Becky’s Baked Potato Soup

I am looking out the window at the beautiful Pine trees laden with snow—our first for this year in Delaware. This is, of course, the perfect weather for soup.

Last year when my daughter Becky came to visit in the winter she made a scrumptious soup called Baked Potato Soup. I have made potato soup many times, but never as good as hers.

Trying to think of something different for dinner I remembered that soup. I looked online and found a similar soup but it wasn’t quite the same. Then I found it in one of my favorite recipe files on a card under ‘soups’—just where it should be. Now copy this down and don’t loose it!

    Ingredients:

    6 medium potatoes baked or boiled

    8-10 slices fried crumbled bacon

    5 cups milk

    1 stick butter

    3 sticks chopped celery with leaves

     1 medium onion peeled and chopped

     1 cup chicken broth

     ½ cup flour

     1 cup sour cream

     1½ cups grated cheddar cheese

      salt and pepper to taste

    Directions:

1.      Bake potatoes or boil in water, drain, peel, and cool. Then cut into cubes and set aside.

2.      Fry bacon, drain on paper towel and crumble. Set aside.

3.      Saute' chopped onion and celery in melted butter until tender.

4.      Add flour to butter and veggies. Stir until light brown.

5.      Add broth and milk and stir until thickened.

6.      Add chopped potatoes and combine with sauce.

7.      Add sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.

8.      Add cheese and stir until the perfect thickness. Check seasoning.

9.      Serve topped with more shredded cheddar, chopped green onions, bacon bits, and chopped parsley if desired.

Check this out! Hope you will like this as much as we do. Thanks Becky. You are a fabulous cook.  

Snicker Doodles

Have you ever heard of Snicker Doodles? They are an old fashioned cookie that I first baked when I was in my teens. They are buttery, flavorful, covered with cinnamon, and very chewy.

I found this particular recipe on the back of a sack of King Arthur’s flour. Wondering if they were as good as the ones I remembered from my childhood, I made a batch. They taste just as good now as they did years ago. The preparation for these cookies doesn’t take long and they bake in about eight minutes. Try them out on your munchkins. They'll love them and want to help you bake them too.

                                                  

Ingredients:

½ cup soft butter

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Process:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease two cookie sheets.

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Blend in egg.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, and then add to butter mixture.

Mix two tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon on a small plate.

Drop dough by small teaspoons on to cinnamon sugar and gently coat. Lay one dozen coated balls on each pan. Use a flat bottom glass to flatten each cookie slightly.

Bake in preheated oven for about eight minutes until slightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on rack for a few minutes. Remove to wax paper and cool. This recipe makes about 2 ½ dozen. Enjoy.

 

Zhanna's Russian Health Drink

Greetings to my friends who are probably wondering what happened to me. I haven’t made an entry in my blog in several months. We recently moved to a beautiful remote area of the country. The birds awaken us in the morning with their melodious songs—we never hear traffic. Occasionally we see happy neighbors walking or biking past the house.

They always wave or stop and say hello.

Now that I am nearly unpacked I can get back to writing, visiting with my grandchildren that are closer than before, lying on the beach, and having fun in the kitchen.

I recently met a friend of my daughter-in-law named Zhanna who moved to the U.S. from Russia a couple of weeks ago. She was a little under the weather and was sipping a concoction that looked somewhat like lemonade. Through translation my daughter-in-law explained its purpose and contents. It was a health drink she had been drinking since she was a child. She got the recipe from her mother and it was good for whatever ails you.

The flight from Russia took more than a full day, being cooped up with a lot of people

that may or may not have been ill and she was not taking any chances. Hence she was drinking this Russian health drink. The next time you are around someone with flu or your kids come home from school with the sniffles, brew a jug of this Russian Health Drink. Zhanna swears by it. Thank you Zhanna! Stay well.

 

 Health Drink from Zhanna

1 medium fresh ginger root

4 fresh squeezed lemons

1 tablespoon honey

2 pounds frozen or fresh cranberries

3 liters lukewarm water 

             

Place following ingredients

in 3 liter or half gallon container:

a) Peel the ginger root and squeeze through a garlic press. Taste for heat, if it is too hot       use only half. Save the rest of the ginger for another day.

  b) Squeeze the lemons and remove seeds.

  c) Thaw frozen cranberries or wash if fresh. Grind in blender  

  d) Add honey

  e) Add lukewarm water and mix thoroughly.

  

Drink through the day on a full stomach to prevent getting sick. If you are using this drink for children use half the lemon and add more water.

