This is definitely my favorite soup of all time! It has a heartiness to it that fills you up, and an amazing flavor. I stock my freezer with leftovers of this to defrost and warm up on days when I want something wonderful, but don’t want to cook. The amazing thing about this soup and many Indian dishes in general, is that they taste better the next day or keep the flavor even after 6 months in the freezer. < Back Saag Shorba (Indian Soup) Prep Time: 10 Cook Time: 45 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 12 oz spinach, fresh or frozen is fine 2 medium onions finely chopped 5 cloves of garlic 2 tbsp of ghee (or vegetable oil) 3 inch piece of ginger chopped 2 teaspoons of coriander 2 teaspoons of ground cumin (or more if you like) 1 teaspoon of turmeric Scant cayenne Scant cardamom 5 cups of chicken broth 4 cups of tomatoes diced (or 32 oz canned diced or crushed) 1 tbsp of tomato paste 2 cups of heavy cream Salt to taste Preparation In a large saucepan or pot, heat the ghee or oil on medium. Add chopped onions. Saute for 5-10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, and cardamom. Saute for 3 minutes more. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add spinach and tomatoes and bring back to a quick boil. Turn off heat and transfer to a blender and blend until a thick consistency, just a few seconds. The spinach has to be broken up so there aren't long strands (see photo above). Try not to make it into a puree. Add back to the pot and add cream, slowly to avoid curdling. Add salt to taste and more cayenne and cumin if you wish. Simmer for 10-20 minutes if you wish to enhance the flavor of the spices. Serve with cilantro as garnish. If you would like to have this soup as a main course with more substance, you can add chicken to the pot after you add the spices. It’s probably best if the chicken is cut into pieces. Make sure to remove the chicken prior to blending the soup. Afterward, add the chicken back to the pot along with the blended soup. Previous Next

So many ways to cook your food! And all of them good. < Back Methods of Cooking So many ways to cook your food! And all of them good. Baking is cooking all foods except poultry, game, and meats in an oven. Roasting is cooking poultry, game, and meats in an oven. Boiling is cooking in water or other liquid which reaches a temperature of 212° Fahrenheit (F.) at sea level. In a slowly boiling liquid, the bubbles formed are small when they break; rapidly boiling, the bubbles are larger. There is no difference in temperature. Braising is cooking meat by searing in hot fat, then steaming in sufficient water or other liquid to produce moist heat. Broiling is cooking meats, fish, or poultry at a very high temperature until the surface is well seared and brown, then reducing the temperature and cooking until the food is done. In oven broiling the food is placed on a slightly oiled rack in the broiler pan and exposed to direct heat. In pan broiling the food is cooked in a very hot slightly oiled pan. In both pan broiling and oven broiling, the best results are obtained if the food is turned frequently during the broiling process. Fricasseeing is initially cooking in searing hot fat, then simmering in a small amount of water until tender. Frying or Sautéing is cooking in a small quantity of fat. Deep Fat Frying is cooking in a large quantity of hot fat. The temperature of the fat required for cooking varies with the nature of the food. Simmering is cooking in water or other liquid at a temperature just below boiling. A liquid is simmering when bubbles are breaking beneath the surface. Steaming is cooking in steam. A rack or steamer pan containing the food may be placed in a utensil and covered. Water in the lower part of the utensil is kept at boiling temperature, forming steam which acts as the cooking medium. Fireless Cookery is cooking the food ahead of time, and while it is still very hot, transferring it to a heavily insulated container to continue the cooking process. Cooked foods must be thoroughly heated before placing in the well-insulated container. Pressure Cookery is cooking by steam under pressure. Steam under pressure increases the temperature and shortens the cooking period. Waterless Cookery is cooking slowly on a lower heat in a tightly covered container. Some foods require the addition of a small quantity (1/4 to ½ cup) of water to start the process of cooking within the food. (A crockpot is a good example of this style of cooking.) Power in Numbers Programs Locations Volunteers Project Gallery Previous Next

