Aug. 16, 2008
We Found Our Fill, On Blueberry Hill.... (with recipes!)

Well, not a hill really.  Just a few acres that a wonderful family has owned along one of our local highways for several generations and has a U-pick blueberry farm on it.  Even though neighborhoods are popping up around it and a Dollar General has built a store next to it, they continue to bless the area with their wonderful blueberries. 

As the population grows and more people hear about it, due to demand (lots of people pick their fill quickly) they are only open a few Saturdays in the summer.  You just watch as you drive along the highway for their sign to change from "CLOSED" to "OPEN THIS SATURDAY 7-11."

I was thrilled to over-hear last year the conversation between someone I was behind in the "pay here" line and one of the family members who owns it.  The customer asked them when they were going to sell and reap the benefits of the "land boom."  "Never," was the family's reply.  (How I hope that determination lasts.) 

Every year, we pick bucketfuls of blueberries to enjoy throughout the rest of the year.  Last year, we picked 40-some pounds in one day (due to the late, hard frost of 2007, they were only open that one day last summer).  This summer, we picked 98 pounds during our two mornings of gathering.  One-third of our freezer is packed with blueberries for fruit smoothies, muffins, cobblers, etc., which will last us until next summer's picking.

Here are some of our family's favorite bluebery recipes which have gotten rave reviews from family and friends....

Aug. 15, 2008
"This is the Best Bread" -- "Just Like a Restaurant's!"

Those are the comments I got from Darling Daughter when she took a bite of the bread I had made from a new reciepe.  I had run out of whole wheat flour last week and needed to make some bread, so I grabbed the unbleached flour and doctored up a recipe I found.  It give you the lightness of white bread, but with the healthy-ness of unbleached flour and wheat bran.

1 ½ c. lukewarm water

4 c. unbleached flour

1 c. wheat bran (can also use oat bran)

2 t. salt

3 T. raw sugar

2 T. dry milk

2 T. olive oil

2 t. dry yeast

Mix all ingredients together in mixing bowl or bread maker and knead for recommeneded times.  Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.  Punch down and form into loaves (can also make dinner or cinnamon rolls).  Let rise.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  COVER with foil and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until done.  (I've only made free-form loaves out of it so far -- if using bread pans, it may take longer.)

Jun. 20, 2008
New Twist Chocolate Chip Cookies

My mom made these when we were little -- they were our favorite cookie bars!!!  If you would like it a little bit healthier (how I make it now) use the ingredients in parethesis.

New Twist Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 c. margarine (butter)

½ c. whte sugar (raw or fructose)

½ c. brown sugar (turbinado)

¼ tsp. baking soda

1 T. water

½ tsp. butter flavoring

¼ tsp. black walnut flavoring

2 egg yolks

2 c. flour (unbleached or whole wheat pastry)

1 c. chocolate chips

Cream margarine and sugars.  Combine soda and water and beat in.  Add flavorings and egg yolks and beat well.  Stir in the flour.  Pat this mixture into bottom of 9x13-inch pan that has been greased and floured.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and cover with the following topping:

Topping:

2 egg whites

1 c. brown sugar (turbinado)

Beat the whites until stiff, then gradually beat in the sugar.  Spread over chocolate chips.  Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until brown.

(If you don’t have the flavorings on hand, I recommend getting them.  The recipe will work okay without them, but it adds such a wonderful taste…)

Jan. 31, 2008
Birthday Week Extravaganza & BREAKFAST BIRTHDAY CAKE

At our house, we celebrate birthdays in a fun way.  I believe it was DH who first dubbed them, "Birthday Weekend Extravaganza!!!!"  Sometimes it's the weekend when the birthday falls next to a weekend; sometimes its a week if it is in the middle. 

Two weeks ago it was my turn to celebrate.  My birthday was Wed the 16th, so we decided to make it "a week."  We started the Saturday before by me making a new recipe called a Breakfast Birthday Cake.  (see recipe below -- it is going to become a birthday breakfast tradition at our house.) 

