Alvina's Cinnamon Twists

For this Flashback I want to remind you of these sweet little twists I first sampled in Alvina's kitchen many years ago. Alvina is my cousin by marriage and lives about 1500 miles from us, but the visits we’ve had as families have been the best! Besides being an excellent cook and home-maker, Alvina has a wonderful warm personality and the best laugh!. I love reminders of our times together and when I make these I wish that the distance between our houses would not be so far.

More recently, this recipe came up when MGCC were invited to do a cooking class in Shipshewana, IN, and we demonstrated this simple biscuit pastry to be used plain, with a savory or a sweet filling.

Ingredients:

Your favorite biscuit or scone pastry. I use:

• 2 c flour
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp soda
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (optional)
• 6 Tbsp butter, room temp.
• 1 c buttermilk or milk

filling and icing:

• 2 - 3 Tbsp melted butter
• 3/4 c brown sugar 
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 3/4 c icing (confectioner's) sugar

Method:

 

1. In medium sized bowl, mix dry ingredients, then cut in butter with pastry blender. 
2. Add buttermilk, stirring with fork until dough holds together. Shape into a ball.
3. Pat into a rectangular shape on lightly floured surface and roll out to a 6 x 24 inch strip.
4. Spread with melted butter, then with sugar/cinnamon/flour (mixed)
5. Starting from long side, fold over twice, so that you have a 2 inch strip that has 3 layers.
6. Cut into 3/4 inch slices and twist each slice so that it looks like the figure 8. (right hand twists away from you and left hand toward you)
7. Place on greased and floured (or parchment paper lined) cookie sheet.
8. Bake at 400F until golden. About 12 - 14 minutes. Yield: approx. 30 mini twists

Icing:

Fill a 1 c measuring cup 3/4 full of icing sugar. Stir while adding a little water at a time, until it has an easy spreading consistency. Drizzle or brush over warm twists. (If you did not use

parchment paper, remove twists from sheet with lifter before sugar, that has run out, hardens.)

Fresh Strawberry Pie

This is the best fresh strawberry pie I have ever tasted. It has become an annual tradition. My friend Erna introduced us to this delectable dessert last year. Happy 4th of July to our American friends. This pie will surely brighten the festivities.

• 1 single baked pie shell
• 4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
• 2 additional cups of mashed strawberries
• 1 cup water
• 5 drops red food color
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

1. In a saucepan combine the mashed strawberries and water.
2. Cook for 2 minutes. 
3. Add the food coloring.
4. Pour through a fine sieve to collect all the juice. 
5. Combine the sugar and the cornstarch. 
6. Bring the juice to a boil with the sugar mixture and boil until it thickens and runs clear. 
7. Chill completely.
8. Pour the cooled juice mixture over the fresh strawberries in the pie crust.
9. Serve with whipped cream.

Delicious, best fresh Strawberry Pie ever! Did I mention that already? 

Roll Kuchen

• 2 cups of sour cream
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• oil for deep frying

1. Combine sour cream, egg, oil.
2. Add the flour with baking powder and salt.
3. Knead together till you have a soft dough.
4. Flour the counter well and roll out to about a 1/4 inch.
5. Cut into strips, twisting them is optional.
6. Deep fry in a pan with about 2 inches of hot oil.
7. Let the oil come to the desired temperature, on your stoves medium setting. This takes a few minutes.
8. Do a test one, the dough should bubble at the sides, and be browned in matter seconds. Turn the roll kuchen, fry til you have the desired color. DO NOT leave the pan unattended at any time!

The first time that I had this particular recipe is when our friends came to visit us while we were camping. They have a very light and soft texture as opposed to a very thin and crispy one, and don't taste greasy at all. I just love these plus they taste great with jam too!

Rollkuchen

 
Rollkuchen are a tasty, deep fried pastry that are a wonderful accompaniment to cold watermelon on a hot summer day.  How well I recall childhood picnics with big tubs of fresh Rollkuchen.  Let's just say that eating them is rather like eating peanuts...you can't stop at just one! Sometime over the years, Rollkuchen became paired with Roger's Golden Syrup (definitely a Canadian thing) on my table; they make a great team!

