomas Jefferson Did
Plan Ahead for Home Canning This Summer

Summer

Can Your Vegetables Safely
Freezing Summer's Bounty
Low Sugar Alternatives for Jams and Jellies
Pickling: Not Just For Cucumbers Anymore
Preparing for Power Outages
Preserving a Harvest of Tomatillos
Preserving Food at Home Can be Rewarding, Costly
Resources for Home Preserving Tomatoes
Resources for Home Food Freezing
Sorting Out Tomato Canning Directions
What to do if the Freezer Stops  HTML  Spanish

Fall

Apple Alternatives
Apples are Peaking; Choose the Best Preservation Method
Holiday Gifts For The Home Food Preserver
Preparing Safer Jerky
Resources for Home Preserving Pumpkins
Resources for Home Preserving Venison
When It’s Time to Store Canning Supplies…

Canning: Heaven or Hell?

It has been a while since I have posted.  Life has become complicated in unusual ways and has taken my time away from my pursuit of all things food.  In my last post I reported on the scuffle with my chickens.  My little white cutey has recovered but sadly we were unable to put her back into the coop with the other chickens.  They hate her and want her dead.  We decided to take the other leghorn out and put them in their own little apartment next to the coop. They are happier together and yet sad at being rejected by the popular girls.   It made for a fun project for the kids and I and now have two separate coops.  The great news is when it is time to rotate the flock, we will have a little home for our chicks.  The large, angry, New Hampshire Red that caused all the carnage has continued her life of crime and has murdered two little sparrows who made the mistake of getting in the coop with the chickens for their food and water.  She is a mean bitty and I am not sure I want to eat a homicidal chicken; karma or something.
My usual cooking adventures have subsided because canning has taken over my life.  My cousin made a funny comment about how we can and can for a month or two and our families live on cold cereal so that we can all eat well for the rest of the year.
Canning is in my blood.  My grandmother taught me how and I haven't looked back.  I find it such an organic experience.  I come from strong, independent, pioneer stock and feel so connected to those women in my family who preceded me when I am cooking from scratch.  Canning is the culmination of months of planning and preparing.  Planning the garden, deciding where to go to get the things I don't grow, deciding on the timing, etc. 
I planted my garden in early March and impatiently waited to see the first signs of life.  I sprouted my seeds inside because it was still too cold here in the Rocky Mountains to plant outside and couldn't wait to put their little roots into the freshly tilled earth.  The soil was perfect, and the weather cooperated, and they all died within the week.
The irony of gardening for me is that nothing I plant grows.  However, all the seeds left from canning the season before sprout up and I get a garden I wasn't expecting.  Divine providence plays a role in my success because I always seem to grow those things I end up needing most.
It is like garden Christmas at my house around June when we figure out what all the plants are that are coming up.  This year I was surprised with more tomato plants then I knew what to do with.  It has been wonderful playing with all things tomato.  Tomato sauce, tomato juice, whole tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, and more.  I have a couple of random squash plants too that I am waiting on to show their substance.  My son planted our sprouted potatoes from the winter and it will be interesting to dig them up in another month when the tomatoes are done.  The tomatoes have consumed my garden now and I can't see the potato plants anymore.
Canning is the hardest but most satisfying work I do outside of teaching my children.  There is just something about taking that peach and working with it to preserve it for the days when peaches won't be available.  Currently I have peaches, tomatoes, blended fruit pulp-for fruit roll ups, and tomatillos awaiting my magic hands to make them into something delicious.  So far this year I have been able to roast and bottle Anaheim Chilies, bottle peaches and peach preserves, steam juice plums and bottle juice, make fruit roll ups with the left over pulp from the juicing, bottle tomatoes, and freeze a ton of stuff. 
My friends and neighbors call, "I have too much (fill in the food) do you want it?"  I just can't say no.  I am a glutin for punishment because I just can't turn away food.  There is something about the bounty of food this time of year that fills my soul.  More than money in the bank, having food on my shelves and knowing my hands created it makes me fill like the best homemaker that ever lived.  I realize in our "woman power" world being a homemaker is not high on the list of achievements girls are encouraged to pursue, but I have never felt more like a woman than when I am ensuring the survival of my family with food.  Buying it at the store isn't the same as using your intellect, strength, and ability to endure to put food on the shelves of your home.  I am not ashamed to admit that I like to go down to the storage room from time to time and just wonder at the full bottles on the shelves.  They look beautiful.  It also turns me into a bit of a food Nazi because my kids want to eat it all the first week it is there! There is an innate connection women  have to nurturing others and we do it so beautifully with food.  I love when my husband returns at the end of the day from work and I excitedly pull him into the kitchen to show him what I created that day.  It is more rewarding then showing your friends your new outfit or even buying new furniture.  Creation with our hands is the highest form of accomplishment.  Who doesn't love standing back from a project and saying, "I did that."?
Canning is hard.  It requires hours at the sink washing and peeling.  Sterilizing jars and cooking over the hot stove.   I go to sleep at night sore from the work of the day and wake to the magnificence of colorful food all packed into jars that have cooled and sealed overnight.  There are days I look around my kitchen and wonder if I will have the energy to continue.  That is when I dig a little deeper and dive in.  I understand more fully now the benefit of living with other neighbors and family on farms.  The women would all come together at harvest time to preserve the food for the coming year.  What an amazing experience to spend your days learning and laughing with those you love the most and providing sustenance for your families.   We have lost that connectedness in our modern society.  We aren't as connected to each other or the land anymore.  It is something I crave in my soul.
Canning is pure heaven to me.  Nothing worthwhile come easily and this is so worthwhile.   

