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!!

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!

On Thursday, Jan. 27th the USDA announced their decision to deregulate genetically modified Roundup Ready alfalfa. As much as it upset me, it really didn’t come as a huge surprise. I know the reality of how things work in our government. According to Food and Water Watch, biotech has spent more than half a billion dollars ($547 million) lobbying congress since 1999. Their lobby expenditures more than doubled during that time. In 2009 alone, they spent $71 Million. Last year they had more than 100 lobbying firms working for them, as well as their own in house lobbyists. Our industry can not compete with that. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click The Link Below To Listen To The Interview With Megan and Mark Talk About The Recent Announcement and the Impact on our Industry (60 Minutes)

KWMR - USDA Approval of GM Alfalfa - What Now!? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday proved to be a walk in the park next to what Friday had in store. After reading an article written by Ronnie Cummins from the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) “The Organic Elite Surrender to Monsanto, what now?”, I was left feeling completely defeated.  I felt defeated because of the division that I knew this could potentially create amongst the organic and natural community. Reading the comments of people calling for a boycott of Whole Foods Markets, Organic Valley and Stonyfield Farms literally left me feeling helpless and disillusioned. A boycott of organizations that have been so dedicated and instrumental in protecting the interests of our entire community. How was this possible?

"A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand"

I love this industry. I love that what we do increases the overall well being of those we serve. I urge you to listen to this interview. The information shared by Megan and Mark will help to clarify the attacks made against these corporations and share how "UNITED" we can make a difference. Peace & Blessings, Joy Schrock President, Berlin Natural Bakery

Dear Berlin Natural Bakery Blog Reader, I hope that you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Thank You to all of those who took advantage of our Alb Gold Pasta Special last month! As the snow begins to fall, and the holidays are upon us, food, family and yummy treats become staples for all of us around this joyful time of year. To help your family celebrate this holiday season with yummy spelt products and a sweet treat, we have put a wonderful December Special together for you...

***December Special***

25% off our Country Made White Spelt Dinner Rolls 25% off our Pumpkin Streusel Spelt Tea bread

*To take advantage of this special please give us a call at 800-686-5334 *Expires: December 31, 2010 *December Special is not valid with any other discounts *FREE ground shipping for purchases of $34 or more I hope that you and your family have a memorable time together as spending time with my family around the holidays is something I enjoy very much! Please know that we appreciate you greatly and that it is an absolute pleasure to serve you. Please let us know if you have any questions, comments or concerns about this special, or any other of our 100% high quality spelt products. Sincerely, Joy Schrock, President Berlin Natural Bakery

Dear Berlin Natural Bakery Blog Reader, The holidays are upon us, and with Thanksgiving right around the corner, we have created a special offer for you that we know you are going to love. In Berlin, which is in the heart of Amish Country, no Thanksgiving meal would be complete without chicken and noodles to complement the mashed potatoes. Perhaps you would prefer a delicious pasta salad for a side dish. Or you may want to make use of your leftover turkey by preparing a flavorful pot of turkey noodle soup or scrumptious turkey tetrazzini. Whatever your family enjoys, we decided to help you with your preparations by discounting our Alb Gold Spelt Pasta Line. Here are the details for the special: ***SPECIAL*** ---Buy ANY 3 Alb Gold Pasta Products and GET ONE FREE*--- To take advantage of the Alb Gold Spelt Pasta special please call: 800-686-5334 See All Alb Gold Products Here http://budurl.com/AlbGold (REMINDER: Don’t Order On The Website, To Get The Discount You Must Call In) Special offer expires November 30th, 2010 As Always Orders of $34 or more qualify for free UPS ground shipping Alb Gold's Pasta is made from the same spelt grain that is in all of our spelt bread products. This ensures that the product is of the highest quality, and is something you and your family will absolutely love. SPECIAL NOTE: If you would like your order to arrive before Thanksgiving Day, please place your order before Monday November 22nd. We hope you and your family have an amazing Thanksgiving, and would like to let you know how much we appreciate you and your business. Have a wonderful rest of the week! Sincerely, Joy Schrock Berlin Natural Bakery - President