My mother-in-law made the best flaky, crispy Rollkuchen. Mine never quite measured up, so I have always made the thicker, softer variety and they have become a family favorite. Hers were all uniform in shape; mine are rather 'free-form'. Each recipe seems to differ slightly but I've never met a Rollkuchen I didn't like!

Rollkuchen

• 5 - 6 cups / 1150 - 1350 ml flour
• 3 teaspoons / 15 ml  baking powder
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup / 250 ml sour cream
• 1 cup / 250 ml milk

 

1. Combine 5 cups / 1150 ml  flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Beat eggs, sour cream and milk together and add to dry ingredients
3. Continue to add flour to form a soft dough ... usually about 1/2 cup more.
4. Allow the dough to chill for an hour or two before rolling, for easier handling.
5. Divide the dough in half and roll out quite thin on a floured board ... if you prefer them soft, then not quite so thin.
6. Cut strips of dough about 2x4 inches / 5x10 cm ... with two slits cut in center of each.
7. Stretch the pieces somewhat before dropping into the hot oil.
8. Fry in deep hot oil over medium heat until golden on one side. Turn and brown the other side.
    

The rollkuchen puff up beautifully while cooking and are really mostly air pockets by the time they are ready to eat. A totally a healthy choice!  Who am I fooling?

Serve with cold watermelon and Roger's golden syrup.  Grilled farmer sausage is also a nice touch!

Canada Day Strawberry Filled Doughnuts

Happy Canada Day!

All over Canada families and friends will be gathering to celebrate Canada's birthday.

If you live in Canada you already know that a Canadian favorite place to meet for coffee is the local doughnut shop.  

We stopped in ourselves for coffee and picked up some Tim Horton  Honey Crullers  for our Canada Day dessert.

 As far as I can tell, a glazed honey cruller is basically deep fried cream puff dough.

I thought it might make a great way to make cream puffs without heating up the oven on a hot day and a great way to make a quick dessert.

 I used an electric knife to slice them in half.

If you don't have an electric knife, use a sharp serrated knife.

I then gently removed the soft part inside which is much like we do with cream puffs.
I then filled them and served them "open faced".
Six doughnuts makes enough for 12 servings.

For smaller appetites,

I used some of the little honey cruller tim bits and stuffed them with whipped cream and strawberries.

• Tim Horton Honey Cruller doughnuts and doughnut holes
• fresh berries
• 2 cups whipping cream (for one dozen doughnuts and 20 timbits
• 2 packages Dr. Oetker Whip It cream stabilizer or 2 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding
• 1/4 cup powdered / icing sugar

1. Slice doughnuts in half using a electric knife or serrated knife.
2. Remove the soft part of in the inside of the doughnut.
3. Wash and dry strawberries and slice and dice into small pieces.
4. Whip cream with stabilizer or instant pudding and powdered sugar until stiff.
5. Place whipped cream into a piping bag with a star tip, fill the doughnut and top with strawberry pieces and then garnish with a few more stars of whipped cream.
6. Refrigerate until serving time.  These filled doughnuts are best when doughnuts are purchased and and put together on the same day.

Rollkuchen

Every Mennonite recipe book needs at least a few different recipes for Rollkuchen. . .and that way when you are out of ingredients for one of the recipes. . maybe you'll have the ingredients for another. . . This recipe is my mother in laws. . .and I've been making it this way. . .for 31 years. . .with no complaints.

Rollkuchen

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 3 farm fresh eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 3 cups of flour

1. Mix these ingredients together and knead into a ball.
2. Wrap the dough up and refrigerate it for a few hours.

Letting it sit makes it so much easier to roll out.Rolling it thin, makes a crisper roll kuchen and leaving it a bit thicker makes for a softer roll kuchen. No doubt you'll be making them a few times in summer, so you can experiment on how you prefer them.
Because the dough is rich, its very easy to work with. No sticking problems.Cut the dough into about 3 -4 long strips and then cut across to make rectangular shapes.
Cut 2 slits in the middle of each so that they don't become one big balloon in the hot fat. You can also cut one slit. . .and pull the dough through. . .for a change.
Heat some fat up in a large pot. I use Canola Oil.
When the fat has little bubbles coming to the surface, it is likely hot enough, but put in a small piece of dough to test it. It should start to bubble around the dough quickly and rise to the surface.
Put the fried rollkuchen on paper towels to cool. Serve with Cold Watermelon. ..and some Rogers Syrup on the side.

