Saturday, November 6, 2010

November is NaNoWriMo!

I literally have 4 draft posts that I am working on for this blog and another 6 draft posts waiting to be finished for my Hynek's Handmade blog; but I just don't have time to work on any of them right now.  It's amazing really that once November 1st hits, I am consumed, busy, distracted, and definitely not in a place to create interesting or remotely useful blog articles.  It has nothing to do with Halloween finally being over, or that November 1st is my wedding anniversary, or that the holiday season is nigh.  It has everything to do with November being National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo)

Every year from 12AM November 1st to 11:59PM November 30th aspiring writers world-wide are glued to their word processors in a frenzied attempt to write a 50,000 word novel.  That may not sound like much of a challenge to those who have not tried it before but then those are the folks who have not tried it before.  Take my word for it, its a challenge - but a doable challenge.  To hit the challenge mark, you have average 1,667 words of original content a day.  Nothing you may have written prior, outside of November, is allowed. 

Ever since I was a little girl, I have had these wonderful story ideas running around my head but I had never thought about getting any of them down on paper until my friend Marie introduced me to NaNoWriMo in 2007.  I remember my first NaNoWriMo well. I was so excited going in to it.  I outlined my story idea ahead of time (this is OK under the rules) so that I would just be able to write and not worry about where the plot is supposed to go.  It was all very OCD engineer of me and I chuckle to myself when I think about it now.  Once I started, I found that my story kept wandering from the outline, giving me fits about how to force it on the track I thought it should be rather than just letting it evolve.  This resulted in a terrible case of writer's block and I was perpetually behind in my daily word count and very frustrated. Then my computer died so horribly that I had to send it back to HP for repairs. I took it as a sign from God that I was not meant to finish that year.

The following year I gave it another try out of pure stubbornness.  I told myself that if things did not work for me a second year in a row that I would just scrap the whole concept and not torture myself further.  However, this second year I changed my approach to writing.  I started with an outline but I made it far more general and set in sand rather than stone.  I let the story take over.  I let the characters come alive in my head.  Once I did this, the story just sort of wrote itself.  It was amazing.  I met the NaNoWriMo 50,000 word goal a couple of days early that year with my story only half finished.  It was an amazing non-linear creative experience and suddenly I was hooked not just to NaNoWriMo but to writing in general. 

So every year, I participate in NaNoWriMo and almost everything else extra curricular in my life gets put on hold for the month of November.  I am still mothering my children and crafting for my Etsy shop (finishing up a custom order for my Aunt right now).  But the laundry piles up a bit more,  the house work gets ignored more, and family meals get decidedly boring and repetitive.  My hubby is awesome about it all and picks up the slack admirably and only asks for extra Star Buck's coffee beans.  I am so lucky! 

Happy NaNoWriMo!  See you all December 1st......

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Make Your Own Instant Oatmeal

OK, I found an awesome idea on Endless Crafting, one of the many blogs I follow.  This fits so well with my whole homemade is best ideal that I just have to share it - Homemade Instant Oatmeal.  Natalie's recipe is simple and I can't believe it's never occurred to me to do this before.  This would certainly be less expensive than the prepackaged instant as well. 

I love oatmeal in the morning.  My kids and husband do not, but I keep hoping the kids will come around.  Mornings are generally pretty busy with getting ready for school etc. so instant oatmeal is very convenient.  Quaker's Maple & Brown Sugar is my preferred flavor and is what I currently have in the cupboard.  A quick look at the ingredients tells me that Quaker is the least offensive of the major brands for instant oatmeal. 

However, it still has artificial flavors and caramel color.  I generally like to avoid the artificial stuff when I can.  It also lists salt and guar gum.  I don't have anything against salt or guar gum per say; both are natural ingredients.  However, there is more of each of these per package than there is oat flour.  This just seems wrong.  I suspect that the guar gum is used as a thickening agent and it must cheaper than oat flour because they use more of it.  Call me odd, but I think I would rather be eating oats in my oat meal instead of crushed guar beans. 

As soon as I use up the stuff in my cabinet, I'll be giving Natalie's Homemade Instant Oatmeal a try.  I am not sure why the powdered milk is in there, except perhaps to make it a 'just add water item'.  Perhaps I can leave the powdered milk out and just use regular milk to make it instead.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Mama Hynek's Game Chili

It's that time of year again.  Hubby and FIL have been on their annual water fowl hunt and I now have fresh goose and duck in the freezer.  I did something a little different this year; I put part of these birds through the meat grinder and divided them into 1 pound packages.  So now I have 5 pounds of ground goose and 5 pounds of ground duck in the freezer in addition to 2 whole geese and 7 mostly whole mallards. 

In the past, I have always put the meat through the grinder on an as needed basis, which is a bit of a hassle if you have to let it thaw first.  It was not as convenient to use said water fowl meat as a substitute in recipes that call for ground beef.  Wait!  Before roll your eyes and make that 'yuck' face, let me assure you that it tastes just fine and the consistency/texture in the recipe is no different.  Goose and duck meat are a fatty dark meat with a nice robust flavor that works well in recipes like lasagna, spaghetti, and chili.  I even took some of the goose and made them into hamburger patties last week.  They tasted great to Hubby and I and the kids ate them without comment.   

I will make one comment with regard to ducks - their flavor varies greatly with species or perhaps the diets of said species.  Mud hens taste like mud and I don't recommend them.  Mallards, on the other hand, are quite yummy and I highly recommend them.

At the beginning of each hunting season, I rummage around in the deep freeze to locate those packages of frozen game meat that always seems to fall the the back bottom corner, hidden under the frozen veggies, where time and freezer burn would eventually make them inedible if I didn't do such periodic rummaging.  I managed to dig out the remaining 3 pounds of goose meat from last year which I wanted to use up before we added the newly harvested water fowl to the freezer. 

The best way to use up three pounds of meat that I know of is to make chili.  So I ground up what was left of last year's goose and got out my huge stock pot (not merely large but huge!).  I don't normally follow a recipe when I make chili but in the interest of refining my process, I wrote down what I did this time.  If you're interested, here it is. 

I warn you in advance this makes a lot of chili!  I always freeze the majority of it in 1 quart containers so I can pull them out as needed.  This batch made enough to feed a family of four for two suppers and freeze 7 quarts. 

