Potato stacks

When I make Mashed Potatoes I often make enough for leftovers if I know I am having company within a few days. This may sound odd. .. .but in a busy home it saves so much time.


Company Potatoes

• 1 - 2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes per person
• Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese
• Babybell Cheese

1. Prepare a serving dish by giving it a spritz of cooking spray.
2. Allow mashed potatoes to soften enough to stir in cream cheese.
3. Stir in 1 ounce of cream cheese per person.
4. Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop, put scoops of potato in pan .. . I allow 2 stacks per person.
5. Press in a 1/4 piece of Babybell Gouda cheese.
6. Scoop one more mashed potato on top.
7. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
8. Bake until heated through. . . .about 30 minutes at 350 F.

Crispy Keeper Celery Salad

Mennonites loved their pickles .... a dinner was rarely served without homemade cucumber pickles, or beet pickles or watermelon pickles or sauerkraut!
We are now told how much a pickled side dish aids in digestion. Isn't it nice to find out we did something right even though we didn't know why ??

My daughter recently shared this recipe with me that she was given by a co-worker. I'm sure it is one of those recipes that takes on many variations to suit the cook, but here is this easy summer salad as it came passed on to me.

Marinating Indredients

• 1 1/2 cups vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tsp mustard seed
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp salt
  

Vegetables

chop fine or put through food processor

• one whole bunch of celery
• 2 red peppers
• 1/2 onion

Boil marinating ingredients for a couple of minutes, cool slightly and then pour over the vegetables in large bowl or covered dish to store.

Let marinate in fridge for a day, then remove vegetables with slotted spoon, as needed, to serve.

This salad will keep for a long time.

My Rollkuchen - Gluten-Free

My daughter has been begging for some time for Rollkuchen. I have been telling her that I didn't think it could be done 'gluten-free'! But I was craving them as much as she was - so, finally I thought 'what harm in trying?'

I lay awake thinking about it one night ... and came up with the following recipe ... and to my delight, not only does the dough handle extremely well but the Rollkuchen taste VERY much like the real thing. They even 'puffed' up!
I met my 'tester' non-gluten-free husband at the door when he came home and said ... "Here - close you eyes and take a bite and tell me what you eating!!" He dutifully complied ... and said ... "Rollkuchen? they are awesome ... now I just need some jam to go with them!"

My daughter's response ?? "MOM! HOW did you do that ?? HOW did you make them SMELL like wheat?? How did you make them taste just like the real ones ?? You HAVE to put these on your blog!"

I smiled, feeling quite gratified!!

Sometimes it is quite permissible to substitute one flour for another in gluten-free baking but I think exchanging any of the flours from the mix I used would not bring about the same satisfying results .

Ingredients for Rollkuchen

• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup white corn flour
• 1/4 cup white bean flour (or chickpea flour)
• 1/4 cup millet flour 
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch/flour
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1/3 cup whole milk 
• 1 rounded tablespoon sour cream
• 1 egg 
• sweet rice flour for working with dough

1. Thoroughly blend all dry ingredients.
2. Put butter, egg 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 manageable. Put dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. 
5. Roll out quite thin on dusted surface, using as little sweet rice flour as possible, but enough to make dough easy to handle.
6. Cut into strips of desired size. 
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 enjoyed them as kids.   

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Breasts

I need recipes for baking. . but when it comes to cooking, I often put together dinners from previous flavours that I enjoy. This chicken recipe is easy and can be made earlier in the day. . .refrigerated and popped in the oven 30 minutes before you are ready to serve.

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Breasts

• 1 chicken boneless skinless chicken breast per person
• enough Prosciutto to wrap around. . I used 3 very thin slices per breast
• Cheese of your choice. I used Provolone.
• 1 basil leaf per breast
• 1/4 cup very finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
• Italian seasoning
• olive oil

1. Slice almost all the way in half. . horizontally the chicken breast.
2. Put a slice of cheese and a small sprinkle of sun dried tomatoes.
3. Close the chicken breast up and sprinkle with Italian Seasoning.
4. Lay one Basil leaf on top.
5. Wrap with Prosciutto.
6. Lay each breast on a Baking Pan. . .leaving enough room between each piece of chicken for adequate browning.
7. Brush each piece of Chicken with a bit of Olive Oil.
8. Bake at 425. . .for 20 minutes. . .slice one to make sure it is no longer pink in the middle. .
9. Remove the chicken from the pan. . .pour the juices and scrape the browned bits into a small saucepan to reduce for several minutes. .pour over chicken.

