I think that this one was in the latest Rachel Ray Mag. My sister-in-law, Gwen has tried it and swears it is great. I purchased the stuff today and will likely try it before the day is out. I made us a good size meat loaf and Escalloped Potatoes for lunch. I tried the meat loaf with some added cheddar cheese mixed in and it makes it really good. Moister and more flavor.
Oatmeal Cranberry w/White Chocolate Cookies
Rachel Ray Fall 2009
2/3 C. softened butter
2/3 C. Brown Sugar
2 Lrg. eggs
1 1/2 C. old fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 C. flour
6 oz. Craisins
2/3 C. white chocolate morsels
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Not sure if Rachel or I missed the vanilla, salt, baking powder here but I have it on there now and it makes a difference.
375 F for 10-12 minutes.
Try it and see if it something you like. Don't be afraid of Cranberries. Dried they are really tasty out of hand, in a salad or baked in scones and cookies as well as breads.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Beef and Cremini Mushroom French Onion Soup
How is everyone?
It sure is getting cold these days and the weekend brought a real frost. My sweet basil is done for so I should dig my rosemary before it is done for as well. We spent the weekend with Mom and it was great to see her feeling a bit better. At 83 she is slowing down but they had her on some med's that seemed to be dragging her to her knees. The doctor put her on a halter monitor and things were fine with her heart, that you, Lord. So Dr. Wagner took her off of part of the propraninal that she was taking. She is feeling better and her stamina is improving. Her voice is even stronger today.
As always going to see Mom is a cooking time and trying new things. I made Cheddar Potato Soup while we were there and I made a pot of soup that I found the recipe for in Hy-Vee's Seasons Mag. It was quite good and thought that you might like to try it. I really like French Onion Soup and I love beef so this one was a winner all the way around for me.
Beef and Cremini Mushroom French Onion Soup
from Hy-Vee's Seasons Mag. Fall 2009
1 Tbsp. olive oil
12 oz. trimmed stew beef (I would use a nice piece of sirloin, if were you, cut in bite sized pieces, as it was Mom had a Hormel prepackaged sirloin tips in au' gue that she wanted me to try and it was really good using pre packaged meat and gravy)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 lrg. yellow onions, peels and thinly sliced
1 C. sliced fresh cremini or baby bella mushroon (Hy-Vee didn't have the cremini so I went with the sliced baby bellas)
5 C. beef broth (if you like I think that if you used 3 cups of beef Stock and 2 of broth it would be a bit richer)
1/2 C. dry red wine (Mom doesn't do wine at all so I used the liquid from the prepackaged entry for this liquid and didn't really miss the wine at all)
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (I used the Lea and Perkin's thick , this time)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. thyme (choose fresh and it was wonderful)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
6 3/4 inch slices of French baguette bread (I chose to used Italian bread)
1/2 C. finely shredded gruyere or Swiss cheese
Heat the oil in a 4 quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the beef cubes and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned. Remove beef from the Dutch oven: reserve dripping in the pan and set aside beef. Add butter to the drippings and heat over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, covered 5 minutes more or until onions are golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in the beef, broth, wine, Worcestershire, bay leaf, thyme and pepper: reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Meanwhile, place the slices of bread on a baking sheet. Divide the cheese evenly and top each slice. Heat for a few moments under the broiler (be careful, this step doesn't take long at all and the crusty bread burns easily) Ladle the soup in to bowls and top with a slice of the cheese toasted bread.
6 servings
This one is a keeper.
Enjoy and talk to you again soon.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
It sure is getting cold these days and the weekend brought a real frost. My sweet basil is done for so I should dig my rosemary before it is done for as well. We spent the weekend with Mom and it was great to see her feeling a bit better. At 83 she is slowing down but they had her on some med's that seemed to be dragging her to her knees. The doctor put her on a halter monitor and things were fine with her heart, that you, Lord. So Dr. Wagner took her off of part of the propraninal that she was taking. She is feeling better and her stamina is improving. Her voice is even stronger today.
As always going to see Mom is a cooking time and trying new things. I made Cheddar Potato Soup while we were there and I made a pot of soup that I found the recipe for in Hy-Vee's Seasons Mag. It was quite good and thought that you might like to try it. I really like French Onion Soup and I love beef so this one was a winner all the way around for me.
Beef and Cremini Mushroom French Onion Soup
from Hy-Vee's Seasons Mag. Fall 2009
1 Tbsp. olive oil
12 oz. trimmed stew beef (I would use a nice piece of sirloin, if were you, cut in bite sized pieces, as it was Mom had a Hormel prepackaged sirloin tips in au' gue that she wanted me to try and it was really good using pre packaged meat and gravy)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 lrg. yellow onions, peels and thinly sliced
1 C. sliced fresh cremini or baby bella mushroon (Hy-Vee didn't have the cremini so I went with the sliced baby bellas)
5 C. beef broth (if you like I think that if you used 3 cups of beef Stock and 2 of broth it would be a bit richer)
1/2 C. dry red wine (Mom doesn't do wine at all so I used the liquid from the prepackaged entry for this liquid and didn't really miss the wine at all)
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (I used the Lea and Perkin's thick , this time)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. thyme (choose fresh and it was wonderful)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
6 3/4 inch slices of French baguette bread (I chose to used Italian bread)
1/2 C. finely shredded gruyere or Swiss cheese
Heat the oil in a 4 quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the beef cubes and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned. Remove beef from the Dutch oven: reserve dripping in the pan and set aside beef. Add butter to the drippings and heat over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, covered 5 minutes more or until onions are golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in the beef, broth, wine, Worcestershire, bay leaf, thyme and pepper: reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Meanwhile, place the slices of bread on a baking sheet. Divide the cheese evenly and top each slice. Heat for a few moments under the broiler (be careful, this step doesn't take long at all and the crusty bread burns easily) Ladle the soup in to bowls and top with a slice of the cheese toasted bread.
6 servings
This one is a keeper.
Enjoy and talk to you again soon.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Golden Squash Soup
I don't think that I have shared this one with you to this point. The original recipe called for leeks but onions will work. I have made a few other changes that I will tell you as you progress through this. The recipe came from Taste of Home Mag. in October of 2007. Making it the way the recipe is written is very labor intensive and I think that it has better flavor doing it my way because anytime that you roast a veggie the flavor is far better than if you boil it even if you boil it in chicken broth. Here we go:
5 med. leeks, white portion only, cleaned and thinly sliced (you can use a medium onion if you can't find leeks, they are kind of seasonal in some areas)
2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 pound butternut squash, peal, seeded and cubed (here I prefer to cut the squash in half, seed it and them bake cut side down on baking sheet for about and hour at 350F or until it is fork tender when pierced. When it have it baked, I then scrape the flesh from the skin and proceed the rest of the way as described)
4 C. chicken broth
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 3/4 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 C. sour cream
2 tbsp. chives, chopped
In a large sauce pan, saute leeks in butter until tender. Stir in the cubed squash, broth, thyme, and pepper. ( I would just put the roasted squash in the broth and seasoning and bring to a boil.)
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is tender (10-15 minute). Cool slightly.
In a blender, cover and process the squash mixture in batches until smooth: (BE CAREFUL HERE HOT THINGS IN BLENDER SOMETIMES BLOW THE TOP OF THE BLENDER AND BURN YOU) Return the now pureed mixture back to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese; stir until soup is heated through and cheese is melted. Garnish with the sour cream and chives. (I like to add about 1/2 C. of sour cream to the pot when I add the cheese, as well.)
When Den was recovering from his ulcers in the esophagus this was one of his favorite soft foods.
God Bless,
Linda
5 med. leeks, white portion only, cleaned and thinly sliced (you can use a medium onion if you can't find leeks, they are kind of seasonal in some areas)
2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 pound butternut squash, peal, seeded and cubed (here I prefer to cut the squash in half, seed it and them bake cut side down on baking sheet for about and hour at 350F or until it is fork tender when pierced. When it have it baked, I then scrape the flesh from the skin and proceed the rest of the way as described)
4 C. chicken broth
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 3/4 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 C. sour cream
2 tbsp. chives, chopped
In a large sauce pan, saute leeks in butter until tender. Stir in the cubed squash, broth, thyme, and pepper. ( I would just put the roasted squash in the broth and seasoning and bring to a boil.)
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is tender (10-15 minute). Cool slightly.
In a blender, cover and process the squash mixture in batches until smooth: (BE CAREFUL HERE HOT THINGS IN BLENDER SOMETIMES BLOW THE TOP OF THE BLENDER AND BURN YOU) Return the now pureed mixture back to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese; stir until soup is heated through and cheese is melted. Garnish with the sour cream and chives. (I like to add about 1/2 C. of sour cream to the pot when I add the cheese, as well.)
When Den was recovering from his ulcers in the esophagus this was one of his favorite soft foods.
God Bless,
Linda
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Meg's Scalloped Potatoes
This next one is from a recipe book that I picked up in Petosky, Mich. many years ago and called Mrs. Chard's Almanac Cookbook, Hollyhocks and Radishes, page 119
Meg's Scalloped Potatoes
Serves 8
8 med potatoes unpeeled
1 small to medium onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. butter
12 oz. grated sharp cheddar
3/4 C. milk
1/2 C. Chicken Broth
2 tbsp. soy sauce (this I left out as Den is allergic) (I use a tsp. of Penzey's Murel of Flavor)
2 tbsp. chopped parsley (right out the herb bed next to the back door)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Spray you 3 qt. baking dish with PAM. Scrub, then thinly slice the potatoes into the baking dish. Layer with the onion and dot with 3 tbsp. butter. Cover with the cheese.
Combine the rest of the ingredients, pour over the top of the potatoes
Cover with foil and bake at 350F for 1.5 hours.
IN the MEAN TIME:
Combine
1/2 C. bread crumbs
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Remove the foil and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top and back into the oven for 10 more minutes.
Meg's Scalloped Potatoes
Serves 8
8 med potatoes unpeeled
1 small to medium onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. butter
12 oz. grated sharp cheddar
3/4 C. milk
1/2 C. Chicken Broth
2 tbsp. soy sauce (this I left out as Den is allergic) (I use a tsp. of Penzey's Murel of Flavor)
2 tbsp. chopped parsley (right out the herb bed next to the back door)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Spray you 3 qt. baking dish with PAM. Scrub, then thinly slice the potatoes into the baking dish. Layer with the onion and dot with 3 tbsp. butter. Cover with the cheese.
Combine the rest of the ingredients, pour over the top of the potatoes
Cover with foil and bake at 350F for 1.5 hours.
IN the MEAN TIME:
Combine
1/2 C. bread crumbs
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Remove the foil and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top and back into the oven for 10 more minutes.
Betty's Apple Raspberry Pie
Crust:
3 C. flour (remember that this is not bread and what you want is something that will give you a light flaky crust, so don't reach for the Robin Hood, OK. Gold Metal All Purpose if just fine for this)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder (using Baking Powder in your pie crust serves a couple of purposes, the bottom crust will not be soggy and it adds flakiness to entire crust)
1 tsp. sugar
1 C. Lard, chilled
1/2 C. Ice Water
I use my food processor for making my pie crust, lazy, maybe but it sure does cut the time in half. Combine the first 4 ingredients in the bowl of the food processor and whiz it just a bit to blend. Add in the chilled lard, cut into cubes and process to a course meal stage. Add in the ice water and process until it forms a ball of dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface or a lightly floured pastry cloth. Work to form 3 equal balls of dough (good for 3 single crusted pies) or I usually divide the dough in half and make a double crusted pie. The three will make a very thin crust and we kind of like the wee bit thicker for handling purposes.
Filling:
6 C. Apples, pared and sliced
1 1/4 C. sugar
1/3 C. flour
3/4 C. raspberries
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Mix gentlely but well and put in a prepare pie shell. Dot the top of the filling with a couple dabs of butter (this makes the favors move around you mouth easier)
From here you can do a crumb topping or roll out one more of the pie crust dough balls and fashion your top crust. If you are making a two layer crusted pie, don't forget to seal your edges before you flute. Bake as you would any apple pie, for me that is 425F for 45 minutes.
French Crumb Topping;
1/2 C. butter, softened
1 C. flour
3/4 C. sugar
3 C. flour (remember that this is not bread and what you want is something that will give you a light flaky crust, so don't reach for the Robin Hood, OK. Gold Metal All Purpose if just fine for this)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder (using Baking Powder in your pie crust serves a couple of purposes, the bottom crust will not be soggy and it adds flakiness to entire crust)
1 tsp. sugar
1 C. Lard, chilled
1/2 C. Ice Water
I use my food processor for making my pie crust, lazy, maybe but it sure does cut the time in half. Combine the first 4 ingredients in the bowl of the food processor and whiz it just a bit to blend. Add in the chilled lard, cut into cubes and process to a course meal stage. Add in the ice water and process until it forms a ball of dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface or a lightly floured pastry cloth. Work to form 3 equal balls of dough (good for 3 single crusted pies) or I usually divide the dough in half and make a double crusted pie. The three will make a very thin crust and we kind of like the wee bit thicker for handling purposes.
Filling:
6 C. Apples, pared and sliced
1 1/4 C. sugar
1/3 C. flour
3/4 C. raspberries
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Mix gentlely but well and put in a prepare pie shell. Dot the top of the filling with a couple dabs of butter (this makes the favors move around you mouth easier)
From here you can do a crumb topping or roll out one more of the pie crust dough balls and fashion your top crust. If you are making a two layer crusted pie, don't forget to seal your edges before you flute. Bake as you would any apple pie, for me that is 425F for 45 minutes.
French Crumb Topping;
1/2 C. butter, softened
1 C. flour
3/4 C. sugar
Monday, July 20, 2009
Lazy Peach Pie
Lazy Peach Pie
A standard, for me that is a 9.5" pie, crust for a double crusted pie. Spray your pie pan and place the bottom crust in the pan.