How to Can Tomatoes

Canning tomatoes is pretty simple and if you grow your own, it is the best way to preserve their fresh from the garden taste.  I advocate growing your own tomatoes anyway;  no herbicides, genetically modified, pesticides, flavorless tomatoes.
Why go to all the work of canning tomatoes?  The above reasons speak for themselves, but it is so cost effective to grow your own produce and process it yourself.  For a few hours time, you can have a decent store of your own canned tomato products.  Salsa, pasta sauce, juice, puree, chunks, etc.  It has been worth it for me to process my own foods at home.  The knowledge in invaluable for times when a trip to the store isn't possible.  

Equipment needed:
Pint canning jars with lids and rings
8 quart stock pot
steam or water bath canner
large slotted spoon
steam juicer-if you are making sauce or juice with your tomatoes
sharp knife
large mixing bowl and ice water

Instructions:
Start by picking tomatoes that are very ripe.  They will have the most flavor and be tender to the touch.  If you have tomatoes that have some blemishes on them, don't worry.  Most of those blemishes are skin deep and you will discover they come right off when you peel the skin off the tomato.
Fill the stock pot 2/3 with water, then boil the water.
Once the water has come to a boil, place the tomatoes in the water to blanch.

Remove the tomatoes once their skins have burst and you see splitting of the outer skin.  This takes anywhere from 5-7 minutes.  As you add new tomatoes it will take a few minutes for the water to come to a boil again.
Remove the split skin tomatoes and place in the ice water bath to cool.

Once you can handle the tomato, remove the core and then peel the skin off.  In some cases the skins will just come right off in your hands.

At this point you can go in any direction you want with the tomatoes.  Simply filling the pint jars with whole tomatoes is an option, or you can quarter or dice them and put them in the jars.  Cook them in the water bath or steam canner for the prescribe amount of time and viola, canned tomatoes!
In this post I will show you how to make tomato sauce and tomato juice using the steam juicer.
1.  Place the peeled tomatoes in the top basket of the steam juicer.

2.  Assemble the steam juicer and place on the stove to cook.

3.  Cook tomatoes for about 1 hour on the stove until the tomatoes have cooked down some and the juice reservoir is full of tomato juice.
4.  Once the cooking is finished, the juice can be ladled into quart jars and then canned in the water bath or steam canner for 40 minutes. 

Tomato Sauce
1.  Spoon the cooked tomatoes out of the top basket of the steam juicer and strain.  There are many different types of strainers on the market.  Find one that works best for you.  I find the manual one I have from my grandmother's kitchen gets the best results.  I want the most product from my cooked foods and this way yields the best results. I find the strainers that have a hand crank let too much of the pulp go to waste.
2.  You can season your sauce if you like by using a recipe from the Ball or Kerr canning books or use a recipe of your own.  I find that canning the sauce untouched works better for my recipes.  This way I can season the sauce to work in whatever I am cooking.  
3.  Spoon the strained pulp into your pint jars and process in the steam or water bath canner for 35 minutes.

How to properly dry your fresh herbs

Growing your own fresh herbs is a wonderful way to save money.  But, we always end up with more than we will need for any one recipe.  Drying your herbs is a great way to use all of your herb harvest and not waste your gardening efforts.  

This process is for flat leaf or curly parsley, or cilantro.  Cilantro can be dried but doesn't retain its bite.  If you have a lot of cilantro and don't want to have to throw it out then I would dry it.  Coriander seeds are what the cilantro leaf comes from.  Ground coriander seeds are a wonderful spice to have in your repertoire for your favorite Mexican dishes rather than dried cilantro.    

 Pull the leaves off the stems and mince them well. 

 Put the minced leaves in a fine mesh strainer and run under water for 30 seconds until the water runs clear and no longer is green.  This process washes the chlorophyll off the leaves.  If you don't do this step, the leaves will turn brown and the flavor of the herb is bland and can even be bitter.

Spread the washed leaves onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Don't use paper towels because the herbs dry into the paper towels and it makes it difficult to get them off in the end. 

 

 Set the herbs out to dry for a few days and viola, freshly dried herbs!  Store in a jar with a lid or in a plastic bag.

1. Oregano can be left on the stems to dry.  Place stems on a parchment lined baking sheet and set out to dry.  Once the leaves are dry, Pull them off to store. 

2.  Rosemary should be removed from the stem before drying.  Just pull the leaves off in the opposite direction from how they grow and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet to dry. 

3.  Basil can be dried by removing the leaves from the stems and laying them out on a parchment lined baking sheet.  This is also true for spinach. 

4.  Thyme can be dried on the stem on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Remove the leaves once they are dry.  

*All of these herbs can be dried in a dehydrator.  The heat should not exeed 100 degrees and the drying time will take about 24 hours for the large leaves and rosemary.  The smaller leaves and chopped parsley will dry quicker. 

Homemade Yogurt-finally!

Yogurt:

Making yogurt is a very simple process and you have a very versatile medium with which to create many other basic ingredients for cooking. 

Yogurt requires three things to culture.  A heat source, time, and basic ingredients.  Yogurt can be made from raw milk if you have a source.  Most of us don’t and I have found using powdered milk from the cannery a great way to rotate my stored inventory without having to drink it all. 

