Potato Puffs

This recipe for potato puffs is a delicious way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. Although these puffs taste amazing I do not make them frequently because they are deep fried.
Some like them dipped in ketchup but when I made them for our children they preferred to dip them in pancake syrup.

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup mashed potatoes, moistened and seasoned
• 2 eggs

1. Whisk together flour and baking powder.
2. Add mashed potatoes and mix.
3. Stir in beaten eggs and mix well.
4. Drop by spoonfuls and deep fry until golden and crispy which takes a few minutes. To check if they are done insert a toothpick in the center of a puff and if it comes clean, the puffs are done.
5. Serves 4

Perfect Steamed Rice

Making perfect steamed rice without a rice cooker can be a challenge.  This rice sticks together and fluffs up wonderfully with a fork. 

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 1  1/2 cup water

1. Put the rice in a colandar and rinse it well.
2. Dump the rice in a saucepan and cover it with the water. 
3. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat.
4. Once little craters form on the surface of the rice, turn the heat to low and put the lid on.
5. Simmer rice about 15 - 20 minutes without lifting the lid.  This is when it will steam so do not peek for at least 15 minutes.  At the 15 minute mark lift the lid and check to see if any water is remaining.

If you want more rice. ..just add more rice and water using the same quantities.

Do not use butter or salt.  Add these after the rice is finished cooking and fluffed.

This will make 3 cups

I loved this additional hint from Kate today in comments. . . so I am adding it here. . .

Kate says  "Remember when the rice and water are boiling not to stir. There is no stirring until after the rice has steamed and then it's fluffing. I was taught to let the water reduce until it is under the surface of the rice and bubbles are still forming in the "craters" so about 75 percent of the water has been absorbed."

Thanks Kate.

For brown rice. .my favorite is calrose brown.  . .use the same method but for 1 cup of rice use 2 1/2 cup water.  This rice takes longer to cook so you will need more water to boil away until the point of covering. 

Hot German Potato Salad

Sometimes I just want something a little different to serve as a side dish besides the same old usual fare that I always make. Then I was reminded of this dish I had as a young married woman eager to learn all the tricks of the trade in the kitchen.
I used to work in an Elderly Person Care Home for 15 years, and we had amazing cooks there, who cooked home made food that was familiar to the people that lived there.
One of the things I really enjoyed was when they served Hot German Potato Salad. This was not something that my mother made so I asked for the recipe and got the usual reply. 'Oh, a little of this and a handful of that'......sheesh, I was a new aspiring cook, I needed more details than that. What in the world does a little of this or that even mean? With many years of cooking experience, I now know what she means and I tried to recreate it and this is what I came up with. Just a little different than the same old...

• 1/2 lb of bacon
• 6 green onions, sliced
  
• 1 small green pepper, chopped
  
• 6 cups potatoes, cooked and sliced
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• lots of pepper, to taste
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Fry chopped bacon until crisp; add onion and green pepper.
2. Drain at least 1/2 the fat.
3. Mix vinegar, seasonings and egg; stir into bacon.
4. Stir in potatoes and heat through.
5. Enjoy with some smoked sausage or ham, cole slaw and baked beans.
   

Potatoes and Onions

I had some extra potatoes and sweet onions that needed to be used so here's an off the cuff recipe I came up with that ended up being very tasty and good for a side dish at lunch or dinner or good to serve up with eggs at breakfast.

3 russet potatoes sliced thin
2 sweet onions sliced thin
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. herbs de Provence or thyme
1 tsp. sugar

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add onions, potatoes, salt and pepper. When the onions and potatoes soften add the herbs and sugar and butter. Cook until potatoes are cooked through and start browning nicely.

We served these along side lamb sandwiches and some green salad. Add more seasoning to your taste.

Opa's Yogurt Dip

It's time for fresh salads from your garden or your local markets. This recipe has been in our family for the past 30 years. "Can't you make Opa's Dip?" My husband's father, who is 98...who was a farmer in the past, has also acquired some new skills in the kitchen. He loves to help Helen prepare the meals.

This is one-low fat recipe that he has made himself. We use this for vegetable dips, or pour dressing over your salad. I just made a fresh batch to serve with our fresh vegetables.
It's salad time !

Opa's Yogurt Dip

• 1 C mayonnaise
  
• 1 C natural yogurt
• 1-2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. onion powder
• 2 shakes garlic powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• pepper for taste
• 2 tbsp. Lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. dill weed (dried)
  
• 1 tbsp. parsley (dried)

Blend ingredients together with a whisk. Refrigerate and enjoy the blend of natural flavors.
Enjoy!