Then that afternoon, we went to a park, did some errands, and then went out to eat at a great Indochina/Vietnamese resteraunt that a friend recommended. It was wonderful.  I wish I would of taken my camera, but darling daughter has already requested to go there for her birthday, so I'll have to take some then.  It has such a neat feel to it -- lavish, colorful decorations, and beautiful garden seating in nice weather.  You felt like you weren't in the city at all, but actually over in Vietnam, etc.  (The owner is half Vietnamese, half French.)

On "the real bday day," it was the day before DH left for India, so it was full of getting all the last minute things ready for that.  DH brought me home an ice cream cake after work and made Thai food for us.  He got candles shaped like a "3" and a "4" for the cake -- Little Man kept reading it from the other side and kept saying, "Mama, you are fffforrrteeee ttthhhrrreeee."  (I'm 34.) 

BREAKFAST BIRTHDAY CAKE

Ingredients:

Round loaf of bread

3 eggs

2/3 c. milk

1 T. sugar

1 T vanilla

3 c. fresh strawberries

1/2 c. strawberry preserves

1c. whipping cream

4 oz. softened cream cheese

1 T. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

1.  Cut crust off bottom of bread.  Slice bread into 3 parts.  Set aside the top for another use. 

2.  Preheat skillet or griddle to med to med-high heat.  Mix together eggs, milk, 1 T. sugar and 1 T. vanilla.  Dip bread into egg mixture; let soak 1 minute each side.  Melt 1 T butter on griddle and cook soaked bread for about 5 minutes or until golden.

3.  Meanwhile (helpers are good here), slice the strawberries and place in large bowl.  Melt the preserves on high in microwave for 20-30 seconds; pour over berries and toss to coat.  set aside

4.  In chilled mixing bowl combine whipping cream, cream cheese, 1T. sugar and 1/2 t. vanilla.  Beat until soft peaks form. 

5.  Place bottom of bread on a serving platter.  Top with 1-2 cups of strawberry mixture.  Then top with second bread round.  Top with remaining strawberries and whipped cream mixture.  I dusted ours with powdered sugar.  Carefully cut into wedges.  Serve immediately.  Makes 10 servings.

Nov. 12, 2007
Gingerbread Cookies

1/2 c. butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 t. baking powder

1 t. ground ginger

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ground cloves

1/2 c. molasses

1 egg

1 T. vinegar

2 1/2 c. flour

In mixing bowl, beat shorteninf with electric mixer on med to high speed 30 seconds.  Add sugar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon & cloves.  Beat until combined, scraping bowl.  Beat in the molasses, egg and vinegar till combined.  Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer.  Stir in remaining flour.  Divide dough in half.  Cover and chill for 3 hours or until easy to handle.

Put parchment paper on cookie sheet.   Roll in 1" balls, or use mini-ice cream scoop.  Dip one side in raw sugar and place on cookie sheet, 1 inch apart.  Bake in 375 degree oven for 10 minutes or until done.  Take out of oven and flatten slightly with bottom of a glass.  Cool one minute and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.  Makes 36-48 cookies.

Nov. 12, 2007
Peanut Butter Truffles

Nov. 12, 2007
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 c.  miniature semisweet chocolate morsels
1 1/2 pounds chocolate bark, melted (can find in baking aisle next to chocolate chips)

Nov. 12, 2007
Cran-Turkey Enchiladas

2 to 2 1/2 c. shredded cooked turkey

1 16-oz. whole cranberry sauce (2 cups)

1 15-oz. black beans, rinsed & drained

1 1/2 c. bottled salsa

1 c. shredded Mexican cheese

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 onion, diced

1/4 c. fresh cilantro or equivalent of dried cilantro

1 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. ground black pepper

8 (7-8") whole wheat tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat a 3-quart rectangular baking dish with oil or cooking spray; set aside.  For filling, in a large bowl stir together turkey, half the cranberr sauce, beans, 1/2 c. of salsa, 3/4 c. of the cheese, sour cream, onions, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Spoon about 2/3 c. filling on each tortilla.  Roll up tortillas around filling. Place, seam side down, in prepared dish; set aside.

