The Ploughshare

Last week, my friend Wendi and I went to a sourdough bread baking class in Waco at "The Ploughshare" (http://www.sustainlife.org/index.php).  It is run by a group of people who about 30 years ago, decided they wanted to learn to live off of the land in a self-sustainable way of life, and as Theresa, one of the first on the Waco land, put it "we didn't know that potatoes grew underground and corn grew above ground" when they started.  This community has created a culture of people (working on the 3rd generation now) who know how to do the crafts of old, including their very own Gritsmill, blacksmithing shop, construction and furniture carpentry using hand tools, manual plowing,  homesteading (dairy, meat, work animals, vegetable production), kitchen skills such as bread and cheese making, canning, and various household skills such as soap making, knitting, weaving, sewing, and so forth.  Basically, these people know how to do everything they need to be completely self-sufficient, and now their community is large enough, they have the man power to do it as well.  Theresa told me they had such a hard time in the beginning, using books and trial and error, learning all of these skills, that they decided holding classes to teach the public these old time-honored skills would be valuable.  Now, they have a whole community, and business, of teaching the old arts... and I for one, and a fan!

The Original Homesteading House

The view from our classroom

The working stone ground, water powered Gritsmill (they mill flour and corn here)

The Blacksmiths Shop

... and the blacksmith... the smell of sulfur was really strong!

The actual stone mill the flour is milled in.  The miller explained that you have to be very careful the flour doesn't catch fire due to the heat and friction, which is where the expression "keep your nose to the grindstone" came from- you can smell it burning before it combusts!

The wheel that powers the mill- very cool, and quiet

Now, you might be saying to yourself "okay, that sounds fine... but you went to WACO to learn to make bread!  Come on!"  You have to understand, this was just as much about the experience as it was about the instruction.  Yes, I could check out a book in the library on "how to make sourdough," but how boring is that!  And besides, I would have missed a great opportunity of being exposed to this different culture, and quite honestly, just a plain old good time and day out!  After all, my friend and I are moms of 4 kids each, 5 and under (okay... that counts the unborn babies... but still!) who are homemakers and homeschoolers... we NEEDED a break!

In the class, we learned the basic chemistry of ssourdough and how to make biscuits, pita bread, artisan loaves, pizza crust, and my favorite, cinnamon swirl bread.  As I reproduce the recipes at home, I will share them here, under "recipes," so keep an eye out :)

Our classroom- there were 8 students and 4 teachers

Yummy sourdough biscuits

My pita's puffing on the 500 degree hot stone

Rolling the cinnamon raisin swirl bread

The cinnamon raisin swirl loaves before they were baked- can't you just smell the goodness!

Me showing off my yummy pizza

I need to eat HOW MUCH protein?!?!

Well, as many of you know, I am expecting our fourth child in July... sweet baby Dominic Kilian... who is sure to make a grand entrance a week or two early (a girl can hope, right!!).  During my pregnancies, I have been advised to get lots and lots of quality protein... up to 80-100 grams per day!  Doesn't sound like much?  Just read that label next time you grab a yogurt... you will find eventhough a healthy snack, it touts little protein when comparing it to the magic *80 grams* number... sigh.

Enter here: creative cooking.  I would like to share some of my recipes that help bring my total daily number up while providing a nourishing meal the whole family loves.  To start things off, the most important meal of the day: Breakfast!

"Cheesy, bumpy eggs"- so named by my old man Jacob by the 2 qualities he likes best in eggs... bumpy (scrambled), and cheesy!

For me and the 3 kids (increase eggs by 3, other ingredients as well, when Mike is home):

-6 organic, hormone-free eggs (there is a difference- try cracking a regular egg, then one of these- the shell says it all!)
-1/2 cup cottage cheese (I LOATHE cottage cheese, but you can't taste it in this recipe!)
-1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix eggs, salt and cottage cheese, put in pan with melted butter (we use the real stuff... mmm!) and scramble until ALMOST done.  Add cheddar cheese and mix just a bit more.  With these eggs, if you cook them trying to make them look dry, they will turn into stiff, inedible, crumbly gross-ness swimming in lots of liquid from the cottage cheese... so cook just until done, not dry.



"Hulk Muffins" - named by me to make the kids like them... b/c they are green :)

These were inspired actuallt by Mike, wanting to eat dairy-free... I took the liberty to add extra veggies and cheese- I believe you can never have enough cheese!

- 12 eggs, scrambled well
-1/2 bunch of asparagus, chopped small
-2-3 handfuls of fresh, organic spinach
-1 zuccini, cut up
-1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped small
-1/4 red bell pepper
- few slices nitrate-free bacon, cooked and chopped
-couple of handfuls to cheddar cheese
-sea salt and pepper to taste

Place veggies and bacon in food processor and pulse until very small pieces, add to scrambled eggs with other ingredients, and pour into cupcake pans.  Bake at 350 for about 20 mins, or until set in middle. Voila!
These can be refrigerated and reheated for on-the-go meals.  If your kids don't like the Incredible Hulk, give them another name :)


More to come... it's almost pumpkin time for me :)