Paska

Paska, Books, Lepps Farms...too much excitement for one week. By now most of us are back in our kitchens trying to prepare our last minute Easter Paska.
We all have our favorites and so we repeat them over and over, because our families love them. I'm sure by now, you've all tried Lovella's Paska Recipe, which is the recipe that united us women together. Thank-you Lovella for a wonderful tutorial.
But today, I will share with you our family's tried and true version, the one that my kids keep asking me me to bake, the one in the big pan that feeds the whole family.
What's most important is, that this keeps bringing traditions and families together.
I highly recommend that you check out Ellen's Paska Spread. I will be making this spread this year. When I tasted it, I realized that my grandmother had made it many years ago...but I could still savor the taste.
Remember, it's only Thursday, it' never to late to make Paska...Keep practicing.

• 1 cup milk (1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup milk)
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup water
• 3 Tbsp. yeast
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 8 - 10 whole eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 Tbsp. lemon zest
• 10 cups flour.

Kneading Machine Procedure

1. Heat milk just to a scalding level, then add butter which will melt in the milk.
2. Add 1 cup water to the milk mixture and by now this will have cooled down the hot milk.
3. In mixing bowl blend half of the flour with fast rising yeast, and add salt.
4. Add liquids and blend for 5 minutes on lowest setting.
5. Combine sugar and eggs and lemon zest into a mixing bowl and beat for several minutes.
6. Add remaining flour and add egg mixture into the kneading bowl, and knead at a high setting till the dough pulls away from the mixing bowl.
7. Dough texture should remain soft.
8. Let the dough rise in the mixing bowl till doubled in size. Cover with saran wrap and towel.
9. Meanwhile prepare your baking pans with cooking oil or parchment paper.
10. Shape your dough into preferred pans and let rise again for 1 hour or till doubled in size.
11. Bake at 325 degrees. Buns need 20 minutes, while loaves need about 35-40 minutes.
12. Ice with your favorite spread.

Here's my favorite Icing ~ And I love this one because you can make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge up to three months. It's also excellent for cinnamon buns.

• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 41/2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2/3 cups shortening
• 1 egg
• 21/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Dissolve white sugar in water. Shake or stir frequently. Set aside. Beat remaining ingredients to the consistency of whipped cream. Beat in sugar and water mixture. Store covered in refrigerator. Will keep up to 3 months.
Most of our family will slice the Paska and spread it on like butter. So take the extra spread along with you. And you must always add many colorful sprinkles.

Meanwhile, let's not loose the real message of Easter in Paska making, but rather focus on who Jesus is; the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.

Editorial announcement from Lovella .. .
Thank you for all the wonderful encouraging comments on yesterday's post.  Each comment brought us smiles and oh how we wished we could give away dozens of books. 

The winner is Sharina. . .and here is her comment.  .  Please email me with your address and we'll have a book sent out from the warehouse. . .lickety split.
So excited that your book is here! I would love a copy! This blog has been wonderful for this newlywed couple! A friend sent me the link as part of a wedding gift, and it has filled our table (and tummies!) many a time this past year! The best part was attempting a cabbage roll recipe and actually succeeding! I then told my husband that I had conquered the world. :D Thank you for inspiring us with yummy looking food and step-by-step, fail-proof directions!
Sharina

Pishky (Russian Rollkuchen)

This is my mother Nadia's version of Rollkuchen that my family grew up with. We call them Pishky. There are some variations in the ingredients.

Pishky

Ingredients:
4 C. flour
2 C. sour cream
3 eggs (beaten)
1 tsp. salt
3/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 C. orange juice
vegetable oil to fry the Pishky in
Make well in center of flour. Mix sour cream, beaten eggs, salt, sugar, and orange juice. First blend the soda in a tablespoon of hot water then add it to the wet ingredients. Mix into flour and knead the dough. Roll out the dough on a floured surface. Cut in strips. Then cut strips on the diagonal about 4″ long and cut a slit in the center of the 4″ length. Fold the top of the piece through the hole and up again. Fry in oil until golden brown on both sides. Before serving sprinkle with powdered sugar.

My kids loved to have these hot out of the pan when they would come in from playing in the snow.

These are great right out of the pan and for a few hours but after that they aren’t as wonderful. Make small batches that you’ll gobble up quickly is my recommendation. The other thing you can do if you have more than you want to eat right away is to make a french toast casserole for breakfast with the leftovers.