---------------------------------------------------------------
Mama Hynek's Game Chili

3 lbs ground goose, duck, or venison (or some combination thereof)
4 tbs olive oil
1 16-oz bag pinto beans
1 16-oz bag black beans
1 16-oz bag kidney beans
10 cups water
2 medium onions, chopped
4 6-oz cans tomato paste
4 4-oz cans diced green chilies
1/2 tbs garlic powder
1/2 tbs cumin
6 tbs chili powder
1 tbs Morton's Nature's Seasons Blend (this is a salt, pepper, etc. spice blend)
1 tbs oregano

Soak beans overnight in water with 3 tbs of baking soda dissolved in it.  Rinse well and repeat for two more nights. Pour out the soak water.  (Believe me you don't want to cook with it.  Just as FYI - most people soak their beans for one night but I have found that soaking for three nights with baking soda does a much better job of reducing gas issues.)

In huge stock pot, put olive oil in the bottom.  Add ground game meat and brown it completely.  Add onion.  Add soaked beans and water.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Add tomato paste, green chilies, and spices. Stir well, cover, and bring to a boil again.  Reduce heat and simmer for at least 4 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.  Serve over rice and garnish with cheddar cheese, if desired.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

"I Want to Fly!"

 We live in a place that is blessed with birds.  My oldest son loves them, especially the hawks and eagles that we see all the time.  He wants so much to soar with them and gazes after them longingly.  He always says, "I don't have wings, Mommy.  How come I don't have wings?"  How do you explain evolution to a 5 year old?  The only response I can give him is, "Man has been wishing for wings ever since the dawn of time when he saw his first bird, Monkey Boy.  The dream of flying is the main reason that gliders, airplanes, and helicopters were invented."  Then, being a typical mom, I always add, "You do well in school and you can learn to fly some day if you want to."  Internally, I am thinking, "Geeezz, how are we ever going to afford flying lessons for him?"  But I never say this aloud.  If his avid desire to fly persists into his 'tween and 'teen years and his grades in school are good, then I will find a way to make it happen, some how.

The other day, he tied a red bandanna around his neck.  "Mommy, look at my cape!  Now I can go fly."  Then he went bounding out into the yard.  It was a windy day and his 'cape' fluttered out behind him.  He closed his eyes, faced the wind, held up his arms like Superman, and jumped...and jumped...and jumped....  Then, muttering about needing more lift, he tried jumping off the back steps.  Eventually, he came inside, tears running down his face, grabbed my hand and pulled me outside.  "Mommy, how come I can't fly with my cape?  Look...see?  It doesn't work."  He demonstrated.  Then he looked up at the red-tailed hawk that happened to be hovering over head and said, "Mommy, I want to fly like that."  I gathered him into my lap, dried his tears, and we watched the hawk together, talking about how much fun it must be to soar like a hawk.  "Some day, Monkey Boy....  Some day when you are a little older, we'll find a way to get you some flying lessons if that is what you really want."  He went to sit in the grass and watch the hawk some more as I went in to make supper.  "I am going to fly someday, Mommy."  I know you will, my sweet boy, I know you will.

The Eagle and the Hawk

I am the eagle, I live in high country,
In rocky cathedrals that reach to the sky,
I am the hawk and there's blood on my feathers,
But time is still turning, they soon will be dry,
And all those who see me, and all who believe in me,
Share in the freedom I feel when I fly!

Come dance with the west wind,
And touch all the mountain tops,
Sail o'er the canyons, and up to the stars,
And reach for the heavens, and hope for the future,
And all that we can be, not what we are.

                                      — John Denver

Monday, September 20, 2010

Ode to Vitamin D

It is that time of year again.  School is back in session.  The kids are swapping germs and bringing their new bugs home to their moms and dads who take them to work to swap with their colleagues who then take them home to their kids.  The virus mutates somewhere along the way and the whole cycle starts over. 
 
Ever since I moved north from Texas in 1999, I have managed to contract at least one upper respiratory virus every winter.  It was usually something that robbed me of my voice, had me carrying around a box of Kleenex everywhere I went, left me popping Sudafed and expectorant every 4 hours, and turned me into a cough drop addict.  Most of the time it would take me 3 or 4 weeks to kick these illnesses completely.  Herbal teas and homeopathic remedies provided some relief but nothing terribly lasting.  Extra Vitamin C, echinacea, and zinc kept things from stretching into 5 or 6 weeks.  In the end, I was left to stoically accept that viruses in the Midwest were different than those in Texas and to hope that my immune system would eventually develop a resistance.

Then, in Fall 2009, my cousin mentioned a new study(1) that she had read about Vitamin D deficiency contributing to illnesses, in particular upper respiratory illnesses.  I looked up the study and did some quick research on Vitamin D dosages (and over dosages) and then bought a bottle of Vitamin D supplements.  I started taking an an extra 1000 IUs per day.  For the first time in 10 years the worst I came down with was a case of sniffles and a slight sore throat which lasted all of 24 hours.  I am definitely a believer. 

Now, following my youngest son's nasty and rather frightening, bout with pneumonia last May, I've started my kids on some children's chewable Vitamin D tablets, just an extra 500 IUs per day.  We have managed to get 3 weeks into this school year and the worst they've had so far has been cough and sniffles that lasted about 3 days.  During the past couple of school years, my oldest son has, within the first week of classes, come down with an upper respiratory virus that has last for a minimum of 10 days.  Now I see the other kids in his class coughing and sniffling and I am feeling pretty good that he is not, at least not yet.

What is Vitamin D and from where does it come?
Vitamin D is actually a group of fat-soluble secosteroids.  The two most important of these are Vitamin D2 (aka ergocalciferol) and Vitamin D3 (aka cholecalciferol).(2)  Nutritionally, it is found in relatively small number of foods.  These are fatty fish (e.g. catfish, salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, and eel), eggs, beef liver, fish liver oils (e.g., cod liver oil), and mushrooms.   In fact, mushrooms are the only vegan dietary source of Vitamin D.(3)  The label of my Vitamin D supplement does not specify the source but neither does it stipulate that it's source is vegan.  So if you are vegan, I hope you like mushrooms, lots of mushrooms. In some countries, including the USA, some foods such as milk, breakfast cereals, orange juice, flour, margarine, and butter are fortified with Vitamin D.

