Mennonite Girls Can Cook is a collection of recipes which were posted daily for a period of ten years from 2008 to 2018. We have over 3,000 delicious recipes that we invite you to try. The recipes can be accessed in our recipe file by category or you can use the search engine.

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Jelly Roll



I pulled this recipe out of my mom's recipe book not that long ago
knowing it would be a hit. My husband is not a big dessert lover,
but mom knew that this was one he would enjoy.
After the first bite, we both said at the same time...
"this tastes just like being at mom's".

  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups flour, sifted twice
  • 1 1/4 cups jam

  1. Beat together very well, eggs, baking powder, and salt until creamy yellow and thick.
  2. Gradually add sugar, beating well.
  3. Sift flour several times. Add sifted flour to egg mixture and gently fold together until all the flour is incorporated.
  4. Line a 13"x18" baking sheet with wax paper. Lightly rub it with softened butter and then sprinkle it sparingly with flour. Pour batter into the pan.
  5. Bake in 350º oven for 25-30 minutes. The cake will be light in colour and spring back when gently touched in the centre, or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do not over bake.
  6. Immediately invert onto a clean cotton tea towel that is generously sprinkled with powdered sugar. Pull off wax paper.
  7. Working quickly spread jam over hot sheet cake and starting at the short end, roll hot cake using the tea towel to help roll. Some of the jam may run out the ends...not to worry.
  8. Once you have it rolled up, keep the tea towel over it and 'tuck it in'. The steam from the hot cake helps to keep the cake moist as it cools.
  9. As soon as the cake has cooled remove the towel and place on a serving tray. Dust with more powdered sugar.

One Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken


What could be simpler than cooking the whole meal in one pan?  One parchment lined sheet pan (think easy clean-up!) serves up a delicious dinner of balsamic glazed chicken breasts along with roasted potatoes and green beans.

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 4 medium potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 cups fresh green beans, ends snipped *
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced 
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
  2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
  3. In small bowl, whisk olive oil, honey, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, garlic and seasoning.
  4. Place chicken breasts in bowl; add half of the olive oil mixture and toss to coat. 
  5. Layer potatoes on baking sheet; drizzle with remaining olive oil glaze. Place marinated chicken breasts on top.
  6. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven, and add green beans, stirring to coat with glaze.  Cook for another 10 minutes, or until chicken breasts are cooked through (internal temperature 165 degrees) and potatoes are tender. 
*These beans are on the crispy side. If you prefer your beans more tender, blanch them for several minutes before adding them to the pan.

Serves 4.



Strawberry Ala Mode


It's our first long May Day weekend.
Victoria Day!
Invite a few friends and serve up a fresh strawberry shortcake.
How do you serve strawberry shortcake to a large crowd?
Instead of plating each one individually, I made it in a large fruit bowl.
You can use biscuit dough or your favorite shortcake recipe.
 I used my favorite sponge cake recipe.
Oh, how many of you know the difference between a sponge cake and an angel food cake?
Sponge cake only uses the fat from the egg yolk.
Angel food cake uses no fat. (egg whites only)
 Ingredients for Sponge Cake
  • 9 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 4 pounds fresh strawberries quartered
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 cups whipping cream for topping, adding sugar to taste or you can use softened ice-cream.
Method
  1. Mix eggs, sugar, vanilla and baking powder in your mixing machine at high speed for five minutes.
  2. Slowly add flour and cornstarch and mix at slow speed till mixtures are combined.
  3. Bake in a tube pan with a removable bottom.
  4. Dust bottom of the pan with flour.  Do not grease an angel food cake pan, preventing it from falling when you turn it upside down.
  5. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
  6. When baking is completed, remove from oven and turn upside down for about 40 minutes.
  7. Remove cake from pan and lay on a rack.
  8. I used a 4 1/2' x 13" pan (rectangular).  It's easy to cube and I can freeze what I don't use.
  9. I always have a few extra pieces in my freezer. 
Strawberry Mixture
  1. Cube and layer sponge cake in a glass bowl.
  2. Combine sugar and strawberries and layer over the cubed cake.
  3. Repeat this procedure 3 times, finishing off with strawberries on the top.
  4. Swirl whipping cream till it reaches a high mound. 
  5. Top with a few extra berries.
  6. Prepare ahead of time, let the flavors juice together and chill in the fridge.
Have fun creating your own version.
Just in time for the long Victoria Day Weekend.