Bread for the Journey

May the glory of the Lord endure forever;

may the Lord rejoice in his works.

He looks at the earth, and it trembles;

he touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,

as I rejoice in the Lord.

Psalm 104: 31 - 34

Have a Blessed Sunday.

All for now. . .

with love,

Cream Puffs

Cream puffs are a favorite dessert in our family. We like them served with whipped cream and peaches or strawberries or with a vanilla pudding and whipped cream and chocolate drizzled on top.
This recipe can be doubled and you may want to because they disappear really fast!

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 large eggs

1. In a medium sized saucepan bring water and butter to boil.
2. Stir in flour, sugar and salt, stirring constantly until mixture forms into a ball. Remove from heat.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time until mixture is smooth.
4. Scoop mixture on baking sheet at least 2" apart.
5. Bake in a 400º oven for 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 350º for 30 minutes.
6. Turn oven off and with oven door slightly ajar allow puffs to dry out for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
7. Best served fresh. They can be frozen and reheated. 
8. Yield: 9 medium sized puffs

Raspberry Glaze for a Raspberry Custard Pie

It is Raspberry Pie seaon.  This summers raspberry pie features a glaze made with part of the fresh raspberries.  Last year I featured my  raspberry custard pie using a bit of raspberry jam glaze.  It is a bit redundant and yet I like the option of different glazes and perhaps you do too. You should also take a look at Judy's Raspberry Glaze which features raspberry jello.  I have also made that one many times with raspberries, strawberries and peaches. . . Like I said, we want to provide you with options.

• one baked pie shell 

Custard

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 egg yolks

Fresh Raspberry Glaze

• 4 cups raspberries
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

Custard Instructions

1. Combine the 1/3 sugar and the first 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a small  saucepan.
2. Stir in the milk and the egg yolks and bring to a boil over medium heat. . stirring continually.
3. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then pour into the baked pie shell and allow to cool in the refrigerator.

The Raspberry Glaze

1. Take 1 cup of the raspberries and combine them with the water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil and allow to simmer 4 minutes.
2. Strain the berries and discard the berries. . .but save the juice.
3. Combine the 1 cup sugar and the 3 tablespoons cornstarch in a small bowl and then add to the juice with a whisk  If you do not combine the sugar and cornstarch first. .you will have lumps.
4. Stir over medium heat until the glaze clears and comes to a simmer.
5. Arrange one layer of berries over the custard and drizzle half the glaze over . . .and repeat.
6. Refrigerate  for several hours to set and decorate with sweetened whipped cream

Fresh Strawberry Pie

There is nothing quite like fresh strawberries bursting with the sweet flavour of early summer..... 

unless.... it is fresh strawberries piled high in a tender pastry crust and topped with a sweet fruit glaze.

The only thing that can improve this pie is a dollop of slightly sweetened whipped cream flavoured 

with just a hint of vanilla.

This pie is best served the same day you make it.  

The juice from the berries will make the crust soggy by the second day. 

• Approximately 3-4 quarts of  whole fresh strawberries, washed and hulled. Leave one large berry with the green hull attached to use as a garnish.
• 1 baked pastry crust
• Whipped cream for serving.

For the glaze:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup crushed strawberries (try to crush them as much as possible so that they are almost pureed.
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon rind, if desired

1. Wash berries and lay out on a paper towel and pat dry. Set aside.
2. Prepare glaze:
3. Mix sugar and cornstarch in microwave safe bowl.
4. Add crushed berries, juices, water and lemon rind and stir well.
5. Microwave at 1 minute intervals, stirring after each minute, until mixture thickens.
6. Cool slightly in a cold ice water bath, stirring frequently.
7. In the meantime, fill baked pie shell with berries. Place each starwberry pointed side up, starting on the outside and making circles of berries towards the centre until the bottom of the pie shell is covered.  It's nice if the berries are of fairly uniform size.
8. Spoon about 1/3 of the glaze over berries until they are covered.
9. Make another layer of berries, repeating the circular pattern with the points up.
10. Again, spoon glaze over berries.
11. Starting from the centre this time, make 2 more circles of berries (there should be one berry in the very centre) And cover with the rest of the glaze.
12. Take the strawberry reserved for the garnish, and cut slices from the point  almost to the stem, keeping the hull and top part of the berry intact.  Gently spread the slices of the berry open and place in centre of pie.
13. Refrigerate for several hours.
14. Serve pie with a dollop of whipped cream.