In vertebrates, Vitamin D is produced in the skin after exposure to ultraviolet-B (UVB) light, either artificial or from the sun.  Peak synthesis occurs when sunlight is at a UV index greater than 3, which occurs daily in the tropics, daily during the spring and summer months  in temperate regions, and almost never in the arctic circles.(4)  Not all outdoor sunlight exposure is equal.  Overcast skies, shade, and air pollution can block UVB rays by as much as 60%.  UVB radiation does not penetrate glass, so sitting indoors in a sunny window does not produce Vitamin D.  Sunscreens with a sun protection factor of 8 or more also block UVB rays, although practically speaking people generally do not apply sufficient amounts or cover all sun-exposed skin, so it is likely that some Vitamin D production will occur anyway.  Clothing also blocks UVB rays.(5) 

Before we all jump the gun and go get a membership at a tanning salon or start visiting the nearest nudist beach, you should consider that some researchers suggest that 30 minutes of sun exposure to the face, arms, legs, or back without sunscreen from late morning to mid-afternoon at least twice a week is enough to provide to sufficient vitamin D synthesis.(6)  Of course this is a generality.  Dark skinned people need longer exposure times than fair skinned people, obese people need more Vitamin D than skinny people,(7) and everyone's body operates uniquely.  Personally, I prefer not to chance the skin cancer.  I use SPF 30+ sunblock, wear hats, and avoid the intense sun during the heat of the day.

How does the body use Vitamin D?
The Vitamin D obtained from sun exposure or diet is biologically inert and must undergo two changes before it is used by the body.  First it is carried in the bloodstream to the liver, where it is converted into a prohormone, calcidiol. The second change takes place in both the kidneys and in the immune system where the circulating calcidiol is converted into calcitriol, the biologically active form of Vitamin D.(8) 

Vitamin D3 aka Cholecalciferol

Vitamin D is essential for to bone strength.  It promotes calcium absorption in the digestive tract and helps maintain adequate serum calcium and phosphate concentrations enabling normal mineralization of bone and preventing hypocalcemic tetany.  It is also needed for bone growth and maintenance.  Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen, symptoms of rickets, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis.(9)

Vitamin D also plays a significant role in neuromuscular and immune function and reduction of inflammation. It also plays a role in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, all of which are important in fighting and preventing cancers.(10)  In the immune system, calcitriol behaves as a cytokine and helps defend the body against microbial invaders.(11)

What are safe doses of Vitamin D?
First know this, I am not a doctor or a pharmacist.  You should talk to yours before you go start or change dosage of any supplements.  This is doubly important if you are on any medication, pregnant, nursing, or undergoing medical treatment for anything.  The only thing I will do is point you to some websites that discuss dosage and talk about why I decided on my own dosage.
 
First, as I mentioned earlier, Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin which means that it is stored in the body differently and is easier to over-dose with than a water soluble vitamin, like Vitamin C.  Vitamin D overdose causes hypercalcemia.  Thus, the main symptoms of Vitamin D overdose are those of hypercalcemia.  These include anorexia, nausea, vomiting, polyuria, polydipsia, weakness, nervousness, pruritus, kidney damage, and renal failure.(12) 

A sustained intake of 50,000 IUs can produces toxicity after several months.  However, there can be medical conditions that can make an individuals more sensitive to Vitamin D; thus my cautionary statements.  The U.S. Dietary Reference Intake Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL or maximum amount that can be tolerated without harm) for infants (birth to 12 months) is 1,000 IUs per day. The UL for children and adults is 2,000 IUs per day.(13)  However, some newer studies indicate that a UL of 10,000 IUs is more appropriate.(14)  These UL numbers are total intake values, dietary, sunlight exposure, and supplemental. 

The Food and Nutrition Board at The National Academies' Institute of Medicine established the Adequate Intake levels (AIs) for Vitamin D based on age alone assuming no exposure to sunlight.  They are 200 IUs for ages birth to 50 years,  400 IUs for 51–70 years, and 600 IUs for 71+ years.(15)  However in 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended a higher minimum intake of 400 IUs for infants.(16)
In March 2007, a group of vitamin D and nutrition researchers published a controversial and provocative editorial contending that Vitamin D intakes of 400 IUs per day were insufficient to maintain serum Vitamin D levels at optimal levels in healthy adults and that daily intakes of 1,700 IUs should be recommended.(17)  Just as reference, typical diets in the United States provide about 100 IUs per day.(18)

Based on these recommendations and the data presented in the new studies, I have chosen to take an additional 1,000 IUs per day.  This is over and above anything I eat, the 800 IUs in my daily multi-vitamin, and anything I receive via sunlight exposure.  The way I see it, I am most likely getting about 2,000 IUs per day, which is the UL.

With my kids, I am, of course, more cautious.  A smaller intake for smaller people.  I calculate that they are receiving 1,000 IUs per day across diet, multivitamin, Vitamin D supplement, and sun exposure.  This is half the UL for their age group.  Add to that the fact that I cannot always get them to eat the vitamins each day, I am not worried in the least.  I am however, very happy having healthy children when everyone else around them is hacking up a lung. 

I am sure that  we'll all come down with some kind of virus that knocks us on our butts.  It's unavoidable.  However, if the extra Vitamin D makes it easier for our immune systems to handle what we might contract, then it's doing its job.  My goal, to keep my kids and myself out of the hospital due to pneumonia or anything else that tries to take up residence in our chests and have fewer illnesses overall. 

Footnotes
(1) Archives of Internal Medicine. "Association Between Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Level and Upper Respiratory Tract Infection in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey." Adit A. Ginde, MD, MPH; Jonathan M. Mansbach, MD; Carlos A. Camargo Jr, MD, DrPH. (2009) 169(4):384-390. (http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/169/4/384)


(2) Institute of Medicine.  Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride.  (1997) (http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309063507&page=250)


(3) National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D.  (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp)

(4) The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. "Environmental factors that influence the cutaneous production of vitamin D." MF Holick. (March 1995) 61 (3 Suppl): 638S–645S. (http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/61/3/638S)

(5) National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D.  (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp)

(6) National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D. (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp)

(7) National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D. (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp)

(8) Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.  "Update in Vitamin D."  J.S. Adams; M. Hewison (Feb 2010) 95 (2): 471–8. (http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/95/2/471)

(9) National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D. (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp)

(10) National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D. (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp)





(11) Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. "Update in Vitamin D." J.S. Adams; M. Hewison (Feb 2010) 95 (2): 471–8. (http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/95/2/471)  

(12) Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, Professional Edition.  "Vitamin D."  Larry E. Johnson, MD, PhD, editor.  (April 2007) (http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec01/ch004/ch004k.html#sec01-ch004-ch004k-BABBBEAE)
 
(13) Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, Professional Edition. "Vitamin D." Larry E. Johnson, MD, PhD, editor. (April 2007) (http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec01/ch004/ch004k.html#sec01-ch004-ch004k-BABBBEAE)
 
(14) National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D. (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp)
 
(15) National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D. (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp)
 
(16) Pediatrics. "Prevention of rickets and vitamin D deficiency in infants, children, and adolescents."  C. L. Wagner; F. R. Greer.  (January 2009) 123(1):197. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18977996?dopt=Abstract)

(17) National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D. (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp)

(18) Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride.  (1997) (http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309063507&page=250)

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Cost Analysis: Hunted Venison Vs Store Bought Beef

My cousin posted the following to my FaceBook wall the other day.
“Neal wants a full cost per pound of hunting venison analysis. He swears it’s more expensive than buying in the store. Please post on my page so he can see it.”

