Tradition!

Tradition in our family boils down these days to soup. Many of the old traditions have gone by the wayside and new ones are being formed among the extended family. But one of the oldest still survives - the Christmas Mushroom Soup.
For over 100 years in this country, and who knows how long in Slovakia, this recipe has been served at Christmastime. Originally it was served only on Christmas Eve, but now it’s served on whatever day the Slovak clan gets together for the holidays.
Years ago, I followed my mother-in-law around the kitchen as she prepared the soup and wrote down everything she did. So, here it is: THE RECIPE for THE SOUP.

8 quarts water

3 cups sliced carrots
1 ½ cups sliced celery
2 small cans sauerkraut juice (7.5 ounces) or same amount of juice drained from kraut
3 Tbsp salt,
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme
2 med potatoes, cubed
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 ½ sticks butter (¾ cup)
½ cup flour
1 box barley cooked separately according to package directions.

Put water, carrots, celery, kraut juice, salt, pepper, and thyme into a large kettle. Cook until vegetables are almost done. Add potatoes and continue cooking. Sautee onion and mushrooms in butter until tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove onions and mushrooms from butter and put in soup. Add flour to butter and stir constantly until flour browns. Quickly add 2 cups soup to thin the flour mixture. Stir until smooth. Add this mixture to soup pot and cook until soup thickens slightly.

To serve, we put a spoonful of barley into the soup bowl and ladle the soup on top.

How to Eat Like a Hobbit

You won't believe this, but I came across an article on How to Eat Like a Hobbit. What a fun idea!   It begins like this:

Wild strawberries by my woods

If there is one area of life most people can change in order to return to the Shire, in a metaphorical if not literal sense, it’s their eating habits. You can live in a 20-story high-rise in Manhattan or Paris and still adopt a Hobbit lifestyle when it comes to eating. That’s because Hobbits are different from most of the enslaved subjects of Mordor not only in what they eat… but also in how and why they eat it. Hobbits, along with most of the free peoples of Middle-earth, eat pure, naturally-grown, mostly wild foods from their own gardens or nearby fields: lush berries, fresh bread, cheese, cold meats, mushrooms (lots of those!), wine and beer. They eat frequently, usually in groups and often accompanied by poetry readings and songs. Hobbits are not vegetarians but they have a varied diet of whole, local foods, including Nimcelen, the hobbit version of potato salad; Soroname, a warm soup filled with pasta, meat, tomatoes, beans and onions; and Lembas, Elvish waybread. They drink wine and, when they can get it, such invigorating liquors as Ent-draughts and Miruvor, the life-giving and energizing elixir of the Elves. Food has a spiritual as well as a biological purpose for them.

It's a long article and gets a little political, but towards the end there is a section on practical suggestions that are interesting.  Just click here to read more.

Backwards day in the Shire -
 the moon was out before sunset

Tonight I ate like a Hobbit.  I made a pot of Leek and Barley soup that was mild (bland?), but pretty good.  This was the first time I remember using a leek so I looked up a tutorial on how to clean them.  They are notorious for being very dirty because of the way they grow, but once you know the trick, it isn't too bad of a job.

3 Tablespoons olive oil          1/3 cup parsley, minced
1 cup barley                           Salt to taste
1 carrot finely grated               7 cups water
2 leeks, sliced                         1 boullion cube (opt)
1 bay leaf                                chopped mushrooms (opt)

1. Heat oil and add barley, stir 1 minute.  Immediately add carrots, leeks, bay leaf,  parsley, salt and water.
2. Cook over low to medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes - until barley is tender.  Add more water if needed.
3.  Add optional ingredients during the last 20 minutes of cooking time.

After dinner, it was such a lovely evening, I decided to go for a stroll out  in the Shire. On the path along the woods  I found wild strawberries that were blossoming.  If  I go out every morning when the flowers are done and check for ripe berries, I might be able to get a few.  Usually the critters get there first, but I'm going to give it a try.

Golden sunset over the Shire-
 probably means rain tomorrow

From the Kitchen of My Hearth and Home

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Cherry Almond Bars

If you are new to my blog, you might get the impression that my hearth and home has only a library and a chapel.  Well, it has neither.  I do have some great bookshelves and a little prayer corner -   I use and enjoy them  both.  But, the center of my home has always been the kitchen.

The past few days my kitchen has been BUSY making things for our Ladies Sodality Salad Bar.  It's our biggest fund raiser of the year.  We draw ladies groups from a fifty mile radius and of course we always worry about having enough food!

