So Sweet Simple Syrup

When the closest grocery store is 30 minutes away, it's a big deal when you don't have something you need for a meal. It's even worse when you already have the meal made & you don't have the last ingredient! I've become quite a substitutor (is that a word? Quick- everyone start using it so I don't feel bad for putting it here on my blog!) when it comes to cooking...mostly because I tend to fix what I crave not necessarily what I've prepared for.

The other day my husband wasn't feeling well so he asked me to fix pancakes for supper since he felt he could eat them better than other foods. I quickly said yes because I always have the ingredients on hand. (Here's the recipe my family loves!) Everything was going great until I was setting the table. We put out the butter, powdered sugar, even the peanut butter & then it hit me! I was out of syrup! Which wouldn't be an issue except my husband doesn't like powdered sugar or pb on his pancakes. Only syrup! Eek!

Rather than try to run to the store, I looked in my freezer & found some blackberries I'd frozen a few months ago. Perfect! I whipped up a simple syrup in a matter of minutes & supper was saved! Plus I managed to clear out some high fructose corn syrup from our meal.

Syrups really are simple! Here's the formula to use: 4 parts fruit, 1 part water, 1 part sugar. You can even leave out the fruit & add in some flavorings (I just discovered Maple Extract which makes a fantastic syrup!). Just add the fruit, water, & sugar (I like to use 2 cups water, 1 cup brown sugar, & 1 cup regular sugar) to a saucepan & bring to a slow boil until the sugar is completely dissolved. After mashing a little, strain out the fruit or just toss it all into a blender/mini-chopper & forget about straining it! Serve warm or cold. Store in refrigerator for several days. 

The best part is that if you strain it, you can use it in so many things! I like to add the syrup to my tea or coffee or even pour it over plain yogurt or on top of ice cream! Because it doesn't have all the preservatives, I make it in smaller batches so as not to have to throw it away & waste it. What are some other ways you might use a simple syrup? 

We'd Starve Without a Bread Machine

    One of the biggest changes for us is that I have to cook. All the time. Like 3 meals a day! My son is now known for telling my mother "Grandma, did you know that my mom can cook? Like for real cook!" He's 10 years old & for the first 9 years of his life he didn't know that I could cook. Kinda sad isn't it? 
    Well, now he knows I can & one of my favorite items in the kitchen is my bread machine. It's used so much now that I actually don't buy bread products at the store anymore! I make all of our bread, buns, tortillas, pizza dough, etc! And it's so much better for you this way. It weirds me out now when I think about how long it takes store bought bread to go bad.  What all do they put in it that makes it last so long?! It can't be good for you!
      I wanted to share the first recipe that I started using frequently. It's a basic bread loaf for the bread machine that I've tweaked just a little. We use this bread for sandwiches, french toast (it's amazing for this!), & just eating! 

Traditional Bread Loaf

(2 lb loaf)

1 & ⅓ c lukewarm water (approx 85 degrees)

4 tsp margarine

2 tsp salt

4 c whole wheat flour (can use bread or all purpose, too)

4 tsp dry milk

2 tbl honey/sorghum (can use regular or brown sugar as well)

2 tsp active dry yeast

Add liquid ingredients to bread machine first. Then add dry ingredients except for yeast. Form a small well in the dry ingredients then add yeast. Close lid. Select “basic” setting then your crust color (usually light/medium/dark) and start your machine. When bread is done, you may leave it in the pan for an extra 30 minutes for a softer crust. For a more crispy crust, remove from pan immediately.

Original recipe from the Oster Expressbake Bread Machine Cookbook.

So Where's the Farm?

Back in February of 2013, my family & I made a huge change. We went from living in a very suburban, just 20 minutes from downtown St. Louis area to the closest Walmart being almost 30 minutes away! It meant not only a change in location, but a complete change in lifestyle. My husband is a pastor & we were used to driving about 25 minutes from our house to church. We were also used to having a Walmart in our backyard (literally. We looked out the kitchen window into the Jiffy Lube garage door) & eating out about 5 days a week. Now we live in a town that has a gas station, a public water building, a small cafe, & 3 churches. And that's it! And it's been one of the best things to ever happen to us!
       We went from almost never eating at home to almost never eating out! While we don't have a farm, we are trying to live a healthier, more rustic lifestyle. This is a chronicle of our adventures into such things as cooking from scratch, homeschooling, & loving our rural area! Thanks for joining me on the adventure of our farmless homestead!