Equipment:

Cast Iron Dutch Oven (porcelain coated or uncoated) or other good quality heat conductive pot with a lid. 

Heating Pad, or **#10 can yogurt maker, or commercial yogurt maker. 

½ pint glass jars with lids

Large bowl with pouring spout-large 8 cup measuring bowls work great.

Whisk

Ingredients:

4 Cups water

2 Cups Non-instant Powdered Milk-it has to be non-instant or it won’t work

4 T unflavored plain yogurt to use as a start

Optional-high quality pro-biotic to add to yogurt if you don’t have a start

This makes 48oz of yogurt.

Procedure:

Prepare pot by filling it with about 5 cups hot water and placing it on the #10 can maker with the lid on.  The yogurt should be introduced into a warm environment so the temperature can be maintained from mixing to production. 

1.  Measure out the warm water – at least 100 degrees F- into the bowl.  Be careful of the temperature.  If you go over 110 degrees you will kill the start and the yogurt won't set. 

2.  Add the powdered milk and whisk until completely combined.

3.  Add the yogurt start and whisk in completely.  If you don’t have a yogurt start, use one capsule  for each T you are short (break it open and pour the contents into milk mixture; throw out the capsule).  Also, you can use just the pro-biotic if you don’t have any yogurt. 

4.  Make sure you mix well and there are no lumps. 

5.  Pour milk mixture into clean jars. 

6.  Place jars into pot with water and add more water if needed to bring the level up to the neck of the jars.  Don't put lids on the jars.  Check the temperature of the water.  You want it to register between 110-120 degrees.  If the pot is heating the water hotter, use a lower wattage light bulb. 

7.  Put the lid on the pot and let it sit for 12-14 hours. If you want yogurt that is more watery like what you buy at the store, then check it sooner than 12 hours. 

*The longer you let it sit, the creamier the yogurt will be and the less water will come off it.  You can let it go for about 16 hours before you should put it into the fridge.  If you forget about it and let it go longer, it will get weird. 

8.  After you have decided how long to let the yogurt culture, remove the jars from the pot and place lids on them.  Then put them into the fridge to set for at least 2 hours. 

9.  Once the yogurt has set, you can use the yogurt in many different ways. 

10.  The longer you leave it in the fridge, the more pronounced the flavor becomes.  

**To make your own yogurt maker at home all you need is a light socket and a #10 can.  These are the really large cans like big coffee cans or the huge cans Costco sells.  Simply punch a hole in center of the bottom of the can and install a light socket inside the can.  Put a 60 watt bulb in it and you are good to go.  Depending on the heat conductivity of the pot you use, you may need to play with the wattage on the bulb.  I started at 25 watts and ended up with the 60 working with my pot.
When you are ready to make your yogurt, plug it in and place the dutch oven on top of the can with warm water in it and the lid on.  After mixing and pouring your yogurt mixture into the jars, place them in the pot and walk away.  It is that easy!

Using Homemade Yogurt

Cream Cheese:

1.  To make cream cheese, simply take one jar of yogurt and scoop it into a double ply piece of cheesecloth. 

Pull up the edges of the cheesecloth in a bundle and tie them with some kitchen string.  Leave a loop in the string and slip it over the handle of a wooden spoon. 

Place the hanging yogurt bundle over a large water pitcher and let it sit over night. 

The water from the yogurt will drain off and the remaining product will be nonfat cream cheese! 

Use the cream cheese in recipes just like if you bought some at the store.

Don’t throw out the water that has drained off.  It is called whey and can be used in recipes too!
2.  I recently discovered another way to make the cream cheese.  You simply use 1 Cup powdered non instant milk, 1 cup whole milk, and 1 cup heavy cream.  Add the 2 TB yogurt starter and put in the jars like the yogurt.  Let sit in the yogurt maker with water up to the neck of the jars  for 12-16 hours and it will make creamy, yummy cream cheese.  This version has all the fat so if you are looking for a low or no fat option do method 1.

Buttermilk:

Buttermilk is made using 1 part yogurt to one part water.  You can also add the whey from the cream cheese as part of the water.  Make buttermilk as you need it or mix a bunch up and just leave it in the fridge.  The longer you let it sit in the fridge, the more pronounced the flavor becomes. 

Sour Cream:

Sour Cream can be achieved by leaving the yogurt in the fridge for a week or more.  The longer you let it sit the more it will take on a sour cream flavor.  It can be used in any recipe you would use sour cream.

Creme Fraiche
This is the French version of sour cream and it is wonderful!   You take 1 part yogurt and mix it in with 2 parts heavy cream.  Put it in a jar with a lid and place it in the pantry or cabinet over night-12 hours.  In the morning put it in the fridge.  You will have this creamy wonderful sour cream mixture to use in all kinds of things with amazing pro-biotic cultures from the yogurt!  It isn't as thick as the yogurt you would achieve just letting the yogurt sit, but it is amazing. 