Donuts

I started a tradition that wasn't really meant to be a tradition, but when you are Mennonite and do something once that went over well and everyone liked it HAS to become tradition......."awe come on mom, we did it last year". So hence a new tradition had begun. Each child is allowed to invite their friends, cousins, second, third cousins, whom ever they wish. The first year that we did it my sister in-love and I didn't know how many the recipe would make so to be on the safe side the Mennonite in us came out and quadrupled the recipe. After all we wanted to make sure there was plenty. CAUTION..........unless you want to feed the masses of 500 or more DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT quadruple the recipe. We made hundreds, fried for hours, we were covered in a thin layer of grease ourselves. We invited another family, then more families, then people from church, neighbours. They ALL got eaten. Donuts need to be eaten fresh. Set an afternoon aside, set up a Coleman stove outside so your house doesn't smell like a deep fryer, invite the people you love and just enjoy. I must say that fun was had by all. Oh by the way I only doubled the recipe this time, I am sure the teenagers ate a dozen each. The boys for sure did. It made about 200.

Raised Donuts or (Donuts originally from the Mennonite Treasury Cookbook)

• 1 tablespoon quick rise yeast
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups scalded milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening ( I used oil)
• About 6 cups flour

1. Add dry yeast to 3 cups flour, salt and sugar. 
2. Scald milk, add 1 cup water, oil and beaten eggs. 
3. Mix in enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for about 5 minutes. 
4. Let rise approximately 1/2 hour. 
5. Roll into 1/4-1/2" thick and cut into desired shape with either a donut cutter or cookie cutter.
6. Deep fry until golden brown. 
7. Careful that the oil doesn't get too hot, usually cooking on medium heat to medium high is enough. 
8. Glaze while warm in following glaze.

Glaze:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 milk

Bring to boil, take off heat and add

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Whisk ingredients together, keep on a low element.
2. Dip the warm donuts into the glaze and place on parchment lined cookie sheets to dry.
3. Enjoy.

Strawberry Ice Cream and Oreo Crust Pie

Here is another super quick  no bake dessert for a hot summer night.

• 1 1/4 cups oreo crumbs
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk 
• 1 1/2 cup cold whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2  - 2 cups strawberries, pureed in blender or food processor to make 3/4 cup
• red food coloring (optional)

1. Combine oreo crumbs and melted butter and press on the bottom and sides of a deep dish pie dish.  Refrigerate while making filling.
2. Combine sweetened condensed milk, whipping cream and vanilla in a large bowl and beat on high until soft peaks form.  
3. Add strawberry puree and stir together gently until combined.  Add a drop of red food coloring to enhance the pink if desired. 
4. Pour into chocolate cookie crust and freeze until firm. 
5. Garnish with whipped cream and sliced strawberries.

Icelandic Donuts ~ Kleinur

I always enjoy sampling the traditional foods when visiting another country.  We were recently in Iceland and made sure we tried their Kleinur...a slightly sweet deep-fried bread which is rather like a twisted donut.  They are available in every bakery or coffee shop in the country.  I decided to give this Icelandic treat a taste-test in my own kitchen and I will share my version, which is quite similar to my Rollkuchen recipe. It is the addition of the aromatic spices (cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon) that sets them apart.

• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon each of cardamon, cinnamon, nutmeg (or use 1 1/2 teaspoons total of your favorite)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)

1. Combine 4 cups flour with sugar, baking powder, salt and spices.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk and sour cream. 
3. Add liquids to flour mixture and stir to incorporate.
4. Continue to add flour until a soft (but not sticky) dough is formed.
5. Divide dough into two balls and chill for at least 30 minutes.
6. Roll each piece out thin on a floured surface. Cut long strips about 2 inches wide and then cut diagonally across to for diamond-shaped pieces, using a pizza cutter or pastry wheel. Cut a small slit in the centre of each piece, and gently pull one end through the slit to make a twist in the donut. 
7. Deep fry in hot oil until golden on one side.  Flip and fry on the other side until golden.
8. Serve 'hot off the grill' dusted in confectioner's sugar, or leave them plain and dip in sugar while eating. 

Someone 'near and dear' who was born in Iceland, recommended that we try Kleiner.  One of these days I'll have her sample my version and see if they pass the test.

Food for Thought

She provides food for her family...
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
Prov. 31 : 15, 20

Honey Glazed Chicken

Summer has arrived.  Did you say we had four warm days? Nevertheless, it's officially summer now and by now the barbecue season should be in full force. I'm going to share with you one of our family's favorite chicken recipes. I always find it interesting how my own kids say, "Mom, why don't you post that honey garlic chicken recipe?" And I'm thinking, 'that recipe is so old...' but we all know that some of those recipes simply take priority on a hot sizzling summer day.

Instructions.

• One whole roasting fresh chicken or
• 4 fresh chicken breasts with skin and bone-in, or back attached.

Honey Garlic Sauce

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soya sauce
• 2 cloves garlic

1. Heat butter on low heat, till melted, adding sugar, honey, soya sauce, and garlic.
2. Bring to a slow boil. Don't overcook because it will caramelize.
3. Lay the chicken on the grill on low heat.
4. Baste chicken with sauce frequently, until the crust is a light charcoal color.
5. Cooking time: (45 minutes for bone-in breasts/ 11/2 hour for rotisserie whole chicken)
6. Serve with your favorite salad.

I'm sure by now your mouths are watering. Even if it's not a hot sizzling summer day, you can just pretend that it's hot and hold your umbrella in the rain while you enjoy your favorite chicken dish.

Rollkuchen Gluten Free

For Flash Back Friday, I want to remind you to enjoy Rollkuchen and raboos (watermelon) on our lovely summer days. I first posted a recipe 8 years ago that you can find here, but I have tweeked the recipe since - the updated one is the recipe found below.

We grew up with watermelon and Rollkuchen  automatically served together and so to be able to continue to enjoy watermelon, finding a good recipe for gluten free Rollkuchen was a must! The latest tweeks resulted in me gaining the ultimate compliment from my husband when, after a few bites, he said ..."Are you sure you didn't use the wrong flour?" (wrong flour, aka wheat)

While watermelons are about 92% water they also have good levels of B6 and C, lots of Ivopene, antioxidants, amino acids and potassium. PLUS since they have only 40 calories per cup, it makes Rollkuchen a guilt free addition!!

• 1/3 cup milk 
• 1 egg 
• 2 well-rounded tablespoons of sour cream 
• 3/4 cup of Julie's Flour mix + 2 tablespoons 
• 1/4 cup white rice flour 
• 1/4 cup sweet rice flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum 

1. Thoroughly blend all dry ingredients.
2. Put egg, sour cream and milk in mixer bowl and blend.
3. Add dry ingredients and beat for a couple minutes until dough is fluffy and smooth.
4. Turn out onto lightly dusted counter surface (sweet rice flour) and work just enough sweet rice flour into dough until it is manageable. 
5. Roll out quite thin on a dusted surface, using as little sweet rice flour as possible to keep dough from sticking as you handle it. 
6. Cut into strips of desired length - I find 1 - 1 1/4 inches a good width and about 4 inches long. 
7. Deep fry in about 1/2 inch of oil in a frying pan, until golden brown - turn to brown both sides. The oil needs to be hot, but not so hot that you find they are browning too quickly. Slip each strip into the oil and tickle the tops with a fork to encourage them to 'puff'. 
8. They are good warm or cold - with watermelon, of course, but are also good with soup, or with jam or syrup, as we as kids enjoyed the left overs.   

