Monthly Archives: December 2014

Safely Remove Odor From Dishcloths (No Bleach!)

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I recently stumbled upon this easy way to remove lingering odor from kitchen dishcloths. It works with any type of cloth…crochet or knit cotton, microfiber, standard kitchen dishcloths…whatever!

It’s better than bleach for a few reasons. First, bleach is quite toxic so should only be used when absolutely necessary. It will quickly remove color from any cloth it comes in contact with if you use too much (which is very easy to do).

Also, (and I know this for a fact), bleach destroys cotton fiber. Yes, really. I learned this during my undergraduate degree in a textiles lab. We took a small piece of cotton fabric and soaked it in 100% bleach. The fabric disintegrated! Moral of the story…Don’t use bleach on cotton if you care about the fabric!

New trick…boil those smelly yet laundered dishcloths. Place them in a pot of water. Bring it to a boil and boil them for a minute or two. Then leave them on the burner and turn it off. Allow them to sit for 5 to 10 minutes to cool down some and continue killing any remaining germs. Then drain the cloths and add cool water until they can be safely handled. Wring them out and (if desired) dry them further by wrapping them in a clean dry towel. Then toss them in the dryer until they are dried. Done!

It’s really very easy and effective, AND no toxic chemicals involved! Here’s a video on the topic! Enjoy, Judi

Dinner Rolls (a recipe from my bakery)

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Most people love bread. I REALLY do! Having my own bakery was heavenly in that respect because the only bread we ate at that time was homemade. It was a time our taste buds cherished! Now you too can enjoy the homemade dinner rolls that my customers ordered by the dozens (plural, that is) during any holiday that came around, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. The recipe is straight from my cookbook, Secrets of a Professional Baker, Favorite Recipes from The Spice Rack Bakery/Bistro, Cherokee, Iowa. Here it is…

Homemade Dinner Rolls
Makes 2 Dozen

1 lb, 6-1/2 oz (4-1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 oz (2 packets) RapidRise yeast
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2-1/2 oz (5 Tbsp) butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp melted butter

In a saucepan, heat milk, water, and butter to 120-130F. Meanwhile, place the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a mixer bowl; combine dry ingredients. When liquid ingredients are warmed, pour into the mixer bowl with the dry ingredients and add the eggs.

With a spoon, combine ingredients until flour is moistened. With a dough hook, knead the dough with the mixer on medium-low speed for 8 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, dough may be kneaded by hand for 8 to 10 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl. Spray dough with nonstick spray, cover and allow dough to rest for 10 minutes.

Remove dough from bowl onto a lightly floured board. With a knife, cut dough into 24 equal-size pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place them in rows (4 across) in one 9×13″ baking pan that has been greased. Let rolls rise in a warm place* about 20 to 30 minutes, until doubled in size.

Bake at 375F for 15 to 20 minutes on the rack in the middle of the oven, until lightly browned. Remove from pan to a cooling rack. Spread melted butter on top of rolls and let them cool before separating.

*Tip: Let rolls rise in a homemade proof box using your oven. Move the bottom rack to the lowest position. Place a medium size pan of boiling water onto the bottom rack. Turn on the oven light and close the door. This can be done while the dough is resting before rolls are shaped. This allows ample time to warm the oven up and provide a warm, moist environment for your bread to proof. Leave the oven light on and the pan of water in the oven while the rolls are proofing on the rack in the middle of the oven. Do not turn the oven on during this process! Remove the rolls and the pan of water from the bottom of the oven after the rolls have risen enough. THEN, turn the oven on to preheat it before placing rolls back inside the oven to bake.

Enjoy these rolls!

Judi

Blackeye Peas with Rice and Vegetables (Meatless Hoppin' John)

Blackeye Peas with Rice and Vegetables

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This is a fabulously delicious version of a meatless Hoppin’ John with a twist. We lived in the South for a lot of years, and this is Hoppin’ John like I’ve never had before…AND FAR BETTER than any version I ever had! It’s the peas, rice and veggies all in one dish, packed with yummy flavor from the seasonings and herbs. Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever fix blackeye peas any other way from now on.

If you’re looking for a tasty meatless meal or are tired of the same old beans and rice, let me highly urge you to give this dish a try! It’s not hard to make–really. Here’s the recipe, followed by a video of my making the dish. Enjoy! Judi

Blackeye Peas with Rice and Vegetables
(Meatless Hoppin’ John)
Makes 4 to 6 Servings

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup corn (fresh, frozen or canned)
1 cup sliced carrots (fresh, frozen or canned)
1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced
4 medium cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic granules)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 stalk celery, sliced
1-1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes (or to taste)
1 tsp dried thyme leaves (or to taste)
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
Dash black pepper (or to taste)
Pinch of red pepper flakes (or to taste)
Up to 3 Tbsp water, divided
1 can (14-1/2 oz) Italian diced tomatoes, NOT drained
1 cup cooked rice
1-3/4 cups cooked blackeye peas (or 1 each 15-1/2 oz can, rinsed and drained)

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and allow it to heat briefly. Add corn, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, onion, celery, and seasonings. Saute briefly until vegetables are aromatic. Cover skillet and add water, one tablespoon at a time to enable vegetables to soften somewhat. Stir often as they saute. When carrots are crisp-tender, add tomatoes, cooked rice and cooked blackeye peas. Stir to combine. Cover skillet and allow the mixture to cook a couple minutes, until everything is heated through. Serve.

