Kraut Bierochs

Filling:

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 large head cabbage, cored and shredded
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced into small pieces
• salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef and onion in a large pot until meat is brown and onion is soft.  Drain and rinse beef mixture with hot water.

Return meat mixture to Dutch Oven and add cabbage.  Add a splash of water to pot, then cover and simmer on low heat until cabbage is soft, stirring mixture occasionally.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Spread mixture onto a large sheet pan to cool mixture thoroughly.

Bread Dough

• One package Rhodes frozen dinner rolls
• One stick butter, softened

Remove from bag and place on a greased sheet pan to thaw.  Be sure to leave space between rolls.  Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking. 

When dough has thawed and just beginning to rise, begin assembling the Kraut Beerochs. 

Dust the workspace with flour. Roll bread dough flat with a rolling pin.  Place a spoonful of cooled meat mixture in the center of roll.  Brush edge of bread dough with a bit of water and fold bread over meat mixture to make a half-circle.  Pinch edges tightly and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Finish edges by crimping edges with a fork.  Continue until the sheet pan is full.  Do not overcrowd the bierochs – they will rise.  Rub the top of each bieroch with softened butter.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow dough to rise for 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees until bread is golden brown – approximately 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and rub a small amount of butter on top of each. 

Bierochs can be served immediately, or stored in refrigerator or freezer in a tightly sealed bag or container.   

Potatoes and Glace

Glace dough:  1cup flour, 1 egg, 1/2teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 cup water
Preparation:  Peel and cube potatoes. Boil in water until almost done.  


Make glace dough. Bring another pan of water to boil. Drop by scant teaspoons into boiling water, dipping spoon into hot water so the dough won't stick. Cook only as many glace as will fit across the top of the pan, don't over crowd. Cook a few minutes until done (when they come to the top).  


Drain potatoes and mix with glace.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

1 3/4 cups boiling water

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Mix water and oatmeal in mixing bowl, and let sit 10 minutes.

Add sugars, butter or margarine, and eggs. Mix well.

Add flour, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Blend.

Pour into greased and floured 9x13 inch cake pan. Top with chocolate chips and chopped nuts.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 30-35 minutes, 8until a wooden pick comes out clean.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 (3-ounces each) chicken cutlets
1 1/2 cups Favorite Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
16 teaspoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Stir the oil and herbs in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a heavy large oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of mozzarella over each cutlet, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Parmesan over each. Sprinkle the butter pieces atop the cutlets. Bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.


Giada de Laurentiis

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes 

---or simmer fresh tomatoes until tender
4 to 6 basil leaves
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional



Directions:

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, dried red pepper, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.

Blend sauce in blender if you prefer a smooth sauce


Giada deLaurentiis

Food Memories Journal 8

So, our nest is officially empty.  

Our wonderful son was recently able to make a new home for himself, leaving us to realize just how big this house is for two people.

During this period of adjustment, I have been trying to clean out the food storage that has accumulated, finish up the leftovers, and create nutritious, portion-controlled meals for the two of us. Suddenly, our refrigerator looks a little barren.  Where once there were plenty of leftovers to choose from, I now need to make do with froot loops or a peanut butter sandwich.  Bleh.

The grocery bill is nice, though. Suddenly, one chicken breast is plenty, or one steak, split between us. Salad has become a meal (much to my husband's delight...he is the only man I have ever known who prefers salad over meat.  Weird.) I no longer have to think about which vegetable I can serve to please everyone - it is easy.  No lima beans or eggplant.  Ever. Peas for one and carrots for the other.  Other than that, we are in agreement.

Thank goodness for freezers.  I think mine will be visited often in the future, especially for days like today.  Apparently I over-bought when bell peppers were on sale.  I roasted twelve this morning,  and will make roasted red pepper soup this afternoon, creating yummy breakfasts and lunches for me..  Good bye, froot loops.

Beef Tips and Noodles

Ingredients:
1 pound sirloin tips, cubed
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 package  onion soup mix
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
1 cup water
1 (16 ounce) package wide egg noodles
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a 13x9 inch casserole dish, combine the mushroom and beef onion soups, canned mushrooms and water. Mix thoroughly and add beef tips. Turn to coat well.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour.
4. While beef tips are baking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Serve beef tips and sauce over noodles.