Now is where the lazy part comes in.
2 large can sliced peaches, drained (I used Mission Pride which is a local store brand)
Pour the drained peaches in a large bowl.
Add in:
1/2 C. sugar (these peaches were in heavy syrup so you don't need much)
1/2 C. corn starch
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I always add about 8 good twists from my cinnamon mill as well)
1/4 tsp. or a smidgen more of fresh grated nutmeg
1 tsp. real vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. real almond extract
a tiny bit of salt
Mix this well but gently so you don't tear the peach slices to pieces. Pour into the prepared bottom crust. Dot the top of the fruit filling with a couple dabs of butter. Roll out and decorate the top crust and put it in place. Seal and flute the edges.
Bake at 425F for 45 minutes and you have yourself a very pretty and tasty Lazy Peach Pie. Give it a whirl and see how you like it.
A standard, for me that is a 9.5" pie, crust for a double crusted pie. Spray your pie pan and place the bottom crust in the pan.
Now is where the lazy part comes in.
2 large can sliced peaches, drained (I used Mission Pride which is a local store brand)
Pour the drained peaches in a large bowl.
Add in:
1/2 C. sugar (these peaches were in heavy syrup so you don't need much)
1/2 C. corn starch
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I always add about 8 good twists from my cinnamon mill as well)
1/4 tsp. or a smidgen more of fresh grated nutmeg
1 tsp. real vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. real almond extract
a tiny bit of salt
Mix this well but gently so you don't tear the peach slices to pieces. Pour into the prepared bottom crust. Dot the top of the fruit filling with a couple dabs of butter. Roll out and decorate the top crust and put it in place. Seal and flute the edges.
Bake at 425F for 45 minutes and you have yourself a very pretty and tasty Lazy Peach Pie. Give it a whirl and see how you like it.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Aunt Glynn's Chewy Cake (Paula Deene)
1 # light brown sugar
2 C. self rising flour (regular flour + 3 tsp. baking powder and 1 tsp. salt)
1/2 C. butter
3 eggs, beaten slightly
1 C. flake coconut
2 C. pecans, chopped
1 C. chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix it all up and pour into a 9x13 greased baking pan. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes
2 C. self rising flour (regular flour + 3 tsp. baking powder and 1 tsp. salt)
1/2 C. butter
3 eggs, beaten slightly
1 C. flake coconut
2 C. pecans, chopped
1 C. chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix it all up and pour into a 9x13 greased baking pan. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes
Sauteed Asparagus and Mushrooms
2 tbsp. EVOO
2 cloves of garlic, minced (about 1 tsp. for the jar in the frig.)
10 oz. mushrooms, you can mix them up, if they are available I would definitely mix button with shitake and portabella.
1 # fresh asparagus, trimmed and washed
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until tender (about 30 seconds). Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Add the asparagus, cover and cook for 5 additional minutes. Sprinkle with lemon zest and serve.
I love fresh asparagus almost anyway it is cooked or not.
2 cloves of garlic, minced (about 1 tsp. for the jar in the frig.)
10 oz. mushrooms, you can mix them up, if they are available I would definitely mix button with shitake and portabella.
1 # fresh asparagus, trimmed and washed
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until tender (about 30 seconds). Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Add the asparagus, cover and cook for 5 additional minutes. Sprinkle with lemon zest and serve.
I love fresh asparagus almost anyway it is cooked or not.
Oreo Cookie Balls
1 pkg. Oreo cookies, crushed or ground in the food processor (tip here, don't used the "Double Stuffed" for this, OK)
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
Mix the crushed cookies and the cream cheese together using your hands (ick). Form into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Refrigerate until very cold (I would suggest 4 hours).
Melt white chocolate or almond bark. Dip the balls in the melted chocolate and arrange on a parchment paper lined tray. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
Mix the crushed cookies and the cream cheese together using your hands (ick). Form into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Refrigerate until very cold (I would suggest 4 hours).
Melt white chocolate or almond bark. Dip the balls in the melted chocolate and arrange on a parchment paper lined tray. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
Chocolate Cream Cake
You start with a moist boxed chocolate cake mix. Not a fudge or devils food, make it one of the milk chocolate or German chocolate one. Make it per the box directions and bake it in 3 8 inch round layer cake pans per directions. Don't worry, there is enough batter.
When the layers are cooled and out of the pans you need to make this really great frosting for it. Sorry but this isn't to dietetic.
2 C. heavy cream
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2/3 C. light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whip the cream until quite stiff but be careful that you don't get butter, OK, sometimes a bit of powdered sugar added while you are whipping it keeps that at bay. Anyway, whip the cream and set it in the frig while you work the rest.
Cream the brown sugar and cream cheese together until well blended and smooth.
Add the vanilla.
Blend the cream cheese mixture and the whipped cream and frost you cake.
Betty always tops the cake with some crushed Heath bar and shaved chocolate.
When the layers are cooled and out of the pans you need to make this really great frosting for it. Sorry but this isn't to dietetic.
2 C. heavy cream
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2/3 C. light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whip the cream until quite stiff but be careful that you don't get butter, OK, sometimes a bit of powdered sugar added while you are whipping it keeps that at bay. Anyway, whip the cream and set it in the frig while you work the rest.
Cream the brown sugar and cream cheese together until well blended and smooth.
Add the vanilla.
Blend the cream cheese mixture and the whipped cream and frost you cake.
Betty always tops the cake with some crushed Heath bar and shaved chocolate.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Short Cake
Carolyn also shared this one with me. She has even gifted with this wonderful shortcake for friend and coworkers.
Short Cake
2 C. flour
1 C. sugar
1 stick or butter or margarine
Mix together and reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture for future use.
Add:
dash of salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2-3/4 C. milk (you want a thick batter so work accordingly)
I believe that she indicated that reserved mixture should be sprinkled over the top of the spread dough in the pan to form kind of a crumb topping.
Bake in 8x8 or 9x9 pan. If you double it use a 9x13
350F 30-35 minutes
Happy munching!!!!! Thanks, Carolyn!!!!!!
God Bless,
Linda
Short Cake
2 C. flour
1 C. sugar
1 stick or butter or margarine
Mix together and reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture for future use.
Add:
dash of salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2-3/4 C. milk (you want a thick batter so work accordingly)
I believe that she indicated that reserved mixture should be sprinkled over the top of the spread dough in the pan to form kind of a crumb topping.
Bake in 8x8 or 9x9 pan. If you double it use a 9x13
350F 30-35 minutes
Happy munching!!!!! Thanks, Carolyn!!!!!!
God Bless,
Linda
Peach Cobbler
While at a Bowman family reunion last Saturday I met relatives that I have never met before. Maybe that is because I had not been to one of these reunions since I as very young because of time and space, I am sure. Carolyn Bowman brought a peach cobbler that went very quickly once the initial serving was samples (why is that, no one wants to be the first to "dig in"). She has sent it to me and will take having done that bit of sharing it will be OK to share it with you all at large.
1 lrg. can sliced peaches, thickened a bit)
Topping:
1 stick of butter or margarine, melted
Add:
1 C. flour
1 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 C. milk
Mix together and pour over the peaches or any other type of fruit that you would like.
Bake 350F for 45 - 60 minutes
Happy munching!!!!!! Thanks Carolyn!!!!!!
God Bless,
Linda
1 lrg. can sliced peaches, thickened a bit)
Topping:
1 stick of butter or margarine, melted
Add:
1 C. flour
1 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 C. milk
Mix together and pour over the peaches or any other type of fruit that you would like.
Bake 350F for 45 - 60 minutes
Happy munching!!!!!! Thanks Carolyn!!!!!!
God Bless,
Linda
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Pie Crust
I have almost always made the good old fashion Betty Crocker recipe almost verbatim which is about the way that I use any recipe. To me a recipe is a living thing and changes as you grow accustom to using it and find way to adapt it. I was given this one by a friend and I think that I like it. It handles just a bit differently from the old stand by but bakes a really nice pie and even in a metal pan, which I hardly ever use, does remarkably well. This makes a double crusted 9.5 or 10" pie crust.
3 C. Gold Metal or other low gluten flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 C. cold lard
1/4 C. Ice water
I love my food processor for making pie crust and mine is a 7 cup Cuisinart. I put the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in the bowl and pulse a couple of times to mix them well.
Cut the lard into chunks and feed them in with the machine running or using a pastry cutter blend them to a coarse meal stage.
I blend the water in a bit at a time and if it doesn't seem to hold together, add a bit more a few drops at a time until you get to the stage that the product holds together.
Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling it out in to make your pie.
There are some things to remember when making a pie crust.
Flour like Robin Hood or Gold Metal Better For Bread flours are very rich in wheat gluten. This is the stuff that makes it stick together and hold it's body when you are making breads. Great flours for bread. Keep it around for just that.
Gold Metal All Purpose flour is not as rich in the gluten and there for makes a lighter, fluffier product. Great for quick breads, like Pumpkin Bread, or pie crust that you want to be tender and flaky.
I use lard because I have almost always used lard. It is what I learn to make pies with and find that the product tastes better than when I have used Crisco. Add to that the fact that Crisco and most other hydrogenated shortening are soy based, I can't use them as my husband has a topical reaction to soy products (they make him itch and the older he gets the worse it gets).
Betty tells me that the Baking Powder in the crust helps the bottoms from being soggy with fruit pies. Her pies never last long enough to get soggy.
On a fruit pie don't forget to dot the top of the fruit with a bit of butter before adding the top crust.
Stone fruit pies (cherry, peach, apricot, plum) get 1/4 tsp. almond extract added to the usual spices
All fruit pies should be tuned up with
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Apple pies will have that old fashion flavor is you a 1/4 tsp. cardamon to the mix.
I have been making pies on the grill again this year and they turn out so pretty and don't heat up the house. I wowed some friend camping over Memorial Day weekend by baking a cherry pie on my Weber Kettle grill. Came out pretty as a picture.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
3 C. Gold Metal or other low gluten flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 C. cold lard
1/4 C. Ice water
I love my food processor for making pie crust and mine is a 7 cup Cuisinart. I put the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in the bowl and pulse a couple of times to mix them well.
Cut the lard into chunks and feed them in with the machine running or using a pastry cutter blend them to a coarse meal stage.
I blend the water in a bit at a time and if it doesn't seem to hold together, add a bit more a few drops at a time until you get to the stage that the product holds together.
Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling it out in to make your pie.
There are some things to remember when making a pie crust.
Flour like Robin Hood or Gold Metal Better For Bread flours are very rich in wheat gluten. This is the stuff that makes it stick together and hold it's body when you are making breads. Great flours for bread. Keep it around for just that.
Gold Metal All Purpose flour is not as rich in the gluten and there for makes a lighter, fluffier product. Great for quick breads, like Pumpkin Bread, or pie crust that you want to be tender and flaky.
I use lard because I have almost always used lard. It is what I learn to make pies with and find that the product tastes better than when I have used Crisco. Add to that the fact that Crisco and most other hydrogenated shortening are soy based, I can't use them as my husband has a topical reaction to soy products (they make him itch and the older he gets the worse it gets).
Betty tells me that the Baking Powder in the crust helps the bottoms from being soggy with fruit pies. Her pies never last long enough to get soggy.
On a fruit pie don't forget to dot the top of the fruit with a bit of butter before adding the top crust.
Stone fruit pies (cherry, peach, apricot, plum) get 1/4 tsp. almond extract added to the usual spices
All fruit pies should be tuned up with
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Apple pies will have that old fashion flavor is you a 1/4 tsp. cardamon to the mix.
I have been making pies on the grill again this year and they turn out so pretty and don't heat up the house. I wowed some friend camping over Memorial Day weekend by baking a cherry pie on my Weber Kettle grill. Came out pretty as a picture.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Cheddar and Stout Soup
I am about ready to pack this day in. This time next week, I should have had my eyes examined and have some idea of when I should start seeing better. Reading just kind of wears me out lately and I think it is because my glasses need to be changed. Believe me, it has been a few years since these were issued.
A couple of week ago Den and I stopped at Granite City Brewery and had a late lunch/ early dinner on our way back from Riemann Gardens. Den had some soup that was really excellent. I think that I have found a recipe that I can work with to get close to the Cheddar Stout soup that he had that day. Allrecipes offered this and I expect that I will make it as directed the first time at least. Thought maybe some of you would like to give it a try and make some suggestions. Maybe not, but we shall give it a go.
Dark Beer Cheese Soup (Allrecipes.com 6/15/2009
2 potatoes, chopped or diced (I would scrub well and leave the skins on)
2 medium onions, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 1/2 C. baby carrots (they don't say so but I would chop these if you are chopping everything else)
2 C. cauliflower florets
6 C. water (I would use chicken broth here or at least half chicken broth for the taste)
6 chicken bouillon cubes (this is your salt and plenty of it. don't add any salt to this)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (I would up it to 1 tbsp.)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (16 oz.) package processed cheese (this is Velveeta and another source of a good deal of salt)
2/3 C. Parmesan Cheese
2/3 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (12 oz.) bottle dark beer.
Place the potatoes, onions, celery, carrots and cauliflower in a food processor; puree until smooth. Combine the vegetables mixture, water, bouillon, Worcestershire, pepper and garlic in a large pot over medium heat. Cook until the liquid reduces to about half ( about 90 minutes). Add the processed cheese, Parmesan, cheddar and beer. Heat until the cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately.
It says this make about 8 serving.
Hey, I forgot, we are going to see Angels and Demons, see you all later,
God Bless and Hugs To All,Linda
A couple of week ago Den and I stopped at Granite City Brewery and had a late lunch/ early dinner on our way back from Riemann Gardens. Den had some soup that was really excellent. I think that I have found a recipe that I can work with to get close to the Cheddar Stout soup that he had that day. Allrecipes offered this and I expect that I will make it as directed the first time at least. Thought maybe some of you would like to give it a try and make some suggestions. Maybe not, but we shall give it a go.
