Seeing this is the last month that I will be posting recipes as I am retiring, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favourites & the stories behind some of them.
I will do different ones over the next 2 weeks.
OATMEAL CRISPS
This cookie recipe is probably my husband's favourite so have made hundreds over the last 58 Years.
Mix together:
1 cup butter
1 ¼ cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup coconut
½ tsp baking soda
1 ¼ cups rolled oats
1 ¼ cups flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
Baked on greased cookie sheets or on parchment paper at 350F for approximately 15 minutes or until done.
These are a soft chewy cookie and will stick together so store accordingly.
RASPBERRY CAKE
Another favourite of Gord's & one that we now offer at the Nook....but never put icing on Gords....he likes it like a snacking cake. Says he's sweet enough!!!!!!
This recipe can be also used when strawberries are in season or use frozen ones.
Blend together:
1 cup white sugar
½ cup softened butter
2 Tbsp. buttermilk[I just sour some milk with vinegar, instead of using buttermilk]
Mix and add all at once to the above:
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. soda
Pinch of nutmeg
Add in gently:
1 cup whole raspberries[fresh or frozen]
Pour into a 9 inch square pan or 2 -8 inch layer pans.
Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched or tester comes out clean.
JAPANESE ICING:
Cream together:
¼ cup soft butter
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Add 2 stiff egg whites and enough icing sugar to spread.
BABA'S BRAN MUFFINS
I was lucky to be born into a family that liked to cook and to bake so I learned from my Mom, grandmother and aunts
Blend together:
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup brown sugar (or ½ cup Honey)
Add 1 tsp. baking soda to 1 cup sour milk ( if you don’t have sour milk in the house, add 1 tsp. to small amount of milk to sour and then add milk to 1 cup.
Blend the milk into the above mixture and add:
1 cup all purpose flour-regular or whole wheat
1 ½ cup natural wheat bran ( I use half wheat bran & half oat bran as it helps lower cholesterol)
You may add raisins, dates, cranberries or nuts if desired.
BABA'S TEA BISCUITS
These are the biscuits that I always try to keep some in the freezer...great for breakfast, lunch or anytime!
My brother Jim told me about adding the egg & yogurt.....I think it makes fluffier biscuits!
Blend together:
4 ½ cups all-purpose
8 tsp. baking powder
Few grains of salt
Cut in 1 cup shortening until pieces are the size of peas.
Blend in 2 cups milk (add 1 beaten egg & about 1/3-1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt to make your biscuits lighter & fluffier)
Put on floured board and knead for about 1 minute.
Cut into circles 1 to 1 1/2 “ wide and put on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 425F for 15 minutes.
CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD
When I started baking for gluten free customers, one of my customers brought her young daughter in and Allegra fell in love with our Chocolate chip banana bread.....well now as a young lady, her fiance says she makes a tremendous one with our flour! Great work Allegra!
Grease a 9”x5” pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350F[325F for glass]
Combine together and blend well:
1 cup mashed bananas
1 cup white sugar
½ cup soft butter
2 eggs
Add:
2 cups all purpose flour[regular or G/F Flour Mix#1]
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
Blend well on medium speed.
Stir in 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips and ½ cup chopped nuts[optional]
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes and then remove from pan and cool completely.
NOTE: When I bake using Gluten Free flour, I find that the time required for baking is longer.
CHOCOLATE OATMEAL CAKE
Years ago when we lived in the country, the Williams family lived next door & Marilynne shared this recipe with me...it quickly became our son Michaels favourite.
Thanks for sharing Marilynne!
Grease and flour a bundt pan or line 2-9” pans with parchment papers.
Mix together and let stand until cool:
1 cup small oats or Gluten Free oats
2 cups boiling water
Cream together:
1 cup butter
2 2/3 cups brown sugar
Add:
2 Tsp. Soda dissolved in 1 Tbsp. Water
4 eggs.
Beat well.
Add the oats to the above creamed mixture.
Add the following dry ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour or Gluten free flour
6 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Baking powder[3 Tsp. if Gluten free]
2 tsp. Vanilla
Bake for approximately 1 ¼ hours in tube pan at 350F or 30 minutes in layer pans or until tester comes out clean.
CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM ICING
From Hershey's Chocolate Cookbook
In a small bowl,
combine 2 2/3 cups icing sugar and ¾ cup cocoa
Cream together in a mixing bowl:
6 Tbsp. Soft butter and ½ cup of the above cocoa mixture
Add the remaining cocoa mixture with
4-5 Tbsp. Milk and 1 tsp. Vanilla
Add more icing sugar in necessary.
If more icing is needed, more icing sugar, butter and milk can be added
to make a larger batch.
[For a glossier look, I like to add 1-2 Tbsp. Corn syrup]
CAESAR SALAD DRESSING
When our son, Robert went to spend a year in South Africa as an exchange student, it was hard coming home to 3 place settings instead of 4. The Saunders family had us for supper that evening & Jennifer served this salad, which has become a favourite of ours in the summer.
Crush 2-3 garlic cloves and mix together with:
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1tsp. oregano
Combine together well:
2 eggs
2/3 cup parmesan cheese
2/3 cup canola oil
Add this mixture to the above garlic mixture and blend well, whisking if possible.
