Roasting Nuts

I love making salads and it's just coming to that time of year when fresh produce will be ready. 

This is probably one of my favorite tips that I will pass along, as who doesn't enjoy nuts on a salad.

But what really gets me is when you find a new recipe and at the end of the recipe it suggests that you add roasted nuts and it's just like one extra step to make, but you know that it's worth it.

So a few years back, I started to buy my nuts in bulk and about once or twice a year I take an hour or so and roast nuts on large cookie sheets, making a variety and packaging them in Ziploc bags and freezing them.  They maintain their flavor and texture very well and you always have them available.

Slivered Almonds

• Preheat oven to 350°
• 3 cups (750 grams) of sliced almonds on a cookie sheet.  
• Spread almonds evenly on a cookie sheet.
• Bake for up to 15-20 minutes, checking and stirring every 3 minutes.
• In the end, check more regularly till they are the desired color.
• Remove from oven and let them cool and then store in Ziploc bags and freeze.

Coconut 

• Preheat oven to 325°
• 2 cups (500 grams) of coconut flakes on a baking sheet.
• The flakes will toast very quickly (5-10 minutes)
• After a few minutes stir the coconut frequently.
• Sweetened flakes take less time because the sugar speeds up the toasting process.

Sugared Almonds

• 2 cups whole almonds
• 2/3 cup sugar
• Place nuts and sugar into a frying pan on low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is melted and the almonds are coated. (15 minutes)
• Place almond mixture on parchment paper and let cool.
• Once they are cooled you can either chop them into smaller pieces or leave them whole.
• Store in a container in the fridge or freezer.

This is one of my favorite nut mixtures.  But, you need to hide these, because they are like candy and very hard to keep around once my family knows they are in the fridge.

Toss your nuts on your favorite salad...

and remember how easy it is when you make them in advance.

Grilled Peppers with Tomatoes and Feta Flashback Friday

For Flashback Friday, I am bringing back my recipe for Grilled Peppers

Harv and I did them for supper last week but added a few ingredients to the filling.

He thought black olives would be a great addition and I chose to add diced green peppers.

Either way, they make a colourful and delicious side dish.

We served them with grilled Basil Italian sausages from the grocery store and a big green salad.

With barbeque season beginning, you might enjoy making these.

Just a note about our Flashback Friday Posts.

Because of comments from some readers who've had trouble locating recipes on our blog,

we've decided to change the way we handle the Flashback Friday recipes. 

Today I am posting it in the new format.

From now on we will be posting an updated photo of the recipe we are featuring with a short description and will add a link to the original recipe.

In this way all the original comments on the recipe will be preserved.

We will also make a new Flashback Friday category in our index so you can see which recipes are worthy of a second post.

I hope this eliminates problems with finding that recipe you're looking for.

Slow Cooker Brisket

Preparing a brisket in a slow cooker is an easy method and while it is cooking your house will smell delicious.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4-5 pound fresh beef brisket
1-1/2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup broth or water

Directions:
1. In small bowl mix together brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, celery salt, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
2. Spray the inside of a 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place brisket in slow cooker and rub all over with the mixture of spices.
3. In small bowl mix the remaining ingredients together setting aside 3/4 of this mixture for the end of the cooking cycle. Pour all but the 3/4 cup of liquid over the brisket in the crock pot.
4. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
5. Remove brisket to cutting board, let stand 10 minutes.
6. Drain all but 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid from the crock pot.
7. Add the reserved 3/4 cup of ketchup mixture to the 1/2 cup of the cooking liquids in the crock pot and cook on high for fifteen minutes.
8. Cut the brisket, transfer to serving dish and then pour the heated sauce from the crock pot over the meat.

This will serve up to 10 people, more if you use the meat in sandwiches.

Tequila Lime Flank Steak Fajitas

The marinade for this flank steak is also used to spice up sour cream for a tasty sauce.
Serves 4-6

Marinade:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp season salt
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

1. Place all ingredients in a jar and shake well.

Tortilla Ingredients:

• 1 flank steak
• 4-6 flour tortilla shells
• 1 cup sour cream
• shredded lettuce
• tomatoes, diced
• avocado, sliced
• cilantro, (optional)
• grated cheese
• 3 large peppers, sliced
• 1 large onion sliced 
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp taco seasoning
• 2 tbsp olive oil