Dark Beer Cheese Soup (Allrecipes.com 6/15/2009
2 potatoes, chopped or diced (I would scrub well and leave the skins on)
2 medium onions, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 1/2 C. baby carrots (they don't say so but I would chop these if you are chopping everything else)
2 C. cauliflower florets
6 C. water (I would use chicken broth here or at least half chicken broth for the taste)
6 chicken bouillon cubes (this is your salt and plenty of it. don't add any salt to this)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (I would up it to 1 tbsp.)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (16 oz.) package processed cheese (this is Velveeta and another source of a good deal of salt)
2/3 C. Parmesan Cheese
2/3 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (12 oz.) bottle dark beer.
Place the potatoes, onions, celery, carrots and cauliflower in a food processor; puree until smooth. Combine the vegetables mixture, water, bouillon, Worcestershire, pepper and garlic in a large pot over medium heat. Cook until the liquid reduces to about half ( about 90 minutes). Add the processed cheese, Parmesan, cheddar and beer. Heat until the cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately.
It says this make about 8 serving.
Hey, I forgot, we are going to see Angels and Demons, see you all later,
God Bless and Hugs To All,Linda
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Pumpkin Bread
One of our adventures over the past week or so involved helping a dear friend get back home after she fell and broke her arm while visiting friend in western Wisconsin. We got our friend home, mail picked up and food in the frig but while doing this I found that there was a vibration in the steering wheel of our car. Ava is a 1997 Avalon XLS and she had been my friend since she was 18 months old. The maintenance on this car has been really low but with 190,500 miles on her, she has seen the better part of her life. We will sell her for what ever "as is". She needs struts, tires and alignment. So, among other things last week I went "online shopping" for a replacement for Ava. The internet is a great tool for looking but nothing beats actually driving the unit. Bottom line is we did pretty well on a low mileage 2008 AvalonXL and picked that up yesterday. We have come to love our Toyota products. I know Toyota isn't an American owned car company but by golly it sure employs a great many American with building them, servicing them and selling them so I don't feel too bad about it. The new one is Cassias Pearl. We were expecting a "white" car but it is maroon. Cassias is from the oriental plant that when the leaves are crushed it produces a deep red color. So, Mt. P. we went from Gold to Maroon or burgundy. After letting go of so many dollars Den needed a sweet treat (don't ask, it is a Robertson thing). So, I made him Pumpkin Bread.
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Pumpkin Bread
2 each 9x5x3" loaf pans sprayed with PAM
350F 50-60 minutes
In a large bowl, combine:
3 C. flour (for this kind of baking use Gold Metal as it is lower in gluten than say Robin Hood (better for yeast breads)
1 tsp. salt
2 C. white sugar (you could reduce to 1 cup and use a cup of Splenda here, but for taste sake use some sugar or the Splenda thing isn't that good)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg (again, here I use my micro plane and grate from the whole nutmeg seed, it tastes so much better than the pre-ground)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon (I also add about 1/4-1/2 tsp. of freshly ground cinnamon for the taste)
1/2 tsp. ground all spice
When you have all of that in the bowl, use a wire whisk and blend well. (You can shift it all through a sifter if you want to be a purest about it.)
Add in and mix well:
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 C. Canola oil (corn oil is fine as well, I just don't use "vegetable oil" as it is normally soy based)
4 lrg. eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract (please use the real thing for this, you just put those tasty spices in this, don't you want to taste them? Real Vanilla Extract allows the flavors of your spices to come through like sunshine on a summer morning when you are baking, believe me.)
1/2 C chopped nuts (walnuts or pecan), dusted with a bit of flour can be added if you like
Mix well and pour into 2 prepared loaf pans. Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes. At the 50 mark test it to see how close you are (tooth pick, piece of spaghetti or a cake tester, inserted into the center and comes out clean is your test for being completely baked). Allow to cool on wire racks for 5 minutes or so and then carefully turn the loaves out, setting them up right to cool. I have made pumpkin bread for years and used many different recipes but this one is the one that I like the best.
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It has been a while, I know and I hope that each of you are well and having fun out there. They still print my pieces in the weekly local paper. Will wonders never cease. I think we are going to Cedar Rapids to see a Kernal's game with Craig and Pam, some dear friends who live in CR, this evening. We went once a number of years ago and enjoyed it a great deal. I can't remember who the Kernels are a farm to for but they put on a great show.
Oh, the tomato and eggplant plants are all showing blossoms and I have two cutting off of our spinach. Summer in the Midwest is the best.
God Bless and Hugs To All,Linda
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pumpkin Bread
2 each 9x5x3" loaf pans sprayed with PAM
350F 50-60 minutes
In a large bowl, combine:
3 C. flour (for this kind of baking use Gold Metal as it is lower in gluten than say Robin Hood (better for yeast breads)
1 tsp. salt
2 C. white sugar (you could reduce to 1 cup and use a cup of Splenda here, but for taste sake use some sugar or the Splenda thing isn't that good)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg (again, here I use my micro plane and grate from the whole nutmeg seed, it tastes so much better than the pre-ground)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon (I also add about 1/4-1/2 tsp. of freshly ground cinnamon for the taste)
1/2 tsp. ground all spice
When you have all of that in the bowl, use a wire whisk and blend well. (You can shift it all through a sifter if you want to be a purest about it.)
Add in and mix well:
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 C. Canola oil (corn oil is fine as well, I just don't use "vegetable oil" as it is normally soy based)
4 lrg. eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract (please use the real thing for this, you just put those tasty spices in this, don't you want to taste them? Real Vanilla Extract allows the flavors of your spices to come through like sunshine on a summer morning when you are baking, believe me.)
1/2 C chopped nuts (walnuts or pecan), dusted with a bit of flour can be added if you like
Mix well and pour into 2 prepared loaf pans. Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes. At the 50 mark test it to see how close you are (tooth pick, piece of spaghetti or a cake tester, inserted into the center and comes out clean is your test for being completely baked). Allow to cool on wire racks for 5 minutes or so and then carefully turn the loaves out, setting them up right to cool. I have made pumpkin bread for years and used many different recipes but this one is the one that I like the best.
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It has been a while, I know and I hope that each of you are well and having fun out there. They still print my pieces in the weekly local paper. Will wonders never cease. I think we are going to Cedar Rapids to see a Kernal's game with Craig and Pam, some dear friends who live in CR, this evening. We went once a number of years ago and enjoyed it a great deal. I can't remember who the Kernels are a farm to for but they put on a great show.
Oh, the tomato and eggplant plants are all showing blossoms and I have two cutting off of our spinach. Summer in the Midwest is the best.
God Bless and Hugs To All,Linda
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Breakfast Dish
Hey, good morning out there!!!!!!!!!!
How was your Memorial Day weekend??
We went camping at Nelson Dewey State Park in Wisconsin as you know and had a great time and some great eats. Camp grub can be pretty simple but every once in a while you get to try something that is really so tasty. When we go like we did this past weekend, there are usually a couple of folks that take on the cooking for one meal with everyone taking a turn. One of the thinks that I especially liked was Joyce's Breakfast Dish. It is kind of like a bread pudding in the way it's made but tastes nothing like any bread pudding I have ever eaten. Bare in mind that Joyce and her husband have a big 5th wheel camper with an oven so this wasn't baked out of doors.
Breakfast Dish
from the John Deere cookbook and made by Joyce Mc Carthy
1 # pork sausage, browned, crumbled and drained of grease
9 eggs, slightly beaten
3 C. milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
3 slices of bread, torn into pieces
1 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese (Did you know that cheddar cheese is not yellow naturally? Yep, they add color in the process to make it that color. The things you learn when you go to buy fresh cheese curds.)
1 small can of mushrooms, drained
Mix all together and pour into a greased (or I would use PAM or other non-stick spray) 9x13 baking dish. Cover and refrigerate over night.
Bake uncovered @ 350F for 1 hour.
When this comes out of the oven it will be a bit jiggly, like bread pudding is, this and the way you mix all of this together and let it set for a time is what made me think of bread pudding.
Anyway Joyce allowed this to cool slightly as she toasted some split English muffins. When the muffins were toasted, she cut the egg dish into 12 servings and served 1 serving on each English muffin. Throw in a dish of fresh fruit and cup of hot tea or coffee and you got yourself a hearty breakfast.
Thanks, Joyce for sharing this tasty start to the day.
OH, one other morning Craig and Nancy made quesadillas for everyone. They used flour tortillas and on one side of each one they placed some thinly sliced ham and either Swiss or pepper jack cheese, we got to choose, and then folded the other side of the tortilla over to form a half circle. This was heated on a grill or fry pan until the cheese was melted and the meat heated through. Tasty and simple. Served with juice, fruit and coffee or tea and again we had a feast.
I love the way everyone comes up with a new twist on things and it is always a treat.
Well, time is getting away from me here and I have to be at Betty's at 10:30 and need to gather flowers for plate garnishing so I should let you all go. Have a great day and have some fun.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
How was your Memorial Day weekend??
We went camping at Nelson Dewey State Park in Wisconsin as you know and had a great time and some great eats. Camp grub can be pretty simple but every once in a while you get to try something that is really so tasty. When we go like we did this past weekend, there are usually a couple of folks that take on the cooking for one meal with everyone taking a turn. One of the thinks that I especially liked was Joyce's Breakfast Dish. It is kind of like a bread pudding in the way it's made but tastes nothing like any bread pudding I have ever eaten. Bare in mind that Joyce and her husband have a big 5th wheel camper with an oven so this wasn't baked out of doors.
Breakfast Dish
from the John Deere cookbook and made by Joyce Mc Carthy
1 # pork sausage, browned, crumbled and drained of grease
9 eggs, slightly beaten
3 C. milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
3 slices of bread, torn into pieces
1 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese (Did you know that cheddar cheese is not yellow naturally? Yep, they add color in the process to make it that color. The things you learn when you go to buy fresh cheese curds.)
1 small can of mushrooms, drained
Mix all together and pour into a greased (or I would use PAM or other non-stick spray) 9x13 baking dish. Cover and refrigerate over night.
Bake uncovered @ 350F for 1 hour.
When this comes out of the oven it will be a bit jiggly, like bread pudding is, this and the way you mix all of this together and let it set for a time is what made me think of bread pudding.
Anyway Joyce allowed this to cool slightly as she toasted some split English muffins. When the muffins were toasted, she cut the egg dish into 12 servings and served 1 serving on each English muffin. Throw in a dish of fresh fruit and cup of hot tea or coffee and you got yourself a hearty breakfast.
Thanks, Joyce for sharing this tasty start to the day.
OH, one other morning Craig and Nancy made quesadillas for everyone. They used flour tortillas and on one side of each one they placed some thinly sliced ham and either Swiss or pepper jack cheese, we got to choose, and then folded the other side of the tortilla over to form a half circle. This was heated on a grill or fry pan until the cheese was melted and the meat heated through. Tasty and simple. Served with juice, fruit and coffee or tea and again we had a feast.
I love the way everyone comes up with a new twist on things and it is always a treat.
Well, time is getting away from me here and I have to be at Betty's at 10:30 and need to gather flowers for plate garnishing so I should let you all go. Have a great day and have some fun.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
Monday, May 18, 2009
Cheddar Cheese Pie Crust
3 Cups Sifted flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup chilled lard
¼ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. sugar
3/4 Cup Shredded sharp cheddar
5 Tablespoons Cold water (or more)
Directions
1. To make Cheddar Cheese crust, mix flour, salt and shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheese. Add water gradually and mix lightly with fork to form dough. Divide pastry in halves and roll out one half to fit 9-inch pie pan.
My dad loved his desserts and he loved his dairy products. Maybe that was because growing up they were in short supply, I don't know. However, my husband sometimes has a bit of trouble seeing the vision, so to speak. Dad loved his apple pie with a slice of cheddar cheese. He always said that the sweet of one and the sharp bite of the other were meant for each other. I went on a search for pie crusts that use cheddar in them and found many but this one sounded the best and after giving Betty Kruse a call made some modifications and it is in the oven as I write this. You might like to give it a try. I will say that the cheese changes the way the product handles so just be for warned.
I made my usual 4 cups of fruit apple pie filling used half granny smith and half brayburn. Will let you know how it turns out.
God Bless and Hugs To You All,
Linda
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup chilled lard
¼ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. sugar
3/4 Cup Shredded sharp cheddar
5 Tablespoons Cold water (or more)
Directions
1. To make Cheddar Cheese crust, mix flour, salt and shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheese. Add water gradually and mix lightly with fork to form dough. Divide pastry in halves and roll out one half to fit 9-inch pie pan.
My dad loved his desserts and he loved his dairy products. Maybe that was because growing up they were in short supply, I don't know. However, my husband sometimes has a bit of trouble seeing the vision, so to speak. Dad loved his apple pie with a slice of cheddar cheese. He always said that the sweet of one and the sharp bite of the other were meant for each other. I went on a search for pie crusts that use cheddar in them and found many but this one sounded the best and after giving Betty Kruse a call made some modifications and it is in the oven as I write this. You might like to give it a try. I will say that the cheese changes the way the product handles so just be for warned.
I made my usual 4 cups of fruit apple pie filling used half granny smith and half brayburn. Will let you know how it turns out.
God Bless and Hugs To You All,
Linda
Ronneburg Rhubarb Pie and Ronneburg Cottage Cheese
Hey, everyone. Hope the weather for those in the Midwest has kind of dried out and warmed up a bit.