After an initial chuckle, I decided that this was a good exercise. Not only does it appeal to the engineer in me, but it’s a handy thing of which to keep track. I have always believed that overall the cost of hunting venison was, worst case, comparable to purchasing beef; and I suspected that it was most likely less. However, I have never sat down and worked up a comparison.  My response is way too long and detailed to post directly on my cousin’s FaceBook wall, and to be honest, this is really good blog fodder. I am not sure what Neal is expecting to see, but I doubt this is it.

Background
I am pro-hunting. When I was a kid, I remember Daddy and Mom stringing up the deer he had hunted from the grapevine trellis off the back deck and doing their own butchering. No meat went to waste and I seem to recall most of the bones ending up in the stew pot to make broth, which Mom froze for later use as soup stock. We ate a lot of rabbit when I was a kid too. Mom has an incredible BBQ Rabbit recipe.

Fast forward to today, my hubby and father-in-law hunt. It consumes their fall and early winter free-time. Everything is planned around it. It’s something they enjoy doing together and it’s great recreation. I have always encouraged Hubby to hunt because he enjoys it so much and because I believe that this kind of father/son time is priceless, regardless of age. At some point in the future, when my kids are old enough, I hope that my hubby and father-in-law will teach them to hunt as well for the same reasons.

The wild game we harvest never goes to waste. Our freezer is not just filled with venison, but also pheasant, duck, and goose. Because Hubby keeps us supplied with wild game, I really don’t buy much in the way of meat from the store, just the occasional pound of bacon or picnic ham to satisfy a pork craving and fish. If a recipe calls for beef, I substitute venison or, sometimes, goose. If it calls for chicken, I use pheasant. For this reason, I classify the expenses associated with Hubby’s hunting under ‘Groceries’ instead of ‘Recreation’ in our family budget.

Other Considerations
There are numerous benefits to eating wild game. It’s not treated with synthetic hormones, questionable antibiotics, nitrates/nitrites, questionable preservatives, or artificial ‘flavor enhancers’. This appeals to me from an organic living standpoint. Nutritionally, it’s very hard to compete with venison and most wild game in general. Per several studies referenced in the September 2000 Deer & Deer Hunting article, "How Healthy is Venison?” (read a reprinted copy here), a 3½ ounce portion of lean ground beef has 31% more calories, 189% more fat, and 118% more cholesterol than an equal portion of venison. Venison also wins hands down in a vitamin and minerals comparison. You don’t have to take my word for it, go the USDA National Nutrient Database and check out the comparisons for yourself. From a health care cost point of view good nutrition has significant monetary value; however, for purposes of this analysis, I have not attempted to quantify it.

Hunting also has advantages in controlling the deer population. We live in Iowa where the food supply for deer is virtually limitless. Because they have so much to eat, the average whitetail doe has two, sometimes three, fawns per year here. Humans have destroyed the natural predator populations and taken over huge acreages of habitat. Without hunting, the only things to keep deer populations in check are Lyme disease, chronic wasting disease, and deer/vehicle collisions; all of these being excruciating ways to die. I shudder to think how the deer population would explode if hunting were not allowed. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) makes deer population and harvest numbers publicly available for anyone who is interested. I am not going to spend a lot of time on the importance that harvesting deer plays in terms of public safety and preventing property damage.  These benefits have tangible monetary value; but, I am not considering them for purposes of this article. Perhaps, I’ll do a follow-up article at a later date.

I think it's worthwhile to mention that all of the revenue generated by hunting license fees in Iowa goes into a constitutionally protected Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund.  This fund is pays for the majority of the IDNR's fish and wildlife management activities including restoration of native habitat, planting food plots, managing wetlands, acquiring additional land for hunting and fishing, paying for lake improvements and access, and law enforcement activities.  Thus, these functions are not paid for with tax payer dollars.

I also think that Iowa's Help Us Stop Hunger (HUSH) program is worth mentioning.  It is cooperative effort among deer hunters, the Food Bank of Iowa, meat lockers, and the IDNR.  It functions to control the deer population while providing red meat to the needy.  The program is funded by a $1 surcharge included in the cost of the deer license.  A hunter can donate any legally taken deer of any sex from any season by dropping it off at a participating meat locker, where it is processed, and then transported to the Iowa Food Bank for distribution.  During the 2009 alone, more than 7,075 deer were donated to HUSH, generating 1.2 million meals to Iowa's less fortunate. 

Harvested Meat Yield
According to IDNR, the typical Iowa whitetail buck ranges between 240 and 265 pounds on the hoof. The typical doe ranges between 140 and 160 pounds. For purposes of this analysis, I used an average buck live weight of 252.5 pounds and an average doe live weight of 150 pounds. The method for estimating realistic meat yield based on live weight is outlined on the Butcher & Packer website. This method condenses down into a single equation: Realistic Meat Yield = 0.2753*Live Weight. Thus, each buck yields 69.5 lbs meat and each doe 41.3 pounds of meat on average. Hubby routinely harvests three deer each year, one buck and two does for an average total of 152.1 lbs of meat, in an assortment cuts.

Capital Investment in Equipment
Most hunters invest in a certain minimum amount of equipment. While it is possible for the occasional hunter to borrow some of this equipment, anyone who hunts routinely should really get his own. Because we live in Iowa, deer season is cold, often with snow on the ground; thus, I have included a good pair of boots and winter wear in this list. My hubby uses this gear for snow blowing the driveway, sledding with the kids, and working outside when it’s cold. So really, this was an investment we would have made regardless; however, for the sake of conservatism, I have included it in the cost of venison. The table below provides an itemized capital equipment list, cost of new equipment, life expectancy, salvage value (if any), and annual straight-line depreciated cost.



