A big THANK YOU to everyone who took time to share their comments with us regarding honey versus sugar. We had a huge response and are so appreciative of all the information, links and suggestions. Without question “honey” was the overwhelming preferred sweetener of choice! It is our choice as well, but we wanted to hear what you our customers had to say. So thank you, thank you, thank you for your feedback. We wanted to respond to each of you personally, but with so many comments, we found ourselves unable to do so, but we want you to know that we did read each and every email and comment.

Another option that many of you mentioned and brought to our attention is Agave Nectar. This sweetener came in as the 2nd most preferred choice and Joy will be reviewing and researching this product further while she is at the Natural Products Expo West.

In appreciation for the fantastic response we got, we are going to EXTEND the current special on the Regular Whole Grain Spelt Bread and the Righteous Raisin Spelt Bread. Instead of ending it on March 16th as was originally planned, we are going to leave this popular special in place until the end of the month. So as a reminder, here is the special:

Original Spelt Bread – Our first and still #1 for many reasons. – 25% Off

Righteous Raisin – Our Spelt Bread Recipe LOADED with Raisins – 25% Off

BERLIN NATURAL BAKERY ONLINE STORE

*To place your order, either click on the link above or call us at 800-686-5334
*As always orders of $34+ qualify for Free UPS/FED Ex Ground Shipping

For a delicious twist on the old fashioned grilled cheese sandwich, try the recipe below. You can add or change ingredients to fit your taste. Using the Spelt Raisin Bread in this recipe makes it an extra yummy sandwich. I think you’ll love it.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

By:  Cindy Widder

It has been quite some time since I can remember having such a mild winter like we’ve been experiencing this year here in Ohio.  Who would have thought that toward the end of February, we would be having 41 degrees, lots of sunshine and absolutely no snow with tulips and daffodils already peaking up out of the ground.  Hopefully when I write my next recipe blog in another month or so, I’m not talking about how winter has arrived late to the Ohio valley with lots of snow and frigid temperatures.  But somehow, I just don’t think that will be the case.

Whether above normal temperatures or below normal, the recipes I’m sharing today will hit the spot no matter what the weather is like outside.  And both recipes are very easy to make…especially the Cherry Angel Dessert.

Wherever you are, may you also be experiencing much warmth and sunshine this winter…no matter what the weather.  Until next time…Happy Baking.

Baked Spelt Penne Pasta Dish

3 cups uncooked Alb-Gold Spelt Penne (approx, 1 ½ pkgs)

1 – ¾ cups spaghetti sauce, divided (with or without meat) -  we like more sauce with ours, so I used probably twice as much sauce.

1 cup (8 ozs) cottage cheese

1 – ½ cups (6 ozs) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tsp dried parsley flakes

½ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp pepper

Directions

• Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add a tablespoon of salt (or to your taste) and add the spelt penne.  Reduce heat and allow pasta to boil for approximately 11 minutes.  Drain.
• In a large bowl, combine ¾ cup spaghetti sauce, cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, egg, parsley, oregano, garlic powder and pepper.  Stir pasta into cheese mixture.
• In an 8-inch square baking dish, spread ¼ to ½ cup spaghetti sauce.  Top with pasta mixture, remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese.
• Cover and bake at 375° for 45 minutes.  Uncover; bake 5 – 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Related posts:

1. Valentine’s Day Special Dear Berlin Natural Bakery Customer, Happy Valentine’s Day! I don’t...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

By Cindy Widder

This is my favorite time of the year……the leaves have turned beautiful hues of red, orange, yellow and gold. The nights are cool and brisk, but the days still radiate warmth and sunshine. Plus…..the holidays will soon be upon us. The decorating, the shopping, the parties and family gatherings, and let us not forget (how could we), lots and lots of delicious food.

As Thanksgiving approaches, there are so many things I am thankful for….it would take much time to list everything. But as our daughter prepares to be deployed to Afghanistan next month, and with the celebration of Veteran’s Day this month, I am especially reminded of how blessed and thankful I am for those who serve our country. They so selflessly give of their lives and their time and sacrifice so much by being separated from those they love. And my heart goes out to their families and loved ones who must also sacrifice every day, but especially at this time of year when they have to celebrate the holidays without them. My prayer is that there will be many holidays in the future that they will get to spend together.

