Nothing completes Shabbat dinner like a soft, warm out of  the oven Challah.

On October 12th 2012, I made my very first Pumpkin Challah- We loved it so much that I kept it in the
corner of my mind to do a blog post about this recipe. 

If you’re not a pumpkin fan- never fear! The pumpkin in this recipe is not overpowering.

The best part about this particular recipe is that the recipe below it is called “Pumpkin Challah Cinnamon Sticky Rolls” and it uses a half batch of Pumpkin Challah dough. 

When I made this recipe I divided the dough in half in order to follow the Sticky Roll recipe. The entire recipe made a nice large
Challah and a pan of Sticky Rolls. Sticky Rolls make a wonderful Shabbat Night dessert.

If you want to try out this recipe (and many others, just as tasty!) it is found in the “For Zion’s Sake Cookbook”
on page 91 (in the section titled “Bread and Breakfast” and the subsection "Yeast Breads”). 
 
As you can see from the picture, I am a challah braiding amateur! Plus, I sprinkled the top with cinnamon resulting in a dirty, dusty looking challah loaf! Oops! You live and you learn.

 Thanks for reading!! :)

                                                                                             Bethany
                                               
                                                 (Sorry, no picture of the Sticky Rolls, they were gone too fast ;)
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In the first week of December you can expect:
 
An article from Emily on the importance of spending time with your brothers and some ideas on activities that you can both enjoy. 

Also, Lydia will be posting an article on napkin folding that will consist of; directions for folding, pictures, and resources for more ideas. You can use your newly acquired skills to add beauty to any meal. 

Naomi will be posting in second week of December about volunteering at a local food pantry/thrift store. She will share some of her experiences and encourage you to be a servant in your community. 
 
I (Bethany) will also be posting in the second week of December. My post will be about book choices. Even if you don’t completely agree with the conclusions I draw, I hope you will be challenged to re-think your choices.  

For the second half of December we will be posting on:

Praising YHWH  (Emily)

Hairstyles Part 2 (Lydia)

Pumpkin Challah Reveiw (Bethany)

Contentment (Naomi)

                                                                                   Keep living (everyday) set-apart,
                                                                                                   -Bethany-


Dates and Themes are subject to change without notice.  ;)

What are your favorite snacks, comment and tell us about it!

                          Blessings,
 
                                          Emily

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We have been very blessed this year with the opportunity to harvest some squash that we did not plant. Fixing different dishes with spaghetti squash requires somewhat of a creative approach because there isn’t much variety when it comes to popular recipes for this particular squash. It seems like just because it has ‘spaghetti’ in the name people feel obligated to only use it as spaghetti. While I have nothing against Italian food it can get monotonous after a while… I’ve had fun experimenting with Asian spices.



 


Maybe you’re like us and you have spaghetti squash and want to find a tasty, healthy and inexpensive way to eat your squash without using it as a  spaghetti substitute. I’d like to share my favorite way to fix spaghetti squash. 

Ingredients:

3 small or 1 1/2 Large Spaghetti Squash
Coconut Oil or Butter
Eggs

Any of the following:
Bell Peppers, Sliced Thinly
Onions, Chopped
Garlic, Minced
Spinach
Mushrooms, Thinly Sliced
Leeks, Chopped
Carrots, Thinly Sliced or Shredded
Cabbage, Chopped

Soy Sauce
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Parsley
Salt
Pepper
Chili Garlic Sauce
Ginger
Hot Pepper Powder (dried, spicy peppers that are ground to fine powder)

Peanut Butter or Peanuts


Directions:

Wash the spaghetti squash

Cut squash in half

Scrape the seeds and gooeyness out of the center

Place squash halves flat-side down on a cookie sheet. Cook in oven at 350* for about 50 minutes

After Squash is done cooking but before it has cooled, place eggs in skillet with oil

Stir up the eggs

After squash has cooled enough to handle, scrape the flesh (I dislike that term for vegetables,eck) out of the squash shell.
(or, if you have really tough hands, you don't have to wait at all!)

After eggs have cooked,
Add your choice of vegetables... I used what we had on hand so cabbage and leeks

Place vegetables in skillet with eggs

Here, you can see, the vegetables have cooked down a little, this is when I added the Soy Sauce

You can add the squash now as well as spices

I cooked the mushroms on the side because some people dislike them. If you don't like mushrooms I would encourage you to try slicing them very thinly and cooking them alone until they are slightly crispy. When  you chop mushrooms thickly and cook them with other food they tend to be more like big, chewy slugs than a small, meatlike, flavor enhancer. You could even try putting them in the food procesor until they are pastey :)

Here is a picture of my favorite asian condiment.. I only used about a Tablespoon or so for the entire dish.

