Greek Burgers

It's that time of the year...when we like to fire up the grill once again. Chef Dez...our famous local chef...featured a Greek flavoured burger as his recipe of the month for April. The sun came out long enough yesterday to use the BBQ...and we enjoyed our own version of the Chef's Greek burger for supper last night. If you are looking for a great new flavour for the seasonal classic...try a Greek burger!

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large egg
• 100 gr feta cheese, crumbled (use garlic and herb feta for added flavour)

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Divide into four portions and shape into four patties.
2. Grill on a pre-heated BBQ over medium heat until cooked through (approximately 10 minutes) flipping once.
3. Serve on your favorite burger bun..with tomato, lettuce and a generous portion of  Tzatziki.

 Tzatziki

• 1 Long English cucumber
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice 
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Grate unpeeled cucumber and squeeze out extra moisture. (Grate into a strainer and squeeze excess moisture out by pressing down with a bowl.)
2. Combine remaining ingredients and mix well with a wire whisk.
3. Stir in cucumber and chill for several hours before serving.

Cherry Varenya

My mother and the Russian immigrants I grew up around would make and enjoy this Cherry Syrup that they called Cherry Varenya to sweeten their hot tea. They used whole pie cherries for this recipe. I got this recipe from my mother.

This is a very simple recipe for Cherry Varenya.

Cherry Varenya

1/2 Cup Water
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Whole Sour Cherries (Pie Cherries)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
You would increase the proportions of this recipe according to how many cherries you have on hand that you want to make into Varenya.
Boil the water and sugar to make a clear simple syrup. When the liquid is clear add your cherries and let it boil for 10 to 20 minutes (depending on how hard the cherries were to begin with) At the end of the boiling add 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to help preserve the brightness of the syrup.
You could increase the ingredients to have enough to can for future use. I don't know if I should admit this but I have never canned anything. If you are familiar with canning I'm sure you can do it successfully with this syrup.

You can do this process with sliced lemons, too, to make a Lemon Varenya.

Lemon Varenya

When I was young our family would go to a Cherry Orchard somewhere near Lancaster, California in July when the pie cherries were ready to harvest. It might have been in the Leona Valley. We would pick cherries all day and take home upwards of 40 pounds of cherries. That’s a lot of Cherries. When we picked this much my parents would give about half of the cherries away to other relatives and friends who couldn’t make the trek out to the Cherry Farm. Then it was a full day of preparing the cherries for Varenya. Washing, cooking and canning.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Slice

This is a recipe that I got from my dear friend Marie, and have been making it for over 25 years now. The other day my youngest was having a study night with a friend, and just as I was getting ready to leave the house she asked...."do we have a snack, cookies or something". What? she is asking now....so I decided to time myself, see how long it would take to make these and have all the ingredients back in the pantry and dirty dishes in the dishwasher and the slice in the oven. It took 6 minutes and 37 seconds! (I am not a speedy person and just did it the way I normally do). So when you think you don't have time to whip something up, think again. I put it in the oven and left. The slice was in the oven to bake,and 25 minutes later the girls enjoyed warm and chewy cookie slice with ice cream.
However the next time I made this I goofed and then I just changed the name called it Chocolate chip cookie slice "Biscotti".
Ooops,
I left them in the oven to long and forgot to set the timer, so they were not soft and chewy but crunchy.....hey they were still good, and I just gave it a new name. It still works, the key is don't panic when you make something and it doesn't work, even seasoned cooks goof. I should know :)

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (I also cut down on the sugar by 1/2 c. sometimes even 3/4c.)
  
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil or canola
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (I use half because I use sea salt and you need less)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (oops, more fell in, oh well)
• 1 1/2 cups flour

1. Combine oil, sugar, egg and vanilla.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir till combined.
   
3. Grease a 10 x 15** pan and press dough into it using your hands that have been moistened with a little water. It may look like it will not spread will and that you have some bald spots but do not worry it covers the pan well as it bakes.
4. Bake at 300 for 20-25 minutes*, or until a very light brown. You don't want to over bake it unless you want it to be like Biscotti of course, then go right ahead....:^)

*My oven it takes about 30 minutes, I don't always have the same results with baking time, so watch your at the 20-25 minute mark, you want a very light brown and the top looks shiny.
** Also if you really want to have a very chewy cookie slice then I do the recipe 1 1/2 times, to make them extra chewy and then bake them 7 minutes or so longer, but remember every oven is different.

