Cream Wafers

These are a great cookie for showers., tea parties and the like. Delicate and rich they will melt in your mouth. The secret is the simple, rich dough consisting of just three ingredients: butter, cream and flour.

Cream Wafers

 1 c. butter

1/3 c. heavy whipping cream

2 c. flour

extra fine or granulated sugar

Frosting:

¼ c. butter, softened

¾ c. powdered sugar

1 T. milk

1 t. vanilla

food coloring, if desired. I sometimes add a few drops of pomegranate juice for a natural tint.

Mix butter, cream and flour well. Wrap and chill at least an hour. Roll chilled dough 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured board.  Cut out into 1½ inch rounds or even little hearts or stars. Transfer cookies to a sheet of wax paper heavily coated with extra fine or granulated sugar and coat both sides. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and  prick each cookie 4 times with a fork. Bake at 375-degrees 7-9 minutes until lightly browned and puffy. Cool on rack. Mix frosting ingredients. Put 2 cookies together with frosting to make “sandwiches”.

Ethiopian Chicken

With a mix of warm and sweet spices Ethiopian Chicken is full of rich flavor. Easy to make, too. You can make it with any cut of chicken. I used wings in this batch. Traditionally the chicken should be on the bone, but feel free to swap out boneless chicken, if you prefer. Just reduce the cooking time by 15 minutes.

Ethiopian Chicken

1 chicken, cut into pieces or 3-4 lbs. chicken pieces

1 T. paprika

1 t. each cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic powder, salt and ginger

1/2 t. allspice

1/4 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. flour

3 T. oil

2 large onions, sliced thin

1 c. tomato sauce or 2 c. stewed tomatoes

1 c. chicken stock

Combine spices with flour in a plastic bag. Add the chicken a few pieces at a time and shake to coat. Set aside. Add onion to hot oil in large skillet and cook until onions are browned. Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides. Add sauce and stock. Cover and simmer 35 minutes, adding water if sauce gets too thick. Serve with a cooked grain such as rice, millet, quinoa, wheat berries etc. This dish is also good served with lentils and cooked greens. Serves 4.

Brown chicken pieces

Add chicken stock

Add tomatoes and simmer

Peanut Butter and Jelly “Pies”

These are a lot of fun and a great way to make pb&j portable. Fun to take camping or on picnics.  Pie crusts are cut into small circles, filled with peanut butter and jelly, sealed and baked. You can use almond butter, if you prefer, and any kind of jelly or jam. Yummy!! Easy enough for kids to help, too.

PB&J Pies

1 (15 oz.) package pie crusts or homemade crust for 2 pies. I prefer homemade

¼ c. flour

1 egg

1 T. water

½ c. peanut butter

½ c. preserves, any flavor

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400-degrees. On lightly floured surface roll out one of the crusts into a 12-inch circle. Using a 2½-inch round cookie cutter cut out about 12-14 circles, re-rolling scraps and set aside. Roll out second piece of dough so you will have about 24-28 circles altogether. Beat together water and egg and set aside. Place a circle on work surface and place 1 teaspoon each of peanut butter and preserves in the center. Brush edges of the circle with egg wash. Place second circle on top and press edges together to seal. Repeat with remaining circles. Place “pies” on lightly greased baking sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack and dust with powdered sugar, if desired. 

Place peanut butter and jelly on the dough.

Brush edges with egg wash

Seal edges

Dust with powdered sugar, if desired

Fresh Strawberry Pie

When strawberries are in season its a sure bet I’ll be making a pie with some of them. I use a lightly sweetened crust recipe, but feel free to use your favorite crust, or even a store bought one. It always makes a great impression.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Crust:

2 T. unsalted butter, room temp

4 T. shortening- you can use all butter, if you prefer, or even lard

2 T. sugar

1/4 t. salt

 pinch of baking powder

1 1/4 c. flour

2 T. milk

1/2 t. lemon juice

Cream together butter, shortening, sugar, salt, baking powder and 1/2 c. of the flour. Continue to add flour in small amounts, creaming each time and adding alternately with the liquid ingredients. Wrap and chill dough at least 4 hours or up to a week. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before rolling out. Roll out on lightly floured to fit 8 or 9-inch pie pan. Place in pan, trim off excess and flute edge. Chill 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 425-degrees. Line crust with foil and weigh down with pie weights, dry beans or rice. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.  

