Vanilla Yogurt

2 c Whole Milk
1 1/3 c Instant nonfat dry milk
1/4 c Plain yogurt with live cultures and NO additives
1/4 c Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
1 3/4 c Warm water

This is not technically a food storage recipe since it is made using non-food storage items, but it is useful information just the same.

Mix milk, powdered milk, and sugar together. In the top of a double boiler heat until it reaches 180 degrees. Do not boil. Cool to about 100 degrees and discard skin, if any.


Blend yogurt with warm water and vanilla, and add to the milk.

Mix well and pour into clean, warm canning jars (I heated mine up to 100 degrees in the oven first). Incubate in wonder oven 4-7 hours.





Place in fridge. Yogurt will thicken as it cools. Stir before serving.

Popped Wheat

1 1/2 c whole kernal wheat
water
vegetable oil
garlic salt

Soak wheat in quart jar filled with water for 3 days, changing water everyday. After the third day, drain and pat off moisture. Heat 1/2" oil in skillet to 400 degrees. Evenly spread 1/2 c what over bottom of skillet and heat with lid on until wheat pops and heavy sizzle subsides. Drain on paper towels and season with garlic salt.

It does not pop fluffy and white like popcorn but it will pop so you will need a lid. Do not let it overcook but if you don't leave it long enough, it will be too chewy. It tastes like popcorn but is meatier. My kids liked it.

Peanut Butter Chews

1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c corn syrup
1/8 c powdered sugar
1/4 cup dry milk (or more)

Mix peanut butter and corn syrup; gradually add powdered sugar. Stir until smooth. Then add dry milk a little at a time and mix well until mixture is stiff enough to handle. Roll into snakes and cut with scizzors so that each piece is about the size and shape of a tootsie roll. Eat immediately or store in the fridge.

Magic Mix - Pudding Pops

1/2 c sugar
2 c Magic Mix
2-3 Tbls cocoa
2 c water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c evaporated milk



Combine sugar, magic mix and cocoa in a saucepan. Mix well. Stir in water. Stir over medium heat until pudding bubbles.



Add vanilla and beat. Stir in evaporated milk, and cool slightly. Stir again and then pour into ice cube trays, paper cups, or popsicle molds. Insert plastic spoons, or popsicle sticks if necessary. Freeze.

Magic Mix - Pudding

1/2 C. Sugar
1 C. Magic Mix
2-3 T. Cocoa (optional)
2 C. Water
1 t. Vanilla

Combine Magic Mix, sugar and cocoa in saucepan and mix well. Add water, stir over medium heat until pudding bubbles. Add vanilla and beat. Cover and Cool.

Thumbs Up Soft Pretzels

This recipe makes 8 pretzels - I guarantee it won't be enough! These are my kids favorite snack, they ask for them constantly. Change them up by using different flavorings on them like they do at the mall. Our favorite is garlic salt.

1 1/8 c warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 Tbls corn syrup
3 c bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

2 quarts water
1/2 cup baking soda

garlic salt

Mix 1 1/8 cup water and yeast and allow to sit. Put in mixing bowl and add corn syrup. Mix in flour and salt. Knead for about 5 minutes in mixer. Place in a large greased bowl and let it rise until double (about one hour)

Punch dough down and divide dough into eight balls. Roll each into a 20 inch rope; form into pretzel shape. Let rise about 5 minutes.

In a saucepan, bring 2 quarts water and baking soda to a boil. Drop pretzels into boiling water, two at a time; boil for 10-15 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula; drain on a clean towel.

Place pretzels on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 415 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Spritz or lightly brush with butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt and serve warm.

Try other flavors like cinnamon sugar, coarse salt, cream cheese............

Pretzels do not keep, or reheat, well but it won't be a problem, they won't last long enough to save :)

Granola Bars

3 c oatmeal
1/2 c oat bran (or wheat flour)
1/2 c wheat germ
1/2 c coconut (opt)

2/3 c brown sugar
1/2 c honey
4 Tbls butter
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Mix first 4 ingredients and spread on a cookie sheet. Place in 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until toasted. Meanwhile, mix final 5 ingredients in a pot on the stove and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, remove from heat and pour over toasted grain mix. Mix well.


