FLOUR

     After many years of collecting recipes and cookbooks, getting rid of some, buying more, and borrowing others, I found myself in a vintage store recently perusing, yet again, a cookbook section.  I walked away with two more for my current collection, this time I refer to: the Tassajara Bread Book by Edward Espe Brown, published by Shambhala Publications, Inc., of Boulder, CO, copyright 1970.
     Instead of opening this cookbook to read and follow yet more recipes (as was my plan), the introductory pages made me remember and appreciate what bread making is all about. The simplest way to make bread is to incorporate flour for structure, salt for flavor, and water for binding.  Imagine that?  Bread can be made and eaten from just those three things.  We can appreciate the simplistic breads of few ingredients.  Or we can add ingredients that lend flavor, structure, sweetness, and richness to the end result.  Whichever you choose, a recipe, although appreciated, is only your guide.  Bread making is a creative process.  Let it be.
     Inside I found No. 60, a recipe for Whole Wheat Muffins on p. 108.  What surprised me was what followed.  Every recipe for the next six pages is connected to this one below.  

WHOLE WHEAT MUFFINS  (In the book, this recipe is No. 60.)

Take your pick, the directions are the same for all of them.  (One dozen large muffins)

2 c whole wheat flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c oil
1/4-1/2 c honey or molasses
1 1/2 c milk

Combine dry ingredients.  Combine wet ingredients.  Fold quickly wet and dry together, just until flour is moistened.  Spoon into greased muffin tin.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

What follows are four variations for the Whole Wheat Muffins.  This is where the creativity emphasized earlier in the introduction is emphasized.  One might decide to make a variation when they want bread, but lack certain ingredients or "desire a plainer food.".  Below are the variations:

SOMETHING MISSING MUFFINS

Variation A - 2 c whole wheat flour, 1/2 t salt, 2 1/2 c water or milk
Variation B - 2 c whole wheat flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 c oil, 2 1/4 c water (or milk)
Variation C - 2 c whole wheat flour, 3/4 t salt, 1/4 c oil, 1/4 c honey or molasses, 2 c water or milk
Variation D - 2 c whole wheat flour, 3/4 t salt, 2 t baking powder, 1/4 c oil, 1/4 c honey or molasses, 2 c water or milk

      Then I learned that different ingredients for the Whole Wheat Muffin recipe could be substituted to achieve entirely different products altogether.  Those choices follow.

CORN MUFFINS - Substitutes 1-1 1/2 c cornmeal for whole wheat flour
BUTTERMILK MUFFINS - Substitutes buttermilk for milk, reduces baking powder to 1 t, and adds 3/4 t baking soda
FESTIVAL SPICE MUFFINS - adds 1/2 t each cinnamon and mace and 1/4 t each, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger
FRUIT JUICE MUFFINS - Substitutes fruit juice for milk
MARMALADE or JAM MUFFINS - Uses 1/2 c marmalade or jam for other sweetening
DRIED FRUIT MUFFINS - Adds 1/2 c chopped dried fruit (raisins, dates, or apricots)
"ORIENTAL" SPICE MUFFINS - Adds 1/2 t each cinnamon and cardamon and 1/4 t each cloves, nutmeg and ginger in Festival Muffins
NUT or SEED MUFFINS - Add 1/2 c chopped walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, or roasted sesame seeds
CONFUSION MUFFINS - Combine any or all of the variations.

     I chose to make Bran Muffins as you see in the photo below, one that requires substitutions.  Along the way I had to get a little creative, but they did turn out and sold at a recent farmers' market I attended!

BRAN MUFFINS

     Substitute 1 c bran for whole wheat flour.  Use 1/4 c molasses and add 1/2 c raisins.  Proceed as in No. 60 Whole Wheat Muffins.
      (I followed the original No. 60 recipe except for adding 2 1/2 cups bran cereal with raisins for the bran that was recommended.  I also used graham flour instead of whole wheat (because that was what I had).  I only used 1/4 cup honey in all instead of any additional.  I also added a handful more of raisins.  I had to let the batter sit for a short while to allow the bran cereal to soften with the other ingredients before baking.

Bran Muffins with Raisins

& FLOWER 

HIGHLIGHT --  This is my Rose of Sharon tree, however, I first heard it called an Althea tree.  I have read where the flowers can be different shades of pink, white, or purple.  Well, I think the shade of my flowers is more a blue, which I really like.  As a matter of fact, that is why I chose the tree.  It has grown from being a foot tall six years ago, to this six foot tall beauty that will soon be blooming in our backyard.  I like the Rose of Sharon because it is different from anything else in my yard.  It is planted where there is full sun, in the center of an area that also includes two knockout rose bushes and in summer, some tomato plants.  When I water for one, then everything else benefits.  I have fed it during the summer with a general liquid fertilizer as for most everything else in our yard.  The only thing I am careful about with this beautiful tree is when it is first in bloom.  That is when the bees show up and I am careful not to disturb them.  The rest of the time I get a kick out of watching the butterflies and hummingbirds enjoy it.