Store in the fridge in closed container or salad dressing bottle.
Shake well before using.
Use Romaine salad, croutons[your own homemade croutons are the best] and enjoy.
QUINOA GREEK SALAD
This is one of my favourite summer recipes and is different from the usual...great taste & good for you as well!
Bring 2 cups chicken broth to the boil and add 1 cup Quinoa
Reduce heat to medium low , cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.
Transfer to a large bowl and cool.
Stir in the remaining ingredients:
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2cup diced English cucumber
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup sliced black olives
3 oz. light feta cheese
DRESSING: Stir together until well blended:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Pour over the salad, toss to coat.
EAGLE BRAND CHEESECAKE
This is one of my favourites...after grade 13, I spent a summer at Bala Manor & this was always served at Sunday supper. As the staff we always got some too & I still make it today....freezes well!
And yes...what happened in Bala stayed in Bala!
Prepare a graham wafer crust:
Mix together and pat into a 9” pie plate:
1 ¼ cup graham wafer crumbs[regular or gluten free]
¼ cup white sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
Chill while making the filling.
FILLING: Mix together:
1 Eagle Brand [or similar brand] Sweetened condensed milk
8 0z Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
Pour into the prepared crust and chill.
At serving time, using only part of a can of Cherry Pie filling, spread pie filling in the middle of the pie, an inch from the edges.
NOTE: Add a few drops of Almond extract to the cherry pie filling to enhance the flavour.
Enjoy!
HAMBURG & K.D. CASSEROLE
Even though my teenage boys liked Kraft Dinner it wasn't something I served up a lot but today I always keep one on hand for this recipe.
My Mom shared it with me & it is now a favourite.
Brown 1 ½ lbs. ground beef with 1 chopped onion in ½ cup butter.
Cook 1 cup chopped celery and add to above.
Cook 1 Kraft Dinner as directed , but do not add the butter or milk, just the cheese package. Add to above.
Add the following and mix well.
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 can corn niblets
1 tin Mushroom soup
2 tins tomato soup
2 Tbsp. H.P. sauce
1 tsp. curry powder
1 can mushrooms
This will make 1 large or 2 small casseroles.
Bake in 350F oven for 30-45 minutes.
Freezes well.
LINDA'S SUGAR COOKIES
When we lived in Lefroy as a young married couple, I met Linda Saunders and we both had a love for baking....we had fun because we would get together and bake pies...apple ones especially. It was mass production and Linda always had sugar cookies (her Grandma's recipe).
Now when I retire, I hope to perfect that recipe for myself but don't think they will ever taste like hers!
Mix together:
½ cup shortening
¼ cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
3 cups sifted pastry flour
¼ tsp. salt
Chill in fridge.
Roll out and cut into shapes[opt. raisin in middle of each cookie]
Put on a greased cookie sheet or one lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes[they puff up a little.]
NANAIMO COOKIES
Nanaimo Bars are not hard to make but are fiddly & take time as my 2 young teenage sons found out when they ate nearly all my frozen bars one Christmas.
Sooooo, they were handed the recipe & told to get cracking!!!
Grease a 9 inch square pan.
In a saucepan, combine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and slightly thickened:
½ cup butter
¼ cup white sugar
5 Tbsp. Cocoa
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
Stir in:
1 2/3 cups graham wafer crumbs
1 cup fine dessicated coconut
½ cup chopped walnuts
Press into prepared pan.
Cream ¼ cup butter
Beat in gradually:
2 cups sifted icing sugar
1 egg
Spread over the crumb mixture and chill about 15 minutes.
Over hot water, or in microwave at 40% power:
4 squares semi sweet chocolate
1 Tbsp. Butter
Spread on top and chill.
When set, cut into squares.
NOTE: I watch this carefully while setting and as soon as the chocolate begins to set, I gently score through the chocolate with a sharp knife so it will not break when we cut the squares after they have set.
PIZZA SOUP
Gord always gets "Brownie Points" when he has this for supper after I come home from work....my favourite soup by far & so easy to make.
Saute until soft:
1 Tbsp. oil
1 chopped onion
½ cup chopped sliced mushrooms
¼ cup slivered green peppers
Add and Heat through:
28 oz. can diced tomatoes and juice
1 cup beef stock
1 cup sliced pepperoni
½ tsp. basil
Put into individual bowls.
Top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
Broil until melted .
Note: We make this in 4 or 8 times the recipe and freeze it in meal size containers.
P.E.I. POTATO SOUP
The same year that I opened the store, my brother Jim moved to PEI and opened a B & B so we both made big career changes in 1988. Great cooks down East and I love the seafood when I go to visit!
In a large pot, cook
1 large onion & ½ cup celery in 3 Tbsp. butter until soft.
Add 3 Tbsp. flour & stir until smooth.
In another pot, cook 2 cups potatoes, peeled & diced in a enough water to cover.
Stir 3 cups chicken stock into the pot containing the onion & celery.
Add the cooked potatoes, and the water too.
Bring to a boil & let simmer together.
Add 1 ½ cups milk & cook 5 minutes longer.
DO NOT BOIL after the milk is added.
Season to taste with salt & pepper.
Makes 8-10 servings.
From: Let’s Break Bread together
THIS WAS FUN!
Hope you enjoyed these recipes and more will follow next week.