Wurst Bubbat / Stir Bread with Smoked Sausage

As a child I was always happy when this was served along side a bowl of soup. The bonus is that this bread is just stirred, not kneaded. Ah soup and bread, the perfect comfort food on a cold winter's night.

• 1 package or 1 tablespoon of quick rise yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
  
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups scalded milk, cooled to lukewarm
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/3 to 4 cups of four
• 1 double link farmer sausage or about 1 1/2 lbs of your favorite smoked sausage cut in to 16 pieces.

1. Combine all the dry ingredients including the dry yeast, with 3 cups of flour.
   
2. Add the beaten egg and milk.
3. Stir with a spoon adding enough flour to make a soft dough til it can barely be stirred anymore.
4. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.
   
5. Add the 16 pieces of sausage to the top of the dough.
6. Let rise about 1 hour and bake in a 350 oven for 40-45 minutes.
7. Serve warm or cold.

Plum Pie By the Yard

Every year I look forward to Italian Plums being ready.

My mom by love whips up a batch or two of her Pie by the Yard or Perishky.

Being rather free form, it is the perfect kind of pie for novice pie makers to try since it all tastes good and a bit of juice running out the center just adds to the flavouring of the pastry.

I am happy to retire my worn out recipe card and place her recipe here.

• 5  1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup lard
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs beaten with enough evaporated milk to make 1  1/2 cups total liquid
• 2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup minute tapioca
• buy a bag of plums at your local farmers market. ..fill your pastry ..and eat the rest.  You can also use apples or blueberries, apricots or rhubarb.  If you run out of one kind of fruit, move on to another.

1. Cut the lard and butter into the flour with a pastry blender.
2. Add the salt and the baking powder with a fork.
3. Add the liquid into the flour and stir with a fork until mostly combined.
4. Turn onto a floured counter and bring together with several kneads into a large disc.
5. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for several hours.
6. Roll out the dough  as you would pie on a well floured surface. .and make sure you keep the dough from sticking underneath by adding a bit more flour and to the top as well.  ( a pastry mat is a wonderful tool for rolling our pastry)
7. Combine the sugar, flour and tapioca for sprinkling over the plums.
8. Cut long 6 inch wide strips.  Place halved pitted plums down the center and sprinkle with the sugar mixture.
9. Bring the long sides together. .overlapping as best you can.   Bring the ends up and overlap on top.
10. Bake in a 375 F oven until golden brown and the juices clear.

Crock Pot Cabbage Rolls

With summer coming to a close my barbecue will take a back seat to comfort meals from the oven and crock pot. Crock pot meals are such a life saver for those busy back to school days that are just around the corner. If some of your family does not enjoy cabbage, leave some of the meat balls unwrapped and place those on the top of the cabbage wrapped ones.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 cup cooked rice, white or brown
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 large cabbage, Asian or savoy work well

Sauce:

• 2 cans tomato soup
• 1 28oz can stewed tomatoes

Method:

Asian and savoy cabbage leaves are much softer than regular cabbage leaves, and so you can just peel them off the head piece by piece and use them. If using a regular cabbage place it in several inches of water and steam for several minutes, which will help the leaves to peel off easier. Cut away the thick part in the middle of each leaf so you have nice thin leaves to roll your meat in. Swiss chard and beet top leaves also work really well and add a little different flavor and colour.

1. Prepare your cabbage leaves.
2. Mix all the other ingredients together well with your hands.
3. Place a large spoon of meat filling on each cabbage leave and roll up. If you choose to leave some without the cabbage, just form meat balls .
4. Layer inside of crock pot.
5. Combine sauce ingredients and pour over cabbage rolls.
6. Set your pot on low and cook 7-9 hours.

Serve over mashed potatoes or rice. Left overs freeze well. You can also bake these in the oven on 350º for 1 1/2 hours.

pluma moos ~ cold plum soup

Fruits soups...made with fresh or dried fruits...have been a part of the Mennonite cuisine for centuries.  During the winter months...these soups were made with dried fruit.  In the summer...they were made with fruits fresh from the orchard.  We happened to have a long row of Italian prunes on our farm when I was a child...and so we often had pluma moos made with fresh plums.  This is still my favorite fruit soup...a nice cold bowl of pluma moos on a hot day is most refreshing.  The Italian prunes are about ready for the picking...here's a recipe you may want to try.

