It's Finally Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas! {Recipe: Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle}

It has been so busy around here that we did not get our Christmas tree up until yesterday, December 15th. This is the latest we have put up the tree in a long while. I also had a chance to do a little holiday candy making. This year I decided to start with Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle. I don't make it every year, but when I do, this is my go to recipe. It really is the best peanut brittle ever! 

Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle

This recipe is adapted from a recipe found in the Brittles, Barks, & Bonbons cookbook by Charity Ferreira.

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup light corn syrup

2 cups unsalted dry roasted peanuts (about 10 ounces)

1. Line a 10x15" jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Dissolve the baking soda and salt in the vanilla; set aside.

2. In a large pot over medium heat, stir together the sugar, water, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup butter until the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted. Increase the heat and boil, stirring occasionally with a heatproof spatula or a wooden spoon, until the mixture turns a deep golden brown and measures 309º to 320º on a candy thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully stir in the vanilla mixture (it will sputter and bubble up), then add the peanuts.

3. Immediately pour into the prepared pan. If necessary, use a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to spread the mixture out. Let stand at room temperature until cool, about 1 hour. 

4. Lift the brittle from the pan and break into chunks. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 

Merry Christmas and Enjoy!

Last, but Not Least {Recipe: Grandma Jones' Sugar Cookie III aka Tennessee Sugar Cookies}

This is the third and final sugar cookie recipe I have from my grandmother. All three have different textures, the first one is chewy with crispy edges (my favorite), the second one is lighter and crispy, and this one is a little more dense and crispy. All are good, just depends on what you are in the mood for. 


Grandma Jones' Sugar Cookies III aka Tennessee Sugar Cookies 

Cream:
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup granulated sugar 

Add:
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Beat well.

Sift and Add:
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups four

Stir until well combined. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. After refrigeration, shape dough into walnut sized balls, then roll in granulated sugar, shredded coconut, or chopped walnuts or almonds*; press down with a fork or flat bottomed cup.  Bake at 375ºF for 10-12 minutes, or until edges turn light golden brown. 

*Note: Sprinkles can be added to the dough and/or pressed on top, in addition to rolling in sugar, for confetti cookies. 

Happy Baking!

Grandma Knows Best {Recipe: Grandma Jones' Sugar Cookies II}

This recipe is the second of three sugar cookie recipes I have from my grandmother. I was reluctant to try this one because of the cup of oil, but I'm glad I finally did  They are a light, crispy, not too sweet cookie. I made them for my kids and their friends and they were gone in 0.2 seconds. 

Grandma Jones's Sugar Cookies II

1 egg
1 cup oil
1 cube butter* (1/2 cup, softened)
1 cup sugar 
3 cups flour (sifted)
1/2 teaspoons soda in a little hot water (I used about a teaspoon)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350-375ºF. Beat egg, oil, butter, and sugar well. (I add the vanilla at this point as well) Then add the rest of the ingredients. (I sift the flour, baking powder and salt together, then added to the wet ingredients) Roll in a ball, then roll in sugar before baking. (I found that the cookies did not spread very much when baking, so I flattened them a bit with a flat bottomed cup dipped in sugar. The best results were to remove the cookies 5 minutes into baking, flatten, then returning to the oven to finish baking.) Bake 8-10 minutes, or until the bottoms get a light golden brown.

Cookies on the left were flattened after baking for 5 minutes.
The cookies on the right were flattened before baking.
As you can see, the ones on the right cracked a lot more
on the edges.

Yields about 3 dozen cookies.

*Note: Most of my grandmother's recipes for cookies call for "oleo" (margarine). I don't like using margarine, so that is the one ingredient change I make to her recipes. That and sometimes adding rainbow sprinkles, because sprinkles make everything better!:)

Enjoy!

Sweet Summer Memories {Recipes: Strawberry Shortcake and Strawberry Lemon Shortcake with Balsamic and Brown Sugar Soaked Strawberries}

Over the summer my family and I traveled to Oregon. During our travels there we got together with my cousins that I had not seen for many years. While we were together we were reminiscing about the strawberry shortcake our grandmother used to make. We all agree that it was the best strawberry shortcake ever!

