Tabbouleh

Whether you serve it as a salad or stuffed into a pita....this middle eastern healthy entree is a must have...especially in the warm weather. There are many variations to the recipe (almost as many as the spelling of the name) and each one equally as good, although the original 'chef' will disagree. This is mine which I have changed from time to time over the years and even each time I make it, depending on my taste for spice that day. The key ingredients are bulgur (NOT couscous...never! :) , parsley, lemon, tomato and olive oil....after that you can experiment. In a pinch you could buy a package of CASBAH in the health food section of your grocers or any other brand that is 'pre-mixed'. Just make sure you then add plenty of fresh tomatoes and parsley.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup bulgur wheat, dry
• 4 cups parsley
• 4 roma tomatoes (others will do but not as nicely)
• 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped (best to use seedless) - optional
• 2/3 cup chopped green onions - optional
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (if possible)
• salt and fresh pepper to taste

In a small bowl, add dry bulgur wheat to 1 cup of boiling water. Let stand for 5 - 10 minutes.
In a large bowl mix together the parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, mint and softened bulgur.
In a small bowl mix the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper.

• Toss together. Chill and serve...yum!

Carrot and Parsley Salad

Here is an easy 'make ahead' side dish. Make when you have a heavier one dish main meal as an alternate to a vegetable or green salad.

• 3 1/2 cups grated carrots
• 1 bunch parsley finely chopped
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
• 1/2 tsp salt

ground pepper to taste

Combine all and toss well. This can be made ahead and refrigerated, covered, until serving time. It keeps for 2 to 3 days. Alternately you can add cumin, chives or mint depending on the meal you are serving and how you want to compliment the flavours of the main dish.

Sweet Peppers Soup

Ahhhh...summertime is finally here but we don't have to forgo soup as a main course. Here is a dish that could be a fancy first course or a light main dish if served with a whole wheat bread or salad. Or you could add a few potatoes (I mean a few only) if you are serving those with a heartier appetite.

• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 tbsp butter or vegetable oil
• 6 cups chopped red and green bell peppers (about 6)
• 2 cups water or vegetable (or low sodium chicken) broth
• 1 cup sour cream (plain yogurt or low fat for those more health conscious)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a covered pot saute the onions on a medium heat in the butter or oil until the onions are transparent. Add the peppers and cook covered until JUST soft, stirring occasionally. Put the cooked onions, peppers, water or stock, sour cream, dill and lemon juice in a food processor and whirl. Don't over process it because you want to be able to see the small pieces of the peppers when you serve. Return the soup to the pot and gently reheat, adding the salt and fresh ground pepper.

Options:

Decorate with croutons or if you want a spicy Mexican flavour omit the dill and croutons and add 1 tsp ground cumin and coriander with 1/4 tsp cayenne to the peppers and onions when sauteing. Garnish this version with chopped coriander and crumbled tortilla chips.

This soup is my take on a recipe I found once in a Health Magazine which I clipped. I no longer have the name of the magazine or issue but the credit is NOT mine :)

Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake)

I'm sure that this is a staple recipe in most Mennonite households. . . .so it needs to be included here as well. I was merrily putting this together yesterday. I was half way finished when I suddenly remembered that I originally got the recipe from Anneliese .. .who also contributes to the blog. . .I emailed her and told her that I was making her recipe, I would take the picture and send it to her and she could post it. She graciously told me to go ahead and post it myself.

So. . .here is Anneliese's and most likely her Mom's Bienenstich. . .  A few minor changes were made to the topping when a reader called me to say they did some experiments on the topping and the end result was fantastic.

Base:

• 4 farm fresh eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch Salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter

Beat the eggs and sugar together really well in a large bowl .. .Beat them until they are thick. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir this into the beaten eggs and sugar. Heat the milk and butter till very hot .. not quite boiling. Add the hot milk/butter to the batter. Pour into a large shallow greased and parchment papered pan. Bake at 350 F for 15 - 20 min
Topping:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup shredded or medium coconut
• 1 1/2 cup slivered or flaked almonds
• 6 tablespoons whipping cream

While the cake it baking, spread the coconut and almonds separately on cookie sheets and put them in the oven to slightly toast.  Remove from oven and set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat together the butter and brown sugar and the whipping cream until it just comes to a boil. Add the toasted coconut and the almonds. Spread onto the baked cake as even as you can. Broil carefully for a few minutes until it is nicely browned. .. Do not walk away from your kitchen.