Chicken Enchilada Caserole

This recipe has to be credited to my friends and teachers from North lake Elementary School. I spent most of my teaching career there in Garland, Texas.

The North lake staff had a lovely tradition of celebrating birthdays monthly in the teachers’ lounge. During lunch time, we brought in homemade treasures from salads and casseroles to cakes covered with candles. Many of the cooks shared their recipes many of them are among our family favorites.

Try this sumptuous Chicken Enchilada Casserole with your family and friends. If you are lucky enough to have a group like the teachers at North lake, you might share your recipes with them too.

Ingredients:

12 corn tortillas

½ cup cooking oil

2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

¾ cup chopped onion

¼ cup butter

3 tablespoon flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

2 cups diced chicken

1 cup (4 oz.) chopped green chilies

Directions:

Cook tortillas in oil—5 seconds per side to soften.

Place 2 tablespoons of cheese and 1 tablespoon of onion on each tortilla and role up. Place seam side down in 9x13 baking dish.

In a large skillet, melt butter and blend with flour. Add broth and cook until thick. Stir in sour cream, chicken, and green chilies.  Cook until heated—(do not boil!). Pour sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly and light brown. This makes 6 servings with two enchiladas each. You’re going to love this! 

Dutch Baby Pancake

Have you ever heard of a baked pancake called a Dutch Baby? I first found this recipe in a ladies magazine during the 1990’s. Our family liked it so much that we kept the magazine on the shelf with our favorite cookbooks.

Last weekend, I thought of a Dutch Baby, recalling its puffy crust topped with blueberries and powdered sugar then drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. On Sunday morning I prepared the light pastry, placed it on my favorite platter, and then topped it with whipped cream.

As soon as I took it out of the oven, everyone came to the table eager to try the Dutch Baby. There are several different toppings you can enjoy with this pancake other than berries. Try cooked apples with brown sugar and butter topped with cinnamon—especially good in the fall when apples are ripe or sliced peaches during the summer.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. butter (melted in large ovenproof skillet)

3 eggs

¾ cup flour

¾ cup milk (warmed for 20 seconds in microwave)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 pinch of salt

1 pint blueberries (or other berries washed and drained. Combine with 1 tablespoon of sugar and set aside.)

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place butter in large oven proof skillet and put in oven to melt.
2. Place all ingredients, eggs through salt in blender and combine.
3. Pour blender contents into hot buttered skillet and return to middle of oven.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffy and brown around edges. Remove to rack and let cool for about 5-10 minutes.
5. Carefully remove pancake to large round platter.

Spread with sweetened fruit, sift with powdered sugar, and drizzle with sweetened condensed milk—last decorate with whipped cream. However you choose to adorn your Dutch Baby, I promise one thing—you’ll love it.

Kale Casserole

In Connecticut, I belonged to a farm co-op. We picked up fresh vegetables harvested daily from the farm. Our share was plentiful and sometimes more than we could use.

The farm produced a weekly paper with information about local farms, activities for children, and seasonal vegetables and fruits. Usually there was at least a recipe or two many shared by the other co-op members.

I remember once we had a big crop of kale and I was trying to find more recipes using this healthy green. I hid a few leaves in our smoothies and then went on to make a meatless casserole with eggs, cheese and kale. Everybody in the family liked the dish and I prepared it for my writers’ group as well. The recipe was printed in the co-op paper and also in Baking with Barb in CAPA’s Monthly magazine. Recently I found a good buy on kale and again made Kale Casserole. Try this recipe, feed it to the kids, and feel good about hiding healthy vegetables in your casserole.

 Ingredients:

1 bunch kale

4 cups cubed stale bread

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 cup chopped onion

¼ cup olive oil or butter

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 eggs

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

¾ cup of milk

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.    Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray and spread bread cubes into the dish.

3.    Wash the kale and drain in a strainer. Cut stems from leaves and chop to bite sized pieces.

4.    Place 2-3 tablespoons from the olive oil or butter portion in a large skillet.

5.    Wilt half of greens in skillet and remove to large mixing bowl, wilt remaining greens in butter and add to mixing bowl.

6.     Saute mushrooms and onions in butter until light brown. Mix in bowl with greens.

7.     Add milk, eggs, and mushroom soup to vegetables and toss in two cups of cheese.

8.     Pour kale mixture over bread pieces in casserole dish. Sprinkle casserole with remaining cup of cheese. Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until bubbly and light brown.

This casserole will serve about 8 to 10 people or make two smaller dishes and freeze one for another time. Refrigerate leftovers. Enjoy!