My contributions were a double batch of Oriental Chicken and Rice Salad - a recipe from my daughter Karen - and my own tried and true Cherry Almond Bars.  Technically, it's a coffee cake, but so rich and tender that I serve it as a dessert.  The last time I made this recipe was for a tea,  served  with whipped cream.

CHERRY ALMOND BARS

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter,softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

4 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 can cherry pie filling

Glaze (below)

Heat oven to 350.  Grease jelly roll pan, 151/2 x 101/2 x 1 inch.  Beat sugar, butter, shortening, baking powder, vanilla, almond extract and eggs in large mixer bowl on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, until blended.  Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 3 minutes.  Stir in flour.  Spread 2/3 of the batter in jelly roll pan.  Spread pie filling over batter.  Drop remaining batter by tablespoonfuls onto pie filling.

Bake until light brown, about 45 minutes.  (Mine is done sooner),  Drizzle with Glaze while warm.  Cut into bars about 2 1/2 x 2 inches.

GLAZE

Beat 1 cup powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons milk until smooth and of desired consistency.  (Mine always takes more milk).

This recipe comes from a booklet that I ordered from General Mills some years ago:  The Best Gold Medal Recipes of 100 Years.  It's  magazine size and is a real treasure.  It contains the whole history of General Mills and 'Betty Crocker' mixed in with dozens of 'tried and true recipes'.  I wonder if it is available anywhere on-line?  It's worth the hunt.

BTW, I like Betty.  We are old friends and you can read about it here: http://myhearthandhome.blogspot.com/2010/01/betty-and-me.html

Pantry Cakes

Time, money, energy - three things that always need to be kept in balance.  Not an easy thing to do at any stage of life.  Anything that helps to save on all three levels is a real treasure. 

When I was a young mom we had one car like most people did back then.  Mr. Bill was in sales and used that car all week - in fact, he was often traveling out of town.  It was a mile walk to the nearest store, which we enjoyed in good weather. But let's face it, good weather is in short supply in our area most of the year.  So, I learned to keep a pantry.


NOT my pantry - but I wish it were!

I converted a hall closet off the kitchen and kept plenty of baking stuff in it.  We didn't have the big plastic storage containers of today, so I used two small metal garbage cans with handles that clamped shut to store 20 pounds of flour and 20 pounds of sugar.  The shelves were filled with basic baking supplies - baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, brown and 10x sugar, powdered and canned milk, oil, etc.

I was always cautious about using up fresh milk and eggs too soon in the week, so I turned to OLD, tried and true, 'everyday' cake recipes.  These two take just a few minutes to mix, use a minimum of equipment, and are GOOD.  They were family favorites then and still are now. Both recipes can be doubled for a 9 x 13 pan.

COCKEYED CAKE  (This one mixes right in the pan and is a rich, dark, and moist cake).
1 1/2 cups flour
3 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp. soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

• Sift the above ingredients into a greased 9" sq. pan - if you have a sifter. ( I did for years until Mr. Bill broke it, so now I spoon the flour lightly into the measuring cups, dump it into the pan and add the other dry ingredients and stir them up).
• Next you make 3 grooves or holes in the dry ingredients. 
• In the first groove you put: 5 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• In the second: 1 Tbsp vinegar.
• In the third: 1 tsp vanilla.

Now comes the fun:  Pour 1 cup cold water over it all and mix with a spoon until nearly smooth and you can't see the flour. (I use a fork). Kind of like making mud pies.  Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour.
We usually serve it sprinkled with powdered sugar.

JOHNNY APPLESEED CAKE (This one mixes in a saucepan)
1/2 cup butter (stick margarine works just fine in this recipe)
1 3/4 cups applesauce  (They used to sell applesauce in 1 lb cans which was perfect amount)
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup raisins or chopped nuts if you want.
Grease bottom only of 9" sq or 11 x 7" pan.  In a large saucepan, melt margarine with applesauce. Remove from heat and blend in the remaining ingredients, stirring until well combined.  Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes.
We usually serve this one with a glaze:  1 cup powdered sugar mixed with enough water to make a thin glaze.

A note about frosting:  Everyday cakes in the past were heavy and moist and didn't really need frosting.  (Think pound cake).  Birthday cakes were light and fluffy and had rich icings and were really only made for the special occasion.  That made them a real treat.

Meatball Kabobs

Our snow all melted and an ill wind blew in Sunday night. It was cold, damp, blustery, and rainy yesterday. The temperature was actually warmer than usual, but with the wind and the damp, I felt colder. The landscape certainly did not look like a winter wonderland!

