PROBIOTICS for you and your chickens

[Germaine_11.20]

Actually I was told that it was no issue to let them rest in water for days. I believe it was in the main site and if I can find it I will reprint it for you.

Mine actually started growing when I did that while they hadn't before. And fortunately my water has no chlorine. I am very careful about using only my well water or spring water to rinse.

All I can say is if you have a few extra grains, try it. I think you will get the same results.

Thank you for the information on the orangish bloom. I was worrried. Now I wish I had tried the kefir! It also had kind of spider webbish strings as I seperated them.

Yep I need to go to the main site.

EDITED: I have taken a quick look and can't find where it said that so I would advise you to NOT put them in water. I will continue to do so but I don't want yours to suffer.

They do look a bit starved when I take them out and it is possible I am destroying the important parts of it. I had better get to reading

 

[Germaine_11.20]

I took some pictures of the way I have been making the Kefir and wanted to show the difference between the "floater" jar and the non floater jar. Both were completely fine today but different.

Does anyone else have these "flat" kefir grains and I read that I should remove the mother grains every week. How do I know what the mother grains look like.

Also, someone said to pull apart the big grains. Is this correct? Sorry for all the questions.

The first jar is the floater jar (the third little one is to give away)

Top view

Grains

Top view of second jar

Flat grains ???? Should I get rid of these or pull them apart? Or leave them alone?

 

[Ukyou]

a long time ago I was asked for my recipe for red velvet cake with beets and I just refound it.

Traditional Red Velvet Cake Recipe ( made with beets)

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 c pureed cooked beets {poke holes in the beets and bake at 350 till tender. Then peel and puree.}
2 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup buttermilk (or kefir)
2 tsp. cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees .
Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
Melt chocolate in double boiler and set aside .{alternate: melt in microwave safe dish, nuke at 50% power for 1 minute intervals, stir between intervals}
Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
In a bowl beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate. In four steps, alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk mixed with vinegar , beginning and ending with flour. Beat until incorporated. Add pureed beets and mix until well blended.Divide the batter between the pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean and top of cake springs back when lightly pressed.
Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes and invert onto racks to cool completely.
To Make 4 layers:
Carefully slice each layer in half when cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting
16 oz cold cream cheese1/2 c unsalted butter, softened1 Tbs vanillaConfectioners sugar (about 6-8 cups)
Beat cream cheese with softened butter and vanilla until combined. Gradually add 2 c. powdered sugar . Continue to add more powdered sugar until you reach a good consistency for spreading.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

That looks wonderful, I will make that. I would never make the one that uses all that food coloring. I am not sure how you slice your layers but I find that a very long piece of thread works great. wrap it around the circumference of the cake and gently pull it through watching that you are keeping the thread at the correct level . Hard to understand at first but it works great.

 

[emarble]

Quote:
I love the sounds of that and the cream cheese frosting sounds to die for and I will make this one using the Kefir! I am back in the Pink again so to speak! I was in bad shape their for a while with the hip that was out due to all the snow and Ice we have had here in the midwest this year! I am not fond of Doctor profession but finally had to give in and go! Got a cortizone shot in the backside and 3 weeks of muscle relaxors and 1 week of steriods but kept diligent about using my kefir daily and Kombucha daily! At 57 I just dont seem to bounce back as quick as usual! But all said and done I am back working out 4 days a week and getting everything back in order after the winter we have had! I am so ready to see sun shine and warm weather and put my garden in so I can start fermenting vegatables! I am going to fix up one of the back rooms so i can dedicate it to nothing but fermenting and my other little experiments! We have not used 3 of the rooms since the kids left home so I am going to make good use of one of them!!

So that said How have all my Kefie Krazies been recently! I have kept up with the forum but have not been commenting as much as normal! I see a few new faces out there and wish to say welcome! I am going to get back to experimenting and trying new things with the Kefir! But in my experience the best thing I have found and I like is to comsume it right after it was strained or let it sit in the Fridge for two days to thicken more and then drink it like that! All that said the best way is HOW YOU like to drink it! It is in the eye of the beholder!

Ernie

 

[vmdanielsen]

Quote:
Ukyou,
Have copied and printed the recipe. It will be the next cake I bake. t Thank you,\\Ginny

 

[vmdanielsen]

Quote:
I love the sounds of that and the cream cheese frosting sounds to die for and I will make this one using the Kefir! I am back in the Pink again so to speak! I was in bad shape their for a while with the hip that was out due to all the snow and Ice we have had here in the midwest this year! I am not fond of Doctor profession but finally had to give in and go! Got a cortizone shot in the backside and 3 weeks of muscle relaxors and 1 week of steriods but kept diligent about using my kefir daily and Kombucha daily! At 57 I just dont seem to bounce back as quick as usual! But all said and done I am back working out 4 days a week and getting everything back in order after the winter we have had! I am so ready to see sun shine and warm weather and put my garden in so I can start fermenting vegatables! I am going to fix up one of the back rooms so i can dedicate it to nothing but fermenting and my other little experiments! We have not used 3 of the rooms since the kids left home so I am going to make good use of one of them!!

So that said How have all my Kefie Krazies been recently! I have kept up with the forum but have not been commenting as much as normal! I see a few new faces out there and wish to say welcome! I am going to get back to experimenting and trying new things with the Kefir! But in my experience the best thing I have found and I like is to comsume it right after it was strained or let it sit in the Fridge for two days to thicken more and then drink it like that! All that said the best way is HOW YOU like to drink it! It is in the eye of the beholder!

Ernie

Good to have you back Ernie, hope you continue to heal,
ginny

 

[tom e]

Hey folks! I have just made/ or am now making my first batch. I'm wondering what the texture should be like when done? Mine now tastes quite nice- a little tart, but still milky. The texture is basically like milk, but with some smallish curds floating. Is that 'done' or is 'done' just a matter of taste?
Thanks!
Tom

 

[tom e]

Another question:
What do you do when you're out of milk? Don't want to starve these guys-
Maybe put them on a little finished kefir?

 

[vmdanielsen]

Quote:
done is a matter of taste!! Just remember to strain out your grains so you can start the next batch. After staining I I let mine sit another day (or two) so it can thicken, I want to my nieces B-day party today and ate too much. For the 2 hour ride home all I could think about was getting some kefir into me. I poured kefir into a glass with a little maple syrup and YYUUMMM!!! quick and easy supper!!