Bread for the Journey

My son, pay attention to what I say;

listen closely to my words.

Do not let them out of your sight,

keep them within your heart;

for they are life to those who find them

and health to a man's whole body.

Above all else, guard your heart,

for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4: 20-23

Choose my instruction instead of silver,

knowledge rather than choice gold,

for wisdom is more precious than rubies,

and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 8: 10-11

I ask myself, how do I guard my heart? How do I protect what I hold dear and not let it get stained by the world and the things in it? One of Jesus' disciples said to Him, "Lord to whom can we go, for You alone have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68) It is a good day to put aside the pursuits of this life and take time to listen.

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!!

Tomato Bruschetta

I like making this for lunch along side a bowl of homemade soup. You can put the topping on anything but I like it in bagels.

• !/2 cup of mayonnaise
  
• 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
• pepper to taste

1. Mix together and spoon on to bagel halves.
2. Broil at 350 til warmed through and cheese bubbles.
   

Citrus Pound Cake

This recipe comes from the Robin Hood Baking Festival Cookbook.

I baked it to use in a Cranberry Trifle that I made for an event at Christmas and it added a lovely flavour to the finished dessert.

Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the trifle so that recipe will have to wait for a later post.

This cake is delicious served just as it is or with a dollop of whipped cream.

• 3 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
• 2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt (I substituted some sour cream as I didn't have enough yogurt)
• 1/3 cup orange juice

1. Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan or a 10 inch tube pan.
2. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.
3. Cream butter with sugar in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until well blended and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating lightly after each until smooth. Then beat on high speed until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.
5. Add zests, and beat briefly.
6. Add dry ingredients alternately with yogurt and orange juice, beating on low speed until well blended.
7. Spread batter in prepared pan
8. Bake at 350º for 65-75 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Cool for 10 minutes in pan and then remove to wire rack.

This cake freezes very well. I used only half of it to make the trifle and put the rest in the freezer to be served at a later time.

Creamy no bake Cheesecake

I combined a few different recipes from my favorites to make this no bake cheesecake for our Christmas Dinner Dessert. It had a nice smooth texture that sliced beautifully and wasn't heavy tasting.

Crust Ingredients

• 3/4 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
• 2 tablespoons cup sugar
• 1/3 cup soft butter
• 3/4 cup finely ground almonds

1. Mix together the vanilla wafer crumbs, sugar, butter and almonds until crumbs form. Press into a 9 inch spring form pan and bake in a 350 F oven for 15 minutes. Cool.

Cheesecake Filling Ingredients

• 2 packages of light Cream Cheese
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 envelope unflavoured gelatin
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Whip the cream to soft peaks and set aside.
2. Dissolve the gelatin in hot water and set aside.
3. In a small saucepan bring the 1/3 cup water and the 1 cup sugar to a boil over high heat for 8 - 10 minutes or until a thread forms when dropped from a teaspoon. Do not allow the syrup to begin to brown.
4. In a large free standing mixing bowl begin to beat the egg whites and slowly add the sugar syrup and beat on high speed until the meringue is thick and cooled .. .about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
5. In another large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese for a minute until smooth.
6. Add the softened gelatin mixture.
7. Add the sour cream and combine until smooth.
8. Add the cooled meringue, strirring until no white streaks remain.
9. Add the whipped cream and the vanilla.
10. Pour into the cooled crust and refrigerate until set . ..about 4 hours or overnight.

Schwartzies

This hash brown dish takes a few minutes to mix and is a good addition to a brunch or main meal. Last Sunday morning I added some peeled and cut farmer sausage in a separate dish with a little water. I covered both dishes, pre-set the oven and we came home to a ready meal.

Ingredients:

1 (2 lb) frozen hash browns
2 cans cream of mushroom
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. fine onion flakes
1/2 tsp salt,
pepper
2 cups grated cheese
sprinkle Parmesan cheese
paprika

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, then spread into 9 X 13 Pyrex dish. For four people I did half the recipe in a 1 quart casserole dish.
2. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika.
3. Bake 1 hour at 375F.
   
   Variation: Add cubed cooked ham or bacon bits.
   

Mushroom Chicken

This is one of my quick meals that I saute together in about 30 minutes. It works best to cut up your veggies before you begin to brown your chicken breasts. Start a pot of water to boil some spaghetti noodles the same time you begin your chicken. Even though it has a bit of heavy cream, I think it is still a healthy choice especially if you use whole wheat noodles like we do. The sauce is just enough to coat and flavour the noodles. Use a large pan but if possible it should not be non stick. The meat browns better without one.

Mushroom Chicken

• 4 - 6 chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 6 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 large onion .. diced
• 1 bell pepper thinly sliced
• 2 handfuls fresh spinach. . washed and left to drain
• 2 cloves garlic minced (or 1 head of roasted garlic . ..which we actually prefer)
• 1 can or small carton chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• a splash of white wine (optional)
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil or 2 tablespoons freeze dried basil
• 1/2 cup parmigiana cheese

1. Heat a large fry pan over medium high heat. .. and add the oil.
2. Pat dry the chicken breasts, season them with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. Don't crowd the pan or the chicken will not brown . .they'll just poach. Look at my pan . .don't add more than that.
3. When the chicken begins to release from the pan ..it is ready to flip. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until the other side is browned and then remove and put in a 325 oven to keep warm and to finish the cooking.
4. Add 1 more tablespoon of oil if necessary and then add the onion and mushrooms and garlic. Scrape up the bits of brown and saute until the mushrooms have released their liquid and they are beginning to brown.  This part is important not to rush.  The mushrooms are best when soft. 
5. Add the bell pepper and  and continue to saute until the pepper has just wilted.
6. Add the heavy cream and the wine and the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
7. Add the chicken back into the pan and add the basil and simmer a few minutes.
8. Add the spinach and the parmigiana cheese.
9. As soon as the spinach wilts serve over hot noodles. . .we prefer spaghetti.