Replies

http://www.realfood4realpeople.com/bread.html

Bread Maker Mixes!

When I got my first bread maker, I was so excited! Then I read the instructions telling me to use special flour and special yeast, and I saw how much the pre-packaged mixes were, and I was quickly unhappy with what I saw. I have experimented with the recipes since then and have discovered two important things.

First, you do not need to use special flour or special yeast! The same stuff you were using before is just fine. Second, you can make your own bread maker mixes and save a lot of money doing it.

The following are some of my favorite bread maker recipes. I make up several bags of bread mix at a time. These can also be used to give as gifts. Just label your mix, include instructions, a packet of yeast and list of added ingredients for making a completed loaf and place inside a decorative tin or a bread basket , and you have a great gift!

Important Tips For Using Your Bread Maker:

Measuring- Because each ingredient plays such a specific role, it is especially important to measure the ingredients exactly to get the best results.

Dry Ingredients: Use a standard measuring spoon or measuring cup, not a tableware spoon or coffee cup, and level off. For flour, simply spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level off with a flat kitchen utensil.

Liquids: Fill a standard measuring spoon or measuring cup to the level indicated. Check your cup measurement by placing the measuring cup on a flat surface.

Solid Fats: Fill a standard measuring spoon or measuring cup to the level indicated and level off with a kitchen utensil.

Unless your bread maker manufacturer specifies otherwise, always put the liquids in the bread maker pan first, the dry ingredients in next and the yeast last. Before adding the yeast, dig a shallow hole in the dry ingredients and place the yeast in the hole so that there is absolutely NO contact between the yeast and the liquids. You don’t want the yeast to be activated too soon in the process. This is especially important when you are using the Delay option.

Place dried fruits, vegetables and dried spices away from the liquid ingredients in the bread pan. If they soak up water, they can undermine the bread’s chemistry.

For best results, wait fifteen minutes before slicing your baked bread. The bread needs time to cool.

To freeze fresh bread, let it cool completely and double bag the loaf in plastic. For best results, freeze loaves whole and slice after thawing.

Traditional White Bread Mix

3 cups Flour

2 tablespoons Sugar

1 tablespoon Dry Milk

1 1/2 teaspoons Salt

Place the above ingredients into a large (gallon) sized zip baggie, label and seal. To make the bread later, you will need the following additional ingredients:

2- 1/2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast (1 pkg.)

2-1/2 tsp. Quick Acting Active Dry Yeast (1 pkg.)

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil

When ready to bake bread, place the second set of ingredients into the bottom of the bread pan of your bread maker. Place dry ingredients on top of wet ingredients, reserving yeast for last. Select “White, Crust Color (light), Large, (rapid if using fast acting yeast), Delay option if desired, and Start”

You should store these mixes in a cool, dry place just as you would store the pre-packaged mixes you can purchase in the stores.

Potato Bread Mix

3-1/4 cups Flour

~1/2 cup Dry Potato Flakes

1 Tbsp. White Sugar

1-1/2 tsp. Salt

Place the above ingredients into a large (gallon) sized zip baggie, label and seal. To make the bread later, you will need the following additional ingredients:

1-1/4 cups Warm Water (110 degrees F)

2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil

2-3/4 tsp. Active Dry Yeast (1 pkg.)

2-3/4 tsp. Quick Acting Active Dry Yeast (1 pkg.)

Place all wet ingredients into the bread pan, then add the dry ingredients on top, reserving the yeast for last. Insert the bread pan into the bread maker, and select “White”, desired crust color, rapid or normal baking cycle and loaf size. Select desired delay option, and press Start.

You should store these mixes in a cool, dry place just as you would store the pre-packaged mixes you can purchase in the stores.

Would you like more recipes for Bread Maker Mixes? We have a great collection of bread maker mix recipes which include:

Traditional White Bread Mix, Potato Bread Mix, Garlic-Herb Bread Mix, Onion Bread Mix, Parmesan-Pepper Bread Mix, Whole Wheat Bread Mix, Crunchy Wheat/Honey Bread Mix, Multigrain Bread Mix, Pumpernickel Bread Mix, Russian Black Bread Mix, Apple-Spice Bread Mix, Cinnamon-Raisin Bread Mix & Oatmeal Bread Mix

Own your copy of Bread Maker Mixes in Jars now for only 3.50!

Frozen Berries with Hot White Chocolate
Posted by: “L.Cloutier”

Frozen Berries with Hot White Chocolate

2 half pints fresh raspberries
2 half pints fresh blueberries
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced thick
1 cup heavy cream
10 oz. good white chocolate (not chips) chopped]
1/2 t. pure vanilla extract

Early in the day, spread the berries on a sheet pan in a single layer and place them in the freezer. This prevents them from sticking together. Once they’re frozen, store them in a freezer bag. In a heat proof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water, heat the cream, white chocolate and vanilla just until chocolate melts. Don’t let the bowl touch the water. Heat the mixture until it’s warm to the touch, about 110 degrees. Place frozen berries in one layer on 6 dessert plates and allow them to sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to defrost slightly. Pour hot white chocolate evenly over the frozen berries and serve at once. Serves 6
Source: The Barefoot Contessa

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2a. Cheese Chowder
Posted by: “L.Cloutier”

Cheese Chowder

1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 T. margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 can chicken broth, 14 oz
1/4 cup finely diced carrots
1/4 cup finely diced celery
Dash of salt, pepper and paprika
1/2 cup cubed sharp process American cheese

Cook onion in butter until tender. Blend in flour. Add remaining ingredients except cheese. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Reduce heat and add cheese. Stir to melt. Simmer 15 minutes. Serves 4
Source: Unknown

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3. Classic Chicken Picata
Posted by: “L.Cloutier”

Classic Chicken Picata

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 t. dried parsley flakes
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
3 T. olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Lemon slices for garnish

Place chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap; pound to 1/2 inch thickness. Place flour on small plate. Place egg in shallow bowl. Combine bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper on another small plate. Roll each breast half in flour, then in egg. Coat with bread crumb mixture. Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes. Turn; reduce heat to medium. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Transfer chicken to serving platter, keep warm. Add wine and lemon juice to skillet; cook and stir over high heat 2 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken. Garnish with lemon slices if desired. Makes 4 servings
Source: Unknown

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4. Rip’s Barbecued Chicken, Texas Style
Posted by: “L.Cloutier”

Rip’s Barbecued Chicken, Texas Style

1 bottle Worcestershire sauce (5 oz)
5 oz. water
5 oz. vinegar
2 T. margarine
2 to 3 slices uncooked bacon, chopped
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. celery sat
1/2 T. prepared mustard
Grated rind of 1/2 lemon
1 to 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 to 4 chickens, about 1 1/2 lbs. each

Combine all ingredients except chicken and simmer for 30 minutes. In the meantime, split chicken in half and season with salt and pepper. Place chickens on hot grill, skin side down, and brown on both sides, turning occasionally (takes about 15 minutes). Baste first with oily part of sauce that has floated to top. Continue basting and turning over gentle coals until done. Chickens will be tender and a deep rich brown (takes about 45 minutes) Serves 6 to 8
Source: M.D. Anderson,Volunteers cooking for fun, (Texas II)

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5. Center Stage Salad
Posted by: “L.Cloutier”
Center Stage Salad

