Hearth and Home

Well normally I don't consider this old fashioned cooking. But we have recently seen the need to try the Candida diet, which means all starches, sugars, and milk (except yougurt) products are strictly out of the question for about 21 days. Candida is the overgrowth of yeast and can cause a lot of ugly symptoms to rear their head. So as a family we are going to take this venture to try and rid of this overgrowth and get a more balanced body for optimum health, not to mention moods.
We will be eating healthier than ever before so we are curious as to its what the results will be.
Can you imagine cooking without flour or sugar? I can't. So I am having to take a really creative outlook on this new challenge. Especially, since I have an eight and four year old that I have to please with this diet. The 8 year old is the reason for the diet so we are all doing it as a family to support him in this. I am sure we all will benefit.
As I try and have success with recipes that work in this strictest phase of the diet then I will post them here under the category of Candida, for easy reference. It will be an interesting time since this is the first we have ever done this.
And of course if anyone would like to share any recipes for Candida that worked for them feel free to do so.

Call me a stickler for old cookbooks. I am really surprised I had not starting collecting these domestic books much earlier. Well, at first, I was only reserving myself to collect really old cookbooks dated sometime around 1800 - 1850s. But after finding them usually more expensive than I care to pay, I decided to broaden my horizons. So when I saw this one on ebay I could not resist getting it to add to my collection. None of my cookbooks are museum quality or anything. But I prefer the books to show they have been used. And for the meager ten dollars I paid for it, it is well worth it with over 700 pages of recipes and interesting odds-n-ends. It's much bigger than my Compendium of Cookery and much nicer too. The only odd thing I find is the three cookbooks I have do not have a name written in any of them. The oldest of my cookbooks dated 1824 even has recipes handwritten all over the endpapers. But no names to tell me who wrote all those lovely personal addenda's. I suppose it's because cookbooks were too practical to be sentimental about by writing one's name in it. Who knows.
You could peruse a later edition of The Queen of the Household which is found here: Queen of the Household published in 1901. However, it is quite a bit different from the 1891 edition.

I have in my collection a cookbook, which I have mentioned before, called Compendium of Cookery. Well we wanted to make waffles one morning so instead of using a modern recipe, we decided to use an old one, just something extra special about that to us.

4 cups sweet milk
1 cup butter (melted)
6 cups flour, sifted
6 eggs (divide yolks from whites)
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar (optional, not in original recipe)

Mix together melted butter, milk, and flour. Beat egg yolks then add to mixture. Whip egg whites until very frothy, then fold into mixture. Add baking powder and sugar (optional), stir, then cook in waffle maker.

NOTE: You can cut all the ingredients in half in order to serve a family of four or so.

The original recipe didn't add sugar, but we found it did improve the recipe. If you are looking for something like the store bought then keep on looking. These waffles, when made in an ordinary waffle maker, are not the crispy types of waffles we have today in the market and on the shelves. But they are great with maple syrup!

Well we are supposed to be getting the needed supplies soon to make a couple of the candies I posted below. But today, despite an oncoming headache, I could not help myself at making a batch of chocolate cookies. With two little helpers in the kitchen to assist { aka 'my boys' } they turned out delectable. You will find these are a refreshing change of pace from the ordinary chocolate chip cookies. So strap on your apron and try this lovely, and did I mention easy, little recipe for Chocolate Cookies...

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

First melt your chocolate in a small saucepan. In a mixing bowl cream your butter. Gradually add the brown sugar to the butter, being sure to mix well. Then add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture, giving it a through beating. Now add your melted chocolate to the butter mixture. Beat till smooth.
Now in another bowl mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Slowly add to creamed mixture, stirring well. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet, spacing them about 2 inches. Bake at 375 for about 8 minutes, or until done. Remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire rack or marble slab, as we do.

If you don't have enough of the squares, as was the case for me, then you can substitute 3 tablespoons of powdered cocoa with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to equal 1 (1-ounce) unsweetened chocolate square. I just added it to my bar of chocolate and melted all together.

I'm really sorry for taking so long in getting around to another post. Its been really hectic. Though life hasn't been too "sweet" for me, I thought it needed some sweetness. So here I give you some recipes from my old cookbook, Compendium of Cookery dated 1890. I've not yet tried any of these but they are on the "to do" list!

Ginger Candy - Boil a pound of clarified sugar until, upon taking out a drop of it on a piece of stick, it will become brittle when cold. Mix and stir up with it, for a common article, about a teaspoonful of ground ginger; if for a superior article, instead of the ground ginger add half the white of an egg, beaten up previously with fine sifted loaf sugar, and twenty drops of strong essence of ginger.

Lemon Candy - Put into a kettle three and one-half pounds of sugar, one and one-half pints of water, and one teaspoon cream of tartar. Let it boil until it becomes brittle when dropped in cold water; when sufficiently done take off the fire and pour into shallow dish which has been greased with a little butter. When this has cooled so that it can be handled add a teaspoonful of tartaric acid and the same quantity of extract of lemon , and work then into the mass. The acid must be fine and free from limps. Work this in until evenly distributed, and no more,a s it will tend to destroy the transparency of the candy. This method may be used for preparing all other candies, as pineapple, ect, using different flavors.