Sweet Corn Tamales with Green Chilies and Cheese

If you are at all like me, you love tamales and can't get enough of them.  The only time we would ever have them is when a tamale vendor would come into my husbands work and take orders.  I determined I would make them for myself so I didn't have to wait.  It is not only easy, you can make quite a few at once and if your family will let you, save them.  I always double the recipe
Equipment:
Stand mixer or hand mixer-put the bowl in the freezer to chill while you are getting all of the ingredients out.
Mixing bowl
Bowl scraper
Stock pot with steamer basket insert
Wooden spoon
Spreading knife or spatula

Ingredients:  Makes about 16 tamales
2 cups of instant tamale corn masa mix-you can find it at just about any grocery store.
2 cups of lukewarm broth-Chicken tamales or cheese use chicken broth; beef or pork use beef or pork broth.  You can use water too but the flavor won't be as pronounced.
2 Cups corn-I use organic frozen because it has better flavor than canned.  Process it in the food processor to mash it up well.  You don't want to puree it, but have more of a mashed appearance.
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup lard, coconut oil, or shortening. 
Corn husks

Instructions:
Corn husks can be purchased, but if you ever have corn on the cob for dinner, you can easily use the corn husks you would normally throw away.
1.  Simply cut of about 1 inch off the bottom and top of the corn cob and then gently remove the husks.  They should peel away easily.
2.  Dry them on a paper towel covered rack and then store in a bag for use later.
When it comes time to use the husks soak them in water while you make the tamale dough then lightly dry and they are ready to use.  If you buy them from the store, you will need to soak them as well.  But, why not save a few dollars and use what you already have?

Tamale Dough:
1.  Combine the corn masa, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl.

2.  Remove the mixer bowl from the freezer and place back on the stand mixer.

3.  Add the fat you selected to the bowl and whip until light and fluffy.  It doesn't increase much in volume but does become slightly lighter and chilling the bowl really helps it not get runny. 
4.  Add the chicken stock slowly to the dry mixture and wisk together until fully combined.  Fold in the mashed corn.

 

5.  Add the mixture to the shortening in the stand mixer bowl one spoon at a time until the dough is completely incorporated and it looks spongy and fluffy.  Scrape down the mixer bowl several times to ensure even mixing.  You know when the masa is ready when it will float in water.  Take a teaspoon amount and put it in 8 oz of cool water.  If it floats then it is ready to use.

 

 

6.  Now it is time to assemble the tamale.  Take a corn husk, you may need to use two if they are small.  Just place them overlapping and the tamale dough will hold them together.  

 

Spread the tamale dough on the corn husk leaving space around the edges for folding.  Add whatever filling you like.  Here it is green chili and cheese.  You can add meat of any kind you like. 

Pull the back of the corn husk up and over the top of the front edge.  This pushes the tamale dough on top of itself.  Then reverse this action and do the front over the back.  The tamale dough should be folded on top of itself now and you can fold up the edges.  

Fold the long, back edge of the corn husk over the dough and then overlap the long, front edge over that.  

 

Now the ends.  Fold the edges over one another like pictured and then tuck the edge under the bottom of the tamale.  Repeat on the other side.  Once you get the hang of this it will go quickly.  If you have used more than one corn husk for the tamale you can see now how it all gets folded up together.  

To ensure the package stays intact, I also take a square piece of parchment paper and wrap the tamale in the same way as the corn husk to ensure it all stays together when cooking. 

 

This is how the tamales look all wrapped up!  Place your tamales in a steamer basket and cover with a wet washcloth, then put the lid on the pot.

Steam for 1 hour then place in a shallow casserole dish to cool. As they cool they will firm up.  

Serve hot with Green Enchilada Sauce (I like the Macayo's brand at Walmart) spooned over the top and then sprinkled with cheese. For a spicier choice spoon baja sauce over the top or eat them plain.  I have offered the sauce before but my family eats them too fast to wait for the sauce to be spooned over their tamales. Also, Spanish Rice goes well with them too.

Enjoy!!!

Sweet Zucchini Relish

From the Ball Blue Book Guide to Home Canning comes the following wonderful recipe. 

Equipment:
Food Processor or very sharp knife and cutting board
large stock pot
large bowl
4 half pint canning jars or 2 pints
canner-either water bath or steam canner

Ingredients:
2 Cups finely diced zucchini
(about 3 medium sized ones)
1 Cup finely diced onion
(about 1 medium onion)
1/2 Cup finely diced sweet green pepper
(about 1 small pepper)
1/2 Cup finely diced sweet red pepper
(about 1 small pepper)
2 Tablespoons salt
1 3/4 Cups sugar
1 Cup Cider Vinegar
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed

Instructions:
1.  Using the food processor or chopping by hand, cut up all the vegetables.  It should look like confetti.  Be sure not to puree the vegetables.
2.  Combine zucchini, onion, green and red peppers;  sprinkle with salt;  cover with cold water.
3.  Let stand for 2 hours.
4.  Drain, rinse and drain thoroughly.
5.  Combine remaining ingredients in pot and bring to a boil.  Make sure the sugar dissolves completely
6.  Add vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes.
7.  Pack hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
8.  Put lids and rings on.
9.  Process for 10 minutes in steam or water bath canner.
This relish is better if you let it sit on the shelf for a few weeks and really soak in the flavors.  Pickles are generally best when they have been allowed to sit and cure for several months.  

Do you know what you are eating?