1. Place sour cream in a small glass bowl and add 2 tbsp of the marinade. Stir well, cover and place in refrigerator. This is a sauce to serve with the fajitas.
2. Place flank steak in a shallow GLASS container and pour marinade over. (because of the ingredient of lime juice and tequila in the marinade it's important that you marinade in a non reactive container. I like to use a glass baking pan.
3. Cover with plastic wrap (not foil) and place in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.
4. Slice peppers and onions into a bowl. Toss with olive oil, cumin and taco seasoning. Cover and allow to marinade for at least one hour. 
5. Have all vegetables cut up and ready to serve.
6. We grill on The Big Green Egg grill. You can saute the peppers and onions in a cast iron on the grill, or on your stove top. Keep them slightly crunchy. 
7. Grill marinaded flank steak basting with marinade several times during grilling. 
8. Remove from grill and allow steak to rest for 10 minutes. Slice very thin.
9. Place flour tortillas on grill just shortly (watch closely) to get grill marks and heat slightly.
10. Serve with flavoured sour cream, and other ingredients. Salsa is a nice addition to top it off...and we like a fresh squeeze of lime too.

Peppers and onions grilling.

Bread for the Journey

How Good It Is to Thank The Lord

How good it is to thank the Lord,
And praise to Thee, Most High, accord,
To show Thy love with morning light,
And tell Thy faithfulness each night;

Yea, good it is Thy praise to sing,
And all our sweetest music bring.

O Lord, with joy my heart expands,
Before the wonders of Thy hands;

Great works, Jehovah, Thou hast wrought,
Exceeding deep Thine every thought;
A foolish man knows not their worth,
Nor he whose mind is of the earth.

When as the grass the wicked grow,
When sinners flourish here below,
Then is there endless ruin nigh,
But Thou, O Lord, art throned on high;

Thy foes shall fall before Thy might,
The wicked shall be put to flight.

Thou, Lord, hast high exalted me
With royal strength and dignity;
With Thine anointing I am blest,
Thy grace and favor on me rest;
I thus exult o’er all my foes,
O’er all that would my cause oppose.

The righteous man shall flourish well,
And in the house of God shall dwell;
He shall be like a goodly tree,
And all his life shall fruitful be;
For righteous is the Lord and just, 

He is my Rock, in Him I trust.

Words: The Psalter 1912, Music: St. Petersburg ~ Dimitri S. Bortniansky

Saturday Baking - Pecan Crumb Cake, gluten free

Saturday, was unfailingly an ABC day, in my childhood home. 

A -for - After breakfast

 No sleeping-in on Saturday.  

We all got up at the same time on Saturday for family breakfast around the table. 

B- for - Baking 

Baking had to be done because we never knew who would come knocking on our door

 Sunday afternoon and of course they would stay for faspa. 

C- for - Cleaning 

Whether the house needed it or not, it was thoroughly cleaned on Saturday 

to ensure it would pass company inspection!! 

One of my husband's favorite coffee cakes is my Pecan Crumb Cake (adapted from the old Mennonite Treasure Cookbook) that I now make gluten-free.
 He loves it served warm with his favorite ice-cream - cherry - and if one scoop is good, three is definitely better !

Pecan Crumb Cake 

• 2 1/4 cups Julie's Flour Mix (or your own gf all purpose mix) 
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1 tsp xanthan gum 
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg 
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/4 cup butter 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 cup milk

1. Mix dry ingredients together, then rub in the butter with your fingers until you have fine crumbs. 
2. Blend together milk and eggs in mixer bowl. 
3. Add dry ingredients and beat until batter is perfectly smooth. 
4. Spread batter in parchment lined 13" x 9" cake pan and cover with crumbs. 
5. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
   
   Crumb Mixture 

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour 
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter 
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans  

1. Mix sugar, flour and cinnamon together, then rub in the butter with your fingers. 
2. Mix in pecans. (you can use other nuts, or leave them out - but the pecans really make this cake special)
3. Spread over the cake batter. 

Rhubarb Pie Roll- Flashback Friday

This is a shortcut easy pie roll to make with a store bought refrigerator pie crust. I used a rhubarb walnut mixture to fill it but feel free to use other fruit and nut combinations to fill it. You can leave out the nuts if you desire. For flashback Friday I added some notes and steps for a better result.

