Bonus letter and recipes

We received a letter in the mail yesterday....included were two recipes, one from dinner at a members house....and the other is bread and looks like it was from a church lesson, but that's just a guess.

This recipe was a copy of a book page.

Ezekiels Bread (a modern version)
4 packets yeast
1 c warm water
8 c wheat flour
4 c barley flour
2 c soy flour
1/2 c millet flour
1/4 c rye flour
1/2 - 3/4 c honey
1 c lentils, cooked and mashed
4-5 Tablespoon olive oil
4 c water
1 Tablespoon salt

Dissolve yeast in 1 c warm water and 1 T of honey.  Set aside 10 minutes.  Combine the next five ingredients.  Blend lentils, oil, remaining honey and a small amount of water in a blender.  Place in a large mixing bowl with the remaining water.  Stir in two cups of (mixed) flour.  Add the yeast mixture.  Stir in salt and remaining flour.  Place on floured bread board and knead until smooth.  Pout in a oiled bowl.  Let rise until double in bulk.  Knead again, cut dough and shape into four large loaves.  Place in greased pans.  Let rise.

Bake 375* for 45-60 minutes

(Note: There is some confusion about the "fitches" called for in the original recipe.  Apparently, the fitches in the passage referred to some seasoning herb.  Cumin, fennel and nutmeg have all been suggested as the mistranslated 'fitches'.  So take your pick or leave them out.  Either will add an extra touch of taste to your homemade bread form the Bible.)

Then, as now, Ezekiels bread is crammed with such wholesome, life-extending nutrients as protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, vitamins A and C, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin.
Blog editor notes: The scriptural reference in the KJV is Ezekiel 4:9 - "Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof..." My Bible footnotes "fitches" as "fitches or spelt (a type of wheat)".


Smoked Sausage Gumbo from Taste of Home
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 c chicken broth
1 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage or Andouille (for a Cajun flavor)
            cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Hot cooked rice

In large skillet, sate the celery, onion, green pepper, and carrot in oil until tender.  Stir in flour until blended, gradually add the broth.  Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened.
Transfer to a 3 qt slow cooker.  Stir in the sausage, tomatoes, oregano, thyme and cayenne.  Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until vegetable are tender.  Serve the rice

5 servings

Christines hand-written notes: may need another 1/2 c broth to thin in out a little - very thick otherwise.  Also, rice should be added about an hour before serving.

    In commenting about the bread, she said, "...speaking of bread, our sacrament bread is made by a member, and it's gluten free, lactose free, and soy free or something.  All the major allergies.  I really like it though.  I guess it's a rice bread - I'd like the recipe and make some for me, but....bread making is so time consuming!  We have an hour for meal time, so recipes with a prep time under 45 minutes is the best.

   Bought some cold weather gear (the photos are in the previous post) - Goodwill has "quarter days" - so sad we don't have those by us!  I LOVE YOU!  Pretty excited to see the stuff mom knits (as promised - items are in the works).  

Both recipes will be tried in the next couple of weeks!!