I have been consumed with cynicism lately towards the food industry in this country and I have growing mistrust for all they make and put on the shelves for us to eat.  There are so many conflicting stories about how eating this is okay and eating that is okay.  I have been doing my own research and have determined a simple fact.  The more you make yourself from whole ingredients, the healthier you will be.
It is difficult to make all things from scratch, but most things can be made very cheaply from scratch and the flavor is amazing.  Many of you may say, "I don't have time to cook from scratch.".  I am here to tell you, you do.  I don't spend my time in the grocery stores or in my car driving to stores very much anymore and that time is what I now use to create foods in my home that I would have purchased before.  I have found it is not only easy, but my family likes it better.
I have a recipe on this blog for homemade ranch dressing.  It took me about 10 minutes to make at my house.  I couldn't have gone to the store and bought it in ten minutes.  And, I would have found ten other things I didn't go to the store for and purchased those.  So making foods yourself saves money all the way around.  I saved on gas, the purchase of the dressing, and the savings from unplanned purchases.  Store bought ranch dressing has all kinds of preservatives in it to make it shelf stable.  When you make it yourself, you eliminate all of those additives from your diet and enjoy the clean taste that comes from eating fresh foods. 
We have to be mindful of what we are eating when it comes to processed foods.  Most of them contain high fructose corn syrup and soy ( http://preventdisease.com/news/09/073009_soy_lecithin.shtml ) in some form.  I challenge you to try to buy a product that doesn't have either or both of those additives in them.  If your diet consists mostly of opening a can or a bag of food then you are getting infinitely more soy and sugar then you realize and a diet heavy in these things leads to some very real and serious health problems.
The studies done on these chemicals and substances to prove they are safe (that are approved by the FDA) serve no other purpose than to fatten the wallets of the companies selling the products.  They make otherwise bland food have taste and last on the shelf or the produce isle longer without spoiling.  It is not unlike the tobacco companies stating their studies show that smoking is not bad for your health.  Companies can't make money if people aren't buying their products, so they have to say they are safe. 
When we eat foods in season, straight from our gardens, free of chemicals the health benefit is unparalleled.  We have to ask ourselves whether we want to pay for good, healthy food in this country or for doctor bills. 
Read labels, buy food in its original form and create your own meals.  It isn't hard and it is worth it for a better way of life.  Try to buy local and organic whenever you can.  Minimize your contact with pesticides, chemicals, preservatives, additives, hormones, and antibiotics in your food.  It can be done, you have to be more aware of what you are eating.  The health benefit is worth it.

Authentic HomemadeTortillas

Last night I attended a Relief Society meeting and learned how to make authentic, traditional tortillas.  This recipe is too good not to pass on.  You will never buy tortillas again!  This recipe can utilize wheat or white flour, what ever you choose.
I made homemade tortillas once and they were an huge failure.  Every time I tried to roll the dough out, it would shrink back.  Last night I learned that the gluten needs to be broken down so that the dough is relaxed enough to roll flat.  When you make up the dough and try to work it immediately, the gluten just develops more, and the process fails.  Any creation you make with dough is about chemistry.  If you follow the chemical process correctly, you will have success every time. 
Try different types of fat in yours.  I like to use my own rendered lard but coconut oil gives it a nice flavor too. 
Thanks for the recipe Leah!
Ingredients:
**3 Cups of Flour-Whole Wheat or Bread Flour or go 1/2 and 1/2 for added nutrients.  The kids will never know!
**1 1/2 Cups of Plain Yogurt at room temperature-I use greek yogurt for a better dough and flavor-Homemade Yogurt
3 T Olive Oil, coconut oil, or rendered lard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
This recipe will make 8-10 burrito size tortillas.

Procedure:  Total time to roll out and cook about 30 minutes per batch.
Combine dry ingredients and wisk together in a mixing bowl-a bowl that has a cover is preferred.
Add oil and yogurt and mix with your hand in bowl until the dough is formed and all the dry ingredients are combined. I mixed my dough in my Bosch mixer and it worked great too and no messy hands.  I used the dough hook.  A Kitchenaid mixer could be used with the dough hook as well.( I find the Kitchenaid really makes short work of mixing.  It also allows you to see if the dough is too sticky.  If it is, add a little more flour until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  You still want it a little sticky.)
Leave in the bowl and place the cover on it and put it on the counter overnight (12 hours).   If you don't have time to get to the dough right away, then put it in the fridge till you are ready.  Only leave the dough for a day in the fridge.  It becomes too difficult to handle after that because the yogurt cultures continue to break down the gluten in the flour. 

After removing from the fridge, let it sit out on the counter, covered to take the chill off the dough.

 

On a floured surface, roll the dough out like this and then cut into even pieces.  

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to desired thickness and diameter.  I recommend you roll them out very thin. Use about 2-3 oz of dough per tortilla.  The more you make these, you will work out the thickness you like.

-While you are rolling out the dough, heat an electric skillet or a large skillet on the stove.
-Put the rolled out dough directly in the dry pan or on the dry skillet and let cook for about 1 minute on the first side and 30 seconds when you flip it.  I set my skillet at about 375 degrees and after you flip it the tortilla will get large bubbles in it as it cooks.  This is normal.  Don't use any oil.   You don't want them crispy.  You want them to be soft and pliable for use with burritos or soft tacos.  You can fry them after you cook them if you want to have tacos or tostadas.
-Let them cool slightly on a plate on the counter.  As the pile gets bigger I will flip the pile over so the bottom tortillas don't get too soggy and the top tortillas don't dry out.
-When they are almost cooled but still slightly warm, put them in a bag for storage.  The slight warmth will create steam in the bag and the tortillas will soften slightly if they are dry on the edges at all.  

