Gumdrop Oatmeal Cookies

Gumdrop cookies are a favorite of mine. I haven't baked them in years and suddenly had a yearning for them. A great addition to a cookie platter. It was difficult finding baking gums, one store was still waiting on their order, another didn't carry them but finally I found a store that had them. You can use gumdrops but they are larger and will need to be cut up into smaller pieces.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 3/4 cups baking gums 
• Extra baking gums (optional)

1. Cream butter and sugars until creamy. Add egg, water, and vanilla. Mix well.
2. Add dry ingredients and stir until blended. Stir in 3/4 cup baking gums.
3. Roll into 1" balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten slightly and place another baking gum on each cookie if you wish.
4. Bake in a 350º oven for 10 to 12 minutes just until edges start to look golden.
5. Yield: 3 1/2 dozen

Ribs or Chops in BBQ Sauce

The picture quality is very poor but the the lip smacking sauce is awesome! I didn't have enough ribs at home so I added a few pork chops to make it stretch.

Serve it with Lemon Basil Carrots and rice and you have a great meal.

• 3 lbs of back ribs or a combination of ribs and chops
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon celery salt

1. Cover the ribs in a large pot with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. 
2. Drain the ribs and place in a large roasting pan. 
3. Sauté the onions in the butter or margarine until softened. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes. 
4. Pour the sauce over the boiled ribs, bake in a 300 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours. 
5. If you are adding pork chops to the ribs or making only pork chops. Brown the chops first and bake them for 45 minutes -1 hour at 350 for bone in chops, 30 minutes for boneless chops. 

Cocktail Sausage Wreath

Here is a very easy appetizer that kids can put together for you while you work on a different appetizer.  Show them how to do it once and you can tick one more thing off your to-do list. 

• 1 can of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (8 roll size)
• 24 cocktail sausages 
• 1 beaten egg
• parsley and a bit of finely chopped red pepper for garnish
• sriracha mayonnaise, mustard, and pickles 

Place the dough on the counter and pat together all the angled perforations. 

Cut the dough into 12 pieces.

Cut each of those pieces into a triangle. 

Roll each sausage into the dough, starting at the wide end.

Place the sausage rolls onto a greased pizza pan. 

Brush with beaten egg and place a few pieces of finely chopped red pepper on each piece.

Bake at 375 F about 20 minutes or until the sausage starts to sizzle.  

Garnish with finely chopped parsley and serve with pickles, grainy mustard, and sriracha mayonnaise. 

Fruit and Nut Yeast Bread

A local bakery makes a wonderful fruit and nut yeast loaf, and this is my 'copykat' version. I adapted Anneliese's French bread recipe, adding dried cranberries, apricots, raisins, and walnuts. It turned out great.

• 4 1/2 - 5 cups flour, all-purpose  (or substitute with part whole-wheat flour)
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1 cup walnuts (or pecans), coarsely chopped
• 1 egg + 2 teaspoons water, beaten

1. Combine sugar, salt and water and oil in a large mixing bowl.
2. Mix yeast with 1 cup of white flour and stir into liquids. 
3. Continue adding flour, stirring at first then using your hands to incorporate the flour.
4. Add fruit and nuts and work into the dough.
5. Knead, adding a little more flour as necessary until dough is smooth and elastic.
6. Cover.  Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. (About 45 minutes.)
7. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. divide in half.
8. Shape each half into a 15" x 2-1/2" loaf with tapered ends. 
9. Place on a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. (One large cookie sheet can hold two loaves.)
10. Cut diagonal slits on top of loaf.
11. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.  
12. Beat egg with water; brush over dough. 
13. Bake at 375° F for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove loaves from pan to a wire rack to cool.

French Toast Rollups for Thanksgiving Morning

Today is Thanksgiving in the U.S.A. After the turkey is stuffed and in the oven this would be a nice breakfast to enjoy. This is a tasty way to serve french toast with sausages rolled up in each slice.

Ingredients:

• 8 breakfast sausage links, fully cooked
• 8 slices of white bread
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Cut off the crusts from 8 slices of white bread.
2. Beat together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla extract.
3. Roll up each sausage link in a slice of bread.
4. Dip the roll in the egg mixture.
5. Fry beginning with seam side down in a greased skillet turning until the roll is golden brown.
6. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve with syrup. 

Serves: 2-4
Our family enjoys pancakes and french toast with sour cream and syrup. If you've never tried this combination you have missed out on a nice taste treat.

All the girls from Mennonite Girls Can Cook wish our friends in the U.S.A. a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Chinese Glazed Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings are always a good choice - as an appetizer or for dinner with a colourful vegetable
and some rice or noodles to soak up the delicious sauce.

Here's one my mom used to make with a couple of flavour additions from my kitchen.

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup liquid honey
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon or more grated ginger (see Ginger tip here)
• 1 large clove garlic minced

• 2 pounds chicken wings, wing tips removed and divided into wing and drummette
• Salt and pepper (I like to use Montreal Steak Spice)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Place wings tightly in glass rectangle dish season lightly with salt and pepper
4. Pour sauce over wings.
5. Bake, uncovered for 1 -  1 1/2 hours, basting wings several times and turning wings over half way through the baking time.
6. Serve as an appetizer or over rice as a main dish.
7. Thicken sauce if desired by mixing 1- 2 teaspoons cornstarch and a tablespoon of cold water  Add to the hot mixture in a small pot or microwave dish, stirring well. Bring sauce to a boil before serving.

Salmon Cake Appetizers

Salmon Cakes are a perfect little appetizer either on their own or in little slider buns with coleslaw and tartar sauce.