2 heads Boston lettuce
4 to 6 oz. Roquefort cheese, crumbled
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Cayenne Nuts, recipe follows
Center Stage Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Combine lettuce, cheese and onions. Add Cayenne nuts, and toss with vinaigrette dressing.
Cayenne Nuts:
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/4 t. ground mace
1 pound pecan halves
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 250. Line jelly roll pan with foil. Heat sugar, butter, orange juice, salt, cinnamon, cayenne and mace in skillet over low heat until butter melts and sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium. Add nuts and toss until coated. Spread in single layer on foil lined pan. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Transfer the nuts to large sheet of foil. Separate nuts with fork. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days. Can be frozen one month. Bring to room temperature before serving. If sticky, bake on foil lined pan at 250 until crisp, about 20 minutes.
Center Stage Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil
3 T. raspberry vinegar
1 T. minced shallots
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. white pepper
combine all ingredients and blend well
Source: California Heritage Cookbook

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6. Chicken Pockets Recipe
Posted by: “rita_

Chicken Pockets Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup - flour
1/2 cup - butter
1/3 cup - cream cheese
1 - egg yolk
salt and pepper

For the Filling:

1 cup - finely chopped chicken pieces
1 - onion
1 tbsp - parsley
1 tbsp - olives
salt, pepper and mustard to taste
mayonnaise

Method

1. Combine flour, butter, cream cheese, egg yolk, salt and pepper.
Chill.
2. Roll out and cut into 2’ squares.
3. Spread a tsp. of filling on each square, pull corners together and
seal.
4. Place on an ungreased baking tray.
5. Bake at 200°C for 12-15 min. till golden brown.

For the Filling:

Combine chicken, onion, celery, chopped olives, salt, pepper and
mustard. Moisten with mayonnaise.

Note: For a vegetarian version, use crumbled paneer (Cottage Cheese)
instead of chicken and 1 tbsp. chopped capsicum.

Source http://bit.ly/5nBLh

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7. Make your own chili powder
Posted by: “Noreen”

MAKE YOUR OWN CHILI POWDER

Here’s a recipe you can conjure up on your own for chili powder.

1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder

Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container. Glass jars are best for keeping spices.

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8. Make Your Own Basic Cajun Seasoning Mix
Posted by: “Noreen”
MAKE YOUR OWN BASIC CAJUN SEASONING MIX

To add a little zip to your foods

1/2 cup salt
1/4 cup ground cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons ground white pepper
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme Leaves (ground)
1/2 teaspoon Basil

Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container.

Store herb containers in a dark, cool, dry place up to six months.

Because heat weakens spice flavors, avoid displaying seasonings on open racks above or near cook tops or ovens.

Store seldom-used seasonings in the freezer to maintain freshness.

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9a. Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap
Posted by: “Susan”
This is the liquid laundry detergent that was posted earlier this week. Suzz

From: Noreen
HOMEMADE LIQUID LAUNDRY SOAP- FRONT OR TOP LOAD MACHINE

4 Cups hot tap water

1 Fels-Naptha soap bar

1 Cup Washing Soda

½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over

medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing

soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top

with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and

then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once

soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

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10. Peach Gingerbread Muffins
Posted by: “jacqueline

Peach Gingerbread Muffins

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chunky applesauce
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 tablespoons oil
16 ounces peaches in juice, drained, chopped

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, ginger, salt, and spices. In small bowl, combine sugar, applesauce, apple juice, molasses, egg, and oil. Stir applesauce mixture into dry mixture until just moistened. Fold in peaches. Spoon evenly into prepared muffin cups. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Immediately remove from pan; cool on wire rack. Serves 12

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11. Sesame Asiago Bread Sticks
Posted by: “jacqueline

Sesame Asiago Bread Sticks

1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 ounces freshly grated asiago cheese (3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (11 ounce) can pillsbury refrigerated breadstick dough

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Beat egg in small bowl. Add water and mustard; mix well. In shallow dish, combine cheese, sesame seed and garlic powder; mix well. Unroll dough; separate into 12 breadsticks. Dip each breadstick in egg mixture; coat with cheese mixture. Twist each breadstick several times. Place 1 inch apart on sprayed cookie sheet. Firmly press down ends. Bake at 350°F. for 14 to 19 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

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12a. Strawberry Shortcut Cake
Posted by: “luvmygroops”

From the All_Easy_Cookin_ Recipes group...

~~~~~

Strawberry Shortcut Cake

1 cup miniature marshmallows
2 pkg (10 oz each) frozen strawberries in syrup
1 pkg (3 oz) strawberry Jell-O
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk’
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease bottom of a 9 x 13” pan. Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over bottom of pan. Thoroughly combine thawed strawberries and syrup with Jell-O and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients; blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed; scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Pour batter evenly over marshmallows. Spoon strawberry mixture evenly over batter. Bake at 350 degrees 45-50 minutes. Serve warm or cold with ice cream or hipped cream.

~~~~~~~~~~

~~~***Rhonda G in Missouri***~ ~~
.

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13a. Hershey’s Hugs & Kisses Pound Cake Torte
Posted by: “luvmygroops” penpalmom95@gmail.com luvmygroops
Date: Fri Jul 3, 2009 12:06 pm ((PDT))

From the CooksRecipes. com website...

~~~~~

Hershey’s Hugs & Kisses Pound Cake Torte

46 HERSHEY’S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup whipping cream, divided use
2 teaspoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (10.3/4 ounce) frozen loaf pound cake, partially thawed
10 HERSHEY’S HUGS Brand Chocolates (garnish)
1. Remove wrappers from HERSHEY’S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates.
2. Combine chocolates and 1/3 cup whipping cream in small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in butter and vanilla until smooth; transfer to medium bowl. Refrigerate until firm enough to spread, about 1 hour.
4. Slice cake horizontally to make 3 layers. Arrange bottom layer on serving plate. Evenly spread 1/3 cup chocolate mixture over layer; top with second layer and spread with 1/3 cup mixture. Place remaining layer on top. Beat remaining 1/2 cup whipping cream until thickened; fold in remaining chocolate mixture. Refrigerate a few minutes if a more firm consistency is desired. Frost top, sides and ends of torte. Refrigerate about 6 hours.
5. Remove wrappers from HERSHEY’S HUGS Brand Chocolates.
6. Garnish torte before serving. Cover; refrigerate leftover torte.
Makes 8 servings.
Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of The Hershey Company, Copyright ©1995-2005.

~~~~~~~~~~

~~~***Rhonda G in Missouri***~ ~~
.

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14a. Sprinkles’ Strawberry Frosting
Posted by: “luvmygroops”

This was posted by melissa holland on Rhondas_Recipe_Exchange (group is closed)

~~~~~

Makes enough for 1 dozen cupcakes.

1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
1 cup ( 2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
3-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor, process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners’ sugar, beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 Tablespoons strawberry puree(save any remaining strawberry puree for another use): mix until jut blended. Don not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.
.

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15. Honey Apple Glazed Chicken
Posted by: “jacqueline

Honey Apple Glazed Chicken

1/3 cup apple jelly
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves

In small bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken and stir.

Heat BBQ grill OR Use a “George Foreman”Type Indoor Grill.

When ready to cook, oil grill rack. Brush chicken with jelly mixture and place on grill over medium heat. Cook 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally and brushing frequently with jelly mixture, until chicken is no longer pink and juices runclear. Discard any remaining jelly mixture. Serves 4

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16a. Easter Angel Cake
Posted by: “luvmygroops”

From the Recipe Goldmine website...

~~~~~

Easter Angel Cake

1 box Betty Crocker confetti or white angel food cake mix
1 cup flaked coconut
Jelly beans
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
6 drops green food color

Bake and cool cake as directed on package; remove from pan. Frost with whipped topping. In tightly covered container, combine coconut and food color; shake vigorously until evenly tinted. Sprinkle over top of cake. Arrange jelly beans on coconut. After serving, refrigerate any remaining cake.

Serves 12.
~~~~~~~~~~

~~~***Rhonda G in Missouri***~ ~~
.