• 4 cups Italian prunes, pitted and quartered
• 8 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup corn starch
• 1 package cherry jello (4 serving size)

1. Place prunes in large saucepan and cover with water.  Cook until tender.
2. Mix sugar and cornstarch...add enough cold water to make a smooth paste.  Add to fruit gradually while stirring...allow it to come to a boil.
3. Remove from heat and stir in cherry jello.  
4. Cool...then refrigerate.  
5. Serve cold.

Roll Kuchen

• 2 cups of sour cream
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• oil for deep frying

1. Combine sour cream, egg, oil.
2. Add the flour with baking powder and salt.
3. Knead together till you have a soft dough.
4. Flour the counter well and roll out to about a 1/4 inch.
5. Cut into strips, twisting them is optional.
6. Deep fry in a pan with about 2 inches of hot oil.
7. Let the oil come to the desired temperature, on your stoves medium setting. This takes a few minutes.
   
8. Do a test one, the dough should bubble at the sides, and be browned in matter seconds. Turn the roll kuchen, fry til you have the desired color. DO NOT leave the pan unattended at any time!
   

The first time that I had this particular recipe is when our friends came to visit us while we were camping. The are a very light and soft texture as opposed to a very thin and crispy one, and don't taste greasy at all. I just love these plus they taste great with jam too!

Pear Pudding Soup

I have no idea how many readers are familiar with the custard-like fruit soups that some of our grandmothers made. One that is very familiar to me is made with a canned pear-apple compote. My mom still cans this every Fall, knowing that we all love to get jars of this fruit to add to porridge or use in pear soup.
The fruit is like a chunky applesauce, yet with more of the pear flavor. Mixed into a thin, vanilla custard, we enjoy this soup alongside pan fried potatoes and farmer sausage or ham. I compare the flavor to a "milkshake with fries" combo.

Ingredients for fruit compote:

3 cups pears, chopped
2 cups apples, chopped
¾ cups water
2 Tbsp sugar

Method:

Bring to a boil and cook for about 40 min, or until fruit looks clear and glazed with most of the water evaporated. Cool. Keeps well in fridge.
Ingredients for vanilla custard:

4 cups milk, divided
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp pure vanilla powder or 1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
fruit compote


Method:

1. In a 2 quart size pot, bring 3 ½ cups milk to a boil.
2. In the meantime (in a small bowl) mix flour, sugar, vanilla and enough of the ½ cup milk just to make a paste.
3. Add eggs, stirring them in well, then the rest of the (1/2 cup) milk.
4. When the milk in the pot begins to boil, stir in the egg mixture and continue stirring until thick and smooth, bubbling gently.
5. Remove from heat. Add cold fruit compote, for just the right temperature to serve.

Oma's Peppermint Cookies

Traditionally this is a Christmas cookie, but our family loves them when we have gone camping, sitting around the fire on cool evenings. Oma makes sure that the family is always well supplied, since camping season is finally upon us our freezer is stocked. We thank you Oma.

• 1 cup of oil
• 2 cups of thick plain yogurt or sour cream (she uses yogurt, tastes great)
  
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp. *baking ammonia* dissolved in 1/8 cup of warm water
• 4 tsp. peppermint extract
• 5 tsp. baking powder
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 6 cups flour

1. Mix all the wet ingredients together
   
2. Add all dry ingredients
3. Gently blend til smooth by hand with a wooden spoon
   
4. Refrigerate over night, the dough is very soft and sticky.
   
5. Roll out dough on floured counter in small amounts, dough is sticky so it is easier to handle in small amounts, and cut in desired shapes.
   
6. Bake at 350 for 10- 12 minutes.
7. Cookie should be white on top and light brown on bottom.
8. Glaze with a little icing sugar mixed with milk.
9. * baking ammonia can be bought in German deli's or specialty store.
   

Bodentorte (Fruit Flan)

In the 1930’s there were two little boys, living in Russia, who loved to play together. Through difficult circumstances, they were separated when one of them, my dad, moved across the country and later across the ocean. My dad was a young adult when he found out that his friend, Abram - back in Russia, was really his half brother, having been given to an aunt when his mother died. Even though their father remarried, his firstborn had stayed with the aunt. Years later now, connecting with him in any way was impossible, but in time they found each other and my dad began his mission to get him out of Russia.
By a miracle the whole family arrived at Vancouver airport in late 1978. I cannot explain in words, the emotions of such a re-union, one that requires getting to know each other, even though you are family. At first we had trouble communicating because of language barriers, but eventually they all learned English. I am so proud of my Tante Leni, who now so easily translated her recipe from Russian to English for me, as she read it to me. She is one of the bravest and most gracious women I know.



