I know it sounds odd, but canned butter is awesome! One major thing historians have found that people were lacking during the Great Depression in their diets was fat. Without natural fats, you cannot digest proteins and certain minerals properly and can die of protein poisoning. Butter is a great natural fat and will also give you some comfort food during hard times.
Canned Butter can be stored on your shelf for 3 years or more. I knew one women who opened a good can of butter after 10 years! The key is to keep it in a cool, dark place. Though I have used canned butter on the stove top, this butter will not "melt" again and it is NOT recommended to use for baking. For your baking needs, store powdered Crisco or butter, canned Crisco, or oil.
What you will need:
11 pounds of Butter (I like to use 1/2 salted and 1/2 unsalted butter. I found that using all salted butter was too salty after being cooked down.)
12 Pint Jars
12 each of Lids and Rings
6 quart pan
Small pan
Ladle
Clean wet rag
Canning Funnel
Cake or Roasting pan(s)
Directions:
1. Use any butter that is on sale.
2. Gather the number of pint jars you will be using and remove the rings and lids. Using a cake pan, or some sort of pan with a high edge, place pint jars in a 250 degree oven for 20 minutes.
3. While jars are heating, melt the butter on medium heat until it comes to a slow boil. Be sure to stir the butter often to keep the butter from scorching. Place the lids in a small pot and bring to a simmer, leaving lids in the simmering water until needed. When butter comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes (a good simmer time will lesson the amount of shaking required.)
4. When the jars are done heating and the butter has simmered at least 5 minutes, remove the jars from the oven. Stir the melted butter from the bottom to the top with a soup ladle and pour into heated jars using a canning jar funnel. Be sure to leave 3/4 to 1 inch head space for shaking.
5. After filling the jars, carefully wipe the mouth (tops) of the jars with a clean, damp cloth. Get a hot lid from the simmering water and place the lid on the mouth of the jar. Place the rings on the jars and tighten finger tight, do not over tighten. The jars will seal with a "ping" as they cool.
6. Once most of the jars have "pinged", and are cool enough to handle, shake the jars to keep the butter from separating. Set your timer and shake the jars every 5 minutes.
7. When the jars are only slightly warm, put them into the refrigerator. Still shake them every 5 minutes. The shaking is very important at this point! Once the butter has hardened in the jar, leave them in the refrigerator for one hour.
8. After refrigeration, the butter is okay to leave on your dark, cool shelf for 3-5 years. Enjoy!
August 5, 2009
August 1, 2009
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
This is a fantastic thin crust pizza dough. I have tried several homemade pizza dough recipes and this is the best one I've ever used, and it's healthy! My father-in-law has diabetes and is able to eat this pizza dough as a vegetarian pizza. It is a very dry and stiff dough and rolls out very thin. I do not divide the dough into two, but rather roll the dough onto a large baking sheet into a square. Do what works for you!
Ingredients:
1/2 C + 1 T Warm water
2 t dry yeast
2 C white whole wheat flour
1 t salt
3 T olive oil
Directions:
Mix the warm water and yeast in a small bowl to blend. Let stand until the yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Mix the flour and salt in a food processor (I use my Kitchen Aide)to blend. Blend in the oil. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture and blend until the dough forms. Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth (or use your kitchen aide and the dough hook). Transfer dough to a large oiled bowel and turn the dough to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free area until dough doubles in volume, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and divide into two equal balls. (The dough can be used immediately or stored airtight in the refrigerator for 1 day.)
Cooking:
Position oven rack in the center and preheat to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle cornmeal (optional) over two rimless baking sheets. Roll out each piece of dough into a 10-11 inch diameter round. Transfer one dough to each prepared baking sheet. Drizzle 2 t olive oil over each pizza dough. Garnish the pizza with whatever toppings you prefer and cook for about 15 minutes.
~Submitted by Stacey Fuller
Ingredients:
1/2 C + 1 T Warm water
2 t dry yeast
2 C white whole wheat flour
1 t salt
3 T olive oil
Directions:
Mix the warm water and yeast in a small bowl to blend. Let stand until the yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Mix the flour and salt in a food processor (I use my Kitchen Aide)to blend. Blend in the oil. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture and blend until the dough forms. Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth (or use your kitchen aide and the dough hook). Transfer dough to a large oiled bowel and turn the dough to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free area until dough doubles in volume, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and divide into two equal balls. (The dough can be used immediately or stored airtight in the refrigerator for 1 day.)
Cooking:
Position oven rack in the center and preheat to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle cornmeal (optional) over two rimless baking sheets. Roll out each piece of dough into a 10-11 inch diameter round. Transfer one dough to each prepared baking sheet. Drizzle 2 t olive oil over each pizza dough. Garnish the pizza with whatever toppings you prefer and cook for about 15 minutes.
~Submitted by Stacey Fuller
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