-These can be frozen for later use or used immediately.  Any leftovers will keep in the fridge, but the longer they sit in the fridge the more they will dry out.  I usually leave them on the counter just like I would a loaf of bread.  Refrigeration dries out any kind of bread

**I tried all purpose flour and still struggled with the shrink back problem slightly.  If you use a high gluten flour then the breakdown of the gluten seems to be more effective.  The all purpose flour tortillas still tasted great if that is the only kind of flour you have.

**I tried using the cheap yogurt from the store and found that the dough was extremely sticky and required more flour to roll out. Plain yogurt has a high water content.   Using the Greek Yogurt solved this problem and made yummy tender tortillas.  If you use regular plain yogurt, you will need to strain off as much water as you can to make a thicker yogurt.  Take a large mesh strainer and line it with cheese cloth.  Then set it over a bowl and pour in the yogurt.  Let it sit for about 30 minutes on the counter and the excess water will drain off into the bowl.  You can also gather the cheesecloth up in a wad at the top and twist the top to extrude more water from the yogurt.  Don't twist too hard or yogurt will squirt everywhere.  Now you are ready to use it in the recipe.  
Why go to all this trouble?  Greek Yogurt costs much more than its plain counterpart.  If you want to save some money, go for the cheaper yogurt and drain it.  Anytime you are trying to save money, the trade off is time.  I find it worth it to trade a little time for the money I save.  To really save money, make your own yogurt.  It tastes so much better and is pennies on the dollar to do it.  Homemade Yogurt

Homemade Chicken Stock and Bouillon

Chicken Stock is a must have in the kitchen and making it fresh is essential for better flavor and healthy eating.  Most chicken stock that can be purchased from the store is not only old, because it has been sitting on the store shelf, but it has mono-sodium glutamate in it or MSG.  This is a nasty food additive that is designed to make otherwise bland food taste better and last longer on the shelf.  The problem is that you compromise on freshness and MSG creates a chemical reaction in your brain that makes you want more and more and more.  MSG also contributes to belly fat and literally makes you fatter, faster.  So, we are trying our best to avoid it at our house.  It can cause a whole host of other health problems and it is worth it to avoid it at all costs. 
The cans that are used to process foods are also questionable.  The inside lining of the can is coated with something called BP-A.  This chemical has been in the news lately because the government is asking water bottle and baby bottle manufacturers to remove it from their plastics.  It causes serious health problems and combined with other chemicals we come in contact with daily, contributes to our overall decline in health.  But, like MSG, it is everywhere and just taking a multivitamin everyday won't make up for the negative impact of these chemicals in our bodies.  
Our ancestors used to make everything from scratch and it was very difficult and time consuming because they lacked modern technology.  We have such the advantage over our predecessors because of advancements in technology in food preparation.  Now, making your own food from scratch is easy and well worth the health benefits not to mention the savings over buying already processed foods.
Homemade chicken stock can be frozen or canned for later use.  I have done both and like them equally.  I will teach you how to freeze your stock in this post and if you want to know how to can it, just send me a comment and I will include that as well.

Equipment

A 16 Quart Heavy bottom stock pot

1 Quart liquid measuring cup

1 Long stirring spoon

Cutting Board

Good Chopping knife

Vegetable Peeler

A 16 quart mixing bowl to hold the strained stock and one smaller for the chicken

A mesh strainer

A soup ladle

Cheese cloth 
Quart size freezer bags

Ingredients

 2 Whole chickens-organic if you can find them

or

2- 4 packs of chicken pieces with the bones and skin on

1/2  bunch of celery

1 lb of carrots, you can use the baby carrots if you don't want to peel and chop carrots.

1 large onion or 2 small onions-choose your own kind of onion, it doesn't matter

2 heads of garlic peeled and smashed

1 generous handful of dried parsley-approximately 1/4 Cup

1 palm full of dried thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

Water

If you only have an 8 quart stock pot, then just cut the recipe in 1/2 or make it in two batches.

Instructions

Add:

1.  Chopped onion.

2.  Peeled and chopped carrots

3.  Peeled and smashed garlic-take the individual clove and smash with the flat side of the knife.  Place the knife flat on the clove of garlic with the blade away from you.  With your other hand flat above the knife, smash it down on the knife with your palm and the garlic will crush down allowing for easier removal of the paper covering.  Do this with all the garlic and add to the pot.  You don't want minced garlic for this recipe, just broken open cloves.

4.  Wash the celery and coarsely chop the celery heart, leaves and all and add to the pot.  5.  Save the remaining outer five or six ribs for chicken noodle soup. The link to the recipe is at the bottom.

6.  Add the herbs.  Cook all of the veggies together to soften just a bit before adding the chicken.

7.  Cut the chicken into pieces.  Don’t throw away any part because you will use it in the stock.  Brown the chicken slightly with all of the veggies about 3-4 minutes, turning regularly

8.  Pour in water up to an inch below the rim. Turn the heat on high to get the water heated up.  Add salt and pepper. 

9.  Turn the heat down to about medium to medium low and let it cook for at least one hour.

10.  After and hour, check the flavor of the stock and add salt and pepper to your liking. 

11.  The stock should be done after 1 hour, check the chicken to see if it comes off the bone easily.

12.  Turn off the heat and remove chicken from pot into bowl and let cool

13.  Strain off stock from the remaining vegetables into the large mixing bowl and put strained vegetables in your compost.http://expandingfrosting.blogspot.com/2010/04/composting-is-great.html

14.  Separate carrots from the strained vegetables and set aside to use in the chicken noodle soup-recipe link follows- http://expandingfrosting.blogspot.com/2010/03/homemade-chicken-noodle-soup.html.  Discard the rest of the strained vegetables.