The recipe for this month is a little different spin on traditional Thanksgiving stuffing, but it tastes great and is not difficult to make, and doesn’t take much time. Things I love about any recipe!

Apple Cranberry Spelt Stuffing
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup dried cranberries
¼ cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1 cup chopped celery
2 apples, cored and finely chopped
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of celery soup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pkg Berlin Natural Bakery White Spelt Stuffing
1 pkg Berlin Natural Bakery Whole Spelt Stuffing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by 2 inch baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine chicken broth and cranberries; let soak for 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and celery; cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently or until tender. Add apples and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl.

Beat 3 eggs in a separate bowl. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.

In the large bowl with vegetables, stir in chicken broth mixture, celery soup, and cinnamon. Add spelt stuffing, stirring gently to combine. Add eggs. Spoon mixture into prepared dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until center is set.

Have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving. And until next time….Happy Baking!

Related posts:

1. Chili Recipe For The Fall and Winter Months Autumn has come to Ohio, and it is an absolutely...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

By Cindy Widder

Ahhhhh….we are finally starting to dry out a little bit here in the rolling hills of Ohio. Today is one of those perfect summer days. The temperature is in the mid 70’s, the sky is blue with billowing white clouds and a warm breeze is blowing through the trees. Absolutely blissful!

What better day than to get out the Berlin Natural Bakery Spelt Cookies, some delicious ice cream and make some homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches. It is so simple and you can use your own favorite flavor and brand of ice cream or frozen yogurt making them extra special and personal for you and your loved ones.

Use any of the Berlin Natural Bakery Spelt Oatmeal Cookies: the Oatmeal Gems, the Chewyful Raisin Oatmeal or the Chocolate Meltdown Oatmeal. Each package will make 3 ice cream sandwiches.

The method is very simple. Place the cookies on a cookie sheet (I like to place a sheet of waxed paper down first) and then scoop some ice cream that you have allowed to slightly soften, onto the bottom of one cookie, top it with another cookie, and then smash them together a little bit. It works really well if the cookies are partly frozen and make sure you don’t allow the ice cream to get too soft or you’ll have a real mess. (I speak from experience)! For something extra special, you could then roll the edges of the ice cream in whatever kind of sprinkles/chocolate chips/nuts you choose.

This would also be something fun to do for the kids at home. They’ll love the idea of eating a delicious creation they made themselves!

Have a wonderful summer and until next time, Happy Baking!

JULY SPECIAL

For the month of July 2011 we are running a special on all of our cookies at 25% off. Click Here To Visit Our Store and Place Your Order.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

The old saying “April showers brings May flowers” is certainly true here in Ohio. But the green grass and beautiful flowers that come as a result make it all worthwhile. The occasional warmer days we have in the early spring make us all the more anxious for the lazy hot days of summer.

However, we still have plenty of cool days and nights in April making perfect weather for a delightful breakfast of French toast or a quick and simple lunch of ooey gooey grilled cheese sandwiches. You’ll find two delicious French toast recipes (both very different) by clicking on the recipes or the blog link at www.berlinnaturalbakery.com. One is Alison’s Vanilla Cream French Toast and the other is Stuffed French Toast. Just substitute the Berlin Natural Bakery Righteous Raisin Spelt bread in place of the bread mentioned in the recipes.

If you have never tried raisin bread for grilled cheese sandwiches, you don’t know what you’ve been missing. The sweetness of the raisins mixed with the saltiness of the cheese is just a perfect blend. It’s something you’ve got to try. I am not a big raisin lover, but even I find it very tasty.

Ingredients:
• 2 slices Berlin Natural Bakery Righteous Raisin Spelt bread
• 2 slices of your favorite cheese (it is absolutely delicious with Swiss cheese or Yogurt cheese)
• 2 teaspoons butter

Lightly butter outer sides of both slices of bread. Place one slice, butter side down, in frying pan or on grill. Place cheese on top of the slice in the pan and then cover with the other slice (butter side up). Grill at medium heat until light brown. Turn and grill the other side. Enjoy

Be sure to take advantage of our spring special where we are discounting our Spelt Raisin Bread 25% off its normal retail price through May 31st 2011! Click Here To Visit The Store!