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17a. Easter Basket Cake
Posted by: “luvmygroops”

From the Betty Crocker website...

~~~~~

Easter Basket Cake

Offer to bring the dessert when you head to Grandma´s house for Easter. Your family will be amazed at your creation!

Prep Time:30 min
Start to Finish:2 hr 20 min
Makes:12 servings

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy chocolate fudge frosting
1 cup shredded coconut
Green food color
Candy Easter eggs

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and cool cake as directed on box for two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans. Place 1 cake layer, rounded side down, on serving plate. Spread with about 1/3 cup frosting. Top with second layer, rounded side up. Frost side of cake and spread a thin layer of frosting on top of cake. Make a basket weave pattern in frosting on side of cake by drawing inch-long horizontal and vertical lines with tines of fork. Shake coconut and 3 or 4 drops food color in tightly covered jar until evenly tinted; sprinkle on top of cake. Place candy eggs on coconut.. Store loosely covered.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions on cake mix box.
Nutrition Information
1 Serving: Calories 440 (Calories from Fat 190); Total Fat 21g (Saturated Fat 7g, Trans Fat 4g); Cholesterol 55mg; Sodium 430mg; Total Carbohydrate 59g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 41g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 6%; Iron 10% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 3 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 4 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 4
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

~~~~~~~~~~

~~~***Rhonda G in Missouri***~ ~~
.

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18a. Re: laundry detergent recipe
Posted by: “Jeanniev01”

I did some research to locate Fels Naptha soap. It is made by the Dial Corporation and by going to their website you can search your local area to find out who carries it. The final link is:
http://www.henkelna.com/henkel-store-locator-9949.htm
If anyone has any problems just go to
http://www.henkelna.com/laundry-and-home-care/laundry-1214.htm
and on the right side there is a link that says Find a local retailer. Click on that and on the next page choose laundry care in the box next to where it says brand. Another box will open and choose Fels Naptha. You can enter in your zip code and how many miles radius you want. I was surprised to find over 25 places within 20 miles of me that carry it!
Good Luck!

-——Original Message-——
From: SimpleMeals@yahoogroups.com
Subject: (SimpleMeals) laundry detergent recipe

A lot of people are asking for the various recipes, both on group and
privately. Here’s the website once again where you can get the dry and the
liquid recipes. http://www.soapsgonebuy.com/default.asp

I found the Fels Naptha soap the hardest thing to get, but managed thru Ace
Hardware even tho I had to buy 24 bars!

The first liquid recipe, the one I made, looks ‘slimey’ and icky! You use
1/2 cup and get no suds. I was strongly tempted to add more, but didn’t.
1/2 cup in a fully loaded large machine is fine. You will be shocked at how
well it works! Your clothes come out very lightly scented (no heavy
perfume) and there is NO need for pre-treatments and NO need for fabric
softener. I gave all mine away. If you have a spot or stain just put a few
drops of the detergent on it while your machine fills. I had barbeque sauce
on a shirt and it came right out.

Honestly, I didn’t really expect it to work very well despite the rave
reviews. I was delighted to be proved wrong. It works better than any
store bought detergent I’ve ever used. My laundry comes out cleaner than I
ve ever seen it before, including my husband’s very dirty geocaching clothes

There’s other good info on the website as well. They also have links to
places to buy all the ingredients in case you have trouble finding it.

I’m not affiliated with any of the products or the website, just a very,
very pleased consumer.

Sue,

http://www.dsnip.org

Due to the economy, the light at the end of the tunnel has been shut off.

“...There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe,
nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because conscience tells one
that it is right.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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18b. laundry detergent recipe
Posted by: “Sue”

Thank you! There are exactly 3 stores within 50 miles of me and all in
Durango, CO! Wish I’d known that before I bought 24 bars and still have 19
2/3 left as I gave some away.

Sue,

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19. Artichoke And Crab Meat Wedges
Posted by: “Noreen”

ARTICHOKE AND CRAB MEAT WEDGES

16 ounce can whole artichoke hearts, drained and minced
16 ounce can crab meat, drained
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 ounce package English muffins

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium size mixing bowl,
combine artichoke hearts, crab meat, mayonnaise, onions, and
cheese. Mix thoroughly. Split each English muffin in half,
and spread the mixture on the cut side of the split muffins.

Cut each of the sliced muffins into quarters. Arrange the
muffin-bites on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, or
until golden brown. Serve hot.

Yield: 4 Dozen

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21. Asparagus Side Dish
Posted by: “didipark72

Asparagus Side Dish

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 grape tomatoes, halved

Combine the asparagus and water in a 10 inch skillet and place over medium heat; cover. Allow the asparagus to steam until tender, about 10 minutes; drain. Reduce heat to low and return the skillet to the heat. Drizzle olive oil over the asparagus; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Add the grape tomatoes to the skillet and replace the lid. Allow to sit covered until the cheese melts and the tomatoes are slightly steamed, about 2 minutes.

Dorie
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MainDishesMeatsNPoultry/

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22. Bourbon-Spiked Sweet Potato Puree
Posted by: “didipark72

Bourbon-Spiked Sweet Potato Puree

5 pounds medium unpeeled sweet potatoes or yams
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup good-quality bourbon
1/4 cup dark brown sugar

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Pierce the sweet potatoes a few times and roast them in a large nonstick roasting pan for about 1 hour, or until soft and browned on the bottom. Let cool for 15 minutes. Remove the skin, leaving as much caramelized flesh as possible. Cut the potatoes into large chunks and transfer to a food processor. Add the lemon juice and zest, season with salt and pepper and process until smooth.

In a large nonreactive saucepan, combine the bourbon and brown sugar and bring just to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and stir until blended.

Make ahead:

The puree can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Warm the sweet potato puree over low heat, then transfer to a large bowl and serve.

Dorie
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RegionalRecipes/

Yahoo! Groups Links

To visit group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SimpleMeals/

http://www.plainsfolk.com/recipe/index.htm

Monster Mash
Ingredients

* Potatoes
* Rutabaga (or turnip)
* Salt
* Butter
* Minced garlic
* Horseradish
* Canned milk

A good mash makes a meal, and this one is a monster. We like yellow potatoes, like Yukon Gold or German Butterball. You can substitute turnip for rutabaga, but it’s not as pretty. Our horseradish is the home-ground. Quantities: use good judgment.

1. Begin by boiling your rutabaga, because it takes longer than the potatoes.

2. When the rutabaga is about half done, put in the potatoes (leaving a good bit of skin on them), and cook all until ready to crumble.

3. Drain the spuds & rutabaga.

4. Melt butter in the pot and add garlic & horseradish.

5. Put the spuds & rutabaga back into the pot and mash. Leave some lumps.

6. Finish off with enough canned milk to make the texture you want, and a little salt.

Buffalo Joes
Ingredients

* 2 lbs. ground bison
* 1 onion
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground pepper
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 2 cups ketchup
* 1/2 cup mustard
* 1/2 cup Heinz 57 steak sauce

This receipe is for sloppy joes, which for some reason, people on the northern plains call “barbeques.” We commonly make these with ground bison, hence “buffalo joes.” Venison works well, too. In general, we like ground bison or venison for any dish that calls for heavily seasoned ground meat; the darker, leaner meats stand up to seasoning better than beef. When browning bison or venison, you have to add a little oil, because the meat is so lean.

1. Brown the meat with the onion in a deep skillet, adding salt & pepper & brown sugar

2. Mix in the ketchup, mustard, and steak sauce

3. Simmer long enough to meld the flavors and to get the degree of sloppiness you want (add a little water if it dries out)

Crocodile Fritters
Ingredients