Peppermint, Rose or Horehound Candy - They may be made as lemon candy. Flavor with essence of rose, or peppermint, or finely powdered horehound. Pour it out in a buttered paper, placed in a square tin pan.

Chocolate Caramels - Two cups of brown sugar, one cup of molasses, one cup chocolate grated fine, one cup of boiled milk, one tablespoon of flour; butter the size of a large English walnut; let it boil slowly and pour on flat tins to cool; mark off while warm.

Molasses Candy - One cup of molasses, two cups of sugar, one tablespoon vinegar, a little butter and vanilla, boil ten minutes, then cool it enough to pull.

Well I am doing this a little earlier than expected since I have to be out today later than I expected. So instead of waiting this evening to announce the winner, I'm going to do it now. =)
My antique horsehair flour sifter did the honors of holding all the names.

And the name I pulled out of the sifter was.....Patsy a first time visitor to our site.

Thank you all for participating, I've really enjoyed being a part of Kim's Cottage Giveaway!
Best wishes to you all!

Homemade bread does not last in our house. But I haven't made it in ages since I have been so busy moving all over the place and haven't even had a chance to get settled in....until recently that is. So yesterday I was planning on making some pizza dough (which came out really good) but while I was at it I made two loaves of bread. The thing I always worry about is the yeast. I am afraid to waste so much flour if the yeast does not work properly. So this is what I do to "test" the yeast. First according to the directions for making bread you add a little sugar, about 1 teaspoon, to about 1 cup of warm water and 1 package of yeast. Now for the warm water I just warm it on the stove. I don't have a thermometer so I use my fingers to test the temp. If the water has gotten too hot where it feels just slightly uncomfortable to my finger than it was too hot. If that happens I usually take out a 1/4 cup of water and replace with cool tap water. Never let the water come to a boil, that is WAY too hot. You only want your water nice and warm, about 105 - 115 degree F. So anyway then you pour the warm water over the yeast and sugar that is sitting in a bowl. Cover and set in a slightly warm spot. Come back in 5 minutes. If the yeast water has bubbles on top and a thick frothy coating on top you are good to go for bread making. It also should have this nice doughy aroma. So if your yeast water makes it through active, then proceed with the bread making. If not, then you haven't wasted all that flour.
Here is the recipe I use for making bread, which I usually end up doubling.

1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 package yeast (which is about 2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 - 3 cups flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Dissolve the yeast with 1 teaspoon sugar and warm water as directed above. If yeast is pronounced active then proceed by mixing 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, salt, oil, half of flour mixture with yeast mixture. Mix until smooth. Then stir in remaining amount of flour until you have a nice soft dough.
Lightly knead dough on floured surface until it is smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top, cover with towel or cloth, then let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, which usually takes about 1 to 2 hours. I just place in the oven with the oven light on and it rises beautifully.
Then punch down dough, turn out onto floured surface, resting the dough for about 15 minutes. Then shape into so it will fit in your breadpan. Pinch bottom edges to seal. Place down seam side down, in well greased bread pan (9 x 5 x 3) Cover and let rise again for about an hour, or until doubled in size, then bake at 375 F for 50 minutes, or tap loaf and when it sounds hollow its finished. Remove from oven, then from pan to cool. I always butter the top, but thats optional. Now the hard part. Do NOT cut the bread until it has fully cooled.
This recipe yields 1 loaf.

1 cup sugar
1/4 water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
5 medium sized baking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 unbaked (9-inch) pie crust
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whipping cream

Combine sugar, water, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium Dutch oven; stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Then add the apples, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes until apples are tender. Drain apples, reserving 1/2 cup of the syrup.
Arrange apples onto pie crust, then pour reserved syrup onto apples. Bake in oven heated to 450F for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and continue baking another 15 minutes. Remove pie from oven.
Now combine egg and flour in a small bowl. Stir until well blended and almost no lumps. Gradually add the whipping cream and then pour over the apples. Put pie back into the oven and bake for another 10 minutes at 375. Cool before slicing.
Yield: one 9-inch pie.

Need to use up those few potatoes? Here is a great recipe to put those potatoes to good use. I have a whole basket full of potatoes in my pantry that I need to go through, since I haven't been able to cook as much as I normally do. So this recipe has come in handy. I would make sure you have a deep pie dish to keep it from spilling over.

2 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and mashed
2/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons lemons, rind of
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 eggs, beaten

First combine the mashed potatoes, butter, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium mixing bowl; mix well. Then gradually add whipping cream and milk, stirring until well blended. Stir in lemon rind, juice, vanilla and nutmeg. Add eggs; mix well. Pour mixture into pie crust. Bake at 350'F for 55 minutes or until knife comes out of center clean. Cool.
Yields one 9-inch pie.

1/2 Pint Flour
2 level Teaspoonsful Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoonful Salt
2 level Teaspoonsful Lard
[Milk also needed]

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together throughly, then work in the lard. Add milk sufficient to make a soft dough then turn in a floured board and work just enough to get the dough in shape. Roll or pat out and cut with a biscuit cutter. Bake in hot oven - 15 minutes will do.

Note: American Maid was a flour company during the early part of the 20th century. It was ran around Houston, Texas. Funny enough this recipe was on the inside of sheet music given by the American Maid flour company.