Sorrel Moos

My Mom cooked this moos (we pronounce it mouse) in spring as soon as the sorrel would be ready to cut. And the wonderful thing was that sorrel grew fast and it would soon be ready for another cutting. She would alternate between cooking moos or summa borsht, sorrel is used for both. Either one tastes wonderful, the moos is especially delicious paired with something savory.
My sister Norma,  asked Mom for the recipe and of course Mom didn't have a written recipe so one day Mom cooked the moos and my sister measured the ingredients as Mom threw them in the pot. I am so glad she did.
Now I have my own row of sorrel plants in the garden and since they are a perennial they come up year after year and I get many cuttings all summer long. I freeze the extra to use in winter.

• 8 cups water
• 2 cups raisins
• 4 cups sorrel leaves, chopped
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch  
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups sugar, I have reduced this by 1/2 cup and it was sweet enough
• 1 cup whipping cream

1. Boil water and raisins together for 10 minutes.
2. Add chopped sorrel leaves and bring to a rolling boil.
3. Stir in cornstarch and milk which have been whisked together.
4. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
5. Add cream and bring mixture to a rolling boil.
6. Remove from heat and cool.
7. You can eat it hot or cold, I like it both ways.

Buns and Platz

Memories of Saturdays growing up, always remind me of how my Mom would cook a big pot of soup, bake a batch of fresh buns and usually she would take part of the dough to make a platz or, as we called it, Streuselkuchen. My husband's side of the family called it Riebelplatz. Our middle daughter, as a pre-schooler, announced one day, "Mommy, it's easy to make Lieberplatz . . . all you need is dough, plums and crumbs!"
Now that I'm not baking for a family on a regular basis, and we don't eat a lot of white buns, I have taken part of the dough to make cinnamon buns as well. We have been pleasantly surprised how yummy they turn out even with less sweetness. So I'll leave you with a variety of goodies to try with one dough.

Ingredients for dough:

• ½ cup butter
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup oil
• 2 cups very warm water
• 10-11 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast

Method:

1. In small pot, melt butter and heat milk until warm.
2. In large mixer bowl, beat eggs, adding the sugar and then the oil.
3. Stir in all liquids – warm water, milk and butter
4. Add 4 – 5 cups flour and instant yeast, mixing well
5. Switching to dough (hook) attachment on mixer, add the rest of the flour, one cup at a time.
6. Turn dough into a larger bowl to rise, giving it a few more punches if needed.
7. Cover with a tea towel and plastic bag and rise about 1 – ½ hours

To make plain buns:

1. Use about ½ of the dough to make 15-18 buns. Shape into buns by taking a handful of dough at a time and squeezing bun shapes between thumb and forefinger. 
2. Place on greased cookie sheet, cover with tea towel and plastic and let rise 1 hour. 
3. Bake at 400° F for 20 min. Cool on wire racks.

Note: I slice the buns before freezing them. This makes it easy to make sandwiches quickly when they are still frozen, especially when I did school lunches.

To make Cinnamon Buns:

1. With greased hands, pinch off a large piece of the rest of the dough and roll out on floured surface. 
2. Spread with about 2 Tbsp melted butter and 1 cup brown sugar mixed with 1-2 tsp cinnamon.
3. Roll up jellyroll style and cut into 1” slices. Place on greased or parchment paper lined pan.
4. Cover and let rise 1 hour and then bake at 350° F for 20 min or until golden.
5. To ice: mix about 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, 1 Tbsp soft marg or butter and enough milk to make a nice spreading or drizzle consistency.

To make Platz:
Ingredients:

• fruit, jam or pie filling
• 3 tablespoons butter, room temp
• ½ cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar

Method:

1. Grease any shape of small - medium pan you like. You can use a round spring-form pan, a 9x13" pan or a cookie sheet. Spread or pat your left over dough into pan by hand. It will rise some, so it doesn’t have to be high – about ½ - 1 inch – some prefer a flat platz and some a high platz. Let it rest about 20 – 30 min.
2. Spread with cut up fruit, such as plums or apricots and sprinkle with just a couple of Tbsp of sugar. I used canned cherry pie filling. My mom often just spread it with just a beaten egg for moisture, then topped it with crumbs.
3. For Crumbs: Mix butter into flour and sugar with pastry cutter. Squeeze a handful at a time and sprinkle on fruit or jam. If you find the crumb mixture too dry, mix in a Tbsp of cream, and then squeeze into crumbs as you drop onto the fruit.
4. Let rise about ½ hour. Bake at 375° F for about 30 min. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack. This is one of our favorite Sunday morning breakfast treats. To keep crumbs crunchy, don’t cover. If you freeze it, uncover to thaw.