* 3 cups grated zucchini
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1 cup chopped jalapenos or chiles
* chopped cilentro or parsley
* 1/2 cup feta cheese
* 2 eggs
* Handful of flour
* Salt, pepper, and Greek seasoning mix
* Canola oil, or whatever you like to fry with

So you go away for a week or so, and when you come back there is something long and green lying under your zucchini bush. That’s what we call a North Dakota crocodile. What you can do with such a beast is make crocodile fritters. The recipe below is substantially one lifted from the Christian Science Monitor. We doctored it up a little, most notably by adding the jalapeno peppers, which give it a little more zip. You may have your own ideas as to garden produce or seasonings to add to the mix. Ours is never the same twice.

1. Mix the vegetables, herbs, cheese, eggs, and seasonings in a bowl.

2. Heat oil in a deep skillet for frying

3. Fry blobs of the zucchini mix in oil

These are nice with a little sour cream, and a salad on the side.

Icebox Cake
Ingredients

* 3-ounce pack of lemon Jell-O
* Hot water as directed on package
* 12 large marshmallows
* 1 cup crushed graham crackers
* 1/2 stick melted butter
* 1 pint of whipping cream
* 1 cup crushed pineapple
* 1 cup chopped nuts

This is another thing that my Grandma Meta Isern made for afternoon lunch. Obviously, it’s a fairly late addition to family foodways, as the use of Jell-O indicates. See Kathleen Norris, Dakota: A Spiritual Geography, as to the social significance of Jell-O. My own take on the dissemination of this addition to Great Plains foodways is that Extension played a big role. Jell-O had the cachet of modernity. Grandma’s icebox cake was always made with canned pineapple and lemon Jell-O.

1. Prepare the Jell-O with hot water according to package directions.

2. Melt the marshmallows into the Jell-O mix.

3. Refrigerate the Jell-O mix until it is half-set.

4. While the Jell-O sets, put the graham cracker crumbs and the melted butter into the bottom of a cake pan and press them into a crust.

5. Refrigerate the crust.

6. Whip the cream in a mixing bowl.

7. Mix in the pineapple, the nuts, and the half-set Jell-O mixture.

8. Pour the mix onto the crust, top with a few graham cracker crumbs, and refrigerate until set.

With the abundance of gooseberries from my garden in North Dakota, I’ve begun making an icebox cake using home-canned gooseberries instead of pineapple. This is wonderfully tangy.

The Yellow and the Green
Ingredients

* 3 cups ground cherries
* 2 cups chopped green chiles
* 1 cup chopped onion
* A couple of cloves of garlic
* Cilentro (coriander to you Norwegians, but what would you do with salsa, anyway?)
* Cumin
* A little salt
* Oil

This is a salsa using ground cherries, native fruits of the nightshade family commonly raised in gardens of the northern plains and used as a fruit substitute. Because of their similarity to tomatillas, I hit on the idea of using them in a salsa. (This was in a year when we also had surpluses of chiles, onions, and garlic from the garden.) This salsa is a little sweet and not at all acidic. The yellow ground cherries are a lot like yellow tomatoes.

1. Chop up the ground cherries, chiles, onion, garlic, and cilentro in a food processor.

2. Season with cumin and salt.

3. Heat a little oil in a pan, add the mixture of ingredients, heat the mix to boiling, and then remove it from the heat—you just want to get the flavors to mingle.

4. You’re done. Eat it, can it, or freeze it.

Hemetschwenger
Ingredients

* 1 cup whipping cream
* 1 cup butter (softened)
* 2 cups flour
* 4 or 5 tart apples
* Sugar and cinnamon

This is another of those central-Kansas Mennonite items—a type of turnover. The recipe was published in Heritage of the Great Plains, the journal published at Emporia State University. (These may be frozen without cooking. If frozen, do not thaw before baking.)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350o.

2. Mix the pastry ingredients—mixing the cream and butter first, then the flour, until a ball forms.

3. Roll out the dough, half of it at a time, and cut it into squares.

4. Peel and chop the apples, season with sugar and cinnamon.

5. Fill the turnovers with fruit, close them, and put them on a baking sheet.

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

7. Roll the Hemetschwenger in sugar and cinnamon while they are still warm.

The published recipe called for apple filling, which is fine, but I like to use other things. For instance, my Pixwell gooseberries (an old NDAC release) produce so well that I can them, and the canned gooseberries, thickened with a little cornstarch, make a great filling for Hemetschwenger. Or here’s another idea: make a sauce of ground cherries, sugar, and cornstarch. This filling tastes a little peachy.

Lefse Roll-ups
Ingredients

* Lefse, large pieces
* Creamy horseradish sauce & dried beef, or
* Feta cheese & olives, or
* Turkey salad & shredded lettuce, or
* Other players to be named later

No new idea here, since it’s a commonplace to roll things up in lefse, but we’ve given some thought and experimentation to the proposition of what flavors complement the potato-based effect of lefse. The combinations given here are good.

1. Spread lefse with creamy horseradish, cover with slices of dried beef, and roll up. Even better—roll this up around a stick of pickled or canned asparagus.

2. Spread lefse with mayo, scatter with feta and chopped olives, and roll up.

3. Spread lefse with turkey salad (this happened because we had a lot of left-over smoked turkey), add shredded lettuce, and roll up.

4. Roll your own!

Additional suggestions are welcome!

http://www.plainsfolk.com/recipe/index.htm

Jackson’s Squarsh Casserole
Ingredients

* 4-5 squarsh (summer squarsh, we use Patty Pans)
* 2 onions (yellow or white, not red, they’re too sweet)
* 1/2 pound Colby cheese
* 1/2 pound Monterrey Jack
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* Bread crumbs
* Butter

This recipe comes from our friend Jack Jackson, who hails from North Carolina, but we’re calling it a Great Plains recipe because the squarsh (the correct way to say it) are grown here on the prairies, and because it’s good.

1. Butter a 9x13 dish and heat oven to 450o

2. Quarter and thinly slice the squarsh

3. Thinly slice the onions

4. Grate the cheese

5. Layer the squarsh, onions, and cheese into the dish, seasoning with salt and pepper, ending with squarsh on top

6. Drizzle with olive oil

7. Cover with foil and bake 40-45 minutes

8. Remove foil, sprinkle with bread crumbs, dot with butter, and return to oven for 10-15 minutes, baking light golden brown

9. Remove from oven and re-cover with foil until ready to serve

Patty Pans are a mild squarsh, and are great in Jack’s casserole; we’ll try others later.

Frog-Eyes
Ingredients

* 8 ounces of acini di pepe (frog-eye pasta)
* 1 tablespoon flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 egg
* Quart of home-canned gooseberries
* 1 cup whipping cream

You’ve probably had some version of frog-eye salad at a smorg somewhere. It’s right in there with glorified rice, if you know what I mean. Somehow this dish went bad in regional culinary culture. Think about it: the basic ingredients are pasta, fruit, and whipped cream, and those are all good things. The problem is that inexplicable impulse to dump in a can of this and a bag of that, and then to resort to imitations instead of using what you know is good. So I’m trying here to redeem this corrupted classic and make it into a regional feature, instead of a regional joke. All you have to do is get back to basics and use real ingredients. Then, to make it distinctive, use real local ingredients. At our house this means gooseberries, put up in quart jars. Other berries would be good, too, but the gooseberries make it tangy.

1. Cook the frog-eyes according to package directions.

2. Drain, rinse in cold water, and put them in the frig to drain and cool thoroughly.

3. Make the pudding: whisk flour, salt, sugar, egg, and gooseberry juice (about a cup) in a saucepan, cook over low heat, stirring steadily until it thickens. Chill in frig.

4. Whip the cream in a large, cold bowl and leave it in the bowl.

Goonberry Pie
Ingredients

* 2 1/2 cups juneberries
* 2 1/2 cups gooseberries
* 1 1/4 cup sugar
* 3 tablespoons cornstarch
* Lard pie crust

This pie features a filling using two berries that we have in profusion around our place—gooseberries, and what in North Dakota we call juneberries. In Canada they call these saskatoons. So as a name for this blended pie filling we first considered “gooskatoon,” but eventually we settled on “goonberry.” Although many northern plains folk consider juneberries a sacred food not to be diluted, we find them a little bland to stand on their own. They need to be mixed with something tart. Rhubarb serves nicely, but gooseberries add more interest to the blend. The recipe on this page is just for the filling. Check out the crust recipe given elsewhere in this site.

Portzilki
Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons yeast
* 2 cups potato water
* 3/4 cup sugar + a little
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup milk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 4 teaspoons salt