Filling:

1 qt. berries, washed and hulled

1 c. sugar

2 T. cornstarch

1/4 c. water

1 T. butter

3 oz. cream cheese

Whipped cream, optional

Set aside 20-25 berries to remain whole. Crush remaining berries and combine with sugar in small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch with water and add to berry mixture cooking until thickened and clear, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Place mixture in strainer and press through at least 1 cup of glaze. Set aside. Combine cream cheese with the berry mixture that did not go through the strainer and spread over bottom of prepared crust. Dip berries in glaze and place whole berries, point side up, in crust. Drizzle over the remaining glaze and chill. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled crust

Dip berries in glaze

Place berries on cream cheese mixture

Lemon Meltaway Cookies

These are a great cookie. Light in both flavor and texture they are full of fresh lemon flavor.

Lemon Meltaways

Dough:

1 ¼ c. flour

¾ c. butter, softened

½ c. cornstarch

1/3 c. powdered sugar

1 T. lemon juice

1 t. grated lemon peel

Frosting:

¾ c. powdered sugar

¼ c. butter, softened

1 t. lemon juice

1 t. grated lemon peel

In large bowl combine all dough ingredients and mix well. Divide dough in half and roll each half into an 8- inch roll.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm, 1-2 hours. Slice chilled dough into ¼ inch slices and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-12 minutes, or until cookies are set, but not brown. Cool completely on a rack. Combine frosting ingredients and beat until light and fluffy. Frost cooled cookies. Makes 4 dozen.

Strawberries and Cream Bread

This is one of my favorite quick breads. Tender  and full of the sweet taste of fresh strawberries.  The batter will be very thick- don’t worry- it is supposed to be that way. When it cooks the juices from the fresh berries keeps it moist. I always end up making a double batch.One to eat fresh and one to give as a gift or freeze.

Strawberries and Cream Bread

1 ¾ c. flour

½ t. baking powder

½ t. baking soda

½ t. salt

½ t. each  cinnamon and nutmeg

½ c. butter, at room temperature

¾ c. sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

 ½ c. sour cream, room temperature

1 t. vanilla

1 c, fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped*

¾ c. chopped nuts, optiional

Grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. Set aside. In small bowl beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat 1 minute. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just moistened. Fold in strawberries and nuts and place batter in prepared pan. Bake 60-65 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf. Freezes well.

*  frozen berries are not recommended in this bread.

Nutty Cole Slaw

I love cole slaw and enjoy it both as a salad and right on sandwiches. Playing around and came up with this variation which includes peanuts. I really enjoyed the crunch they added to the dish.I must confess, if I had cashews I would have used them instead, but the peanuts were great, too.  Ate some as a side and then decided to make  steak wraps with some of it. Yummy!!!!

Nutty Cole Slaw

6-8 cups finely sliced cabbage

2/3 c. mayo, you can add a little more if you like- I don’t like a lot of dressing on mine

1/4 c. cider vinegar

1/4 c. sugar

1 t. celery seeds

1/2 c. peanuts, or more

Place cabbage in mixing bowl. In a small bowl combine the rest of the ingredients, except the peanuts and stir until smooth. Pour over the cabbage and toss to coat. Chill. Add peanuts before serving.

Steak and  Cole Slaw Wrap

2 tortillas- I used whole wheat

4-5 oz. cooked steak, sliced thin

2-3 T. barbecue sauce

1 c. nutty cole slaw

Place tortillas on work surface. In small bowl combine steak with the barbecue sauce. Spread the steak along the center of the tortillas. Top each of the tortillas with half of the coleslaw and wrap them up. serves 2.

Steak and nutty cole slaw wrap

Pink Lemonade

This is a great drink for hot summer days. Heck, I think its a good drink anytime.  Also read below for some helpful information when buying strawberries.

 Pink Lemonade

2 qts. prepared lemonade

1 pint strawberries, washed and hulled

Place berries in blender and add about 2 cups of the lemonade. Process until strawberries are pureed. Add strawberry mixture to the remaining lemonade. Serve over ice, garnishing with whole berries, if desired. Watch as seeds will accumulate on the bottom of the pitcher.

Shopping Tip

When berries are priced by weight or volume it is not always easy to decide which is the best price. If one store has quarts for $2 and another had berries for $2 per pound where would you get the better deal? Also, if a recipes calls for 4 cups sliced berries how many do you need to buy? Here are some approximate guidelines.

3/4 lb. = 1 full pint

1 1/2 lbs. = 1 full quart

1 1/2 lbs. = 4 cups sliced

1 lb. frozen = 1 1/3 c. whole berries

To help your berries last longer soak them in a water/vinegar solution for a few minutes as soon as you get them home. Then just drain and put in the fridge. This will keep them from getting mold as quickly. I use 1/2 cup of vinegar and 4 cups of water.

Fresh Blueberry Jam

Since so many people are going to be canning I thought this might be a good time to post some canning information.