Polish potato dumplings contain just 4 ingredients and are incredibly simple to make. They transform ordinary mashed potatoes into a truly delicious dish, perfect on its own or as a side dish with meat-based or vegetarian stews. < Back Polish Potato Dumplings Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Serves: 5 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1½ pounds (670 g) potatoes peeled weight 1½ cups less 1tbsp (180 g) flour plus a little for dusting 1 large egg ⅔ teaspoon fine sea salt plus more for boiling the potatoes and dumplings, as per Instructions. Preparation Preparation Peel and boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain thoroughly and mash until smooth and creamy (using a potato masher or ricer). Set aside to cool completely. If after draining your potatoes still seem a little too moist place them back in the pot and cook for about 30 seconds stirring all the time. This should get rid of any excess moisture. Fill a large pot with water, add about 1-1½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt (or ⅔ tsp fine), cover and bring to the boil. In the meantime make the potato dumplings. In a large bowl combine the mashed potatoes with the egg and salt and gradually add the flour, mixing in with the back of a spoon. When you've added all the flour your mixture should be very lumpy. Transfer to a flat surface and form a smooth dough by bringing the mixture together. You don't need to knead very long. The dough should be very soft. Divide the dough into 4-5 parts (easier to work with) and roll each part into a long sausage shape the thickness of a large thumb (dust with a little flour as you roll). Flatten a little and cut at a slight angle into small pieces (about 2 cm/⅔'' thick). Keep your uncooked kopytka dumplings on top of a floured surface making sure they don't touch each other. When the water starts to boil carefully, place the dumplings in the pot, one by one, and gently stir with a wooden spoon to prevent them sticking to the bottom of the pot and each other. Once they all come up to the top, boil them gently for 2 more minutes. Cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Use the same water to cook all your dumplings. Turn off the heat, lift the dumplings out of the pot using a slotted spoon and place on a large plate. Add a little butter or drizzle of oil to prevent them sticking to one another. Serve immediately. Notes Potatoes: Use Russets, Yukon Gold, Maris Piper or another all-rounder variety. Drain the cooked potatoes well and mash until smooth. Cool completely before making the recipe. You can boil and mash the potatoes in advance and once cooled refrigerate overnight. Dough: Stop kneading once you've formed the dough. This recipe does not require prolonged kneading. You shouldn't need to use more flour than the recommended amount. If, however, after adding all the flour your dough is still a little sticky knead in a little more (approx. 1 tsp). It is important to use a sufficient amount of salt or your dumplings may end up without much flavor. So boil the potatoes in salted water, add salt into the dumpling dough and cook the kopytka themselves in salted water. They won't be too salty! Make it vegan: Use 2 teaspoons of ground flaxseed instead of the egg. Boiling the dumplings: Do not overcrowd the pot. Make the dumplings in batches (in the same water). Best served immediately. The dumplings are very soft to start with and become tougher as they cool. Reheating them (in the microwave or frying pan) will soften them again. Serve with melted butter, oil, fried bacon or onion, meat-based or vegetarian stew. Refrigerate, once cooled, for up to 2 days. Freezing: To freeze uncooked dumplings, arrange on a flour dusted tray and freeze for 3 hours then store in a freezer bag and place back in the freezer for up to 3 months. Preparation time includes the time needed to boil and cool the potatoes. EQUIPMENT YOU'LL NEED Vegetable peeler , knife and large spoon Potato masher or ricer Large pot with lid and slotted spoon Previous Next

Biscuits and gravy are a family staple. Add a little sausage and it is a complete meal of joy! < Back Milk Gravy Prep Time: 2 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients ½ cup butter, or sausage, or hamburger drippings ¼ cup flour ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste ¼ teaspoon pepper, or to taste 2 cups milk Preparation Cook up some sausage or hamburger and use the drippings OR, melt butter and add flour to make a rue. Slowly add milk while whisking mixture. Add enough milk to the viscosity of the gravy you desire. Some lumps are acceptable. Add in crumbled pre-cooked sausage or hamburger (optional, sort of…) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can also use granulated bouillon flavoring or favorite seasoned flavoring. This gravy is especially good when you use meat drippings, like hamburger, sausage, or steak renderings. Make the gravy in the same pan that you fried the meat and use the meat fat instead of butter and whisk the small pieces of meat scrapings that are on the bottom of the pan into the gravy. That will make the BEST gravy! Serve over biscuits or mashed potatoes. It is especially good when poured over a bowl of rice. Previous Next

Minestrone Soup and cornbread is so good on a cold stormy night. It warms both the body and the soul. < Back Minestrone Soup Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Serves: 10 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 can kidney beans ½ teaspoon granulated garlic ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh or dehydrated parsley 1 small zucchini - unpeeled, diced 1 teaspoon celery seed (or two celery ribs) 1 can carrots (or two small carrots) 1 teaspoon dehydrated onion (or one small onion, minced) 1 quart stewed tomatoes 1 tablespoon butter (optional, add for richer flavor) 2 ½ cups water 1/3 cup elbow macaroni or favorite pasta shell ½ cup beef bouillon (or tomato juice) ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste) Preparation Mash beans slightly in the bottom of a large stew pot. Stir in garlic, salt, pepper, oil, and parsley. Add zucchini, celery, carrots, onion, tomatoes, butter, and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add macaroni and beef bouillon (or tomato juice). Simmer 15 minutes or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally. Add salt to taste. Serve with freshly baked cornbread or a slice of homemade bread. Perfect meal to feel satiated in the body and the soul. Previous Next