Serve with dinner rolls or garlic toast.

Crock Pot Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pound lean ground beef
• 12 (6 inch) corn tostadas
• 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

1. Crumble the ground beef into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Add taco seasoning, water, salsa, beans and corn; simmer for 5 minutes over low heat. Drain and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together cream of chicken soup, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Mix in 3 cups of the cheese, reserving 1 cup for later.
3. Stack two tostadas in the bottom of a slow cooker. Spread a spoonful of the beef mixture on top of the tostadas, followed by a layer of the cheese mixture. Repeat the layers (always using two tostadas as a layer) until you have added all the ingredients, finishing with the tostadas on the top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
4. Cover, and cook on High for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Serve with tortilla chips, sliced green onions, sliced olives, chopped tomatoes, and shredded lettuce.

Zucchini Rellenos

A Dutch Oven Recipe
          (from Wendy Sjaardema; variations below)
Ingredients:
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1 inch slices
sea salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, optional
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut into 1/2 inch strips
4 to 8 ounces mozzarella or other cheese, grated
one 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 green chiles, stemmed, seeded and chopped (try anaheim or poblano)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped or one 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 or 3 fresh oregano sprigs
2 flour tortillas

Directions:
Preheat Oven to 450*. 
Spray inside and lid of dutch oven with olive oil
Scatter scallions in pot
Spread the zucchini in a layer and season lightly with salt.  Sprinkle with Cilantro, if using.
Scatter in the bell pepper strips and top with half the cheese.  Cover with the pinto beans.  Blanket with the green chiles.
Add the rest of the cheese and top with the tomatoes.  Tuck the oregano sprigs in the crevices.
Spray each side of the tortillas with olive oil.  Cut the tortillas in half and roll each half separately.  Position the rolled tortilla halves on top of the other ingredients in the pot.  Spray well with olive oil.
Cover and bake for about 35 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven.  Serve Immediately.

Wendy's Variation:
Doubled everything but the beans and cilantro
Used Dried oregano not fresh
Used green bell pepper instead of yellow
Used Anaheim peppers
Used the full 16 oz cheese
Used 2 tomatoes and one 15 oz can - make sure you completely drain canned or gets a little soupy in bottom.
Couldn't get corn tortillas to roll so just layered on top of other ingredients.


Marilyn's Variation:
Use black beans instead of pinto
Use mixture of monterey jack and cheddar cheese
Slice fresh tomates over the top
Use flour tortillas

Chicken Alfredo with Pasta

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cubed

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup milk

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cups cooked chicken
2 cups fresh broccoli, steamed in microwave for 1 minute

2 small zucchini, julienned

1 sweet red bell pepper, julienned

6 ounces fettuccine, cooked and drained
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

In a skillet over low heat, melt cream cheese and butter; stir until smooth. Add milk, garlic powder, salt red pepper and and pepper. Cook and stir for 3 minutes or until thickened. Add chicken, broccoli, zucchini and red pepper. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Reduce heat; cover and cook 5 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Serve over fettuccine and sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese.

Lamb...an adventure

Tonight we tried Lamb for the first time - teeny, tiny lamb chops.  I marinated them in a paste made with garlic, rosemary thyme, salt, cayenne pepper and olive oil, then seared them until they were medum rare. 

They were good, but frankly, I prefer beef. 

The side dishes, however, were divine!  Scalloped potatoes and green beans with bacon and almond slivers - two of my favorite recipes! 

Cream of Turkey (or Chicken) Chowder

*substitute chicken, if desired

Ingredients

·         1 leftover turkey carcass

·         3 medium onions, chopped

·         2 large carrots, diced

·         2 celery ribs, diced

·         1 cup butter, cubed

·         1 cup all-purpose flour

·         2 cups heavy cream

·         1 cup uncooked long grain rice

·         2 teaspoons salt

·         1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

·         3/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Place turkey carcass in a soup kettle or Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove carcass; cool. Set aside 3 qt. broth. Remove turkey from bones and cut into bite-size pieces; set aside.