You most likely will have everything you need right in your pantry and refrigerator and these take very little time to put together which is a plus when unexpected guests pop in around the holidays.

• 2 cans wild sockeye salmon (about 2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup panko crumbs
• 2 green onions, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 1 teaspoon dill weed, minced
• 1 teaspoon parsley, minced
• 1 lemon, cut and seeded for squeezing lemon juice over cakes when serving
• green onions for garnish
• slider buns (optional)
• sriracha mayonnaise or tartar sauce (optional with the sliders)

1. Drain salmon and remove skin and bones.  Break apart salmon and gently mash with a fork.
2. Combine salmon, Old Bay seasoning, eggs, mayonnaise, panko crumbs, green onions, and green pepper and herbs in a medium bowl.
3. Use a non-stick skillet if possible since the salmon cakes are fairly delicate.  Heat skillet over medium heat and brush with oil or butter. 
4. Make patties about 2 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick.  Cook on one side a few minutes until browned underneath.  Carefully flip over and continue to cook until browned.
5. Remove to an oven proof dish and place in an oven at 250 F, continuing to add salmon cakes as they are browned. 
6. Once you are ready to serve,  garnish with lemons and chopped green onions or place patties in slider buns and top with a 1/2 teaspoon of sriracha mayonnaise. 

Maple Glazed Snacks

This is a delicious snack for game day, Grey Cup is around the corner.
These treats can be enjoyed anytime. My bowl of snacks disappeared quickly. You can change up the cereals and the nuts for what you prefer or have in the house. Use almond or maple flavoring instead of vanilla for a different flavor.
Also a great gift idea from your kitchen, fill up festive little bags and hand them out to family, friends, co-workers, or anyone else you would like to bless.

• 2 cups Honey Nut or original Cheerios 
• 2 cups corn chex
• 2 cups rice chex
• 1 cup miniature pretzels
• 2/3 cups pecan halves
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1. In a large bowl combine cereals, pretzels, and pecans.
2. In a small microwave safe bowl combine maple syrup, butter, and vanilla.
3. Cover and microwave on high for 30 seconds or until butter is melted.
4. Stir in vanilla and pour over cereal mixture and toss to coat.
5. Spread in a large greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt.
6. Bake in a 250º oven for 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and cool.
8. Store in a covered container.

Bread For The Journey

The Artist's Scalpel Several years ago, my husband and I were strolling along the shores of nearby Harrison Lake , admiring the wares of the vendors who had set up temporary booths on the sand.  One artist and his work caught my attention, and I stopped. I learned that this French artist had been fascinated one day by slabs of slate stone,  the jagged edges begging him to paint them into mountain scenes. He had numerous resulting pieces on display, but my eye immediately rested on one in particular.  It was as if he had sat in my family room and painted using the colours around him. I loved it! I stepped closer and instinctively reached out to touch it.  The artist had been watching me, and as I reached out, he cried, "Don't touch it!"  Too late he added, "It's still wet!" To my dismay, I had already left my thumb smudge in the wet paint, and the picture perfection was ruined.  His face severe, the artist handed me a scalpel.  "Now you have to fix it," he said. I took the scalpel in my hand and looked at the painting. I knew I could not repair the damage I had done. Then the artist's face broke out in a smile, his eyes twinkled, and he said, "I'll fix it!" With a few deft strokes of his hand, the painting was as good as new!  He joked, "A hundred years from now, when they scrape back the paint, they will find your fingerprint and accredit you as the artist!" Of course, I bought the beautiful slab of slate. *** How like the artist God is, and how quick we are to mess up what He has done.  In the Garden of Eden, God said, "Don't touch!"  But Adam and Eve touched and ruined perfection with their sin.  God gave them the old covenant and said, "Fix it!"  But of course, man in his own strength could not do it.  Then God smiled, took the old covenant, perfected it through Jesus,  and offered us  the new covenant! When we receive His offer, our personal imprint of sin is covered over.  Eternity is ours at a price we can afford: our faith in the Artist's work. But God continues to cover our "imprints", does He not?  We fail, we stumble, we touch, and He is ready, forgiving scalpel in hand, to make it right again. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness!  I John 1:9 (NKJV) One day when we are standing at heaven's door and are asked why we should be allowed in,  we will be able to say,  "Because the imprint of my sin is covered by the redemptive work of the great Artist!"  Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.  Romans 4:7 (NKJV) Prayer: "Dear Father, we thank You for Your willing heart to take scalpel in hand  and restore us to wholeness when we sin.  May we be quick to run to You in repentance before our hearts have time to harden.  Amen."

Quick Beans And Wieners Soup

We own our own business and our shop is only a few hundred feet from our home.

So going home for lunch is an everyday occurrence.

For me that means coming up with something to serve for lunch each day.

I'm not much for planning meals ahead so lunch especially, is planned on the fly.

Here is a soup I came up with last week, using what I had on hand.

Harv enjoyed it so I thought maybe you would as well.

• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1 large stock celery, diced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1- 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 wieners, cut into coins
• 1 284 ml tin condensed tomato soup
• 1 1/2  tomato soup tins water 
• 1 398 ml tin deep browned beans (pork and beans)
• 1 114 ml tin mild diced green chilies
• 1 cup corn kernels - canned or frozen
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
• chili powder or hot sauce to taste (optional)

1. Saute peppers, celery and onion in oil until soft
2. Place in soup pot.
3. Add wieners to fry pan (add a little more oil if needed) and fry until lightly browned.
4. Place in soup pot and add remaining ingredients.
5. Heat and stir until it comes to a simmer.  
6. Simmer 5-19 minutes to blend flavours, stirring several times to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
7. Makes 4-6 servings.