Mama Knows Bread.

by GrannyDalgas, posted in In the Kitchen

I am on a quest to learn how to make bread. Since I was in our hometown of Entiat last week, and because I am excited to learn what I can in living a healthy, happy life, I took the opportunity to take a lesson from Mom and learn some of her sourdough techniques. There were a few bits of info that I hadn’t seen in my recipe book, that I hope to use for my next batches of bread. I will share them with you!

Mama keeps her starter in the ‘fridge in a mason jar with a handy plastic lid that screws on tight, but opens easily. She pours her entire starter into two bowls, and adds flour (some of which she grinds from whole grains), and water to both. She lets them both sit out and bubble, on top of the stove. She then stores one batch (the mother) back in her jar, and makes the dough with the other, (the baby).

Mama Knows Bread

We used part of our dough to make a delicious eggplant and roasted and home canned tomato pizza!

Mama Knows Pizza

Hopefully later this summer, when the tomatoes and other fruits and veggies are ripe for harvesting, I’ll get a lesson on canning!

Canned Upriver

How to plant peas

by GrannyDalgas, posted in Gardening Secrets

I am behind in my gardening, but I just planted my snow peas, and am going to plant snap peas tonight, or tomorrow.  In pea planting, there is so much chance for success, that you can hardly go wrong.  Early in the spring find a spot that will get lots of sunshine.  You will either want to plant regular peas which have to be shelled, or you will choose edible pod peas which are either snow or snap. I choose the  edible peas, as I don’t have time usually to shell peas.  Soak your peas for an hour at least,  and up to a day in advance. Drain the water, and then coat the peas with inoculant.  It helps the peas to grow vigorously  and to capture the nitrogen from the soil. I usually buy legume inoculant from a garden store, or from wherever I have ordered my seeds from. Lately I have been buying from Johnny’s Seeds. Plant the coated seeds about 2 – 3 inches apart, beneath some sort of support. You can use fencing, or strings or anything the vines will be able to grow up.  The thing I like about peas is that they are full of good green veggie antioxidants, and are a good source of protein, and they can be raw or cooked. There are so many good ways to cook them.  Growing them also actually enriches your soil, and brings up more nitrogen, so it is good to move them to a new location from year to year.  Once they start to bear, pick consistently to keep the peas coming.  Snowpeas should be let to grow a little fatter to let the peas get plump inside. Snappeas should be picked as soon as they are about two inches long – their peas inside aren’t supposed to get big.  One year, I let the snowpeas get too big and the shells were tough, but we still ate them – after a fun little shucking session with Gpa and Uncle Johnny. Another hint – put relatives to work – they love it!

Everything you want to learn from Mom!!

by GrannyDalgas, posted in Art and Beauty, Books and Reading, Gardening Secrets, Health and Happiness, In the Kitchen, Love and Family

Hi! This is Ruthie posting. I am starting a blog for Mom, because she is amazing, talented and very skilled. I’ve learned so much from her, but there are still so many things I still would like to learn more about with and from her. Here are a few: How to make bread, how to grow vegetables and herbs, how to can veggies and fruit, how to stay as healthy as she is, how to make a welcoming home, how to train a baby…. there is so much!!! Please post what you would like to learn from Mom, or what you have already learned!!!