Serving suggestion: This would be excellent served with a slice of crispy French bread. If bread is not preferred, a wedge of warm buttery polenta would also be a good accompaniment. Enjoy! jk

Classic Snickerdoodles

Classic Snickerdoodles

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Snickerdoodles are cookies that are good for any occasion year-round. I always included them in my holiday cookie trays when I ran my bakery. They were loved by all. Here’s the recipe I used, straight out of my bakery/bistro cookbook, Secrets of a Professional Baker. Enjoy! Judi

Snickerdoodles
Makes about 3 Dozen Cookies

8 oz (1 cup) butter (No substitutes, please!)
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
15 to 16 oz (3 cups) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar

3 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Add flour mixture to butter mix; combine until smooth.

On a plate or in a shallow bowl, combine the extra granulated sugar and cinnamon. Roll cookie dough into 1″ balls, then roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place cookie dough ball on parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake at 400F for about 9 minutes, until lightly browned. Test 1 cookie first for time and texture! If it spreads too much, add a little more flour.

Remove from oven when slightly underdone when allowing them to cool on the baking sheet as they will continue to cook for a minute or two after being removed from the oven. This will help prevent them from being too browned, dry or crisp.

Almond Butter Shortbread Cookies

Almond Butter Shortbread Cookies

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Shortbread cookies are fabulous. It doesn’t matter to me what flavor they are. I love them all. They are sweet, buttery and simply melt in your mouth. Can you get any better than that?

When I had my bakery/bistro, I made a HUGE amount of cookies over the holidays. My shortbread cookies were among my customers’ favorites. Here’s a recipe straight from my cookbook for Almond Butter Shortbread Cookies. Enjoy!

Almond Butter Shortbread Cookies
Makes about 2-1/2 Dozen Cookies

8 oz (1 cup) butter (No substitutes, please!)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
10 oz (2 cups) all-purpose flour

In a mixer bowl, cream the butter, sugar and almond extract; set aside. In another bowl, combine the salt and flour; add to the butter mixture. Mix well until smooth.

Form into 1″ balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Flatten with the lightly oiled then floured flat bottom of a measuring cup or glass. Sprinkle with sugar (colored sugar is pretty for the holidays).

Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes, until they just barely begin to brown.

Tip: These cookies are delicious just as the recipe is written. However, if you want to add almonds for some crunch, add a little finely chopped natural almonds to the batter. OR, you could substitute one or two tablespoons of the flour with an equal amount of almond meal/flour. Yum!

 

Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies

Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies

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For most people, the holidays automatically mean it’s cookie season. The aroma of freshly baked cookies and the heartwarming sensation of eating warm cookies right out of the oven can’t be beat. Hence, now is the time we start digging out our favorite recipes from last year and start baking in preparation for all of our social gatherings.

Here’s a recipe that was a holiday favorite with the customers I enjoyed at The Spice Rack, the bakery/bistro I once owned. The cookies are a holiday “twist” from the standard oatmeal raisin cookies. The addition of orange flavoring and sweetened dried cranberries makes them perfect for any holiday occasion. AND they’re easy to make! No mix needed. Here’s my recipe…

Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies
Makes about 4 Dozen Cookies

8 oz (1 cup) butter (No substitutes, please!)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange extract
1 tsp dried orange zest

10 oz (2 cups) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups oats (quick or old fashioned)
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

In a mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Blend in eggs, extracts and orange zest; set aside. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Blend the flour mixture into the butter mix. Stir in the oats and sweetened dried cranberries.

Drop by scoopfuls or heaping teaspoons onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350F for about 11-12 minutes, until slightly underdone (when allowing cookies to cool on the baking sheet).*

Store in an air-tight container or wrap tightly and freeze until needed.

Tip: Removing the cookies from the oven while slightly under-baked allows them to finish cooking on the hot baking sheet as it cools. This will help prevent them from being over-baked and become too crisp or dry.

Cotton Crochet Dishcloths or Washcloths

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Since discovering crochet dishcloths, I’ve made (and sold) LOTS of them. They’re fabulous for scrubbing dishes, pots, pans and counter tops. Yet, they are gentle enough to be used in the bath tub or to wash your face with. How versatile can you get? These things are awesome. The more I’ve sold, the more I’ve learned just how many ladies use them.

Now that I’ve discovered a cotton blend of yarn, I’m even more sold on them. Dishcloths or washcloths made with the blended yarn are even softer than those made with 100% cotton, yet they are just as effective in their scrubbing power. Better yet, they hold their color much better than the all-cotton yarn.

With all that being said, I’ve opened a new line of crochet dishcloths or washcloths and they’re available on my website at HandmadeInIowa.com. They’re made from the cotton yarn that is soft, flexible, holds its color well, is gentle on skin, yet scrubs really well. The array of colors will grow from here, but so far, the following is what’s available to date.

This set of four crochet dishcloths (#5583) consists of one each of forest green, sage, yellow, and cream. They’re a pretty combo that would look great in your kitchen if green is your kitchen color of choice.

 

 

This next set of four crochet dishcloths (#5576) has one each of lavender, pastel blue, pastel peach and yellow. The colors are “soft” and remind me of Easter!

 

 

This third set of four crochet dishcloths (#5569) has one each of orange, beige, cranberry, and delft blue. The colors are bright and bold and would brighten ANY kitchen!

 

 

This fourth set of four crochet dishcloths (#5552) has one each of cornflower blue, passion fruit, pastel pink and fuchsia. Ladies who love pinks and associated colors would love this set. They’re bright and pretty!

 

More sets are coming, as I can make them! They would make great practical gifts any time of year. Looking for stocking stuffers for Christmas? These would be a welcomed gift!

Judi