In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, sauté the onions, carrots and celery in butter until tender. Reduce heat; stir in flour until blended. Gradually add 1 qt. of reserved broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Add cream, rice, salt, bouillon, pepper, remaining broth and reserved turkey. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until rice is tender.

Penne with Asparagus and Tomatoes

Ingredients

·         8 ounces penne pasta

·         3 tablespoons olive oil

·         2 garlic cloves, minced

·         1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

·         Salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes

·         1 cup frozen peas, defrosted

·         1/2 cup chicken stock

·         1 cup grated Parmesan

·         2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until slightly soft. Add the cherry tomatoes and peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the stock is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the asparagus mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 of the Parmesan. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan and chopped basil.

Giada deLaurentis

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh asparagus
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Trim the coarse ends of the asparagus and cut asparagus into one inch pieces. In a medium skillet over medium high heat, sauté the asparagus in 1 cup of the broth for about 7 minutes, or until tender.

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter or margarine and remove from heat. Add the flour and stir well until smooth. Gradually add the remaining 2 1/2 cups broth. Return the saucepan to the heat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

Add the cream, salt, pepper and cooked asparagus with liquid. Stir well and heat thoroughly. Serve hot and enjoy!

Asparagus and Poached Egg

1 bunch asparagus, washed and trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon sesame seeds
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place asparagus on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle olive oil over asparagus and roll them around the baking sheet to cover them with oil.  Sprinkle salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and sesame seed over the asparagus.  Bake in hot oven for 10 minutes until crisp tender.

As asparagus cooks, fill a saucepan half way full of water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a gentle simmer.  Add vinegar and salt and stir.  Crack one egg into a measuring cup or large spoon and gently slip it into the boiling water. Repeat with remaining eggs. Simmer for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Place asparagus on a platter and top with poached eggs.  Sprinkle a few red pepper flakes over the eggs and serve immediately.

Something new

It is only recently that I have decided to eat Asparagus. 

My first job was working in a hospital kitchen.  When I was scheduled to serve vegetables when asparagus was on the menu, I traded for a different position, if at all possible.  The smell of canned asparagus is very unpleasant to me. 

Imagine my surprise when I decided to be a big girl and try fresh apsaragus two summers ago.  The first time I tried it, I grilled it with salt, pepper, and sesame seeds.  The next time, I roasted it in the oven.  Since that time, I have found four recipes that regularly appear on my dining room table - grilled, roasted, with pasta and tomatoes, and cream of asparagus soup. 

Last night I tried a new recipe.  It knocked my socks off!  So, I am including it in my favorites. 

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients

• 3 red bell peppers
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans (or Great Northern White beans), drained and rinsed
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• ½ cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• sour cream and chives for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to broil.

Place the bell peppers on a baking sheet and broil on the top rack of the oven, using tongs to turn them as each side blackens. Place the blackened peppers in a paper bag, close tightly and allow them to cool for 20 to 30 minutes. Then peel the skin off the peppers and discard the stem and all the seeds. Chop the peppers and set aside.

In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add the chopped, roasted red bell peppers, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper and sauté for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Add the chicken broth and the beans, stirring well. Using a blender, puree the soup in small batches and return to the pot over low heat for 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with sour cream and chives if desired.

Food Memories Journal 7

Frigid (adjective)

 Definition:  Having a very cold temperature - cold; frosty; chilly; icy; freezing; glacial.    “A blast of Arctic weather has sent temperatures plunging well below zero in the Denver area and up and down Colorado's Front Range.” I realize that the quote above doesn’t contain the word “frigid” but I think you get the idea.

Situation:
Outdoor temperature - NINE degrees below zero Fahrenheit (-9)

Response:
Make soup!

In my humble opinion, there is nothing on a cold day quite as comforting and inviting as a pot of homemade soup.  (Okay – hot chocolate is a close second.)

