Orange Cranberry Muffins
Save this one! It’s quick to put together and festive with the cranberries bursting inside.
Ingredient: Flour
Periodically the Springdell Winter CSA is graced with the presence of freshly milled flour from our friends at Four Star Farms in western, MA. This is a treat to work with, especially compared to the run of the mill (pun intended) flour from the supermarket.
Cornmeal–
- Description-
Cornmeal is a coarse flour made from dried corn. It can be ground to different consistencies such as fine, medium, and coarse. Each type has different uses in the kitchen.
- Preparation-
Cornmeal has many uses but is popular used in baked goods and frying, as well as famously, polenta.
- Varieties-
Blue cornmeal, yellow cornmeal, white cornmeal
- Storage-
Store cornmeal in a cool, dry area. Once the package is open you need to store the cornmeal in an airtight container or ziplock bag to prevent insects, they love cornmeal. To make your cornmeal last longer keep it in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Nutrition-
Iron, Phosphorus, folic acid, thiamine, riboflavin
Pastry Flour-
- Description-
Pastry flour is a high-starch, low-protein flour. The pastry flour from Four Star Farms is milled from Richland, Soft White Winter Wheat.
- Preparation-
Pastry flour is used in baking applications. This flour will make your baked goods very tender because it is lower in protein and will develop less gluten when it is worked. Pastry flour is great for homemade pancake mix, muffins, breads, cakes and of course, pastries.
- TIP-
You can make your own pastry flour in a pinch. Mix half cake flour and half all-purpose flour together, store in an airtight container.
- Storage-
Store flour in an airtight container. To lengthen the life of your flour store in the refrigerator or freezer.
In general, the differences in between the flours pertains to the protein content. Just wait until the summer when the berries are in season, to makes a mean rustic berry galette!
Don’t throw your empty flour bags away! When you are done with your flour and corn meal bags, you can re use them for storing snacks or ripening fruits.
Recipes Using Flour
Apple and Caramelized Onion Mini Tarts
This one is a great one on “make your own pizza” night as if you already have some pizza dough thawed and handy, you can whip these up as appetizers. Be sure to save time to caramelize some onions though, that part can be done ahead of time.
Cornbread and Brussels Sprouts Stuffing
My family usually does not do brussels sprouts. When I served this to my other half, he said “if you want me to eat more brussels sprouts, you can make me this anytime”! This one is easy to make over the course of a few days in quick 5 minute spurts. (Bake the cornbread, let it go stale, blanch the brussels sprouts and you’re ready for a quick and easy dish!) If using Four Star Farms corn meal from the farmstand, you can grind it a little smaller for an even better cornbread texture. It’s a keeper!