Just as a side note for those unfamiliar with deer hunting regulations in Iowa, rifles are not permitted except occasionally during a limited season in one or two of the southern counties. Hunters here use shotguns fitted with slug barrels. There is also a bow season. However, Hubby doesn’t bow hunt so I did not figure those costs into this analysis. Handy capital items not included, because we would own them regardless, are a chest freezer and a pick-up truck.

Please note that the annualized cost of the shot gun shown here is an overestimate for anyone who uses that weapon to hunt anything in addition to deer (e.g. pheasant, goose, duck, and turkey). You would have to account for the total pounds of meat hunted with the gun to make the adjustment. So realistically, for us, the final cost per pound of venison number generated here is a bit high.

Annual Expenses

The annual expenses associated with deer hunting in Iowa are itemized in the following table.



We have our deer butchered and processed at Ruzicka’s, a meat locker in nearby Solon, Iowa. However, you could save the majority of your annual operating expenses by doing the butchering yourself, as my parents did when I was a kid.

Cost Comparison: Our Hunted Venison to Store Bought Beef
Thus, the total annual expense of hunting venison in Iowa is $428.08 with a 152.1 pound meat yield which comes to $2.81 per pound venison, regardless of cut (i.e., everything including steaks, roasts, chops, tenderloin, and ground).

So how does this compare to the current price of beef in the store? (For the sake of argument, I am going to ignore how government subsidies and price supports create an artificially low price for beef.)  The most realistic comparison would be with organic grass-fed beef, which brings a premium in most stores. However, not surprising to me, our hunted venison also bests the prices for the cheaper commercially raised and processed beef as well. I compared prices from three different sources – the USDA Economic Research Service, Hy-Vee (an Iowa based grocery chain), and New Pioneer Coop (our local whole foods store).


Hands down the best nutrition for the best price is our hunted venison. My hubby does a great job bringing home the groceries!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Fast & Easy Fry Bread Donuts

I picked up a Cool Daddy Fryer several weeks ago and have been experimenting with different recipes.  I know fried foods are among the root of dietary evils, especially for anyone trying to lose weight; but I have children now.  Mommies have to be able to make homemade french fries on occasion.  In addition, I have a extremely fond memories of my mom's homemade donuts and banana fritters and I would love for my boys to have similar memories. 

So upon being roused from bed at 6AM this fine Sunday morning by my energetic 3-year old, I decided to surf the Internet for a fast donut recipe, something that did not require 3 hours of rising time.  After a quick Google search, I found "Donut Recipe #2: Fast and Easy Donuts" on Squidoo.com.  I had not seen a donut batter recipe devoid of sugar before.  In fact, this is really more of a fry bread recipe (check out "Cookin' with Three Sisters" for some traditional fry bread recipes).   But as far as breakfast fare goes, I find the lack of sugar to be a big plus rather than a negative. 

This makes a little bit denser, more bread-like donut than what traditional donut recipes. I enjoyed them and, more importantly, my kids and hubby liked them. 

Of course, I have already tinkered with the recipe linked above because it is in my nature to do so and will most likely continue to make small adjustments which I will note here in the future.

Note:  I use canola oil in my deep fryer out of deference to our HDL/LDL ratios. 

----------------------------------------------------
Fast & Easy Fry Bread Donuts

6 eggs
6 tbsp Oil
2 cup milk
2 tbsp ground flax seed meal
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
8 tsp baking powder
7 cup flour

toppings - confectioner's sugar and/or cinnamon & sugar and/or honey

1) Using an electric mixer with a dough hook, combine the liquids and stir until well blended.  Add dry ingredients a little at a time mixing at low speed.  Stop the mixer and scrap the sides of the bowl to ensure good mixing.  Then mix at medium speed for 1 minute.

2) You may drop spoonfuls into hot oil and deep fry.

OR
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board.  Use just enough flour to prevent sticking.  Roll out 1/2 inch thick and cut into shapes.  The less you work the dough the better.

3) Deep fry (375F oil at least) until golden. Roll them in confectioner's sugar or cinnamon sugar mixture when cooked, if desired.  Also good drizzled with honey.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Home Canning - Corn!

'Tis the season in Iowa, sweet corn season that is. While I am not a huge fan of corn or corn products (e.g. corn syrup, corn sweetners, etc.), I do find the occasional ear of sweet corn satisifying. In July and August every year, we are inundated with sweet corn. The grocery stores start having 5 ears/$1 or better sales; road side stands go up all over the place; and, farmers sell the stuff from their homes via child-made signs at the main blacktop which point down gravel county roads. This is the time of year when my mother-in-law calls and says, "Cousin Jim's corn is ready. How many dozen you want?" Two weeks later she calls again saying, "The Tomash's corn is ready. How many dozen you want?" We've lived in Iowa for 7 years now and I have never met any member of the Tomash family but I can tell you that they have green thumbs for growing excellent sweet corn because it is perfection every year.

In the past, I have always been cautious with how many I buy at one time. My fridge gets pretty crowded and I just don't have the space for more than 1 dozen ears. I have always thought how nice it would be to have Cousin Jim's or the Tomash's corn in the winter as well. Last year I tried blanching and freezing some, which works fine but the process takes up a lot of freezer space, which is a premium commodity for us. So this year I decided to can it.

I received a pressure canner for Christmas last year but I had not had occassion to use it until now. I got 3 dozen ears from the Tomash's this year and canned it - 11 pints. I have never pressure canned before. Like my mom, I have only water bath canned; but you can't do that safely with low-acid foods, i.e., most vegetables. For low-acid foods, a pressure canner is necessary to get things hot enough to destroy the nasty microorganisms that would otherwise thrive. Mom always blanched and froze her garden veggies. I remember her saying she was too leery of botulism to try pressure canning; but then she never had a freezer that was packed full with hubby hunted meat, fowl, and fish, so processing and storage space in the freezer was never a big issue for her.

I elected to can the corn cream style. My theory behind this decision being that cream style preparation harvests more corn off each ear than simply cutting it, so you get more serving for the same number of ears. I am all for maximizing production. So following the directions in the Ball Blue Book of Preserving and using a Lee Corn Cutter Tool, I set to work. It took about 5 hours start to finish.

