Potato Leek Gratin

This is a creamy tasty side dish to serve with a protein of your choice. Everyone in the family enjoyed it.

Potato Leek Gratin

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter and more for greasing the dish
• 1-1/2 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced uniformly thin.
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 2 large leeks, washed, green tops trimmed, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup cheese, grated (swiss or gruyere)

Method:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Butter a 2 quart round dish. 
3. Toss the potatoes with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. 
4. Layer the sliced potatoes in the dish.
5. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. 
6. Add leeks, garlic, remaining salt and pepper, thyme and rosemary. 
7. Cook, stirring, until leeks are tender and golden, 5-7 minutes. 
8. Add cream, scrapping up browned bits of leeks from the bottom of the pan. 
9. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. 
10. Remove thyme and rosemary sprigs and discard.
11. Pour the cream mixture over potatoes and top with the cheese. 
12. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, uncover and bake until the cheese is bubbling and golden, 10-15 minutes longer. 
13. Let cool slightly before serving.
14. Serves 6-8 people as a side dish.

Strawberry Trifle

This Strawberry Trifle recipe was copied from my mom and I think she got it from the Los Angeles Times years ago.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (3-1/2 ounces) Vanilla pudding mix (not instant)
• 1/4 cup rum, optional
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 - 12 ounce bakery angel food cake
• 2 tablespoons brandy, optional
• 3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
• 6 whole fresh strawberries for garnish

Method:

1. Prepare vanilla pudding mix according to package instructions. 
2. Cool slightly and stir in 2 tablespoons of the rum. 
3. Cover and chill until almost set. 
4. Whip 1 cup of the heavy cream until stiff and fold into chilled pudding mixture.
5. In a serving bowl of 2 qt. capacity gently tear about half of the cake into bite size pieces and place in an even layer in bottom of serving bowl.
6. Stir together the brandy and remaining rum and sprinkle half over the cake. 
7. Spoon in about half the pudding mixture over the cake. 
8. Spoon in half the strawberries over the pudding.
9. Tear remaining cake as before, arranging in an even layer over pudding.
10. Sprinkle with remaining brandy/rum mixture. 
11. Add the remaining sliced strawberries.
12. Carefully spoon in the remaining pudding.
13. Cover and chill.

Just before serving whip remaining cream with the two tablespoons sugar until stiff.
Place in pastry bag with fluted tip and pipe cream onto pudding in attractive mounds.
Top with reserved whole berries.

I’ve made this for a crowd in a punch bowl doubling the recipe and making more layers.You could add raspberries, too. You can omit the alcohol

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies (Low-Sugar)

This is another recipe I found in my grocery store flyer with a small change. I wanted to try and compare this lower sugar recipe to other brownies that I've made.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs plus one egg yolk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1/3 cup peanut butter

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a 9 x 9 baking pan with parchment paper.
3. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in mixing bowl.
4. In second bowl whisk together eggs, egg yolk, applesauce, vanilla extract, and melted chocolate chips that have been slightly cooled.
5. Combine the wet and the dry ingredients and till smooth.
6. Pour batter in prepared baking pan.
7. Drop dollops of peanut butter over the batter and swirl with a knife.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes up clean. 

Yield: 12-16 servings depending on your cut.

Tomato Florentine Soup

This is another new soup that was introduced from a grocery store flyer with great flavors. I made some adjustments according to what was missing in my pantry.

Tomato Florentine Soup

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup water
32 oz. chicken broth
1 can - 14oz. diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can tomato soup, undiluted (8 oz. can of tomato sauce can be used instead)
1 cup small shell pasta, uncooked
2 cups fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste
Grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, for topping

Heat oil in dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook 7 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
Add garlic, cooking for 1 minute and stirring constantly.
Pour in water, broth, tomatoes, and tomato soup.
Bring to a simmer ad cook about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in pasta and cook 8 minutes.
Add spinach, cooking for a couple of minutes, until leaves wilt and the pasta is al dente.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve topped with Parmesan cheese.
Refrigerate any leftovers.