What a relief to wake up to a light snow covering and gentle flurries in the air. The forecast for the last week of January is that the month will end with dignity - crisp and pretty.

We have been busy indoors putting away the stray ends of Christmas. After all the glitz and glimmer of the season, the house always looks a little dull. We made some adjustments to our decorating, but nothing takes the place of that Christmas warmth. After a few weeks, memories fade and everything looks fine again.

I'm mostly on schedule with my first-of-the-year bookkeeping. It's my time to clean out last years files and to readjust the budget to cover holes created by holiday spending. I also made some changes to my bookkeeping system. In the past, I kept two sets of spreadsheets that would both balance against my checkbook. One was to keep track of all expenses according to category, and one was to enter all expenses against future income to see how we were going to end up at the end of the year. It was a lot of work, since I was doing it for two checking accounts (four spreadsheets in all). I've decided to eliminate three of the spreadsheets and keep only the one for the household budget which is run through my checkbook and the only thing I really can control. This will be a lot more 'effortless' (my key word for the year).

Here is the delicious recipe Steve used for his meatball kabobs. I also happened to have this recipe, although I had never made it. He had another one for chicken kabobs that was different and equally delicious. I'll have to track him down to get it.

MEATBALL KABOBS

1 Package wooden skewers soaked in water 30 minutes before using.
32 frozen fully cooked 1-inch meatballs (1 pound), thawed
1 red pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1 green pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
Opt: Wedges of onion, chunks of pineapple (Steve used both)
1/4 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Thread meatballs, vegetables, and fruit alternately onto skewers.
Microwave jam on HIGH 15 seconds. Mix with BBQ sauce. Brush half onto kabobs.
Grill 8-10 minutes turning occasionally and brushing with remaining sauce.

Served with cous-cous or rice, this fits my profile for more 'effortless' cooking for the new year.

Betty and Me

We are on day two of heavy snow and I have spent some time curled up with a book and an afghan. It didn't turn out to be 'Snowbound' as I had predicted, but one of my good old cookbooks! (You just never know where your muse will take you).

I had been thinking that watching 'Julia and Julia' would be really great, but I didn't have the DVD. Then I was thinking that reading 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' would be really great, but I have given it away. Then I remembered that I have a cookbook that, like Julia, I have made almost everything in it - and it was all really good. It's my Betty Crocker Cookbook.

Not only is it good, but it's really old. I remembered where I first saw it, but I couldn't remember when.

I had turned into the cookbook aisle at B. Dalton's and there it was, propped up in it's own little cardboard display in the middle of the aisle. I took one look at the luscious red-orange cover with the picture perfect dishes on it and I fell in love. This was totally irrational because I was well on my way to becoming a food snob and would not normally consider having anything to do with something as banal as BETTY CROCKER.

How old is it? It took a while to find out. When I looked it up on line I discovered that there are more than one red-orange editions and I couldn't remember exactly what mine looked like. About 20 years ago I covered it with wallpaper and mystic tape because it was looking a little worn. Since there was no copyright info inside, I took the wallpaper off and there it was - looking pretty well preserved for a 30 year old cookbook that is used daily. 1978 is the first year this edition came out and I think that's when I bought it.

It was well worth the purchase if only for the five beef pot roast recipes and seven variations on pages 12 and 13; I've used these recipes countless times. Or for the Mandarin Salad on page 134; I use the sweet-sour dressing all the time on any salad. Or for the Bean-Mushroom Medley on page 166; several generations of our family have become famous for this dish. Or for the Watermelon Supreme on page 287; the aloha sauce is a superb addition to the fruit. Did I mention the Bonnie Butter Cake on page 247? It makes the best birthday cake ever. Of course, then there is the whole pie section. But I won't go on.

Julia of the book and movie had Julia Child to inspire her and she spent a year working through MAFC. I started out with Julia Child and James Beard, but in the end it was good old eveyday Betty Crocker that inspired me - and has continued to do so for 30 some years.

Sometimes you CAN judge a book by its cover!

The Evolution of Recipes

The picture on the right is of a Christmas Stolen. It's a German coffee bread that is traditionally served on Christmas morning. I've never made one before, but plan to this year.

The first Christmas thing I bake every year is a fruit filled pound cake that was originally called Kentucky Bourbon Cake. I was laughing as I put the fruit out to soak because I couldn't remember how the recipe went when I first started making it 35 years ago. I've lost the original recipe and am making more modifications this year to the already modified recipe.