Turkey and Sausage Gumbo

How many different dishes do you make with your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers? Of course you always have turkey sandwiches and sliced breast meat with mashed potatoes and leftover gravy, but have you tried making soup?

One of my favorite turkey recipes is turkey and sausage gumbo. My son Chris first introduced me to gumbo and I must say it is one of my favorite soup recipes. Try this before you decide to toss the turkey.

Ingredients:

1 pound of Polish sausage or Andouille (spicy Cajun sausage) cut into bite size pieces

3-4 cups of skinned chopped turkey from leftovers or roasted chicken

½ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup flour

½ cup chopped sweet pepper

1 medium chopped onion

2 cups chopped celery with leaves

4 pints turkey or chicken broth

3-4 cloves minced garlic

2-3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 pinch of thyme

6 drops of hot sauce or to taste

¼ cup chopped green onion (for garnish)

1 cup brown rice cooked according to package directions

Directions:

When your turkey dinner is finished prepare the leftovers by removing skin and bones and separate meat into packages appropriate for your family meals. Freeze all that won’t be used within a couple of days.

1, Prepare turkey for soup by chopping it into bite size pieces and set it aside.

2. Place hot water in medium pot with turkey bones and scraps, some onion and celery.

This will make a flavorful broth. Cook until veggies are tender.

3. Sauté the sausage in a large skillet until brown. Remove most of fat using a paper towel then remove sausage from skillet and set aside.

4. Pour vegetable oil into skillet with remainder of fat. Add the flour and stir constantly on medium heat until roux is the color of chocolate (about 25-30 minutes).

5. Add chopped peppers, onion, and celery to skillet and cook until vegetables are tender (about ten minutes).

6. Pour broth from turkey bones and contents of skillet into soup kettle. Add more water and chicken bullion if needed to make about two quarts of liquid. Stir until soup is slightly thickened.

7. Add sausage, turkey or chicken, garlic and rest of ingredients through hot sauce. Simmer about an hour.

8. While soup simmers prepare brown rice according to package directions. This will take about 40 minutes.

9. Remove bay leaves and sprinkle soup with chopped green onions.

10. Serve this delectable gumbo over the rice. What a wonderful way to serve leftover turkey.

Send your recipes for leftovers to our blog. We’d love to share some of your favorites!

Ruth's Danish Apple Cake

In my lifetime I have met many people from all over the world who have shared their food and recipes with me. One of those people was a friend named Ruth who was born and raised in Denmark. Through the years we became good friends, and she shared many great meals with our family. I in turn shared many recipes and meals with her and her family.

I attended the World’s Fair in New York City in the early 1960’s. What an unforgettable experience! At the Danish pavilion we ate a fabulous meal which included Danish apple cake.

Later I told Ruth about the cake. She then shared with me a different apple “cake”. She said it was very popular during apple harvest. Since this is apple harvest time I will share it with you. You won’t need an oven. So the next time the electricity goes off you can still have dessert and use up those apples you picked at the orchard.

Ingredients:

Apple layers

4 to 5 large apples peeled and sliced (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious or your favorites)

½ cup water

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter

Combine apples and water in a medium sized stew pot and cook until tender and most water has evaporated. Add sugar, cinnamon, and butter and stir until ingredients are combined. Set aside.

Crumb layers

4 slices of stale bread—grated

5-6 tablespoons melted butter

½ cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients for crumb layers in medium mixing bowl. Set aside.

Spread 1/3 of crumb mixture in large clear serving bowl. Cover with half of the apple filling then half of remaining crumbs. Finally spread remaining apple filling on top of crumbs, then sprinkle remaining crumbs. Chill in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled apple cake garnished with whipping cream.

This is a simple and delicious family friendly dessert. Enjoy!

 

Chocolate Berry Crumb Bars

This busy grandma finally made these cookies along with my daughter-in-law, Yulia, who shared them with her office staff at a pitch-in luncheon. She won first place with kudos for the cookies. Try this recipe yourself. There are lots of parties and holidays in your future.

Scroll through the blog and you will find several of our favorite family recipes. Try the pumpkin cookies with cream cheese icing.  Check back later for more October recipes.

                                          Chocolate Berry Crumb Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup butter softened

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cups packed brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (divided)

1 ¼ cups sweetened condensed milk

½ cup of your favorite berry jam- I prefer seedless raspberry.

½ cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Spray 13x9 inch glass baking pan with baking spray.
2. In large mixing bowl beat softened butter until creamy. Add flour, sugar and salt and mix until crumbly. Spread all but about ¾ cup of crumbs into pan, sprinkle with flour, and press lightly with finger tips. Set rest of crumbs aside.
3. Bake about 10 minutes or until crumbs start to brown around edges. Remove from oven, but leave oven on.
4. In a small saucepan put the condensed milk and 1 cup chocolate chips. Warm at low temperature and stir until creamy. Spread it over the baked crust.
5. Chop the nuts and add to the remaining crumbs. Sprinkle over chocolate sauce.
6. Drop dollops of jam on top of crumbs until ½ cup of jam is used. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top and return to oven. Bake 25-30 minutes until center is set and crumbs are slightly brown. Remove pan to wire rack to cool. Cut into squares. Serve and delight your guests.

Shrimp Pad Thai with Brown Rice

I love Pad Thai and took a craving for some the other day. I looked through the cupboard but couldn’t find any rice noodles. I assessed the ingredients on hand and came up with a new dish. After trying it the family all agreed we should definitely make it again. Try it yourself and see what you think.

                                            

Ingredients for brown rice:

1 cup brown rice

2 ½ cups water

1 teaspoon salt

In medium pot combine rice, water, and salt then bring to a boil. Stir once, lower temperature to simmer and cover. Continue cooking for 40 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. If you prefer, use rice noodles instead of brown rice. Set aside.

Shrimp and vegetable ingredients:

3 cups precooked shrimp pealed with tails removed

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 cup chopped celery with leaves

 ½ cup chopped red or yellow sweet peppers

1 can drained sliced water chestnuts

 ½ cup Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce or more to taste

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 cup frozen peas

½ cup chopped cucumbers

½ cup peanut butter or chopped peanuts

3 cup chopped lettuce

While rice cooks, thaw shrimp in colander placed in large bowl. Allow shrimp to stand in cold water until thawed.

In a large skillet sauté celery and red peppers in the coconut oil for about five minutes.

Add (drained) water chestnuts and cook for five minutes more. Add drained shrimp, soy sauce, Teriyaki sauce, and peanut butter. Allow to simmer for a few minutes more then add frozen peas. When peas are thawed and warm add the lettuce and cover. Turn off skillet and let set for few minutes more. Serve over brown rice or rice noodles prepared according to package directions. This should serve six. Enjoy!

Sweet Corn

When we were kids growing up on a farm in Ohio, sweet corn was our favorite garden crop. In the summer we picked ears of corn by the dozen. We shucked and boiled them on the stove until they were crisp. Then we slathered them with butter, sprinkled them with salt, and ate them nearly every day.

There were other ways we prepared corn. When the ears were mature, Mom used a paring knife to cut a line from end to end on each row. Then she used the dull side of the knife to scrape the cobs until the creamy contents were removed. She placed an iron skillet with butter on a hot stove, poured in the creamy corn, and added a little salt. Then she stirred it when it began to brown. It is unbelievably delicious when hot from the stove.

Mom even used this late corn in her cornbread. That was long ago, but corn is still one of our favorite dishes.

Now, we usually roast ears of corn on the grill or cook them in the microwave if we’re in a hurry. If we have any leftover ears we cut the corn off the cob and add it to salads or make corn dip. Corn dip is a family favorite. Try this at your next reunion, cookout, or party. It’s fast and easy to make and all your friends will want this recipe. Enjoy your corn before the season is over. Oh, don’t forget to freeze any leftovers.

                                                       Corn Dip

1 ear or 1 cup of whole sweet corn (leftover or fresh made, canned or frozen)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 or 3 chopped green onions with the stems

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

1 small can chopped green chilies, drained

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2-3 drops of hot pepper sauce

salsa to taste if desired

After preparing your corn, drain and place in medium sized bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mix well and place in serving dish. Surround dip with your favorite corn chips, or tortilla chips.

Never Too Many Strawberries

June for me always meant strawberry time. When I was young strawberries were sweeter, smaller, and juicier than today.  I made jam in a large gray kettle, inhaled the aroma, scraped the foam from the luscious concoction, and shared it with the children. The finished product was canned in half pint jars and kept in the cellar for winter.

Recently my daughter Becky came to visit and made strawberry jam. It was delicious, took much less time to make and is now stored in the freezer. We don’t have wild berries, but it certainly brings back memories when poured over ice cream, or spread on toast.

A couple of weeks ago we went shopping at Costco and got a huge crate of strawberries. We got creative and made strawberry bread from Heaven’s recipes. (Recipe found on this blog). There were so many berries we didn’t have room to store them in the refrigerator. So I rinsed and froze most of them in two cup portions and thought of ways to use them: smoothies, muffins, jam, and a recipe for a strawberry fruit cake that I invented.