15.  The stock needs to cool and then be refrigerated so the fat will separate from the stock.  I usually put some plastic wrap over the bowl and put it in the fridge overnight.

16.  The chicken just needs to be removed from the bone, I shred it into medium side pieces and then throw away the cooked bones.

17.  Measure out 1/2 pound to one pounds of meat and store in ziplock bags in the freezer for future use.  They are ready to go when you need chicken for any recipe-enchiladas, chicken noodle soup, etc.

Once the fat has solidified on top of the stock, it can easily be removed and portioned out for bouillon.  There are two ways to store it.  Use ice cube trays to freeze it in or just put all of it into a ziplock bag and freeze as a sheet.  Break off what you need when a recipe calls for chicken bouillon.  I like the ice cube trays because it is a closer measure to a store bought bouillon cube.  Store bought bouillon is seasoned animal fat.  Your homemade version has only the pure ingredients you added and no MSG or other weird chemicals.

The chicken stock is now ready to freeze.  Measure out 1 cup (8 oz) portions into ziplock freezer bags and freeze for future use.  This recipe makes about 12 quarts of stock.  It should last a long time and you have bouillon and cooked chicken ready to go for future recipes.

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

Baking your own bread is a very rewarding and yummy experience.  It is also a exercise in chemistry.  When I started this journey, I would get a bread recipe and simply put it together and bake it.  The result was a dense, heavy loaf that didn't make very good sandwich bread.  I have tried many recipes and techniques and after a few years and much research and experimenting, have come up with a good recipe.  I needed bread that would be good frozen as well as fresh.  
This recipe will make 4-5 loaves of regular sized bread.  The quantity of loaves depends on the humidity in the air and how much flour you have to add to make it come together. I will provide several recipes for you to try that have different yields.
I use the highest quality ingredients I can afford.  I have had success in purchasing items in bulk to allow me to stay within my budget and I have been able to produce an excellent loaf of bread.  If you are going to put forth the effort to create your own bread, don't skimp on the ingredients.

Equipment List:  All of these things will be pictured in this post as I go along.
Bosch Mixer-
This is an essential kitchen tool if you are going to bake bread regularly.  A Kitchen Aid Mixer can only handle the dough for one loaf of bread at a time and wheat is a heavier dough than white.  Make the investment, you won't be sorry.  Here are a few links for purchasing online.  Check around, you may be able to find a better price and make sure you get the dough hook with it.
http://beprepared.com/search.asp?t=ss&ss=Bosch+MIxer&image1.x=32&image1.y=6
http://www.bosch-home.com/us/products/small-appliances/kitchen-machines/universal-plus/list.html
Bread Pans-
America's Test Kitchen, a PBS show, tested many bread pans and found the nonstick
Baker's Secret to be just fine.  I use them myself and like them.  They can be purchase at Walmart or Target, even grocery stores.  They cost about $4.00 per pan.  You could spend more and get the Calphalon bread pans.  They are heavier and run about $13-$20 per pan.  They are really nice but why pay more?
Food Thermometer-
These can also be purchase just about anywhere and are critical for making sure the bread is done.  

Dough Scraper-
Great tool for more than just scraping dough.  Find them at Kitchen Supply stores.  I like the cooking.com site.  It has just about everything you will ever need in the kitchen and lots you never thought you needed. 
Cooling Rack-
Get a big one.  Small cooling racks just don't cut it when you are baking.  This is also something that can be used universally in the kitchen.  Try the cooking.com site also for a good cooling rack.
Grain Mill-
This is also a great investment if you want to make the most nutritious bread possible.  If you are going to buy your flour than you won't need this piece of equipment.  However, buying your own grain and milling it yourself is a great way to be prepared.
Measuring Cups for dry and wet products
Measuring Spoons
Flat Digital Kitchen Scale that will weigh up to 11 lbs.

RECIPES
Try several different recipes to determine which one works best in your climate.  I have had success with the first recipe, however, depending on the weather, it can turn out different sometimes.  I have also found that old or lower quality wheat will effect the bread texture too.  The higher the quality of wheat, the better the bread.  It does make a difference.  I use organic hard winter red wheat that is as fresh as possible.  I prefer red wheat to white because it has a heartier flavor.  White wheat is good for people use to eating white bread.  It is still wheat but has a milder flavor. 

Recipe 1-I use this one all the time, makes 4-5 loaves. 

This is the recipe pictured below

5 Cups Hot water  
3 T yeast-I keep my yeast in the freezer so I use pretty hot water.  If your yeast isn't from the freezer then use barely warmed liquid to activate the yeast.  Water that is too hot will kill the yeast. 
2/3 C canola oil, avocado oil, or melted butter
2/3 C High quality raw honey or as fresh as you can get. 
2 T Salt
12-14 Cups Whole Wheat Flour-I mill it myself
You can use half while flour and 1/2 wheat flour if you like.  Add the white flour after all the wheat flour has been added. 

Recipe #1 is demonstrated below.

