Blueberry Pineapple Dessert

Over 20 years ago, my husband and I were members of a wonderful round dance club in Cincinnati, the Bendoliers.  At Christmas time, the couple who served as President gave a brunch for the other officers in the club.  As Secretary, my husband I were invited and it was a beautiful meal.  I told the hostess that my favorite dish was what she called “Blueberry Salad” and asked for the recipe.  She was amazed that I didn’t know this old standby and as the years have passed, I’ve seen many versions of it in community cookbooks.  But at that time it was new to me and I loved it.

I adapted her recipe a little bit and I think of it as a dessert rather than a salad, but basically, it’s the same great dish we had that long-ago Christmas.

BLUEBERRY PINEAPPLE DESSERT

• Two 6 oz. packages of blackberry gelatin (I used four 3 oz. packages of Jell-O Blackberry Fusion)
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup cold fruit juice*
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• One 8 oz. can crushed pineapple

*Whenever I drain a can of fruit, I put it into a pint jar that I keep in the freezer.  I keep adding the drained juice from whatever fruit I have until I have enough to replace the cold water in a gelatin recipe.  In this case, I used a mixture of several kinds of fruit.

Topping

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup dairy sour cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

In a 9×9 pan, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.  Add the cold fruit juice, stirring well.  Chill in the refrigerator for about 1-1/2 hours until the mixture cools and begins to thicken.  After the mixture has thickened, add the blueberries and pineapple.  (Pineapple should be drained through a sieve into a cup, lightly pressing with a spoon.   I add this juice to my jar of stashed juice in the freezer.)

Chill gelatin/fruit mixture until set.

After the gelatin/fruit mixture has set, make the topping:  Beat together the cream cheese, dairy sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla.  Spread the topping over the gelatin/fruit mixture.  Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield:  9 delicious servings.

Rhubarb and Friends Cobbler

For many years, I tried various cobbler recipes without being completely satisfied.  Then, in 1996, I found a recipe for cobbler in one of my favorite cookbooks – The Farm Journal Pie Cookbook, and they stressed that the filling should be piping hot when the dough is spooned onto it.  I’ve made many cobblers with all kinds of fruit since then and have always been pleased with the results.

On this beautiful June Sunday morning, I was debating what to fix for dessert for myself – no company for dinner this week.  My decision was based on what I found in my refrigerator:  a recent cutting of rhubarb from my garden, a couple of Granny Smith apples, and a small amount of fresh blueberries.  I wanted to make something that would be good for dessert today but also taste good a couple of days from now – not too rich, not too much fat.  I think this cobbler made from the rhubarb and its friends in the refrigerator was just right.  It will be my dessert well into next week.

RHUBARB & FRIENDS COBBLER

Fruit Filling:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tblsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1-1/2 cups rhubarb, cut in 1″ pieces
• 2 cups tart apple,  peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1 Tblsp. butter
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

In a medium saucepan, mix the granulated sugar, cornstarch and water.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for one minute.  Remove from heat – add the rhubarb, apple slices, blueberries, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg – stirring gently to blend.  Pour this mixture into an ungreased one-quart casserole dish.

Dough:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tblsp. granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
• 1/2 cup milk

In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  Cut in the vegetable shortening and then stir in the milk with a fork.  Drop by spoonsful onto the hot fruit filling.  Place the casserole dish on a flat pan to catch spills and bake @ 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes.

Serve in bowls with cobbler juices and whipped cream/topping or ice cream.

Yield:  6 servings

One of my Mother’s Day gifts this year was a set of vintage two-handled soup bowls.

I might not be making much soup this summer, but the bowl is just the right size for a serving of cobbler.

Texas Caviar via St. Louis

My daughter-in-law in St. Louis enjoys cooking and loves to try new recipes.  She passed this one on, which was also new to me.  It makes a delicious snack and has also served as a light lunch a few times.  The only changes I made to her recipe were to reduce the olive oil and to add cilantro.

TEXAS CAVIAR

Marinade

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Place vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Heat until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat, add oil, salt/pepper.  Set aside to cool.

Fresh Vegetables (Chop all about the size of a corn kernel)

• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 medium onion
• 1 Tblsp. jalapeno*
• 2 Tblsp. fresh cilantro leaves

*I used New Canaan Farms’ Sweet & Hot Jalapeno

Canned Ingredients (Drain and rinse)

• One 15 oz. can pinto beans
• One 15 oz. can black beans
• One 11-15 oz. can whole kernel corn

Mix all of the canned ingredients in a large bowl.  Add the chopped vegetables and the cooled marinade.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

My family likes to use Tostido scoop corn chips with this caviar.