Greek Seasoning and Feta Cheese is a very good flavour combination.

Rösti

Rösti is a traditional Swiss potato dish...considered by many to be a national dish. When we were in Switzerland visiting our friends (Pierre and Ute) many years ago, we were invited to Pierre's mother's home for supper. I will always remember her warm hospitality...how she bustled around in her cozy kitchen and served us a delicious dinner which included rösti. It wasn't too long after our visit that Pierre's mother passed away and so any mention of rösti brings back fond memories of that dear old lady. After a little research and a few trials, I'm ready to pass along my method for cooking 'glorified hashbrowns'...or rösti.

To make Rösti you will need:

• 3 or 4 medium potatoes (Russets or Yukon Gold work well)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• Butter
• Salt, to taste
• A grater
• A non-stick or cast iron frying pan
• A plate that barely fits inside the pan.

1. Grate the raw potatoes into a bowl, with a large-holed grater.
2. Use a non-stick skillet. Melt 2-4 tablespoons of butter in the pan. Saute onions until somewhat tender.
3. Add grated potatoes and salt. Cook over medium heat several minutes, stirring two or three times to coat the potatoes evenly with butter.
4. Then pat the potatoes into a cake with the spatula and let cook for 10 minutes. Cover and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
5. When the bottom of the potato cake is golden brown, place the plate on the potatoes and invert the pan, holding onto the plate. Remove the pan and set it back on the stove. Add another tablespoon or so of butter and let it melt.
6. Slide the rösti back into the pan, golden side up, and cook for about 15 minutes, pressing down once or twice to make the pancake stick together a little more. You can cover the pan to ensure the potatoes are cooked in the middle, but remove the cover at least 5 minutes before the end, so that your pancake is crispy on the outside.
7. Slide rösti onto plate and serve by cutting into wedges. 
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve as a side dish with ham and salad...and call it dinner. Or, make it the main course and top with a sunny-side-up egg. Any way you serve it, you can't go wrong!

A cast iron pan seemed like the perfect cooking utensil for rösti but I soon found out that my 'almost new' pre-seasoned cast iron skillet required a little more seasoning! Once it was coated with a thick layer of potatoes, I switched to a non-stick pan. I'm sure Pierre's mom used cast iron but my Canadian version is cooked in a T-fal pan.

Greek Salad

I got this recipe from my good friend, Herta K. and it’s the salad that I make most often, even if I just have lettuce, cucumber and some colored peppers. The flavor in this salad is enhanced by the fresh basil, but if you do not have it on hand, just use about 1 ½ tsp of dried basil mixed in with the dressing. For the mustard in the dressing, I like to use a Country Dijon mustard or one that has whole mustard seeds in it.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch romaine or loose leaf lettuce, chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 12 pitted ripe olives
• 3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/3 English cucumber, sliced
• 1 green or red pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

Dressing:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Shake dressing ingredients in a tightly covered container. Toss salad ingredients.
2. Pour dressing over top and toss to coat, just before serving.

Blueberry cheesecake

This cheesecake is a must have for our oldest daughter. It has been her choice of desserts since she was a little girl. My Tante Helga introduced us to this velvety smooth mousse type dessert and it comes from our home church cookbook submitted by T. Bergen. (By the way T-your reputation for a wonderful baker is proof in this dessert).

• 2- 8 oz packages cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 TB. lemon juice (fresh is best)
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 large tub of cool whip (or equal amounts of whipped cream)
• 3 cups frozen blueberries
• or 1 can of blueberry pie filling with a squeeze of fresh lemon to brighten the taste of the pie filling.