Cream Puff Dessert

Today is my sister Norma's birthday..wishing you a wonderful and happy day dear sister! I asked her what her favorite dessert was and she told me that this cream puff dessert is one of her favorites. I first tasted this dessert at her house a long time ago and of course I wanted the recipe:) I have made it often, it was a popular birthday dessert for our staff. It is a large dessert and can feed a crowd! Oh and if you happen to meet up with Norma today wish her a happy birthday, okay? Base:

• 1 cup water


• 1/2 cup butter


• 1 cup flour


• 5 eggs

1. In a saucepan bring water and butter to a boil.


2. Mix flour into the water and butter mixture and stir until the flour is stirred in and it forms a ball. Remove from heat.


3. Add eggs, one at time and beat until smooth and satiny. This is a bit of a workout on the arm so if you have someone else in the house ask for a hand..or would that be an arm:)


4. Spread on a large greased cookie sheet, one that has edges. My pan size is approx 13 x 17.


5. Bake at 425º for 15 to 20 minutes until golden in color.


6. Once baked it will have a bumpy look..don't worry, that is how it should look. With your hand, very gently press those bumps down just a little. They will deflate on their own a bit too.


7. Cool.

Filling and topping:

• 1 250 g (8 oz) package cream cheese


• 1 box, 153 g (6 serving size) of instant vanilla pudding


• 1 3/4 cups whipping cream (whipped and sweetened..I added 1/3 cup icing (powdered) sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla)


• Chocolate sauce

1. Beat softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.


2. Prepare pudding as per box instructions.


3. Whisk together pudding and cream cheese until smooth, spread on cooled base.


4. Top with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Refrigerate till serving time.


5. This is delicious as is but you can add bananas and fresh fruit if you wish.

Bread for the Journey

Good Sunday morning to all of you who join us here today. Sometime today or this week in a quiet place I'd like to encourage you to write your own Psalm to God. To inspire you here is Psalm 121 and then my own Psalm (Sacred Song) to God.

Psalm 121 (ESV)

My Help Comes from the LORD

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.

Ellen's Psalm

You oh Lord are my God and my redeemer.
Your hand has been on me all my life.
You continue to lead and guide me with gentleness and love.
You have opened my eyes to your majesty.

When I see the cloud covered hills beyond the carpet of flowers
I marvel at the power and beauty of your creation.
I look, I see, and I stand in awe of you because of your beauty.

You are above me and you shield me and you care for me.
You allow me to lay my head down in peace and rise up again to praise you.
I praise you Lord for your beauty and your majesty!

Have a day filled with seeing God's beauty and being in awe of Him!

Peach Cinnamon Muffins

These low fat muffins, filled with fibre and yogurt are nothing but delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 pint / 2 cups canned peaches,drained
• 1/2 cup canned peach syrup  
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup peach yogurt
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 cup All Bran cereal
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed 
• 1 cup white flour
• 1 cup multi grain or whole wheat flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

Topping:

• 2 Tbsp coarse sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Method:

1. Grease and flour 12 - 14 large muffin tins or 6-8 jumbo muffin tins.
2. Drain peaches, reserving 1/2 cup syrup. Set aside.
3. In mixing bowl, beat eggs, using a fork. Stir in syrup, yogurt, oil, All Bran cereal and sugar. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, combine flours, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt.
5. Stir into wet ingredients.
6. Spoon into prepared muffin tins.
7. Arrange sliced peaches on top of muffins, pressing lightly into batter.
8. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over peaches.
9. Bake large muffins at 375 F for about 25 minutes. Jumbo muffins for about 30 - 35 minutes.

Tomato Soup Cake

Not long ago one of my co workers arrived at my desk at work with several fresh warm

slices of Tomato Soup loaf....just because. I had not had it in years. I know it sounds rather odd 

to have Tomato soup in a cake, but you'll just have to take my word...it is so good.

It can be made in an 8x8 cake pan, 1 loaf pan or a muffin tin.

Thanks Deb....I enjoy sharing our love for baking together.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp margarine
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tin tomato soup
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Method:

1. Stir together Tomato Soup and baking soda. It will foam up. stir well until the foam settles.
2. Cream together margarine, eggs and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Add alternately with soup mixture to the creamed mixture. Add raisins and nuts if using.
4. Pour into greased pans. Bake @350 º. 35 minutes for 8x8. 50 minutes for 1 loaf pan. 15-20 minutes for muffins.