For sauce, in bowl stir together remaining cranberry sauce and remaining salsa.  Spoon over filled tortillas.  Cover with foil.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Uncover; top with remaining cheese.  Bake 5-10 minutes more or until heated through and cheese in melted.   Makes 8 servings.

Nov. 12, 2007
Overnight Cinnamon Delights

Dough:

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1/4 c. warm water

1/3 c. plus 1 t. sugar (I use raw sugar)

1 c. plain or vanilla yogurt

2 eggs

1 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

1 t. lemon juice

3 c. flour, divided (I use unbleached flour or whole wheat)

1/2 c. butter, room temp

Filling:

6 T. butter, softened

2/3 c. raw sugar (or brown)

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

Sugar Glaze: (optional, but we usually add it for special occasions)

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar (or use blender or magic bullet to make raw sugar into powder form)

2 t. vanilla

2-3 T. milk

Combine yeast, warm water, and 1 t. sugar in bowl of electric mixer.  Set aside to "proof" for about 5 minutes.

Add yogurt, eggs, salt, vanilla, lemon juice, and 1 1/2 c. of flour and beat at med. speed for 1 minute.  Place the remaining 1 1/2 c. flour in a separate bowl.  Cut the butter into about 12 chunks and add to the flour.  With your hands, use a tossing and pinching motion to very briefly blend the butter and flour, stopping with the mixture is still coarse and lumpy.  Add the coarse butter mixture to the dough and blend on low speed.  Turn the dough out on a generously  floured surface and knead briefly to form a smooth ball.  Place the dough in a buttered bowl, turning once to grease the surface, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 2 hours).

Punch down dough.  Allow dough to rest while you combine raw sugar and cinnamon a small bowl and generously butter a 9x13" baking pan*.  On a floured surface, roll the dough into an 18"x14" rectangle, dusting with flour and flipping dough as needed to prevent sticking.  Spread the 6 T. of softened butter evenly across dough, then sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Loosely roll the dough up from the long side to form a log.  Use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to cut log into 12 equal slices.  Place the slices in the buttered baking pan, cut side up, leaving equal space between them.  Coer with plastic wrap and refridgerate overnight.

When ready do bake, preheat over to 375 degrees.  Allow cinnamon rolls to stand at room temp. one hour.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.  Cool for 5-10 minute before unmolding.  (Do not allow them to cool completely in pan, or they will stick.)  To unmold, invert the rolls onto a flat rack or tray, then invert again onto a second tray so that they are upright.

Prepare sugar glaze by combining all ingredients.  Add additional milk if needed to achieve a smooth spreading consistency.  Spread warm rolls with sugar glaze and allow to set for 10-15 minutes before serving.

*For Christmas, I use 2 round 9" cake pans, distributing the rolls evenly.  We have a tradition of DD "being St. Lucia" each year, and she brings them into us with candles and fanfare.

Nov. 12, 2007
Bannock Cakes

These are a traditional cake that was served with most Pilgrims meals.

1 1/2 c. water

1 1/2 c. cornmeal

1 t. salt

3/4 c. milk

1 egg, beaten

3 T. butter

Bring water to a boil.  Gently pour in cornmeal, stirring constantly until thick like pancake batter.  (Be careful, as it wil 'spit' and is HOT!)  Add milk, stirring constantly.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes.  Stir in beaten egg.

Place a frying pan or griddle on medium heat and add butter.  Once melted, drop spoonfuls of batter creating small round cakes approximately 4" in diameter.  Once golden brown, flip cakes to brown the other side.  Similar to "Hasty Pudding" these can be served hot or cold and can be sweetened with maple syrup or honey.

Nov. 9, 2007
Whole Grain Berry Biscuits

These are a healthy, quick breakfast food/snack/tea item to whip up. Freezes well too!

