Rhubarb Cream Pie

Hey mom can we have pie? Sure just wait til I take a pictu.........never mind. TEENAGERS!


When my youngest daughter was born I received some wonderful meals and this pie was part of a fabulous dinner and is my personal favorite. Baked pie shell, filled with a Rhubarb custard. Delish!

• 3 cups rhubarb
• 1-11/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 2 - 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Combine rhubarb, half the sugar and cook til rhubarb is softened about 10 min. Mix remaining sugar, flour, salt, egg and milk. 
2. Add a little cooked rhubarb to mixture to temper the egg, then mix in with remaining rhubarb, cook a few minutes til thick . 
3. Add vanilla and butter. 
4. Pour into baked pie shell. 
5. Cool completly and serve with whipped cream.

Cola Marinade for Rotisserie Beef

I love trying new things and I found this recipe for Cola Marinade at Foodgeeks.com. I tweaked it a bit and tossed my roast in the zip loc bag.

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground salt
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 can cola
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

1. Put your large zip loc bag inside a measuring cup, folding the edges over the cup. Add all the ingredients into the bag.
2. Remove the bag from the measuring cup careful not to spill. Add a 4-5 pound sirloin beef roast.
3. Seal the bag, put the bag in a bowl and put it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
4. Let the roast sit at room temperature 1 hour before putting on the grill.
5. Tie the roast onto your rotisserie. Preheat the grill to 400 and insert the rotisserie onto the grill. Add a drip pan underneath with 1 cup of water, check to make sure the water doesn't run dry, or you will have very scorched drippings.
6. Grill with the lid closed for 1 hour, check the temperature. You will aim to have the internal temp at 135 - 140.  Remove from the heat and wrap in foil for 15 minutes.

During the resting time we grilled our chopped up veggies in a grill basket. I simply toss the veggies with veggie seasoning and olive oil and stir them once in a while. They only need 10 - 15 minutes on the grill.

Grilled Peppers with Tomato and Feta

These peppers are as tasty as they are attractive and are a great addition to your summer BBQ.
My sister passed this recipe idea on to me and they've become a summer favourite at our house.

• 3 large yellow bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• grape tomatoes
• 4 leaves fresh basil
• 1 garlic clove minced
• salt and pepper
• chopped black olives (optional)
• Feta cheese

1. Cut peppers into 3 or 4 sections along ribs so that each piece can be filled.
2. Cut grape tomatoes in half. Place in a bowl.
3. Chop basil leaves and mince garlic and add to tomatoes with olive oil , salt and pepper and olives.
4. Crumble feta cheese into bowl and mix gently.
5. Grill pepper pieces, cut side down on medium hot BBQ.
6. When they begin to blacken around the edges, turn them over and fill each piece with some of the tomato mixture.
7. Continue to grill until tomatoes are heated through and bottom of peppers begin to blacken.
8. Remove from grill and serve.

Barbequed Salmon with Sundried Tomatoes

I would guess that I’m not the only one, who would say that most of my favorite recipes are those that we’ve enjoyed in someone’s home. Our good friends, Harv and Bonnie love to cook together and we have been the lucky recipients of their hospitality over many years now. This is just one of the great recipes that they have shared with us. I've added the basil, so it's optional.

Ingredients:

• 4 - 5 garlic cloves, chopped fine
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine 
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped fine
• 3 sundried tomatoes (packed in oil) drained and chopped (about 1/4 - 1/3 cup, chopped)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 (2-3 pound) salmon fillet (with or without) skin on under side

Method:

1. Combine garlic, parsley, basil, salt, tomatoes and oil in jar.
2. Let stand overnight in refrigerator. (Overnight is best, but if you only have a few hours, that’s okay too)
3. Spread a thin layer of mayonaise all over the salmon.
4. Place on greased (doubled up) foil, (or on foil topped with parchment paper) on low heat on BBQ. Close lid and cook 10 min. 
5. Spread garlic mixture over fillet. Close top and raise temperature to medium. 
6. Cook an additional 15 - 20 min, until fish flakes easily when tested with fork.

Food for Thought

Thank God for dirty dishes -

they have a tale to tell;

while other folks go hungry -

we're eating very well.

Teryaki Chicken

This recipe was from a friend - Heidi in Winnipeg.

Cooking the chicken in the marinade keeps it exceptionally moist.

For the Marinade

• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• grated fresh ginger to taste*
• 1 tablespoons orange zest

• boneless chicken breasts or thighs

1. Combine marinade ingredients, mixing well.
2. Place chicken in a large ziplock bag and pour marinade over. Seal bag and marinate in fridge for no more than 3-4 hours.
3. Place a foil pan (lwith edges) on a preheated BBQ. Place chicken pieces in pan and pour marinade over.
4.  Grill for 6-7 minutes per side, turning only once.