Since my grandmother was making enough for the entire group of aunts, uncles, cousins, etc...she would take out two giant bowls, throwing the ingredients in one for the shortcake and a bunch of strawberries, rinsed and with the tops taken off, in the other. For the shortcake she never measured anything, just tossed the ingredients in and mixed it together. And for the strawberries, she would put a few tablespoons of sugar in and cut them up with a can that my grandfather took the rim off the opened end and poked a few vent holes in the other end. Her shortcake was always served with vanilla ice cream. It was always perfect and enough to feed us all.

This is the method my grandmother used to chop strawberries.
Use CAUTION if you try this-the can is SHARP!

The shortcake my grandmother made is essentially a biscuit dough that is pressed into a baking pan. It is much easier to bake it in a baking pan than to cut individual biscuits, especially if you are making it for a large number of people. Although this recipe should work to be cut into biscuits as well.  So below is my recreation of my grandmother's shortcake, but on a much smaller scale.

Strawberry Shortcake

Instructions for preparing the strawberries:

Prepare the strawberries first to allow for sugar to dissolve into the strawberry juices. 

1 quart of strawberries, chopped
1-3 tablespoons of sugar, depending on taste and sweetness of the strawberries

In a medium bowl mix together strawberries and sugar. Cover and refrigerate mixture until ready for use. 

Instructions for shortcake:

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, cold and cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon vanilla, optional*




1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line the bottom an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and cut into flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 dinner knives until the entire mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in buttermilk and vanilla. Stir with a fork until just combined. 

3. Turn the dough into the prepared baking dish and gently press the mixture into an even layer in the pan (I find that lightly buttering my fingers and lightly pressing works best). 

4. Bake shortcake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool to room temperature before serving. 

Makes 9 servings.

To arrange Strawberry Shortcake:

Take a square of shortcake and cut in half. Pour a generous spoonful of the chopped strawberry mixture over the bottom half of the shortcake,  top with vanilla ice cream**or whipped cream, then place the second half of the shortcake on top of it all.  If desired, sprinkle the top with powdered sugar, add more strawberries, and/or a dollop of whipped cream.

*I am sure my grandmother never put vanilla in her shortcake, but I like the flavor it adds. 

Strawberry Lemon Shortcake with 
Balsamic Vinegar and Brown Sugar
Soaked Strawberries

Taking strawberry shortcake to the next level with Lemon Shortcake and Strawberries Soaked in Balsamic Vinegar and Brown Sugar:

For the Lemon Shortcake, follow the shortcake recipe above, except add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the flour mixture and substitute buttermilk with milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice added. Let the milk with lemon juice stand for 5 minutes before adding to the flour mixture. (Adding lemon juice to regular milk is a buttermilk substitute hack that can be used for most baking recipes if you don't have buttermilk on hand, which I didn't. White vinegar can be used instead of lemon juice for this hack, but I wanted the lemon flavor.) Also, no need to add vanilla.

For berries shown,  place 1 1/2 quarts of hulled strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with a 1/2 cup brown sugar and a pinch of salt, then pour 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar on top; cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, give the berries a good stir. Let the berries soak in the sugar/vinegar mixture for at least 2 hours in the fridge, with giving a stir every so often. The berries shown soaked for about 24 hours. 

** There are two recipes for vanilla ice cream on the blog. One is can be found under Grandma Ruth's Frosty Pumpkin Pie and the other is under Grandma Betty's Apple Crisp. The recipe accompanying Grandma Ruth's Frosty Pumpkin Pie is the one pictured.

Enjoy!

Two Summer Favorites in One {Recipe: Orangesicle Ice Cream}

Recently we were given a box of the juiciest oranges I have ever come across. The fresh squeezed orange juice is fantastic on it's own, but I wanted to try it in some recipes as well. I first thought of orange sherbet, but came up with more of an ice cream reminiscent of the orange creamsicle bars that many of us grew up with. 

A bigger summer treat than orange creamsicle bars for me as a kid was when my mother would allow us to pick our favorite fruits and we would have a dinner of cut-up fruit and cottage cheese. There is no way I am selling cottage cheese to my kids, but they certainly go for this Orangesicle Ice Cream as a substitute. The combination of the cut-up fruit and Orangesicle Ice Cream is two nostalgic favorites in one.