Here is the nutshell version of the process. First scrape/cut/milk the the corn off the cob using the corn cutter. Be careful of your hand placement as the scraper and shedders are hard on the fingers and knuckles. Capture everything in a large bowl. Be sure to hold your off-hand behind the cutter as a back stop to the juices that shoot out, so that they drip down into the capture bowl instead of coating the kitchen wall. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 1/4 cups boiling water for every pint of corn. Bring to boil for 3 minutes and then ladle into prepared/sanitized hot pint jars, leaving 1-inch head space. Cap and then process for 85 minutes at 10 pounds pressure in a pressure canner. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's directions for using your pressure canner.

Being a chemical engineer, I am very leery of heating a closed system, even one with a pressure gauge and and relief valve. So, I banned the kids out of the kitchen kept an eagle eye on the pressure gauge. Everythng worked out of course but you never know. Anyway, I am up for round two; some time this week, I'll be picking up another 4 dozen ears from a road side stand and try canning them as cut corn.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Fruit Salad

I thought that I had posted this recipe already but evidently I was wrong; so here it is.

I picked this recipe up in a snail mail recipe swap several years ago from a friend of a friend whose name I don't know. The recipe is simply titled "Fruit Salad from McGraw-Hill". Beyond this, I have no idea which McGraw-Hill book this might be from or who came up with the recipe. What I do know is that this recipe makes a huge salad. Even a half recipe is plenty to take to a potluck. I also know that this salad gets rave reviews at every potluck to which I have taken it and people constantly ask me for the recipe. So I thought I might post it here to save time and effort in sharing.

I would love to know from which cookbook this recipe originated. If anyone out there has such information, please let me know ASAP so I can edit this post to more thoroughly credit the author/editor/publisher.

Note this is the full recipe, as I received it. I always make a half recipe. I also do a lot of substituting. I have never made this salad the same way twice.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Fruit Salad from McGraw-Hill

2 cans peach pie filling
4 to 5 bananas, sliced
3 large cans Mandarin oranges, drained
3 large cans chunk pineapple, drained
1 bunch seedless red grapes, halved
2 bags frozen strawberries, quartered
2 boxes sugar-free strawberry jello, not diluted

Cut frozen strawberries into bowl. Mix in peach pie filling. Wash, slice grapes, and add. Mix in drained oranges and pineapple. Sprinkle both boxes of jello over the fruit mixture and stir until uniform. Add sliced bananas right before serving.

Best if refrigerated over night.
Will last 1 week in the fridge.
May use cherry pie filling, or 1 can cherry pie filling and 1 can peach pie filling.

Blogger's note: I like using 1 can cherry pie filling and 1 can sliced peaches, drained when I make a half recipe.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Tuna Burgers

I am always looking for a way to get my hubby to eat fish without making that face he makes or mumbling things like, "now that I am 40 I don't get to eat good food any more, only things that are good for me." The man likes fishing but not eating fish-go figure. So as I quest to find a way to fix the beautiful, hubby-caught Northern Pike that perpetually graces our family freezer, I try to mix it up with the few fish recipes that I know he likes. These involve tuna and his favorite by far is Tuna Burger.

The tuna burger recipe I started with is not the recipe that I make today. The original recipe, "Tangy Tuna Burgers", is found on page 125 of Where's Dad Now That I Need Him? by B.R. Frandsen, K.J. Frandsen, and K.P. Frandsen. However, over the years, I have modified this recipe enough that the version I make is uniquely mine.

These are good on or off a hamburger bun, with catsup, and with mustard. We like them garnished like a hamburger with lettuce, tomato, pickle and cheese. I would not say that this is a healthy recipe due to the fat content per serving, but it is certainly tasty.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mama Hynek's Tuna Burgers

2 - 4.5 oz. cans of water packed tuna, drained
2 eggs
2 celery stalks, diced small
1/4 cup onion, minced
1/3 cup dill relish
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tubes of Ritz crackers, crushed into fine crumbs

Stir until mixture is uniform. Form into patties and fry in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat until each side is brown. Serve and garnish as you would a hamburger. Makes six patties.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Great-Grandma Bryan's Pumpkin Bread

Mom had this recipe in her "green box" and I got a copy when I left home to go to college in 1990. The "green box" is the recipe box where Mom keeps what I have always referred to as her 'man-catcher' recipes. These are the recipes that Daddy has rated as an 8.5 or better on a 10 point scale (10 being so mind numbly tasty that it's practically addictive). I never knew the story behind it until my grandmother (paternal) asked where I had gotten her mother's Pumpkin Bread recipe.

Evidently, Mom became Great-Grandma Bryan's pen pal right around the time that Daddy popped the question. During the course of their correspondence, they swapped a bunch of recipes, including this Pumpkin Bread recipe. My grandmother had always thought that her mother kept this recipe as one of her 'trade secrets' and was irked that Great-Grandma had shared it with Mom, especially since Grandmother herself did not have a copy. Evidently Grandmother's disappointment was quite tangible, so Mom checked with Great-Grandma to make sure it was OK with her to share the recipe. Great-Grandma assured Mom that it was (evidently she did not have any 'secret' recipes). However, Grandmother was still irked about the whole thing, even years later, when she happened to be reminded of it.

Anyway, as it is one of my husband's favorites, I thought I would share. I realize that posting this recipe like this might have rankled Grandmother (God, rest her), but I don't have any 'secret' recipes either. I am hoping that my cousins (who read my blog on occasion) will take the opportunity to print a copy for themselves. Thus, it will have been 'handed down' to them as well.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great-Grandma Bryan's Pumpkin Bread


⅔ cup Shortening (I use Butter)
2 ⅔ cup Sugar
4 Eggs
16 oz Pumpkin Puree’ (1 can)
⅔ cup Water
3 ⅓ cup Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 ½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon, ground
1 tsp Cloves, ground
⅔ cup Nuts (I use Chopped Walnuts)
⅔ cup Raisins

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix ingredients. Grease two loaf pans and split the batter between them. Bake for 65-75 minutes, or until done.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Invasion-The Asian Lady Beetles Are Here!

I spent an hour yesterday afternoon attacking a bug orgy on our basement bathroom window with the vacuum cleaner. The Asian Lady Beetles are back and this year they are worse than ever before. The little 2' X 3' south facing window on the west side of the house was two layers deep in these little boogers. The warm bright window attracted them in droves and they, evidently, took the opportunity to do some spring mating.

I don't know about other areas of the country but Asian Lady Beetles (Harmonia axyridis) are a huge problem here in the Midwest. I don't remember ever seeing them in Texas so maybe the climate is wrong for them there. Here in Iowa, they are pervasive pests that insist upon coming into your home for in the fall looking for a good place to hibernate. In the spring, they wake up when temperatures get to about 50F and cluster around doors and windows looking for a way to go back outside, though they never seem to find that open window or door through which to make their escape. The net results are window jams and floors littered with bug carcasses such that even vacuuming once per day only barely keeps the problem in check. That in and of itself is irritating enough, but tack on the smell and little orange stains that their bodies generate as a defense mechanism and in death and you have a problem that will drive you distracted insanity.