BODENTORTE

Ingredients:

3 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup oil
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
3 eggs whites
½ tsp cream of tartar (optional)


Filling:

Berries or a combination of fruit with a pkg of fruit glaze OR
1 qt. canned peaches with juice and 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch.

Method:

1. Prepare 11" flan pan by greasing, being careful to get into all the creases. Sprinkle with flour and tap to get it evenly all over.
2. Using a wooden spoon, beat egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow.
3. Stir in liquids and then combined dry ingredients.
4. Beat egg whites with cream of tarter and gently fold into batter until just blended. Do not beat.
5. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes, or until a nice golden color.
6. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Pull on the edges or slide a butter knife along the edges to make sure they come loose. Invert onto cooling rack. You may have to peek under the pan and gently slide the knife across part of it.
7. Fill with favorite fruit and top with fruit glaze, following pkg directions. If using drained canned peaches, mix up 1 1/4 cups of the juice with cornstarch and heat, stirring until it comes to a boil. Cool slightly and pour over fruit.
8. Beat 1 cup whipping cream, adding 1 - 2 tsp sugar, until it begins to thicken and soft peaks form if beaters are raised. Do not overbeat. Spread on cake, forming soft peaks with back of spoon.
   

Tante Suzie's Pork and Beans

Feb.25th, 1912 - Jan.25th, 1990

Awhile back I posted a Pork N Beans Recipe...and received many wonderful comments. However, I received one more exceptional comment in my email box, which blew me away. One of our followers identified herself, telling me that she was the DIL of my Tante Suzie. She sent me the original recipe and gave permissions to post it. I am so honored.

Here's a little story about this bean pot....it will always remain a memory. I remember this pot as a small little girl, somewhere between the ages of 6-10. Every summer the annual Schmidt gathering would meet at Berthusan Park, just across the line, close to Lynden WA. I looked forward to this annual event...Do any of you remember that park? They had swings and merry go rounds.

But no one will ever forget Tante Susie's home-made pork and beans. She would always arrive with her home-made Pork N Beans in exactly the same kind of bean pot. I wanted one like this, and somewhere through the years, my mother gifted me a similar pot. They were the best and we would eagerly wait in line for a stash. "The trick was," Tante Suzie said, "They need to be baked in a bean pot." She has passed on to eternity, but the memory has never faded. Every so often I like to surprise my family with this dish.

Meanwhile I made this recipe this past weekend...and brought it to the Schmidt family for Easter. Someone asked me, "Are the beans dark like Tante Suzie's?" "Yes, they are...the key?" "Use tomato juice instead of water."
The Schmidt Boys dug into those beans. First of all...they could not believe that this was from Tante Suzie's recipe. They were blown away...they agreed that the pot looked authentic, except that her's was much bigger. They smelled them, they tasted them, and dug in for more.
Thank-you for this wonderful recipe from the Doerksen Family.

Tante Suzie's Pork & Beans

• 2 lbs. navy beans (about 5 cups) I could not find navy beans, but Great Northern are the substitute.
  
• 4 cups water
• 2 tsp salt

Soak over night. Drain and rinse.
Add 1 tsp soda and simmer for an hour. Drain and rinse.

Add:

1. 1/2 pound sliced bacon or salt pork and mix between the beans, bottom, middle and top. Layer the bacon at the bottom and spread evenly through the dish.
   
2. 1/4 c. maple syrup
3. 1/4 c. molasses
4. 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
5. 1 large onion chopped
6. 1 tsp. dry mustard
7. 2 C. tomato juice
8. 1 bay leaf
9. 1 clove garlic minced.
   

Cover with 2 Cups tomato juice and bake with cover on for 5-6 hours in slow oven at 275 degrees. I added a bit more tomato juice in the last hour, just so they would not dry out.
Long and slow baking is the secret to good baked beans.

It might look like extra work, but it's all done in stages....the taste is worth it.

Add a few fresh vegetables and freshly baked home-made buns.
The legacy lives on...