This is a variation of a Mexican fruit cake that I have been making for years. The recipe originally came from my daughter-in-law Stacey. The difference being I substituted a package of frozen strawberries for crushed pineapple. Try this extremely moist cake while strawberries are still available at a reasonable price.

                                                     Strawberry Fruit Cake

 

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

4. Combine eggs, sugar, and chopped strawberries in medium mixing bowl.
5. In large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, and baking soda.
6. Add contents of medium bowl to flour, sugar mixture and combine thoroughly. Then add nuts.
7. Grease bottom of oblong cake pan and pour batter into pan.
8. Place into preheated oven at 350 degrees and bake until golden brown about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Ice with this cream cheese frosting recipe while still hot.
10. Cool on wire rack and refrigerate until ready to serve.

                                              

                                              Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

8 ounces Neufchatel cheese, softened

1 stick softened butter (no substitute)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

While the cake is baking, cream the softened cheese and butter (no substitute). Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat with mixer until ingredients are well combined. As soon as the cake is removed from the oven pour the icing over the cake. Cool on rack and then refrigerate until ready to serve. This iced cake with the frosting is very rich. Cut it into small pieces and it will serve a large crowd. Let the children help with this project. They love to mix and of course lick the bowl. Have fun cooking with the kids.

Cream Puffs

                                                               

Have you ever eaten homemade cream puffs? I was about 11 years old when I first tasted these delectable tender treats. My older brother and I were taking a walk past the farm where Rachel lived. She was in my brother’s class at school and he was sweet on her. She was cavorting on the lawn and invited us to join her. We wasted no time taking her up on the proposition.  

It was a hot summer day and we soon rested in the shade on the porch to drink a glass of cold lemonade. A wonderful aroma was escaping from the screen door and I could no longer contain my curiosity.

“Rachel, is your mom baking cookies?” I asked.

“No, that’s cream puffs.”

“What’s a cream puff?”

My brother looked at me and frowned. I could read his mind—Mom said it was impolite to ask people for food, but I wasn’t asking.

“It is a pastry made with lots of eggs, butter, and sugar, with pudding inside,” she said.

“Would you like to try one?”

I looked at Buddy then back at Rachel. “Oh, we don’t want to bother y’all.”

“Oh it’s no bother. Mom is a great cook. When she makes cream puffs she makes a lot.”

Buddy interrupted, “We’d love to.”

Before you know it we were in the kitchen, our mouths watering, looking at all the cream puffs sprinkled in powdered sugar—vanilla, chocolate, and butterscotch. I chose the butterscotch and wanted seconds, but my mother taught us manners. I knew that someday I would make cream puffs and I did.

At the age of 19 my first cookbook, by Meta Given, had a recipe for cream puffs.  No time was wasted in gathering the ingredients needed, and, all my guests raved at the production. Try this recipe yourself and see if you get the same reception.

                                           

Pastry ingredients:

1 cup water

1 stick butter

1 cup flour

4 large eggs

Directions:

In a medium sized pot bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until smooth and clumped together. Remove from heat and allow dough to cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat with a wooden spoon until well blended.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease two large cookie sheets. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons full—12 on each pan and bake for 15 minutes. Switch shelves and lower temperature to 300 degrees. Continue baking until 30 to 40 total minutes are reached or until light brown. Cool on wire rack. Slice top from each puff and remove any dough inside that is not baked. Fill with whipping cream, or thick pudding and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Pudding filling for Vanilla Cream Puffs:

1 cup white sugar

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups scalded milk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Substitutes for white sugar

Use 1 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter for butterscotch pudding, or ¼ cup cocoa powder to basic vanilla pudding recipe for chocolate.

Combine all ingredients sugar through milk. Cook and stir at a simmer.

Whip eggs in small bowl and beat until smooth, add to pudding and return to a simmer until thickened. Add vanilla. Cool completely and use to fill each puff. Don’t forget to sprinkle with powdered sugar. The kids will love making these.

Fresh Basil Pesto

Winter has clung to Virginia. Every time we think spring is here, it only lasts a couple of days and then gets cold again. I want fresh herbs, sunshine, and gentle rains. Maybe I should just plant my herbs in a pot or buy them already potted. Have you already planted your herbs?

I’m dreaming of fresh homemade pesto made with basil straight from the garden. Gently rub your herbs and they exude a wonderful fragrance even better than roses.  Now run to the farmers’ market, pick up your fresh basil, and try this recipe for pesto. It’s great in your pasta, on your pizza, in salads, and even on a toasted bagel.  I sometimes make Italian bread and put the pesto in the center. It’s wonderful when eaten warm.