Ginger Pear Muffins

Twenty years ago, I bought a cookbook that specialized in all kinds of muffins to give my daughter-in-law in St. Louis for her birthday.  I don’t recall the name of the book, but before I put it in the mail, I copied a lot of interesting muffin recipes.   This is one of them, a family favorite for over 20 years.

GINGER PEAR MUFFINS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (Canola)
• 3 Tblsp. molasses
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 cups peeled, diced pears (or one 15 oz. can pears, drained and diced)
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Grease a 12-cup muffin tin, BOTTOMS ONLY (to allow muffins to “dome”)

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, molasses and egg.  Pour all at once into the flour mixture and stir just until flour mixture is incorporated.

Gently stir in the diced pears and chopped walnuts.

Spoon batter into greased muffin tins.  Bake @ 350 degrees F for approximately 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Remove muffins from tins and place on a wire rack.  Serve warm.  These muffins freeze well.

Slip Covers for Oven Mitts

I have two oven mitts and a pot holder that are at least 15 years old, in good shape, but stained and unsightly.

I thought maybe a “slipcover” for each would solve the problem.

I used recycled gift wrap to make a pattern.  Just trace around the mitt and add 1/2″ (1/4″ seam and 1/4″ to allow for thickness) along the sides.  At the top, add 1″ for a hem and for the cover to extend a little above the pad/mitt.

Whenever I have a quilting or sewing project, I collect all of the small pieces of fabric and sew them together in coordinating colors to make a flat piece of material.  Place whatever fabric you are using right sides together and pin the patterns in place.  Cut out the pieces and stitch together using 1/4″ inch seams, leaving the top open.  Turn down the top 1/4″ and again 1/4″ and stitch in place.  Clip in the space where the thumb joins (be careful not to cut into the stitching) so the mitt will be smooth in that area.

Turn the covers, press and place over the mitts and pad, allowing the hanging tab on the originals to protrude.  A good way to get the mitt cover on is to put the original mitt on your hand and then pull the cover over it as you would a mitten.

The covers stay in place very well and can be removed for washing or for replacing with new covers – maybe even with  seasonal or holiday themes.

I love to recycle something and get some extra wear out of it!

Pork BBQ and Strawberry Glaze Pie

Today’s lunch menu included an easy Pork Barbecue and an equally easy Strawberry Glaze Pie.

I like to buy about 2 lbs. of lean boneless pork ribs (called Pork Loin Gourmet Ribs in my store).  The ribs are cooked overnight in a slow cooker, then the next day the meat is pulled, combined with a sauce and baked in a 300 degree oven for 2 hours.  I like the slow cooker for cooking the pork but prefer the flavor and consistency of the barbecue when it’s baked after the sauce is added.

MOM’S PULLED PORK BARBECUE

• 2 lbs. boneless country style ribs

Trim any fat from meat and place in slow cooker.  Let cook 8-10 hours on low.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F

Remove meat from slow cooker, drain and allow to cool until it can be pulled apart.  Place the pulled pork in a 9×9 baking pan.

Make the sauce:

• One 24 oz. bottle of catsup
• 2 Tblsp. dark brown sugar
• 2 Tblsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 2 Tblsp. dried minced onions
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 cup white vinegar

Pour the above sauce  ingredients directly on top of the pork in the baking dish.

Mix well and place in preheated 300 degree F oven.  Bake uncovered for two hours, stirring occasionally.  Barbecue is ready at this point but can be covered and kept in a 170 degree F oven until ready to serve.

Serve on buns with coleslaw on top or on the side.

STRAWBERRY GLAZE PIE

Preheat oven to 410 degrees F.

Roll out pastry for a single crust, 9″ pie (see my Sure-Fire Crust recipe).  Prick the crust with a fork on the bottom and sides.

Put a piece of aluminum foil loosely on top of the crust and fill with dry beans.  I keep a jar filled with a pound of dry beans which I use over and over again.

