We usually just pop it in some organic coconut oil and toss on a little sea salt. But…popcorn is far more versatile and not just for the movies.
Popcorn has been used in Native American remedies for headaches. When using an air popper and keeping the butter low it also makes a great low calorie snack that is a very filling food.
I want to share a wholesome, sweet treat with this high fiber, low fat, very filling grain.
I did a video of this recipe a while back so I’m also including it here with the written recipe. PLUS some ideas, variety and an ‘out of the box’ idea that most people don’t think of with popcorn are listed below that I hope you’ll try and enjoy!
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Caramel Pop Corn
Makes – 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil (Canola or butter)
- 1/2 Cup Local Honey
- 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 6-8 Cups Popped Popcorn
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325
Make sure rack is centered in oven.
Combine first four (4) ingredients and heat slowly over a medium to medium-high heat until it comes to a low boil. (see in video)
Let boil for 1.5 min (1 minute 30 seconds) while stirring.
Remove from heat source and add vanilla and stir.
Move over to bowl of popped corn and pour slowly (careful it is HOT) to mix and coat all.
Grease a cookie sheet that has edges.
Pour coated popcorn out in a single layer on cookie sheet.
Bake on center rack for 10 minutes at 325 degrees (set that timer).
Remove from oven and stir/toss then TURN OFF OVEN and replace in oven for 5 minutes.
Let this completely cool to the touch (but not long enough to get stale or moist) then store it in a zip lock bag with some powdered milk to keep from sticking. (see the video)
~~~~~ VARIETY ~ THE SPICE OF LIFE ~~~~~
Go Nuts: Add about 1/2 Cup of your favorite nut to the popcorn before it’s coated. No need to change the baking, just keep an eye on the roasting of the nuts. And Tah-dah…you’ve made your own home-made ‘cracker jack’.
Mix-in Options: After it’s cooled, mix in any ‘trail mix’ type goodies such as M&Ms, coconut, dried fruits, or chocolate chips.
Have a ball: Make popcorn balls while the baked popcorn is still a little warm. Grease your hands and form into balls to cool on wax paper or aluminum foil.
Added variety: Put a candy kiss in the center of the ball before it cools….yummy surprise.
~~~~~ AN “OUT OF THE BOX” IDEA ~~~~~
I for one was addicted to the cereal “POPS” up until the early 90’s. I’m not sure if they are still called that – but the sweet, big, corn popped yellow PUFF? Well, I was so enamored with them because of the child-hood taste attachment, that is, until I read the ingredients list. Oh it was a sad day for me to say the least. But, I have a fix!
Not too many people may think of this but, you can use this wholesome, basic ingredient Caramel Popcorn as a breakfast cereal. Just put it in the bowl, pour milk and enjoy. No additives, a great deal of fiber and all natural. EnJOY.
So…does this give you any ideas?
Do you have a great popcorn idea to share?
Maybe I’ll try yours out and do a YouTube Shout-Out to you on the Our Channel
If you’ve got something to share – please leave a reply. I’d love to hear from you!
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No-Bake Chocolate & Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Healthier ingredients for a very decadent dessert!
Makes approx. 24 – 1/4 C cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/4 C Organic Butter (salted)
- 1/4 C Organic Coconut Oil
(or use 1/2 C of Real Butter Made Real Healthy instead of the two ingredients above)
- 1/2 C + of Lowfat Milk
- 1/3 C Powdered Cocoa (can be half dark cocoa and half regular)
- 2 C Organic Evaporated Cane Crystals
- 2/3 C Home-made Peanut Butter
- 2 C Organic Quick Oats (remember how to ‘make’ them? Go Here)
- 1 C Organic WHOLE Rolled Oats
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Set-up Instructions:
In a VERY large bowl put all the oats (both kinds) and the 2/3 C Home-made PB in a glob on top of the oats in the center and set aside in an area where you can mix hot liquid in later.
Also now, cover two large cookie sheets with wax paper. REMEMBER, don’t buy it if you don’t have to -go see ‘The REAL prize in the Cereal Box’ video.
Combine sugar and cocoa in a bowl to keep the cocoa powder from clumping/not melting smoothly.
Instructions:
Over medium-high heat, melt butter and coconut oil (or Healthy Butter) in a medium and deep sauce pan.
Add Milk while the other is melting.
