The Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook (36 page)

Mix together the sugar and Clear Jel. Add Clear Jel mixture to fruit juice or puree in a heavy pot. Cook using medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Add lemon juice; boil 1 minute.

Drop small amounts onto waxed paper and allow to set completely.

Homemade Baking Powder

2 tsp. cornstarch or arrowroot

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

Mix together and store in an airtight container.

Large batch baking powder: Mix together one part cornstarch, one part cream of tartar, and one-half part baking soda
.

FLOURS

Most often, cooks use all-purpose flour, but there are other kinds, and they all have their uses:

All-purpose flour
. This is the mainstay of a cook’s kitchen. It comes either bleached or unbleached and is comprised of wheat from various regions. It’s like McDonald’s French fries—no matter where you live, the flour will yield predictable results.

Bread flour
. Bread flour is a very high protein flour that has a higher gluten content, which is a necessary component in baking light, moist bread. You can buy gluten separately and add a small amount to your bread dough if you experience poor results from your standard flour.

Cake flour
. This is the lowest protein flour generally available, and it has been ground fine and bleached and chlorinated to make it slightly acidic. The resulting flour produces fine-textured, moist cakes and is good to use when making pastry, baking powder biscuits, and cookies.

Homemade Grape Juice

firm, ripe grapes

sugar

boiling water

Wash and sterilize quart-size canning jars and lids. Keep warm.

Wash and stem the grapes. Put 1 cup grapes into a hot quart jar. Add ¼ cup sugar per jar and slowly fill with boiling water, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust caps, and process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Store in a cool, dark place. Serve well chilled.

Hot Chocolate Mix I

10⅔ cups instant nonfat dry milk

1 6-oz. jar powdered nondairy creamer

2 cups powdered sugar

1 16-oz. can instant chocolate drink mix

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Place in an airtight container or large plastic storage bags. Store in a cool, dry place. Date the container and use within 6 months.

To Use

Add 3 T. Hot Chocolate Mix to 1 cup hot water. Stir to dissolve.

Hot Chocolate Mix II

6½ cups instant nonfat dry milk

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

dash of salt

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Place in an airtight container or large plastic storage bags. Store in a cool, dry place. Date the container and use within 6 months.

To Use

3 T. Hot Chocolate Mix

1 cup hot water or milk

Add the Hot Chocolate Mix to hot water or milk and stir to dissolve.

Lemonade Concentrate

3 T. lemon zest

4 cups sugar

4 cups water

2 cinnamon sticks

Juice of 6 lemons, strained to remove pulp and seeds

In a deep saucepan, combine the lemon zest, sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth or a very fine wire sieve. Add the lemon juice to the sugar syrup. Transfer to a glass container that has been cleaned and boiled and refrigerate until needed.

To Make Lemonade

Mix 4 T. lemon syrup with 1 cup of cold water. Fill 2 glasses with ice and pour in the lemonade. Stir and serve.

Master Biscuit Mix

8½ cups flour

3 T. baking powder

1 T. salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1½ cups instant nonfat dry milk

2¼ cups shortening

In a large mixing bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Blend well. With a pastry blender, cut in shortening until evenly distributed and the consistency of coarse cornmeal. Place in an airtight container or large plastic storage bags. Store in a cool, dry place. Date the container and use within 3 months.

This Master Biscuit Mix can be used in place of Bisquick in many recipes, but here are a few recipes to get you started.

Drop Biscuits

3 cups Master Biscuit Mix

¾ cup milk or water

Grease a cookie sheet and set aside. Mix together the Master Biscuit Mix and water or milk. Stir just until blended. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 450° for 8-10 minutes.

Cheese Biscuits

Make as above but add
⅓
cup shredded Cheddar cheese, 2 T. finely minced fresh onion, and seasonings to taste. You can also fry several pieces of bacon until crisp. Crumble cooked bacon into the cheese dough, mix, and bake.

Rolled Biscuits

3 cups Master Biscuit Mix

⅔ cup milk or water

Mix together the Master Biscuit Mix and water or milk. Cover and let dough stand for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 15 times. Roll out dough to 1½-inch thickness and cut with a floured cutter. Place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 450° for 10-12 minutes.

Pancakes or Waffles

2¼ cups Master Biscuit Mix

1 T. sugar

1 egg, beaten

1½ cups milk or water

Combine Master Biscuit Mix and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine egg and milk or water; add all at once to the dry ingredients. Blend well. Let stand for 5-10 minutes and then cook pancakes in a small amount of oil, turning to cook both sides.

Quick Pizza Crust

3¼ cups Master Biscuit Mix

2¼ tsp. (1 package) active dry yeast

½ tsp. salt

¾ cup warm water

Mix together dry ingredients; add warm water and turn out dough on a lightly floured surface. Let stand 5 minutes. Knead dough about 20 times and then pat dough into pizza pan. Top with your favorite pizza sauce and toppings and bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until done.

Super Easy Doughnuts

2 cups Master Biscuit Mix

¼ cup sugar

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg, well beaten

⅓ cup water or milk

Vanilla Glaze (recipe follows)

In a medium bowl, combine Master Biscuit Mix, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Blend well.

In a small bowl, mix together vanilla, beaten egg, and water or milk. Add all at once to the dry ingredients and stir until well blended. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 5 minutes. Roll out dough to ½-inch thickness and cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Fry in a deep-fat fryer
set to 375° about 1 minute each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and cool slightly. Dip warm doughnuts in Vanilla Glaze.

Vanilla Glaze

1¼ cups powdered sugar

2 T. milk

½ tsp. vanilla

Mix ingredients together in a bowl.

Sometimes God calms the storm, but sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.

Master Brownie Mix

6 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

4 tsp. salt

8 cups sugar

1 8-oz. can unsweetened baking cocoa

2 cups shortening

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the sugar and cocoa and mix again. Add the shortening and work with a pastry cutter until shortening has been well incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Place in an airtight container or large plastic storage bags. Store in a cool, dry place. Date the container and use within 3 months.

Brownies

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

2½ cups Master Brownie Mix

½ cup chopped nuts

powdered sugar

Grease and flour an 8 × 8-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla, and Master Brownie Mix. Beat until smooth. Stir in nuts. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes. Cool before cutting. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar when ready to serve.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup water

2¼ cups Master Brownie Mix

½ tsp. baking soda

¾ cup flour

1 tsp. vanilla

walnut or pecan halves

Combine eggs and water in a medium bowl. Beat with a fork until well blended. Stir in the Master Brownie Mix, baking soda, flour, and vanilla. Blend well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Lightly push a walnut or pecan half into the top of each cookie. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Variation: Roll dough balls into powdered sugar before baking
.

Master Cornbread Mix

4 cups flour

1½ cups instant nonfat dry milk

1 T. salt

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup baking powder

1 cup shortening

4½ cups cornmeal

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, dry milk, salt, sugar, and baking powder and mix well. Add the shortening and work with a pastry cutter until shortening has been well incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the cornmeal and mix well again. Place in airtight container or large plastic storage bags. Store in a cool, dry place. Date the container and use within 3 months.

Corn Muffins

1 egg, beaten

1¼ cups water

2¾ cups Master Cornbread Mix

Combine egg and water in a small bowl. In a medium bowl measure out the Master Cornbread Mix; add egg and water mixture all at once to the Master Cornbread Mix and stir just until blended. Fill buttered muffin tins
⅔
full and bake at 425° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.