The finished product!

Our whole family enjoys this dish. Our whole family does not enjoy peanut butter in our squash.
If you like peanut butter, like I do, then add it at the table :)

I realize that this recipe does require somewhat of a knowlege of cooking. This is recipe is not for beginners!
There are not hard and fast rules for this recipe... it's more of an idea. Take it and run with it. Cooking is an adventure.

Have fun!
                                                                                                  
                                                                                            Bethany
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Proverbs 6:6-8
Go to the ant, you slacker!
Observe its ways and become wise.
 Without leader, administrator, or ruler,
 it prepares its provisions in summer;
it gathers its food during harvest.

I once read that for every minute of winter eating, it takes thirty minutes of summer canning. Though that might be a bit of an exaggeration, sometimes it feels that way.
When we got home last week, we had several boxes of red tomatoes waiting for us.

After those were taken care of, on Thursday a neighbor blessed us with two boxes of green tomatoes.
I looked up several recipes for canning green tomatoes and finally settled on trying four different recipes.One reason I like to can is because it gives me the chance to serve my family and spend time with my mom or one of my sisters.

Green Tomatoes for Frying
Everyone has heard of fried green tomatoes, but usually you can only have them when they are fresh in the summer. This recipe was very easy to follow and I am looking forward to frying a few slices in the middle of winter. The only ingredients were green tomatoes, salt, and water. 

Green Tomato Jalapeno Relish
We first tried this recipe last year, my dad really enjoyed it so we made some more this year. The combination of apple cider vinegar and jalapenos does not smell very good when it is cooking so every time someone walked into the kitchen they commented on the smell.
The recipe says it make six pints, but my recipe made around ten pints.

Green Tomato Apple Relish
A new recipe for me, and kind of strange, it has apples and jalapenos (oops, I was really tired when I made it and forgot the jalapenos, so we will have to add them when we open the jar)
I am looking forward to trying this with tacos, on some chicken, or in a bean soup.

Green Tomato Apple Pie Filling
This recipe was also new. If I make it again, I will definitley need more helpers, chopping so many green tomatoes and apples made my hand stiff. Reviews said it is yummy as a pie filling and also good with roasted meat.

I hope this encourages you to try an unusual recipe.
Naomi

My generous uncle just gave us some giant zucchini from his little zucchini farm (it’s not really a zucchini farm-he only has 50
plants). We are very grateful because our zucchini plants are dying (as of this publications they are DEAD).
Anyway, I wanted to share one of our family’s favorite zucchini recipes with anyone brave enough to try it. 

This is a wonderful recipe to try if you have a boat load of zucchini and you've already made; zucchini bread, zucchini relish, zucchini marmalade, zucchini pickles, zucchini pizza- you get the idea. I found this Apple Pie recipe last August but I forget exactly how I came across it but I am glad I did! Here is the original recipe if you would like to try it- http://www.food.com/recipe/zucchini-apple-pie-38717

The first time I made it I used white flour but last time I used whole wheat flour. Using whole wheat flour does make in a little grainy but if you already use whole wheat 99% of the time you probably won’t mind- we didn’t. 

Here is my version of the recipe


 Mock Apple Pie with Zucchini 


Ingredients:

½  LARGE Zucchini (to make 10 cups thinly sliced)

1/3 cup Lemon Juice

1/3 cup Water 

½ cup Soft White or Spelt (you can use white flour if you want)

1 cup Sucanut (or granulated sugar of your
choice)

1 ¼ tsp Cinnamon

¼ tsp Nutmeg

1 dash of Salt 

For Crumb Topping:
½ cup Soft White or Spelt (or white flour)

½ cup rolled Oats

1 cup Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

½ tsp Nutmeg

1/3 cup Butter (Slightly softened)

Directions:

1. Peel zuccini and slice in quarters lengthwise

2.  Gently scrape out seeds, slice thinly (very thinly, as thin as you can get it!)

3.Put zucchini, water and lemon juice into a pot with lid on top, simmer and stir frequently until slices are tender

4. Drain but do not rinse 

5. In a medium bowl mix zucchini, flour, sucanut, 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon and salt 

6. Place all of the above in a pie pan

7. In a seperate bowl mix together the first five crumb topping ingredients then cut in butter

8. Place all of topping on top of pie

9. Bake at 400* for 30-45min

 

Not all Zucchini pie recipies are alike!! One of my sisters made a different recipe and it was yucky :)
When I made this recipe no one even guessed the secret and didn't believe it when I told them!