Filling:

• 2 cups of whipping cream ( or the remainder of a 500 ml container)
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• a packet of whipping cream stabilizer or 2 tablespoons of instant vanilla pudding

Whip the filling together.
Now comes the tricky part. Take the cake out of the pan. . with the paper on. Set it on the counter and with a long serrated knife slice it in half. Very carefully slide your hand under the top layer and slide it off .. as best you can. Put the whipped cream on the bottom layer and then slide the top layer back on top.
Voila. . .well done. Now, just set it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. This actually freezes really well and cuts very easy when partially frozen. I did this to take the picture. Thank you Anneliese for this wonderful recipe. . I've been making it for nearly 30 years I'm sure.

Penne with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Capers

As anyone with teenagers will know, pasta is a basic staple in the pantry. But a simple pasta dish can be turned into an elegant serving entree with a few healthy and special additions.


One of those 'bring along' one dish meals that can easily be converted to a 'cold dish' if dinner is delayed or you are serving buffet style....picnic anyone? For a healthier version use whole wheat pasta. Remember...fresh, fresh, fresh makes these summer dishes beautiful and 'alive' with colour and taste.

• 15 sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
• 1/2 cup very hot water
• 3 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin of course for better flavour!)
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• 4 medium tomatoes
• 6 garlic cloves (minced)....or less if you are not a garlic lover
• 3 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained (you can omit but you compromise on flavour guaranteed)
• 1 1/2 tsp chopped thyme or basil (in summer...use the fresh basil...it just calls out to be used with this recipe...)
• 1 tbsp fresh tarragon (don't use if using basil - You want the Basil to dominate)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• salt (I use NO SALT - by the way...that IS a product)
• fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 pound penne
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley ( don't go overboard with the parsley - 1/2 cup is enough for this amount of pasta.)
• grated parmesan cheese (fresh please!!!)

1. Start your water boiling for your pasta.
2. Place the chopped sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and cover them with the very hot water. Set aside
3. Heat the oil and saute the onions on a medium heat, covered for about 3 minutes or until just translucent.
4. Chop the fresh tomatoes and set them aside.
5. Drain the sun-dried tomatoes, reserving the liquid and add to onions. Stir in garlic, capers and basil (or thyme and tarragon)
6. Add fresh chopped tomatoes, peas and reserved sun-dried tomato liquid. Saute, covered only until the tomatoes soften and lose their shape. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
7. Stir penne into the boiling water. Cover and return to boil. Then uncover and cook the pasta until al dente. (Somehow I had never learned the importance of 'al dente' until my later years of cooking. Al Dente is an Italian phrase meaning "to the tooth," used to describe pasta or other food that is cooked only until it offers a slight resistance).

In a large warmed serving bowl (if you are serving this warm - and I do recommend warming your bowls if you have a pasta dish with minimal sauce) toss the hot pasta with the sauce and stir in the chopped parsley. Top with the fresh parmasen and serve immediately (if serving warm). I'm making this ahead for a main dish salad supper dish...will post a pic later when it is served.

Oma's Glazed Chocolate Cookies

Oh, I'm sooo excited to share about the wonderful day I had with my Mom yesterday, I'm shaking inside! My family has been bugging me for a long time that I NEED to learn how to make Oma's chocolate cookies and perishky! I bake pretty well anything else, but I've played ignorance with some of her specialties because I just want to enjoy them when she makes them.
It was so cute how she was almost giddy about me taking pictures of her while she was doing what she knows how to do best! Now, I'll post the cookies first. I'm excited to have figured out how to do these collages to save picture space and I hope they make sense.
The Perishky are coming later . . . I do need to get away from this computer for a while and do life as well . . . Oh, and these cookies are the best cookies to take camping because they keep so well. Good Luck and don't be afraid to ask questions because I may have missed something.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup honey
• 1 egg yolk
• 5 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp soda
• ½ cup cocoa
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup whipping cream

1. Mix butter and sugar, stir in yolk and then honey well.
2. Add combined dry ingredients alternately with milk and cream.
3. Refrigerate overnite.