Cottage Cheese Blintze

These blintzes are an old favorite of ours. I know there are other ways of making them but this is how I make them. Sometimes I roll them up instead of these bundles..the taste is the same. This recipe is found in the Mennonite Treasury. I use the recipe for German pancakes to make the blintzes. I changed it up a wee bit.

German Pancakes:
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
2 cups milk

Mix flour and salt, add eggs and milk. Beat until free of lumps, this makes a thin batter.
Heat up a cast iron frying pan, works in other pans but I like my well seasoned cast iron pan the best and when 'almost smoking hot' brush with butter and pour approx 1/4 cup batter in the pan tilting the pan till a thin layer covers the bottom of the pan.
Cook on med high until dough is set. Turn and cook until golden brown underneath. Watch carefully as these brown up fast.
Pile up on a plate and keep warm in oven.

Blintzes

Cottage cheese mixture:
1 375g tub dry cottage cheese
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste

Mix well and start making the blintzes.
Place a spoonful of cottage cheese mixture in center of pancake, fold in the edges and place folded side down in well buttered cast iron frying pan.
You may now just pile them all up in the pan as I did and bake them covered at 350 for 15 to 20 min OR brown the blintzes in the frying pan and serve immediately. They are delicious served with cream gravy.

Cream gravy:
Melt 3 tbsp butter in frying pan, add 1 cup whipping cream and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. I also add a pinch of sugar. Turn oven down to med heat and cook until gravy thickens, stirring frequently.
Pour over the blintzes and enjoy. These are good served with farmer sausage and coleslaw.
Delicious!!

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes are a great accompaniment to ham or sausage. If you want it to be a meal in one dish, just cut up left over ham and add to the potatoes before pouring the milk mixture over it. This recipe calls for cheese, but it is also good without.

Scalloped Potatoes:

-5-6 baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

-1/2 cup finely grated onion

-1 3/4 cups milk

-2 tbsp flour

-2 tbsp butter

-1 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp pepper

-1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Method:

Peel and thinly slice potatoes into a large bowl. Cover with cold water and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Drain well. (this gets rid of some of the starch in the potatoes) Add the grated onion and cheese and stir to combine.

Put potato mixture into a well greased casserole or 9x13 pan. In a small sauce pan (or microwave) melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk all at once and cook, stirring constantly until it bubbles and begins to thicken.

Pour hot milk mixture over potatoes. The milk should almost cover the potatoes. If you need add a little extra milk.

Bake covered in 350º oven for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Zippy Zucchini

Zucchini...again! There seems to be no end to the zucchini coming from the garden...and here is another simple yet delicious way to cook it. When I got my first microwave oven...way back when...I took some microwave cooking classes. Since that time...this zucchini recipe has been a summer favorite. Cooked totally in the microwave...the kitchen stays cool. Add some fresh tomatoes...and maybe a cob of corn...and call it a meal.


Zippy Zucchini

• 4 cups zucchini, cut into chunks
• 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 jar (2 0z.) pimiento, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  

1. Place zucchini and onion slices in an 8" square dish...or a quiche pan.
2. Cover with plastic wrap, turning one edge back to vent.
3. Microwave at High for 7 minutes.
4. In large bowl, mix together eggs, cheese, pimiento, salt and pepper.
5. Add zucchini and onions, stirring well.
6. Grease dish in which veggies were cooked.
7. Pour zucchini mixture into dish...cover with parchment paper and microwave at medium-high for 5 minutes.
8. Stir...and microwave uncovered for another 3-4 minutes at medium-high...or until set.
9. Makes 4 large servings.

*I actually used the pimento called for in the recipe this time...but have used diced red, orange or yellow bell peppers instead...blanching them with the zucchini and onions. A dash of cayenne pepper adds a little zip as well.

Vegetable Linguini

I love this recipe for linguini which is based on one in an old Pillsbury Pasta booklet.

Just a fun note - if you can't remember the difference between linguini and fettuccini
take note that the narrow cut pasta is lean-guini and the wider cut pasta is fat-tuccini!

As in many pasta based recipes, the amount of the ingredients varies according to how many you are serving and what your taste preferences are.

This recipe makes a great main dish when topped with cooked sliced chicken breast or shrimp.

• linguini pasta to feed 4-6 people
• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small or medium sized zucchini
• 1 large carrot
• 1 medium onion cut in half and then thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• a handful of fresh basil leaves, washed and cut into a chiffonade* or 1 -2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup milk or half and half cream
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I often use 1/2 parmesan, 1/2 mozzarella)

* A chiffonade cut is when you stack the basil leaves and then cut them into fine ribbons

1. Cook linguini in salted water according to package directions
2. Coarsely grate carrot and zucchini or use a julienne peeler to make long ribbons. I usually discard the soft centre of the zucchini.
3. Heat olive oil in fry pan on medium heat and saute' onion, garlic and carrot until wilted, then add zucchini and saute' a few minutes longer. Vegetables should be tender but not soft.Drain linguini, rinse briefly with cold water.
4. Add butter and milk or cream to the pasta pot on medium heat and stir until butter is melted.
5. Return linguini to pot, add saute'ed vegetables, fresh or dried basil and cheese.
6. Using tongs or a pasta server, toss until vegetables are distributed and cheese is melted.
7. Serve immediately.