Serves: 4-6

January Skiers Soup

I think it was the name that appealed to me originally.  Though I wasn't much of a skier, I could could cook soup! The recipe came from an old church cookbook, put out by the gals from the Kelowna Mennonite Brethren Church and given to me by my sister-in-law way back then. Over the years I have cooked it often and changed it up a little. It is basically a hamburger soup and when combined with fresh bread it makes a great meal after a day on the slopes or anywhere, for that matter. January is officially soup month, so here's a recipe you might want to try.

January Skiers Soup

• 1 pound ground beef
• 6 cups water
• 3 sliced onions
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 3 medium potatoes, diced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 large can diced tomatoes (28 oz.)
• 2 cups sliced cabbage (optional)
• 1/4 cup rice
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet basil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• dash of cayenne pepper (just to add a wee zip)

 Method:

1. Brown ground beef in heavy pot...with 1 tablespoon oil. Use a potato masher to stir while browning (it's great for crumbling the beef).
2. Add remaining ingredients except rice and seasonings, and bring to a boil.
3. Add rice and seasonings.
4. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
5. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy!

Saucy Cranberry Chicken

Here's a simple chicken dish that is sure to please!  It's a variation of an apricot chicken recipe that my mother-in-law used to make and was known as 'grandma's chicken' by her grandchildren.

• 3 lbs. skinless chicken pieces (breasts and/or thighs)
• 1 cup Russian dressing
• 1 1/2 cups cranberry sauce (or 1 can 398 ml cranberry sauce)
• 1 pkg. dry onion soup mix

1. Place chicken pieces in a 9" x 13" baking dish.
2. Combine dressing, cranberry sauce and onion soup mix in a small bowl.
3. Spoon evenly over chicken pieces.
4. Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes...or until chicken is done (165 degrees F).

Pumpkin Pecan Jelly Roll

Funny how a jelly roll always brings some signs of delight and this one did not disappoint. If you  have never tried rolling up a jelly roll, why not try it? It may just be a lot easier than you think, but if it flops, you can always put the whole thing in a trifle bowl and decorate the top. It will taste just as delicious.

Ingredients:

Jelly Roll

• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2  tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 4 Tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup pumpkin puree

Filling

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup (loose measurement) brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• 3/4 cup roasted pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups whipping cream
• 4 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding powder

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Prepare jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with edges (10" x 15" or 11"x17") by greasing well. Line with wax paper, then grease well again, all the way up the sides as well. I like to use shortening for greasing.
3. In a small bowl mix dry ingredients and set aside.
4. Beat eggs with hand mixer for several minutes, then beat in the sugar well, until thick and lemon colored. Stir in lemon juice, water and pumpkin.
5. Stir dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture.
6. Spread into prepared pan and bake 15 - 18 minutes.
7. In the meantime, melt butter for filling. Stir in sugar and syrup and bring to boil. Cook on low to medium heat, stirring a few minutes, until it thickens and looks like caramel. Add pecans (roasted for about 10 minutes) and set aside to cool.
8. Prepare a clean tea towel by laying it on the counter and dusting generously with powdered sugar, using a sieve. When cake is done and still hot, turn it onto the towel. Peel off wax paper and roll up the cake along with the towel (beginning at narrow end). Let sit for about 1/2 hour.
9. Beat whipping cream until it begins to thicken, then add vanilla pudding powder mix and continue beating until thick for spreading.
10. Unroll cake. Starting where you begin to roll up from, spread cooled caramel pecan mixture, randomly far as it will go and avoiding cracks. Then spread whipped cream all over the cake, keeping about an inch from the edges.
11. Gently roll the cake back up again, starting from same end as before. Don't worry if it cracks a bit. When rolled up, carefully lift onto serving platter. Use left over cream to hide cracks and decorate the top if you like or just leave it. Freeze uncovered for 1 hour to set or longer if preparing days ahead. Once frozen, slip into plastic bag. On day of serving, refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving dust with icing sugar, using a small sieve.

