Food

Since marriage, I've had to do something that I have never done before....COOK! And I like doing it. I like to make things from scratch too. We think they taste good - but I'm not sure if they actually do or if I can taste my satisfaction of cooking in my food.

While mom and Thabo were here, they got to taste a little of our cooking. I made mom a cake for her birthday. And I do know this tastes good because it is fabulous. Here is the recipe how I make it. Since I'm doing recipes, here is the bread Thabo loved, delicious tomato soup and homemade taco seasoning.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE:

1/8 cup corstarch and 7/8 cup All Purpose Flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

9 egg whites

1/4 t salt

1 t cream of tarar

1 1/2 t vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325^F

2. Sift together the flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Repeat.

3. Beat egg whites until foamy. Add salt and cream of tartar and continue to beat until they hold soft peaks. Beat in the remaining sugar and the extracts and continue to beat until the peaks become a little stiffer.

4. Gradually fold in the flour mixture, using a rubber spatula or your hand. Turn batter into a 8x8 baking dish and bake 45 mins to 1 hr, until the cake is firm, resilient, and nicely browned.

5. Let cool for 1 hr or until you can't stand to wait to eat it any longer.

BREAD:

2 1/4 t active dry yeast

2 cups warm water

1 cup nonfat dry milk

1/3 cup honey

1 1/2 t salt

2 1/2 T vegetable oil

2 cups hard white whole wheat flour

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1. In large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water, then add the dry milk and honey. Stir until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until yeast begings to form, about 5 mins. Add the salt, oil, and hard white whole wheat flour and beat until well blended and smooth.

2. Add the whole wheat flour one cup and a time, stiffing well between each addition. Add until the dough is stiff then let it rest for 15 mins.

3. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 mins. Place inside lightly oiled bowl and cover, letting rise for 1 hr, or until doubled.

4. Punch dough and divide in 2. Shape as desired and cover and rise for another 45 mins or so.

5. Preheat oven to 375^F. Slash tops if desired. Directions say bake for 30 to 35 mins, but mine are done in about 20 mins. Cool on wire rack.

TOMATO SOUP

About 10 cups diced tomatoes, peeled if desired (or 2 28oz cans diced tomatoes, or a mixture of fresh and canned tomatoes)

2 T butter

1 cup chicken broth

2-3 T sugar

1 diced onion

Garlic to taste

2 t basil

Pinch of baking soda

2 cups milk or cream

1. Mix tomatoes, butter, broth, sugar, onion, garlic, basil and soda. Simmer for 1 hr.

2. Puree soup with blender or in pan with hand blender.

3. Add the milk or cream to hot soup

TACO MIX

2 t instant minced onion

1/2 t instant minced garlic

1/4 t dried oregano

1/2 t cornstarch

1/2 t crushed dried red pepper

1 tsp salt

1 t chili powder

1/2 t ground cumin.

1. Mix together and store in labled container. Use with 1 lb ground beef for tacos.