When milk, butter and coconut are combined and melted add the cocoa/sugar mixture.
Stir until well combined.
If it seems thick like fudge, you can add up to 1/3 C more milk. You don’t want it really thick or too thin. It should be thinner than pancake batter consistency when it is this warm.
Stir as the mixture comes to a boil. Continue stirring while mixture boils for 1 minute.
Pour this hot liquid carefully over the peanut-butter-in-the-oats bowl.
Add in the 1 tsp of vanilla extract into a puddle of the chocolate before mixing.
Mix until all oats are covered with the sweet liquid. If you like a dry cookie add more oats.
Now – scoop out approximately 1/4 cup size balls and place on wax paper. Flatten to even discs so they will cool equally. Repeat until all batter is gone.
Place in freezer (since you can’t wait!) or refrigerator (if you have some patience) or leave on the counter to cool (oh sure, like THAT’S going to happen) – we ALWAYS go right to the freezer.
Once they are solid, pick up and enjoy
Store in the fridge in a baggie for as long as you can resist – or 2 weeks – whichever comes first.
Don’t feel too bad – there is a LOT of RAW fiber in that rich, yummy cookie. (o:
Parmesan-Herb Bread
2lb Loaf Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ Cup Warm Water (100-110 degrees)
- 1 Tablespoon Oil (Olive, Canola, Safflower or Sunflower)
- ¼ Cup Sweet Stuff (Sugar, Honey or Sucanant)
- 1 Medium Egg
- 3 ½ Cups of Flour (this can be any combination of Whole Wheat and White Bread Flour – best for newbies to start out with 1 ½ Cups White & 2 Cups Whole Wheat)
- 1/4 C Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 TBS Oregano
- 1 tsp Onion Salt
- 1 tsp Garlic Salt
- ¼ Cup Gluten
- 1 ½ teaspoon Fleishmann’s Instant Yeast
- Another Egg & 1 TBS cold Water for Egg Wash
- Another 1/4 C Grated Parmesan Cheese
For Bread Machine: Put ingredients in in order given and set to
‘Dough Setting’ – now go fold clothes, vacuum and clean the shower
(o:
By Hand or with Mixer/Dough Hook : Mix all the water, oil, egg and sweet stuff together in your mixing bowl. Proof your yeast in the whole liquid if you want to. Instant yeast does not HAVE to be proofed (let get bubbly) but it won’t hurt it if you do. In a separate
bowl, mix all your dry ingredients (flours, gluten, salt and yeast
if you didn’t proof it).
Slowly add each of the dry ingredients to the liquid stirring until too hard to use a spoon, then start the hand kneading process (or if in the kitchen aid – start the dough hooks, or if in the Bosch Mixer…follow directions for kneading).
Knead (by hand, by hook or by Bosch ) minimum 10 minutes – up to 15 minutes – until dough feels elastic and looks silky-like (or in
Bosch Mixer – it pulls away from the sides).
Cover bowl with a clean cloth towel.
Let dough rise once in the bowl in semi warm place approximately 30 minutes or until double the size it started.
LIGHTLY punch it down to get all the air out after it rose the
first time.
(All above steps are usually done on ‘Dough Setting’ of your bread machine)
Turn out onto AN OILED (not floured – it makes it heavy and dense)
surface to REST for 5 minutes (this helps the gluten that has
formed to relax a bit and not ‘crack’ the crust).
Now form your loaf by flattening by hand, and rolling up like a
‘jelly roll’ and after tucking ends in and seam side down, place it
into a greased loaf pan.
Beat the 1TBS cold water in with one egg in a small bowl and brush the top of the loaf. Sprinkle with a light dusting of Parmesan Cheese.
Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise in a semi-warm place
another 30 minutes.
Last 10 minutes of rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees (be sure
your racks are placed so that loaves bake in the middle of the
oven).
Bake 18-22 minutes in center of the oven. Start checking for
golden tops and ‘hollow’ sound when top is tapped at about 18
minutes.
Take out of pans and cool on a wire rack.
Wait at least 10 minutes before attempting to cut – or it smooshes!
If you can wait that long after smelling it bake! Use a serrated
knife for best results in cutting.
Use a good olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping!
Other shapes/uses:
This same recipe can be many smaller shapes. Simply shape differently and bake approximately 15 minutes on 350.