Oma's Goulash

This is the goulash that my Oma always made. It has very few ingredients but the flavor is so good. This recipe stems back from Russia, trekked across Europe to Germany, then to Paraguay and finally Canada. Needless to say that her family has been eating this for generations. You can serve this Rice, Pasta your choice, and a simple salad.

• 1 lb round steak cubed, or use stewing beef cubed into smaller chunks
• 1 small can of tomato sauce
• 1 cup of cream, or if you must go lighter, milk, but it is so good with the cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 heaping tbsp flour
  

In a pot brown the beef cubes well. Add barely enough water to cover the meat and cook until tender. About 40 minutes to an hour depending on the meat.
Mix flour with cold water and add the paste to the meat. Cook for a few minutes.
Add the tomato sauce, and the cream.
Heat through and season to taste.
......so Kinder jetzt essen (so children let's eat)

Wareneki

Wareneki, Varenyky or Perogies.

It really doesn't matter what you call them, they are wonderful.

I grew up with cottage cheese filled Wareneki, along with a sour cream and butter gravy.

My husband's Mom is Ukrainian and the filling for her recipe is

sauerkraut, hamburger and potato.

They served them with heated cream or sour cream.

Dough:

-1 cup sour cream

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp baking powder

-2 cups flour

-1 egg white, slightly beaten (save the yolk for the filling)

Mix ingredients into a smooth dough, cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

This recipe makes enough for one of the following fillings, but can easily be doubled.

Sauerkraut , Hamburger and Potato Filling:

-1 large potato, boiled, mashed and cooled

-1/2 lb hamburger, browned, seasoned with salt and pepper. Drain any drippings and cool meat.

-1 cup sauerkraut, drained well

Mix above 3 ingredients together.

Potato Cheese and Onion filling:

-2 potatoes boiled, mashed and cooled

-1/4 cup sauteed onion, cooled

-1 cup crated cheddar cheese

Mix above three ingredients together.

Cottage Cheese Filling:

-2 cups dry curd cottage cheese (if you can't find dry, place regular cottage cheese in a fine strainer and allow moisture to drain)

-1 egg yolk, left over from the dough

-1 tsp salt

-dash pepper

Combine ingredients together well.

Method:

1. While dough is chilling make the fillings. (you can double the dough to make several kinds)

2. Take one recipe of dough and on a lightly floured counter roll it out very thin into a large rectangle.

3. Using an ice cream scoop place balls of filling along one end of dough as illustrated above.

4. Fold dough over filling as illustrated above. Using a small round cutter (or small glass) cut out Wareneki, as illustrated below.

The dough is very easy to work with and not sticky. If you find that the edges aren't sealed just pinch as needed.

5. Place the Wareneki on parchment lined cookie sheets. Keep in fridge until ready to boil, or freeze on the cookie sheets. Once they are frozen bag them for later use.

Boiling:

Bring a large pot of water with 1 tbsp butter to a boil. Drop fresh or frozen Wareneki into the boiling water and boil 5 minutes if fresh, or 10 minutes if frozen. Wareneki will float when they are done. Drain.

Gravy:

-1/4 cup butter, melted

-1 cup sour cream

In a small sauce pan melt butter, and then stir in sour cream. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper lightly to taste.

Serving suggestions:

-sour cream

-heated whipping cream

-sauteed onions

-fried crumbled bacon

-farmer sausage or fried ham slices

-sauteed red cabbage

Hilda's Glums Paska Spread

This recipe is from my friend Hilda. It is a cottage cheese and egg spread to put on Paska. As a young child I didn't appreciate this spread but since tasting Hilda's spread several years ago . .it became strangely addictive.

• 1 - 500 ml container dry cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup room temperature butter
• 1 1/2 cup white sugar
• pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 small or 2 large hard boiled eggs ..roughly chopped (I make half her recipe which calls for 5 eggs)
• 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin softened in 1/4 cup warm water

1. In a small saucepan heat the whipping cream and gelatin/water together. Simmer it a few minutes until it has slightly thickened. Don't boil it hard. . just a slight simmer is what you want.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
3. In a blender or food processor combine all the ingredients.
4. Process until it is is thoroughly combined but still has a bit of texture.
5. Fill a plastic container and put on a lid. ( I like to use a container size that is almost too small so that the lid presses down the spread to compact it slightly. (trial by error is my motto). . or put it in a glass bowl, cover with a plate and put something a little heavy ontop to press down.
6. Chill well .. .and spread thickly on Paska.