< Back Basically the BEST Chocolate Pudding (or pie filling) You guys. I will be spending the next week chained to the treadmill. It was worth it though because I have a seriously delicious chocolate pudding recipe for you! Plus it only takes about 10 minutes to make! Previous Next

How to make fermented garlic honey; a tasty condiment with cold and flu combatting abilities, immune-boosting properties, and an impressive shelf-life; perfect for enjoying for years to come! Best of all, all you need is two ingredients and a sterilized jar! < Back Fermented Garlic Honey Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: 16 tablespoons Level: Beginner About the Recipe How to make fermented garlic honey; a tasty condiment with cold and flu combatting abilities, immune-boosting properties, and an impressive shelf-life; perfect for enjoying for years to come! Best of all, all you need is two ingredients and a sterilized jar! Ingredients 1 cup raw honey (YOU CAN USE MORE OR LESS, JUST MAKE SURE THE RATIO IS 1:1.) Preparation STEP 1: PREPARE THE GARLIC 1. You’ll need to peel the garlic using one of several methods. Then transfer the peeled garlic cloves to a sterilized glass jar with an airtight seal. 2. It’s a good idea to lightly crush or chop the cloves in half to speed up the fermentation process. Alternatively, you could prod the whole cloves a few times – to encourage the release of their juices into the honey. STEP 2: ADD THE HONEY AND FERMENT 1. Fill the jar with honey, mix it, and then seal it. 2. Once sealed, turn the jar upside down (this is why a good seal is essential) and set it aside. Place a plate beneath the jar, just in case, though I’ve never had issues with overspill/leaks. 3. For two weeks, you’ll need to ‘burp’ the jar daily. To do this, open the lid to allow any build-up of gases (co2) to release and then close, shake (or stir it), turn upside down, and set aside again. Be quick while doing this as too much oxygen introduced to the honey and garlic at this stage can impact the fermentation process. Just a quick opening of the lid should be enough to release the gases. During this time, you’ll likely see "activity" in the form of foaming or bubbling within the jar. The amount can vary, and it won’t always be majorly noticeable. The honey will become more watery, too, as the garlic releases liquid into the mixture. 4. After two weeks, the fermented garlic is ready to enjoy, though I’d wait a month for even better results! If you don’t plan on using it very often, then it may still need burping occasionally, though the build-up of gases will slow down over time. HOW TO STORE? 1. Store the jar of fermented garlic and honey in a cool dark location away from direct sunshine – like a kitchen cupboard or pantry. As long as you store the honey with an airtight lid and don’t allow any moisture to enter the jar, then the garlic honey can last for years! Note that it’s normal for the honey and garlic to darken over time – it’s even normal for your garlic to turn blue/green (though this isn’t typical for a honey ferment)- it’s a natural reaction. Notes To avoid manually burping the jar: You can use a self-burping bale wire jar (fido jars) or purchase jars with airlock lids or other ferment lids. Just make sure to shake the jar still to keep the honey submerged. Using fermenting weights: One way to make sure the garlic stays submerged under the honey even before it naturally sinks is to use fermenting weights. You can buy fermenting jars that come with weights to fit those jars specifically. The fresher the garlic, the better: Try to use the freshest garlic that you can as it will produce the quickest and best ferment. Leave a little headspace: While it’s not 100% necessary to do so, some batches may foam up more than others and cause overspill (especially with self-burping jars. For that reason, I always leave headspace at the top of the jar. The perfect fermentation period: The best time to begin enjoying your fermented garlic honey is when the main fermentation is over; it won’t be as foamy, the honey will have thinned out and started to darken, and the honey will have sunk to the bottom of the jar. This usually takes between 4-6 weeks. Though waiting 3 months is even better. If you have the patience, I recommend making sure some are left in the jar after a year for a genuinely delicious surprise! How much honey to use: While it’s important to use enough honey to submerge the garlic entirely, there IS such a thing as too much honey when it comes to fermenting. I recommend using around a 1:1 ratio of garlic to honey. If you use too much, then the anti-microbial properties in the honey will essentially ‘smother’ the garlic rather than allow it to release its juices and begin the fermentation process. If you want to add more honey, you may also need to add a little water to the honey to kickstart the fermentation process. Previous Next