Flash Back Friday ~ Cookie Sheet Cherry Platz




For Flashback Friday I decided to bring back this recipe that a friend shared with me a long time ago. It's still one of my favorites. Once I tasted it I knew it was a keeper. It is a large recipe, perfect to bring to family gatherings or potlucks.
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 can cherry pie filling (I used 1 1/2 cans, I like more filling but 1 can works fine too)
  1. Cream together butter and sugar, add eggs and beat well. Add flavorings.
  2. Stir in flour and baking powder and mix until well combined.
  3. Spread half the batter into a greased 12" x 17" pan. Put pie filling over base and using a spoon drop other half of the batter over filling. This dough is fairly thick so it doesn't really spread well over top, if you drop it by spoonfuls you get a pretty effect with the cherry pie filling peeking through.
  4. Bake in a 350º oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Top should be slightly golden in color.
Glaze:
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • Enough hot water for drizzle consistency.
  1. Drizzle over warm platz.

Mom's Rhubarb Crisp



I have posted this in honor of my Mom.  I just found this handwritten recipe and made this for a recent celebration of a baptism and engagement party.  I knew that serving this dessert on her china set that she gave to my sister would be just the perfect way to say that she lives in all our hearts.  Family and friends were thrilled to have just a little piece of their Grandmother's blessing in their lives.

Rhubarb Crisp
  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  1. Stir dry ingredients into medium size bowl to make crumbs 
  2. Put one half of the crumb mixture in the cake pan and press down.
Fruit Mixture
  • 4 cups rhubarb
  • 1 cup sugar 
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  1. Heat oven to 350°
  2. Mix rhubarb, sugar, salt and lemon juice together and spread over crumb mixture.
  3. Top with the rest of the crumbs and bake 35-45 minutes.  
And barely a crumb was left.  Thanks, Mom for sharing life with all of us.

Flashback Friday / Cottage Cheese Rolls

As part of Flashback Friday I have used this pastry recipe and baked up some savory appetizers instead of this sweet version. Anyway you make it, sweet or savory, this is a great recipe. Scroll all the way down to see what I have added. Baking directions remain the same. 



I have been making these tasty rolls for almost 30 years now. My cousin Anne has shared the recipe with many of us. It can served on a tray of dainties glazed with a thin layer of icing, or with out the glaze and serve them alongside a bowl of soup and salad. Whether you choose to serve them sweet or savory, they are delicious! A very quick and easy to make recipe that is very popular among our circles and in our churches, but perhaps for some of you it is a new recipe. This recipe can be made ahead and frozen before you bake it guaranteeing  freshly baked warm rolls.



Dough
  • 2 cups of unbleached flour
  • 1 1/2 cups of creamed cottage cheese (1% works fine too)
  • 1 cup butter or hard margarine
  • pinch of salt optional
  1. With a pastry blender cut the butter into the flour and salt if using.
  2. Add the cottage cheese and knead into a ball of dough just comes together like you would for biscuits.
  3. Divide dough into 4 equal parts.
  4. Chill the dough for a few hours as this dough is very soft and sticky if you don't
  5. Roll each ball into a 10-12" circle. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
  6. Starting at the wide end roll towards the narrow.
  7. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze.
  8. Take them out of the freezer. Preheat the oven to 350 and bake for 20-30 minutes (no need to thaw them first). When they get golden brown flecks they are done. So watch your oven carefully. Each oven bakes slightly different hence the time difference.
  9. Serve them plain or glazed.
Glaze
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 3-4 tablespoons milk 
  1. Mix these ingredients together and lightly brush over warm rolls.
Try making the dough and roll little sausages in the pastry for a tasty treat. 





Or how about using the pastry for making some Turnovers with your choice of filling. These are Tuna turnovers.....very tasty. 


Check out Julie's Gluten Free version here.