* Dash of nutmeg
* 1 1/2 cups floured raisins
* Flour

Kansas Mennonites nowadays call these “New Year’s cookies.” They are more like doughnuts. I got recipes from various Mennonite students of mine from the Hutchinson vicinity.

1. Make your yeast mixture of yeast, potato water, and a little sugar. Let it stand and proof.

2. Cream the margarine, sugar, and eggs in a big bowl.

3. Mix the yeast mixture into the big bowl, plus the milk, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, and raisins.

4. Add enough flour for a firm dough, knead, and let it rise.

5. Break the dough into balls (80 or so) and let them rise again.

6. Heat a pot of oil.

7. Fry the dough balls in deep oil.

8. Sugar them like doughnuts.

Lefse & Eggs
Ingredients

* Lefse, large ones
* Eggs (number equal to number of lefse)
* Swiss cheese, shredded (or Havarti)
* Bacon (slices equal to number of lefse)
* Sour cream
* Herbs de Provence
* Caraway
* Butter

This home-grown recipe is a combination of several standard flavors of northern cookery. The result is a breakfast mild enough for the most Nordic palate, and yet remarkably flavorful. A breakfast burrito for Norwegians.

1. Pre-heat oven to 300o.

2. Chop the bacon and fry the pieces in an iron skillet. While it fries, lay out lefse on the counter.

3. Scramble the eggs in a bowl with a dollop of sour cream. (The sour cream makes them fluffy.)

4. Remove the bacon from the skillet and divide it among the lefse.

5. Scatter some Herbs de Provence into the fat in the skillet, add the eggs and cook sloppy done, seasoning with salt and pepper.

6. Scrape the eggs out onto the lefse.

7. Add butter to the skillet, and scatter some caraway into it.

8. Put shredded cheese on top the bacon and eggs and roll up the lefse burrito-like.

9. Turn off the heat under the skillet, drege the lefse bundles in the melted butter and caraway in the skillet, then arrange them in the bottom of the skillet.

10. Cover, and put into the oven for 15 minutes.

The lefse bundles come out just a little golden-crisp on the bottom. Arrange them on a serving plate, hit them with some dollops of sour cream, sprinkle paprika atop the sour cream. Garnish—some pickled beets would be good alongside. A fruit salad is a good accompaniment.

Note:

Lefse is a traditional soft Norwegian flatbread.

http://ruralroute2.com/lefse.php

During the latter part of the 1800s, 30,000 Norwegians immigrated to Wisconsin. Today, nearly a half million people are their descendants out of a total population of 5.5 million. In other words, almost 10 percent of Wisconsin residents are of Norwegian descent.

Expert lefse makers use a lefse griddle (a large, round electric griddle that heats up to 500 degrees), a grooved lefse rolling pin, and flat wooden lefse turners. But you don’t have to buy special equipment to make lefse. You can use ordinary kitchen utensils: an electric fry pan (that heats up to 400 or 450 degrees Fahrenheit), a rolling pin, a pancake turner, and a large mixing bowl. You will also need potatoes, butter or margarine, a little sugar, some milk, and flour.

Rolling lefse is a skill that requires plenty of patience and lots of practice. Expert lefse makers produce pieces that are as large as the top of a snare drum and practically thin enough to read a newspaper through. My lefse, which turns out just like my mother’s did, is about the size of a dinner plate and somewhat thicker.

Lefse experts recommend ricing the cooked potatoes, but my mother always mashed the potatoes. Refrigerating the mashed or riced potatoes overnight makes the lefse easier to roll out.

When you’re ready to start making lefse, take the potatoes out of the refrigerator and mash or rice them again. I have one of those crisscross patterned potato mashers, and it works well for taking the lumps out of the mashed potatoes. Lefse rolls out easier if the dough is cold, so make sure the potatoes are cold when you start. You may also want to refrigerate the dough for a while after you mix it. I have noticed that when I reach the end of the batch and the dough is starting to warm up, the lefse is harder to roll out.

Making a batch of lefse from this recipe takes about one and a half hours and will yield approximately two dozen pieces, depending upon how much dough you use for each one.

Here’s my mother’s lefse recipe from the book Christmas In Dairyland.

Lefse

- 4 heaping cups of mashed or riced potatoes
- 1 stick of butter (or margarine)
- 1/3 cup of milk
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 cups of flour
- extra flour for rolling out the dough.

Measure out the mashed/riced potatoes into a large mixing bowl. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter/margarine in the milk; stir in the sugar and salt. Then pour over the cold mashed (riced) potatoes and mix.

Stir two cups of flour into the potato mixture. The dough will be sticky and soft.

Start heating the griddle or electric frying pan. Do not add any oil, margarine or shortening. Lefse is baked on a dry surface.

Take a lump of dough about the size of an egg. Place a heaping teaspoon of flour on the surface where you’re going to roll out your lefse. Work about half of the heaping teaspoon of flour into the lump of dough (enough so you can handle the dough, but not so much that the dough becomes dry).

Starting in the center, roll outward until the lefse is about the size of a dinner plate. Try not to roll the lefse so thin that you cannot pick it up. If the lefse tears when you start to pick it up, gather it into a lump and roll it out again. Don’t do this too many times, though, or your lefse will end up tough and dry. Ideally, you should only roll the lefse once, although that’s probably not a realistic expectation if you’ve never made lefse before. Also try to turn the lefse only once while you are rolling it out. If the lefse starts to stick, add a little more flour.

When you have the lefse rolled out, transfer it to the hot griddle. Carefully pick it up and quickly move it. If you move slowly, the lefse is more likely to tear. Expert lefse makers use flat lefse turners (they look like long flat sticks) to transfer the dough by rolling it onto the turner and then unrolling it onto the griddle. You can also try rolling your lefse onto the rolling pin and transferring it to the griddle or the fry pan.

Once you have the lefse on the griddle, bake it for about a minute, just until brown ‘freckles’ start to appear; then turn the lefse over and let the other side bake just until brown freckles start to appear. While the first piece of lefse is baking, roll out your second one.

After the first piece of lefse is done, use the pancake turner to remove it from the griddle and place it on a clean dishtowel. Cover with another dishtowel.

Bake the second lefse and roll out the third piece.

When the second lefse is finished, place it on top of the first one and cover with the towel again.

Then bake the third piece.

Repeat until you have baked all of the dough. Place each newly baked lefse on top of the previously baked lefse and cover the stack with the towel.

Once the lefse is completely cool, place it in a plastic bag or wrap it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to help keep it moist. You must wait until the lefse is completely cool before wrapping it, otherwise the heat from the lefse will condense inside of the plastic or the aluminum foil, and your lefse will end up soggy. If you leave the lefse overnight without wrapping it in plastic or aluminum foil, it will probably be dried out in the morning. If the lefse dries out, sprinkle a little water on the dishtowel and wrap the dishtowel and the lefse in plastic. The lefse will soften up again.

When you’re ready to eat a piece of lefse, spread it with butter (or margarine), sprinkle sugar on it (some people also like to sprinkle cinnamon on their lefse), and roll into a log.

Also, once the lefse is cool, it can be frozen.

This recipe is from the book Christmas In Dairyland by LeAnn R. Ralph.

http://www.ruralroute2.com/recipes.php

Frying Pan Date Cookie Recipe
by LeAnn R. Ralph

# 1 egg beaten

# 1/2 cup sugar

# 1 cup dates (chopped)

# 1 cup Rice Krispies

# 1 cup chopped walnuts

# 1 teaspoon vanilla

# coconut (to roll the cookies in)
Put the beaten egg, the sugar and the chopped dates into a frying pan and cook for several minutes until the mixture “leaves the pan” (i.e. is thick and sticky).

Add: 1 cup Rice Krispies, 1 cup chopped walnuts and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Roll into small balls. Then roll in coconut.

Store in an airtight container between layers of wax paper.

Kangaroo Pouches (hot sandwiches)

by LeAnn R. Ralph

Use your imagination to fill these hot sandwiches. The recipe makes 15 or 16 sandwiches. Leftovers can be used for snacks and to take to work for lunch.

Sandwich Pouches
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 package dry yeast (or 2 teaspoons bulk yeast)
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry oatmeal
4 1/2 to 5 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in remaining ingredients. Knead for a couple of minutes. Dough will be a little soft and sticky.

Divide dough into balls the size of small eggs.

Filling
~~~~~