Orangesicle Ice Cream

2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest, finely grated
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt

Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Pour mixture into a 2-quart ice cream machine and process according to your machine's directions. Ice cream should have the consistency of soft serve. Transfer ice cream to a freezer container, cover, and freeze for at least 2 hours. 

Enjoy!

What Was My Mom Thinking?!! {Recipe: Iron Horse Ribs}

Google "'Teen Magazine from the 1970s" and you'll come across some pretty cringe worthy stuff. I had a subscription throughout my teens during the '70s and know I am wondering what was my mom thinking?! But there was a cooking section in the magazine and that is where this recipe for Iron Horse Ribs comes from. My mom knew what she was doing if getting a subscription meant getting meals like this. Reading the rest of the magazine doesn't seem to have had any lasting effects, thank goodness!

Iron Horse Ribs

This recipe is updated from the original. The main changes are the barbecue sauce (Kraft Barbecue Sauce with Onion Bits) and tomato sauce with tomato bits; I could not find either. 

8-10 pounds country-style ribs
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 large onion, sliced
1 18-oz bottle mild barbecue sauce
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Dash of cayenne pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Arrange ribs in a large roasting pan (I line the pan well with foil, the baked on sauce is very hard to remove). Pour lemon juice over meat; add onion. Bake for one hour, turning once.* Drain off one cup liquid, discard (The ribs I used did not have much liquid come off them, so I skipped this step). Combine remaining ingredients; pour over ribs. Continue baking for one hour. Serve with sauce, if desired. 

Makes 16 servings.

*Note: The ribs can cook longer, just keep an eye on them. The ribs pictured cooked were cooked for about 3 hours total time. 

Everything Old is New Again {Recipes: Bryce's Cole Slaw and Red Onion Tomato Jam}

Tomato jam and cole slaw are old time recipes that I did not appreciate until fairly recently. Tomato jam has been around for decades, but I had never tried it until last summer. While vacationing in Kansas City last summer, I had it on a burger and it was delicious! It is a nice change from catsup. Cole slaw has been around forever as well, but I never cared for it; that is until I tried my mother-in-law's recipe. Her recipe is very good, but my son changed it up a bit and made it even better.

Both of these recipes make for excellent additions to summer menus. Red Onion Tomato Jam is good on crostini or part of a cheese tray. Bryce's Cole Slaw makes for nice fresh side dish. Both are fantastic on grilled burgers, vegan or otherwise.

Bryce's Cole Slaw

The main difference between this recipe and my mother-in-laws is using chopped up green apple instead of golden raisons. Also, this recipe is vegan, the original uses regular mayonnaise. 

1 10 ounce package fine shredded cabbage

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1/2 medium Granny Smith apple, finely chopped

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1/2-3/4 cup vegan mayonnaise*, to taste

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon celery seed, optional

Mix cabbage, onion, apple, and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup mayonnaise. Add more mayonnaise until desired consistency is achieved. Add seasonings and stir well. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.  

*We like Follow Your Heart Vegenaise.

Red Onion Tomato Jam

This recipe is adapted from one found on altonbrown.com.

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cups thinly sliced, Lyonnaise style (end to end), red onion

2 cups seeded and diced tomatoes

1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 cup vegetable broth (I used Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base, diluted according to instructions on packaging.)

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground salt, or Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

8-10 basil leaves, chiffonade cut

1. Heat a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat and add oil, onions, and a heavy pinch of salt. Toss to coat with oil.

2. Reduce heat to low and allow the yellow onion to soften and caramelize for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

3. Stir in brown sugar, then tomatoes, followed by tomato paste and vinegar. Simmer until mixture is thick and bubbly. 

4. Stir in the broth, salt and pepper. Continue to cook over medium-low heat until mixture is reduced to a jam-like consistency. 

5. Remove from hear and set about 1/2 the mixture aside. Puree the other 1/2 and stir it back into the reserved mixture. 

6. Fold in basil and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. 

7. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or pepper, if  needed. 

Yields 2 cups. 

Enjoy!

