My Aunt Annie was a child of the Great Depression. She grew up without a lot of extras. One of the things she learned that she practiced her entire life was making as much “from scratch” as possible. She always said “Anybody can get something in a store. Where’s the joy or satisfaction in THAT?” (I so agree and raised my seven children under this banner.)
And a couple of things she made from scratch that I remember well, were her homemade ricotta cheese (a low-fat version of cottage cheese) and winter soup. Both were so good that she’d make extra batches to give to the neighbors. Then she came up with the idea (before it was the shi-shi thing to do and before Bear Creek came up with it) was to put her winter soup mix (dry) into jars and give as Christmas gifts.
Take a look at these recipes and see if you wouldn’t like to try them out. I had NO idea ricotta cheese took so few ingredients or was so easy to make!
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
1 quart of reconstituted powdered milk
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Gradually heat milk to 190°F over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar and allow the mixture to cool. When cool, pour the curds and whey into a strainer or colander lined with light gauze or several layers of cheesecloth. Let drain. Pour drained curds into a bowl and mix in salt. One tablespoon of table cream may also be added. Makes about 3/4 cup. NOTE: Decrease salt in ricotta if it’s intended for a dessert.
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Aunt Annie's Winter Soup Mix
1/2 cup split green peas
1/2 cup lentils
1/4 cup dried onion
1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1/3 cup pearl barley
1/3 cup long grain brown rice
½ teaspoon salt
4 beef OR chicken bouillon cubes
Combine ingredients well and pour into glass pint jar. Add lid and store. Will keep for up to a year without any degradation in quality under the right conditions (low temperature, out of the light—basement or pantry for instance). When ready to make soup:
Combine ingredients and add to 2-1/2 quarts boiling water. Return to boil. Cover; simmer about 1 hour or until peas and lentils are tender.
VARIATIONS: Dried vegetables may be added to the mix. Increase water, adding twice as much water as dried vegetables when cooking. A can of chopped green chilies or 8 ounces (2 cups) of beef, sausage, or ham may also be added. One or 2 cans of mixed vegetables may be added the last 15 to 30 minutes of cooking.
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