Cranberry Scones

I'm back....and with house guests. Time to bake!
Let's start with something easy and quick for breakfast.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups of unbleached flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp white sugar (you can use more if you so desire but I like a scone I can spread with jam so I don't like it too 'cake like')
• 1 cup cranberries (really you can add any dry fruit here...don't overdo it though...currants, or small dried fruit like citrus peel etc. would be fine)
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt (I prefer buttermilk for this type of scone)

Preheat your oven to 375. Combine your dry ingredients. Do the usual cutting in of the butter or margarine until you end up with coarse crumbs. Add your dry fruit. Add two eggs to the buttermilk and beat lightly. Add to dry mixture and stir until just moistened. Turn out onto greased board. Knead only til the dough holds together. Make one or two circles 1/2 inch thick. Cut into wedges and put onto a lightly greased pan. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar or drizzle with a lemon icing glaze if so desired. Bake at 375 for 15 min.

Roasted Pork with Maple Mustard Crust

I found this recipe in the January 08 "Fine Cooking" magazine. This is the first magazine I buy when going on vacation - it's beautiful and informative with many good tips and recipes. My copies of their "Quick and Easy" special edition magazines are well used.

1 - 4 lb. boneless pork loin roast

1/4 cup maple syrup
3 Tbsp whole grain mustard
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 large fennel bulb or 2 small bulbs, cored, and thinly sliced*
2 granny Smith apples peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 Tbsp. olive oil
salt

* I didn't have any fennel when I first made this so I used about a Tbsp. of fennel seed instead and the flavour was wonderful.

Position rack in the centre of the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, mustard, thyme and pepper. Pat pork roast dry with paper towel and brush it all over with the mustard mixture.

In a medium bowl, toss the fennel and apple with the oil, salt and a few generous grinds of pepper.
Scatter the mixture in the bottom of a large roasting pan (the pan should be large enough to leave a couple of inches of space between the roast and the sides of the roaster.)
Put the pork, fat side up, on top of the fennel and apples. (you can put the roast on a small rack over the apples.)

Roast the pork until the crust just starts to brown, about 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 350 dgrees and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers 145-150 dgrees - about 30- 40 minutes more.

Remove roast from oven and let rest on the counter - loosely tented with foil - for 10 minutes
While roast is resting, use a slotted spoon and remove apple/fennel mixture to a small bowl.

To make a gravy, add about 1 cup apple juice and a splash of white wine, if desired, to juices in pan and while it simmers scrape the pan with a spatula to incorporate all the brown crusty bits into the sauce.. Mix a little cornstarch with cold apple juice until blended and add to pan juices, stirring constantly until it thickens slightly. Season to taste.

Place roast on serving platter and spoon apple/fennel mixture over roast. Top with several spoons full of the gravy. Slice into thin slices at the table and serve with the remaining gravy.

Canned Peaches

For those who might still want to do a little canning, peaches are probably the favorite one to do. They make a nice quick dessert and a nice addition to many recipes.

The basic supplies you need include:
12 quart sized canning jars,
new snap lids to fit jar size (screw bands can be re-used)
a water bath canner.

I’ve also used recycled spaghetti sauce jars such as Catelli or Classico with their lids. (use once, they do re-seal) The canner has a metal rack that fits into the bottom so that the jars sit a bit elevated from the direct heat.
Wash and rinse jars well. Use heat dry cycle in dishwasher. Cover snap lids or rubber lids with water in small pot and bring to boil. Keep hot.

Ingredients:
20 lbs freestone or semi-freestone peaches
7 c sugar
15 c water

Prepare syrup in a large pot by heating sugar and water until sugar is dissolved. Keep hot. Bring about 4 – 5 inches of water to a boil in canner and keep hot.
Scald peaches (pour boiling water over them, soak about 1 min. and drain).
Cut in halves or quarters, peel and remove pits. Pack into sterilized jars, smooth side to the outside. Cover with hot syrup to within 1/2 inch from the top.