                                            

Ingredients:

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves of garlic

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts

2/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. In a food processor combine olive oil, garlic, and salt until smooth.
2. Add basil then the nuts, chopped coarsely and blend a little more.
3. Fold in the Parmesan cheese.
4. Your pesto is all ready to use in your favorite recipe.

Fresh pesto, kept in the frig, will last for weeks. Pesto is good frozen for at least a year. Freeze it in an ice cube tray by the tablespoon. Remove the frozen cubes and place them in zip lock bags. Just drop a cube in your soup or spaghetti. You won’t have to measure the dry herbs and it is far superior in taste. You’ll love it and so will your family. 

The photo is whole wheat spaghetti with meat sauce, pesto, and fresh Parmesan cheese. The bread is "No Need to Knead Bread" and the recipe can be found right here on my blog.

Another Russian Dish--Belyashi (Pronounced Belashe)

Natasha, my daughter-in-law’s mother, prepared an unforgettable dish called Belyashi just before she left for Mother Russia. The recipe for Belyashi, a fried meat pie, originally came from Belarus, an area northwest of Moscow.  My husband said it reminded him of food he had eaten at his maternal grandmother’s home when he was a boy—in fact Natasha herself reminded him of his Russian grandmother.

This little meat pie is made with a crust that’s pretty much like pizza dough. So I’m sharing my pizza dough recipe. If you want to use your own pastry dough or buy it at your friendly grocery, that’s fine.

1. Pastry:  First, in a small mixing bowl combine ¼ cup tepid water, 2 teaspoons yeast, and a pinch of sugar. Stir and set aside. Go on to next step

2. In medium mixing bowl combine 4 cups of unbleached flour with 1 teaspoon salt. Spread the dry flour mixture up the sides of the bowl to form a hollow in the center.                                                 

3. Pour 1 cup warm water, yeast mixture, and ¼ cup olive oil into center of flour mixture. Use fork to pull flour into liquid to form stiff dough.  Remove dough from bowl to floured bread board and knead for about 10 minutes or until dough is no longer sticky. Oil the surface of dough and place in clean large bowl. Allow to rise in warm place until double in bulk, about an hour.

4. Filling: While dough rises prepare the meat. Combine ½ pound ground pork, ½ lb. ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt, a pinch of ground black pepper, ½ medium minced onion, and ½ teaspoon crushed garlic. Add a small amount of water to mixture to make filling the consistency of oatmeal.

5. Forming Belyashi: After dough is kneaded pinch into pastry balls the size of biscuits. Role each ball into circles about four inches in diameter. Place a heaping tablespoon of meat mixture on dough. Pull the dough up around the meat to form into a pie with a small circle of filling showing in center. Pinch sides together.

6. Pour about ½ inch of oil in a large skillet and heat to medium temperature. Carefully place pies, two or three at a time, meat side down in the skillet. Fry until golden brown then turn over and complete cooking on other side. Place pies on paper towels to drain fat. Serve Belyashi while hot for a stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal.

Natasha recommends it with a cup of tea or coffee on a snowy day.

Russian Beef Perogies (Cheburekis)

Have you ever tried Russian Perogies? I hadn’t until my daughter-in-law’s mother came to visit. It was great meeting her and finding out that we not only share a new grandson but also a love of cooking.

I don’t speak Russian and she doesn’t speak English, but that hasn’t stopped us from communicating. We use sign language, a cheat sheet of Russian basic words, and if that doesn’t work we run for Yulia, her daughter, to act as interpreter.

The morning after she arrived, I followed my nose downstairs to the aroma of ground beef, garlic, and onion simmering on the stove.

“What’s cooking?” I asked.

To which she replied, “Cheburekis,” and pointed to the skillet.

And so it began, we looked through the pantry and the refrigerator, smelling contents of jars and spice tins until we found everything she needed. I watched as she kneaded the simple dough, rolled it into circles and filled them with the meat mixture. Then she sealed the dough edges with a fork and dropped them into sizzling oil. My mouth was watering and I couldn’t wait to sample the turnovers.

Hot and juicy; the Cheburekis were delicious. This was a totally new breakfast addition to the menu. I never had ground beef for breakfast before, but it seems in the frozen north lands of Russia, they eat a lot of protein to keep warm. I made a bowl of fresh fruit and a cup of coffee—a perfect Russian breakfast or a camp out meal to never be forgotten. Thank you, Natasha, my new Russian friend.