2 c. while wheat flour

1/2 c. rolled oats

1/4 c. crushed wheat, oat, or other bran flakes cereal

1/4 c. natural sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2/3 c. milk

1/2 c. water

6 T. olive oil

2/3 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (may use other berries, or substitute raisins, craisins, etc)

Favorite fruit jam

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or cover with parchment paper.  In a bowl, combine four, oats, crushed cereal, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Make a "well" in the center.

2.  Add milk, water, and oil; stir into flour mixture until just combined.  Gently stir in the berries.

3.  Spoon the batter into 12 or more mounds (about 1/3 cup each) on prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned.  If desired, serve with fruit jam.  Makes 12 biscuits.

Feb. 17, 2006
Best Sugar Cookies

I had my mom send me this recipe and now have a copy of it in her handwriting.  (To see why I love having recipes in people's handwriting click here.)

She made these when I was a kid and they are the absolute best!    The kids and I made them for Sweet Monday and Valentine's Day and after tasting them, my kids agree that they are the yummiest too!  (Along with my DH's co-workers as he took all of the extras to work to share.)

1/2 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 T. milk

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 t. salt

1 t. baking powder

1 2/3 c. flour

Cream butter thoroughly.  Add beaten egg, milk, & vanilla.  Stir in flour, salt, and baking powder.  Roll thin and cut with cookie cutter. (I chill for 1/2 hour or so if it's hard to work with.) Bake at 375 for about 8 minutes.  Watch them closely so they don't get too brown.  Decorate as desired.  Freezes well.

Feb. 5, 2006
Best Carrot Muffins

Got pulp? 

My husband loves to make carrot juice and we use the left-over carrot pulp to make these carrot muffins -- out of all the ones we have tried, this is our favorite recipe ....

2 eggs

1/2 brown OR raw sugar

3/4 c. milk

1/4 c. melted butter OR oil

1 c. grated carrots

1/2 c. raisins

1 1/2 c. flour (I use whole wheat)

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. nuts, optional

Mix first 6 ingredients together. Add rest of ingredients and mix just until blended.  Bake at preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

**I double the recipe and sometimes do mini-muffins or mini-loaves.

Jan. 29, 2006
Mom's Chili and a Note About "Kitchen Treasures"

This recipe comes from my mom.  I doctor the chili up a bit from her original, but I still keep it on the index card she wrote it on.  I also do the same when other people take the time to write down one of their recipes for me.  I love seeing their handwriting – it is such a treasure to open the recipe box and see a recipe written by my Grandmother in her wonderful old-fashioned handwriting.  Even though she is gone, it brings back such warm and sweet memories of her. 

When I pull out her famous pie crust that tops all others, I can just see her baking away at big batch of pies with flour on her hands and apron as she rolled out the dough, and telling me, “The secret is using REAL lard.  Pity so many of this young ladies are using Crisco now a days.” 

Can you tell she was an old-fashioned farm wife who grew up poor and started having her family in the 30’s?  That lady was the queen of literally making things from scratch!  It was so healing and precious to have her daughter-in-laws and grand-daughters go through her VERY full recipe drawer as we gathered together after she had passed away, and remember all of her famous foods and the memories surrounding them.

Take the time to do the same, and to write down your favorite recipes in your handwriting, and catalog them in your recipe box, along with all of the favorite recipes that your family & friends make.  Someday when your daughter &/or son, and hopefully grandchildren, make a recipe, you’ll be blessing them with a “walk down memory lane” too.

Mom’s Chili:

1 ½ pounds hamburger

1 onion, chopped

salt & pepper

Brown above together.  Drain.

Add:

1 lg. can/bottle of tomato juice

1 sm. or med. can tomato sauce

1 med. can chili beans

Big heaping tablespoon brown sugar

Add chili powder to your taste.

Also sprinkle in a little garlic powder

Rinse cans with water and add to chili. 