*Tip

I seldom kept fresh ginger in the house because it would spoil before I'd used it up. Then someone told me to keep it in the freezer. It is very easy to scrape the peel off the frozen gingerroot and grate it on a microplane.  Grate as much as you need than pop the rest back in to the freezer.

Pizza Buns

To make pizza buns, I use:

• the French Bread recipe
• pizza or spaghetti sauce
• grated cheese (approx 4 cups)
• a few tablespoons of bacon bits (optional)
• dried basil and oregano (about 1 teaspoon of each)

Method:

1. Roll out as for French bread (18 x 10 inch rectangle). Spread lightly with sauce. Cover with grated cheese, bacon bits, oregano and basil.
2. Roll up jelly roll style, starting on long side. Cut into 11/2 inch slices.
3. Place on greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
4. Cover with tea towel and plastic. Let rise about half an hour or until they look puffy.
5. Bake at 375° F about 15 min. Yields 24 buns

Enjoy warm or cold. Good substitute for a quick sandwich.

Taco Salad - 2 Ways

A meal in a salad bowl.
A great supper solution for those days when you've worked all day in the yard
and don't feel like cooking.

These recipes originated with friends and I've added a few ingredients

of my own. I've always used the bought dressings for these

but I'm sure they would be even better with homemade dressings.

Taco Salad

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 1 - 2 tomatoes
• montery jack cheese
• cheddar cheese
• bell peppers- red, green, yellow - your choice
• zucchini or cucumber (opt)
• corn chips
• Catalina style salad dressing

1. Brown the ground beef into a frying pan, removing the excess fat with a spoon or baster.
2. Add the taco seasoning, stir in well and fry a few minutes longer.
3. Set meat aside to cool.
4. Seed the tomatoes and chop.
5. Cut the cheeses into a 1/4" dice. You should have at least 1 cup combined.
6. Chop up the peppers - again about 1 cup chopped.
7. Chop the zucchini or cucumber into a 1/4" dice.
8. Tear the lettuce into a large bowl. Add the ground beef, tomatoes, cheese, peppers, zucchini and corn chips. Toss with enough dressing to moisten.
9. Serve immediately.

Chicken Ranch Taco Salad

• 1 head lettuce, washed and torn
• 2 cups crushed taco chips
• 2 cups shredded "TexMex" cheese
• 4 grilled chicken breasts, sliced
• 1 cup chopped red and green bell peppers
• chopped tomato if desired
• 2/3 cup Peppercorn Ranch dressing

1. Toss all ingredients together just before serving.
2. Note: chicken breasts grilled on the BBQ give this salad its special flavour.

Fruit Pizza

Fruit pizza is a perfect summer time dessert. It has a cookie base that is covered with a cream cheese spread, and then topped with seasonal fresh fruit and a glaze. The cookie base recipe is enough for 2 pizza pans. If you are only making one this dough freezes well.

LEMON POPPY SEED COOKIE BASE

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup Crisco shortening
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tablespoon vinegar

1. Begin by measuring milk and vinegar into a glass measuring cup. Stir and allow this mixture to sour. 
2. Cream together shortening and sugars. Add egg, vanilla poppy seeds and lemon rind. Mix well.
3. Stir milk mixture and add it along with remaining ingredients. Mix well.
4. Spread cookie dough onto a lightly greased pizza pan.
5. Bake in 350ºF oven for 8-10 minutes. The base will be golden brown. Cool.

Cream Cheese Spread

• 1 8 ounce brick cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Place ingredients in a bowl and cream together well. 

Choose fruit of choice and arrange it on top of the cream cheese spread. I use kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, apricots and plums. 

Glaze

• 1 cup orange juice (keeping a few juice boxes on hand...is handy as they typically hold 1 cup of juice)
• 1 tablespoon apricot jam
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

1. Shake this mixture together well in a jar and then place in a small pot or in microwave. Cook until mixture is bubbly and cornstarch has dissolved.
2. Allow to almost cool and then pour over fruit. I use a silicone brush to spread the glaze as it helps to cover all the fruit and get into all the little spaces between the fruit.
3. Place fruit pizza in the refrigerator for about an hour. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Tip: This dessert is best the day it is made. 

Rainbow Pasta Salad

This recipe is posted for Vange, who reminded of this recipe recently. Over the years I’ve changed it up a bit, sometimes making it more of a Greek Pasta Salad by adding feta cheese and using Greek Dressing, or mixing it with a sundried tomato dressing.

Ingredients:

• 3 – 4 cups vegetable pasta
• 2 chopped tomatoes 
• 1/4 cup cucumber, sliced
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped 
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion

Dressing:

• ½ cup sugar ( I prefer less)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• ¼ cup vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Method:

1. Cook pasta according to instructions on package. Do not over-cook. Cool. 
2. Mix dressing ingredients and then mix with pasta and vegetables.
3. Refrigerate and serve cold. Serves 8-10