Actually It Is Easy Being Green {Recipes: Green Goddess Dressing and Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing}

Wedge Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Summer is almost here, so that means salad season is almost here! Over the next few weeks I will be gathering up our favorite salad dressing recipes to post. Some of the dressing recipes are from my mother's old recipe file and some are our family favorites. The recipes from my mother's file need to be tested first. When I was a kid I refused to eat salad dressing, so I don't know what my mother's recipes taste like. Side note: not eating salad dressing didn't get me out of eating them, my mother made me eat them plain. I didn't know what I was missing! It may have been healthier, but certainly not as tasty.

Homemade salad dressings are so easy to make. In addition, they usually tastes better. The Green Goddess Dressing and the Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressings are two of our family's favorite creamy dressings. Soon I'll post our favorite vinaigrette dressing recipes.

Green Goddess Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup yogurt (I use Greek)
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove 
watercress leaves (original recipe does not specify, I use scant 1/2 cup)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing

This recipe is adapted from one found at: https://ourbestbites.com, and it is a family favorite! Not only is it good on salad, it is also good on tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. 

1 pack (2 tablespoons) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk or milk 
juice from 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup green salsa (I use La Victoria)
hot sauce, optional

Instructions for both dressings are the same and could not be easier. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a pint sized salad dressing container or mason jar; refrigerate. Dressing can be refrigerated for up to a week. 

Veggie Quesadilla with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Enjoy!

It Will Be Here Before We Know It {Recipe: Sheet Pan Pancakes}

This blog started with the intention of teaching my daughter to cook, but of course I soon realized that my son, Bryce, needs to learn to cook as well. Now that he is about to be a senior in high school it is even more essential that he learns to cook a few things before he ventures out on his own.

One of Bryce's favorite meals is weekend breakfast pancakes. One of the early recipes posted on the blog is Bryce's Back-to-School Pancakes. These Sheet Pan Pancakes are even easier. Either recipe would work in a sheet pan, but this recipe has ingredients that would easily be kept on hand when Bryce moves out on his own. 

Sheet Pan Pancakes

This recipe uses SACO Buttermilk Blend powdered buttermilk because it is easier to have on hand. For a single person with limited time to bake, it is not likely a quart of buttermilk would get used up before it goes bad.

Preheat oven to 425°F

Line a 10"x15" baking sheet with parchment and spray lightly with cooking spray; set aside. A 13"x 18" sheet pan or a  9"x 13" pan will work as well. The former will be thinner and the latter will be very fluffy. 

In large mixing bowl, whisk together:

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons SACO Buttermilk Blend*

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together:

2 1/2 cups water

3 eggs

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fold the egg mixture into the flour mixture until well combined. Be careful not to over mix, it is okay if the batter is a bit lumpy. Over mixing can cause the pancakes to be tough. Spread batter into the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-14 minutes, or until gold brown and cooked through (center will bounce back). If using a 9"x13" pan, bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove pancakes from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Slice into squares and serve with your favorite pancake toppings. 

Note: batter can be sprinkled with blueberries or chocolate chips before baking, if desired.

*2 1/2 cups buttermilk would work as well, instead of using the SACO Buttermilk Blend.

Enjoy!

Not Everyone is Amused by Amusement Parks {Recipe: Knott's Berry Farm Buttermilk Biscuits}

Growing up I had an uncle who lived near Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm and I always found it funny that he never set foot in either of them. Although he did enjoy was taking us to Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant when we would visit, and I loved it when he did! The biscuits were my favorite thing on the menu. 

Knott's Berry Farm Buttermilk Biscuits

This recipe is from the Knott's Berry Farm Cookbook published in 1976.

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder (double acting)*
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon solid shortening
pinch of baking soda (1/8 teaspoon)
1 cup buttermilk

cottonseed or vegetable oil

In an electric mixer, combine flour, baking powder, salt and shortening and mix until consistency of course meal. Combine baking soda and buttermilk in a separate bowl and beat with a spoon until foamy and thickened. Add buttermilk mixture to flour and beat until well blended. Do not overbeat. Mixture will be sticky.

