Orange Raisin Brunch Bread

2 ¼ to 3 ¼ cups flour1 package active dry yeast½ cup butter¼ cup milk¼ cup water2 tablespoons sugar½ teaspoon salt2 eggs1 tablespoon finely-shredded orange zest¾ cup golden raisinsmilkapricot jam In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups flour and yeast; set aside. In medium saucepan, heat butter, the ¼ cup milk, water, sugar,… Continue reading Orange Raisin Brunch Bread

Old-Fashioned Brown Rice Pudding (Custard)

3 eggs½ cup sugar3 cups milk, scalded¼ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon vanilla extract1 ½ cups cooked brown rice½ cup raisinsground nutmeg Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a shallow baking dish, 13" x 9". Beat eggs, add the sugar, and beat until smooth. Pour in scalded milk, salt and vanilla. Add rice and raisins. Pour into prepared… Continue reading Old-Fashioned Brown Rice Pudding (Custard)

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

There do not appear to be many brands of syrup made from sugarcane only, not combined with corn syrup – Steen’s. is one of them. From what I gather at their website and elsewhere, cane syrup is more like maple syrup than conventional molasses, in that it contains the boiled-down juice of the sugarcane, including… Continue reading Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

Apple-Raisin Betty

There was a local chain of supermarkets out West, once, called McCartneys. Around 1985, they offered free recipe cards, which you would find in the department that was selling the ingredients. I picked up quite a few. This one was, of course, near the apples. It’s an apple-and-cinnamon flavored rice pudding. It’s a classic recipe… Continue reading Apple-Raisin Betty

Irish Soda Bread (The Vegetarian Epicure)

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for sprinkling1 cup whole-wheat flour½ cup sugar2 teaspoons baking soda1 teaspoon salt¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into bits1 cup raisins2 teaspoons caraway seeds1 ½ cups buttermilk or plain yogurtmilk for brushing the bread before baking Preheat oven to 350° and butter a 1 ½ quart round baking… Continue reading Irish Soda Bread (The Vegetarian Epicure)

Rice Lentil Poulou (from “Laurel’s Kitchen”)

The book “Laurel’s Kitchen: A Handbook for Vegetarian Cookery and Nutrition” was originally published in 1976. It is a comprehensive guide to feeding your family with vegetarian, whole foods. The book is helpful even for beginners in vegetarian eating. Judging by the number of times we’ve cooked it, this would have to be our favorite.… Continue reading Rice Lentil Poulou (from “Laurel’s Kitchen”)

Horse Chow (Helen Nearing)

This recipe comes from Helen Nearing’s book, Living the Good Life. At the height (or the depth) of the Great Depression, they started homesteading in Vermont, trying to live simply and self-sufficiently. Some of the things they ate were idiosyncratic, to say the least. This Horse Chow makes a quick and nutritious breakfast, even though… Continue reading Horse Chow (Helen Nearing)