Homemade Bread Crumbs

by Ellie Weightman

1 loaf multi-grain bread
1/2 loaf whole wheat bread

Note:  You can use any type of bread you prefer

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

On a large cookie sheet, place pieces of bread without overlapping.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, then turn and bake other side for 8-10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.

Continue baking all the pieces of bread until complete.

After cooling, break each piece of bread into quarters.  Place the pieces of bread in a food processor, you will have to do this in batches - usually one cookie sheet of bread will fit in a 12 cup  processor.

Pulse at first, then run consistently until the breadcrumbs are of the consistency you prefer.

Allow to cool.  After cool, place in a freezer bag, squeezing out the air and store in your freezer for up to 3 months.  Lay the bag flat at first until the breadcrumbs are cold to avoid clumping, then you no longer have to lay flat.  Mark the bag as well as the date they will expire.  Scoop out as necessary for each of your recipes.

Vanilla Sugar

by Ellie Weightman

1 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean stalk

Have a plastic container large enough to hold a few cups of sugar ready with a tight fitting lid.

With a sharp paring knife, split the vanilla bean down the center being careful not to cut in half. Open the pod and using the edge of the knife, scrape out the tiny black beans. Put the beans right in to the sugar and stir well. Add the empty bean stalks, stir and bury the stalks in the sugar. Cover tightly and let sit for two weeks. You may want to occasionally stir the sugar to avoid clumping.

You can increase your recipe using 1 stalk for every 2 cups of sugar.

As your sugar gets low, just add more sugar and stir and again allow to sit for 2 weeks.

Vanilla sugar can be used in any recipe where you use white granulated sugar. It is excellent in coffee, tea, cake recipes – almost anywhere you would use the granulated sugar. Yes you will have black beans, but that is the beauty and flavor of real vanilla.

Hint: Remove some of the sugar to a Mason Jar or other jar with a tight lid and use everyday. Add more sugar to the vanilla bean container, stir and wait 2 more weeks to replenish your mason jar. After a while you will have to replace the bean stalks with fresh vanilla bean pods, but they can be used over and over again.

Excellent Way to Wrap Meat for Freezer

by Ellie Weightman

I have tried many ways to wrap my meats after going to wholesale stores and stocking up on meats. I have tried the zipper lock bag method (which still gives me frosted meat) and the machines that suck the air out of those expensive bags made for the machines only to find that I was spending loads of money on those specialty bags and a lot of time trying to get the unit to work properly.

A few months ago, I saw an alternative, old fashioned method on a cooking show and have tried it now for about 6 months and it is the only way I will store my meats in the freezer from now on. Initially it may cost you a bit, but each time you unwrap your meat you will find nice, pink non-frosted pieces of meat (except the poultry of course) and will be glad you made the change.

1. Go to a wholesale chain like Sam's Wholesale Food Club. Look in the aisle where they sell the restaurant size food storage items. I invested in the big box of heavy duty aluminum foil (restaurant size) and a big box of the restaurant style plastic wrap (I believe both of the ones I bought were Bakers & Chefs brand). Use this ONLY for freezing your meats or other items you plan on freezing for long period storage.

2. Divide your meat into meal size portions and wrap in the plastic wrap - tightly to make sure you remove all air gaps.

3. Wrap each of these pieces of meat that you pre-wrapped in plastic wrap in a piece of the aluminum foil - trying to keep one side free of wrinkles so you can label it.

4. Mark each piece for what is inside with a medium point magic marker - be careful not to smudge it before it dries.

5. Freeze

If you did this process the same day, or no later than one day after purchasing your meats, when you open them up to use you will find nice pink meat, no frost bite, no brown colored meat - the way it was when you packaged it.

I was pleasantly surprised how well this method works. It may take time to do it each time you bulk shop but is well worth the time. The overall cost of buying the two bulk wraps is also worth it in the long run. Do not use these boxes of wrap for your everyday usage, just for your bulk meat shopping. I store them in a closet and only bring them out when I do my monthly meat shopping.

Proper Care of Cast Iron Cookware

by Ellie Weightman

Cast iron cookware needs special handling after using.  Use a good liquid detergent that DOES NOT HAVE any citrus scents, the best I have found so far is Dawn Original, yes the old Dawn without any special scents or additives.  Use a brush or scrungie to clean the pot/pan. When done, dry completely with a towel.  Put the pan back on your stovetop and pour about 1/2 tsp or any light oil (sunflower works well) into the pan.  Using a paper towel, wipe the oil all over the inside of the pan. Let it sit one hour or so to soak up the oil then wipe again with a dry paper towel, then store.  When storing if you have to stack with other pans, put a towel or paper towel in between the pans.  It is preferred if you can use a special stacker to keep pans separate.  I have one for my cast iron pans and will add a picture soon to show you what I mean.

It is also beneficial to once in a while instead of just letting the pan sit to soak up the oil to put it in a 350 degree oven to prime it.  I usually put my favorite cast iron skillet in the oven after wiping it with oil and the next time I preheat my oven, it will also prime my pan.  Be careful ALL PARTS OF A CAST IRON PAN WILL GET HOT, INCLUDING THE HANDLE.

Cast iron pans (I like the Lodge brand) are great for recipes like home fries or steaks that get seared on the stovetop then put in the oven to finalize.  My favorite Eye Roast of Beef is done this way.