Jam Rolls (Rollchen)

I didn't realize until I was finished preparing this recipe that it is actually very much like Julie's Authentic Schnetki that she posted quite a while ago. You can find some nice variations there. For one reason or another, my family made them with jam and they have always been one of my hubby's favorite snack, when I actually make them. Usually they just appear at our house with my Mom, who makes them regularly. The pastry is the same as for Perishky.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c shortening
1/2 c butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup buttermilk

1 - 1 1/2 cups thick jam
(we prefer plum or guava)

Method:

1. Cut shortening and butter into dry ingredients with pastry blender.
2. Add combined beaten egg and liquids. Stir with fork until everything is moist.
3. Sprinkle with a little more flour, kneading gently and shape into log.
4. Divide log into four parts. Set aside three.
5. Roll a quarter of the dough out - rolling it up gently with the rolling pin (or flipping) to add more flour underneath. Roll sideways and up and down to achieve desired size - about 16X10 inches.
6. Divide into four rectangular strips, each about 4X10 inches.
7. Along one long side of each strip, spread about 1 Tbsp thick jam.
8. Roll up like jelly rolls, pinching ends. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
9. Bake on parchment-lined cookie sheets at 375 F for 30 - 35 min.
   

Some jam most always runs out - hence the parchment paper for easy clean up. This is why it is best to use thick jam, cooked without pectin.

Plumi Moos

I have always made this plumi moos without a recipe (in German my Mom would say 'no nase and mool'..English translation would be something like 'to smell and taste'). But this time I made sure I measured everything so that I could post it here. There is one ingredient in this moos that I haven't seen added before..tapioca! I tasted it like this the first time at my MIL's place and have added tapioca ever since! Some may eat this as a dessert but I like eating it with the main course. Very good with fried potatoes, farmer sausage and a slice of freshly baked bread:)

Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 cups chopped dry fruit (apples,apricots,prunes,pears..usually comes in a bag of mixed dry fruit)
1/2 cup raisins
Bring to boil, turn heat to med low and cook until the fruit is well done, approx 15 to 20 min.

Meanwhile I cook the tapioca in the microwave..
2/3 cup tapioca (not instant)..we love tapioca and next time I would do 1 cup
Pour tapioca in a bowl and add enough water to cover. Cook in microwave for 20 to 25 min or until tapioca looks transparent, stirring every few min.

Add cooked tapioca to the fruit mixture, stir well.
Then add
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 milk
Bring to boil stirring constantly. Turn off element, cover the moos and let stand till cool. Scoop into jars and store in fridge.
Yields approx 2 qts.
If this sounds like a lot to you the recipe can easily be halved.

Buns and Platz

Memories of Saturdays growing up, always remind me of how my Mom would cook a big pot of soup, bake a batch of fresh buns and usually she would take part of the dough to make a platz or, as we called it, Streuselkuchen. My husband's side of the family called it Riebelplatz. Our middle daughter, as a pre-schooler, announced one day, "Mommy, it's easy to make Lieberplatz . . . all you need is dough, plums and crumbs!"
Now that I'm not baking for a family on a regular basis, and we don't eat a lot of white buns, I have taken part of the dough to make cinnamon buns as well. We have been pleasantly surprised how yummy they turn out even with less sweetness. So I'll leave you with a variety of goodies to try with one dough.

Ingredients for dough:

½ cup butter
2 cups milk
1 tbsp salt
3 eggs
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup oil
2 cups very warm water
10-11 cups flour
2 Tbsp instant yeast

Method:

1. In small pot, melt butter and heat milk until warm.
2. In large mixer bowl, beat eggs, adding the sugar and then the oil.
3. Stir in all liquids – warm water, milk and butter
4. Add 4 – 5 cups flour and instant yeast, mixing well
5. Switching to dough (hook) attachment on mixer, add the rest of the flour, one cup at a time.
6. Turn dough into a larger bowl to rise, giving it a few more punches if needed.
7. Cover with a tea towel and plastic bag and rise about 1 – ½ hours
   

To make plain buns:

Use about ½ of the dough to make 15-18 buns. Shape into buns by taking a handful of dough at a time and squeezing bun shapes between thumb and forefinger. Place on greased cookie sheet, cover with tea towel and plastic and let rise 1 hour. Bake at 400 F for 20 min. Cool on wire racks.