Canning Basics

Before canning there are some basics you should know.  There are general guidelines that need to be followed and some equipment that will make the job easier.The USDA recommends that all jams and jellies be processed in a boiling water bath, unless it is a recipe that is frozen or unless all the preserves are to be kept refrigerated. Sealing jars with paraffin is no longer considered to be a safe way to preserve jams and jellies. Other high acid foods, like tomatoes (when acidified) and fruits and fruit products or pickled foods can also be canned in a hot water bath. Low acid foods, like vegetables and meats must always be processed in a pressure canner.Since the jars are sterilized in the canning process there is no need to sterilize jars as a rule. They should be freshly washed in hot, soapy water, rinsed and kept warm in a pot of hot water or in a low oven until ready to use. You can also run them through the dishwasher and keep them in there until ready to fill. Because jams and jellies are packed when hot, cold jars might crack. Before starting make sure the jars are free of nicks and cracks, being extra careful to check the rims.

Note: the only time you must sterilize a jar is if it contained food that had spoiled. When I get jars second-hand I also sterilize them before use. To sterilize jars submerge them in boiling water for twenty minutes.

To prepare water bath have a canner  (large kettle with a wire rack) filled with enough water to cover the jars by 1-2 inches and have it boiling when the jars are added. Timing begins when the water comes back to the boil (usually only a minute or two when hot jelly-filled jars are added).  I get the water in the canner boiling first and turn it down to a high simmer until just before it is needed. Keep it covered to heat up faster and to prevent evaporation. If you do not have a canner and kettle deep enough to accommodate the jars can be used but you must cover the bottom with a towel. Jars that touch the bottom of the pan directly will break during processing. Also the lid of the kettle is left on during processing. Timing starts when water returns to the boil.

To prepare a pressure canner add several inches of hot water in the bottom of the canner. The canner will usually come with specific directions or a fill line. Follow what the manufacturer recommends. My canner calls for 3 quarts of boiling water to be added.  After jars are added to the canner the lid is secured and the heat is turned on. When proper pressure is attained timing begins. When the time is up the canner is removed from the heat and allowed to cool down before removing the lid. It is like a pressure cooker. If you remove the lid too soon, the lid will fly off and you’ll likely get burned. Besides, the cooling down time is part of the canning time. Don’t hurry the cooling down process by placing the canner in cold water or outdoors on a chilly day.

Prepare foods for canning in enamel, non-stick or stainless steal pans. Never use aluminum or copper, or enamel cookware that has chips.

 Today, lids are two pieces consisting of the ring and a flat lid with a rubber ridge. Lids should be prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Some ask you to boil them, others may just ask you to wash them and hold in warm water until ready to use. The rings can be used over and over, but the flat lids should only be used once. They may fail to seal if processed a second time.Jar-lifters can be a handy tool to have. They allow you to place and remove the jars easily, with little risk of dropping them. They are available at many grocery stores and in cookware and department stores as well. A wide-mouth funnel (or canning funnel) is also real handy when trying to ladle hot liquids into jars.  Be sure to wipe off jar rims before putting the lid on to prevent food from causing the jars not to seal.Screw the ring on firmly, but not too tight, or the jars will not seal properly.Jars removed from the water bath should be placed on a wire rack or on a towel to cool. Keep them away from drafts until cooled down. When completely cooled check to make sure that the jars have sealed. Press down on the middle. If the lid make a “plink” noise it is not sealed. After jars have sealed and cooled remove outer ring, wipe with a damp cloth and store in cupboard until ready to use.

Always start with top quality produce. Bruises and blemishes will lead to spoilage. Small blemishes can be cut off but be sure to remove all areas of spoilage.

If you are canning tomatoes and have a lot of imperfect fruit you are better off trimming off any bad spots and using this produce in recipes that will be frozen rather than canned.

When canning always use non-iodized salt, or preferably canning salt. Iodine will cause an off-flavor in canned foods.

When using older books always check with your local Extension Office or the USDA for most current information and canning times. Periodically times are changed or ingredients are adjusted for maximum safety. If you have old family recipes also check with your local Extension Office to find out if the recipe is still considered safe.

Never can in an oven or in a steam canner. Both of these methods are not USDA approved.

Nothing beats planning. When getting ready to can read the recipe all the way through and get all your equipment out. It is often easier and more fun to can with a friend or two. The extra hands always come in handy and when time is critical the extra help will make errors less likely.

In tomato based products herbs can be added for flavor but do not randomly start adding other vegetables (like onion, peppers etc.,) They will reduce the acidity and may make the product unsafe to can in a water bath.