Use what you like for the filling. I have used slices of summer sausage, thin-sliced ham, cotto salami, smoked turkey breast, dried beef. For the cheese, I have used cheddar, colby, and mozerella.

Assembling the Kangaroo Pouches
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roll dough to approximately 6 inches wide by 8 inches long. Place a slice of meat and a slice of cheese slightly below the center of the dough. Drizzle a few drops of Italian salad dressing or a scant teaspoon of spaghetti sauce over the cheese. I have also used a scant teaspoon of sour cream or blue cheese salad dressing.

Bring the top part of the dough over the filling and seal the edges by rolling up the dough toward the filling.

Place sandwiches on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 325 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Some of the cheese may melt out of the Kangaroo Pouches, but in that case, when you serve them, scoop the melted cheese on top of the sanwiches.

Serve with a salad or other fresh vegetables.

Yield: 15 or 16 Kangaroo Pouches

Note: My husband loves to take to these to work and heats them up in the microwave for lunch.

********************

LeAnn R. Ralph is the author of the farm books: “Cream of the Crop (More True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm)” (trade paperback; Sept. 2005); “Christmas in Dairyland (True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm” (trade paperback 2003); “Give Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam” (trade paperback 2004); “Preserve Your Family History (A Step-by-Step Guide for Interviewing Family Members and Writing Oral Histories” (e-book 2004). You are invited to sign up for the free newsletter, Rural Route 2 News — http://ruralroute2.com

Cream Cheese Mincemeat Pie

by LeAnn R. Ralph

For more free recipes, sign up for LeAnn’s twice-monthly newsletter.(Scroll down to read previous newsletters.)

# bottom pie crust for a 9 or 10 inch pie plate

# 3 cups mincemeat

# 8 ounces of cream cheese (softened)

# 1/2 cup sugar

# 1 egg

# 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Make the pie crust and line the pie plate with the crust (I know this seems obvious, but one time when I happened to listen to Oprah — I have listened to the show about 3 times in my life — there was a chef who was talking about cooking something in one of those plastic cooking bags. “When you take it out of the oven, cut open the bag and throw it away,” Oprah said. “You have to say that because there are people out there who will eat the bag if you don’t tell them to throw it away.”)

Put the mincemeat on top of the pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes.

Using an electric mixer, whip the softened cream cheese, sugar, the egg and the lemon juice until smooth. Pour on top of the mincemeat and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes or until set.

Extra-Nutty Nut ‘n Raisin Bread
(Easy Recipe!)

by LeAnn R. Ralph

For more free recipes, sign up for LeAnn’s twice-monthly newsletter.
Scroll down to read previous newsletters.

More Recipes by LeAnn

This nut bread goes great with a cup of coffee or tea or a glass of milk. The canola oil, walnuts, sunflower seeds and flaxseed make it a heart-healthy choice. Plus — it’s an easy recipe!

1/2 cup canola oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups of milk with 1/4 cup of lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup walnuts

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup whole flaxseed

1 cup raisins

Measure out the milk and add the 1/4 cup lemon juice. Set aside. Measure the remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add the milk. Using an electric mixer, stir on slow speed for 2 minutes and then on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds, flaxseed and raisins. Stir on low speed until nuts and raisins are blended in.

Divide the batter between 2 regular-sized greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes.

Allow nut bread to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans.

Cheesecake Parfait Dessert
(”Died and Gone to Heaven” Good!)

by LeAnn R. Ralph

This recipe is not especially heart-healthy — or any kind of healthy. But, if you are looking for a sumptuous dessert (maybe to serve for a special occasion) that is “Died and Gone to Heaven” good, this is it.

Low-Fat Alternative: you can make a low-fat version of this recipe using low-fat cream cheese, low-fat topping, and use skim milk with the instant pudding.

Bottom layer:

# 2 sticks butter

# 3 cups flour

# 1 cup chopped walnuts

Mix the butter, flour and walnuts as you would for pie crust, pat into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

Second layer:

# 2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese (softened)

# 2 cups of powdered sugar

# 2 cups of Cool Whip (or another similar topping)

Measure into a mixing bowl and whip at high speed until smooth. Spread over the first layer.

Third layer:

# 2 3-ounce packages of instant pudding (any flavor — chocolate, lemon, butterscotch, vanilla, pistachio — whatever you like)

# 3 cups of milk

Pour instant pudding into a mixing bowl, add the milk, and whip at high speed for several minutes until thick. Spread over the cream cheese layer.

Fourth layer:

Spread on enough Cool Whip (or another topping) to cover the pudding. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and coconut.

Chill the dessert in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

Fattigman Recipe
by LeAnn R. Ralph

Fattigman (pronounced “futty-mun”) is a deep-fried Norwegian cookie that my sister made sometimes when I was a kid and that was also served after the Sunday school Christmas program. Fattigman means “poor man’s cookies” or “poor man’s donuts.”

Fattigman

- 6 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 tablespoon brandy (or 1 teaspoon brandy extract)
- 1 teaspoon cardamom (or nutmeg; my mother often substituted nutmeg in recipes that called for cardamom)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 to 3 cups flour

Beat egg yolks and sugar on high speed with an electric mixer for five minutes. Stir in cream, brandy, and cardamom. Mix in enough flour to make a stiff dough. Roll dough very thin and cut into two-inch by two-inch pieces. Cut a slit in the middle and pull one of the points through the slit. Deep-fry until golden brown. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar. I put powdered sugar in a plastic container with a cover, add some fattigman and shake gently to coat them.

Peanut Butter Macaroons
No-Bake Cookies (Easy Recipe!)

by LeAnn R. Ralph

My husband likes to take these to work to eat as a treat with a cup of coffee or for dessert after lunch. A good source of calcium, too!

# 1 cup peanut butter

# 1 cup corn syrup

# 1 1/2 cups powdered milk

# 1/4 cup milk

# 4 to 5 cups Rice Krispies or Special-K cereal (as a substitute for the Rice Krispies, I have used 2 cups of Grapenuts)

# shredded coconut to roll the cookies in

Measure the peanut butter, corn syrup, powdered milk and milk into a medium-sized mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (mixture will be stiff and sticky). Add the cereal. Stir until well combined.

Shape the cookies into balls about half the size of an egg. Roll in shredded coconut. Place on a cookie sheet and allow to set for several hours. Store in a loosely covered container.