 

Harvest Loaf

I have a feeling this will be one of the first of many pumpkin recipes posted, so you might want to make sure you have canned pumpkin on hand. It is one of my daughter’s favorite autumn loaves and is especially good when the chocolate chips are still soft. This recipe makes two loaves or you can cut it in half to make one.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter (soft/room temp)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 
• 4 eggs 
• 2 cups cooked pureed pumpkin (398 ml can)
• 3 cups flour 
• 3 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• ¾ cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Prepare two 9 x 4 inch loaf pans by greasing with shortening or cooking spray, and dusting with flour.
2. Beat butter and sugar well. Beat in eggs until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin. 
3. Mix dry ingredients with spices and chocolate chips. Stir into wet mixture until combined.
4. Bake for 50 minutes at 350° F, until toothpick tests done. 
5. Cool 10 minutes in pans and then remove to cooling rack.

Before baking, I sprinkled some chocolate chips in a row on top. You can combine nuts and chocolate chips if you like. Once cooled, a drizzle of about 1/4 - 1/2 cup icing sugar with maybe a teaspoon of water and a drop of maple flavoring is optional. Plain is great too.

Tip: do not use the whole can of pumpkin for one loaf just because you don't want to waste it. Too much pumpkin will make too moist and dense of a loaf. 

Salsa

Since there's an abundance of tomatoes and peppers out there right now, I thought I would share my salsa recipe. It's a recipe I got from my sister Kathy decades ago and is a staple at our home. I cook up a large batch in fall and we enjoy it year-round.  This is a zippy salsa; if you prefer yours on the mild side, remove all the seeds and ribs from inside the jalapeno peppers.
 

Salsa

• 10 cups tomatoes (peeled, chopped and drained)
• 8 small jalapeno peppers chopped (remove seeds for less heat) 
• 3 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped green peppers 
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 1/3 cups vinegar 
• 1 can 12 oz. can tomato paste 
• 1 tsp. cumin 
• 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes 
• 3 Tablespoons pickling salt 
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1. Combine all ingredients and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Ladle into jars; tighten lids and process for 20 minutes in hot water bath.

*Optional : Stir in 1/3 cup cornstarch diluted in cold water and simmer for several minutes to thicken salsa before filling jars.

Yield: about 6-7 pint (500 ml) jars

This also makes a wonderful, tasty fresh salsa.  Place chopped veggies in a large bowl.  Mix vinegar, tomato paste, herbs and seasonings and add to chopped vegetables. Stir to combine.  Keeps well in the refrigerator for a week.

Queen Elizabeth Cake

Queen Elizabeth II

Our Gracious Queen

 April 1926 – September 2022

A recipe that Anneliese posted in 2016 in honor of her Majesty's 90th birthday.  We are reposting it today in honor of the Queen.  Rest in peace.  

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dates, chopped fine and 1 cup water
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter, soft
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp salt

topping

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp cream
• 5 Tbsp brown sugar
• 3/4 cup shredded coconut or mix of coconut and thin slivered almonds

Method:

1. In saucepan, bring dates and water to boil and continue simmering for about 3- 5 minutes until soft. Turn off heat and add baking soda, stirring to mash well. (it will bubble) Add vanilla, Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare 8 - 9 inch round or square pan by greasing and lining with wax or parchment paper. A spring form pan is ideal but not necessary.
3. Cream butter, sugar and egg.
4. Add dates and then stir in the dry ingredients, mixing on low if using mixer. 
5. Bake for 45 minutes, or until toothpick test comes out clean.
6. Meanwhile melt and warm butter and cream, adding sugar, coconut and nuts. Stir until well blended and set aside.
7. When cake is done, gently spread with topping and return to oven to broil setting for about 2 minutes. Watch it so it does not burn. It should bubble and turn a nice golden color.
8. Let cool. Loosen edges with knife. If not using a spring-form pan, remove by placing a piece of wax paper over the top along with a flat plate. Flip upside down and then right side up again onto serving plate. 

Thank you for your years of service Queen Elizabeth.