Turn out onto a well-floured board, sprinkle top of dough with flour, and pat until one-inch thick. Pour enough oil into jelly roll-type pan (approximately 11"x7") to measure 1/4 inch (or about 1/4 cup oil). In second pan pour and equal amount of oil. [I found that 1/8 cup oil is best for the second pan for baking, otherwise they are a little too oily for my tastes.] Cut biscuits with cookie cutter**or drinking glass and roll each biscuit in the first pan of oil, then place in second pan. (Oil will cling to dough which is desirable.) Continue cutting and rolling in oil until second pan is filled. Biscuits should be touching each other. Pat top of biscuits with oil from first pan. Bake in preheated 500°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. 

*Make sure that the baking powder is fresh. Baking powder loses its effectiveness when stored for a long period of time. 

**Makes approximately 18 [I got 15] 2" or 20 1 3/4"biscuits

Quick Bread with a Little Sass, Molasses That Is {Recipe: Molasses Wheat Bread}

The first time I made this bread I was pregnant with my son; it's packed with fiber and nutrition. The original recipe calls for blackstrap molasses, which can be hard to find, but regular molasses works well. While I was pregnant I made sure to use blackstrap molasses because it has more vitamins and minerals, but it also more bitter than regular molasses. My family prefers this bread with regular molasses.

Molasses Wheat Bread

This recipe is adapted from one found in a Martha Stewart Magazine several years ago. It is not very sweet which makes it perfect bread for sweet jams and jellies. It's even better with nut butter and jam!

4 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup unsulphured molasses
1/4 cup flax seed meal
2/3 cup toasted wheat germ

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray two 9x4 1/2" loaf pans with cooking spray or lightly grease with canola oil; set aside. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk together whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, canola oil, and molasses. Add to flour mixture and stir until well blended. Stir in flax seed meal and wheat germ. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Even out the tops with a spatula. 

4. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from pans. Store in refrigerator for up to one week, or double wrap in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 weeks. 

Makes 2 loaves. 

Enjoy!

Papa's Pride {Recipe: Brown Sugar and Mustard Glazed Ham}

My father didn't cook much, but he always cooked the meats for holidays. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, he cooked turkey, and for New Year's Day and Easter, he cooked ham. He took a lot of pride in the meats he prepared, but he never wrote down what he did. Everything he made was probably a little different from one time to next, because he always added "a bit" of this, "a handful" of that and "a touch" of whatever. No measuring was ever involved, but I'll admit, everything he made was good.

I do have a written record of his instructions for preparing ham. Years ago I wanted to prepare a ham for a holiday get-together, so I called him for help. While going through my old recipe file, I just came across the notes I jotted down while I was talking to him. A couple of things he was adamant about: 1. Remove the rind and any excess fat,  2. Soak the ham for 5-6 hours in 2 quarts of apple cider vinegar, adding enough water to cover the ham. He believed by soaking the ham, it would be less salty. I don't know if there is any validity to this, but it does make for a tender and tasty ham. Other than "score it," the rest of the instructions are about as clear as he ever was, "mix brown sugar, mustard, and a touch of molasses; spoon over."

Since this is the only written record that I have of something my dad (or Papa, as his grandkids knew him) prepared, I wanted to pass it on. I did my best to guess the measurements. It did turn out quite well.

Brown Sugar and Mustard Glazed Ham

1 ham shank, smoked or cured (I used a 9 pound, smoked bone-in ham shank)
2 quarts apple cider vinegar
water
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup mustard (I used Dijon)
1 tablespoon molasses

Remove rind and trim any excess fat off the ham. Place ham in a non-reactive container (I used a large pot lined with a jumbo zip-lock bag), pour apple cider vinegar over the ham and add enough water to cover the ham; cover (or zip bag closed). Place in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours. Take the ham out of the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature. While ham is coming to room temperature, line a roasting pan with foil.* Also, mix together brown sugar, mustard, and molasses. This makes more of a paste than a glaze; set mixture aside. Once ham has come to room temperature, preheat oven to 325°F.  Remove ham from the vinegar solution and rinse well. Score the ham. Spread the flat side of the ham with the brown sugar mixture and place the flat side down on the rack of the roasting pan lined with foil. Spread about 1/3 of the brown sugar mixture over the rest of the ham. Place in the oven and bake about 15-20 minutes per pound. Occasionally spread the remaining glaze a time or two while cooking. If glaze starts browning too much and the ham is not done, tent with foil to prevent further browning. The ham is done when a meat or instant read thermometer reaches 140°F. If you want the glaze to brown a bit more, remove the ham from the oven, turn oven temperature up to 425°F, return the ham to the oven for about 10 minutes or so, until desired browning is achieved. Remove ham from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. 