Bake crust @ 410 degrees F for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and lift out foil with beans.   Place the pie plate back in the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Strawberry Filling and Glaze

• 5 cups of fresh strawberries, divided
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tblsp. cornstarch

Hull strawberries and if they are small they can be left whole.  Otherwise, cut in half to make fairly uniform pieces.   Place one cup of strawberries in a small saucepan. Crush berries with a big spoon or potato masher.  Add water.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and continue simmering for 2 minutes.  Pour the berry mixture through a sieve into another small saucepan.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch – slowly whisk this mixture into the berry/water mixture and place on medium heat.  Cook and whisk constantly until mixture is thick and clear – about 2 minutes.

In the baked pie shell, place one-half of the strawberries and top with one-half of the glaze. Repeat with remaining berries and glaze.

Chill for at least an hour – an inverted pie plate makes a good cover.

Serve with whipped cream or topping.

A really tasty lunch – and the leftovers are good, too!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie for Mother’s Day

I like to cook and my daughters don’t, so I’m the one who fixes dinner for every holiday, including Mother’s Day.  Our traditional meal is Chicken Parmesan with bowtie pasta, homemade garlic bread and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (with apple pie for my son-in-law and grandson).

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE

• Pastry for 9″ two-crust pie (see my Sure-Fire crust recipe)
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 Tblsp. quick cooking tapioca
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• One pound of rhubarb cut into 1/2″ pieces (3 cups)
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 Tblsp. butter
• 1 Tblsp. milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Line a 9″ pie plate with half of the pastry dough.

In a large bowl combine the sugar, tapioca, salt, nutmeg, rhubarb and strawberries.  Mix gently and let rest for about 20 minutes.

Turn the fruit into the pastry-lined pan.

Dot with butter.  Roll out remaining pastry dough for top crust.  Place top crust on fruit, crimp edges and brush with milk.  Place pie pan on a larger sheet to catch spills and bake @ 375 degrees F for 45-50 minutes until crust is nicely browned.  Cool on a wire rack.

In 2004, I made an apron to enter in the Warren County Fair (Lebanon, Ohio) and it won a blue ribbon.  It’s a simple cobbler style apron with snowball blocks and vintage fabric showing mothers hard at work.

On the pocket is the old adage … “A mother’s work is never done”.

Every year, I wear the apron to serve Mother’s Day dinner and thank heaven that it’s true a mother’s work is never done, even when all of the children have grown and left home.

Favorite Granola

I found this recipe in a library book back in 2001.   I enjoy it as my morning cereal especially when the weather is warm.  It’s very filling and satisfying with some healthy ingredients.

FAVORITE GRANOLA

• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup peanut oil
• 7 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1-1/2 cups wheat bran
• 1/2 cup wheat germ

I use a huge vintage graniteware pan that is about the equivalent of two 9×9″ pans.  Spray pans with non-stick spray.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, heat honey and oil over medium heat for about 4 minutes.

In a large bowl mix oats, wheat bran and wheat germ.  Drizzle the honey/oil mixture over and mix well.

Spread mixture in sprayed pans about 3/4″ thick.

Bake uncovered in 250 degree F oven for one hour, stirring about every 20 minutes.  Note:  Use a pan with sides to avoid having cereal crumbs all over the oven when you stir.

Cool granola, then spoon into one-quart containers.  Refrigerate if not used within 2 weeks.

Makes approximately two quarts of granola (8 cups).

I like to add some walnuts and dried fruit with each serving along with some good cold milk.

Eggs a la Goldenrod

In the spring of 1943, I was in the sixth grade when we moved from downtown Cincinnati to the neighborhood known as the East End.  I went to school at old Highland Elementary on the banks of the Ohio River where every spring there was a threat of the river flooding the playground, although it never reached the school in the years I was there.

As we walked along the hall leading from my sixth-grade classroom, I would try to steal a glimpse of the wonderful home economics room.  It was a huge area with sewing machines lining one wall – one electric machine and the rest foot-pedal operated models.  One section of the room was outfitted with individual cooking stations with small burners, a counter and a supply of cooking equipment.  There were two ranges with ovens for baked treats.  I couldn’t wait to get into the seventh grade and begin my adventures in cooking – I wasn’t that anxious to sew.

In the fall of 1943, the girls of our class trooped into the room, taught by a very nice middle-aged lady.  We had to start out with sewing lessons so that we could make an apron, a potholder and a dishtowel to use when we began to cook.  Finally, sewing classes were completed and we were ready to learn all about cooking.  The cookbook that I remember seeing in the classroom was a 1942 Wartime Edition of the American Woman’s Cook Book, edited by Ruth Berolzheimer.  About 40 years later, I found a copy of the book at an antique market.