My soup memories from childhood are sparse – my mother made noodle soup with butterballs on a regular basis, but sometimes she made cream of wheat dumplings instead of the noodles.  They taste good, but the texture is a little hinky.  On rare occasions mom would make milk noodle soup - hot milk and noodles, a little salt and allspice.  Sounds strange, doesn’t it?  Mom also likes to make beef vegetable soup – which I do NOT like.  This soup consists of boiled beef bones, potatoes, carrots, celery, cabbage, and tomato sauce with boiled beef on the side for sandwiches. Just yesterday, mom went to the store to find the beef bones, but could not find any.  She was terribly disappointed.  I tried to diplomatically be sympathetic, but she saw right through it.  (Personally, my choice is to go hungry on beef soup night.)

               

            Today, family soup favorites include New England Style Clam Chowder, Split Pea soup, Meatball vegetable soup, Corn Chowder, Chicken and Rice soup, Mean, Green Tortilla Soup, Chicken and Rice Chowder, and of course Beef Chili.  Some of my personal favorites include Taco Soup, Roasted Red Pepper Soup, Winter Vegetable soup, Chicken Chili, and Chicken Tortilla Soup. 

           Yum. I need to plan a soup supper again.

Shepherd's Pie 1

Ingredients:

• 12 servings prepared mashed potatoes
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 cups frozen green beans
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare mashed potatoes according to directions on box or from fresh boiled potatoes. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet, saute ground beef and onion until beef is no longer pink. Drain off grease.
4. Add green beans to skillet and simmer for 4 minutes. Add soup and sour cream and mix thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread potatoes over top.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, until hot and bubbly

Shepherd's Pie 2

Ingredients:

• 12 servings prepared mashed potatoes
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 Portabello mushroom diced
• 1½ cups frozen kernel corn
• 1½ cups frozen green beans
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans brown gravy
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ pound American cheese slices

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Prepare mashed potatoes according to directions on box or from fresh boiled potatoes. Set aside.  

3. In a large skillet, saute ground beef over medium heat for 1 minute. Add onion and mushroom to skillet and continue to cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain off grease. 

4. Add corn and green beans to skillet and simmer for 4 minutes. Add soup and gravy to skillet and mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread potatoes over top. Lay cheese slices over potatoes.  

5. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, until cheese turns golden brown.

Watermelon Honey

When I was about twelve, my mom and I drove to Fort Morgan to gather at my Uncle Jake’s farm to cook Watermelon Honey with her sisters, Kate, Dorothy, Martha, Nancy, and Kay. 

Uncle Jake and Uncle Ed grew watermelons in the cornfields, and after harvest they were taken by truck to Uncle Jake’s farm.  There, an outdoor stove had been built many years before by my grandfather.  Grandpa had retrofitted a piece of farm machinery with three large (probably five gallons each?) cast iron kettles sunk into the surface with room to build large wood fires below.  Each kettle was supervised by one Aunt, and one Aunt was in charge of the fires. 

My job – with my female cousins – was to haul the watermelons to the gathering area and wash them.  The older cousins and a few of the boys were given the job of cutting the watermelons in half. Imagine large, sharp knives in the hands of teenagers.  Scary.  Of course, half of the fun was squirting each other with the seeds and juices.   The boys then carried the cut watermelons to a huge table where the Aunts would scrape the fruit from the rind and run it through the large, cone shaped colanders to separate the pulp and seeds from the juice.   The juices were poured into the kettles in the stove and brought to a boil.  This was tricky, because the honey had to boil and bubble to reduce, but it also burned easily.  The Aunts used really large wooden spoons to (maybe they were oars, now that I think about it) to stir the juices.  Once the juices had turned a rust color and thickened, the hot honey was poured into mason jars and sealed. 

This was late August, and it was hot.  And the job was sticky – I mean really sticky.  The bees liked the sticky mess, so they were buzzing around.  As the sun began to set, Uncle Jake and Grandpa brought out the hoses and hosed down everything – the stove, the kettles, the fires, the tables, the ground, and of course the cousins and, inevitably, the Aunts.  Amid screeches and threats of bodily harm we cooled down and cleaned up.  Everyone went home with tasty treasures in glass jars and memory treasures to last for years to come.  