Happy Baking!!

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

I was so happy to watch on Groundhog Day that after Punxsutawney Phil surveyed his surroundings, there was no shadow to be found, so an early spring it will be!!  That’s a fact, and I’m holding him to it! It’s been a beautiful, snowy and cold winter here in Ohio, but I am more than ready for the warm, sunny days of spring.  But Spring isn’t the only thing coming in March.  For all you sports fans, no one needs to tell you…..March Madness!!

What goes better with watching a great college basketball game than pizza?  And this month you are getting two pizza recipes instead of just one.  One is based on my favorite pizza made by an Old Italian grandma in my hometown using my Simply Sauce pizza sauce and the other was submitted by the owner of Berlin Natural Bakery, Joy Zipper.  Joy’s Pizza is called “California Sunshine Pizza” and it will definitely brighten any party or meal.

With both of these recipes, as always, do not be afraid to experiment by using your own favorite toppings.  That’s the great thing about homemade pizza….with a great crust, a great sauce and your favorite fresh toppings; you can have a delicious, hot pizza from your own oven in less time than it would take for delivery.  And you’ll know it’s made right!!

To make things even better, Berlin Natural Bakery is offering 25% off all sales of their Spelt Pizza Crusts and 16 oz jars of Simply Sauce Pizza sauce for the month of March 2011.  Each jar contains enough for at least 2 pizza crusts.

Be sure to call us at: 800-686-5334 to place your order!

California Sunshine Pizza
Joy Schrock Zipper

Place “thawed” Berlin Natural Bakery spelt pizza crust on lined baking sheet.
Brush with Extra Virgin Olive Oil…..approx 1 Tbsp.
Sprinkle with Garlic Salt (to taste)
Add 20-25 Spinach leaves (cleaned & dried)
Add dollops (about 1 tsp each) of Sundried Tomato (Bruschetta) over spinach
Cut up approximately 3 oz of “Fresh” Mozzarella and spread over topping
Sprinkle top with shredded mozzarella (optional)
Bake 13-15 minutes.  Remove from oven and ENJOY!!

Cindy’s Homemade Pizza
Cindy Widder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place frozen or unfrozen (doesn’t really matter) Berlin Natural Bakery Spelt Pizza Crust on cookie sheet or pizza tray.
Place 4 or 5 thin slices of Colby cheese on top of crust.
Cover top of cheese with Simply Sauce pizza sauce.
This next step is based on preference…I usually place all my toppings on top of the sauce as I feel they bake a little better that way.  But, if you prefer your toppings a little more crunchy, you may want to put them on top of the cheese.  However you prefer, the next step simply involves putting on your toppings, cheese and then pepperoni if desired.  Place pizza tray on rack in middle of oven and bake for approximately 18-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Slice and eat!

How simple is that.  Until next time….Happy Baking!

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Spelt Angel Food Fruit Trifle

From Cindy Widder, GM Berlin Natural Bakery

If you are looking for something that looks so impressive and will make your friends and family think you went to a lot of work to make a delicious dessert for them…this is the recipe for you! I have gotten more rave reviews on this dessert I think, than I have on almost anything else I’ve made. And the BIG secret??? It is absolutely simple to make. Shhhh…don’t tell anyone…let’s just keep it between you and me!

This is a very versatile dessert because you can use any type of fresh fruit that is currently available, or you could even use pie filling instead of the fruit if you wanted. Just experiment to your heart’s content.

I am really excited to share this recipe with you because we recently just launched this brand new product in the bakery and it has been received extremely well by our loyal customers!

Ingredients:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream – I know it sounds strange, but it’s great!
½ cup cold milk
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed*
2 loaves of Berlin Natural Bakery Spelt Angel Food cut into bite sized cubes
Fresh fruit (strawberries, raspberries, peaches, blueberries, whatever you prefer)

Directions:

- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the sour cream; mix well.

- In a small bowl, beat milk and pudding mix on low speed (or by hand) for 2 minutes. Stir into cream cheese mixture. Fold in whipped topping.

- In a 2 – ½ qt. trifle bowl (or use whatever container you want…..you could even use a new plastic bucket in summer and use the plastic shovel for a scoop), layer half of the cream cheese mixture, angel food cubes and fruit. Repeat layers. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 12-16 servings.