4. Roll pieces of dough into long 1 1/2 inch thick rolls and slice (approx 1 inch slices).
5. Form into balls and bake at 375F about 12 -15 min.
6. Cool. Frost with sugar glaze.

Sugar glaze:

1. Beat 1 egg white and set aside.
2. Bring to boil 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water and cook on med heat about 3-4 min until “slimy looking” or syrupy.
3. Pour syrup into beaten egg white, while beating, and continue beating for a few minutes, until you can form stiff peaks.
4. Scoop some glaze up with your hands and coat each cookie, first bottom and then top.(If glaze is cooked too little it will be very easy to coat, but harder to dry.
   If glaze is cooked too long, it dries quickly and doesn’t go on as smooth. It helps to wet your hands)
5. Place on waxed paper until glaze dries.
6. Store in ice cream bucket in cool place or freeze. Yield: 6 doz.
   
    

(My mom adapted this recipe from the Mennonite

Treasury Cookbook, (1962) page 171)

Mango Salsa

Yummy, sweet and tart. A good compliment to any rice or fish dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium ripe mangoes
• 1 small cucumber diced (peel if bitter skinned)
• 1 ripe tomato
• juice of 1 lime
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 - 1 small fresh chili pepper minced (or use a hot pepper sauce to taste)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (I use several more...but careful, the green of the cilantro should not drown out the color of the mango)

Peel and chop the mangoes. In a large bowl, mix together the mangoes, cucumber, tomato, lime juice, salt, chili and cilantro. Let the salsa sit for at least 10 minutes to infuse the flavours. This can keep up to three days in the fridge.

Black Beans and Rice Salad

I think one of the most healthy times of my life was when I turned 'vegetarian' and stayed that way for about five years. Since that time I have reintroduced some very lean meats into my diet but I do go through phases of non-meat. Here is a simply scrumptious cold 'salad' or main dish with all the protein that you need in a meal.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups drained cooked black beans
3 cups cooked brown rice
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/4 cup sliced Spanish olives

DRESSING

1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (Oh I love that fresh cilantro!)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp grated orange peel
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp cinnamon
and salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts and cilantro or parsley leaves to decorate


Combine the drained beans with the rice, celery and Spanish olives. In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients, then pour over the beans and rice mixture. Stir thoroughly. top with roasted walnuts and cilantro or parsley.

Serve with a cold corn or mango salsa for a complimentary color and taste.

kotletten

I can't give you the history of these tasty little deep-fried meatballs...but I know they were a regular menu item in the home in which I grew up. They are wonderful right out of the pan...and not so bad the next day, right out of the fridge!

Our meals were pretty basic 'back in the day'...meat, potatoes and gravy, vegetables and maybe apple sauce. So that was the kind of meal we had for dinner tonight.

I cooked 'Crash Potatoes' for the first time...something I will definitely be making again. (The recipe comes from the Pioneer Woman Cooks website...click on link.) I boiled new red potatoes until tender...crushed them into mounds with a potato masher on oiled pan...sprinkled liberally with salt, pepper, and herbs...

...and baked at 425 degrees F for another 20 minutes.

Kotletten

1 pound ground beef

1 egg

1 potato, peeled and finely grated

1-2 slices day-old bread

1 small onion, finely chopped or grated

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

(I did three times the recipe today.)

Soak bread in milk or water.

Add to ground beef along with egg, potato, onion and seasonings.

Mix well with your hands.

Form meat balls of desired size.

Heat about 1/2 inch oil in frying pan and cook over medium-high heat.

Turn meat balls after well browned on the bottom side...cook several minutes longer.

Enjoy...hot or cold!

Tip* I soak the bread crumbs, then put in blender along with sliced potatoes (unpeeled), sliced onion, egg and seasonings. Blend until smooth...then mix with meat.

Enjoy another recipe from the past...

Vange's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every Cookbook should have a Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe. I was whipping these up this afternoon for our coffee break and took a few pictures ..

I found this recipe in a church cookbook and it was contributed by Vange. Our family has been hooked on these cookies since 1992. We love them. . . so simple always soft and chewy. The different addition is the syrup. . she lists pancake syrup. . .I add Rogers Golden Cane Syrup.