Crock Pickles

1 gallon water

1 cup cider vinegar

½ cup salt

Layer sprigs of fresh dill and washed cucumbers until container is half-full, finishing with a double layer of dill.

Bring water, vinegar and salt to a boil and pour over the cucumbers and dill.  Place a dinner plate on top of the top layer and weight it down to the cucumbers are submerged.  Place in a dark area.  Pickles will be ready in 24 hours, and will last several weeks.

I often use a clean 5 gallon paint bucket

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups sour cream
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup, divided
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (sauté in a little butter)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
½ tbsp. cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
10 (8 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
1 (15 oz) can Stoke’s Green Chili Sauce

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, chicken, sour cream, one can soup, chilies, onion, pepper and salt. Spoon about 1/2 cup off center on each tortilla; roll up. Place seam side down in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Mix the remaining can of cream of chicken soup with the green chili sauce and spread the mixture over the top of the tortillas.

2. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Banana Bars

½ cup butter

1½ cup white sugar

2 eggs

¾ cup sour milk (mix 1 tablespoon vinegar + 1 cup milk)

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time then soured milk, bananas and vanilla and beat until smooth.  Sift flour, salt and soda together and stir into mixture until combined.

Spread batter on a greased jelly roll pan and bake 30 minutes.  Cool banana bars and top with powdered sugar frosting.

Vi  Sjaardema

Salmon Patties

Ingredients:
· 1 can (16 ounces) salmon
· 1 small onion, finely grated
· 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
· ground black pepper, to taste
· 2 large eggs, well beaten
· 1 to 1 1/2 cups fine dry bread crumbs
· 3 tablespoons butter
Preparation:
Turn salmon and liquid into a medium mixing bowl. Flake with a fork, removing OR mashing any bones (they are edible). Mix in grated onion, parsley and pepper. Mix beaten eggs with salmon. Add enough bread crumbs, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, to make thick enough to shape into 12 small patties. Roll patties in 1/2 cup bread crumbs. In a large heavy skillet over low heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter; add patties. Fry patties slowly on one side until brown; add remaining butter, turn patties and fry until brown on the other side.
Serves 6.

Steak Strip Stir Fry

·         1 tablespoon vegetable oil

·         12 ounces beef top round steak, trimmed and cut into thin strips

·         1 large yellow onion, sliced (about 1½ cups)

·         1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

·         ½  cup beef  broth

·         1 tablespoon chili sauce

·         ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

·         1 (10 ounce) bag frozen cut green beans, thawed

·         8 ounces egg noodles

·         1 tablespoon cornstarch

·         2 tablespoons cold water

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add steak, cook, stirring frequently until no longer pink – about 4 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer steak to a plate.

Cook noodles according to package directions as you perform the next step.

Add onion to juices in skillet.  Cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 3 minutes.  Stir in tomato sauce, broth, chili sauce and pepper.  Cook for 3 minutes.

Return beef to skillet.  Add green beans, cook until hot.  Make a slurry with the cornstarch and water and add to skillet. Simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.   Drain noodles in a colander, place on serving plates.  Top with beef mixture and serve.

Food Memories Journal 6

Dessert: noun

Description:  the final course of a meal; often a sweet flavor and high in fat content and calories

Dessert was not a part of my childhood daily routine.  Dessert was reserved for company and special occasions.  My mother is a good baker. Me?  Not so much.  I can cook just about anything, but baking?  Not my strong point.

I have tried to make cookies, cakes, candy, bars, breads, and anything else that might need baking.  Cake mixes are fairly consistent, break and bake cookies work out for me sometimes, and my Almond Bars are pretty good.  And I scoop a mean bowl of ice cream.

