Recipes

Memorial Day Dessert

Pavlova                                                                          

3 egg whites

1/2 cups runny (melted) honey

2 tablespoons water

3 teaspoons arrowroot starch

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 Pint strawberries, sliced

½ pint blue berries

½ c whipping cream

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet, line it with parchment paper and sprinkle a little water over paper.

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add honey, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in water, then mix in arrowroot powder, vanilla, vinegar and salt.

Pour entire meringue mixture onto the center of the pan. Pavlova will spread as it bakes.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Turn oven off and leave Pavlova in the oven until cold. Turn upside-down onto plate and top with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Dairy free: use coconut cream instead of whipping cream

Eating Pretty: Violets

Wild violets are everywhere from early spring to early summer.  They are not only pretty, but a very tasty wild food.  They are simple to identify and both the flowers and the leaves are mild and delicious. Click here for more on how to identify wild violets.

Violet flowers are great to use as edible garnish for many dishes as well as mixed into salad along with violet leaves.

Candied Violets:

This recipe uses white sugar, not something to eat very often.  these violets are generally used simply as a decoration.

2 egg whites

bunch of wild violet flowers including stems

white sugar

In a bowl, beat egg whites with a wire whisk just until frothy. Place sugar in another bowl. Taking one violet at a time, pick it up by the stem and dip into egg whites, covering all surfaces. Gently dip into the sugar, again being sure all of the petals, top and bottom, are covered. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets; snip off stems. Using a toothpick, open petals to original shape. Sprinkle sugar on any uncoated areas. Dry in a 200° oven for 30-40 minutes or until sugar crystallizes. Gently remove violets to wire racks with a spatula  Sprinkle again with sugar if violets appear syrupy. Cool. Store in airtight containers with waxed paper between

The Perfect Egg

Making the perfect hard boiled egg may not be as simple as it sounds.  But follow these directions and you are sure to make the perfect hard boiled egg.

1) Place eggs in the bottom of a pan and cover with cold water so that the eggs are covered by at least 1 inch of water
2)Add two table spoons of vinegar to the water (this helps them peel easier)
3)Bring water to a rolling boil
4)When water boils, reduce it to a medium boil and boil for 10 minutes
5)Rinse the eggs under cold water right away and leave them there to cool for a few minutes.  This not only helps remove the shell, it also prevents the greenish tint that you sometimes see on the egg yolk
 

Spring Pea Soup

This makes a perfect summer lunch, appetizer or even a light dinner served with some crusty bread.

2 cups cubed peeled potatoes (1 inch)

1pkg. (9 oz. each) frozen peas

1 onion, chopped

5 cups of chicken broth

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1 t butter or olive oil

Sea salt and pepper to taste
 

Saute onion in butter or olive oil until translucent in a large sauce pan or Dutch oven.  Add remaining ingredients, except the sour cream. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 15 min. or until vegetables are tender.  Check seasoning and add salt and pepper is necessary.

Transfer vegetable mixture to blender container in small batches; cover. Blend until smooth; or use a stick ( emersion) blender right in the pot. Pour into medium bowl. Repeat until all of the vegetable mixture is pureed.  Serve in individual bowls topped  dollop of sour cream. 

Persian Sour Cherry Syrup

Use this traditional Persian syrup to pour over ice cream, custard or yogurt or use it to make a fantastic refreshing drink by adding two table spoons of syrup to a glass of chilled sparkling water.

2 # sugar (use organic white sugar for the cleanest flavor, or you may use honey as well.)

2-3 cups of water

1# sour cherries

1/4 teaspoon vanilla
 

Boil the water and sugar together for 15 minutes and than add the cherries.  Simmer for another 20-30 minutes until the cherries are soft and the syrup thickens.  Strain the cherries though a sieve lined with cheese cloth or through a jelly bag, retaining the pits and skins.   Bring the syrup to a boil again and boil for 5 minutes.  Add the vanilla and pour into sterilized bottles or jars right away.  Cap the bottles well and turn them over once to help preserve the syrup.  They should keep for at least a year.  Once opened keep them in the refrigerator.

Tomato Sauce For Freezing

We use tomatoes and tomato sauce often in the kitchen.  Now is the best time to get your hands on fresh, ripe and local tomatoes for a great price.  Make this simple sauce in large quantities and freeze for use during the winter months.

• 4 lbs fresh ripe  tomatoes cut into quarters
• 1/4- 1/2 cup olive oil
• 5-6 med cloves of garlic, sliced up crudely (it's going into a blender)
• Salt to taste or approx. 1/2 tsp

Heat the oil gently and add the garlic.  Let it cook of a minute or two but d not let it brown.  Drop in the tomatoes.  Bring the sauce up to a simmer, let it cook for 10 minutes. Add the salt and then emulsify it with a blender or an immersion blender.

