Lamb Shanks w/ Einkorn & Potatoes | #EinkornExperiment

It's hard to believe that we're already midway through March, but today is the 15th, and that means it's time for another update on the Einkorn Experiment! Since I talked about einkorn flour three months in a row, I wanted to switch things up and share my latest experience with the whole einkorn wheat berries this month.

Hemp-Chia-Flax Einkorn Crackers | #EinkornExperiment

It's time for another edition of The Einkorn Experiment! This month I decided that I wanted to try my hand at using einkorn to make crackers. Homemade crackers are usually pretty simple to make, and always leave me feeling a sense of accomplishment as I pull them from the oven.

Since I'm still getting comfortable with einkorn flour and its slight differences from all-purpose in a recipe like this, I chose this recipe by Cathy from Bread Experience via Einkorn.com as a starting point. So, here's the thing about einkorn flour—it absorbs liquid slower than all-purpose flour, so you have to take things a little slow, and take care not to over-mix in an effort to incorporate everything.

Bacon Rosemary Einkorn-Cornmeal Biscuits | #EinkornExperiment

The experiment in einkorn continues! I've been in the mood for biscuits lately, so I thought that was the perfect excuse to do further experimenting with the all-purpose einkorn flour that I mentioned last month. I started with a base recipe that I'd saved from the November issue of Cooking Light magazine, when best intentions of adding it to my Thanksgiving menu fell through.

The original recipe used spelt flour, and I thought since spelt and einkorn were so similar (and sometimes used interchangeably), that maybe this recipe would translate well. I did change things up a bit by adding fresh rosemary and that elusive thing known as leftover bacon to the mix.

Hearty Ham and Split Pea Soup for High Tea | #AslansFeast

This month the Fandom Foodies are heading into the kitchen to create with the fantasy world of Narnia as inspiration. Narnia holds a special place in my heart because when my oldest son (now in college) was 7 or 8, just after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe movie came to theaters, we bought The Chronicles of Narnia (the complete chronicles in one big book).

Since he'd gone from being an only child for 4 1/2 years to having two siblings in short order, I was looking for a way to spend quality time with just him. So, every night, we sat down and, starting at the beginning, read The Chronicles of Narnia out loud for at least an hour every night. This was actually my first time reading it, as well, and both of us fell in love with C.S. Lewis's magical world, and our stolen hour together each night when we stepped hand-in-hand into the wardrobe.

Giant Chocolate Chip Raisin Einkorn Cookies | #EinkornExperiment

I'm pretty excited to announce that this month kicks off a new project I'm embarking on with my friend Lora from Savoring Italy. Together we'll be experimenting in the kitchen with the oldest wheat known to scientists*—Einkorn.

We both have our reasons for wanting to learn more about this grain whose wild form has been traced back tens of thousands of years, mine being several. I'd read that einkorn was a nutritious grain that contained higher levels of protein and essential fatty acids, and that it was easier to digest than modern wheat. Since its nutrients are better absorbed, people wth gluten sensitivities are often able to consume einkorn without the belly and digestion issues (although it's not recommended for people with celiac disease or those who have allergies to wheat or gluten).

Slow Cooker Apple Cranberry Einkorn Porridge

Let's talk hot cereal for a moment. I grew up with Cream of Wheat, Malt-O-Meal, and oatmeal...and I liked them. Warm, comforting food that made a cold, midwestern morning a little more bearable. And the "new" microwavable oatmeal packets of the day? It was a toss-up between apple-cinnamon and maple brown sugar for which was my favorite.

Pumpkin Einkorn Muffins | Life After Coffee

Today I'm happy to be hosting a TLC book tours stop for the first novel by Virginia Franken. Centered around 30-something wife, mom, and coffee buyer Amy O'Hara, Life After Coffee delves into the somewhat taboo storyline of a working mom who actually enjoys her life. Amy has a hunky husband (Peter) who takes care of their two young children (Billy, 5 and Violet, 3) while she travels the world in 6-week stretches, sourcing the finest coffee beans and connecting with farmers and is happy to be the sole breadwinner in the family.

Her life tumbles down around her when her boss sells his company due to troubles in the coffee industry and she's left without a job. Peter is only too happy to immediately hand over the reigns so that he can finish the screenplay he's been working on for five years. Hilarity and hijinks ensue as Amy realizes that she really has no idea how to fill the parental role she's been thrust into.