Baking Bread in a Bread Machine

If you’re like most Americans, you probably have a bread machine. I recently acquired mine from King Arthur Flour, and with the machine came a beautiful booklet with plenty of recipes, but nothing incorporating whole grain, preferably organic. Being sensitive to nutrition, I strove to create a loaf of bread that was whole grain, but the loaf consistently fell in the center and looked like a heavy half loaf…until I finally came up with the below shown recipe which consistently rises and stays beautiful during the entire baking cycle. I have added raisins, and today added chopped walnuts. I love my bread machine!

In order shown, add to a 2-pound loaf pan:

1 egg plus sufficient rice milk to equal 1-1/2 C liquid

2 T Olive Oil

2 T Honey

1-1/2 C Unbleached All-Purpose Wheat Flour

1-1/2 C Organic Whole Wheat Flour

¼ C Almond Meal

¾ C Combination of Flaxseed Meal, Quinoa Flour, Oat Flour, Buck Wheat Flour, Brown Rice Flour

1-1/2 t Salt

2-1/2 t Yeast Granules

I use the higher quality King Arthur Flour brand SAF Red Instant Yeast. Set the bread machine on the normal cycle, selecting "light" for darkness of crust. This is a fantastic bread, with excellent texture, guaranteed to taste as good as it looks! Yeah for bread machines!

Help for Dry Skin

Since experiencing some seriously unpleasant reactions from my face to the commercial products available in the market place, I was required to explore alternatives for protection of exposed skin to Wisconsin's harsh winter elements...entrance discovery of how to make a wonderful lotion for my skin! After buying several books on the topic, I came up with my own concoction:
291 grams Coconut Oil
221 grams Olive Oil
229 grams Sweet Almond Oil
192 grams Avocado Oil
117 grams Jojoba Oil
61 grams Hazelnut Oil
59 grams Sesame Oil
27 grams Grape Seed Oil
68 grams Borage Oil
74 grams Evening Primrose Oil
16 grams Vitamin E Oil
I keep this liquid in a large jar in the basement where it is perpetually cool at all times and use this combination to make my lotion. Making lotion requires about 20 minutes with the electric mixer on medium/high speed.

Measure into a glass measuring cup with a handle:
     36 grams of oil from the above mixture
     10 grams Shea Butter
     10 grams Emulsifying Wax
     4 grams Stearic Acid
Please measuring cup in a pan of water over medium heat, and heat until the contents of the glass measuring cup become completely liquefied, stirring occasionally with a plastic (never metal) spoon.

Measure into a second glass measuring cup with a handle:
     170 grams Distilled Water (never tap)
     20 grams Aloe Vera Gel
     4 grams Glycerin
Please this second measuring cup in a pan of water over medium/low heat simultaneously while the oil, butter and wax mixture is heating and liquefying. If needed to suspend the glass measuring cups over the bottom of the pans so the surfaces do not come into contact, put a metal object under the bottoms of the glass measuring cups to create a double boiler effect. You do not want direct heat to the contents  of the measuring cups. Personally, a canning ring works great!

When the ingredients of the Oil combination are completely melted and the liquid is clear, take both measuring cups out of the pans and place them on a wooden counter (metal will crack the glass measuring cups!). On low speed, using an electric mixer, slowly pour the water mixture into the oil mixture to combine. After initial combining of the two liquids, if needed, pour into a larger container and increase the mixer speed to medium/high for about 20 minutes or until the mixture displays a smooth consistency, scraping the sides of the container after about 5 minutes.

If fragrance is desirable, add between 10 and 15 drops of your choice of essential oils and mix on low for one minute to combine. Pour into an air tight glass container and cover tightly to prevent drying and use within 30 days for best results.

The Vitamin E Oil acts as a preservative, but because "home made" isn't full of preservatives and emulsifiers like the commercial products are, the shelf life will not be years, but days...use the product within 30 days, or keep in a cool location to extend the shelf life up to a couple of months. OUTSTANDING lotion and moisturizing benefits! Love it!

World's Best Chili

Begin by breaking up and browning to almost done 2.5 pounds ground bison. Add a small amount of water to the pan to help break up the meat. When done, put in slow cooker.

Saute half a package of chopped celery, three chopped onions, one jalapeno pepper, and two chopped green peppers in a small amount of olive oil until tender. Puree two quarts canned tomatoes in a blender.

Add to the browned ground bison in the slow cooker. Stir thoroughly.

Add your choice of chili powder. Bring to a boil in the slow cooker and after stirring, simmer for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

About 10 minutes before serving, add kidney beans if you want beans in your chili after rinsing thoroughly with water. Heat thoroughly and serve. This is truly the best chili I have ever had!