Center snap lid on clean jar rim and apply screw band just until fingertip tight.
Place jars in canner. When water comes to a second boil, continue processing (boiling) for 20 minutes. Remove from canner using tongs or rubber gloves, and place on a towel or large cutting board, away from drafts. This recipe makes about 12 quarts.
Do not push down on the lids. You will hear popping as the lids seal and will be able to tell by a more inverted look on the lid. Refrigerate any jars that don’t seal.

Mexican Potato Casserole

This is a recipe from the Greendale MB Church cookbook (volume II) that I have made many times. I often increase amounts and prepare in a larger casserole or 9 x 13 inch pan. It tastes great re-heated also.

Mexican Potato Casserole

4 medium potatoes, with peel

2 Tablespoons butter

2 1/2 Tablespoons taco seasoning

1/2 pound lean ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 cups salsa

1/2 cup chopped peppers (red, green or yellow)

1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces and place in greased casserole dish.

Melt butter...stir in taco seasoning.

Pour over the potatoes and stir to coat well.

Bake uncovered at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes.

Stir...bake 10 minutes longer.

Brown and crumble beef; add onion and cook until soft...then drain.

Stir in salsa and chopped peppers.

Pour over potatoes.

Top with grated cheese.

Bake uncovered for 10 minutes.

Serve with additional salsa and sour cream.

Ham and Cheese Loaf

This savoury loaf doesn't take long to make and it's a great dish for a brunch. I had planned to take pics as I put the loaf together but hey I forgot until it was baked..I was in a rush to have it ready early. I baked it this morning and brought some to my daughter who is celebrating her b'day today! This recipe is from her collection of favorites.

Ham and Cheese Loaf

31/2 cups flour
2 tbsp yeast
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

1 cup water
1/4 cup prepared mustard(I used half regular and half bold n spicy)
2 tbsp butter

Filling:
3 cups chopped cooked ham
1 cup grated swiss cheese
3/4 cup diced dill pickles

1 egg lightly beaten, to brush on loaf just before baking

Reserve 1 cup flour. Mix remaining flour, yeast, sugar and salt in large bowl. In separate bowl microwave water, mustard and butter until very warm. Stir warm liquid into dry ingredients. Mix in enough of the reserved 1 cup flour to make a soft dough that does not stick to bowl. Knead until smooth and elastic approx 4 to 5 min.
Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

To fill and shape dough...roll dough to approx 15 by 10" rectangle. Place on greased baking sheet.
Sprinkle ham, cheese and pickles over the centre third of rectangle. With a sharp knife make 1" cuts from filling to dough edges on each side of the filling. Alternate sides, fold strips of dough at an angle across filling.
Cover and let rise in warm place until double in size, approx 30 min. Brush loaf with beaten egg.
Bake at 375 for 35 min.

She provides food for her family...
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
Prov. 31 : 15, 20

Quick Blueberry Streusel (Platz)

It's blueberry picking time for those of us living in the right parts of the country. As a child I reluctantly used to go picking in the summer to make some spending money, but now I find it very relaxing to get out there amongst the rows and rows of berries. Especially with some good company . . . to eat, enjoy the sun and anticipate the desserts that will come.

So . . . from the bushes to the plates, in no time, since the base and the crumbs are the same mix . . .

QUICK BLUEBERRY STREUSEL

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter or marg. (room temp)

Mix with pastry blender until well blended, but crumbly. Put 1 1/4 cups aside for topping. To the original mix, add:

2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg beaten with fork in meas. cup, then filled to 1 cup with buttermilk

Mix baking powder and soda into dry ingredients, then add egg and buttermilk.
Spread into greased 10"round, 9x9 or 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with 2 cups blueberries and crumb mixture. Squeeze crumbs a bit as you drop them by handfuls.
Bake in upper part of oven, at 375F for 35 - 45 min. Cool or serve warm with ice cream.