Another no-bake cookie recipe.

Quick Bread Mix
(with recipes for pancakes, biscuits and muffins)

by LeAnn R. Ralph

10 cups flour
1/3 cup baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups vegetable shortening

Cut the shortening into the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Continue working the mixture until it resembles finely ground meal.

Quick Bread Mix can be stored in an airtight container for 6 weeks.

Pancakes
~~~~~~~~

2 cups of Quick Bread Mix
1 1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs

If the pancake batter seems too thin, add a little more Quick Bread Mix. If the mixture seems too thick, add a little more milk.

Drop Biscuits
~~~~~~~~~~~
2 cups of Quick Bread Mix
1/2 cup milk

Mix thoroughly and then drop onto a greased baking sheet by spoonfuls. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Muffins
~~~~~~

3 cups of Quick Bread Mix
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar

Blend all ingredients just until the Quick Bread Mix is moistened. Drop by spoonfuls into greased muffin tins or muffin tins lined with cupcake papers. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: to make blueberry muffins add 1 cup of blueberries; to make apple muffins, add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 cup of chopped apples.

Royal Rhubarb Pie(With Easy No-Roll Pie Crust) Recipe
by LeAnn R. Ralph

Filling:

# 2 tablespoons water

# 4 cups rhubarb (cut up)

# 2 cups sugar

# 3 tablespoons cornstarch

# a pinch of salt

# 1/4 cup milk (cream, or Half & Half)

Note: If you’re using the ‘old-fashioned’ rhubarb with the greenish stalks, add several drops of food coloring. If you’re using the Canadian Red rhubarb, there’s no need for food coloring.

Make pie crust (see below) and bake the bottom shell at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

While the pie shell is baking, put rhubarb, 1 3/4 cups sugar and 2 tablespoons of water into a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from burner.

Mix 1/4 cup sugar with 3 tablespoons cornstarch and stir into the hot rhubarb mixture. Add milk (cream or Half & Half). Cook until thick.

Pour filling into the baked pie shell. Add crumble crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until crust is lightly browned. Allow to cool thoroughly before cutting.

For an added treat, serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

********************

Pie Crust:

# 3 cups flour

# 1 teaspoon salt

# 2 teaspoons sugar

# 2/3 cup cooking oil (I like to use Canola oil)

# 1/3 cup water or milk

Measure all ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir with a fork.

Put half of the mixture into a 10-inch pie plate and pat down with the back of a spoon (or use your fingers) to form the pie crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Mix 1/4 cup of brown sugar with the remaining pie crust and sprinkle on top of pie to form a “crumble crust.” (Makes a generous crumble crust).

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until the crumble crust is slightly browned.

http://www.ruralroute2.com/recipes.php

Julekake and Christmas Bread Recipe
by LeAnn R. Ralph

In addition to making lefse for Christmas, my mother made julekake and Christmas bread. The difference between julekake and Christmas bread is that julekake is a richer bread.
This recipe makes two large round loaves.
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (or margarine)
- 2 packages of yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cardamom (substitute cinnamon or nutmeg if you prefer)
- 7 cups flour
- 1 cup of raisins
- 1/2 cup of citron
- 1/2 cup of red candied cherries
- 1/2 cup of green candied cherries

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, milk, sugar and salt until the margarine/butter has melted. Pour the milk mixture into a large bowl and let it cool.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and add it to the milk mixture. Add the cardamom (or other spice) and 3 cups of flour and beat until smooth. Mix in the fruit and 4 cups of flour. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes. If the dough becomes too sticky, knead in another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of flour.

Put the dough in a greased bowl and cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, or about one hour.

Punch down the dough and divide in half. Knead for a minute or so, and then form each half into rounds. Place the dough on a large greased cookie sheet and let rise for 45 minutes. (The loaves will become very large, so be careful not to put them too close to the edge of the cookie sheet.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. If the loaves start turning too brown, turn the oven down to 325. After you remove the loaves from the oven, brush them with shortening while they are still hot. This will help the crust to stay soft. Remove loaves from the cookie sheet. Allow the julekake to cool before slicing.

If you prefer, after the julekake is cool, drizzle on powdered sugar icing and decorate with cherries, walnuts or pecans.

~ Christmas Bread ~

This recipe makes two loaves.

- 2 cups warm water
- 2 packages of dry yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup shortening (I have also used Canola oil)
- 1 to 2 cups of citron (if you really like the taste of citron, add 2 cups)
- 6 to 7 cups of flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 2 cups of flour, sugar, eggs, salt, shortening/oil and beat until smooth. Add citron. Add 4 cups of flour. Mix. Knead for 10 minutes. If dough becomes too sticky, knead in an-other 1/2 to 1 cup of flour. Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour. Punch down dough. Knead for a minute or two. Shape into loaves. Place in greased loaf pans and let rise for 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Turn out of pans. Allow the bread to cool before slicing.

Quick & Easy Sour Cream Crescent Rolls
by LeAnn R. Ralph

If you would like to serve fresh homemade crescent rolls for a special dinner or family get-together, this recipe takes only 2 hours from start to finish.

# 2 packages of dry yeast (or 4 teaspoons bulk yeast)
# 1 cup warm water
# 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice added)
# 1/2 cup sour cream
# 1 stick butter (or margarine) softened
# 1/3 cup sugar
# 1 teaspoon salt
# 6-7 cups flour

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add buttermilk, sour cream, butter (or margarine), sugar, salt and 2 cups of flour. Use and electric mixer or a wire wisk and blend for several minutes. Add the remaining flour. Knead for 5 minutes. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.

To make the crescent rolls: divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch circle (mine usually ends up being more of rectangle than a circle, but it works, so who cares?). Spread soft butter onto the circle of dough. Cut the circle in half. Cut each half into quarters. Then cut each quarter into three pieces (as if you are cutting a pie).

Roll up each piece of dough, beginning with the wide end. Place on a greased cookie sheet with the “point” underneath. Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes before baking.

Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and remove from the cookie sheet.

This recipe makes 2 dozen crescent rolls. Total time (including time to bake) is about 2 hours.

Fish Fritters (Easy Recipe)
A good recipe for country folks who like to go fishing for bluegill or crappie or other panfish!

by LeAnn R. Ralph

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This recipe is perfect for small fillets such as Bluegill or other sunfish. You will need 3 to 4 cups of fish (a quart freezer bag).

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 to 1 1/4 cups milk

Mix ingredients together until smooth. Add fish. Stir to coat fillets with batter. Place in hot oil by spoonfuls. Fry until golden brown (5 to 10 minutes each side). Serve with tartar sauce.

Heavenly Apple Salad
A Country Life Recipe
by LeAnn R. Ralph

This recipe makes a large bowl of apple salad, perfect for family gatherings or other events. After you make the salad, however, don’t be surprised if there’s none left by the time your guests arrive. This salad is deeeee-licious!!!!

1 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 large container of Cool Whip (or other similar topping)
1 24 ounce jar of dry roasted peanuts
6 to 8 apples (depending upon the size of the apples)

Put the crushed pineapple, sugar, flour and vinegar into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until thick. When cooled to room temperature, place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
Cut the apples into small pieces. Add the pineapple mixture. Stir in Cool Whip (or other topping) and all but 1 cup of the peanuts. Mix thoroughly. Sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top.

Coconut Chocolate Bars
by LeAnn R. Ralph

1 cup butter or margarine (softened)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cup chocolate chips (milk chocolate or semi-sweet, depending upon your preference)
2/3 cup coconut