We took a drive Saturday headed to the Greeley, Iowa fireman's pancake breakfast and a Civil War reenactment over near Elkader. It was windy and there was a frosty bite to the air that made you not want to be out of doors too long with out a good jacket. Saturday was just not our day. Den had the wrong day for the pancake breakfast, that would have been yesterday, Sunday, and we had other plans. So we took off for Elkader only to be told that the man that was organizing things had taken ill and it was cancelled until next year. So we drove into Edgewood and stopped for coffee and a cinnamon roll at Cafe Rose' and visited with Mr. and Mrs. Fudge as we enjoyed our treats.
Sunday worked out better. We took off early for the Amanas and had an early lunch at The Ronneburg Restaurant. The Amana Colonies were settled back in the mid 1800's but some German Lutherans who had fled Germany for religious issues and settled in Ebenezer, New York and soon out grew that area and found a home in the area that we know as the Amana Colonies. The group known as the"Community of True Inspiration" was a communal group to the fullest extent. No one's home had it's own kitchen. In the Amana community the building that is now the Ronneburg was the communal kitchen and dining hall. The communities were very nearly completely self sufficient in every way, requiring and having very little contact with the outside world. Well, being America, that culture was taken over by capitalism and now all of the homes have kitchens and the Ronneburg charges for the food that they provide. Good German fare, by the way.
On the table's placemats they shared a couple the recipes and I thought that I would pass them on to you as well.
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Ronneburg's Old Fashioned Rhubarb Pie
To start you need your favorite single crust ready, prepped and in the pan.
Filling:
4 C. rhubarb, diced
2 eggs
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. milk
1 Tbsp. flour
pinch of salt
Evenly distribute the rhubarb in the pie shell.
In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until thick.
Add milk, flour and salt. Beat until well blended.
Pour over diced rhubarb.
Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until firm in the center
If you are using this recipe to make other fruit pies, reduce the fruit to 3 cups.
I haven't tried this one yet but did have their strawberry/rhubarb pie. The waitress asked me what I thought of it and I told her that she should tell the cook to add a teaspoon each of vanilla and cinnamon and it would be even better. Hey, she asked and I always tell the truth as I see it.
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The other recipe that we picked up was for Ronneburg Cottage Cheese. Now I love good cottage cheese. I don't like it to taste sour or bitter and brands like Land of Lakes, Well's Blue Bunny and Shamrock make the best. Den had never eaten cottage cheese in his life, never. His dad had him convinced that it was something rotten. Yes, and this is the person that delights in Maytag Blue Cheese, now you tell me the logic in all of that reasoning. I think that I will have to roll up my pant legs a bit to get through it. I talked him into trying this and really thinks that I should have it on hand. Being a cottage cheese lover myself, I really liked this one.
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Ronneburg Cottage Cheese
1 16 oz. carton cottage cheese, go for the good stuff, please
1 scallion, chopped and use some of the green (yesterday's had chives in it instead of the scallion which made the taste a bit more subtle. I would say a good tablespoon for the amount of cottage cheese)
2 Tbsp. buttermilk
dash of salt
It had a nice taste and as I said Den liked it and had prior to this point in his 62 years not eaten and swore it was evil rotten stuff.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The point of the trip was the tickets that Den had gotten to see "Always........Patsy Cline" at the Old Creamery Theatre. The show was great. Molly Hammer nailed the tonations and tempo of Patsy Cline. There wasn't a bad seat in the house. Great small theater and yes we enjoyed ourselves.
Well, the washer has stopped and I have a ton of things to get done today, so I should let you all go and talk to you next time.
God Bless and Hugs To All,Linda
We took a drive Saturday headed to the Greeley, Iowa fireman's pancake breakfast and a Civil War reenactment over near Elkader. It was windy and there was a frosty bite to the air that made you not want to be out of doors too long with out a good jacket. Saturday was just not our day. Den had the wrong day for the pancake breakfast, that would have been yesterday, Sunday, and we had other plans. So we took off for Elkader only to be told that the man that was organizing things had taken ill and it was cancelled until next year. So we drove into Edgewood and stopped for coffee and a cinnamon roll at Cafe Rose' and visited with Mr. and Mrs. Fudge as we enjoyed our treats.
Sunday worked out better. We took off early for the Amanas and had an early lunch at The Ronneburg Restaurant. The Amana Colonies were settled back in the mid 1800's but some German Lutherans who had fled Germany for religious issues and settled in Ebenezer, New York and soon out grew that area and found a home in the area that we know as the Amana Colonies. The group known as the"Community of True Inspiration" was a communal group to the fullest extent. No one's home had it's own kitchen. In the Amana community the building that is now the Ronneburg was the communal kitchen and dining hall. The communities were very nearly completely self sufficient in every way, requiring and having very little contact with the outside world. Well, being America, that culture was taken over by capitalism and now all of the homes have kitchens and the Ronneburg charges for the food that they provide. Good German fare, by the way.
On the table's placemats they shared a couple the recipes and I thought that I would pass them on to you as well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ronneburg's Old Fashioned Rhubarb Pie
To start you need your favorite single crust ready, prepped and in the pan.
Filling:
4 C. rhubarb, diced
2 eggs
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. milk
1 Tbsp. flour
pinch of salt
Evenly distribute the rhubarb in the pie shell.
In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until thick.
Add milk, flour and salt. Beat until well blended.
Pour over diced rhubarb.
Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until firm in the center
If you are using this recipe to make other fruit pies, reduce the fruit to 3 cups.
I haven't tried this one yet but did have their strawberry/rhubarb pie. The waitress asked me what I thought of it and I told her that she should tell the cook to add a teaspoon each of vanilla and cinnamon and it would be even better. Hey, she asked and I always tell the truth as I see it.
******************************************
The other recipe that we picked up was for Ronneburg Cottage Cheese. Now I love good cottage cheese. I don't like it to taste sour or bitter and brands like Land of Lakes, Well's Blue Bunny and Shamrock make the best. Den had never eaten cottage cheese in his life, never. His dad had him convinced that it was something rotten. Yes, and this is the person that delights in Maytag Blue Cheese, now you tell me the logic in all of that reasoning. I think that I will have to roll up my pant legs a bit to get through it. I talked him into trying this and really thinks that I should have it on hand. Being a cottage cheese lover myself, I really liked this one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ronneburg Cottage Cheese
1 16 oz. carton cottage cheese, go for the good stuff, please
1 scallion, chopped and use some of the green (yesterday's had chives in it instead of the scallion which made the taste a bit more subtle. I would say a good tablespoon for the amount of cottage cheese)
2 Tbsp. buttermilk
dash of salt
It had a nice taste and as I said Den liked it and had prior to this point in his 62 years not eaten and swore it was evil rotten stuff.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The point of the trip was the tickets that Den had gotten to see "Always........Patsy Cline" at the Old Creamery Theatre. The show was great. Molly Hammer nailed the tonations and tempo of Patsy Cline. There wasn't a bad seat in the house. Great small theater and yes we enjoyed ourselves.
Well, the washer has stopped and I have a ton of things to get done today, so I should let you all go and talk to you next time.
God Bless and Hugs To All,Linda
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Tea Cozies and More Tea Cozies
I have made 3 tea cozies for the Betty's Bread Basket and Tea Room. Nothing really too significant until the last one. I didn't picture it before I put it in to service but have made 2 since then and one is for sale at the tea room. I used old fashion embroidery along one side of several of the branches to form the quilting needed to stablize the batting. I was just going to give it to Betty for the tea room but she wanted it put out for sale as a customer or two have asked if we see them.
Today I completed this one.
It is too look like a slice of watermelon. I used "stich witchery" to applique the pink onto the green and then used my decorative stitches on my machine to trim it out. Small black buttons stand in for the seeds and add to the stability of the batting. Sold today 5/29/09 at Betty's Bread Basket and Tea Room for $15.00.
I have a plan worked up for a thatch roofed cottage and possibly a bisto one with a black and white checker board background and an appliqued wee chef in the middle. I also think that this one could work up onto an orange or lemon if you chose your colors, right and the thread to do the sections.
This one took 2 "fat quarters" for the outside and 1 for the lining. The yellow one took 2, one for the outside and one for the lining.
Once I get one started I have trouble sleeping so I think maybe I should leave them sit for a while. I get like this when I am working on a recipe idea to. I just can't leave it alone and sleep on it. I just have got to finish it.
Your feed back is welcome as are your ideas.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Strawberry/Rhubarb Crunch
I received my latest copy of the Pensey's Spice catalog. They had some incredible sounding things in there this time. I saw this one and just had to try it.
This is soooooo good and the aroma as it is baking is heavenly.
Strawberry/Rhubarb Crunch
Penzey's Spices website
· 1 Cup flour
· 1 Cup brown sugar, firmly packed
· 3/4 Cup oatmeal, uncooked
· 1/2 Cup butter, melted
· 2/3 Cup sugar
· 1-2 tsp. CINNAMON (we used CHINA)
· 2 Cups diced rhubarb (about 2 good sized stalks)
· 2 Cups strawberries, sliced
· 1 Cup water
· 2 TB. cornstarch
· 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
Preheat oven to 350°. In a roomy bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oatmeal, butter, sugar and CINNAMON and mix until crumbly. Press half of the mixture into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Cover with the rhubarb and strawberries. In a small saucepan, heat the water, cornstarch and VANILLA over medium-low heat until thick and clear, stirring often. This takes about 5 minutes. Pour over the rhubarb/ strawberry layer. Top with the remaining crumb mixture and bake at 350° for 60 minutes. Prep. time: 15 minutes Baking time: 60 minutes Serves: 10-12
Penzey's Spices website
· 1 Cup flour
· 1 Cup brown sugar, firmly packed
· 3/4 Cup oatmeal, uncooked
· 1/2 Cup butter, melted
· 2/3 Cup sugar
· 1-2 tsp. CINNAMON (we used CHINA)
· 2 Cups diced rhubarb (about 2 good sized stalks)
· 2 Cups strawberries, sliced
· 1 Cup water
· 2 TB. cornstarch
· 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
Preheat oven to 350°. In a roomy bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oatmeal, butter, sugar and CINNAMON and mix until crumbly. Press half of the mixture into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Cover with the rhubarb and strawberries. In a small saucepan, heat the water, cornstarch and VANILLA over medium-low heat until thick and clear, stirring often. This takes about 5 minutes. Pour over the rhubarb/ strawberry layer. Top with the remaining crumb mixture and bake at 350° for 60 minutes. Prep. time: 15 minutes Baking time: 60 minutes Serves: 10-12
This is soooooo good and the aroma as it is baking is heavenly.
You have got to try this. The only thing that I changed was to add just a touch of salt. Add vanilla ice-cream and you are in 7th heaven.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
You can check out Penzey's site http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html
These folks are a great resource for spices, herbs and great recipe suggestions.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Strawberry Vinaigrette
Strawberry Vinaigrette
This one isn't as sweet as the Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing but is very taste. I used 2 Cups of sliced strawberries when I made it this evening and will use the dressing tomorrow night on a salad of baby spinach with strawberries and honeyed almonds.
This one isn't as sweet as the Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing but is very taste. I used 2 Cups of sliced strawberries when I made it this evening and will use the dressing tomorrow night on a salad of baby spinach with strawberries and honeyed almonds.
Strawberry Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1 c. olive oil
1/2 pint strawberries, with tops cut off (I used 2 C. sliced strawberries when I made this)
Ingredients:
1 c. olive oil
1/2 pint strawberries, with tops cut off (I used 2 C. sliced strawberries when I made this)
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. dried leaf tarragon, crumbled
1/4 t. sugar
Directions:
Combine oil, berries, vinegar, salt, pepper, tarragon and sugar in food processor. Whirl until berries are pureed. The vinaigrette dressing can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. Stir before using.
Directions:
Combine oil, berries, vinegar, salt, pepper, tarragon and sugar in food processor. Whirl until berries are pureed. The vinaigrette dressing can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. Stir before using.
Makes about 2 cups of dressing.
Per Tablespoon: 82 calories, 0 g protein, 9 g fat, 0 g carb, 45 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol. Exchanges: 1 3/4 fat
Per Tablespoon: 82 calories, 0 g protein, 9 g fat, 0 g carb, 45 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol. Exchanges: 1 3/4 fat
Chicken Valenciano
This one I tasted yesterday and while I have had my fill of "Southwest" flavors for a year or more yet, this one I like quite well. It is both sweet and tangy at the same time and works well together. I have added my own take on what it seemed to need. Hope you like it. It comes from American Lifestyle magazine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chicken Valenciano
IngredientsFor the Salsa
3 navel or Valencia oranges, peeled and segmented (Mandarin orange segments can be used if you find that fresh oranges aren’t available or too costly at the time)
1/2 red onion, minced and soaked in 1 cup water, then drained (this takes some of the bite out of the onion, I would suggest getting the flattest onion in the bin, as they are reportedly sweeter than the round ones)
2 scallions, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
It doesn’t call for it but I would add ¼ Cup each of chopped seeded tomato and chopped red bell pepper
Suggested additional sauce ( am adding this as I find that this dish needs a wee bit of sauce with it.
1 tbsp. Good orange marmalade
½ C. Freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp. corn starch
Cook it just until it begins to thicken.
For the chicken
6 boneless chicken breasts halves, lightly pounded, or 6 (7-ounce)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
12 small red potatoes
Cooking Intructions
Make the salsa: In a medium-size bowl, toss together the orange segments, onion, scallion, cilantro, oil, and garlic. Allow to marinate for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Make the chicken: Preheat the oven to 400 (degrees) Fahrenheit
Brush the chicken breasts with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt, pepper, and cumin. Place the batches in a large, heavy ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
Cook until well-browned on both sides. Place in the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes for boneless breasts, about 20 minutes for airline breasts**. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside, keeping warm.
Place the red potatoes and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet, and roast in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and tender.
Slice the boneless chicken breasts and arrange on a serving platter, family style; serve the airline chicken breasts on individual serving plates. Either way, top with the salsa, and garnish with roasted red potatoes.