1. One prepared graham wafer crust, either bought or your favorite recipe. (try chocolate wafers as an alternative, it is very nice also). Press into a 9" spring form pan.
2. With a hand mixer beat cream cheese with sugar.
3. Add lemon juice and vanilla.
4. Fold in cool whip until smooth.
5. Set in fridge for several hours to set.
6. Top with blueberry pie filling and added berries if you would like as in the above picture. 

Cream of Leek Soup

I have made a variation of cream soups quite often because they are so quick and easy. However, unlike soups that get better the longer you cook them, it is best to serve cream soups without cooking them too long. Acid, heat and salt can cause milk to curdle, and even more so if you use a low fat milk. In order to avoid this problem, do not boil the soup hard or long and add the bouillon cube flavor at the end of the cooking process, without bringing the soup to another boil. I have revised my written recipe here, specifying to add the bouillon flavor (salt) at the end.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 cups water, divided, OR 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons Cheez Whiz (or 1/2 cups grated cheddar) 
• 1 small bunch leeks, chopped
• 2 baked potatoes, coarsely grated
• 2 - 3 tablespoons cooked, crumbled bacon pieces or Real Bacon Bits
• 1 ½ chicken bouillon cubes (omit if using broth)

Method:

1. Make a white sauce by melting butter and stirring in the flour with a whisk. Gradually stir in milk and 1 cup water (or broth) and keep stirring until it comes to a boil.
2. Add cheese, chopped leeks, potatoes and bacon. Simmer on low for about 5 – 10 min, until leeks have changed to an olive color.
3. Add bouillon flavoring dissolved in 1 cup boiled water, OR rest of broth. Also, some pepper if you like. Stir and serve. Keep warm on very low heat, if you must. Refrigerate left over soup immediately and re-heat without boiling.

Rhubarb Bar

I have been making this Rhubarb bar for years.  Every spring, the rhubarb in the garden is the first thing that is harvested and everyone is always happy for a taste of spring.  

Crust

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 egg yolks
• milk to make 2/3 cup

Filling

• 7 cups finely chopped rhubarb
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup minute tapioca
• 2 egg whites

Icing

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 3 tablespoons warm water

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt, cut in the butter and shortening until the crumbs are the size of oatmeal. You can use your food processor for this too. Pulse, don't run at full speed.
2. Put the egg yolks in a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 2/3 cup.
3. Slowly add to the flour mixture and pulse with the food processor until it begins to come together or mix in with your fork.
4. Turn the pastry onto the counter and knead it into a ball, just until it comes together.
5. Wrap in a plastic wrap, shaping it into a flat rectangular disk.
6. Refrigerate.
7. Chop rhubarb into about 1/2 inch square pieces.
8. Add the sugar and tapioca and set aside.
9. Take the dough from the refrigerator and divide in half.
10. Roll each piece out thin enough for a 10 X 15" pan or use the same amount of dough for a 9 X 13" pan plus a 5 X 7" pan.
11. This dough is rolled very thin. Use a bench scraper to carefully lift the dough.
12. Don't be afraid to add a bit of flour if you need to.
13. Once you have the rhubarb covering the first piece of dough, cover with the second piece of dough.. . and crimp the edges together.
14. Whip the egg whites until they just begin to stiffen.
15. Use your hands to spread the egg whites over the pastry.
16. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes. . or until golden brown.
17. While the bar is still warm, combine icing ingredients and drizzle over top.

Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

My wonderful Aunt Emmy used to make these cookies and gifted me with the recipe for them.

  I've photographed these cookies on the one surviving plate from my mom's everyday dishes - Somehow this plate, which brings such warm memories to me, always enhances the taste of anything dished out on it.

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2  teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups oatmeal
• 1 1/4 cups margarine or butter
• 2 1/3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 3/4 cup coconut
• 1 1/2 cup sultana raisins *

* My mom taught me to wash sultanas, running water through them until the water ran clear. Shake the water off and add to recipe.

1. Blend white and brown sugars, eggs and margarine in large bowl of mixer.
2. Add remaining ingredients in order.
3. Mix until well blended.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake.
5. Remove to brown paper or racks and cool.
6. These cookies freeze well.