It can't be called a Bourbon cake any longer because I decided to use Brandy. Since I live in Indiana, it could be named Indiana Brandy Cake. Originally it called for the traditional fruitcake type candied fruit along with raisins and pecans. Since I don't like citron or candied pineapple, I switched to green and red glaceed cherries. This year I have an abundance of dried cranberries so I decided to dump the glace fruit altogether. Mr. Bill is a little nervous because he doesn't like too many changes to his favorite recipes. I think it will be great! (Recipe follows below)

The reason I ended up using brandy was that I was too embarrassed to ask for bourbon. Even then it was an adventure to get the brandy for the cake. When I lived up north my local supermarket carried everything, even liquor. Well, my new local supermarket carries wine and beer, but that's it. I asked the checkout lady where I could get brandy and she looked shocked. I told her right away that it was for fruitcake, but I don't think she believed me. The bag boy knew, though, and informed me that there is a liquor store a little farther down the street. I had never noticed it. I felt a little funny going in there, and although I told the girl I was making fruitcake, I think I just should not have said anything.

The cake only takes 1/3 cup of brandy and a little more to soak the cheesecloth wrap as it ages. So now I had a lot of brandy left. Many years ago I made something called a Rum Pot. Over a period of 4 weeks you add different fruits to rum and sugar. When it is done, it can be served over ice cream or pound cake. Well, you probably guessed - this year I'm making Brandied Fruit instead. I could have called it Brandy Pot but it somehow lost a lot in the translation. (Recipe follows below)

All of that brings me back to Christmas Stolen. I never made it because it calls for citron. I'm thinking though that it might be great with glaceed cherries...or maybe even cranberries.

INDIANA BRANDY CAKE

1 1/2 cups raisins
2 cups dried cranberries (or red and green candied cherries)
1/3 cup brandy (or bourbon - maybe even sherry)
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1. Soak raisins and fruits in brandy for several hours.
2. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Stir dry ingredients together.
3. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs until light and fluffy.
4. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk.
5. Stir in fruits and nuts.
6. Turn into pan. Bake a 300 for 2 hours. It's done when top springs back.
7. Cool in pan 20 min. Remove and cool completely. Wrap in brandy-soaked cheesecloth and then in foil. Store in refrigerator 3-4 weeks. Resoak as necessary.

BRANDIED FRUIT
Allow at least 4 weeks before serving.

1 can (16 ounces) sliced peaches, drained
1 can (13 1/4 ounces) pineapple chunks
2 cups sugar.
1 cup brandy (or rum)

Place peaches and pineapple in 2-3 quart sterilized glass or glazed pottery container. Add 2 cups sugar and the brandy. (Fruit should be completely covered with brandy; add more brandy if necessary.) Cover container loosely. Let stand at room temperature, stirring several times to dissolve sugar, for 2 weeks. (Stir carefully to avoid breaking up fruit)

After 2 weeks add:
1 can (16 ounces) sliced pears, drained
1 can (about 17 ounces) apricot halves, drained
2 cups sugar

Fruit should always be completely covered; add more brandy if necessary. Let stand at room temperature, stirring several times to dissolve sugar, 2 weeks longer.

After 2 weeks stir in:
1 package (10 ounces) frozen raspberries, thawed.
The Brandied Fruit is now ready to use. It will keep several weeks if stored in refrigerator. Serve at room temperature for best flavor. 15 to 20 servings.

I started my fruit last Thursday - to be ready for New Year's Eve.

My Thanksgiving Recipe Book

A few years ago I decided to put all my Thanksgiving recipes into one small book. Usually I had piles of cookbooks and loose recipes all over the counters in a rather small kitchen with limited counter space.

In my Microsoft Works there is a place to organize recipes and I typed the ones I needed in there and added some Thanksgiving clip art. I bought a small inexpensive 4 x 6 foto album and replaced their cardboard cover insert with my own - (picture above). Here is how some of the recipe pages turned out:





This works out well for Thanksgiving because I almost always make the same things. This year I only made the Turkey, Gravy, Stuffing and Potatoes. My Guests brought the vegetables and dessert.

Some of the other recipes included in my book are Turkey Stuffing, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Bean-Mushroom Medley, Pastry for two pie crusts, Famous Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie and Crescent rolls. (I cheated and bought rolls again this year).

I found my little book so handy and helpful that I made one for Christmas Baking too.

NO leaves, NO sun, NOvember

November is living up to it's bad reputation this week.