*Note: the glaze is very difficult to clean off a roasting pan, that is why you want to cover it with foil. I made the mistake of having a seam that the glaze seeped under-it was a pain to clean off the roasting pan!

Enjoy!

Recipe File Mysteries {Recipe: Chicken Breasts in Wine}

There are times I wish I knew more about the recipes my mother had in her recipe file, literally and figuratively. This recipe has very little instruction and she wrote it down on 4 different recipe cards. I can only guess that she must have liked it to write it down that many times, and she knew the instructions well enough to not bother writing them. I don't recall her ever making this, but it is very good. 

Chicken Breasts in Wine

This recipe is easy enough for a weeknight meal and elegant enough for company. 

2-4 chicken breasts, depending on size 

salt, pepper, and paprika

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2-3 green onions, sliced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup Chablis* (I use pinot grigio)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

If chicken breasts are large, cut in half. Pat dry chicken and season well with salt, pepper and paprika; set aside. In a large frying pan, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add prepared chicken to the pan and sauté until done, about 6 minutes on each side. Use an instant read thermometer to test for doneness. If chicken is browning too fast and still not done, cover the pan, reduce heat, and let the chicken cook through. The chicken is done when the thermometer reads 165°F when inserted into the center of the thickest part of the chicken breast. When the chicken is done, remove it from the pan and place it on a plate; set aside. Add green onions and mushrooms to the fry pan and sauté until mushrooms are golden brown and caramelized. Add wine to deglaze the pan and stir vigorously to get all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring until the sauce has thickened and the wine has reduced by about 1/2. Add the parsley and thyme, then check seasoning. Add more salt and/or pepper if needed. Add chicken back to the pan, pour any juices on the plate into the pan, then turn the chicken pieces to coat with sauce. Remove chicken and slice, then plate. Spoon mushrooms over the top of the chicken and pour any remaining sauce over both.

Serves 4

*Note: Chablis, other than the cheap stuff in a jug, is not available in any of our local markets, so I use pinot grigio. I don't recall ever seeing a jug of wine in our house, so I assume my mother used a decent bottle of Chablis. Then again, she did use cooking sherry. Also, if you prefer not to use wine, you can use low-sodium chicken broth as a substitute. I would also add a squeeze of lemon juice (about a tablespoon) as well for tanginess. 

Enjoy!

Afternoon Tea: Something Old, Something New {Recipes: Easy Blood Orange Marmalade and Tea Scones}

At the beginning of last summer my daughter wanted to learn to make strawberry jam. This seemed to be a catalyst for doing more canning. So far we have made a few types of strawberry jam, pear vanilla bean jam (my favorite) and, now, blood orange marmalade. 

My grandmother did a lot of canning. Visits to her house were always filled with all kinds of canned fruits, vegetables, jams and jellies. When we would leave her house, she would load our car with more to take home. Unlike my grandmother (her mother), my mother did little canning. In her defense, she worked outside of the home and had little time to can. The only two things I remember her canning are tomatoes and freezer strawberry jam. The only reason she canned tomatoes is because the farm next to the business she and my father owned would give us boxes of tomatoes. Not wanting to waste the tomatoes, she would can them. I'll note that she did not can them properly and we ate watery tomato sauce for years! But, I'll address that in a later post. 

This is my first attempt at making marmalade. To be honest, the kids and I do not like orange marmalade. My husband loves it, so this was made with him in mind.  I was intrigued by a recipe I came across on Pinterest for blood orange marmalade, so it is the one I went with. This recipe has changed my mind about marmalade-I love it! It is so bright and fresh tasting, absolutely delicious! 

Easy Blood Orange Marmalade

This recipe is adapted from one found @thecafesucrefarine.com. It is perfect for the beginner canner!

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups prepared blood oranges (5-7, depending on size of the oranges)
Zest from one Meyer lemon
2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
4 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1 1.75 ounce box fruit pectin

Instructions:

1. Clean glass jars or plastic containers in dishwasher or hot water; dry thoroughly and set aside.

2. Remove the colored zest from the oranges and lemon using a vegetable peeler. Cut the peel into slivers. Place into a 8 cup (2qt.) microwave proof glass measuring cup.