1 cup soft butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2. . . (I use 3) tablespoons syrup
2 farm fresh eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups of all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chip cookies

Mix ingredients in given order. . .you know .. cream the butter, add the sugars and then the egg, vanilla and then the dry ingredients.

Use an ice cream scoop that has a scraper in it. . to make balls of dough. No need to flatten, the butter helps with that.

Bake about 9 minutes. . .the recipe says 7 but I make my cookies bigger. .

Bake at 375 F. Make sure you oven is preheated really well, it will bake the cookies more even.

I often bake mine at 350 convection.

Enjoy. . no kidding. . my beloved just called from the barn and he's on his way in for coffee. . .

Tender Pie Crust

Rhubarb Pie has been a favorite for our family for years. I got this recipe from my next door neighbor and have enjoyed making this every spring during rhubarb season. Here is the Pie Crust recipe that I use for this particular pie. You can also use apples for this. It is truly delicious. This pie crust recipe is best used in the large cookie sheets, if you use this as a regular pie in a 9" pan, and bake it for 45 minutes, the dough will be tough. There are other recipes for those kind of pies. I also use this same dough to make Apple Pie by the yard.  This is truly a specialty at our house.

Tender Pie Crust:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 lb Crisco shortening
• 1 Tbsp. Vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 egg

Instructions:

1. Measure the flour and salt into large bowl.
2. Cut in shortening with pastry blender.
3. Separate egg.  Beat egg white until stiff. 
4. Stir combined egg yolk, vinegar and water into flour/shortening mixture along with beaten egg white. It may seem too moist, but do not add too much flour. Use flour sparingly and only if it is too sticky.
5. Divide into halves and roll out the first half to the measurement of your cookie sheet.
6. Fill with your choice of fresh fruit filling.
7. Roll out second half of pastry to top the fruit layer. 
8. Pinch edges. Sprinkle top crust with 1 tablespoon sugar. 
9. Bake at 425' for 20-30 min.

Check out the Rhubarb Recipe, using this dough crust.

First treat yourself. Go out and buy the Pamper chef pastry board. I have made pies for many years, I don't know why I didn't buy this sooner.

This is ideal for a large crowd. Add a scoop of ice-cream and they'll come back for more.

Big Families, Big Pies & Big Ice-Cream Buckets.

OMA'S JAM JAMS

A COOKIE AND A KISS

A cookie and a kiss

A house should have a cookie jar

for when its half past three

and the children hurry home from school

as hungry as can be,

There is nothing quite as splendid

in filling children up

as spicy little ginger cakes

and sweet milk in a cup.

A house should have a mother,

or Oma waiting with a hug

no matter what a child brings home

a puppy or a bug,

for children loiter when the bells ring to dismiss,

if no-one's home to greet then with a cookie and a kiss

(taken from a farming community cookbook).

This is one of my mother's many specialties. You see I didn't grow up with Chocolate Chip Cookies. I only thought Mr. Christie baked those...grin....and came from a bag. I grew up with German/Mennonite type of baking. I am first generation Canadian so I grew up with lots of European traditions. In grade 2, we had a spring tea at school. We were supposed to ask our mothers to bring "DAINTIES" to serve. So I brought home the sheet and my mom said, "what are DAINTIES, I don't know how to bake DAINTIES". I was a terribly shy kid and didn't know how to tell my teacher that my mom couldn't bake DAINTIES. I just bawled when the teacher asked me...........sniffling, shaking, blowing, I responded "my mama doesn't know how to make dainties".......sniffle, sniffle. The teacher very gently rubbed my shoulders, said that it was OK if my mom didn't bake. I told her she baked lots, like cookies, platz, torte...etc. etc. She replied, "honey those are DAINTIES". Oh I was soooo relieved I ran home with new vigor and told my mom what DAINTIES were......now you know the rest of the story. I hope that you will sample lots of her baking through these recipes.

This is a large recipe that can be easily halved.

2 cups butter or hard margarine

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup syrup

4 eggs

1 tsp. salt

4 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. vanilla

8-9 cups flour

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, beat well. Add vanilla and syrup. Measure flour with soda and salt. Add flour in several portions, mixing well after each addition. Chill dough several hours or overnight. Roll dough one small piece at a time on floured surface. Cut, place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Let cool and put together with "DAMPSUM PLUM JAM", while still warm.