The book was unusual for that era to have so many color plates.  I especially liked one that was used on the inside covers of the book.

In those wartime years of extreme patriotism, there was a large picture of General Douglas MacArthur at the beginning of the book….

…and on page 371 was the recipe that began my cooking experience – Eggs a la Goldenrod. It was a simple recipe, appropriate to the age group, very bland and not especially tasty.  We went on to make other food items that year and I was so anxious to get into the big girls’ eighth grade class to see what fabulous dishes we would make.

In the fall of 1944, once again we had our sewing classes first and made an apron, a potholder and a dish towel.  Finally, it was time for a roomful of more experienced cooks to begin a new season.  The teacher got out the trusty blue cookbook, turned to page 371, and once again our first experience of the year was Eggs a la Goldenrod. The dish hadn’t improved as far as a bunch of 12/13-year-old girls was concerned, but again we went on to do more ambitious projects – we even baked bread.

In the fall of 1945, I left my neighborhood, got on a streetcar and went to what was then a very large and prestigious high school, Withrow in Hyde Park.

The grounds were beautiful, there was an arching bridge and a clock tower at the entrance, and a large room was devoted completely to sewing with only electric sewing machines – no waiting in line as we had done at Highland.  I wasn’t that ambitious about sewing but did assume that two years of experience would enable us to make an interesting project right off the bat.  We made an apron, a potholder and a dishtowel.

Then, at last came the day we could go into the spacious, modern 1940s era cooking room.  The stations were wonderful and a big change for all of the girls (there were never boys in my home ec classes) was that we all had to wear hairnets while we cooked.  We looked expectantly at our teacher – she didn’t pull out the blue cookbook, but you guessed it, our first dish was Eggs a la Goldenrod.

Fast forward 66 years from 1943 to 2009.  I was leafing through some of my vintage cookbooks and happened to pick up a blue-bound book and almost by magic found myself on page 371.  There it was – Eggs a la Goldenrod.  I couldn’t resist – I had to make it for breakfast for my daughter who had heard the story many times.

EGGS A LA GOLDENROD FOR TWO

• 1 cup thin white sauce (see recipe below)
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 2 slices of thick, hearty bread (I used homemade)
• Salt/Pepper to taste

Thin White Sauce

• 1 Tblsp. flour
• 1 cup milk, divided
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1 Tblsp. butter

In small saucepan, place flour, 1/4 cup cold milk, salt and pepper.  Whisk until smooth.  Heat remaining 3/4 cup milk and add to the milk/flour mixture.  Cook over medium heat, whisking continually until mixture thickens.  Continue cooking and whisking for an additional 2 minutes.   Remove from heat and stir in butter.

Peel eggs and separate yolks from whites.  Chop the whites very fine and add to the white sauce along with the salt and pepper to taste.

Toast the bread and place one slice on each of two plates.  Pour over the toast the white sauce mixture.  Press the egg yolks through a sieve and sprinkle over the top.  Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings

Unfortunately, the dish doesn’t taste any better now than it did back in 1943.  Even using good home-baked bread rather than the thin white bread I’m sure we used then, it was pretty ordinary.  But now my daughter knows exactly what I mean when I mention Eggs a la Goldenrod.

A Young Artist-Crafter

My five-year-old granddaughter (known here as Dolphin) is a budding artist-crafter.  As soon as she was able to hold a pencil or crayon in her hand, she started creating artwork.  She loves the idea of recycling and finding uses for odd items in a craft.  Everything is fair game – wrappers from the straws at McDonald’s as well as the paper napkins, bits of fabric, beads, pretty stones, cereal boxes, etc., etc.  Her mother and I both keep an area well stocked with all kinds of paper, tape, crayons, markers – all Dolphin needs is an inspiration to get her started and she gets inspired multiple times an hour.  She’s come up with some really interesting projects and I can’t wait to see what she’ll do as she gets older and more experienced.

For my Easter gift, she used a kit rather than one of her own creations, but carefully put together a unicorn with a tiny flower.  I told her I would  mount it and frame it so I could set it up and admire it.  She specified a blue frame and I printed out a background with a moon.  Her only complaint was that she thought red flowers on the frame would have looked nice and I imagine there will be some on it as soon as she has a chance to work on them.