Note: I always slice the buns before freezing them. This makes it easy to make sandwiches quickly when they are still frozen, especially when I did school lunches.

To make Cinnamon Buns:

With greased hands, pinch off a large piece of the rest of the dough and roll out on floured surface. Spread with about 2 Tbsp melted butter and 1 cup brown sugar mixed with 1-2 tsp cinnamon. Roll up jellyroll style and cut into 1” slices. Place on greased or parchment paper lined pan. Cover and let rise 1 hour and then bake at 350 F for 20 min or until golden.

To ice: mix about 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, 1 Tbsp soft marg or butter and enough milk to make a nice spreading or drizzle consistency.


To make Platz:

Ingredients:
Fruit, jam or pie filling
3 Tbsp butter, room temp
½ cup flour
1/2 cup sugar

Method:

1. Grease any size pan you like. You can use a round spring-form pan, a 9X13 pan or a cookie sheet. Spread or pat your left over dough into pan by hand. It will rise some, so it doesn’t have to be high – about ½ - 1 inch – some prefer a flat platz and some a high platz. Let it rest about 20 – 30 min.
2. Spread with cut up fruit, such as plums or apricots and sprinkle with just a couple of Tbsp of sugar. I used canned cherry pie filling. My mom often just spread it with just a beaten egg for moisture, then topped it with crumbs.
3. For Crumbs: Mix butter into flour and sugar with pastry cutter. Squeeze a handful at a time and sprinkle on fruit or jam. If you find the crumb mixture too dry, mix in a Tbsp of cream, and then squeeze into crumbs as you drop onto the fruit.
4. Let rise about ½ hour. Bake at 375 F for about 30 min. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack. This is one of our favorite Sunday morning breakfast treats. To keep crumbs crunchy, don’t cover. If you freeze it, uncover to thaw.
   

This recipe can also be used for Zwieback or pizza crust. (not pictured)

Chicken Noodle Soup

When I make homemade Chicken Noodle Soup I use a whole fryer or broiler chicken. I don't use all the meat for the soup. Once the broth has simmered several hours I allow the broth to cool enough to handle the chicken. Remove the chicken using a small colander with a handle. Take off the two breasts and use them for another meal that needs chopped chicken. The options are endless. You could make a casserole or just use it for sandwiches or for wraps. Since the chicken had simmered in the seasoned broth. . .it will be flavorful for another use. With the rest of the chicken I remove from the bones from the meat and put the meat back into the broth. If we are not eating the soup that day .. .I refrigerate the broth and then before reheating .. .I remove all the solid fat at the top of the broth.

• 1 chicken
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 peppercorns
• 1 star aniseed
• 5 cloves
• a small handful chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon Maggi seasoning ( optional )
• salt to taste

1. Put your chicken in a soup pot and cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil and add the spices (not the parsley) which you have tied into a bit of cheesecloth.
3. Simmer for 2 -3 hours.
4. Remove from heat and take chicken off the bones when it is cool enough to handle.
5. Remove the breasts and refrigerate for another use. Remove the rest of the meat from the bones and put back into the broth.
6. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the Maggi seasoning and parsley.
7. Simmer for 1/2 hour and taste and adjust the salt and Maggi seasoning if needed.
8. Serve the broth over cooked fine egg noodles. (Do not store leftover soup with noodles. .keep them separate)

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!!

Rice cooked with Milk

Cooked rice served with sugar and cinnamon..mmm, comfort food! Mom made this often and it was always a favorite of mine and still is. I grew up on a dairy farm and so there was no shortage of milk and this rice was cooked with rich whole milk. But now I usually cook it with 1% milk although it really does taste better with whole milk!


1 cup long grain rice..I have used basmati and that is good too

1/4 tsp salt

approx 4 cups milk

In a large saucepan bring to boil the rice, salt and 1 cup milk on high, stirring frequently. Once it's boiling turn heat down to med heat.

As the rice cooks and absorbs the milk keep adding more milk, 1/2 cup at a time until the rice is tender. You will need to keep stirring frequently until the rice is done which takes about 40 to 45 min.

Serve with sugar and cinnamon. We eat it as a dessert and after a light meal as it is very filling. When my Mom used to make it we ate it as part of the main course. Mom loved to eat sweet and savoury dishes at the same time.. and that is definetly something I inherited from her!