This sauce can be eaten as is over freshly cooked pasta with a generous helping of Parmesan cheese and a good sprinkling of black pepper.  It can also be used to make a more elaborate pasta sauce, used in chili's, soups and just about everywhere else you would use tomatoes, tomato paste or tomato sauce.  Make large amounts of this recipe and freeze in glass jars (leave enough room for expansion), ice cube trays, ziplock bags or plastic containers.

Cooking With Winter Squashes
 

Do you have no idea how to cook with winter squashes?  They are piled up in colorful heaps at the farmer's markets and even supermarkets this time of year and they are healthy, satisfying and simple delicious!  Click on the link below for some very simple winter squash recipes that are sure to be crowd pleasers for your family this Autumn and Winter

Roasted Delicata Squash

Delicata squashes are one of our family's favorites.  They taste like a mix of sweet potato and roasted chestnuts and go great with a variety of dishes and even make a fantastic finger food or snack.  Dare to serve this simple food at cocktail parties this Autumn, and dazzle your guests!

• Delicata squashes
• olive oil
• sea salt and black pepper
• powdered spices (cumin, or curry or cardamom) (optional)

Cut squashes in half length wise and remove seeds (use an ice cream scoop).  Sliced the squash crosswise in 1/2 inch slices.  Toss with enough olive oil, salt pepper and spices of your choice (if using) to coat all pieces.  Spread out on a cookie sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until squash is tender and starting to brown, stirring once.  Serve, hot or at room temperature.

Acorn Squash

Acorn squashes as so sweet that they can even make a great dessert and left overs can be eaten at room temperature for a lovely snack, or even with breakfast.

• Acorn Squashes
• maple syrup or rapadura
• butter or coconut oil
• powdered cinnamon or pumpkin pie spices

Cut squashes in half length wise and scoop out seeds.  To the cavity add a little knob of butter or coconut oil, a dash of maple syrup or a bit of rapadura and a dash of cinnamon.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for about an hour until the squash is tender.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Made From Scratch Pumpkin Pie

Instead of picking up a pumpkin pie at the grocery store this year and wondering about the white sugar and hydrogenated fats your will be serving your family and guests, why not bake your own? Pumpkin pie can actually be not only a great tasting dessert, but also filled with nutrition.  The pumpkin itself provides a great amount of beta carotene and when using sprouted grain flours and natural sweeteners and nutritious fats, this really does become a guilt free pleasure.  Pies can be made up to a day in advance and kept chilled or frozen for several months.  You can also freeze pumpkin puree and crust separate and whip up one of these guys in no time.

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups sprouted grain flour

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons rapadura

• Dash of salt

• 4 tablespoons frozen butter, cut in pieces

• 1/4 cup non-hydrated vegetable shortening or coconut oil or lard, frozen in pieces

• 1/2 egg, lightly beaten

• 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process the flour sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the frozen butter and process until it is the size of large peas, about 5 seconds. Add thefrozen shortening and process for 3 seconds. In a measuring cup, combine the egg and the water. Add egg mixture and process for 5 seconds. Empty the dough onto a counter and incorporate Remaining flour without overworking the dough. Let rest 2 hours

Filling:

• ½ cup rapadura or maple syrup, or 1/4 cup honey

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups pureed pumpkin ( may be canned)

• 1 1//2 cup cream

In small bowl, combine rapadura, salt and spices. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and cream. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake for 45 minutes or until firm

To Bake A Pumpkin:

With a fork prick several holes in the pumpkin.  Place it in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45-60 minutes or until soft when touched. Cool and cut open , remove seeds and scoop out the cooked pumpkin meat.

Chicken Soup

Souped-Up Chicken Soup

I have found chicken soup the perfect vehicle to get my family to consume large amounts of vegetables. Somehow if it is cooked in chicken soup they all love it. So I usually load up my soup with veggies. In addition to carrots and celery I add loads of garlic, finely cut leeks ( some of the green as well) and shredded kale. The kale is only simmered in the broth for 5-10 minutes and retains is bright green color. Make sure it is cut finely and you will find most reluctant kale eaters will be happy to part take of this massively nutritious veggie. A few tablespoons of chopped parsley is also nice.

Your basic chicken soup contains no more that a great stock (learn more about making stock here), some chicken meat, onion, carrot, garlic and celery with a dash of sea salt and pepper. Cooked brown rice or noodles can be added if wanted or you can bulk it up by adding root vegetables such as parsnip, turnip, or potato. Simply simmer the ingredients in the broth for 15 minutes or until tender.