                                                       Russian Perogies

Ingredients for dough:   

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups water

2 cups flour

Extra flour to form stiff dough

Filling:

2 tablespoons cooking oil

½ cup finely chopped onion

½ teaspoon crushed garlic

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup water

2 pound hamburger

1 egg

Cooking oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl with salt and water. Add 2 cups of flour and mix with wire whip. Add more flour until stiff dough is formed. Knead dough for about 10 minutes. Cover with a dish towel and let rest until the meat is ready.

2. In a medium skillet, combine 2 tablespoons oil with onion and garlic, saute on medium heat until soft and light brown. Cool slightly and combine with  salt, pepper, water, and egg in medium mixing bowl. Mix in hamburger by hand then set aside.

Finish the dough by cutting it into16 balls about the size of biscuits. One at a time, flatten and roll each into a circle about 6 inches in diameter with a rolling pin. Spread hamburger mixture over dough leaving about ½ inch clear around edge. Fold in half and seal edges with fork tines. Turn each perogie over and seal other side then poke a few holes in it with a fork.

Pour one inch of cooking oil into large skillet on medium heat. Fry two Perogies at a time until brown and done, turning them half way through. Place on paper towels to absorb oil. Serve while warm with ample napkins—they are quite juicy.

Children can help you with this project especially when they get to knead bread. Just make sure an adult does all the work with heat.

Molasses Sugar Cookies

Recently we went to visit two of our grandchildren, ages four and six. Even before we left for our seven hour trip I got a text message from my granddaughter:

Grandma, how about baking cookies?

Cutie Pie

To which I replied:

How about making Molasses Sugar Cookies?

Grandma

Her answer was a happy face!

I smiled as I put my suitcase in the car. While Grandpa drove, I looked at pictures of our grandchildren on my old cell phone— trips we had taken, playing in the park, visiting their favorite museum, playing with friends at birthday parties, and my favorite pictures—food and cooking with my grand kids.

I could hardly wait to get to their house. When we arrived we got hugs and kisses, then Mom had dinner ready and I got to read books and tell stories until bedtime.

At last it was time to make the Molasses cookies. We searched for ingredients and found most of them, but the main ingredient, molasses, was no where to be found. I did however find a box of gingerbread mix and everybody knows it contains molasses. On the side of the box was a cookie recipe that we made into sugar coated molasses cookies.

In no time at all the kids and I had the cookies in the oven. Before we left that afternoon most of the cookies were devoured. We did manage to sneak a few to bring back home.

Our son and his wife ate the cookies and kept asking for more. So a few days ago I found my original Molasses Sugar Cookie recipe that I found on a bottle of molasses, when I was a teenager. I made a big batch—chewy and delicious and already gone. I did make a few changes. The original recipe called for ¾ cup of shortening. I haven’t used that stuff in years. I substituted ½ cup butter and ¼ cup organic coconut oil—much healthier but just as tasty. Try this updated recipe and tell me what you think.

                                             Molasses Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

½ cup butter (1 stick)

¼ cup coconut oil

¼ cup molasses

1 cup sugar, ½ cup extra sugar for coating cookies

1 egg

2 cups flour 

2 teaspoon baking powder

½ tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Melt butter and coconut oil in medium sized saucepan. Remove from heat and add molasses.

2. In medium size mixing bowl put flour, baking powder, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and salt then combine.

3. To contents of pot add 1 cup sugar and egg, stir.

4. Then add flour mixture to pot one cup at a time. When thoroughly combined, set in the refrigerator to cool until the consistency of clay (about 20 minutes). Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

5. Role walnut sized balls of dough in sugar and coat evenly. Place about twelve cookies on an  ungreased cookie sheet and bake about 8-9 minutes. When done remove and cool on dish towel covered with wax paper. Repeat process until all cookies are baked. This recipe makes about 2 ½ dozen.

These cookies smell fabulous while they bake. If you want to sell your home, have an open house while you are baking these. Home, sweet home! Sold!

Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

My daughter-in-law, Yulia, is pregnant and has some serious cravings. She didn’t ask for any expensive presents for her birthday. All she wanted was a birthday cheesecake—not just any cheesecake, but a caramel pecan cheesecake. Well, it sounded good, but none of my favorite recipe books had that recipe.

I never let a little thing like a recipe get in my way. I looked on the cream cheese carton and found a basic recipe for cheese cake, but it didn’t have a crust. Next I checked the cover of the graham cracker box. There it was.

I headed for the refrigerator hoping my final two ingredients would be there. The pecans, already chopped, were waiting in the crisper. Now if I could just find some caramel syrup. I looked up and down the door where the sauces and dressings were stored but no caramel syrup. Since I didn’t want to go shopping, I would just have to make my own. Why not? I’ve made plenty of sauces in my time. I found the perfect caramel sauce recipe in an old Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. If you can imagine it, you can make it. Let’s get started.