3. Cut away the remaining white pith of the orange peels and supreme the fruit. (Go to https://www.marthastewart.com/1512359/supreming-citrus for excellent instructions on how to supreme citrus.) Rough chop the supremed fruit. Add prepared citrus and juice to the prepared zest in the microwave proof measuring cup. Squeeze any extra juice from membranes and peel into the cup as well.  Mix all together, along with the lemon juice. Make sure the fruit mixture equals 2 1/3 cup. If not, add enough orange juice or water to make exactly 2 1/3 cups.

4. Add sugar to the fruit mixture and mix well.

5. Microwave on high power for 3 minutes. Stir the mixture will and return to the microwave for 2 more minutes. Stir well, checking to make sure all of the sugar is dissolved. If not, try microwaving another minute or two, and stirring well again. A few grains of sugar may remain, but should not be grainy. Set fruit mixture aside.

6. Mix water and pectin in a small saucepan, then bring to a full boil over high heat stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 full minute.

7. Add the hot pectin to the fruit mixture and stir for 3 minutes.

8 Fill the prepared containers immediately to within 1/2 inch from the tops. Wipe clean the top edges of the containers with a clean damp paper towel, then cover with lids. Let the marmalade stand at room temperature for 24 hours. The marmalade can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks or frozen for up to 1 year.* Thaw the marmalade in the refrigerator before serving.

Yields 5 cups of marmalade.

*Note: This is my 1st time making marmalade. The freezing time is recommended on the original recipe. I placed some in the freezer, but we have not tried it yet. I have used the freezer method for strawberry jam with good results. 

Tea Scones

This recipe comes from my mother's copy of The New York Times Cook Book, copyright 1961, by Craig Claiborne. 

2 cups sifted flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk, approximately

1. Preheat oven to hot (425°F).
2. Sift together the four, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Chop in the butter with a pastry blender until the flour-coated particles of butter are the size of coarse cornmeal.
4. Add the egg and about three-quarters of the milk. Stir quickly and lightly, only until no flour shows. Add more milk if needed to make a soft dough.
5. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead gently about fifteen times. Cut the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball, press each down into a round one-half inch thick and cut it into eight wedges like a pie.
6. Place the wedges on a greased cookie sheet without allowing the sides to touch. Glaze, if desired, with lightly beaten egg. Bake until deep golden brown, about twelve minutes.
Note: Scones may be cut into two-inch rounds or into squares.

Happy Valentine's Muffins {Recipes: Vanilla Bean Muffins and Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Pecan Muffins}

My son absolutely loves the Vanilla Bean Scones from Starbucks and homemade muffins, so I thought this year I would make him Vanilla Bean Muffins for breakfast on Valentine's Day. My husband and I are trying to eat a little healthier, so I made a different twist on my Honey Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Muffins for us. These have less sugar. For my daughter, I got her a big jar of Nutella; that should keep her happy!

Vanilla Bean Muffins

Save the vanilla bean pods after scraping the seeds out, then put them in a jar of sugar for vanilla scented sugar for baked goods, coffee and tea. 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside. 

In a small microwave bowl, melt:

1/4 cup butter

Mixing the vanilla bean seeds in with the sugar
helps to separate the seeds.

Set aside. 

In a small mixing bowl, mix together:

1/2 cup sugar
Vanilla bean seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean.

Set aside.

In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside. 

In another small mixing bowl, whisk together 

1 egg
1 cup milk

Pour the milk mixture into the well in the flour mixture, stir until just moistened. Add the melted butter and stir until just combined-careful not to stir too much or the resulting muffins will be tough. Using a ice cream scoop, distribute the batter into the lined muffin tin. Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted one of the muffins and come out clean. 

While the muffins are in the oven, put together the glaze. 

Vanilla Bean Glaze

In a small mixing bowl:

1 cup powdered sugar
Vanilla bean seeds scraped out of 1/2 vanilla bean

Add:

1 tablespoon butter, very soft or melted and cooled
2 tablespoons milk

Stir together until smooth. If the glaze is stiff, add more milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. 