The last banana bread I made was a complete failure. I had lots of bananas, so I doubled the recipe.   I knew something was wrong when I mixed in the flour and my mixer overheated.  The second clue should have been the fact that the loaf pan weighed about nine pounds.  Still, I baked it, (it smelled good) and cooled it ( it looked good).   I was so excited….the house smelled wonderful!  When I tried to cut it with a knife, it was like sawing concrete.  So I took the whole thing and put it in the trash can.  Dave came home about an hour later, and found the banana bread in the trash and took it out, thinking it was there by mistake (really?) until he tried to cut it.  Back into the trash can it went.  Looking back, I am pretty sure that I doubled the recipe, but quadrupled the flour. 

Favorite family desserts:  Yule Log. Almond Bars.  Marble Brownies.  Lemon meringue pie.  Pumpkin pie. Chocolate Volcano  cake.  Ice cream. Klondike Bars.  Ponsonita Sundae. Éclair dessert.  Buster Bar Dessert.  Cherry pie. Coconut cream pie. Cherry cheesecake. Hot fudge sundae.

Marble Brownies (one of Dave’s favorite desserts)

• 2 sticks butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 squares baking chocolate

Preheat oven to350 degrees F.

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Add milk, vanilla, then eggs, one at a time.  Add flour into mixture and beat until smooth.

Drop ½ of batter in spoonfuls into a greased 9x13 pan. 

Melt baking chocolate in microwave and add to the rest of the batter.  Drop spoonfuls of chocolate batter between the white batter and marbleize by drawing a knife through the mixture.

Bake 30-40 minutes until a wooden pick inserted into center of pan comes out clean.

Cool and frost with chocolate frosting.

Vi Sjaardema

Bruce’s Really Yummy Cheese Dip

Ingredients:
1 – 3# box of Kraft American Cheese

A splash of milk

4 bunches green onions, sliced

3 jalapenos, seeds removed and chopped

2 Anaheim peppers, chopped

Directions:

Cube cheese and place in microwave safe dish.  Add a splash of milk and cook in microwave until smooth. 

Add veggies and stir.

Serve as a dip with tortilla chips, fresh vegetables, and crackers. 

Bruce Baird

Food Memories Journal 5

Dishes:  noun

Definition:   a grouping of similarly patterned items for the presentation of food.   Typically consists of dinner plate, salad plate, bowl , bread/dessert plate. Set may also contain serving items, i.e. large bowls, meat platter, gravy boat, soup terrene, etc.

My mother loves dishes.  I mean she really, really loves dishes.  All kinds of dishes!  Stoneware dishes, ironstone dishes, depression glass dishes, Noritake, Mikasa, Corelle, Hull Pottery and tons of others that I can’t name.  As long as I can remember there has been a parade of different patterns floating across her table.

My early memories contain Melmac dishes - white with a blue flower.  We also had plastic drinking goblets.  They have a swirled pattern in the drinking part of the glass, and Melmac  bases – sort of “feet.”  I think the feet were white.  The glasses were so interesting that I had to see if I could find a picture of them somewhere on the internet.  They are listed at 1960’s Retro Drinking Glasses.

Ironstone was next – it did not last long...it was “way too heavy.”  Several stoneware patterns followed, then came several different patterns of Corelle and Pfaltzgraff . 

After all these years, Depression Glass continues to be Mom’s favorite find.  Glass dishes  of all different colors – ruby red, cobalt, light green, dark green, light blue, amber, and her favorite, pastel pink. Many pieces grace the display cabinets and china hutches in her home.

Garage sales and “The Value Village” are my mother’s favorite places to shop.  She constantly combs through peoples castoffs looking for hidden treasures.  So many of these beautiful pieces are part of an estate or donated to thrift stores by people who don’t know their true value.  When these items appear, Mom makes a few fast bucks selling them to her favorite antique man, Ken.  Of course, most of the time she is outwardly (and vocally) disappointed that he sells the items for twice what she is paid, but I believe it is all part of a delightful game. 

Mom’s china pattern was” Rose Chintz” by Mieto of Japan.  It is a simple pattern with a delicate burgundy red rose and silver rims.  I loved that pattern, and it was always a special day if the table was set with the china.  This set now resides in my home.  When I was first married, I received a set of Franciscan Ware Desert Rose.  Mom liked it better than hers, so we traded. I love to use the china, and do so whenever possible.  What an honor to share this treasure with my family and friends.