Questions and Answers

As promised a couple of weeks ago, here are some of your questions.  I will try to answer them the best I can.

Do you start with dry lentils and cook up a batch or how do you cook them? 

I cook the lentils by following the directions on the back of the bag.  Basically you cover them with water, I like to add about a teaspoon of salt, bring them to a boil, and then simmer until they are tender. This takes about 20-30 minutes.  I drain them before adding them to the other ingredients in my Lentil Loaf recipe.  (It really should be called Baked Lentils---it doesn't make a loaf that you could slice).  For lentil soup, I just put the dried lentils in the crock pot or big stock pot, cover with water or vegetable broth, add seasonings and a chopped onion, and cook until thick and tender.  Lentils are really easy to cook.  They do not require any presoaking, and the cook in about half an hour.

How do you grind your corn? Do you use your mill? 

I ground the corn using my NutriMill.  With a little bit of trial and error, I figured out the best way to do it.  I added the corn slowly, about 1 cup at a time.  With wheat berries, I just fill up the hopper and turn it on.  The corn has to be added slowly to insure a quick flow.

Can you post your bread and bagel recipe? 

Here is the link to my bread recipe: Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

I'll have to type the bagel recipe later.....Julie always makes the bagels.  She is not here, and I am not sure which recipe she uses and what modifications she makes.  I will share it soon!

What do you use to slice your bread? 

An electric knife.  It slices better if the bread is cooled.

I have read that, too, Roan, about reusing the plastic bottles. What I don't understand is why, if refilling and reusing causes cancer, don't they cause cancer in the first place?

I actually did a little bit more internet research on this topic.  This is what I found several sources saying.  So even though reusing plastic water bottles do not appear to cause cancer, I know that buying multiple water bottles and discarding them each day (even recycling them), can not be good for our environment.  So, I am happy with the Rubbermaid water bottles that I bought.

Do you still have a link for your instructions for marking your bible?

Here is the link to the blog and the articles which show how to do this.  I have not completed this marking.  In fact, I think I may put that on my summer list! 

I was wondering specifically which curriculum you purchase/use with IEW, I've looked at their stuff a few times and have been thinking about starting using some of their curriculum.

These are the IEW products I have used in the past:

• SWI A (with Olivia, Julie, and Clay)
• The Elegant Essay (with Olivia and Julie)
• Medieval History (with Olivia)
• Life Science (with Julie)
• All Things Fun and Fascinating (with Clay)
• The TWI handbook to make up my own lessons

Next year I plan to use SWI or SWCC B or C course with Clay.  Leah will do SWI A, and Julie will do the American History book.  I really like IEW.

Ok, that's all the questions from the past few weeks.  If you have any more questions (that you think I can answer!), please leave them in the comment box.