Cloverleaf Rolls – about 12 – divide into 12 equal weight balls of dough. Then separate each each ball into three equal balls. Place all three in the base of a greased muffin tin. Fill each muffin tin with the 3 small dough balls made from the 12 larger dough balls. Brush with egg wash and top with the Parmesan Cheese. They will rise and and fill the muffin tin cup in about 30 minutes. Bake 15 minutes on 350. Cool on wire rack and store in airtight bag.
Herb Sticks – about 12 – divide into 12 equal weight balls of dough. Roll like a thick play-doh snake and place on a baking sheet not touching. Brush with egg wash and top with the Parmesan Cheese. They will rise and touch in about 30 minutes. Bake 15 minutes on 350. Cool on wire rack and store in airtight bag.
Dinner Rolls – about 24 – divide into 24 equal weight balls of dough. Make a ‘domino’ sized oblong dough ball with creases on the bottom and place in a casserole dish not quite touching. Brush with egg wash and top with the Parmesan Cheese. They will rise and touch in about 30 minutes. Bake 15 minutes on 350. Cool on wire rack and store in airtight bag. These will pull apart easily.
For step by step pictures and instructions of my FAVORITE way to shape and serve this recipe (Rosettes pictured below) be sure to see the instructions below.
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Shaping the Rossettes
Divide dough into 6-8 equal weighted balls of dough. Then take one and form a ‘snake’ about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter.
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Then tie a ‘knot’ in the center of the ‘snake. It should look something like this.
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Then bring the longer end over the top of the dough knot tucking it into the center hole of the knot.
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Then bring tuck the remaining shorter end (see above) under the knot and pinch slightly into other dough to hold. This one has been transferred to the cookie sheet already.
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The finished product dusted with Parmesan and ready to eat!
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By now, you’ve likely heard the drastic affects that will take place on our food costs shortly after 2013 begins. Don’t let the pending price hike catch you off guard.
If you are in our area – check to see if you’re on the delivery route. If you’re not, we do ship orders out of our area (usually under 70lbs) with a shipping carrier of your choosing (USPS or UPS).
Stock up now by buying bulk foods before the squeeze is put on your pantry budget for the new year.
Delivery Route Dates:
Orders Shipped Out of Delivery Area:
Best Blessings!
Joseph & Donna Miller, Owners
Millers Grain House Bulk Delivery Route Site
Thank you for allowing us to serve you. It is our pleasure!
Deut 28:5 – “A blessing upon your grain-basket and kneading-bowl.”
Feel free to contact our office via email or call during business hours.
Mon – Thurs 9:00-5:00, Fri 9:00-4:00 Eastern Time (Closed Sat & Sun)
828.536.4988
Come Visit the NEW Millers Grain House –https://www.millersgrainhouse.com
Video Encouragement – http://www.youtube.com/MillersGrainHouse
Encouragement in the Kitchen – http://www.blogtalkradio.com/millersgrainhouse
You know that phrase made famous by the Vikings in the Capital One commercial? “What’s in Your Wallet?” – Well, let me ask: “What’s in YOUR Fridge?”
On any given day that may be a scary question for some – but for most of us after 
Thanksgiving, it’s not only scary, it’s a downright daunting and overwhelming question!
The answer is a resounding LEFT OVERS!
When faced with a myriad of foods that you don’t normally eat during the year, left in odd amounts hiding or sliding around after Thanksgiving, some of us may be tempted to toss the left over food, given the turkey coma we have just induced. But do not despair… There are many things you can do with left over Thanksgiving goodies so you won’t waste your food budget by feeding it all to the dog.
Mashed Potatoes:
Portion them out into one cup servings, into baggies and freeze. When you need to thicken a soup, top a pot pie or simply have a quick side dish (seasoned with cheese, chives, garlic, etc) – these are quickly thawed and used.
Sweet Potato Casserole:
Portion this out into one half cup servings, into baggies and freeze. These make great additions for muffins and can be added in to winter squash soups. Again they are a stand alone side dish at a far later date.
Green Bean Casserole:
Given that this is usually laden with mushroom soup and fried onions – it usually doesn’t keep well for too long. Plan on tossing this into your turkey pot pie as an added green veggie and cream soup base. The onions will soften and blend with the other ingredients…no one will know that you used it there.