This dish is really pretty served with a green veggie to give the plate a red/yellow/green color pallet. I would suggest a salad that has a sweeter dressing to start the meal.
I have added my own comments in pink.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chicken Valenciano
IngredientsFor the Salsa
3 navel or Valencia oranges, peeled and segmented (Mandarin orange segments can be used if you find that fresh oranges aren’t available or too costly at the time)
1/2 red onion, minced and soaked in 1 cup water, then drained (this takes some of the bite out of the onion, I would suggest getting the flattest onion in the bin, as they are reportedly sweeter than the round ones)
2 scallions, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
It doesn’t call for it but I would add ¼ Cup each of chopped seeded tomato and chopped red bell pepper
Suggested additional sauce ( am adding this as I find that this dish needs a wee bit of sauce with it.
1 tbsp. Good orange marmalade
½ C. Freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp. corn starch
Cook it just until it begins to thicken.
For the chicken
6 boneless chicken breasts halves, lightly pounded, or 6 (7-ounce)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
12 small red potatoes
Cooking Intructions
Make the salsa: In a medium-size bowl, toss together the orange segments, onion, scallion, cilantro, oil, and garlic. Allow to marinate for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Make the chicken: Preheat the oven to 400 (degrees) Fahrenheit
Brush the chicken breasts with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt, pepper, and cumin. Place the batches in a large, heavy ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
Cook until well-browned on both sides. Place in the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes for boneless breasts, about 20 minutes for airline breasts**. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside, keeping warm.
Place the red potatoes and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet, and roast in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and tender.
Slice the boneless chicken breasts and arrange on a serving platter, family style; serve the airline chicken breasts on individual serving plates. Either way, top with the salsa, and garnish with roasted red potatoes.
This dish is really pretty served with a green veggie to give the plate a red/yellow/green color pallet. I would suggest a salad that has a sweeter dressing to start the meal.
I have added my own comments in pink.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Pam's Rhubarb Nut Bread
I an a note from my dear friend Pam about a week ago and she shared a quick bread recipe with with me and I thought that Rhubarb lovers out there might like to try it.
Pam's Rhubarb Bread
3/4 C. brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 C. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla (remember, use the real thing, tastes better that way)
1 1/4 C. bread flour (Robin Hood will work here as well)
1 1/2 C. fresh rhubarb, diced
1/2 C. chopped nuts
1 1/2 tsp. butter, softened
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine the brown sugar and buttermilk in a bowl. Stir until smooth
Add the salt, soda, vanilla, and flour. Blend well until moist.
Fold in the rhubarb and nuts.
Pour batter into greased 8x4" loaf pan.
In a separate bowl, combine the butter and the granulated sugar. Mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter in the loaf pan.
Bake @ 350F for 50-55 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Place on a wire rack to cool before slicing.
I haven't tried it yet,but it sounds good. My rhubarb plants are just new this year so I will have to wait until Betty brings some in from the farm to try it.
Makes 12 servings, if Den isn't slicing the loaf. Each serving is 153 calories and only 4 grams of fat. Not bad.
Enjoy!!!
God Bless and Hugs To All,Linda
Pam's Rhubarb Bread
3/4 C. brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 C. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla (remember, use the real thing, tastes better that way)
1 1/4 C. bread flour (Robin Hood will work here as well)
1 1/2 C. fresh rhubarb, diced
1/2 C. chopped nuts
1 1/2 tsp. butter, softened
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine the brown sugar and buttermilk in a bowl. Stir until smooth
Add the salt, soda, vanilla, and flour. Blend well until moist.
Fold in the rhubarb and nuts.
Pour batter into greased 8x4" loaf pan.
In a separate bowl, combine the butter and the granulated sugar. Mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter in the loaf pan.
Bake @ 350F for 50-55 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Place on a wire rack to cool before slicing.
I haven't tried it yet,but it sounds good. My rhubarb plants are just new this year so I will have to wait until Betty brings some in from the farm to try it.
Makes 12 servings, if Den isn't slicing the loaf. Each serving is 153 calories and only 4 grams of fat. Not bad.
Enjoy!!!
God Bless and Hugs To All,Linda
Cheeseburger Chowder Gwen and Tori's Way
Hey, hope all is well with each of you today. Thanks for your prayers, thank you so very much!!!!
I had some commercial Cheeseburger Chowder today and liked it a great deal. Hey, I like comfort food and cheeseburgers are definitely comfort food in my book. It got me thinking of something that went on a year or so back. My sister-in-law, Gwen, and great-niece, Tori Lane, made Cheeseburger Chowder and took it to a soup supper at the Oakland Mills Church and took home the 1st prize. The recipe originated with a back issue of Taste of Home magazine and like all good cooks, and Gwen is a champ, she and Tori added their own touches to it. The last time Den and I were home I brought Tori an apron sized for her and when Vic and Linda got there they had a cookbook for her. I am thinking of putting together a Tori Lane Cookbook with Gwen's help. It will be a work in process as Gwen works some pretty wicked hours these days.
I have the original recipe below and have added the changes that Gwen and Tori made to make it their own. Give it a try. It is quick and hearty and sure to warm you up on a chilly spring evening.
Cheeseburger Chowder
"This is a family favorite for cold blustery days," writes Rebecca McCabe from Ekalaka, Montana. "It's very filling and an easy meal when served with corn bread or biscuits."
SERVINGS: 7
CATEGORY: Soup
METHOD:
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1-1/2 cups water
3 teaspoons beef bouillon granules (Gwen uses a product called "Better Than Bouillon")
1/2 teaspoon salt (using Velveeta you might not want to add this in)
2 cups cubed red potatoes
1 celery rib, thinly sliced (Dave, my brother, isn't fond of the texture of cooked celery so Gwen chops this pretty finely in the food processor)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2-1/2 cups milk, divided
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (Gwen uses a 1/3 of a 2# block of Velveeta processed cheese, cubed. She likes the way this melts and blends better than the cheddar.)
Directions:
In a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, bouillon and salt. Add potatoes and celery. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk until smooth; gradually stir into beef mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the remaining milk; heat through. Stir in cheese until melted. Yield: 7 servings.
Hope that the rain clouds outside right now don't drop another tornado on the area. It is warm enough to make that happen. We have had plenty of rain over the past 6 or 7 days so I could skip the whole rain thing all together. I remember thinking that it was just about right for a tornado a few days ago and it sure enough took out the "Flying Squirrel" camp grounds at Pinicon Ridge Park not far from here. I don't think that anyone lost their lives but it make a total wreck out of a number of camper and one family lost their dog that was inside theirs. It is just warm enough to do it again and I hope I am wrong.
Well, you all take good care and think spring and blooming flowers.
God bless and Hugs To You All,
Linda
I had some commercial Cheeseburger Chowder today and liked it a great deal. Hey, I like comfort food and cheeseburgers are definitely comfort food in my book. It got me thinking of something that went on a year or so back. My sister-in-law, Gwen, and great-niece, Tori Lane, made Cheeseburger Chowder and took it to a soup supper at the Oakland Mills Church and took home the 1st prize. The recipe originated with a back issue of Taste of Home magazine and like all good cooks, and Gwen is a champ, she and Tori added their own touches to it. The last time Den and I were home I brought Tori an apron sized for her and when Vic and Linda got there they had a cookbook for her. I am thinking of putting together a Tori Lane Cookbook with Gwen's help. It will be a work in process as Gwen works some pretty wicked hours these days.
I have the original recipe below and have added the changes that Gwen and Tori made to make it their own. Give it a try. It is quick and hearty and sure to warm you up on a chilly spring evening.
Cheeseburger Chowder
"This is a family favorite for cold blustery days," writes Rebecca McCabe from Ekalaka, Montana. "It's very filling and an easy meal when served with corn bread or biscuits."
SERVINGS: 7
CATEGORY: Soup
METHOD:
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1-1/2 cups water
3 teaspoons beef bouillon granules (Gwen uses a product called "Better Than Bouillon")
1/2 teaspoon salt (using Velveeta you might not want to add this in)
2 cups cubed red potatoes
1 celery rib, thinly sliced (Dave, my brother, isn't fond of the texture of cooked celery so Gwen chops this pretty finely in the food processor)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2-1/2 cups milk, divided
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (Gwen uses a 1/3 of a 2# block of Velveeta processed cheese, cubed. She likes the way this melts and blends better than the cheddar.)
Directions:
In a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, bouillon and salt. Add potatoes and celery. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk until smooth; gradually stir into beef mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the remaining milk; heat through. Stir in cheese until melted. Yield: 7 servings.
Hope that the rain clouds outside right now don't drop another tornado on the area. It is warm enough to make that happen. We have had plenty of rain over the past 6 or 7 days so I could skip the whole rain thing all together. I remember thinking that it was just about right for a tornado a few days ago and it sure enough took out the "Flying Squirrel" camp grounds at Pinicon Ridge Park not far from here. I don't think that anyone lost their lives but it make a total wreck out of a number of camper and one family lost their dog that was inside theirs. It is just warm enough to do it again and I hope I am wrong.
Well, you all take good care and think spring and blooming flowers.
God bless and Hugs To You All,
Linda
Greek Salad Dressing and Greek Salad
Greek SeasoningA traditional blend of lemon, garlic and oregano. To make GREEK SALAD DRESSING: Mix 2 TB. seasoning with 2 TB. water, let stand 5 min. Add ¼ Cup olive oil, ¼ Cup salad oil, 1/3 Cup red wine vinegar (or ¼ cup balsamic vinegar and 2 TB. water), plus 1 tsp. sugar if desired. Use to dress vegetable salads, tomatoes and red onion with feta cheese and olives, chicken and pasta salads, or a plain lettuce salad. For gyros, mix 1 TB. in 1 TB. water. Let stand 5 min., add 1 TB. olive oil and 1 TB. lemon juice. Combine with 1 lb. cubed lamb (traditional), pork or chicken, refrigerate 2 hours. Broil until browned. Mix 2-3 tsp. with 1 Cup yogurt and 2 TB. cucumber for gyro sauce. Great on grilled, baked or fried fish or chicken, rub on 1 tsp. per lb. Hand-mixed from: coarse salt, garlic, lemon, black pepper, Turkish oregano, marjoram.
I make this dressing adding a tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese to mix. We like it best with just EVOO being used.
The salad usually consists of baby greens, chopped tomatoes, slices of a sweet red onion, diced European cucumber, black or Greek olives and some chunks of Feta Cheese.
This seasoning and recipe are from Penzey’s Spices at www.Penzeys.com
Penzeys is one of the best places to mail order your favorite spices. The prices are reasonable and they are always flavorful and fresh.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
I make this dressing adding a tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese to mix. We like it best with just EVOO being used.
The salad usually consists of baby greens, chopped tomatoes, slices of a sweet red onion, diced European cucumber, black or Greek olives and some chunks of Feta Cheese.
This seasoning and recipe are from Penzey’s Spices at www.Penzeys.com
Penzeys is one of the best places to mail order your favorite spices. The prices are reasonable and they are always flavorful and fresh.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Linda's Peach Glazed Chicken Breast
1 full chicken breast, boneless and skinless, beaten to 1/4" thick or there abouts, and cut into 4 fairly equal portions.
1/2 C. flour, for dredging
Salt and pepper to taste (I also like to add a bit of Lawry's or Emeril's Essence
2-3 Tbsp. EVOO
Mix the dredge and flour each portion well. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the portions on both sides. Continue cooking until the juices run clear. This only takes a few moments so don't walk away from it, over cooking these is not a good idea. At this point you can put them in a low oven covered if you like to keep warm for serving later.
Glaze:
1/3 C. peach preserves or jam
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. onion flakes
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
Mix well and heat in the microwave until melted and well blended.
When you serve the chicken, spoon the warm glaze over each portion at the time of serving. This would make about 4 servings. If these are big eaters, double it or make half again as much.
1/2 C. flour, for dredging
Salt and pepper to taste (I also like to add a bit of Lawry's or Emeril's Essence
2-3 Tbsp. EVOO
Mix the dredge and flour each portion well. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the portions on both sides. Continue cooking until the juices run clear. This only takes a few moments so don't walk away from it, over cooking these is not a good idea. At this point you can put them in a low oven covered if you like to keep warm for serving later.
Glaze:
1/3 C. peach preserves or jam
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. onion flakes
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
Mix well and heat in the microwave until melted and well blended.
When you serve the chicken, spoon the warm glaze over each portion at the time of serving. This would make about 4 servings. If these are big eaters, double it or make half again as much.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Homemade Focaccia Bread
I don't have a picture of this one but can tell you that it is one of our favorite breads in the summer. It makes the best veggie sandwiches with grilled egg plant, roasted red bell peppers and maybe a slice of provolone cheese and some pesto or Good Italian dressing. Den also like it just to dip in EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and Parmesan cheese with a bit of cracked pepper. This recipe came from Allrecipes.com in 2008
Yes, you read it right, it only has one rising period.
Ingredients:
3 1/2 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. active dry yeast
1 C. water
2 tbsp. EVOO
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tbsps. additional of EVOO
1 tsp. crushed dried rosemary (I like to use fresh from you herb pot for this better than the dried)
Directions:
Combine 1 C. flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Mix well.
Heat water and 2 tbsp. of EVOO until just warm and add to the yeast mixture along with the egg.
Blend with and electric mixer at low speed until moistened.
Beat for 2 additional minutes
Stir in 1 3/4 C. flour while beating, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (I like to use my kitchenaid stand mixer for this. For one thing it has splash guards and I can switch to the dough hook as the dough stiffen up. Make life a bit easier.)
Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and kneed in the remaining 3/4 C. flour.
Cover the dough with the bowl and let it rest for 5 mins..
Place the dough on a greased baking sheet. Roll out into a 12 inch circle Cover with greased plastic wrap and tea towel in a warm place for 30 minutes.