The Asian Lady Beetle is native to eastern Asia through Russia, south to the Himalayas and east to the Pacific and Japan. It is a voracious predator and is considered to be a biocontrol for aphids and scale insects. As such, it has been intentionally introduced outside of its native range to the USA, a good chunk of Europe, and other non-native areas of Asia. It is not entirely clear when or how Asian Lady Beetles were first introduced to the USA. There are records of unsuccessful attempts to establish this insect in the USA as far back as 1916. In the early 1980's the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) once again began introducing the insect to the southeast USA to combat a significant aphids problem troubling pecan growers. According to the USDA, these attempt were also unsuccessful. However, in 1988, an established population was discovered near New Orleans. There is some dispute as to whether this colony was a result of the USDA's efforts or whether it was accidental introduction due to international shipping and to be honest it really does not matter. They are here now and with no natural predators in the USA, these bugs have spread very quickly. By 2000, they were common in the Midwest. Reportedly, Asian Lady Beetles feed heavily on soybean aphids (an accidental import from China), supposedly saving farmers from a plague of aphids in 2001. Of interest, these bugs are omnivorous. They prey heavily on other bugs (including native ladybugs) but as the growing season wanes in the late summer/early fall, so does the availability of its prey. Thus, it is not uncommon to find these beetles looking for sugar-laden fruit at that time of year.

Harmonia axyridis looks much like a "typical" native lady bug in shape and size. It occurs in three main colors: yellow, red, or orange with black spots (succinea), which are the most common in Iowa; black with four red spots (spectabilis); and black with two red spots (conspicua). Numerous intermediate and divergent forms have also been recorded. It often has white markings (typically "M" shaped) just behind the head and brown or reddish legs. All lady bugs release a defensive chemical (isopropyl methoxy pyrazine) when agitated or dying. However, Asian Lady Beetles release it in much higher concentrations than do natives. This liquid has a bad odor and causes a yellow-orange stain. Asian Lady Bugs are also more prone to biting, which typically leaves small irritated welt (classic bug bite). However, some people (such as DH and myself) are allergic to these critters, with reactions ranging from itching, light rashes, watery eyes, a perpetually running nose, upper respiratory symptoms, and, in some cases, persistent asthma.

There is not much that can be done by way of controlling these infernal pests. The recommendations are to seal up your house (practically impossible) and to vacuum up the ones that do get inside. Because they are considered beneficial insects, the recommendation is to suck them into a homemade pantyhose "filter" so that you can relocate them outside. However, I figure that the population of these things is large enough to withstand loosing the ones that invade my house. Adding kitty litter deodorizer to the vacuum's filter bag helps abate the stink. I did get a light trap to try in the basement bathroom (the primary congregation point in our house) and it works OK so long as you have some ladybug pheromone lure to add to the trap.

So every spring, I break out the kitty litter deodorizer, start my Zyrtec regimen, set up the light trap, and make sure that the Hoover is ready for battle. Then I patrol the house almost daily, cursing and cackling as I suck up the stinky little blighters as revenge for their invasion of my home.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Grandmother Nina's Meat 'n Potatos n' Carrots

In talking with my cousins, all of us now adults with kids of our own, I have discovered that we all have fond memories of our Grandmother Nina's Meat 'n Potatoes 'n Carrots recipe. She used to make this for us frequently, probably because we used to ask her to make it rather frequently. There is not much to the recipe. The secret to the flavor of this dish is in the seasoning. Any other seasoning blend does not have the flavor that my cousins and I remember so fondly.

***************************************
Grandmother Nina's Meat 'n Potatoes 'n Carrots

1 lb Ground beef
1 lb Baby carrots
4-5 Potatoes, cubed
1 Onion, coarsely chopped
1 tsp Morton Nature's Seasons Seasoning Blend (add more to taste if desired)

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef in enough olive oil to prevent sticking. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and cook over Medium-Low heat until potatoes are cooked. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Should feed 6 easily.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

NWS Swisher Cooperative Station

I grew up in West Texas watching funnel clouds traverse the sky (and occasionally the ground) every spring and summer. Rain was scarce enough to be a big event, especially since it almost only fell as part of awesome and powerful thunderstorms. Everyone sat on the porch to watch to watch the Lord's lightning show. So I grew up with my eyes to the sky, learning to recognize what the different colors and cloud types meant and when to run and hide in the bath tub (we did not have a basement).

Why is this brief slice of my history relevant now? Well, as of today, the Midwest Texan (and family) is proud to be a National Weather Service (NWS) Cooperative Observer. The NWS uses volunteer observers, collectively known as the Cooperative Observer Program, to gather the majority of the weather data that they use to generate forecasts, to track weather patterns, and even to issue severe weather alerts. The NWS has used coop observers for a very long time. In fact, in 1933, Henry Wallace, then Secretary of Agriculture, told then President Roosevelt that the Cooperative Observer Program was one of the most extraordinary and cost effective services ever developed. Today, it still continues to net the public more per dollar expended than any other government service in the world.

In addition to being trained a weather spotter, I am now tracking, and reporting on a daily basis, 24-hr precipitation rates. Our home's location (now known as the NWS Swisher Cooperative Station) is such that it is considered the official precipitation report for the Eastern Iowa Airport (aka Cedar Rapids Airport). So when you look on-line for weather data in Cedar Rapids and you see "precipitation reported at the Cedar Rapids airport" that is our backyard...errr, station. I am so jazzed about it this. (DH and I have already had a good natured argument over who gets to wear the NWS ball cap that came with our official rain gauge. He covets my hat!)