Cranberry Relish/Jelly:
Also another great add-in for muffins. It turns your muffins a sweet pink and you don’t have to add as much sugar as the usual recipe.
Turkey:
I’m not sure why we always have way more turkey than I think we will. After days of turkey sandwiches – it’s still HERE! So here are some thoughts…
Break the bones with the meat on them, boil and make broth that can be frozen or canned.
Then de-bone all the meat you can glean (we ended up with a gallon bag of bits) and make any number of things such as turkey and rice soup, turkey pot pie, turkey salad for wraps or sandwiches, turkey tacos (use taco seasonings), turkey barbeque on a whole wheat bun. Yes, all of these are on the menu for the next few weeks at our home. Simply label and freeze portion sizes to make the specific meal.
Once you’ve tended to the left overs and they are in their proper place (not hiding in the fridge or trashed) you can move on to some more ‘normal’ meals and enjoy the fact that you can give Thanks for having this other food on hand!
Donna Miller is a teacher, author, sought-after speaker and trainer. She has been a both guest and host on internet and broadcast radio talk-shows and in television interviews. She enjoys teaching online and local classes & ladies retreats for people to learn whole food cooking, budget friendly techniques and preparedness skills. Donna is happily married and has three adult children, and a daughter in-law. She and her husband (Joseph) are the founders of both Millers Grain House , Your Preparation Station and are on the board of PREPARE Magazine.
On a windy, wet and snowy day – one of my favorite things to do is season my cast iron ware. This ‘chore’ takes on a warm-the-house feeling when I choose to do it in the winter. So it’s not at all a drudgery for me.
What is ‘seasoning’ you may ask? It’s simply the act of creating an oil coating on the porous cast iron so that the foods cooked in it don’t stick. People use many different oils (solid fats and liquids) to season their cast iron.
We have a favorite two oils we use: Grape seed Oil or Coconut Oil. We use these because of their higher smoke point.
How we season our cast iron:
- Be sure the cast iron item is clean by scrubbing with very hot water and a wire brush, plastic brush or steel wool – no soap – EVER because the pan will soak up the suds and ruin. Water is alone all that is needed.
- Situate the racks in the oven to fit all sizes of the cast iron. Preheat the oven to 35O degrees.
- Generously pour the oil or grab a ‘glob’ of solidified oil and spread all along the interior, exterior and handle of the cast iron ware. Now some folks like to use a paper towel or a brush to do this…not me, I like to use my hands. This way I can feel if there are any bits of food left or flaws that need extra oil (to avoid rust). Plus, it moisturizes my hands.
- Be sure there are no puddles of oil, but that it is smoothly and evenly distributed.
- Place all the cast iron in on the racks and turn it off. Some folks say to put it in upside down, we don’t do that because I don’t want any oils dripping directly on the heated coils of the oven.
- After the oven and the cast iron wares have cooled, rub one more time to be sure to distribute any oils. Store in cabinet and you’re ready for use at any time!
Using cast iron is one of the most healthy ways to have a non-stick surface, add trace amounts of iron into your diet and, create an heirloom piece of kitchen ware that will out last you – that can be handed down to the grand-kid’s grand-kids.
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Donna Miller is a teacher, author, sought-after speaker and trainer. She has been a both guest and host on internet and broadcast radio talk-shows and in television interviews.
She is the hostess of “Your Preparation Station” on Preparedness Radio Network. She and her husband are the Organizers of WNC Preparedness Group in Asheville, NC. She is an Adjunct Instructor for Frontier Christian University. She teaches local classes & ladies retreats for people to learn hands skills.
She and her husband are the founders of Millers Grain House and, Your Preparation Station and are on the board of PREPARE Magazine.
Joseph and Donna have been happily married for 27 years and have three adult children, and one daughter in-law.
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Sure. Maybe you thought that today was only Columbus Day, but nay there is a more pertinent holiday that just begs to compete with the accidental finding of our home land…and that is National Fluffernutter Day.
No. This is not another word from the movie Mary Poppins, but a real iconic sandwich (or variation there of) using peanut butter and marsh mallow fluff.
Although not a healthy food as depicted in the photo to the left, on white bread, it is often associated fondly with the nostalgia of childhood and thus, to me means we can grow it up a bit by making it healthier and still enjoy some of the fun too!