(Here I will tell you that dough is like a baby, it doesn't like it too warm or two cool. Betty gave me this tip and it works well. I turn my oven on to the lowest setting for just a wee bit of time. Don't let it get to the 170F or what ever, you just let it get warm and then you turn it off and leave the light bulb burning. Set you dough in the oven to raise. Works like a champ)
Uncover the dough and poke holes in it with the handle of wooden spoon at 1 inch intervals. (You can use your fingers, if you like.)
Drizzle the remaining 3 tbsp. of EVOO over the dough and sprinkle with the crushed rosemary. (If you are me and want to use fresh, just chop the leaves a bit to release the flavorful oils.
Bake at 400F for 17-27 minutes, depending on how crusty you like. As with all yeast breads, remove from the baking sheet or pan and cool on a rack.
This also makes good pizza dough.
Yes, you read it right, it only has one rising period.
Ingredients:
3 1/2 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. active dry yeast
1 C. water
2 tbsp. EVOO
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tbsps. additional of EVOO
1 tsp. crushed dried rosemary (I like to use fresh from you herb pot for this better than the dried)
Directions:
Combine 1 C. flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Mix well.
Heat water and 2 tbsp. of EVOO until just warm and add to the yeast mixture along with the egg.
Blend with and electric mixer at low speed until moistened.
Beat for 2 additional minutes
Stir in 1 3/4 C. flour while beating, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (I like to use my kitchenaid stand mixer for this. For one thing it has splash guards and I can switch to the dough hook as the dough stiffen up. Make life a bit easier.)
Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and kneed in the remaining 3/4 C. flour.
Cover the dough with the bowl and let it rest for 5 mins..
Place the dough on a greased baking sheet. Roll out into a 12 inch circle Cover with greased plastic wrap and tea towel in a warm place for 30 minutes.
(Here I will tell you that dough is like a baby, it doesn't like it too warm or two cool. Betty gave me this tip and it works well. I turn my oven on to the lowest setting for just a wee bit of time. Don't let it get to the 170F or what ever, you just let it get warm and then you turn it off and leave the light bulb burning. Set you dough in the oven to raise. Works like a champ)
Uncover the dough and poke holes in it with the handle of wooden spoon at 1 inch intervals. (You can use your fingers, if you like.)
Drizzle the remaining 3 tbsp. of EVOO over the dough and sprinkle with the crushed rosemary. (If you are me and want to use fresh, just chop the leaves a bit to release the flavorful oils.
Bake at 400F for 17-27 minutes, depending on how crusty you like. As with all yeast breads, remove from the baking sheet or pan and cool on a rack.
This also makes good pizza dough.
Sour Cream Scones
I picked this one up from Betty Kruse's collection of good recipes. This is one of our favorites.
Sift together in a large bowl:
2 C. flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tsp. baking powder
3/4 Tsp. salt
1/2 Tsp. baking soda
Cut in to a course meal stage
1/3 C. cold butter
In a small bowl mix together:
1 C. sour cream
1 egg yolk
Add this to the flour mixture.
If you like add in
1 C. softened dried fruit such as blueberries, cranberries, cherries, chopped apricots, raisins.
Mix just until the dough clings together. (You don't want to over work this kind of dough as it makes it tough and you want this to kind of melt in your mouth.)
Place on a lightly floured surface and divide into two equal portions. Form each portion into a round about 1/2 inch thick. Place each round carefully on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. With a sharp knife or dough scraper cut each round through into your desired portion sizes.
Brush lightly with one beaten egg white. Sprinkle with crystal sugar (this is sugar that is quite course and kind of gives it a sparkle.)
Bake at 400F for 12 minutes
Now if you want to try this this is Mock Clotted Cream (the Brit's like their scones with clotted cream and jam).
Beat together in a large bowl until well blended and slightly fluffy:
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. powdered sugar
1/4 C. sour cream
Add in:
1/2 C. heavy or whipping cream
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
This has kept up to 2 weeks covered and in the refrigerator for me. Denny likes it with just butter on it.
I hope that you enjoy this one, we do.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Gwen's Orange Pretzel Salad
This is Gwen Capps' take on this Pretzel Salad and it is tasty!!!!!!!
Orange Pretzel Salad
2 C. crushed small pretzels
3 tsp. sugar
3/4 C. butter, melted
Combine well and press into a 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Set aside.
Combine in a large bowl:
2 reg. pkgs. orange Jell-0
2 C. boiling water
Stir to dissolve the Jell-0
Add in:
2 8 oz cans crushed pineapple in it own juice, drained
1 11 oz. can Mandarine Oranges, drained
Still well and refrigerate until partially set.
In a smaller mixing bowl, whip until well blended and fluffy:
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
3/4 C. sugar
Fold in
2 C. whipped topping, Cool Whip.
Build the salad.
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the pretzels, now cooled.
Gently spoon the partially set Jell-O mixture over the cream cheese mixture
Cover and chill 2-4 hours or until firm
I have had this with Strawberries instead of the Mandarine oranges and using Strawberry Jell-O and it is very good as well.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
Orange Pretzel Salad
2 C. crushed small pretzels
3 tsp. sugar
3/4 C. butter, melted
Combine well and press into a 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Set aside.
Combine in a large bowl:
2 reg. pkgs. orange Jell-0
2 C. boiling water
Stir to dissolve the Jell-0
Add in:
2 8 oz cans crushed pineapple in it own juice, drained
1 11 oz. can Mandarine Oranges, drained
Still well and refrigerate until partially set.
In a smaller mixing bowl, whip until well blended and fluffy:
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
3/4 C. sugar
Fold in
2 C. whipped topping, Cool Whip.
Build the salad.
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the pretzels, now cooled.
Gently spoon the partially set Jell-O mixture over the cream cheese mixture
Cover and chill 2-4 hours or until firm
I have had this with Strawberries instead of the Mandarine oranges and using Strawberry Jell-O and it is very good as well.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
Spectaular Overnight Slaw and MOM's Cole Slaw Dressing
Vic's girlfriend, Linda brought a great slaw. I really don't like slaw that is just cabbage with mayo or Miracle Whip and called good. To me a dressing that involves oil, sugar and spices and may involve a bit of cooking makes the best dressing for any slaw. This one fits the bill. This is so good and has a nice variety of flavors and textures. The recipe came from a Taste of Home Prize Winning Recipes cook book from Spring 2005
Spectacular Overnight Slaw
1 med. head of cabbage, 2.5 pounds, shredded (you could go the easy route and use the bagged stuff as well)
1 med. red onion, sliced thinly (look for the onions that are more flat, not the big round ones, these flatter ones seem to be less strong than the round ones)
1/2 C. chopped green bell pepper
1/2 C. chopped red bell pepper
1/2 C. sliced stuffed green olives
Mix this well.
In a sauce pan:
1/2 C. white wine vinegar
1/2 C. canola oil
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. each salt, celery seeds and mustard seeds
Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Combine the cut veggies with the in a 4 qrt. container and mix gently. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Mix well before serving.
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MOM's Cole Slaw Dressing
In a heavy sauce pan, combine:
3/4 C. sugar
1Tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp. corn starch
Add:
1/2 C. good Cider Vinegar (that would like Hienz, some of it is just too acidic)
1/4 tsp. celery seeds
Cook to "clear" stage. Remove from the heat. Store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Spectacular Overnight Slaw
1 med. head of cabbage, 2.5 pounds, shredded (you could go the easy route and use the bagged stuff as well)
1 med. red onion, sliced thinly (look for the onions that are more flat, not the big round ones, these flatter ones seem to be less strong than the round ones)
1/2 C. chopped green bell pepper
1/2 C. chopped red bell pepper
1/2 C. sliced stuffed green olives
Mix this well.
In a sauce pan:
1/2 C. white wine vinegar
1/2 C. canola oil
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. each salt, celery seeds and mustard seeds
Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Combine the cut veggies with the in a 4 qrt. container and mix gently. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Mix well before serving.
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MOM's Cole Slaw Dressing
In a heavy sauce pan, combine:
3/4 C. sugar
1Tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp. corn starch
Add:
1/2 C. good Cider Vinegar (that would like Hienz, some of it is just too acidic)
1/4 tsp. celery seeds
Cook to "clear" stage. Remove from the heat. Store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Fresh Strawberry Pie
Have you tried those jars or tubs of what they call "strawberry glaze" in the grocery store? The stuff kind of creates somewhere for the strawberries to reside for short cake or pie but it has no real taste beyond "sweet" and it is too loose for a pie. I call the stuff "strawberry slime" This pie is made with something that is "semi homemade" in that it uses strawberry Jello as it's binder and it actually has a taste. For me gone are the days of "strawberry slime". If you want to use this for short-cake, I would cut the cornstarch to 1 tablespoon. You are only cooking this long enough to go clear for you (the cornstarch is dissolved at that point, the longer you cook it, the more it sets up. Kind of like making gravy.). So here we go.
1 single crust pie shell, baked (you can use the graham cracker ones if you like, they are tasty as well)
In a sauce pan over medium heat combine:
1 C. sugar (Cindy would use 1/2 Splenda)
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 1/4 C. cold water (Cindy would use 3/4 C. water and 1 C. crushed strawberries)
1 Tbsp. white corn syrup
1 reg. package of Strawberry flavored Jello
Bring this to a boil, stirring continually to dissolve the sugar and Jello. Allow it to boil for about 1 minute and remove from the heat. (You are replacing that red slime in the jar with this.)
Wash and hull 1 quart of lovely strawberries (Cindy uses 6 Cups total with one of these being crushed for the Jell-O mixture). Saving one really pretty one off to the side, don't hull this special one.
When the glaze has cooled enough that you aren't likely to cook the berries, slice the berries in to the glaze and stir gently to incorporate the berries. Turn the mixture in to your prepared pie shell. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
When you get ready to serve it you will need either Cool Whip or some Reddy Whip. In the very center of the top of the pie make a pool of fluffy whipped cream or Cool Whip. Now remember that berry that you were saving back. I want to you take a very sharp paring knife and holding it firmly but gently in one hand cut from the bottom toward the top but not through it about 5-6 times, making the cuts as evenly spaces as you can. Now using the hand that you cut the berry with, very gently force the berry into a fan. The top will be the bottom of the fan and the slices will fan out like a hand of cards. This strawberry fan is then gently laid in the center of whipped cream pool. Pretty as a picture and it tastes cool and yummy. Enjoy.
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I have added in the changes that my friend Cindy would make as her husband is diabetic. It would reduce the calories as well for those of you watching you waist line.
Happy spring/summer/fall fresh fruits and veggie season.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
1 single crust pie shell, baked (you can use the graham cracker ones if you like, they are tasty as well)
In a sauce pan over medium heat combine:
1 C. sugar (Cindy would use 1/2 Splenda)
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 1/4 C. cold water (Cindy would use 3/4 C. water and 1 C. crushed strawberries)
1 Tbsp. white corn syrup
1 reg. package of Strawberry flavored Jello
Bring this to a boil, stirring continually to dissolve the sugar and Jello. Allow it to boil for about 1 minute and remove from the heat. (You are replacing that red slime in the jar with this.)
Wash and hull 1 quart of lovely strawberries (Cindy uses 6 Cups total with one of these being crushed for the Jell-O mixture). Saving one really pretty one off to the side, don't hull this special one.
When the glaze has cooled enough that you aren't likely to cook the berries, slice the berries in to the glaze and stir gently to incorporate the berries. Turn the mixture in to your prepared pie shell. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
When you get ready to serve it you will need either Cool Whip or some Reddy Whip. In the very center of the top of the pie make a pool of fluffy whipped cream or Cool Whip. Now remember that berry that you were saving back. I want to you take a very sharp paring knife and holding it firmly but gently in one hand cut from the bottom toward the top but not through it about 5-6 times, making the cuts as evenly spaces as you can. Now using the hand that you cut the berry with, very gently force the berry into a fan. The top will be the bottom of the fan and the slices will fan out like a hand of cards. This strawberry fan is then gently laid in the center of whipped cream pool. Pretty as a picture and it tastes cool and yummy. Enjoy.
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I have added in the changes that my friend Cindy would make as her husband is diabetic. It would reduce the calories as well for those of you watching you waist line.
Happy spring/summer/fall fresh fruits and veggie season.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
Friday, April 3, 2009
Crock Pot Corn
I had this last Saturday at the luncheon that we did for the group that was singing at the Greeley Church and it tasted so much like the way Mom and I make corn to freeze that I thought that I would pass it on.
First, when Mom and I prepare corn to freeze, we cut it off the cob and in to a large pot. (We don't measure so forgive me if this isn't really a recipe that you might think of as being in a cook book. ) We have done like a dozen large ears this way, so go from there if you are going to try this. We bring the corn in the pot to a simmer slowly. Add a stick of real butter, about 3/4 Cup sugar, 2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper. Simmer this until the butter is melted, stirring to keep it from scorching, just a few moments. You are kind of blanching it. We put the cooled corn in zip-lock freezer bags and use as we need by just reheating. It tastes like fresh.
The corn that we had this past Saturday with Mini Meatloaves, twice baked potatoes and salad and strawberry pretzel salad was wonderful and tasted so muck like what Mom and I do that I thought that I would share it with you. This is done in a crock pot and for that reason, count on it taking an hour to make.
Crock Pot Corn
From Renee Johnson
2 16 oz. bags of frozen corn
8 oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter
1/2 C. sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Cook this is your crock pot. Stir occasionally.
Works well for pot lucks, family gathering and such.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
First, when Mom and I prepare corn to freeze, we cut it off the cob and in to a large pot. (We don't measure so forgive me if this isn't really a recipe that you might think of as being in a cook book. ) We have done like a dozen large ears this way, so go from there if you are going to try this. We bring the corn in the pot to a simmer slowly. Add a stick of real butter, about 3/4 Cup sugar, 2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper. Simmer this until the butter is melted, stirring to keep it from scorching, just a few moments. You are kind of blanching it. We put the cooled corn in zip-lock freezer bags and use as we need by just reheating. It tastes like fresh.