Kartoffelpuffer----Potato Pancakes

We used to have a little neighbourhood restaurant that served Ukrainian food. My friend and I used to go there on occasion and she ALWAYS had Potato Pancakes. Sadly the restaurant has moved.
It was her birthday and I invited her for breakfast..........I offered to make her anything her heart desired........what did she ask for, yup you guessed it Potatoes Pancakes.........this is for you darlin'.....you know who you are. Happy Birthday!!!!!















5 medium potatoes peeled and grated

1 small onion finely chopped or grated

1 egg

1/4 c. flour

salt and pepper to taste

a squeeze of fresh lemon

Put all the shredded potatoes in a cheese cloth or dish towel and squeeze as much liquid out of them as possible.
Mix together with the remaining ingredients.
Use a Teflon pan so that you don't need as much oil. Take about a 1/4 c. of the potato mixture and brown about 3-4 minutes on each side over medium heat.
Serve with sour cream, ketchup..........or applesauce. Good on its on or as a side dish.
You can see in the pan you really don't need much oil, just make sure your pan is hot enough.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Spice

Living in an area where cranberry farms are simply everywhere...this time of the year is most beautiful when the flooding of the cranberry fields begin. How appropriate then to dig into fresh cranberry recipes when the fall harvest comes complete with the tart little red berries.

Never having made my own cranberry sauce before, this Thanksgiving I scoured recipes to try and find the 'right' one. I ended up with a combo of several but all looked too sweet. I basically followed the one on all recipes.....but lowered the sugar content. Just right for me...not quite sweet enough for the rest of the household....so do a taste test before removing from stove.Ingredients

• 4 cups of fresh cranberries
• 1 1/2 cup water (I substituted 1/4 cup water with 1/4 cup orange juice)
• 1/2 tsp pwd. cloves or if using spice bag, 5 whole cloves
• 2 - 3 tsp cinnamon or 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar (2 if you like it sweeter)
• fresh orange zest

Remember that you can adjust the spices to taste by simply taste testing during the process...and with that wonderful aroma...who can resist a taste?!!

Place the cranberries and liquid in a saucepan over heat. Put spices in a spice bag or put ground spices put in the pot. Cook until the cranberries begin to pop (they really do)...about ten minutes. Stir in the sugar and lower the heat. Continue to cook about five or ten minutes longer until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Remove from the heat and allow it to cool. If using a spice bag discard it and then chill in the refrigerator overnight or 6 to 8 hours before serving.

Peachy Fruit Dip

With all the fruit still available you might want to try this! This recipe is large, so I usually cut it in half and it serves well with a large fruit platter.

1 c whipping cream (or cool whip topping)
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding (just the powder)
2 c peach yogurt

Whip cream. Add vanilla pudding powder; whip. Add peach yogurt; whip.
Serve fresh with fruit. You can also try it with pina colada yogurt.

Breakfast Fruit Skewers

I have to admit, my brother is one of the very best 'chefs' that I know and his presentation of the most simple meal is inspiring. Here is a simple breakfast with fruit on skewers served with a sauce that you can individually drizzle over the fruit on your plate. Since enjoying that wonderful breakfast at his home, I have tried several different versions of sauces myself which I share below.


In an alternate fashion place strawberries, pineapple chunks, grapes, oranges, melon, cantaloupe, banana or seasonal fruit in a pretty pattern on a large wooden skewer. Serve with one of the following sauces.

Vanilla Honey Glaze

• 1 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Place honey and vanilla in a smaller glass microwave safe bowl. Heat just long enough for honey to be able to be stirred. Do not overheat the honey! Stir the vanilla and honey together. Drizzle over individual fruit skewers


Yogurt Dipping Sauce.

• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 carton (8 ounces) reduced-fat lemon yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Place the water and raisins in a small bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the yogurt, ginger, allspice and cardamom. Drain raisins; stir into yogurt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Marshmallow/Yogurt Dipping Sauce

• 100 g white chopped white marshmallows
• grated lemon zest
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 200 g fruit yogurt
• 1/2 cup thickened cream

Combine marshmallows, lemon rind and juice
in a non stick saucepan. Cook stirring continuously over low heat until the marshmallows have melted. Cool slightly. Gently combine yogurt and cream and stir cooled marshmallow mixture through the yogurt. Chill.