So let’s look at how to do this:
First – please try your hand at making your own PEANUT BUTTER. It’s easy and often less expensive. It also lacks those awful hydrogenated oils of the store bought variety. Also by using some Stevia vs. all Sugar (as the video linked above shows) you cut down on the sugar intake. Of course that ‘s a mute point was we get to the other ingredient… Marshmallow Creme, but oh well.
Marshmallow Creme is what it is. Although the one benefit is that it is a no fat food! So there, feel healthy. (o:
The last needed ingredient for your Grown-Up, Healthified, Fluffernutter Sandwich would be freshly milled 100% whole wheat bread. Here’s the recipe. If it’s made from home with all ingredients you can pronounce it’s much healthier.
Now put that sandwich together (go sparingly on the fillings, remember they do ooze) and just enjoy!
A few other options to enjoy National Fluffernutter Day are:
– Put home-made PB and Fluff on a Rice Cake
– Put home-made PB and Fluff on a Whole Wheat Pancake
– Put home-made PB and Fluff in between crackers.
It’s an odd food holiday…but a fun one we can still enjoy just a little bit if we put on our thinking caps.
We were recently asked this question. We hope that by sharing the anwer with you – we are able to help you as well.
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Hi guys. Love the info! My storage spot is the garage but Summer gets hot. Am I ruining the grains I’m starting to store?
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Answer:
Thank you for contacting us and for your kind remarks! We’re delighted to be of service.
Ruining? Not really. But you may be shortening the life of them.
Grain stays intact and fully nutritious at approx 80degrees at the hottest. Over that temp it begins to decompose/breakdown.
If the wheat germ oil inside gets consistently hot then cool then hot then cool it will make the wheat bitter tasting and thus, not so good when you go to use it. It may also not ‘act’ like regular flour either due to the density of the oil after prolonged heat.
Indoors. In dark or no exterior windows. Dry. Away from any heat source. No hotter than 80 degrees F. Is the optimum way to store grain to last for hundreds of years.
Hopefully this helps answer your question!
—
Joseph & Donna Miller, Owners
Millers Grain House
Thank you for allowing us to serve you. It is our pleasure!
Deut 28:5 – “A blessing upon your grain-basket and kneading-bowl.”
Feel free to contact our office via email or call during business hours.
Mon – Thurs 9:00-5:00, Fri 9:00-4:00 Eastern Time (Closed Sat & Sun)
1.828.536.4988
Come Visit the NEW Millers Grain House – https://www.millersgrainhouse.
Free Video Encouragement – http://www.youtube.com/
Free Radio Show – Encouragement in the Kitchen – http://www.blogtalkradio.com/
Consumers practically need a PHD to read the labels on boxed items, so buying whole foods is usually easier to decipher right? Not always. We practically need a decoder ring to clarify those tiny stickers on produce.
Have you ever tried to figure out what is the most healthy produce to buy? An apple is an apple is an apple, right? Well, maybe not. Let me help you with decoding the produce codes.
A great way to identify organic products, which must be produced without the use of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering and other excluded practices, is to look for the USDA organic label. There is a wide amount of wiggle room on percentages and understanding of USDA regulations for learning what these seals mean, so we will discuss the USDA organic labeling and seal in a separate blog.
Most produce in the market has a small sticker or a bar code with 4 to 5 numbers. It’s time to take out your decoder ring, your paper and pencil and put on your spy glasses and trench coat.
We’re going to take a look at just the first number to know what you are getting:
- If it starts with the number “8” at the front of a (usually) five digit number = It is Genetically modified (DNA altered) and is not grown organically or certified organic (has pesticides).
- If it starts with the number “9” it is usually a five digit number = It is Organically Grown and non GMO.
- If it starts with “3 or 4” and usually a four digit number = It is conventionally grown (with some pesticides), not usually genetically modified (thus is non-GMO), but is not grown organically or certified organic (has some pesticides).
In closing, I shall leave you with a (cheesy) little rhyme to use instead of the spy garb to help you remember how to decipher the produce codes:
The number nine (9) is always fine.
Three or four (3 or 4) might be allowed through the door.
If you can come up with a better memory system, by all means please HELP ME and please leave a comment!! (o:
Best Blessings!
Donna Miller, Owner of Millers Grain House
FOR A SELF-SUSTAINING LIFE