The corn that we had this past Saturday with Mini Meatloaves, twice baked potatoes and salad and strawberry pretzel salad was wonderful and tasted so muck like what Mom and I do that I thought that I would share it with you. This is done in a crock pot and for that reason, count on it taking an hour to make.
Crock Pot Corn
From Renee Johnson
2 16 oz. bags of frozen corn
8 oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter
1/2 C. sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Cook this is your crock pot. Stir occasionally.
Works well for pot lucks, family gathering and such.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Tea Ring or Cinnamon Rolls
This is the Tea Ring that I took from the oven just a few moments ago and the Cinnamon Rolls that I made from the other half of the recipe. Nothing smells quite a welcoming or a homey as bread baking and adding cinnamon just takes it over the top. 
This recipe, Betty tells me came from on old farming magazine years ago and she has made it her own. She used the same recipe to make crescents rolls and I had one at lunch on Saturday and it was wonderful. Since she handed this recipe out while she was doing her presentation at Manchester's Spring Shop Talk, I don't think that she will mind if I share it here with you.
Bare in mind that I had to make some changes since the Denman can't handle the soy that is in shortening and margarine to use butter. He ate two in rapid succession and just came in to give me a hug.
I also made a batch of E & R Bread and Linda's Chicken Pot Pie so he is doing well for a Sunday.
The recipe that Betty shared is called Overnight Refrigerator Rolls and will keep in the refrigerator in dough form for 3 days before you need to bake it into something. I didn't have refrigerator space available for this much dough so I covered it tightly and put in the garage on top of the freezer. Needless to say it is a bit warmer in my garage than in the refrig so the dough rose and I needed do something with it. So, my tomorrow morning project became my this evenings project. The recipe will make 2 tea rings or as I did, 1 tea ring and on batch of cinnamon rolls.
2 pkg quick rising dry yeast (if you are using bulk or jar yeast, there are 2.25 tsp. in each package of yeast that you buy)
1/2 C. warm water (105-115F) (I kind of know by the feel is the temp is right but your safest way is to use a candy thermometer)
1 tbsp. sugar
Mix this together and set aside (this is called "Proving your yeast.
3/4 C melted and cooled butter or shortening (that would be a stick and 1/2 of butter)
3/4 C sugar
2 C warm water
I melted the butter, sugar and water over a low heat but kept it cool enough that I could touch it without being burned
In a large bowl combine:
4 C bread flour (this flour is higher in glutan than say just regular Gold Metal and make better flour. Robin Hood is great out of the bag but if you can't get it use a good bread flour)
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 tsp. salt
Add in and mix well the butter and yeast mixtures. Continue mixing adding one cup at a time (4 more cups of flour, add no more than 1/2 cup more if needed) This will be a soft dough. Put the dough into a container large enough to allow it to grow, cover tightly and put in the refrigerator.
When you are ready to use the dough, turn it out on a lightly floured work surface and knead it down. Divide the dough in to two equal amounts. Using a rolling pin work the dough into a retangular shape no more than 1/4" thick. Betty would have you brush it with melted margarine but as I said, I must us butter. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar filling below. You may add raisins, pecans or what ever you like at this point but don't over load it. Beginning on one of the long edges, gentlely roll like a jelly roll finishing with the seam side down. Now you have a choise to make, are you making cinnamon rolls or a tea ring.
Cinnamon Rolls:
Line a jelly roll pan with partchment paper. With a long sharp knife slice off rounds about 3/4" - 1" thick. Place the slices evenly on the lined pan, leaving enough space between them for the rolls to raise.
Tea Ring:
Line a large pie pan with partchement paper. Instead of cutting all the way through with your slices, use your kitchen shears and cut almost all the way through. Now kind of pull it together toward the cuts and lay it around the inside of the pan. Now gently kind of work you fingers under and up to push to cuts to the top and make sure that the ends touch nicely.
Letting it rise:
Turn you oven on to pre heat but don't let it get over 100F. Turn the oven off but turn the oven light on and set you goodies inside to rise. It will take an hour or maybe a bit more to get the plumpness that you are looking for. Remove and preheat the oven to 350F. Bake 25 minutes.
Tea Ring or Cinnamon Roll Filling:
1/2 C sugar
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Mix it well with a fork.
Icing:
This is kind of loosely what goes in it. It is your mom's old butter icing.
1 C confectioners sugar
dash of salt
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
enough evaporated milk of heavy cream to make it the consistancy you want.
Things I did:
I iced them warm but you don't have to.
I used my Kitchenaid stand mixer to do the mixing but you don't have to do that you can do this with your hands, it is kind of theroputic. It might be easier to do the rolling out on a table as the counter is often time kind of high for us ladies.
Anyway, this one works well and tastes great or so say the resident expert taster. He now says that next trip to Mt. Pleasant, I should make E & R Bread and these cinnamon rolls. I hope Dave, Gwen, Tina, Steve, Tori, Martha, Randy and Erica with her family are going to be there to help consume all of this.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Linda's Raspberry Dressing, Spinach Salad and Raspberry Vinegar
My favorite cousin, Martha, asked if I would send her the recipe for my spinach salad and the dressing that I make for it. But before I do that let me tell you where this recipe for the salad came from. A number of years ago some friends that now live in the Chicago area who have 2 children and Den and I contracted an outfitter in Montana to do a 2.5 day backpack in to Glacier Natl. Park and then 2.5 days of white water rafting on the Flathead River that forms the southern boundary of Glacier Natl. Park. There is a drawing for which area in Glacier that you have a hiking permit for and we drew Atlantic Creek. I think that Dan and Cindy's kids were like 14 and 10. The daughter is the studious, reading type and the younger son is one of those kids that have a string of never ending questions and ideas. The park was the most beautiful that I have seen with it's pristine wilderness and I would recommend it hands down. I have so many great memories of this trip. The first nights camp the guide made this salad and I can't tell you what else we had so it made an impression. Maybe it was the fact that we had a salad where were at, I don't know. They used a prepared dressing and as Den ages his legume allergies are more pronounced so I have developed my own recipe for the dressing.
The dressing takes a bit longer to make so let's start with the dressing.
Linda's Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing
2/3 C. frozen or fresh raspberries (I use the red raspberries)
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar (made my own raspberry vinegar this time as I have been unsuccessful in finding it in the stores of late, I will add at to the bottom of this dressing recipe)
1/4 C. honey (if you spray your measuring cup with PAM the honey comes out pretty well and you don't leave as much in the cup)
1 med. shallot, pared and coarsely chopped (if you want you can use about 3 tbsp of minced red onion)
1 Tbsp. dry mustard (don't leave this out, it really helps the flavor)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 C. Canola oil
1/4 C. walnut oil
1/4 C. EVOO
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
In a blender or food processor combine all but the oils and poppy seeds and process until smooth. Remove the center cover of the blender for the finish here. I like to use a glass 2 cup measuring cup to blend the oils. With the blender or food processor running, drizzle in the oils slowly (there is a reason that you do it this way, by doing it this way it emulsifies that whole thing and you don't have to go shaking it like crazy when you want to use it). Lastly add in the poppy seed and blend well. This dressing will store, covered in the refrigerator for quite sometime.
Raspberry Vinegar
4 C. white wine vinegar or just white vinegar
1 C. raspberries
Bring the vinegar to a boil and remove from the heat. Add the raspberries. When this has cooled enough to handle pour into a clean quart jar and cover. Allow to rest for 5-6 days. Strain through cheese cloth or a very fine sieve. If you would like the sweeten, 1/2 C of sugar added to the vinegar before boiling and stir to make sure the sugar is dissolved before adding the fruit.
Spinach Salad
This is very easy and you make as much as you will eat or your guest would. For purposes of this email let's say the entire bag of spinach.
Fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and stemmed, if you want you can cut it up a bit
1/4 C. toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds (In a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Make sure that the skillet is hot and don't turn your back on this at all. Put your nut meats into the skillet and keep them moving, turning and lightly tossing to bring a lightly brown color to the nut meats. These burn very easily so keep and eye on them)
1 pt. fresh strawberries, hulled, washed and sliced
Raspberry dressing to taste.
The dressing takes a bit longer to make so let's start with the dressing.
Linda's Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing
2/3 C. frozen or fresh raspberries (I use the red raspberries)
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar (made my own raspberry vinegar this time as I have been unsuccessful in finding it in the stores of late, I will add at to the bottom of this dressing recipe)
1/4 C. honey (if you spray your measuring cup with PAM the honey comes out pretty well and you don't leave as much in the cup)
1 med. shallot, pared and coarsely chopped (if you want you can use about 3 tbsp of minced red onion)
1 Tbsp. dry mustard (don't leave this out, it really helps the flavor)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 C. Canola oil
1/4 C. walnut oil
1/4 C. EVOO
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
In a blender or food processor combine all but the oils and poppy seeds and process until smooth. Remove the center cover of the blender for the finish here. I like to use a glass 2 cup measuring cup to blend the oils. With the blender or food processor running, drizzle in the oils slowly (there is a reason that you do it this way, by doing it this way it emulsifies that whole thing and you don't have to go shaking it like crazy when you want to use it). Lastly add in the poppy seed and blend well. This dressing will store, covered in the refrigerator for quite sometime.
Raspberry Vinegar
4 C. white wine vinegar or just white vinegar
1 C. raspberries
Bring the vinegar to a boil and remove from the heat. Add the raspberries. When this has cooled enough to handle pour into a clean quart jar and cover. Allow to rest for 5-6 days. Strain through cheese cloth or a very fine sieve. If you would like the sweeten, 1/2 C of sugar added to the vinegar before boiling and stir to make sure the sugar is dissolved before adding the fruit.
Spinach Salad
This is very easy and you make as much as you will eat or your guest would. For purposes of this email let's say the entire bag of spinach.
Fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and stemmed, if you want you can cut it up a bit
1/4 C. toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds (In a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Make sure that the skillet is hot and don't turn your back on this at all. Put your nut meats into the skillet and keep them moving, turning and lightly tossing to bring a lightly brown color to the nut meats. These burn very easily so keep and eye on them)
1 pt. fresh strawberries, hulled, washed and sliced
Raspberry dressing to taste.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Good morning, this is Den and I at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix March 2009. Those big red things are glass creations by Dale Chilhuly. They were all over the gardens in so many different colors and shapes. Some hung like light fixtures and others were in the ground. Some were lit from spots and others from within. The sun and warm were great and the trip was successful. We both had to have some major stuff done at the dentist and I needed to have my bridge checked. It has been in place for over 13 years so I think Dr Rush did a pretty good job of it. Oh, one suggestion, word to the wise. If someone tells you that brushing your teeth with listerine is a good thing, think again. You need th floride. I had done that for a number of years and yes it was great for some things but it left my teeth unprotected for cavities. I had 7 that Dr. Dave had to fill. OUCH!!!!!!!!If you get to Phoenix and have to time before it leave at the end of May schedual in seeing this exhibit. It is well worth the price.
God Bless and Hugs To ALL,
Linda
Spinach Pie (kind of like a thick quiche)
I finally got the time to make this pie at home. Betty has made it a couple of different ways at the tea room and had some really great reviews. She added 1 1/2 C. heavy cream this last time and it lightened the filling up quite a bit while not diminishing the flavor. She has always used frozen spinach, moisture squeezed out and weighed to make the 14 oz that it calls for. She has always added sun dried tomatoes which I like but didn't have any on hand to toss in.
This is a picture of the finished product from this mornings effort. Please allow me to tell you what I did and what my brother-in-law has suggested as well.
I used a my standard pie crust recipe to start with.. This pie pan/dish is one from William Sonoma that I picked up years ago on sale and would be like a 9" deep dish pie so I ended up with 3 ramekin full to bake out as well. These were about 3/4C each and sprayed with PAM.
I baked the pie for 15 minutes at 425F and then an hour at 350F.
I used the following:
15 oz. fresh baby spinach, chopped and micro waved for 1 minute (I used my food processor and did the chopping in small batches, it didn't really take long at all)
5 oz. Boursin w/Shallots, softened (in place of the 4 oz. cream cheese)
1 1/2 C. shredded Swiss cheese
scant 1/4 C. feta (all that I had in the draw)(David's idea)
1/3 C. Blue Cheese, crumbled (this wasn't a Maytag quality cheese, it was from Fareway)(David's idea)
3 drops of Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce
3/4 C. Parmesan (the recipe calls for 1 C. but I was adding these others so I didn't think I needed all that much)
1 C. evaporated milk (I didn't have cream or half and half in the fridg. and wasn't going to go shopping today)
I think that a bit of ham or bacon crumbles would have tasted good in it. Den polished off 2 of the ramekins in nothing flat so I would say that it was the flavor and creamy consistency that you expect with a quiche.
Give it a try and see what you think. It definitely was a hit at our house.
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Hey, I need your help on this one. I am going to give you this recipe the way it was written and tell you what I would change, what Betty thinks should be changed and you give me what you think. It is good but needs something.
Spinach Pie
10" pie crust
14 oz. spinach, chopped and micro-waved for 1 minute (this would be fresh spinach not the frozen in a box kind)
8 eggs beaten
2 Tbsp. parsley (I would suggest fresh over dried)
3 Tbsp. onion flakes
1 tsp. salt (this I would not put in with the amount of Parmesan cheese that is used)
Pepper to taste
2 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese (I would use Swiss and aged if I could get it,instead of the cheddar.)