   

     I really appreciate this time in late spring when the lilies in our area are in bloom.  I do not have that many, but enjoy their color and their scent.  I wish they weren't so fleeting.  I visited a local nursery the other day that had lilies about this color planted en masse in a huge ceramic pot.  They were beautiful......and it gives me ideas!

   Here is an Easter lily in our yard planted a few years ago.  I love when I see the green of the plant revive after winter's end and the white blooms prepare to open.  Since the Easter lily is forced to open at a particular time, I have learned that they acclimate to your climate after they are planted in your yard.  Again....a wonderful scent!  

FLOUR

     'Tis the season of graduations and weddings; a time that includes many parties and gatherings.  I'm highlighting an oldie, but goodie as an addition to your trays of sweet treats.  Specifically I'm referring to Cream Puffs..  
     Cream Puffs are made from Pate a Choux, ("pat a shoe") a light pastry dough.  They are usually filled with a sweetened cream filling that has been nestled inside.  I first became aware of Cream Puffs when I learned that my grandmother made them and they were one of my dad's favorites.  I already knew that she made the tastiest peanut butter cookies. (To this day they remain the best I have ever eaten.)  But she only made Cream Puffs for special occasions, like holidays and birthdays.  So their occasional appearance, coupled with their taste, really made them appealing.  When my sister, brother and I decided to host an anniversary party for my parents when I was a young teen, guess who made the treats for the guests?
     I was leery at first because I doubted whether I could make pastry with a French background.  But Pate a Choux is not difficult.  (By the way, Pate a Choux is also used in making eclairs.  Yummy!)  Below is the recipe I followed this time.  There are several available online on in your favorite cookbook.  This one comes from Betty Crocker's Old-Fashioned Cookbook, copyright 1990 by General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN.

The finished product

CREAM PUFFS

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Heat water and butter to rolling boil in 2 1/2-quart saucepan.  Stir in flour.  Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat.  Beat in eggs, all at once; continue beating until smooth.  (I did this by hand the first time with a wooden spoon.  I have read other recipes that said the eggs could be incorporated with a mixer.) 

When I made these Cream Puffs, I began stirring in the eggs with a wooden spoon and switched to a whisk.

 
Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls about 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.  (The first time I made these I just used two spoons.  Naturally those Cream Puffs were not all the same size.  Using a 1/4 cup measure would ensure a uniform size.)

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden.  Cool on wire rack away from draft.  Cut off tops; pull out any filaments of soft dough.  Fill puffs with your choice of fillings.  Replace tops; dust with powdered sugar.  Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 4 hours.  

     The recipe gives instructions on how to make three different whipped cream fillings for your cream puffs.  Since the Sweetened Whipped Cream is the closest to what my grandmother used to make I will give that one.  For the Cream Puffs I made for this post, I used instant lemon pudding.     10 to 12 Cream Puffs


Sweetened Whipped Cream:  Beat 1 cup whipping cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in chilled bowl until stiff.  Enough filling for 6 puffs.

    

& FLOWER

         I have had good luck with my orchids lately.   

Actually this photo of my pink phalaenopsis has been in bloom for a couple of months.  Usually about the end of February or the first of March those familiar buds begin to appear and open.

I have another phalaenopsis with this stunning purple hue that has already been in bloom three months.  It will last until temperatures climb into the 80s and beyond.

Then the last photo of this orange beauty is a cattleya orchid that I was lucky enough to find at a local garden center.  It has only recently opened in the last three weeks.  

     I am happy that I have been able to raise these orchids in our home and consider them a product of luck more than anything else.  The type of light they receive, amount of water, and their growing medium are important in their growth process. We have good south and north facing windows for their light.  They are watered every week to 10 days.  I do not give them more than a half cup of water at a time.  I also do not let them sit in water.  I have learned orchids do not like wet feet.  I have seen the green leaves and stems yellow or fade with too much water.  I have tried different growing mediums from regular home and garden soil to an actual orchid mix.  If you choose the potting soil (which I use), just remember not to over water.  The orchid mix is lighter and more loose than potting soil.  I  will place all three of these outside on my front porch when the blooms are gone and there is no more chance of cool night time temperatures.  They do very well on my porch until about mid-October.