Graham cracker crust:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Place 8 whole graham crackers in a large zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin.Pour crumbs into a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and half a stick of melted butter. Stir until combined. Press onto the sides and bottom of a 9 inch ungreased pie plate. Place in preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, but leave the oven heat on.

Cream cheese filling:

In a large bowl combine 2- 8oz. packages soft cream cheese until smooth. Add ½ cup sour cream, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 slightly beaten eggs,  Then combine ingredients until creamy. Pour into graham cracker crust and return the cheesecake to the oven. Bake 25-30 minutes, until set. Remove from oven and allow cake to cool completely.

Caramel sauce:

In a heavy saucepan, combine1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Add ¼ cup of water, 1/3 cup milk, and 2 tablespoons corn syrup. Cook at medium temperature and stir until it comes to a boil. Lower temperature to simmer and continue to stir for 2 minutes until it begins to thicken. Remove from stove, and add 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

Toast ½ cup chopped pecans, sprinkle on top of cooled cheese cake and drizzle with plenty of caramel sauce. Refrigerate leftovers—if there are any.

This scrumptious cake calmed the cravings of a pregnant woman and was half eaten before we could take a picture.

Pumpkin Cookies

Recently, my six-year-old granddaughter called me with a special request:

“Grandma, could you give me your recipe for pumpkin cookies? I want to make them for Thanksgiving.”

“I’d love to, Sweetheart.” And so the search for pumpkin cookies began.

Then I looked in the memoir cookbook that I’m writing. In the chapter about Halloween—there it was—pumpkin cookies. Pumpkin is a popular vegetable October through December so you have time to bake with pumpkin before the year is over.  

I emailed the recipe to my daughter and granddaughter so they could make pumpkin cookies and decided to make some myself. I smiled all the way through the process thinking they were making pumpkin cookies just like me.  If you are lucky enough to have grandchildren or children to bake with, thank your lucky stars and have fun with these yummy cookies. We did.

                                                   Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup of oil

2 cups sugar

2 cups cooked pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon each:

ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and salt

1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoon baking soda

4 cups flour

½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine first four ingredients and mix in a large bowl.

2. Then sift together and add: ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, salt, cinnamon, soda, flour.

3. Add pecans if you choose.

3. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto greased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes until light brown. Remove when done and allow to cool 10 minutes before removing to towel covered with wax paper. Cool completely then frost with cream cheese icing. This recipe makes about 31/2 dozen cookies. Let the children decorate with colored sugar—in December try red and green. Top with orange sprinkles in October and November. Enjoy!

How to Make Potato Latkes

Hanukkah really caught me by surprise this year.  Never in my lifetime has the holiday come so early. In fact, the last time Hanukkah came this early in the year was during the late 1800’s.

I certainly don’t want to make potato latkes (potato pancake) for Thanksgiving dinner. We always make the same potato dishes every year, at that time, and they have become a tradition.

So I’ve decided since Hanukkah comes at sundown this evening, this will be our latke day—tradition demands it. We will light the 1^st Menorah candle, say our blessing, and have our latkes with applesauce, or sour cream. Perhaps some barbecue chicken, steamed broccoli, and a salad would work well.  It won’t interfere with the preparation of cranberry relish or Waldorf salad which need to be chilled for Thanksgiving dinner.

Tomorrow’s dinner should be finished when it’s time to light the second Hanukkah candle. We will celebrate with a dessert—Pumpkin-Pie Cake (posted on this blog last year).

Then time to spin the dreidel!

     

Potato Latkes

 Ingredients:

      5 medium potatoes

      1 medium onion

      2 medium eggs

      3 tablespoons flour or matzo meal

      Salt and pepper to taste

      Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. Peel potatoes and place in bowl of cold water until ready to prepare latkes.
2. Grate onion and potatoes alternately using large holes in grater.  Press out as much liquid as possible.
3. Blend potato mixture with eggs, flour, salt, and pepper.

4. Heat skillet with 1 inch of oil to medium high. Drop mixture one tablespoon at a time into skillet. Brown on both sides and drain on paper towel. Serve with applesauce or sour cream.

5. If there are leftovers place on a cookie sheet and freeze. Store in zip lock bag and keep frozen until ready to use.

6. To prepare later, heat oven to 450 degrees, place latkes on cookie sheet and heat until crisp. Do not store in frig or they will become soggy.

                                                 HAPPY HANUKKAH!