Can you imagine a world without pineapple upside-down cake? Neither can we! And this recipe is by far the greatest of all time. Brown sugar and butter create a rich, caramel glaze that coats juicy pineapple rings, maraschino cherries and a golden-brown cake—what’s not to love? But the true secret to this cake’s beauty is in the “flip” that happens when you remove it from the oven. It might sound intimidating, but it’s so much easier than you think! The result is a picture-perfect upside-down pineapple cake made from scratch. < Back Pineapple Upside Down Cake Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 50-55 Minutes Serves: 9 Level: Beginner Ingredients ¼ cup butter ⅔ cup packed brown sugar 9 slices pineapple in juice (from 20-oz can), drained 9 maraschino cherries without stems, if desired 1 ⅓ cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar ⅓ cup shortening 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup milk 1 egg Preparation Step 1: Heat oven to 350°F. In a 9-inch square pan, melt butter in the oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar. Place the cherry in the center of each pineapple slice. Step 2 In a medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries. Step 3 Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately place the heatproof serving plate upside down over the pan; turn the plate and pan over. Leave the pan over the cake for a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over the cake; remove pan. Serve warm. Store cake loosely covered. Previous Next

Empanadas made with Thanksgiving leftovers: Use Thanksgiving leftover turkey, ham, mashed potatoes or stuffing, gravy etc baked into homemade or store-bought pie crust. Freeze empanadas for easy weeknight meals! < Back Empanadas (Thanksgiving Leftover Recipe) Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Empanadas made with Thanksgiving leftovers: Use Thanksgiving leftover turkey, ham, mashed potatoes or stuffing, gravy etc baked into homemade or store-bought pie crust. Freeze empanadas for easy weeknight meals! Ingredients 2 pie crusts 3 tablespoons melted butter Thanksgiving Leftover Filling Ideas: 1 tablespoon turkey or ham - cut into 1 " pieces 1 tablespoon dressing 1 tablespoon mashed potatoes 1 tablespoon sweet potatoes 1 tablespoon cranberry sauce 1 tablespoon roast veggies 1 tablespoon gravy Preparation On a floured board, roll out pie dough thinner than the average crust. Cut dough into 6" circles: use the other side of an empanada cutter or a small upside down bowl to cut the dough into circles. One pie crust will make 6 empanadas. Place 2-3 tablespoons of filling on one side of the pie dough. If they are overfilled, the press won't close and seal. Close the empanada maker, and seal the edges. Or, fold dough in half with filling, and press the edges closed with the tips of a fork. Place empanadas on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with melted butter. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes pie crust until edges are golden brown and baked. Notes empanada press: You don't NEED an empanada press, but it does the job really fast and they are inexpensive. If making your empanadas by hand, simply fold over the pie crust over your filling, and use a fork to seal the edges. TIP: Do not overfill your savory hand pies, if they are overfilled, the press won't close and seal. pie crusts: One pie crust will make 6 empanadas. leaf decorations: Use your extra pie crust to make pretty leaf decorations. freezable: Empanadas are f reezable, making them perfect for meal prep. You can also freeze these in airtight containers, and then bake for fast weeknight dinner meals or lunches. Previous Next

Have restaurant style at all times!!! < Back Restaurant Style Ranch Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: 2-3 cups Level: Beginner About the Recipe Have restaurant style at all times!!! Ingredients 1 pack of ranch seasoning 1 cup buttermilk 1 table spoon sour cream 1 cup McCORMICK Mayonesa Mayonnaise with lime juice Preparation Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir together, and ENJOY!!! Yes, It’s that easy!!! Previous Next

A delicious pie from the Great Depression. A dessert that you can bake from practically nothing! < Back Water Pie Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 60 minutes Serves: 8 Level: Beginner Ingredients 1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, unbaked 1 1/2 cups water 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 5 tablespoons butter, cut into 5 pieces Preparation Preheat oven to 400° and set empty uncooked pie crust on a baking sheet. 1 - 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, unbaked Pour the 1 1/2 cups of water into the pie crust In a small bowl, stir together the flour and sugar together and sprinkle this mixture evenly over the water in the crust. Don't stir! Drizzle the vanilla over the water in the pie crust. Place the 5 pats of butter on top of the mixture Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375° and cover sides of crust if needed to prevent burning. Continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes. Pie will be watery when you pull it out of the oven but will gel as it cools. Allow to cool completely and then cover and place in the fridge until chilled before cutting. Previous Next

Best tasting, easiest making, rice pudding recipe ever! Who would have guessed that 1 ½ cups of rice could go so far and taste so good! < Back Old Fashioned Rice Pudding Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Serves: 6 Level: Beginner Ingredients 2 medium eggs 2 cups milk (whole is best) 1 ½ cup rice, cooked and cold 1 cup raisins (optional) ½ cup white sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg Preparation Beat eggs until light; add to milk and rice. Add remaining ingredients and pour into 2-quart buttered casserole or baking dish. Bake uncovered in a shallow pan of water for one hour. Serve hot or cold with a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon on top. Previous Next