My changes:

When cooking meat mixture, I sprinkle "Montreal Steak Seasoning" on it for extra seasoning

I use 2 cans of chili beans

I add:

  2 cans of kidney or other type of beans

  2 cans of diced tomatoes

  1-2 T. tomato paste (depending on if it needs more "tomato" flavor)

  And of course, I use minced garlic as we LOVE garlic in this house.

I let it cook all afternoon on low and we can have several meals out of it.  A special "side" that I did last time was store-bought crescents dough (VERY special to have store-bought breads in our house), cooked and topped with powdered sugar icing.  If I think ahead next time I make it, I'll try to make homemade sweet rolls to go along with it.

PS:  No, I don't use Crisco -- or lard in my pie crust!  I put real butter in mine.  I have to think that perhaps my Grandma would be okay with that compromise. 

Jan. 29, 2006
Runzas

"What is a runza?" you ask. Think of it as a bread pocket with meat filling. =)  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runza has a great definition.  I make a BIG batch of these on my "bulk cooking" day and have one pan for that evening, and freeze the rest for fast meals.  It is very handy after a busy day to just pull them out of the freezer and throw them in the oven.

"Official" DOUGH:

(You can ALSO use 2 packages of store-bought/frozen dough to save time.  Sometimes, I use this recipe and just substitute unbleached or whole wheat flour, and sometimes I just use my own bread dough recipe.  I use my bread machine on "dough" setting to save time.)

4 1/2 to 5 c. flour
1/2 c.sugar
1 t. salt
2 pkg. dry yeast (or 4 1/2 t.)
3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. shortening
2 eggs (room temp.)

FILLING:
3 lb. ground beef (I use ground turkey)
1 sm. onion
1 (32 oz) can of sauerkraut
2 T. butter
1 t. salt

Brown ground beef and onion in butter.  Add the drained sauerkraut.

For dough, measure 1 3/4 c. flour in lg. mixing bowl.  Stir in sugar, salt and yeast.  Heat milk, water, and shortening until warm (120-130).  Pour into flour mixture.  Add eggs and beat with electric mixer at low speed for 1/2 minute.  Continue beating for 3 minutes more at high speed.  Stir in remaining flour.  Dough will be soft and rather sticky.  Knead about 3 minutes until smooth (I add flour as I knead it, or just do this part in the bread machine, and add a bit of flour for right consistency).  Cover dough with plastic wrap and clean towel.  Let rest 20 minutes.  Roll dough very thin (1/4 inch) and cut into 6-inch squares. 

Place about 3 T. of meat mixture in center of each square.  (optional: add some shredded cheese to top of meat.)  Bring corners together and pinch edges.  Place smooth side up; let rise.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

If you would like to freeze them, bake only 10-12 minutes, cool and freeze.  When ready to use, thaw and cook for 10-15 minutes at 350.

Dec. 14, 2005
Mama Melcher's Healing Chicken Soup

This is the soup my husband requests whenever he feels a sniffle coming on, and what I make when we are under the weather.  The garlic, cinnamon and cayenne add some healing properties. And the nice thing about this soup -- you can make it in the crock-pot as well as on the stove.  Below is the recipe for the crockpot, but it’s pretty much the same if you are doing it on the stove, but just start it later in the day.

• 2-3 frozen chicken breasts
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-4 carrots, chopped
• 6 chicken bullion cubes (+ or – depending on your tastes and the size of your pot or crock pot)
• Leftover wild rice (or pasta, see below)
• 1 T. minced garlic (+ or – depending on your tastes)
• ½-1 t. Italian seasoning (+ or – depending on your tastes)
• A good dash of cinnamon (+ or – depending on your tastes)
• A dash of cayenne pepper (+ or – depending on your tastes – my hubby likes a good kick of it to help his cold, so I take the kids’ portion out before he comes home – that way he can doctor up the soup the way he likes it)

In the morning, put all ingredients to a large crockpot.  Fill with water.  Turn crockpot on HIGH, and let sit.  At noon, give it a stir and take out the chicken to cut up into cubes and then add it back. 

If using pasta, use cooked.  WAIT to add it until an hour before you serve, or just add it and serve immediately.