4 oz. cream cheese softened
1 C. parmesan cheese
5 roma tomato slices for the top
Bake @ 350F for 1 hour
Betty would add 1 Cup of cream or half and half to make the pie more creamy and a few sun dried tomatoes in place of the slices on top, mix them in the pie. Betty also would changed the cream cheese to Boursin (it has more actual flavor than cream cheese does)
I would add 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper or a few drops of Tabasco (maybe in the crust) and as I said above I would use Swiss instead of the cheddar, I like the nutty taste of the Swiss against the spinach. I would maybe add a touch of nutmeg, not much, just a touch. A very small about of chopped shaved ham would be a change up for this.
Some of you are better cooks than I ever will be so tell me what you think.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Whte Vinegar and Peroxide
Hey, Good Morning,
Did you all enjoy St. Pat's yesterday? We spent most of the day in Cedar Rapids, doing some stock-up shopping (you know the paper products and such). We hit the Super Wally, Menards and Hy-Vee for things that we need. In the middle of the day we headed down town to see the St. Pat's Parade. Lot's of green and lots of kids. I heard talk that there were quite a few playing hooky since school was in session yesterday. Den, our household parade fan, was kind of disappointed that there were no bands but lots of radio stations had big vehicles with sound on board and there were no horses.
Den parked the car near the Wicker Hill Tea Room and of course, I had to go see what it was like and pick up a menu. Their gift shop is large and offers some really nice things. The Tea Room had no reservations so it was closed for the day. I did walk through the dining room and in a lot of ways it is kind of like Betty's. Betty's is one large room where Wicker Hill is a series of small rooms. Wicker Hill's menu isn't as extensive as Betty's and the prices are about 20% higher.
You know things have been kind of tight for many of us since this recession thing started and we have been watching as our retirement funds fade to about half what they were a year ago and a third of what they were the year before. It is scary for many of us. I know that Den and I have been living off of our minimum wage part-time jobs and what we made on the sale of our home in Chandler three years ago. That is getting very thin and we are still in our early 60's. Den could claim Social Security this year as he will be 62 but I have another year before I hit that mile stone.
Health care is costly if you are on your own and you tend to try really hard not to use it as any use will likely raise the rates for next year. Our boys and girls in Washington are looking hard at universal health care but they are also looking hard at taxing our health care benefits, which kind of smacks of giving something to you with one hand and snatching it away with the other.
I have been given a couple of economic tips that are quite a bit less expensive than some of the cleaners that you buy these days. I thought that I would share two of them with you today. So this one isn't about food prep but about saving some green on your cleaning needs. If you have some ideas, please, share them, we are all in the same boat and could use any wee bit of help we can get.
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White Vinegar vs. fabric softener
Pam from Cedar Rapids gave me this tip last fall and I have been doing it every since.
1 C. white vinegar (doesn't have to be Hines or some other name brand, just generic or store brand works fine) to a full load of wash in place of the fabric softener. I use drier balls (got them at Wally-World for about $5. a pair)in the drier as well. I use soaps that have no perfumes or as few additives as possible. You will find that your towels are still soft and more absorbent.
WHY? Well, over the years my sensitive Irish skin has become more so. I avoid the sun and use sun screen when I can't. The laundry soaps and fabric softener were making me itch where they laid against my skin and especially where my bra's bottom band constricted or my underwear elastic bound. My sister has had to double wash (second wash in just water alone) her clothing for years due to the additives in the detergents even using the "Free" products.
White vinegar has many uses in the home and the following are just a few
Clean your grill grates (wrap the grill grates with paper towels. Put into a large plastic trash bag and pour white vinegar over the paper towel wrapped grates. Tightly close the bag and set in the sun for 4 hours. You should find that the cooked on grease and guck comes off easily with a garden hose at this point. Throw the bag of wet, soiled paper towels, in the trash. This works for your oven racks as well. In fact that is how we used to do the deed when we were clearing military housing years and years (let's not go there) ago.
White vinegar makes a great degreaser in your kitchen as well as a deodorizer. I leave a custard cup full of white vinegar on the back of my sink. It help eliminate cooking odors and I can dip a paper towel in it to clean off the cooking film from my ceramic cook top and the rest of my stove, appliances and counter tops.
A small amount of white vinegar in warm water is the way to mop your wood floors as well as your tile ones. Probably good for all of the other types as well.
White vinegar has, for years, been used to clean windows and mirrors together with a crumpled up news paper.
It is the acid content in the vinegar that does the trick. I bet you folks have even more uses. I know I try to keep 2 gallons of the stuff in the house at all times.
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Liz, from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa sent this one on Peroxide. I wonder if my dentist likes this mouth wash idea???
Peroxide vs. Bleach This was written by Becky Ransey of Indiana (a doctor's wife), and I want to share it with you. She was over recently for coffee and smelled the bleach I was using to clean my toilet and countertops. This is what she told me: "I would like to tell you of the benefits of that plain little ole bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at an drug store. What does bleach cost? My husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, and most doctors don't tell you about peroxide. "Have you ever smelled bleach in a doctor's office? NO!!! Why? Because it smells, and it is not healthy! Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices, and ask them if they use bleach at home. They are wiser and know better! "Did you also know bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's chlorine, folks! And it was used to kill our troops. "Peroxide was invented during WWI. It was used to save and help cleanse the needs of our troops and hospitals. Please think about this: 1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. (I do it when I bathe.) No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash! 2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs. 3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters. 4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria. 5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry. 6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide. 7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will. 8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue. 9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly. 10. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections. 11. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary. 12. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this. "I could go on and on... It is a little brown bottle no home should be without! "With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner!" This information really woke me up. I hope you gain something from it, too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, that is about all I have for this time. I hope that you all have a great day and hope to hear from you really soon.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
Did you all enjoy St. Pat's yesterday? We spent most of the day in Cedar Rapids, doing some stock-up shopping (you know the paper products and such). We hit the Super Wally, Menards and Hy-Vee for things that we need. In the middle of the day we headed down town to see the St. Pat's Parade. Lot's of green and lots of kids. I heard talk that there were quite a few playing hooky since school was in session yesterday. Den, our household parade fan, was kind of disappointed that there were no bands but lots of radio stations had big vehicles with sound on board and there were no horses.
Den parked the car near the Wicker Hill Tea Room and of course, I had to go see what it was like and pick up a menu. Their gift shop is large and offers some really nice things. The Tea Room had no reservations so it was closed for the day. I did walk through the dining room and in a lot of ways it is kind of like Betty's. Betty's is one large room where Wicker Hill is a series of small rooms. Wicker Hill's menu isn't as extensive as Betty's and the prices are about 20% higher.
You know things have been kind of tight for many of us since this recession thing started and we have been watching as our retirement funds fade to about half what they were a year ago and a third of what they were the year before. It is scary for many of us. I know that Den and I have been living off of our minimum wage part-time jobs and what we made on the sale of our home in Chandler three years ago. That is getting very thin and we are still in our early 60's. Den could claim Social Security this year as he will be 62 but I have another year before I hit that mile stone.
Health care is costly if you are on your own and you tend to try really hard not to use it as any use will likely raise the rates for next year. Our boys and girls in Washington are looking hard at universal health care but they are also looking hard at taxing our health care benefits, which kind of smacks of giving something to you with one hand and snatching it away with the other.
I have been given a couple of economic tips that are quite a bit less expensive than some of the cleaners that you buy these days. I thought that I would share two of them with you today. So this one isn't about food prep but about saving some green on your cleaning needs. If you have some ideas, please, share them, we are all in the same boat and could use any wee bit of help we can get.
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White Vinegar vs. fabric softener
Pam from Cedar Rapids gave me this tip last fall and I have been doing it every since.
1 C. white vinegar (doesn't have to be Hines or some other name brand, just generic or store brand works fine) to a full load of wash in place of the fabric softener. I use drier balls (got them at Wally-World for about $5. a pair)in the drier as well. I use soaps that have no perfumes or as few additives as possible. You will find that your towels are still soft and more absorbent.
WHY? Well, over the years my sensitive Irish skin has become more so. I avoid the sun and use sun screen when I can't. The laundry soaps and fabric softener were making me itch where they laid against my skin and especially where my bra's bottom band constricted or my underwear elastic bound. My sister has had to double wash (second wash in just water alone) her clothing for years due to the additives in the detergents even using the "Free" products.
White vinegar has many uses in the home and the following are just a few
Clean your grill grates (wrap the grill grates with paper towels. Put into a large plastic trash bag and pour white vinegar over the paper towel wrapped grates. Tightly close the bag and set in the sun for 4 hours. You should find that the cooked on grease and guck comes off easily with a garden hose at this point. Throw the bag of wet, soiled paper towels, in the trash. This works for your oven racks as well. In fact that is how we used to do the deed when we were clearing military housing years and years (let's not go there) ago.
White vinegar makes a great degreaser in your kitchen as well as a deodorizer. I leave a custard cup full of white vinegar on the back of my sink. It help eliminate cooking odors and I can dip a paper towel in it to clean off the cooking film from my ceramic cook top and the rest of my stove, appliances and counter tops.
A small amount of white vinegar in warm water is the way to mop your wood floors as well as your tile ones. Probably good for all of the other types as well.
White vinegar has, for years, been used to clean windows and mirrors together with a crumpled up news paper.
It is the acid content in the vinegar that does the trick. I bet you folks have even more uses. I know I try to keep 2 gallons of the stuff in the house at all times.
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Liz, from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa sent this one on Peroxide. I wonder if my dentist likes this mouth wash idea???
Peroxide vs. Bleach This was written by Becky Ransey of Indiana (a doctor's wife), and I want to share it with you. She was over recently for coffee and smelled the bleach I was using to clean my toilet and countertops. This is what she told me: "I would like to tell you of the benefits of that plain little ole bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at an drug store. What does bleach cost? My husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, and most doctors don't tell you about peroxide. "Have you ever smelled bleach in a doctor's office? NO!!! Why? Because it smells, and it is not healthy! Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices, and ask them if they use bleach at home. They are wiser and know better! "Did you also know bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's chlorine, folks! And it was used to kill our troops. "Peroxide was invented during WWI. It was used to save and help cleanse the needs of our troops and hospitals. Please think about this: 1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. (I do it when I bathe.) No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash! 2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs. 3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters. 4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria. 5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry. 6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide. 7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will. 8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue. 9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly. 10. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections. 11. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary. 12. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this. "I could go on and on... It is a little brown bottle no home should be without! "With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner!" This information really woke me up. I hope you gain something from it, too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, that is about all I have for this time. I hope that you all have a great day and hope to hear from you really soon.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Orange Carrot Cake
Denny's Favorite Orange Carrot Cake
from Pillsbury's "Let's Celebrate" cook book 1985
Heat your oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13 cake pan.
Cake:
3 C. all purpose flour
2 C. sugar
1 C. coconut (doesn't matter, flake or shredded)
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon ( this is where, I kind of mess with things a bit, I put in 2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg)
2 C. (4 med.) shredded carrots
1 1/4 C. cooking oil
2 tsp. vanilla (do me proud on this one and use the real think, OK)
1 tsp. grated orange peel
3 eggs
11 oz. can of Mandarin Orange segments, undrained
Blend all of this well and them beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake at 350F for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack until completely cool (this is the part that is hardest for me. I have to keep Den out of it that long)
Frosting:
3 C. powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese softened
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
Blend well. This makes more frosting than is really needed for the cake but get out the graham crackers and make some treats for the kids for after school. If you like sprinkle the frosted cake with chopped walnuts or pecans.
This is a dense, moist cake. I have never tried to make a layer cake out of this one but I guess you could. Hope that you enjoy it. I has never failed for me in the 18 years that we have been married.
from Pillsbury's "Let's Celebrate" cook book 1985
Heat your oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13 cake pan.
Cake:
3 C. all purpose flour
2 C. sugar
1 C. coconut (doesn't matter, flake or shredded)
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon ( this is where, I kind of mess with things a bit, I put in 2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg)
2 C. (4 med.) shredded carrots
1 1/4 C. cooking oil
2 tsp. vanilla (do me proud on this one and use the real think, OK)
1 tsp. grated orange peel
3 eggs
11 oz. can of Mandarin Orange segments, undrained
Blend all of this well and them beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake at 350F for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack until completely cool (this is the part that is hardest for me. I have to keep Den out of it that long)
Frosting:
3 C. powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese softened
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
Blend well. This makes more frosting than is really needed for the cake but get out the graham crackers and make some treats for the kids for after school. If you like sprinkle the frosted cake with chopped walnuts or pecans.
This is a dense, moist cake. I have never tried to make a layer cake out of this one but I guess you could. Hope that you enjoy it. I has never failed for me in the 18 years that we have been married.
Friday, February 27, 2009
All Caught Up, I Think
I think that this kind of brings us up to date on what I was putting on my emails. No, I think that there was a Pineapple Swirl Coffee Cake from Mary and my Raspberry Poppy Seed Honey Salad Dressing as well as Salad Linda's way. Next time. I have been on this machine long enough and I have got to help Betty out today through the noon meal and clean up.
I will be spending most of the day Saturday and Sunday getting ready for our trip. Buddy still is trying to talk me into taking him along. He has never flown before and I don't think that I am going to try it this time around. Our old dog Rocky was a great flier and just took the hussle and bussle like a trooper. Buddy is a bit more vocal about things so he would have to be on a downer the whole time going and coming home so I think he and Dr. Miller will be doing some quality time in Doc's Howl-a Day-Inn.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
I will be spending most of the day Saturday and Sunday getting ready for our trip. Buddy still is trying to talk me into taking him along. He has never flown before and I don't think that I am going to try it this time around. Our old dog Rocky was a great flier and just took the hussle and bussle like a trooper. Buddy is a bit more vocal about things so he would have to be on a downer the whole time going and coming home so I think he and Dr. Miller will be doing some quality time in Doc's Howl-a Day-Inn.
God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda
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