Let the muffins cool for about 5 minutes, then dip the tops into the glaze. If there is enough glaze, the muffins can be dipped again.

Yields 12 muffins. 

Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Pecan Muffins

These are not very sweet. For sweeter muffins, a couple of tablespoons of sugar can be added to the dry ingredients. 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 14 muffin cups with cupcake liners (I used 2 muffin tins-because of the stir-ins, the batter is just a bit too much for 12 muffins); set aside. 

In a small microwave proof bowl, melt:

1/4 cup coconut oil

Set aside.

In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together:

2 cups whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together:

1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup maple syrup

Stir-ins:

1 cup whole frozen cranberries
1/2 cup pecan pieces, plus a little more to put on top of the muffins
1 tablespoon orange zest

Topping:

Pecan pieces
Demerara or other large grain sugar (1-2 tablespoons)

Pour milk mixture into the well of the flour mixture. Stir together until just moistened. Add coconut oil, and stir until just combined. Add cranberries and 1/2 cup pecans and stir until combined, being careful not to over stir. Distribute the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin(s) using an ice cream scoop. Top the muffins with a few pecan pieces, then sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon Demerara sugar per muffin. Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into one of the muffins comes out clean.

Yields 14 muffins.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Simple yet Elegant {Recipes: Chicken Chasseur and Comté Rice}

Sometime ago a friend had posted on Facebook that she had one of her favorite meals one evening and it was Chicken Chasseur. She went on to say how good it was. I had not heard of it before, but I certainly wanted to check out what chicken dish could garner such praise. It turns out to be a fairly simple dish and is quite tasty.

All the recipes I came across are about the same. Some have cognac in them, some have different herbs, and some have no herbs. All the recipes I looked at have chopped tomato and/or tomato paste that is added in at the beginning of the cooking process. I prefer grape tomatoes to many other tomatoes and I like to add them in at the end so they still have a vibrant color. Many of the recipes with the cooked chopped tomato did not look as appealing. I do not think that cognac and/or tomato paste are necessary.

So here is my version of Chicken Chasseur, it is bound to become a regular dish at our house. It's easy enough for a weeknight dinner and elegant enough to serve company.

Chicken Chasseur

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast and/or thighs
2 shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup)
10 ounces mushrooms (Baby Bellas are good), sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio is good)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream'
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt to taste
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half 
4-6 basil leaves, chiffonade

1. In a 5 quart dutch oven or large skillet, melt butter and oil over medium heat. Pat chicken dry (cut breasts in half if they are large) and season well with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the pan and brown on both sides (about 3-4 minutes each side). After browning, chicken and place on a plate: set aside.
2. Add shallots to the pan and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to sauté until mushroom start to brown. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant. Sprinkle with flour and continue to cook and stir for another minute. 
3. Deglaze the pan with the wine, then add the chicken stock, cream, and lemon juice. Give it all a good stir, then add the thyme.
4. Return the chicken to the plan and give the chicken pieces a turn to coat with sauce. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover, then reduce heat to simmer. Continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Test the thickest piece of chicken with an instant read thermometer. Once it reaches 165°, the chicken is done. Keep an eye on the chicken so it doesn't overcook or else the breast meat will be dry. 
5. Test the sauce at this point for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed. 
6. Plate chicken, then pour sauce over the chicken (I often just keep it in the dutch oven and just give it a good stir to coat the chicken again with sauce). Top the chicken with the grape tomato halves and fresh basil. Serve hot. 

Serves 4-6

Comté Rice

This recipe comes from The Braiser Cookbook by Wine Moranville. It goes very well with the above recipe for Chicken Chasseur. 

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup uncooked Arborio rice
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (The chicken stock I buy comes in a 32 ounce container, so I use the leftover from the Chicken Chasseur recipe.)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup Comté or Gruyère
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives, and/or chervil

1. Melt the butter in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until tender but not brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook briefly until it releases its fragrance. Add the rice and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes more or until the rice is nicely coated with butter and just starting to cook, but not brown. 
2. Stir in the chicken broth; season with pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rice has absorbed most of the broth but is still somewhat soupy, about 20 minutes. 
3. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, covered, until the rice is thick and creamy rather than soupy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese and herbs. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Bon Appétit!