*Since I do not like frozen whipped topping, I always make homemade whipped cream. For this recipe, take 2 small cartons of whipping cream, and whip on high until thick. Add ½ cup sugar and ½ tsp vanilla and you are good to go.

I doubled this recipe and instead of just two layers, I layered it three times. On the first layer, I used sliced strawberries and blueberries. On the second layer I used sliced peaches and on the third layer I did another layer of the sliced strawberries and blueberries. It took about 1 ½ quarts of fresh strawberries, 1 pint of blueberries and 6 large peaches.

Hope you enjoy this dessert as much as I do. Until next time….Happy Baking!!

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

By: Cindy Widder, General Manager Berlin Natural Bakery

Summer is here and there’s nothing better than getting together with friends and family for a festive backyard BBQ. With the “Summer Hot Dog and Burger Bun Special” being offered from Berlin Natural Bakery this July, it’s a perfect time to share a delicious Grilled Burger recipe.

The thing you need to keep in mind when you are making your own grilled burgers (or whatever dish you are making) is that it’s okay to improvise. In fact, that’s how most new recipes are developed. I’m always taking ingredients from one recipe and combining with others to get my own special dish. Sometimes it works out fantastically, and other times….well, those times I throw out the recipe and start over. But that’s the fun of it. You never know what you might get!

Someone once told me that they never try a new dish when they are making something for an occasion like a family reunion or church function, because they are too afraid of it not turning out well. Not me. I absolutely love trying out new things on my family and friends for any occasion. Sometimes they are huge successes and once in awhile they are a huge flop. At least I haven’t lost any family or friends because of it yet and most of them seem to really enjoy being my guinea pig.

That’s what I’ve done with this Grilled Burger recipe. I wanted to experiment with something slightly different from our usual burgers and this is one of those times where it turned out well. I also grilled (or should I say my husband…he’s the official grill Meister) Corn on the Cob using a butter/honey mix. The recipe for that is below as well.

Grilled Burger Ingredients:
1 – lb ground beef
1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped
1/4 tsp chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. Hot Sauce
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 tsp honey
1 pkg. BNB White or Whole Spelt Burger Buns

Directions

Mix the first six ingredients together and form into patties. (other ingredient suggestions: green/red pepper, jalapenos, mushrooms, oregano, basil, etc.)

Grill over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until meat is no longer pink.

Apply your favorite BBQ sauce if desired. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion or toppings or your choice.

Grilled Corn on the Cob: (recipe for 4 ears…just double or triple as needed)

Husk corn and remove silk.
Melt 3 TBSP butter in small bowl
Add 1 1/2 Tbsp honey and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning (optional) and mix well.
Place each ear on a 13-in by 12-in piece of heavy duty foil. Spread butter mixture over each ear of corn. Fold in edges of foil and seal. Grill approsimately 15 minutes, turning every 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully unwrap foil and season with salt or pepper to taste.

May your summer be full of wonderful celebrations!

Until next time…Happy Baking!

Don’t forget to take advantage of the Summer Hot Dog and Burger Bun Special we are running the entire month of July! Let us know if you have any questions!

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

By: Cindy Widder General Manager Berlin Natural Bakery

Have you ever bought or made a muffin that looks or sounds so good, only to have it be dry and tasteless with the consistency of sawdust?? The recipe I am sharing with you today is NOT that kind of muffin. I promise. The blueberries and Streusel topping make these muffins sweet, moist and delicious. An added bonus, and one that I love, is that they are easy to make. This recipe makes 12 muffins, but I always double it so that I have plenty to share.

Much to the chagrin of my husband (although he’s finally resigned himself to the fact), I am one of those messy bakers….my kitchen is usually declared a federal disaster zone by the time I’m finished. He says that FEMA won’t even come in! Thankfully, I get to make the mess, my husband cleans up after me and we both enjoy the fruit of our labor. It works out perfectly. So when this recipe said to grease the muffin pan, I immediately thought “no way” and switched to using cupcake papers instead….much less messy.