November

No sun - no moon!
No morn - no noon -
No dawn - no dusk - no proper time of day.
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member -
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! -
November!

by Thomas Wood

Boy! That's depressing - and so is the 5 days of rain we've had. But never fear - I have lots of inspiration and cheer to get through these darkened days. Here's a better November poem:

Kitchen Magic

When Gray days sometimes leave you
At a loss for what to do,
Fill your house with warmth and fragrance....
Bake a pie, a cake or two.

Make some heart-shaped sugar cookies
or a creamy pudding, fine;
A batch of fudge or brownies
Helps to pass the gloomy time.

A tin of golden muffins
Or some loaves of fresh-baked bread,
I am sure will be more pleasing
Than some 'store-bought' bread, instead.

What a thoughtful cheery greeting
For your loved ones...at the door
When they sniff your homemade goodies,
Wafting welcome evermore.

Violet Rourke Broderick

"Kitchen Magic" comes from the Ideals pamphlet shown on the left. It's one of several that I have - dog-eared and well used. The sentiments and heart-warming pictures always pull me back to the 'ideal' of family life and daily living. Some may call this 'corny', but the poems and pictures speak to my heart.

Today, I am inspired to make some of my Cranberry - Ginger Shortbread. - a recipe I copied from the Dec 2001 Victoria Magazine . So, I'll turn on all the lights in the kitchen, pick out a fall looking apron, line up all the ingredients on my island and indulge myself in a happy hour of creativity.

Cranberry Shortbread

2 sticks butter
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
2/3 cup coarsely chopped dried cranberries
1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger OR 1/4 tsp powdered ginger (or more to taste)

1. Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (for 3 6" rounds).

2. Cream butter and sugar. Add dry ingredients on low speed, slowly. Stir in cranberries and ginger. Mix until just crumbly. Knead together into a ball.

3. Divide dough into 3 balls. Press each to a 6" round on baking sheet. Cut each round into 8 wedges (do not divide). Press edges with tines of a fork. Chill 15 min.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Edges should be light brown.

5. Let cool 15 minutes on pan. Cut now or later.

'My Apologies' and 'If I had a Goose I MIGHT Have Cooked It.'

I have to apologize for my ramblings about the 'good old days' the last two blogs. I guess it comes from my frustration at not being able to complete the decorating on my new place. I kind of wander around trying to decide what to do about curtains and where to hang pictures. So instead of grasping the situation firmly and getting it done, I spend time reading philosophy and then more time philosophizing! Meanwhile, my 86 year old mother is telling me all her plans and accomplishments. (This week she is painting her shed - one side per day). Some day I'll figure out her secret. One thing - she isn't distracted by reading philosophy. Cookbooks, yes, but philosophy, no.

Yesterday, I was wasting time researching Michaelmas Daisies and came across information that there are all sorts of things associated with the name 'Michaelmas'. One of them is a harvest feast that usually includes a roast goose and things made from apples - apple stuffing, apple jelly, apple desserts. A goose used to be essential, but I found out that nowadays a chicken is considered more than adequate. This is a good thing - one Thanksgiving my Mom decided to cook a goose instead of a turkey and it was quite a project. It was a hilarious project! I'll tell the story in a future blog.

Well, anyway, since I hadn't planned dinner yet, I decided to make a Michaelmas feast (with a roast chicken). I went to my local market and found that all the whole chickens at the meat counter were frozen solid! The breasts were all frozen, too, but I did find some good looking thighs that were pot-ready. I picked up some apple butter and some bread that had a 'harvest time' look about it.

When I got home, I cut up some apples and put them in the bottom of a baking dish. I placed the chicken thighs on top, smeared them with butter and a little salt and baked them at 375 for an hour. I threw some baking potatoes in the oven, too. A tossed salad with lettuce,apples, dried cranberries, and nuts topped with a sweet-sour dressing was a last minute inspiration.

I must say that my 'feast' surpassed my expectations! It looked very 'harvesty' and tasted great! The apple butter on the bread was a great touch. We finished off with some pumpkin spice bars and a little cranberry wine from Wisconsin.

My feast wasn't planned, but sometimes serendipity works, too.

P.S. The fall term at Oxford is also called 'Michaelmas'; the spring term is called St. Hillary. See what useful info you can find when you waste time!

Honey Butter from daughter K

A special treat that is exceptional on croissants... or rolls... or anything, really :>)


Cut and mix well in mixer: 1# butter.
On medium speed add: 1/4 cup honey, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
Beat five minutes.

You may roll them into two "logs" and put in fridge.
I mounded the butter into four soup- type mugs, and tied a little raffia around the handles.