KROEKEL JAM OR DAMPSUM PLUM JAM {Damson is the correct spelling it is just with a German accent.........smile}

This is according to my mother, no real recipe.

take your case of plums, wash them and put in big roaster. Bake at 350 with the pits because the pits bring out better flavor. then when they are soft, and split open and cooked good enough, (what ever that means mom) take out the pits.........soooo, now you measure two parts fruit and one part sugar and put in large pot. cook til thick enough (again who knows how long), you'll know. skim off the schaum (foam or scum but schaum sounds better) as it cooks. save that for fresh buns, waste not want not. when it is done put in hot sterilized jars and cover with melted paraffin wax.

so there you have the recipe exactly how you need it to work.....smile. ahhh handed down family recipes a pinch of this and a smidge of that. you gotta love it.

thanks mama..liebe dich.

SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER (DOUGHNUTS)

DOUGHNUTS

I started a tradition that wasn't really ment to be a tradition, but when you are mennonite and do something once that went over well and everyone liked it HAS to become tradition......."awe come on mom, we did it last year". So hence a new tradition has begun . Each child is allowed to invite their friends, cousins, second, third cousins,whom ever they wish. The first year that we did it my sister in-love and I didn't know how many the recipe would make so to be on the safe side the mennonite in us came out and quadrupled the recipe. After all we wanted to make sure there was plenty. CAUTION..........unless you want to feed the massess of 500 or more DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT quadruple the recipe. We made hundreds, fried for hours, we were covered in a thin layer of grease ourselves.......lol. We invited more families, then more families, then people from church, neighbours. They ALL got eaten. Doughnuts need to be eaten fresh. Set an afternoon to the side, set up a coleman stove out side so your house doesn't smell like a deep fryer, invite the people you love (remember you love them so don't make them more than once a year, for the sake of their health :-}), and just enjoy. I must say that fun was had by all. Oh by the way I only doubled the recipe this time, I am sure the teenagers ate a dozen each. The boys anyway. It made about 200.



Raised Doughnuts (orginally from the Mennonite Cookbook)

1-tbsp of quick rise yeast

1 cup water

2 cups scalded milk

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening ( I used oil)

About 6 cups flour.

Add dry yeast to 3 cups flour, salt and sugar. Scald milk, add 1 cup water, oil and beaten eggs. Mix in enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for about 5 minutes. Let rise approximately 1/2 hour. Roll into 1/4-1/2 in" thick. deep fry until golden brown. Carefull that the oil doesn't get to hot, usually cooking on medium heat to medium high is enough. Glaze while warm in following glaze.

Glaze

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 milk

Bring to boil, take off heat and add

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup icing sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1. Whisk in gredients together, keep on a low element.
2. Dip the warm doughnuts into the glaze and place on parchment lined cookie sheets to dry.
3. Enjoy.

Burfi

Certainly one of the more favored dessert items of my mother-in-law's collections is this rather simple Burfi or Barfi recipe. Homemade is just soooo much better than the store bought. These you will see displayed in cases in Indian Sweetmeat shops in an array of colours and flavours.

Ingredients for Burfi

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 lb. container Ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
• 1/2 tsp. cardamon powder
• 3 cups powdered milk (please...use skim with all these fattening ingredients!)

Garnish

• 1 oz. chopped almonds
• 1 oz. chopped pistachios, few strands of saffron, edible silver paper (good luck finding that last item...and there IS such a thing!)

• Melt butter in a saucepan, add cheese and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes
• Add sugar, nutmeg and cardamon and cook for a further 5 minutes until the mixture leaves the sides of the pot.
• Add powdered milk gradually and cook for a further 3 minutes.

• 
  
• Pour the mixture into a greased 8" x 8" cake pan.
• Sprinkle nuts and saffron and or edible silver paper on top.

When cold cut into squares or rectangular pieces as desired. Serve with Chai Tea and enjoy...

REAL Chai Tea recipe coming up.......

Meat Pinwheels

This is one of my stand by recipes for when I get a call that we are having unexpected guests for a quick lunch on their way through town. I always have these simple ingredients in the house, and since there is no rising time involved, it is an easy yet delicious lunch.