With the dreary, rainy days we’ve been experiencing here in the Ohio Valley the past few days, these muffins accompanied with a steaming hot cup of coffee or tea make the day seem a little brighter and sunnier. I think I’ll grab a cup of coffee and a muffin right now.

Until next time…happy baking!

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 cup white spelt flour
1/2 cup whole spelt flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries (I use fresh blueberries, but if you use frozen, don’t thaw them)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottom of 12 medium muffin cups (or use cupcake papers). Beat egg and stir in milk and oil. Mix in dry ingredients just until moistened. (If you prefer, you can use all White spelt flour). Fold in fresh or frozen blueberries.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full (I use an ice cream scoop). Top with streusel topping (recipe follows). Bake 20 – 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Streusel Topping Ingredients:

Mix…
1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Add 3 tablespoons of cut-up firm butter and mix until crumbly. For me, the best way to mix this is to just dig in and use my hands.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

We’ve had a very interesting spring here in the Ohio Valley. It started with record high temperatures in March, and progressed into an indecisive April. Always wavering on whether to remain cold, shift into warm or advance right on into hot. Take today for example. Temperatures this morning when we awoke were in the mid 30’s, but by the end of the day, they will be in the lower to mid 70’s! Although amazing….a 30 to 35 degree temperature increase within a 6 hour time frame is not unusual for us at this time of year. Talk about making it interesting in knowing what to wear! This morning I put on the Capri’s I planned to wear to work, but then added socks, tennis shoes, a hooded sweatshirt and a coat to wear in order to first take our little dog Woodrow to the park. I looked ridiculous but thank goodness no one else was at the park at that time!

I must admit though, that it is such a marvelous feeling when you walk outside later in the afternoon and the brilliance and warmth of the sunshine overwhelms you. Truly one of those “ahhhhh” moments!

With the arrival of the warm weather, so also arrive thoughts of summer picnics and family reunions. The recipe I am sharing this time is a dish that my mom usually makes every year for our Moser family reunion. It is definitely always a hit and quickly gone. It has no fancy name, but the name itself pretty well describes the dish. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that mom just named it herself.

May you have a wonderful summer surrounded by family and friends with much laughter, making great memories.

Until next time…..Happy Baking.

Chicken in Dressing Crust

Crust:

1 – 8 oz herb seasoned dressing/stuffing mix (I used half a loaf of Berlin Natural Bakery
White Spelt bread, cut into cubes and seasoned with 2 tsp parsley, ½ tsp salt, ¼
tsp garlic salt, and 1/4 tsp of sage. You could add other seasonings such as
poultry seasoning too, but I personally prefer less seasonings).
¾ cup chicken broth
1/3 cup melted butter
1 egg beaten.

Mix together and place in the bottom of a 10” pie pan. *

Filling:

1 – 4 oz can mushrooms
1 ½ tsp. salt (or to taste)
2 tsp. Flour
2 Tbsp. diced pimento (optional)
½ onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. Parsley flakes
1 Tbsp. Butter
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 cups cubed chicken or turkey
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 cup peas
½ tsp garlic salt
1 cup carrots, chopped
4 slices American cheese or cheddar or cheese of your choice
½ tsp black pepper
1 – 10 ½ oz can chicken gravy or cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

Drain mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Mix mushroom liquid with flour. Sauté mushrooms and onion in butter. If using raw carrots, cook slightly before adding. Add all ingredients to the mushroom/onion mixture except the cheese. Cook and stir well until slightly thickened. Turn into crust.

Bake at 375 F until bubbly (approx 45 minutes). Add cheese to top of casserole and bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

* You may want to double this recipe and put it in a bigger casserole dish…something like a 9”x13” pan.

(A couple notes: I stewed a whole chicken {which was enough for a double recipe} and used the broth from it for both the crust and in place of the can of gravy or soup. After sautéing the onions and mushrooms in the butter, I added 1 ½ cups of chicken broth to the pan and brought it all to a boil. I added 2 Tbsp flour to the mushroom liquid instead of 2 Tsp. and mixed well. Once the broth was boiling I added the flour mixture to the broth, stirring constantly and basically made“homemade” gravy. Then I added everything else according to the recipe and poured it into the crust. If you use fresh mushrooms, just add the flour to water…2 Tbsp flour added to ½ cup water).

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.