Grind all of the wheat you will need to prepare the recipe.  One cup of wheat berries translates to about 2 cups of flour. 
First add the liquid to the mixing bowl.  Make sure it is warm enough to activate the yeast.  Add 3 cups of flour and the yeast to the liquid and mix.  Put the lid on the mixer and allow the yeast to activate, about 10 minutes.  The sugar in the wheat is enough to makes the yeast grow. If you add the honey at this point, the yeast activates too much and your bread will create too much CO2 to support the structure needed for the bread during baking.  The bread also takes on a distinctive beer flavor. 

This is what it will look like once the yeast has activated.  It will have expanded in the bowl a bit.

Once the yeast has been activated, it is time to make the sponge.  Add 3 more cups of the flour and the oil and mix.  The sponge will make the bread lighter and the texture finer.  Let it sit for 2-5 hours with the lid loosely on the bowl to allow for the air to escape but for the sponge to stay warm.  You will smell a bit of an alcohol smell as the sponge works.  You want to make sure you don't trap those fumes in with the lid.   This fermentation process is key to a light loaf of bread.   

It is time to add the rest of the ingredients.  When the sponge has worked for a while add the salt and the honey then gradually add the rest of the flour.   Scoop your flour as shown in the picture to get a correct measure of flour.

While the mixer is on, begin adding the flour one cup at a time.  

Wheat bread dough is sticky.  The trick is to add just enough flour so that it holds together properly without adding too much to make bread that is dry and crumbly. When the dough just begins to clean the sides of the bowl like in the picture, put the lid back on and knead the dough for 6 minutes.  If you aren't using a Bosch mixer, just knead the dough on the counter by hand for the same amount of time.  You will know when the dough is ready because the texture will smooth out.  Add the flour a little bit at a time as you knead the dough.  It is important to control the amount of flour you add while kneading so that you don't end up with a stiff, dry dough.

Properly kneaded dough takes on a smooth texture and will be sticky to the touch.  Don't skimp on the kneading.  It is necessary for the bread to have a proper texture and to bake correctly.

Pour dough into an very large bowl you have sprayed with cooking oil.  Cover and let rise till double.  Then punch down and knead on oiled counter till smooth as seen below.

Knead it into a workable mass then weigh your dough to be able to divide it evenly between each of the four bread pans.  This method usually will yield 28oz of dough per loaf pan.  A one pound loaf of bread will be 26 oz worth of dough.  If you choose to use the 26 oz weight, you will have four loaves of bread with a little bit left for a tiny loaf.  You can even make a few rolls if you like. 

Using the dough scraper, cut the dough into four separate pieces.  Weigh each piece to make sure you have it divided evenly before shaping it and putting it in the pans.

 

I like to spray a bit of cooking spray on the counter to prevent sticking while you shape the dough for the pans.

 

Take each piece of dough and flatten it out.  Then roll it up tight just like pictured above.  Roll very tightly and pinch the seam, then place seam side down in the pans. 

Generously spray cooking spray on the pans before placing the dough in them.  Don't try to use regular cooking oil to oil the pans.  The dough absorbs the oil and the bread sticks to the the pan.  The cooking spray doesn't do this and allows for a complete release after baking.  I am not sure why this happens. 

Allow the dough to rise in a warm place with a towel over the pans.  The dough will dry out if it isn't covered. If you let the dough rise too much, just punch it back down again and reshape and let it rise again.  It should rise for 40-60 minutes or until it has risen nicely above the pan.

Place pans carefully in the oven, ensuring there is space around each pan for proper airflow.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, turning the loaves 1/2 through baking cycle.  This will allow for even baking and help prevent the side of the loaf from exploding out where the heat is hottest.

Remove one loaf from the oven and check the internal temperature on the side of the loaf.  It should be 180-200 degrees internal temperature to be baked inside.  You will notice the loafs fall slightly when you pull them out of the oven.  This is normal.  This process of bread baking creates a higher level of Co2 in the bread which is what makes the light loaf.  Because of this, there is more air in the dough which causes the slight falling.  If you made bread by simply adding everything together and just baking it, the bread would be heavy, solid, and dense. 

Brush butter on the top of the loaves.

Cool loaves on their sides on a cooling rack after they have cooled in the pans for about 10 minutes.  Don't let the loaves sit in the pans to cool off for longer than 10 minutes.  The moisture from the cooling process will make the loaves soggy in the pans.  After the bread is mostly cool, then they can be put into bread bags and placed in the freezer.  Depending on where you live, I recommend keeping the bread on the counter.  Putting bread in the refrigerator will dry it out quickly.  The freezer doesn't dry out the bread however so keep extra in there for later.

Enjoy.  The first loaf usually gets eaten right away and I put the others in the freezer for later.  I use bread bags that can be purchased from the grocery store.  These bags can be used over and over again so don't throw them away.  

I make sure the day I am baking bread, I am home doing laundry or other projects.  I don't stand over it all day.  I do a part of it and then do something else, then another part, then something else.  It has been well worth the effort for our family to have healthy, preservative free bread that costs pennies compared to the store bought bread. I make a large batch so I don't have to bake bread all the time. 

Breakdown of time:

Yeast Activation-10 minutes

Sponge-2-4 hours

Kneading-10 minutes

First Rise-1 hours

Shaping the dough-10 minutes

Second Rise-40-60 minutes

Baking-30+ minutes

Cooling 15-30 minutes