Thoroughly mix the butter/margarine, brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Add the flour and salt and mix until a stiff batter is formed. Press the batter into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Turn off the oven. Remove pan and sprinkle chocolate chips over the crust. Return to the oven for 1 or 2 minutes until the chocolate chips have melted. Spread over the crust. Sprinkle coconut over the chocolate. Allow to cool. Cut into bars.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars
(with chocolate frosting)

by LeAnn R. Ralph

Oatmeal is a heart-healthy food. The fiber in oatmeal helps to remove the bad cholesterol from your system. Americans also do not typically eat enough fiber, and oatmeal adds fiber to the diet. Plus, chocolate is now known to be a great anti-oxidant.

But the bottom line is — these Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars are just plain good! My husband loves them and could eat the whole pan by himself.

# 1/2 cup butter

# 1/2 cup shortening

# 1 cup brown sugar

# 1 cup white sugar

# 2 eggs

# 1 teaspoon vanilla

# 1/2 cup peanut butter

# 1 1/2 cups flour

# 1/2 teaspoon salt

# 1 teaspoon soda

# 3 cups dry oatmeal (I have used both quick-cooking or old-fashioned)

Cream the shortening, butter and sugars. Stir in the eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter. Stir in remaining ingredients. Put in a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool. Frost with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

# 1 2/3 cup sugar

# 6 tablespoons butter

# 6 tablespoons milk

# 2/3 cup chocolate chips

Boil the sugar, butter and milk for 30 seconds. Stir in the chocolate chips until smooth. Pour the frosting over the oatmeal bars and allow to cool before cutting.

****************************************************************************

2007 LeAnn R. Ralph

This recipe may be freely distributed as long as the following information is included:

LeAnn R. Ralph is the author of books about growing up on a small family dairy farm 40 years ago. The Midwest Book Review calls this series of books, Highly recommended reading! You are invited to sign up for the twice-monthly newsletter from Rural Route 2 — http://ruralroute2.com

http://www.ruralroute2.com/kitten.php

Thanksgiving Kitten
by LeAnn R. Ralph

Thanksgiving was three days away, and — as is often the case in Wisconsin at this time of year — the weather had taken an abrupt turn for the worse. But even though the afternoon high temperature was only 20 degrees, I had decided to visit my horses at the stable where I boarded them.

My husband and I were living in the southern part of the state then. I’d been busy teaching English at a private boys’ boarding school that fall so I’d had few opportunities to see my two geldings. Since many of the students had such a long distance to travel to get home for the holiday, however, we were given the entire week off from school.

I’d only just arrived at the barn and was planning to let the horses in when I became aware of a plaintive yowling coming from the hay mow above.

“Must be a kitten,” I muttered.

I knew the solid gray mother cat — who was winding herself around my ankles at the moment — had produced a late litter of kittens. But in spite of conducting many searches among the thousands of bales of hay, no one at the stable had yet been able to find them.

As I stood in the cold, quiet barn, the kitten continued its eerie howling. And yet, the gray cat was such an exceptionally good mother that I was sure she would soon go to its rescue.

She didn’t.

Fifteen minutes later after I’d let my horses in and they were eating a special treat of grain, I couldn’t stand it anymore.

I ascended the steps into the mow, and there, at the very top of the hay pile — 70 or 80 feet high, right next to the rafters — stood a tiny, calico kitten, crying pitifully. She looked only a few weeks old.

“I’ll be right there,” I said, as I started to climb the hay. “I suppose you wandered away from the nest and now you can’t find it again.”

It occurred to me, as I moved from bale to bale, that I didn’t know where the nest was, either. It also occurred to me this kitten had never seen a human being and that when I got to the top, she would probably run and hide.

She didn’t.

As I climbed higher, the kitten stopped howling, and when I reached the top, she ran to me.

“There now,” I said as I picked her up, surprised the kitten seemed so unafraid. “I don’t know where your nest is, but I’ll take you to your momma instead. Okay?”

The kitten mewed, as if she was agreeing my idea sounded like a good plan.

Because I needed both hands to climb down, I unzipped my insulated coveralls and tucked the kitten inside. Before I retraced my hazardous journey, I glanced around the mow, wondering if this was the only kitten in the litter. I didn’t see or hear any others.

Carefully lowering myself from bale to bale, I finally reached the mow floor, miraculously unscathed. Then I went down the steps into the barn.

“Here you go,” I said, as I set the little calico next to her mother. This particular barn was home to most of the cats on the place, about a dozen in all, so I was confident the kitten wouldn’t feel one bit lonely.

More than an hour later, after I had spent some time with my horses and then had visited with the stable owner in another barn, I was ready to leave. Curious to know what the kitten was doing now, I peeked into the barn where I’d left her.

I didn’t see any cats.

Except the kitten.

She was lying in the middle of the floor on the freezing cement, so cold the only movement she could make was a feeble attempt to meow. It looked to me like she was nearly dead.

“Oh, no! You poor little thing,” I said, scooping up the almost lifeless bit of calico fluff and tucking her inside my insulated coveralls.

Thirty minutes later, the kitten still felt deathly cold to the touch, although she did seem a little more lively. By now, I knew that she was suffering from hypothermia.

I decided, then, that I’d better take her home with me. Surely by tomorrow or the next day, she would be completely recovered from all but freezing to death, and then I could bring her back to the barn.

As soon as we arrived home, I fixed a box and set it next to the heat vent in the bathroom. After I fed the tiny calico a warm milk and egg yolk mixture, she curled up in her box and promptly fell asleep.

When my husband came home from work later that afternoon, I ushered him into the bathroom.

“I have something to show you,” I said, “but we can’t keep it.”

I reached into the box and brought out the calico kitten, who yawned sleepily and then licked her incredibly pink nose.

Randy’s eyes began to twinkle. “She’s adorable!” he exclaimed, taking the kitten from me and stroking the smooth, soft fur. “But you’re right. We already have enough cats although I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to keep her until after Thanksgiving.”

“Sure,” I said, instantly abandoning the idea of returning her to the stable, “maybe someone will want a Christmas kitten.”

I knew for certain we couldn’t keep the calico because, after all, we already had six house cats.

For the next several weeks we avoided naming the newcomer, thinking it would be easier to give her away if she didn’t have a name.

No such luck.

When the kitten had been at our house for four weeks we realized she was with us to stay. After consulting a book of names that listed all of the origins, we began calling her Billie, an Old English derivative of Wilhelmina that means “strong willed.” It seemed an appropriate name, too, because we soon discovered there wasn’t a cupboard door in the house Billie couldn’t get open if she set her mind to it.

As it turned out, Billie was not the only kitten in the litter. On Thanksgiving Day, the mother cat brought the rest of her children down to the barn where they soon learned to eat from the dish with the other cats. In all, there were three more kittens. All calico. And all wild. You couldn’t get within 20 feet of Billie’s sisters.

I can’t help but wonder why the gray cat we called Lady Chatterly (because she was so friendly and talkative in only the way that cats can be) refused to care for the kitten who had wandered away from the nest — especially since she was such an excellent mother.

And for that matter, why hadn’t Billie been afraid of me when her sisters stayed so wild?

As my husband once suggested, maybe it was Lady Chatterly’s way of saying “Happy Thanksgiving.” If so, it brings new meaning to the phrase “the gift that keeps on giving” because all these years later, Billie is still with us — and she’s STILL spending quite a bit of her time getting into cupboards.

And yet, perhaps that’s the point. Through all my years of Thanksgivings, the memories have become a blurred mixture consisting mostly of turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. But the year I saved a tiny calico from freezing to death is a Thanksgiving I will never forget.

LeAnn R. Ralph is the author of the farm books “Christmas in Dairyland (True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm)” (trade paperback; 2003), “Give Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam” (trade paperback; 2004), and “Preserve Your Family History (A Step-by-Step Guide for Interviewing Family Members and Writing Oral Histories” (e-book; 2004)