This isn't rocket science and it isn't hard. I am just going out to check a Standard Rain Gauge (SRG) every morning at 7AM. The SRG, provided and installed by the NWS, is a hollow, 8-inch diameter, metal tube with an open top, which collects precipitation. The opening at the top is mounted about 3 feet from the ground. During the warmer months, a 2-inch diameter clear acrylic tube is placed inside the 8" tube. A funnel fits on top so that the rain falls into the small tube only. I use a NWS provided ruler to measure the depth of the water in the small tube. In the winter, the small tube and funnel are removed, and snow falls directly into the larger metal tube. Then, that snow is melted down and poured into the small tube to be measured. Outside of that, I simply log what kind of weather I see each day. Is it raining and if so at what times? Is it foggy and if so what is the estimated visibility? Most people mentally note this stuff as they go about their day as it is. I simply take a few seconds to write it down. What is so cool is that doing this is helping the community on a larger scale while satisfying my fascination with weather in general. Now all I need to do is talk DH into letting me get a nice home weather station with an anemometer, barometer etc., all with a wireless up link to a computer so I can track the data via spreadsheet.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Zucchini Cheese Casserole

I always have a dilemma of what to do with all of the zucchini I harvest from my garden every year. Usually I end up blanching, shredding, and freezing a good portion of it for bread making later in the year. My husband loves zucchini bread but, to be honest, I am getting a little tired of it. So, after perusing my mom's recipe box and reviewing some online recipe sites, I decided to experiment and came up with the recipe below.

There are quite literally hundreds of similar casserole recipes on the internet and I am not making any unique claims to this one. It went over very well with my family the first time I made it. Hopefully, it will go over well with yours.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zucchini Cheese Casserole

4 cups Zucchini, grated
1 lb Ground Meat (Venison, Beef, Turkey, Chicken, Buffalo, Duck, or Goose)
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper, ground
3 Eggs, beaten
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1 cup Cracker Crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesian Cheese, grated

Brown the meat in a skillet. Combine the zucchini, browned ground meat, onion, eggs, and cheddar cheese in a big bowl an mix well. Put in a well buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle Parmesian Cheese on top. Then sprinkle cracker crumbs on top. Bake for 1 hour at 350 F degrees. Serves 6.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Chocolate Bread

Hi, my name is Jenni and I am a chocoholic. Mentally, I can hear the rest of you saying "Hi, Jenni." I suspect a majority of Americans, perhaps humans world-wide, are also chocoholics whether they admit it or not. I have no intention of ever becoming a 'recovering' chocoholic why the heck would I ever want to recover from chocolaty goodness. Besides, there are plenty of studies out there indicating that chocolate has several beneficial health effects. Oh yeah, I am going to cling to that concept as long as possible.

So for all those chocoholics out there trying to feed their addiction on a daily basis, what could be more wonderful than Chocolate Bread. It makes wonderful toast and is divine for making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Your kid can be the envy of everyone in school when he breaks out his brown bag lunch.

I found this recipe in an issue of Cooking Light Magazine roughly 14 years ago. All I did at the time was tear the page out of the magazine so I have no idea which issue, only that it was on page 136 and that the article appears to have been written by Ann Taylor, a Cooking Light copy editor.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cooking Light's Chocolate Bread

1 cup Warm Water
1 Large Egg
1 tbs Butter, softened
1 tsp Salt
1/3 cup Sugar
1 tbs Flax Seed Meal (optional - I add this to all my bread recipes)
3 cups Bread Flour
1/4 cup Dutch Process Cocoa
4 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tsp Bread Machine Yeast

Place ingredients in order listed into the bread machine baking pan. Bake using a Sweet Bread baking cycle.

Do not use with timer setting as the egg will not keep well at room temperature.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Homemade Meat Broth

Most people these days throw away the turkey carcass and ham bone remains of their Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. I put them in a ziplock bag and stick them in the freezer until I have a chance to turn them into broth. A good meat broth is the key to making any good soup or stew as well as a few other things. It's also a good way to save money by getting the last little bit of goody out of your bones and turkey/chicken/ham remnants. I also never buy bouillon.

This is a very easy process but it is a long process spanning two or three days during which time you will need stove space and refrigerator space. The longer you cook the bones and meat, the better the broth will be and the more nutrients will be released from the bones/marrow and into the broth. I am describe the process that I use below. If you do not wish to cook your stock as long as I do, please cook it for at least 6 hours.

You can keep your meat types segregated, if you wish, and make only chicken broth, or only ham broth, for example. There may be some cases where this is desired for specific taste or religious purposes. You certainly would not want to entertain a Jewish or a Muslim friend with homemade soup that included broth made from ham bones. However, most of the time, I toss all my saved bones and carcasses into a single pot and the flavor tastes just fine for me and my family.

This process works for wild game remnants as well. We eat a lot of venison, goose, pheasant, and duck. These all cook down into broth very nicely.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Midwest Texan's Homemade Meat Broth

1. Place left over carcass(es) into a large stock pot. You may need to break large carcass(es) into smaller pieces for a good fit. The number/amount of carcasses depends on the size of stock pot and the amount of space in your freezer for broth storage.

2. Add enough water to cover all of the bones/meat.

3. If you wish you may add any or all of the following optional ingredients to suite your taste:
1 bay leaf
2 celery stalks, with leaves
1 onion, cut up into about 12 chunks
1 tsp thyme
1 tbs parsley

4. Cover and bring a boil stirring occasionally. Then reduce heat, leave covered, and simmer for 24 hours. Do not leave on the stove over night or if you are away from your home. Simply place the stock pot into the refrigerator before you go to bed. The next morning, place it back on the stove, bring it to a boil then reduce the heat and return it to simmering.

5. As it simmers, add water as needed to keep the liquid level above the level of the bones/meat. Stir occasionally.

6. Once simmering is complete, turn off the stove and allow the stock pot to cool at room temperature until you are able to handle the bones inside.

7. Now for the messy part of the process, so roll up your sleeves. Remove and throw away all of the bones, cartilage, and bay leaf. Remove and reserve all of the meat for use in soups or other recipes. Remove and either throw away the vegetables or reserve them for use in soups. You can also puree the vegetables and add the puree back into the finished broth at the end of this process. I use a colander and bowl large enough to capture the liquids to facilitate this step.

8. Optional step: Once the bones and other solids have been removed, you may wish to strain the liquids through several layers of cheese cloth to clarify it. Some chefs believe that stock or broth should be nice and clear. I, however, am not one of them; so I never do this.

9. Cover the strained broth and place in the refrigerator over night. The next morning any fat should be congealed on the top of the broth. Remove and throw away the congealed fat. Add the pureed stock vegetables back into the broth, if desired and mix well.

10. Store your broth in the freezer in any containers/amounts you wish. Or, use it immediately to make soup.

Tip: I like to freeze my excess broth in ice cube trays. Once the cubes are frozen you can pop them out of the tray and keep them in a ziplock in the freezer. Each cube is roughly 2 to 3 tablespoons or equivalent to 1 bouillon cube.