This recipe can also be used for Zwieback or pizza crust. (not pictured)

Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars

I saw a similar recipe on the internet by Taste of Home which looked good and decided to try something similar using my own version by following my Rhubarb Dream Bar recipe and topping it with my Blueberry Cheesecake recipe. I had tried a couple of times, once making it with a gluten free flour mix and I wasn't overly satisfied with the results, likely the wrong choice of baking mix, but when I made it with regular flour the result was better in my opinion and several people asked for the recipe.

Crust:

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cups icing sugar
• 1 cup butter

Filling:

• 4 eggs, beaten
• 4 cups rhubarb, chopped
• 2 cups sugar (less is fine too)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Mix the flour and sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter to make coarse crumbs with a pastry blender or with you hands. Press into a 9x13 in baking pan. 
2. Bake @ 350 for 15 minutes.
3. Combine eggs, sugar, cream,  flour, salt and mix well until there are no lumps. Fold in rhubarb.
4. Pour into baked crust and bake @ 350 for 50-60 minutes or until filling is set and edges start to turn brown.

Cheesecake Topping:

• 2- 8 oz packages cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh is best)
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 large tub of cool whip (I used an equal amounts of real whipped cream which is equal to about 4 cups whipped)

1. With a hand mixer beat cream cheese with sugar.
2. Add lemon juice and vanilla.
3. Fold in whipped cream until smooth.
4. Pour over the cooled rhubarb bar.
5. Set in fridge for over night to set.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

This strawberry salad has an orange flavored twist in the dressing. I love it!

Ingredients:

• 1 small bag spinach (about 8 - 10 cups / 170 g)
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 2 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds

dressing

• 3 Tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Method:

1. Shake up dressing ingredients in a small jar and pour over salad ingredients just before serving.

 

Bread for the Journey

Happy Fathers Day

Loving Heavenly Father, today we want to thank You for our fathers.
We pray that they would desire to seek to have a heart like Yours, and follow in Your footsteps.
Give them strength and courage to lead their families with wisdom and gentleness, helping them to live a life of compassion, tenderness, mercy, grace and love.
We know that it's a happy day for many as they honour their father's today, and we also recognize that there is sadness, loss, pain and disappointment for others today.
Lord God, we ask that You would come along side those fathers and families who are struggling today. May you strengthen and encourage them as they need.
Thank you that You are our Heavenly Father, and that You desire to be the Heavenly Father to all.
We ask that You would bless each father today.
In Jesus name. Amen.

Deuteronomy 31: 6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid of terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Rhubarb Orange Sticky Muffins

My good friend Betti makes these wonderful Rhubarb Orange Muffins.
One day I tried adding a sticky pecan mixture to the bottom of the muffin cups before spooning in the batter and now I make them like this each spring during rhubarb season.
If you want to make the muffins without the brown sugar/pecan topping,
add 3/4 cup chopped pecans to the muffin batter.

For the sticky topping:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons cream

For the muffins:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups finely chopped fresh rhubarb
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 3/4 cup orange juice

1. Grease muffin pans. I use pans that make medium sized muffins and I usually get 16 muffins from this recipe.
2. Place 3 or 4 pecan halves in the bottom of each cup.
3. Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl.
4. Place about 1 teaspoon of topping in each cup on top of the pecans
5. Mix muffin batter:
6. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
7. In medium bowl, beat egg.
8. Add oil, orange juice and orange rind to beaten eggs.
9. Add liquid mixture to dry mixture all at once and stir just until moistened.
10. Fold in rhubarb.
11. Spoon over brown sugar/pecan mixture in prepared muffin pans.
12. Bake for at 350 degrees F for 25 - 30 minutes.
13. Remove from oven, loosen sides of muffins and turn upside down on a rack.
14. These are best served the same day. If there are any left, store them in the refrigerator. (They will still be good the next day but will be softer in texture)