FILLING

1 lb hamburger

1 small onion minced

salt & pepper to taste

Fry together until browned, and drain any fat.

Stir in one can Cream of Mushroom soup. Let simmer about 5 minute. cool mixture completely.

BISCUITS RECIPE

2 cups flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cream of tarter

Mix the above ingredients together. Then cut in 1/4 cup butter with a pastry blender. Then stir in 1 cup milk. Stir until dough begins to form a ball. Lightly flour counter and gently knead dough into a smooth ball.

Flour counter a bit more and roll dough into a rectangle not quite 1/2 inch thick.

Spread cooled meat mixture onto the dough and roll as a jelly roll.

Slice 1" thick sliced and place (almost touching) onto lightly greased small cookie sheet.

Bake at 425for 15-20 minutes. Meat will bubble a bit and biscuit should be golden brown.Let rest in pan while you make a thick pourable cheese sauce.

CHEESE SAUCE

Melt 1/4 cup butter in microwave

Stir in 2 tbsp flour stirring until smooth.

Add 1 1/4 cup milk. stir well and place back in microwave for several minutes till bubbly. Take out and whisk together well. You may microwave 30 more seconds until smooth. Lightly salt and pepper. Add 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese to hot sauce and stir until cheese has melted

Serve cheese sauce on the side in a gravy boat or small pourable jug.

Serve with a garden salad.

Porcupine Meatballs

I'm all about simple when it comes to a good hearty supper for the family after a long work day. I think everyone in my family carried on my mother's recipe into their own homes. Simple but yummy!

Ingredients:

2 cans tomato soup or 1 pint tomato juice
1 lb lean ground beef
1 minced onion
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 egg
2 slices of bread soaked in milk (I use oatmeal every chance I get - whole or run through a food processor)
salt and pepper to taste (I use NO SALT)

Bring soup or juice in large pot over medium heat to a light boil (You may need to add some beef or chicken broth later if it gets to thick so keep one can handy)

Mix ground beef, rice, egg, minced onion and bread (oatmeal) together.

Form meatballs the size of a quarter (these WILL expand with the rice and bread/oatmeal. Drop in one at a time into the lightly boiling tomato base. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes or until the beef is cooked through. You may need to add some moisture if the rice in the meatballs absorb too much of the juice. I usually add a bit of chicken broth if necessary.

Serve over mashed potatoes with a light salad and veggie. (Okay, the sauerkraut HAD to make a picture eventually.)

fresh cream and cucumbers

My mom used to cut fresh cucumbers right out of the garden...so fresh you could feel the sun's heat still on them! Hmmm Hmmm Good! She would pour thick fresh cream over them. Mixed with fresh pepper, a wee bit of salt and sometimes a bit of dill, it was a staple on the dinner table all summer long! Just making it again today brought me back to simpler times. If you are not able to get to that fresh cream, use sweet cream mixed with a light mayonnaise or yogurt for the same creamy effect.

'Greek Style' Chicken

This is a dish my mom used to make quite often for supper.

A simple, but well seasoned, one dish meal.

Peel and quarter potatoes into an open casserole dish. Quarter several onions and place with potatoes. Scatter in some baby carrots. Add a few pieces of garlic and grind some fresh pepper over top. Add fresh (or dried) oregano and/or basil. Add salt to season if you wish. Drizzle with several tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Place several chicken breasts on top and place in 350 oven for 1 hour. Cover with loose foil or 'lid' for first 45 minutes and then remove to brown the chicken.

Antipasto

Antipasto (before food or before the meal) is basically an appetizer which usually contains a variety of cheeses, vegetables, fish and sliced meats. A good olive oil, fresh ground pepper, olives and herbs compliment the dish. Let sit at room temperature in order for herbs and oil to 'soak' the rest of the items and infuse them with flavour. If using meat, add it at the last minute such as shown below.

