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!

Snowbound!

Out of the bosom of the Air,
Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,
Over the woodlands brown and bare,
Over the harvest-fields forsaken,
Silent,
And soft,
And slow
Descends
The snow.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - my first and favorite poet thrills me every time it snows with his lines - 'Silent and soft and slow, Descends the snow'. What a gift to be able to paint a picture with words.

Well, right on cue as we closed the Christmas season, the winter season jumped upon us. As I sit at my desk looking out the window across the field, I can't see anything but white. No houses, no road, no soccer storage shed, are in view.

Birds are being blown past my window on their way to the feeder and there is one lonely large bird digging in the snow trying to get down to the dirt for a snack. It may be the young grackle that I saw on my porch rail the other day. I wondered how it was going to eat. Grackles don't do seeds.

Snowbound! One word that paints many pictures: bread baking, soup simmering, hot chocolate and cookies; crunching in the snow to fill the feeders; curling up with an afghan and a book (probably Snowbound by Whittier). It used to paint a picture of snow shovels and snow blowers, but that isn't needed at our new place. We can just open the curtains wide and enjoy the experience and spectacular view.

Living in a new place leads to learning many new things and to many new questions. For instance, the weather forecasts around here are hard to figure out. 5-7 inches of snow today, 1-3 tomorrow, and more the next day. That I understand - but 'freezing fog' is something I never heard of before and is something that I can't even imagine. I'll let you know if I figure it out.

In the meanwhile, I am going to try to find something for the poor grackle to eat. What do you think - peanut butter and raisins?

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.

Of Cottages--and Kings

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cottages--and kings--"

This little ditty kept running through my head the other day. It's one of those famous poem lines I had to memorize as a child. After a while I realized that I had it wrong - the last line is 'of CABBAGES--and kings'. (Methinks it might have been a Freudian slip). I had been asking myself why I was still at sixes and sevens two full months after the big move, and what comes to mind but a Lewis Carroll nonsense rhyme!

It's called 'The Walrus and the Carpenter' and is from 'Alice Through the Looking Glass'. Since I was thinking about it, I decided to look up the rest of the poem. Here's the first two stanzas:

The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright--
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.


The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done--
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"

I've never been a big fan of Lewis Carroll or of nonsense poems in general, so I was shocked to find that it was making sense to me! Everything is topsy-turvy and not in the place it's supposed to be. Even the sun and the moon seem to be in the wrong places.

I can relate to that. Since 1978 I've lived in houses that were oriented East to West. My new cottage is oriented North to South. I can't see the sun rise OR set. I always tried to do my morning devotions at sunrise and it was great to see a new day dawn. If I could, I tried to do my evening devotions at sunset - sometimes with spectacular displays as a backdrop. The last house was a great one for sunsets.

And that's not all: every time I automatically reach for something, it's not there and I have to stop and think where I've put it. Every time I write my address, I have to stop and really concentrate to get it right. I used to just jump into my car and it would go on automatic pilot to wherever I needed to be. (Okay, some days I'd end up in the wrong spot, but not too often). The first night we were here I didn't realize that I was sleeping on the wrong side of the bed because it was turned around. I ended up falling off in the middle of the night. And on and on it goes.

I really like my cottage and don't miss my old house at all - certainly NOT the stairs. But I have been disoriented. I'm sure it's not my age!

O course, sooner or later, this will all pass. In the meanwhile, I think I'll dig out my Alice books. I may be able to relate to her in a whole new way!