Yahweh bless you and happy baking!

-Bethany-
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Last week in my herbalism studies, one of my projects was
to create an herbal tea for pregnant women.

In my experiments, I made both hot tea and iced tea. Both
of them worked well with the same proportions.

3 parts red raspberry leaf
1 part peppermint leaf
1 part alfalfa
1 part nettle

Two cups of herbs for one gallon of iced tea.
Two tablespoons of herbs for one cup of hot tea.

I used honey to sweeten the hot tea and stevia to sweeten the iced tea.

This tea is good to use during the whole pregnancy. It is also very good for people in general,
several in our family have been drinking it the past few days.
 
First I had to find some common pregnancy concerns, and herbs that would help to remedy them.

 Pregnancy Concerns 
Anemia:             
Needs-                        
     Iron-peppermint, red raspberry leaf, alfalfa                         
     B vitamins- peppermint, red raspberry leaf                   
     Vitamin C- Nettle, red raspberry leaf
 
Insomnia:             
Needs-                         
     Calcium-peppermint, nettle, red raspberry leaf, alfalfa                         
     Magnesium-peppermint, red raspberry leaf, alfalfa
 
Leg cramps:
Needs-                         
     Calcium-peppermint, nettle, red raspberry leaf, alfalfa
     Magnesium-peppermint, red raspberry leaf, alfalfa
 
Much of the following information came from the
"How To Herb book"
by Velma J. Keith and Monteen Gordon

Peppermint 
 A delicious mild tea. Good for all digestive problems, helps stomach pain caused by indigestion
and is soothing to the stomach.
Excellent for fevers, flu, diarrhea, ulcers, and colitis.
Strengthens nerves and heart muscles.
Cleanses and tones the body. Can be used instead of aspirin for headaches.

Can take the place of coffee for a stimulant.
Promotes relaxation.
Has been used to help colds, digestion,  nausea, nerves and stomach.

Peppermint is high or very high in; calcium, iron, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, protein,
riboflavin, thiamine, and vitamin A

Nettle is a great tonic herb that has chlorophyll in high yields and is rich in iron, calcium, potassium, silicon, magnesium, zinc,
 manganese, dietary fiber, protein, and chromium. It is also a significant source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A.
It is an excellent reproductive tonic, and is useful for vitality and energy.

Internally it is used to treat:
Anemia, High blood pressure, and many other things.
Nettle relieves fluid retention, helps to prevent varicose veins and hemorrhoids, strengthens the kidneys and adrenal glands and increases breast milk.
 
Red Raspberry Leaf 
Lots of Vitamin C and Calcium
Red raspberry leaf is the herb of choice for pregnancy, and for women’s health.
It is filled with essential minerals and vitamins like magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, selenium, silicon, sulfur, and vitamins C, E, A, and B complex.
It also contains easily assimilated calcium and iron.

Red raspberry leaf is packed full of nutrients that a pregnant woman needs.
It helps provide, Miscarriage prevention, Increased fertility, Alleviation of morning sickness Reduced labor pain, 
and Increased lactation.
 
Red raspberry leaf is the best single herb that we can take for total uterine health.
There is a long list of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that the uterus needs to work efficiently.
Red Raspberry leaf has virtually all of them.
The most popular use for Red raspberry leaf tea is for  mama and baby’s health throughout pregnancy.
It provides your uterus with a nourishing source of vitamins and minerals that are vital to a healthy pregnancy.
This really helps to lower and sometimes eliminate cramps from the menstrual cycle and also makes for an easier birth.

Red raspberry leaf tea is full of a naturally occurring calcium that is easily absorbed by the body.
In the smooth muscle of the uterus, calcium controls the depolarization of the cells.
That in turn, allows the uterine muscle to receive oxygen and work efficiently.
In other words, without a sufficient supply of calcium, only part of the uterine muscle will work as it should.
This would strain the rest of the uterine muscle beyond reason, generating heat and stress on an already taxed body.