For this plate and, as always, I start my antipasto dish with thinly sliced tomatoes from the vine interspersed with a good white cheese. For this plate I crumbled feta, fresh chopped basil and ground pepper on top. Drizzle a good virgin olive oil all over the food. On the side I placed sliced meat and olives. Other ingredients to include are artichokes, avocados, black olives, thin beef slices and the list goes on. Keep the item list simple though for a beautiful presentation.

weep not for me ..lemon meringue pie

Dorothy's Crust .. half recipe

• 2 1/2 c flour
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 pound lard
• 1 beaten egg. . .set aside about 1/2 to make scrambled eggs
• 2 teaspoons vinegar

*put the egg and vinegar in a 1 cup measuring cup and fill to 1/2 cup.

1. Cut the lard into the flour, salt and baking powder.
2. Add the wet ingredients all at one time and stir. . .should be in a large bowl . .
3. Dump it onto the counter and shape it into a ball and combine it just until no flour is loose.
4. Divide it in half. . wrap it in plastic wrap and put 1/2 into the fridge for future use or make a double pie now.
5. To bake the pie. .the oven should be preheated to 400 F.
6. Roll the pie crust out to about 1/4 inch thick.
7. Put it into your pie plate and leave a little room on the edges to turn the crust over and flute a bit. No big deal here . . you can keep it really simple. .the filling tastes the same.
8. After the crust is in the pan, I take a double layer of foil and press it into the pan covering all the crust. . I make sure that it is in all the edges. press firmly. . but don't press so hard that the crust is mangled.
9. Bake for 1o minutes, turn heat down to 375 bake another 10 minutes, removed the foil and bake until golden brown .. about another 10 minutes. Don't burn it. .
10. Let the crust cool completely before adding the filling.

Lemon Filling

• 1 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 3/4 cup water. . .mix into the sugar and cornstarch in a 6 cup glass measuring cup
• Add 5 beaten farm fresh egg yolks. . whites set aside in a large metal or glass bowl
• dash salt
• the lemon zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice

1. I throw it all into the microwave and stir it every 2 minutes on high until it has come to a bubbly boil.
2. Add 3 tablespoons of soft butter.

While the filling is cooking. .

1. Beat your egg whites adding 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar
2. add 1/3 cup of white sugar
3. add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
4. Beat the whites adding the sugar and cornstarch until the whites are glossy and thick.

As soon as the filling is done, pour it into the cooled pie shell, and immediately after add the egg whites on top making little mounds until it is all covered and touching the crust.

Put it back in the oven at 350 F until it is golden brown .. I did mine about 22 -25 minutes.

If you put your meringue on your lemon filling when it is hot. . .it will not weep.

Cabbage Rolls (Holubschi)



This recipe takes me back to my Mom's kitchen and early years of marriage when I wanted to make

something fancy. We called them Galopsay but I feel like this name  is not too familiar to most. Although we don't have these that often any more, (mainly because we have so much to choose from today) I still do enjoy that "comfort food" flavor. It's a good recipe for a meal that you want to prepare ahead because they are always good re-heated. It's also a good casserole type food for pot-lucks and very economical. This recipe makes 12-14 rolls. Sometimes I form few meatballs and add them for those who don't care for the cabbage.

Ingredients:
Rolls / Filling:
1 head Savoy cabbage
1 lb lean ground beef
1 tsp salt
pepper
1/2 grated onion
1/2 cup sour cream
1 – 1 1/2 cup cooked rice
Sauce:
½ chopped onion
½ chopped pepper, any color
4 Tbsp flour
4 c water (approx)
1 bouillon cube (Knorr chicken)
3 Tbsp tomato paste ( or acc. to taste)
salt and pepper, to taste

Place cabbage in a large pot of boiling water and peel off leaves as they become soft.
Then set aside. If you are using regular cabbage, cut around the core before placing it in the water.

In a large frying pan, cook onion and pepper in a small amt of oil until tender. Mix flour and
half of the water in a sealed container until well blended and add to onion/peppers. While cooking,
add the rest of the water and stir until smooth and bubbly. Add bouillon cube and tomato paste.
For more sauce, mix more flour and water and add another bouillon cube for flavor. Adjust amounts
according to desired consistency and add salt and pepper according to taste.

Mix raw meat, salt, pepper, onion, sour cream and cooked rice. Place a few Tbsp of meat mixture
onto each leaf, fold ends and roll up. Place close together in roaster.

For a very large recipe, add 1 can of tomato soup. Pour sauce over cabbage rolls and bake at 350F
for 1 - 1 1/2 hours.