 Ingredients:

For the Roll:

• 1 refrigerated pie crust (I used Pillsbury 15 ounce box)
• 4 stalks of rhubarb, chopped (approx. 2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped.
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened.
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
3. Shred the rhubarb in a food processor. Drain as much of the liquid as you can from the mixture. Keep pressing the rhubarb in a sieve until you remove up to a cup of liquid.
4. Mix together the cornstarch, walnuts, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon. Add the drained rhubarb and mix well.
5. Place the pie crust on a lightly floured surface.
6. Spread the rhubarb mixture lengthwise on one end and roll into a log, moisten and seal the ends.
7. Place on baking sheet with the seam side down.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Glaze:
In small bowl mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk to a drizzling consistency.

Remove roll from oven and let cool.
Drizzle the glaze on top.
Add sliced almonds if you desire.
Cut into slices and serve.
Yield: 6-8 slices

The roll is still not perfect in appearance but it is tasty and not overly sweet.

Lime Jello/Angel Food Dessert

Dishes made with jelly powder were quite popular in the 70's, whether it was in salads or desserts. I used to make a popular dessert with jello and angel food cake but couldn't locate my recipe. I found one on the website of tasteofhome.com that looked like the one I used to make. I changed it up a wee bit.  My daughter Alison and I were discussing different ways to make this. She suggested incorporating cottage cheese which would be delicious and I thought different flavors of jello would work too.  Next time I make this (and there will be a next time, there are after all many jelly powder flavors:) I will fold the cake pieces into the jello mixture instead of putting the layer of cake cubes in the bottom of the pan. Then pour it into a jello mold.
This is a simple, light, and refreshing dessert for spring.

• 1 84 g (4 serving size) package lime jelly powder
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 prepared angel food cake, I used 3/4 of the cake, the rest can be used for another dessert.
• 1  250 g (8 oz) package of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 cups whipped topping

1. Dissolve lime jelly powder and boiling water in a bowl. Allow to set in fridge for 45 minutes, just until it begins to thicken.
2. Cut 3/4 of angel food cake into 1 inch cubes and place in a greased 9" x 13" pan.
3. In a medium sized bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, and lime juice until smooth.
4. Add slightly thickened lime jelly/water mixture and beat until combined. Fold in whipped topping and pour over cake cubes to cover completely.
5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut in squares, serve plain or for a pretty presentation, top with a dollop of whipped topping and a bit of grated lime zest.
6. Serves: 12 to 15 

Country Style Pork Chop Skillet Dinner

I love one pot meals. This is meal is easy to put together, let it simmer and in no time dinner is served with minimal clean up. The amounts are easy to switch up to serve as many or as little as you need.

• 6  boneless pork chops
• 6 carrots, sliced into chunks
• 6 potatoes, cut into eighths
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced thinly
• salt and pepper
• sprinkle of thyme
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons flour

1. Season Pork chops with salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet, brown the pork chops in a bit of olive oil.
3. Remove from chops from the pan. 
4. Add onion, celery, potatoes and carrots and saute until the onions are softened. 
5. Season with Salt and Pepper and a bit of Thyme. 
6. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken stock. Add the chops on top of the vegetables, cover the chops and simmer for 40 minutes on medium low.  
7. Put the flour in remaining chicken stock, shake until the flour is dissolved and pour into skillet. Cook a few more minutes til the sauce has thickened. 

Voila, wasn't that easy. 

Banana Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

While on an RV road trip through the eastern states several years ago, we spent some time in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  We had the privilege of being invited to a home for dinner one night, and enjoying a wonderful home-cooked meal of favorite local cuisine.  As we parted ways that evening, we were given a parting gift by our hostess...a pan of blueberry baked oatmeal to enjoy on the road.  And enjoy it we did!!!  I have been stirring up my own version of that dish since that time...one that also has bananas in the mix. It always brings back memories of summertime in Lancaster County, of the warm hospitality and wonderful foods we enjoyed while we were there. Baked oatmeal is a wonderful and healthy breakfast treat and can be refrigerated for several days.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats (large flake)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds (optional)
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Method:

1. Grease an 8" square baking dish.
2. Mix oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, sugar and almonds together in a bowl.
3. Whisk milk, egg and oil together in a separate bowl. Add mashed bananas.  (Or combine milk, eggs, oil and bananas in blender and pulse until smooth.)
4. Add to oat mixture and stir to combine.
5. Gently stir in the blueberries and spread in prepared baking dish. (I like to save a few blueberries to sprinkle on top.)
6. Bake at 350° F for 35 minutes...or until top is golden.
7. Serve warm with a drizzle of maple syrup, a dollop of yogurt or a splash of milk.

Serves: 9