So, to review, Red raspberry leaf;     
Strengthens wall of uterus and entire female reproductive system             
Is good during all months of pregnancy.              
Alleviates morning sickness and nausea.              
Has been used as a preventative for hemorrhaging during labor             
Assists labor, making delivery easier and relieves after pains
Tones and regulates before, during and after childbirth
Increased and enriches milk for lactation
Soothing to stomach and bowels.           
Raspberry tea is mild and pleasant to taste             

Red Raspberry leaf is a high mineral and vitamin source. It strengthens the uterus, and can be taken during the entire
pregnancy safely.

All this makes red raspberry leaf one of the best bases available for this tea.
I love this naturally occurring herb that God created for women’s health.

Alfalfa herb has been called the “king of plants” since it is extremely rich in vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, sodium, potassium, silicon, and trace elements.
It has eight essential amino acids and the highest chlorophyll of any plant.
Alfalfa is used as a base in many combinations and vitamin formulas because it permits rapid assimilation of plant elements.
It is most popular as a blood purifier and as a cure for all inflammations.
You should avoid alfalfa while taking blood-thinning agents
 
Alfalfa is a good source of carotene (Vitamin A) and a little known vitamin- Vitamin K,
the blood clotting vitamin which has been known to help peptic ulcers and helps avoid excessive blood loss in the mother and  developing baby. Alfalfa also helps to increase breast milk.

Alfalfa prevents tooth decay and helps rebuild decayed teeth, and contains natural fluorides.


As you can see, these are just a few of the amazing plants that Yahweh made for us to help care for our bodies.

Naomi

Our family has pizza every Sunday night. We have been using this
recipe for about nine months. This recipe is gluten free and very easy to put
together but not so easy to put on the pans. 
 
There are two ways you can put the dough onto the
pans;

 1) Put parchment paper onto a pizza pan and grease with olive oil
or
  2) Oil the pizza
pans and roll them out with a greased rolling pin. 
 
Our family prefers the second way because, doing it this way
helps the crust to become crunchy. 

Do not, and I repeat, do not use aluminum foil because when you
try to get your pizza off the pan you will get some aluminum foil with your
pizza. Yuck!

 The crust is the hardest part because it can be sticky when you
try to put it on the pans. This is also my least favorite part because it can be
difficult to work with.

 We have tried other recipes but so far this one tastes best to
our family. 

When we make pizza almost everyone helps, some of us prepare
toppings, some the crust and some the sauce.  We like to put lots of toppings on our
pizza, like; mushrooms, garlic, artichokes, peppers, onions, spinach, and of
course CHEESE. 

With all this being said- our whole family really enjoys this
recipe, and we hope you will too. 

Here is the recipe if you would like to try it. 
 
Gluten Free Pizza Dough 

4 Tablespoons yeast
 2 teaspoons sugar
 2 2/3 cups water
 1/4 cup dry milk 
4  teaspoons guar gum
 4 teaspoons beef gelatin
 4 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
4 teaspoons Apple cider vinegar
 4 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups tapioca flour
4-5 cups brown rice flour
2 teaspoons salt

 1) In a bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Add the tapioca flour, milk powder, guar gum, gelatin, Italian seasoning, vinegar, oil and salt. Add 2/3 cup brown rice flour, beat until smooth.Stir in enough remaining brown rice flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

2) Preheat oven to 425*

3) Divide the dough into three equal pieces. Roll the dough onto
the pans 
a) oil your pizza pans and your rolling pin, roll it onto the pans till
it reaches the edges or b) Put some wax paper onto your pans and oil them. Roll
out the dough onto the pans till it reaches the
edges.

4) Bake them for 10-12 minutes each. This recipe makes 3
pizzas.

Enjoy!

Emily

Crust Ingredients

All the dry ingredients in the bowl

Add water and mix

Pressed out on the pan and ready to go

Baked and ready for toppings!

Tomato Sauce (With seasonings)

Garlic

Plenty of Mushrooms (you can never have too many!)

Artichokes... I have not aquired a taste for these yet

Fresh vegetables! What you see here is; Onions, Yellow bell pepper, and Zucchini

Add the spinach and cheese! Looks good...

Here is a picture of me with one of the pizzas

Fresh out of the oven

On the plate and ready to eat

1Corinthians 10:31
"Whether you eat,
or drink, or whatsoever you do, do
all to the glory of
God."
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