Spread evenly on a greased cookie sheet. Place a piece of greased wax paper on top of the granola and flatten roughly into a square shape as thick as a granola bar. Remove wax paper and allow to cool about 30 minutes, or until set. Cut immediately into granola bars (a pizza cutter works well). When cool place in air tight container.


Variations:

Peanut Butter: Add 1 c peanuts. Substitute 1/2 c peanut butter for 2 of the Tbls of butter.
Oats and Almond: Add 1 c sliced almonds. Add 1 tsp of cinnamon to boiled ingredients.
Fruit & Nut: Add 1 c of your favorite nuts prior to toasting and 1 c of dried fruit after toasting.
Sesame: Add 1 c sliced almonds and 1/4 c sesame.
Chocolate Chip: Make the basic recipe, spread and cool before pressing. Sprinkle with 1 c mini chocolate chips and press firmly but quickly before chocolate melts.

Granola Cereal & Snack

Terrific, yummy, granola recipe. My family eats it for snacks and in a bowl with milk for cereal. We eat it every day.

1/2 c margarine
1/2 c peanut butter
1 c brown sugar
6 T honey
1/2 c milk
2 T cinnamon
4 c oats
1 c 6 grain mix
2 t vanilla
cinnamon & sugar (opt)


In a sauce pan on medium heat melt first 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Let boil one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add cinnamon, oats, 6 grain, and vanilla. Mix well.


Spread onto a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar if desired. Bake at 350 about 30 minutes until it begins to brown. Let cool and break up the big clumps. Eat straight as a snack or pour into a bowl for cereal and eat with milk.

Wheat Thins

1 1/4 C whole wheat flour
1 1/2 T sugar
1 t garlic salt
4 T butter
1/4 C water
1/4 t vanilla

Combine the flour, sugar, and garlic salt in a medium bowl. Cut the butter (or use reconstituted powdered butter) into small pieces and mix it in thoroughly, using your fingers, a pastry blender, a mixer or a food processor. Combine the water and vanilla, and add to the flour mixture, mixing until smooth.


Spray a flat working surface and a rolling pin with Pam. Roll the dough into a large rectangle. It should be very thin like you want your crackers. Use a pizza cutter to cut wheat thin size squares and place them on your greased cookie sheet. They can be close together as the dough will not rise or expand. Sprinkle with extra garlic salt if desired.

Bake the crackers, one sheet at a time, at 400 until crisp and browned, 5 to 7 minutes. If some of the thinner crackers brown too quickly, remove them and return the remaining crackers to the oven to finish baking. These crackers bake quickly, so watch them closely - even 30 seconds can turn them from golden brown to burnt.


Remove the crackers from the oven and cool on the pan or on a plate; they cool quickly. These crackers will stay crisp for several days, but are best stored in airtight containers.

These are really good and you can substitute other flavors for the garlic salt, like cheese, or cinnamon.

Graham Crackers - Take Two

1 3/4 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C white bean flour
1/3 C dry powdered milk
1/4 t baking soda
1 t (scant) baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon
pinch of salt

Mix in a bowl. Make a nest and add:

1/3 C oil
1/2 C warm honey
1 t lemon juice (or vinegar)
1 T vanilla
2 T water

Mix until well moistened. As wheat flours differ in moisture content, you may need to add more or less wheat flour to stiffen or soften dough.


Roll out as thin as you can on large cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar if desired. Prick with a fork. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cut with a pizza cutter. Makes one cookie sheet worth.

Graham Crackers

Ingredients

1/2 c evap milk
1/2 c water
2 T lemon juice or vinegar
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c honey
1 c veg oil
2 t vanilla
2 eggs slightly beaten (or reconstituted powdered eggs)
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
6 c wheat flour
cinnamon and sugar (opt)

Mix together the milk, water, and lemon juice in a small container and let sit. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl beat well brown sugar, honey, oil, vanilla, and eggs. Combine both milk and sugar mixture with the salt, baking soda, and wheat flour.

Now divide into 4 equal parts. Place each on separate greased and floured cookie sheets (if you only have one cookie sheet you can bake them one after another). Roll out VERY thin. As thin as you can get it without the cookie sheet showing through. My first batch was way to thick and I ended up with a graham cracker cake. Once it's rolled out, prick with a fork. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar if desired.


Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes until they are just golden brown. Cut into strips right away. It will be soft still when you take it out but will get hard like graham crackers very quickly.